Elder and Bask on the same bill? Holy Shit! And in North Carolina too, which is one of my very favorite states. A 12 hour drive from Arkansas but a pretty nice one once you get past Memphis, didn’t take me a whole lot of time to decide to go and I managed to get my boyfriend to go with me since I’d spent quite some time forcing him to like both these bands.
I had never actually been to Asheville, only through it on my way to somewhere else. It’s an awesome city! Had gourmet southern food at Good Hot Fish and then went next door to Burial Beer to get some sweet, skin-staining motor oil imperial stouts to take home for the impending campfire season. There were very cool murals almost everywhere we looked while we walked around. We found a cheap parking garage on Wall street and enjoyed further sightseeing on the 12-minute walk to The Orange Peel. We had gotten there before a line formed so we went to Wicked Weed Brewing’s Brewpub next door and had a delicious blackberry cream ale.
The line moved fast once the doors opened. The Orange Peel is a great venue! Welcoming atmosphere, Competent staff, seats and stools lined up against the back walls along with a phone charging station next to one of the merch booths. The bathrooms were spacious and clean, the smoking area had a wonderful view of the sunset. There was also a small downstairs lounge where you could order drinks and watch the show on a little tv.
Bask was first to play and what an aptly named band! I have sort of a hard time describing music that doesn’t sound like tornados and late stage ebola but you ever sit within reach of the sun on a chilly late Fall day and its so pleasant? That’s what a lot of Bask’s music feels like…but it’s also heavy. Some of their stuff even sounds like straight up country music, a really interesting band that is difficult to categorize. Everything that they have put out has been awesome and III is one of my favorite albums of all time. Bask is my favorite band to recommend to non-metal friends. The sound and background visuals they had to go along with their set were fantastic, I was also sooo happy to hear Three White Feet live. I saw a ton of people wearing Bask shirts which was heartwarming because I love to see locals love their locals.
Despite the venue being packed I was able to get back up front for Elder‘s set pretty easily. Last time I saw them was during the Lore tour (that rhymes depending on where you’re from) in Chicago. Prog Bill Steer was having to sing, play guitar and keyboards for that one but this time they had a dedicated keyboard player which was awesome. They played for an hour and a half! It did not feel that long at all. Seeing Elder live you really get to absorb exactly how good this band is and I especially enjoyed their background visuals when they played Through Zero, with all the blooming flowers and flying insects. We also got to hear Liminality played live for only the second time ever. I had pre-ordered their newest album, Through Zero, and receiving that thing was such a treat. The gorgeous and ethereal artwork matches up with the music so well.
When I last saw Elder they closed with Halcyon, which was the first time I had ever heard that song. I remember thinking ” If this song gets any better I might die!” well obviously it didn’t because that song can’t get any better- and once again, that’s what they closed with. Immaculate set, from both Elder and Bask. Well worth the 1600 mile round trip.