RiverLink’s RiverMusic brings a night of roots rock and roll to the Prestige Subaru stage with Tim Easton, Aaron Lee Tasjan and headliner Patrick Sweany. The event will take place at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza, located at 144 Riverside Drive in the River Arts District (map). RiverMusic gates open at 5 p.m. and the good times roll until 10, with all events sponsored by Prestige Subaru, The Chaddick Foundation, AC Hotel Asheville Downtown, and Allegra Marketing Print Mail.
Says former Washington Post music critic and Doctor of Rockology Joe Sasfy of the evening:
“On Friday, July 8, RiverLink presents its third RiverMusic concert for 2016, a special evening with three of the most talented, not to mention rowdiest, singer-songwriters working in Nashville today. So don’t come expecting and evening of quiet folk songs, as all three artists are capable of kicking up a storm of rockin’ Americana. Opener Tim Easton has spent twenty years performing in bands and solo and can rock hard in either mode. Aaron Lee Tasjan and the Stoned Faces offer an especially down and dirty, road weary blend of songwriting craft and outlaw edge, reflecting Tasjan’s tenure as a guitar player with the legendary New York Dolls. He’s got a sense of humor, too.
Headlining is Patrick Sweany, an artist whose impressively rich songwriting and singing draw on the deep wells of Delta blues and Memphis soul. There are few artists around that conjure the South’s musical past and add an intensely modern edge as well as Sweany. Sweany also plays some mean blues guitar and his band knows how to up the ante. These guys should make a hot July night hotter.”
Beer vendors for the night will be New Belgium and Highland. Foodtrucks Taste & See, Grateful Roots, Out of the Blue, Appalachian Chic, and Ceci’s Culiniarywill be on hand, as will ice cream from Sunshine Sammies. There is free parking on both sides of the concert site, and free admission, too. Every night features the sun setting over the beautiful French Broad River.
The Prestige Subaru Stage for all of these events will be powered by Sundance Solar again. There will be a Grey Line trolley making a circuitous route between the concert venue and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (map). Attendees can also paddle up to the river access RiverLink has installed, and there are bike racks available onsite.
Dogs (except service dogs), outside food and beverages are not allowed.
RiverLink is celebrating 30 years as an environmental nonprofit working to revitalize the French Broad River and her watershed as a place for everyone to live, learn, work and play.