ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Live music continues across Asheville and Western North Carolina this month, with a mix of nationally known acts, local favorites and recurring weekly performances filling calendars throughout the region. Here’s a look at concerts and live shows happening in May.
This month’s highlights
Big Shows
- Ani DiFranco | Asheville Yards | May 2
- The Wallflowers | The Orange Peel | May 5
- Mac DeMarco | Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville | May 11
- Reggie Watts| Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | May 14
Local Venue Picks
- Bella White | The Grey Eagle | May 10
- Josh Ritter | The Orange Peel | May 20-21
- Steep Canyon Rangers| Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | May 28
Editors Picks
With so many shows on the calendar each month, it can be hard to know where to start. These are a few performances that stand out for their lineup, venue, local buzz or overall experience. If you’re planning a night out, this is a good place to begin.
- Concerts at Union Mills Learning Center | Union Mills Learning Center | May 1 | Enjoy a $6 meal followed by free live music at 7 pm. Tip jar available to help support the performing bands.
- Blue Ridge Orchestra | AC Reynolds High School + Diana Wortham Theatre| May 2-3 | The Blue Ridge Orchestra’s May 2026 season‑finale concert, showcasing the seasons orchestral music. A celebratory program highlighting rhythm, color, and the ensemble’s full sound.
- Steve Sutton Fest 2026 | Lake Junaluska | May 8-9 | A nonprofit-operated festival honoring the legacy of musician Steve Sutton by showcasing a variety of folk musicians. Proceeds benefit music programs for Haywood County schools and Haywood County JAM.
- MAYDAY AVL 5 | Sly Grog Lounge | May 16-17 | An array of genre-bending performances taking place over two nights, with two stages. Experience this local music festival for $20 at Sly Grog Lounge.
May 1-3
Friday, May 1
- Leo Johnson | All Day Darling | 6:00pm | Free
- SIMRIT Acoustic Quartet Ensemble | Ayurprana Listening Room | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Jake Worthington | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Old Sap | The Whale A Craft Beer Collective | 7:00pm | Free
- Magenta Sunshine + ElectroLust | Revival Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Bill Mattocks Blues | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Ticketed
- Walker Family Band | Black Mountain Center for the Arts | 7:30pm | Ticketed
- Flat Bridge | The Cork & Keg Bar | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- An Evening with Chris Smither | The Grey Eagle | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Ulisse Rotolo + Timothy Kelley | The Radical Hotel | 8:00pm | Free
- Samantha Crain + Flyte | Eulogy | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- All Crawfish Go to Heaven | Jack of the Wood | 8:30pm | Ticketed
Saturday, May 2
- Joe Moss Band | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- DJ Night with DJ Aoli | The Radical Hotel | 6:00pm | Free
- Future Joy + Octave Cat | Revival Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Ani DiFranco | Asheville Yards| 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Matt Barber | Hotel Eve Jazz & Cocktail Lounge | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- The Nude party w/ Tobacco City | The Grey Eagle | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Grits & Greens | Asheville Music Hall | 10:00pm | Ticketed
Sunday, May 3
- Tina and Her Pony | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- The Lucky Losers| Highland Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- A Jolly Good Band | Long’s Chapel | 4:00pm |Free
- Cass McCombs + Band | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Yeison Landero | Third Room | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- The Signal Awakens Tour | Sly Grog Lounge | 8:00pm | Ticketed
May 4-10
Monday, May 4
- Built To Spill w/ The Hypos | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm| Ticketed
- Seán Heely | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
- Wolf Eyes | Eulogy | 8:00pm| Ticketed
- Pavel Wlosok Quartet | Little Jumbo Bar | 7:00pm | Free
Tuesday, May 5
- The Wallflowers | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- DANCE WITH THE DEAD + MAGIC SWORD | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Sanders, Boyd, Page & Hall | Little Jumbo Bar| 7:00pm | Free
Wednesday, May 6
- Eric Congdon Guitar | Biltmore Estate | 2:00pm | Free
- The Candleers | Eluvium Brewing | 5:30pm | Free
- Life Like Water | Pisgah Brewing | 6:00pm| Free
- Jonathan Scales Fourchestra | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Grace Rodgers & Joan Shelley | Ayurprana Listening Room | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Jaguar Sun | Revival Asheville | 8:00pm | Ticketed
Thursday, May 7
- Ryan Montbleu| The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Daniel Shearin | Moxy Asheville | 7:00pm | Free
- Zoh Amba + Folk Bitch Trio | Revival Asheville | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Sweet Megg | The Crow & Quill | 8:00pm | Ticketed
Friday, May 8
- Drug Church | Eulogy | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- White Reaper | Eulogy | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Arcy Drive | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Time Sawyer | Highland Brewing Co. | 7:00pm | Free
- Laura Jane Grace + Black Guy Fawkes + Lung | Asheville Music Hall | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Live Dead + Brothers | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Melissa McKinney | The Radical Hotel | 8:00pm | Free
- Somatoast + Desert Dwellers | Third Room | 8:30pm | Ticketed
- A Different Thread | Jack of the Wood | 8:30pm | Ticketed
Saturday, May 9
- Stephen Evans + The True Grits | The Grey Eagle | 2:00pm | Free
- The Deep Shallow Band | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- An Evening with Tanasai | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- All Under Heaven + Failure | Eulogy | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Tyler-James Kelly + Jason Curtis | Eda’s Hide-A-Way | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Deep River Prime County + Yacht Rock | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
- House of Heavy | Revival Asheville | 8:00pm| Ticketed
- 5am | Asheville Music Hall | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Pat Sheridan | Jack of the Wood | 8:30pm | Ticketed
- DJ Neptune Spins | The Radical Hotel | 9:00pm | Free
Sunday, May 10
- Stella Hansen | The Grey Eagle | 2:00pm | Free
- Bella White | The Grey Eagle| 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Infamous Hollman Sisters | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
May 11-17
Monday, May 11
- DEATH ANGEL | The Orange Peel | 6:30pm | Ticketed
- Jack Wilkins’ Tenor Conclave | Little Jumbo Bar | 7:00pm | Free
- Mac DeMarco | Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
Tuesday, May 12
- Acoustic Blues Jams | White Horse Black Mountain | 6:00pm | Free
- Deadguy + Napalm Death | Eulogy | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- An Evening with Sun Kil Moon | The Grey Eagle | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Sanders, Boyd, Page + Hall | Little Jumbo Bar | 7:00pm | Free
Wednesday, May 13
- Irish Session | White Horse Black Mountain | 5:00pm | Free
- An Evening with Shawn Mullins | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Toadies | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
Thursday, May 14
- Reggie Watts | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Ole 60 | Asheville Yards | 6:30pm | Ticketed
- Lucinda Williams | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Primal Static | Static Age Records | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Curren$y | Eulogy | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- The Steppers| Asheville Music Hall | 10:00pm | Free
Friday, May 15
- Dark Star Orchestra | Asheville Yards | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Cristina Vane | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Shot Thru The Heart | Revival Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Solar Circuit | Third Room | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Canaan Cox | Asheville Music Hall | 9:00pm | Ticketed
Saturday, May 16
- SOOZA | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- All Crawfish Go to Heaven | One World Brewing | 4:00pm | Free
- DJ Neon Samurai | The Radical Hotel | 6:00pm | Free
- Freddie McClendon | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Jarrod Walker | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Setting | Ayurprana Listening Room | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Hot Like Mars | Asheville Music Hall | 10:00pm | Ticketed
Sunday, May 17
- Raphael Graves Band | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- Gianmarco Soresi | The Orange Peel | 5:00pm | Ticketed
- The MGBs | The Mule | 4:00pm | Free
May 18 – 24
Monday, May 18
- Freedom Junction | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Friends | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
- Brian Felix Organ Trio | Little Jumbo Bar | 7:00pm | Free
Tuesday, May 19
- Sanders, Boyd, Page & Hall | Little Jumbo Bar| 7:00pm | Free
Wednesday, May 20
- Josh Ritter | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Hiding Places | Rabbit Hole | 7:00pm | Ticketed
Thursday, May 21
- Josh Ritter | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Thunder and Rain | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:00pm | Free
- Blvck Hippie + Latchkey Kids | Static Age Records | 7:00pm | Ticketed
Friday, May 22
- Blue Cactus | The Grey Eagle | 5:30 | Ticketed
- Supernova | Eulogy | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Michael Gungor | The Grey Eagle | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Eduardo Music | One World Brewing | 6:00pm | Free
- Future Islands | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- The Black Feathers | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:00pm | Free
- Rick Homyak | Fitz & the Wolfe | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Reggie Headen and Nighttime Noon | The Radical Hotel | 8:00pm | Free
Saturday, May 23
- Reedy River String Band | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- Future Islands | The Orange Peel | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Cole Chaney | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Sluice | Ayurprana Listening Room | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- The Waymores | Eda’s-Hide-A-Way | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Brown Oak Assembly | Asheville Music Hall | 10:00pm | Ticketed
Sunday, May 24
- Anna La Mare Band | Olivette Riverside Community and Farm | 4:00pm | Ticketed
- Auspicious Golden Fish | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 6:30pm | Free
- George Terry & The Zealots | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
May 25 – 31
Tuesday May 26
- Sanders, Boyd, Page & Hall | Little Jumbo Bar| 7:00pm | Free
Wednesday May 27
- Irish Session | White Horse Black Mountain | 5:00pm | Free
Thursday May 28
- The Feels | JuneBug Asheville | 5:30pm | Ticketed
- Steep Canyon Rangers | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 6:00pm | Ticketed
- Andrew Duhon | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Heart Collectors | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
Friday May 29
- J + The Causeways | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Steep Canyon Rangers | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Yasmin Williams | Revival Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Funkwondo | One World Brewing | 7:00pm | Free
- Andrew Bird with Asheville Symphony Orchestra | Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Pressley Laton | Jack of the Wood | 8:30pm | Ticketed
- Piper + The Hard Times | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
Saturday May 30
- Jewish Jazz the Sequel | White Horse Black Mountain | 2:00pm | Free
- The Art of House | The Radical Hotel | 6:00pm | Free
- Trousdale | The Grey Eagle | 7:00pm | Ticketed
- Rhythm Rockits | Eda’s Hide-A-Way | 7:000pm | Free
- Roots Grown Deep w/ Joel Karabo | White Horse Black Mountain | 7:30pm | Free
- Adam Ezra Group | Asheville Music Hall | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- The Dancing Fleas | One World Brewing | 8:00pm | Free
- Tyler Levy Quartet | Hotel Eve Jazz & Cocktail Lounge | 8:00pm | Ticketed
- Emerson Bruno + PAPRIKA | Asheville Music Hall | 10:00pm | Ticketed
Sunday May 31
- East Coast Dirt | The Grey Eagle | 2:00pm | Free
- Smooth Goose | Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | 2:00pm | Free
- Caleb Caudle + The Sweet Critters | Olivette Riverside Pavillion | 4:00pm | Ticketed
- Lucas Pasley + Martha Spencer | Highland Brewing Co.| 6:00pm | Free
- Bearly Dead | Third Room | 6:00pm | Free
Recurring weekly live music
- Asheville Jazz Collective | Wednesdays | The Foundry Hotel
- Haiku Bar Nights | Wednesdays + Thursdays | Haiku
- Live Music May | Fridays + Saturdays | Peri Social House
- Live Music at Bear’s Back Alley Bar | Saturdays | Bears Smokehouse Barbeque
- Bluegrass Jam | Saturdays | Foothills Watershed
- Jazz Jam Sundays | Sundays | Ginger’s Revenge
Looking ahead
More live music is scheduled throughout the season across Asheville and Western North Carolina. Readers can find additional concerts and local event listings on the 828newsNOW events calendar.
Note: Concert information and schedules are subject to change. Some shows may be delayed, rescheduled or canceled. Check with venues or official event listings for the latest information before attending.
