This year's winners in the arts-and-entertainment categories included a number of Hall of Fame entries. That's good news for fans of galleries, jazz, poetry and theater: Favorites are still going strong. In many ways, the biggest surprise this year was just how few surprises the balloting turned up, entertainment-wise. Sons of Ralph and Tyler Ramsey still hold sway, and local pop act stephaniesid topped not only the Indie/Noise list but rocked the rock-band nominations as well.
Even as readers clamor for known entities, sweet new tributes are made. Secret Agent 23 bested GFE (with whom he's collaborated for years) with his hip-hop-for-kids solo project. Among the Local Band Nobody's Heard Of entries, winners Ol' Hoopty also aced last year's contest (obviously somebody's heard of them). Last December's Asheville Community Theatre performance of The Santaland Diaries may have been the last of 2007, but readers enthusiastically (albeit prematurely) listed that show in first place for the 2008 theater season. And in the vein of artists we just can't get enough of, the late sculptor John Payne places in the Visual Artist category.
Still, even as readers stick to what they know and love, they also know a good new thing when it comes along. This summer's Alison Krauss and Robert Plant show leaped to the winning slot for Live Show of 2008: Music. Among artists to watch, voters named designer Stu Helm, painter Jonas Gerard, musical acts Deep River, Bugs Multiply, Sonmi Suite and high-school-age band Skinny Legs & All.
Local Art Gallery
- 1. Blue Spiral 1
38 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 251-0202 - 2. The Satellite Gallery 55 Broadway, Asheville, 350-9940
- 3. BoBo Gallery 22 Lexington Ave., 254-3426
Local Visual Artist
- 1. Jen Lepkowski www.jenlepkowskiphotography.com
- 2. Daniel Nevins
www.danielnevins.com - 2. John Payne
www.paynestudios.com
- 3. Stu Helm
www.cheesygraphics.com
- 3. Jonas Gerard
www.jonasgerard.com
Local Band: Blues/Jazz/Soul
- 1. Firecracker Jazz Band
www.firecrackerjazz.com
- 2. Peggy Ratusz & Daddy Long Legs www.myspace.com
- 3. Jar-e www.myspace.com
Local Band: Country/Alt-Country
- 1. Trainwreks www.myspace.com
- 2. Deep River www.myspace.com
- 3. Pierce Edens & the Dirty Work www.pierceedens.com
Local Band: Folk/Old-Time/Bluegrass
- 1. Sons of Ralph www.sonsofralph.com
- 2. Buncombe Turnpike www.buncombeturnpike.homestead.com
- 3. Barrel House Mammas
www.barrelhousemamas.com
- 3. Brushfire Stankgrass
www.myspace.com
Local Band: Hip-Hop
- 1. Agent 23 Skidoo www.undergroundplayground.net
- 2. GFE www.granolafunk.com
- 3. Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band www.bootyband.com
Local Band: Rock
- 1. stephaniesid www.stephaniesid.com
- 2. Custard Pie
www.custardpie.info
- 2. Reigning Sound
www.intheredrecords.com
- 3. Ol' Hoopty www.olhoopty.com
Local Band: Indie/Noise
- 1. stephaniesid www.stephaniesid.com
- 2. Hope & Anchor www.hopeandanchormusic.com
- 3. Sirius B. www.siriusbmusic.com
Local Band Nobody's Heard Of
- 1. Ol' Hoopty www.olhoopty.com
- 2. Brushfire Stankgrass www.myspace.com
- 3. Bugs Multiply
www.bugsx.com
- 3. Skinny Legs & All
www.myspace.com
- 3. Sonmi Suite
www.myspace.com
- 3. Tennessee Hollow
www.tennesseehollow.net
Local Singer/Songwriter
- 1. Tyler Ramsey www.myspace.com
- 2. Christine Kane www.christinekane.com
- 3. Kellin Watson www.kellinwatson.com
Local Club DJ/Turntablist
- 1. DJ Bowie www.myspace.com
- 2. Selector Cleofus Williams www.myspace.com
- 3. Adam Strange www.myspace.com
Local Outdoor Concert
- 1. Shindig on the Green www.folkheritage.org
- 2. Downtown After Five www.ashevilledowntown.org
- 3. Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival www.arts2people.org
Local Recording Studio
- 1. Echo Mountain www.echomountain.net
- 2. Collapseable Recording Studios www.collapseable.com
- 3. Hi-Five Recording www.myspace.com
Local Dance Company
- 1. Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance www.terpsicorps.org
- 2. Asheville Contemporay Dance Theatre www.acdt.org
- 3. Asheville Ballet www.ashevilleballet.com
Local Poet/Author
- 1. Glenis Redmond
www.glenisredmond.com
- 2. David Hopes
- 3. Allan Wolf www.allanwolf.com
Locally Produced Play
- 1. The Santaland Diaries at Asheville Community Theatre
- 2. As You Like It by the Montford Park Players
- 3. Moonlight and Magnolias at N.C. Stage Company
Local Stage Company
- 1. North Carolina Stage Company
www.ncstage.org
- 2. Asheville Community Theatre www.ashevilletheatre.org
- 3. Montford Park Players www.montfordparkplayers.org
Locally Produced Film
- 1. Anywhere U.S.A. (formerly known as Asheville the Movie) www.anywhereusathemovie.com
- 2. Golden Blade III www.goldenblade3.com
- 3. Moon Europa www.mooneuropa.com
Local Video Store
- 1. Orbit DVD
783 1/2 Haywood Road, Asheville, 251-1337
- 2. Rosebud Video 197 Charlotte St., Asheville, 250-9500
- 3. TV Eye Video Emporium 108 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, 254-2123
Movie Theater
- 1. Asheville Fine Arts Theatre
36 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 232-1536
- 2. Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company 675 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, 254-5339
- 3. Cinebarre 800 Brevard Road, Asheville, 665-7776
Place to Hear Live Music
- 1. The Orange Peel
101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 225-5851
- 2. Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville, 232-5800
- 3. Jack of the Wood 95 Patton Ave., 252-5445
Place to Dance
- 1. Scandals Nightclub 11 Grove St., Asheville, 252-2838
- 2. The Orange Peel 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, 225-5851
- 3. Grey Eagle 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville, 232-5800
Live Show of 2008: Dance
- 1. Hurricane and other forces of Nature www.terpsicorps.org
- 2. Elvis and Other Men www.terpsicorps.org
- 3. Momix: Lunar Sea www.momix.com
Live Show of 2008: Music
- 1. Alison Krauss and Robert Plant at the Asheville Civic Center, June 14, 2008
- 2. Black Mountain at The Grey Eagle, Feb. 16, 2008
- 3. Warren Haynes' Christmas Jam at the Asheville Civic Center, Dec. 15, 2007
- 3. POPAsheville, various locations, January 19 & 20, 2008
Live Show of 2008: Theater
- 1. The Santaland Diaries at Asheville Community Theatre
- 2. As You Like It by the Montford Park Players
- 3. Moonlight and Magnolias at N.C. Stage Company
