05.17.2023

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Today’s Forecast

42º | Cloudy | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:40 a.m. | Sunset 5:30 p.m.

💿 Get ready for a Moog-tastic week

Celebrate the late Bob Moog’s 89th birthday with these local events

Pro tip: Moog is pronounced with a long o, like how you’d pronounce “rogue.”

We’re remembering the late Bob Moog, who would’ve turned 89 next week. Though the longtime Ashevillian died in 2005, his role as one of the pioneers of electronic music lives on forever. That’s true especially in Asheville, home of the Moog Factory, Moogseum, and UNC Asheville’s Bob Moog Electronic Music Studio.

You may already know that Moog invented the first commercial synthesizer back in 1964 — and that, subsequently, his invention transformed everything from rock and electronic to modern pop music. But we’ve got plenty of other interesting Moog history up our sleeves.

For instance, did you know that Moog moved his family to Asheville in 1978 after a charming stay at the Grove Park Inn? Once he moved to the 828, he joined the faculty at UNC Asheville, where he taught until retiring in 1993.

Also interesting: Asheville is the only place in the world where Moog synthesizers are made, with a process done by hand involving six people to build and test each product. Get more Moog history in this piece written by former AVLtoday Editor Ali McGhee.

Get hands on with modular synthesizers at The Moog Store.
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Photo by the AVLtoday team

Want to synthesize with fellow fans?

Asheville is celebrating the legacy of this iconic engineer with two events. You can also stop by the Moogseum and Moog Factory for a tour, anytime.

On Thursday, May 18 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the Asheville Art Museum will host “American Art + Sound: An Evening of Innovators and Innovation.” The event will examine the intersection between visual art and electronic sound, with discussions on curated works from the museum’s collection and a live synthesizer performance.

And on Tuesday, May 23, the Moogseum will celebrate “Bob’s Electric Birthday” all-day long, kicking things off with special guided tours from the museum’s executive director Michelle Moog-Koussa, plus a special evening event with synthesizer pioneer and longtime Moog pal Dr. Patrick Gleeson.

Quiz

Before Bob Moog became famous for his synthesizer, which instrument did he start out making?

A. Pianos
B. Guitars
C. Nothing, trick question
D. Theremins

See how keyed in you are

Events

Wednesday, May 17

Open Interest Meeting: Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections | Wednesday, May 17 | 4-5:30 p.m. | Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Calling all history buffs: here’s your chance to get engaged with the work of local historians.
Modern Art and Fine Wine Preview Reception at Brunk Auctions | Wednesday, May 17 | 5-7 p.m. | Brunk Auctions, 117 Tunnel Rd., Asheville | Free | Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres, view an impressive collection of Important Modern Art and Rare Federal Furniture plus 500+ bottles of Rare and Vintage Wines from the Collection of Jean and Jim Barrow.*

Thursday, May 18

Wine Tasting with Rise Over Run | Thursday, May 18 | 6 p.m. | Outsider Brewing, 939 Riverside Dr., Asheville | $12 | Rise Over Run Wine, a small import and distribution company based in Asheville, will lead a guided tasting of six different sustainable and unadulterated wines.
Springtime Skin Soirée | Thursday, May 18 | Times vary | Mountain Radiance Medical Spa, 7 Yorkshire St., Asheville | $10 | Learn from experts about different facial rejuvenation techniques.
Gospel Ice Cream Pop-up | Thursday, May 18 | 5-9 p.m. | Citizen Vinyl, 14 O’Henry Ave., Asheville | Free | Gospel Ice Cream founder Disco presents an evening of small dessert plates and fortified wines.

Friday, May 19

Downtown After 5 | Friday, May 19 | 5-9:30 p.m. | Downtown Asheville, 100 Block of N. Lexington Ave., Asheville | Free | Enjoy local beer, cider, wine + food while jamming to Baba Commandant and The Mandingo Band.
Gov’t Mule | Friday, May 19-Saturday, May 20 | Times vary | Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr., Asheville | $40-$75 | Catch this legendary jam band on stage with openers Neal Francis and Maggie Rose, who will perform on the first and second night, respectively.
Story Mixer: “Mothering” | Friday, May 19 | 7-10 p.m. | Story Parlor, 227 Haywood Rd., Asheville | $20-$25 | Join for an evening of music, poetry, and prose that explores theme of “mothering” — from mother nature and the nature of a mother, to parenting, reparenting, and beyond.

Saturday, May 20

Asheville Symphony - Masterworks 7: Béla Fleck & Americana | Saturday, May 20 | 8 p.m. | Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, 87 Haywood St., Asheville | $22.50-$72.50 | Doubling as the season closer and Asheville Amadeus Festival finale, this program challenges and explores the many shades of Americana, and is led by Maestro Darko Butorac.*

But wait, there's more

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News Notes

Announced

There’s a new distillery in town, courtesy of Asheville Brewing Company. Ninja Spirits, located at the brewery’s downtown location, will also partner with Little Jumbo to create a line of canned craft cocktails. Eventually, Ninja Spirits plans to open its own cocktail bar + tasting room at 66 Asheland Ave. (Ashevegas)

Travel

AdventureELEVATE has announced Asheville will be the 2024 host city (and the first city from the Southeastern US) for its annual AdventureELEVATE North America conference. The three-day summit beckons media, tour operators, thought leaders + other leaders to connected about the adventure travel industry. It’s slated for June 11-13, 2024.
How does Going work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and get notified when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a ~$575 round trip to Fiji).*

Learn

The Crunchy Baker founder Laura Walton is launching a new series of baking classes. Her first class will cover the basics of bread making on Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. See more class information and offerings. (Mountain Xpress)
Ready to get your hands dirty? Wild Abundance has opened registration for its fall courses, which include primitive + hands-on teachings like tiny house building, women’s carpentry, hide tanning, and wildcrafting.

Read

Local author Madison C. Brightwell has published a new novel “The World Beyond the Redbud Tree.” He will have a book launch party on Sunday, May 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Alley Cat Social Club in West Asheville, featuring a Q+A and performance by Fancy & The Gentleman.

Try This

Craving a beer and cheese moment? Check out this pairing event from Blue Ghost Brewing, WNC Cheese Trail, and Barn Door Ciderworks on Tuesday, May 23, 6-8 p.m. The tasting will be led by local cheesemongers + brewers and will include four pairings, as well as other edible treats.

Celebrate

We want to wish a happy birthday to our teammate Grace, AVLtoday City Editor. Happy birthday, Grace!

Sports

Congrats to UNC Asheville Swimming & Diving team member Delaney Carlton for being selected to compete for Team USA in the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, China this summer. Delaney is one of only 18 swimmers in the US to be selected — now that’s worth applauding.*

Today Is

Today Is World Baking Day. To celebrate, shop our online store (Six & Main), which features Sourhouse, a company that creates simple tools for sourdough bakers to care for their starters. You might just knead it. Start shopping now.

Opening

🍻 A hearty hello to The Rad Brew Co.

The RAD Brew Co. celebrates its grand opening

Shawn Robinson and Robert “Lem” Lemery. | Photo by AVLtoday

The River Arts District continues to brew new business with the addition of The Rad Brew Co. at 13 Mystery St. The new 31,000-sqft brewery opens on Saturday, May 20.

Led by former Wicked Weed manager and head brewer, Shawn Robinson and Robert “Lem” Lemery, The Rad Brew Co. is a project years in the making. The original plan was to open in late 2020 or early 2021 — but that goal, like many, was derailed by the pandemic.

Three years (and lots of renovation work) later, the brewery is finally ready to celebrate its new digs. The grand opening party, which runs from 12 to 10 p.m., will include live music, Queen’s Island Cuisine, an arts and crafts market, and of course, plenty of beer.

The brewery will also include a dog-friendly campus, an outdoor beer garden, and plenty of wines, ciders and locally-made, non-alcoholic beverages.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Laura

From the editor

This drag show at Crave Dessert Bar is lookin’ extra sweet. Stop by the downtown Asheville spot on Sunday, May 21 at 1:30 p.m. for brunch, a full-service bar, a performance from beautiful hostess Miss Ivanna Cookie, plus plenty of sweet treats.

Psst, if you selected D) Theremins in the quiz, then you’re correct. Bob Moog got his start making theremins, or as DMY puts it “that really weird instrument that you play by waving your hands above it.”

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