Hendersonville – A rising jazzy jam band from New York City headlines the free Rhythm & Brews on Downtown Hendersonville’s south end on Thursday night, July 21.
The seven-piece headliner, Melt from New York City, plays bouncy jazz-funk rhythms with a very smooth sound. Diminutive lead singer Veronica Stewart-Frommer has a very strong and soulful voice with a steady vocal delivery. She shines on powerful ballads like “Sour Candy,” the band’s first single five years ago, and “Melt,” which inspired the band’s name.
She and band co-founder Eric Gabriel, the keyboardist, write their original songs. They have performed together since high school.
The lead guitarist is Marlo Shankweiler. The saxophone and trumpet are prominent on such songs as “Waves” and “Walk to Midnight.” Some band members trained for jazz, while others were raised on classic rock, according to Stewart-Frommer. The band’s CD is West Side Highway.
This indie act is known for its activism against nuclear weapons. The band is touring across the U.S. with two shows in Canada, and returns to this area on Oct. 3 at The Grey Eagle nightclub in Asheville. Their time slot at Rhythm & Brews is 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Pink Beds
The opening act, Pink Beds, starts at about 5:30 p.m. The Asheville-based quartet plays danceable indie, “psychedelic folk, dream pop” grooves. Their sound is very flowing and soothing on such originals as “In My Head” and “Tunnel Vision,” as well as faster numbers like “Elope” and “Do No Harm.”
Pink Beds is the namesake of a scenic part of the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard. The lineup includes singer-guitarist Aaron Aiken from Brevard, keyboard-guitarist Jackson Van Horn, bassist Logan Hall, and drummer Ryan Sargent. The band released its first CD, All I Have, a year and a half ago and then two singles.
This is the middle of five monthly Rhythm & Brews concerts. Next up is Americana-folk artist Alexa Rose, with singer-songwriter Aaron Burdett opening, on Aug. 18. The series concludes Sept. 15 with Unspoken Unspoken Tradition playing bluegrass originals, and classic-style rockers The Greybird opening.
Several food and craft beer vendors are at the concert site along Main Street, between Allen and Caswell streets. For more about city-sponsored events, check out: https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/downtown-hendersonville.