Hendersonville – The Stooges Brass Band from New Orleans headlines the next monthly Rhythm & Brews outdoor concert series on Thursday, July 20.
This is the midpoint of the five-month series, presented by Horizon Heating & Air. It is held on third Thursdays, at Downtown Hendersonville’s south side near the Visitors Center. The uncovered concert area is on Main Street, between Allen and Caswell streets. Camp chairs and blankets are welcome, but pets and coolers are not allowed there. The concert area opens at 5:15 p.m.
The opening act starts at 5:30 p.m. The headliner plays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The inclement weather policy is to delay each act by as much as a half-hour, before canceling it.
Stooges Brass Band
Downtown Event Coordinator Terrye Jacobs calls Rhythm & Brews the “premier live music series of Hendersonville.” She stated, “Rhythm & Brews brings in a variety of established acts as well as up-and-coming artists from around the nation. Whether you love soul, rock, bluegrass or the funky stuff, Rhythm & Brews will put a smile on your face and broaden your musical horizons.”
The Stooges Brass Band has 27 years of experience. The band blends traditional New Orleans brass, contemporary jazz, and hip-hop beats. The band won the title of Red Bull Street Kings: Best Brass Band, and was the subject of a documentary on New Orleans brass bands.
The opening act at 5:30 p.m. is Zydeco Ya Ya, playing zydeco and cajun swing.
The following Rhythm & Brews concert is on Aug. 17. The main act is progressive bluegrass band Fireside Collective, with indie rockers The Roving opening. The series’ final show of the summer is on Sept. 21. It features Americana/western swing artist Melissa Carper. The opener is singer-songwriter Angela Easterling and The Beguilers.
Friends of Downtown
Craft beers and food trucks abound, reflecting the series’ name of Rhythm & Brews. Food includes pizza, barbecue, and kettle corn. In the beer and wine garden, patrons can purchase wine from Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards and local craft brews from Sierra Nevada, Bold Rock Hard Cider, Dry Falls Brewery, Flat Rock Cider Co., Guidon Brewing Co., and Oklawaha Brewing Co.
All net proceeds from adult beverage sales are earmarked for the nonprofit Friends of Downtown Hendersonville (FDH). The group directly funded downtown businesses with more than $35,000 in façade and pivot grant programs in recent years, City Communications Mgr. Allison Justus noted. Its mission is to “identify, preserve and enhance the key factors that contribute to the authentic small-town urban character of historic downtown Hendersonville.” The Friends of Downtown Hendersonville launched the Rhythm & Brews Concert Series in 2013.
The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority supports FDH and Rhythm & Brews. The series sponsors include Norm’s Minit Mart, Yoga and Massage, B Squared Realty, Optimum, Van Winkle Law Firm, and BGW CPA.
The Kid Zone has hula-hooping and activities provided by the local non-profit Hands On! Children’s Museum. The zone is sponsored by the Hendersonville Honeycrisps collegian baseball squad, and the Hendersonville Toy Company.