Asheville live music best bets: Death Cab, Kash'd Out, celebration at Outpost

If reviews of its new album are any indication of what’s coming, fans should expect a lot from Death Cab for Cutie’s upcoming performance in Asheville.

Reviewers have written much about the band’s recent 10th album release, “Asphalt Meadows,” including proclamations that the band is “back” and this is “some of the most compelling work of the band’s career.”

After more than two decades together, the group will have plenty of material to fill out its setlist for its 7 p.m. show on Oct. 7 at Rabbit Rabbit.

Death Cab for Cutie is known for rock songs like “Meet Me on the Equinox,” “You Are A Tourist,” “Black Sun,” and “Gold Rush.” The first single off “Asphalt Meadows” is “Here To Forever” and it has become a top 5 hit on Alternative radio.

Asheville live music best bets: UB40 and reggae, Amanda Shires, Spoon & Interpol

Part of the recording for “Asphalt Meadows” was completed during the COVID-19 lockdown. The band’s members, singer/songwriter Ben Gibbard, bassist Nick Harmer, drummer Jason McGerr, guitarist/keyboardist Dave Depper, and keyboardist/guitarist Zac Rae, each live in a different city and couldn’t be in the studio together during the initial sessions.

"A work week is Monday through Friday and there are five members of the band,” Gibbard explained in a press release. “So on Monday, someone put together a piece of music and shared it. And then the next person took it, with the order decided randomly. On your day, you had complete editorial control.”

On Friday, the group would have a rough song mix and some were eventually transformed entirely as the band continued to work on tracks for the album. The group eventually entered the studio together to complete work and finish off the record that many think is reminiscent of its earlier work.

"Having exactly one day to work on each track allowed me to not overthink things," Harmer said in a press release. "I had to come up with something compelling and get it completed or the whole process would break down."

Reggae at Salvage Station

Orlando’s Kash’d Out will bring its positive rock-reggae mix to Salvage Station with a show at 8 p.m. Oct. 9, with Random Animals as the opener.

Kash’d Out began when Jackson Hauserman (guitarist) and Greg Shields (vocalist) met in the studio. The group was rounded out with Joey Brohawn (bass), Marshall Hearne (drums), and Nick Gudzan (keys). The quintet released its first full-length album, titled “The Hookup,” and I climbed to No. 2 on both the Billboard and iTunes Reggae Charts.

Kash’d Out went on to tour with Pepper, Less Than Jake, The Expendables, and many others.

Earlier this year Kash’d Out released the single, “Dirty Mind,” with Pepper.

All-day celebration at The Outpost

For 30 years now, there has been community river activity at French Broad River mile marker 37 and there are plans to celebrate this milestone.

From 2-10 p.m. Oct. 8, Asheville Adventure Company and The Grey Eagle will host an event at The Outpost (521 Amboy Road).

According to a press release, The Outpost sits on a spot “that was originally a sand dredging site along the French Broad River. In 1992, it was purchased by Dave Donnell, who renovated the property and opened the Asheville Outdoor Center, which offered the very first paddling trips based in the city.” The space has hosted events and weddings and was recently acquired by Asheville Adventure Company in partnership with The Grey Eagle.

So far, the venue has hosted several concerts. This celebration will include music from local bluegrass ensemble Jon Stickley Trio, reggae and R&B performers Natti Love Joys, and singer-songwriter Dave Desmelik Trio.

There will also be a paddleboard demonstration, a used gear sale, the chance to rent tubes and boats to float, and a cornhole tournament. There will also be food trucks and local beer.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville live music: Death Cab, Kash'd Out, celebration at Outpost