Bluegrass! A Tribute to 'Old & In The Way' & The Asheville Mountain Boys!

We’re excited to welcome you to City Hall at West Art for a double-header of two great bands—a full evening of bluegrass that’s deeply rooted in tradition and alive with energy.

A Tribute to Old & In the Way brings to life the music of the legendary 1970s band that introduced Jerry Garcia’s bluegrass side to a whole new audience. With a lineup of seasoned pickers and singers from across the region, they’ll perform favorites like Panama Red, Pig in a Pen, Midnight Moonlight, and more—music that still feels fresh and joyful decades later.

Joining them are The Asheville Mountain Boys, a young powerhouse group out of North Carolina who play with one foot firmly planted in the tradition. With rich harmonies, driving rhythms, and a deep reverence for the roots of the genre, they bring the raw energy and storytelling spirit that define great bluegrass.

This special show will take place in City Hall, our larger performance space—a beautiful room filled with stained glass, natural light, and plenty of space to settle in and enjoy. Tickets are limited—grab yours now and join us for a night of world-class bluegrass at West Art.

What to expect at the show:

>> Doors will open at 6:30. The show will start at 7:30.

>> Tickets are $25 in advance, and $30 at the door if not sold out. As always, we’re proud to present an all-ages show!

>> Parking may be available in the small lot across the street. Beyond that, there’s parking available around Buchanan Park and F&M College in the blocks surrounding West Art.

>> Format: The general admission will be a mix of seating and standing room. We suggest arriving when the doors open if you’d prefer to sit. Our space is ADA accessible, and we will do our best to accommodate any specific needs.

>> If you haven't yet discovered the magic of the West Art Coffee⚡Bar, now's your chance! We're open from 7am-10pm daily, with a full and delicious espresson bar menu, along with a lovely selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, plenty of N/A options, and some tasty bites from our favorite local bakeries. Something for everyone, all day long! Come hang out before the show and experience it for yourself!

>> Please note that all ticket sales are final. Thank you for supporting great music!

The Tribute Band is a group of musicians that have come together to play the music of “Old & In The Way”- Jerry Garcia’s 1970’s bluegrass band that included Peter Rowan, Dave Grisman, Vassar Clements, and John Kahn. Bluegrass music has rich history, and “O&ITW” was a classic band that opened the door to an entire new audience - namely “Deadheads” and others who would have never considered bluegrass as a listening choice. The music is still classic today!We are all seasoned musicians with many years of performing bluegrass. Matt Wenger plays guitar and sings lead and harmony. Matt has a large following throughout the central Pennsylvania where he is a well known solo performer. Our fiddle player, Robbie Mann, is currently playing and touring with “The Plate Scrappers” - a progressive bluegrass band out of Virginia. Robbie sings lead and harmony, also. Rob Parks plays bass and adds lead and harmony to our vocal effort. While living in Asheville, NC, Rob performed with legendary fiddler Bobby Hicks as well as other well known bluegrass “stars”. Currently, he is playing and touring with "The Skyla Burrell Blues Band”. Joe Perloff plays mandolin. He performs in the Delaware and Maryland region with "Red Smith and Blue Dawn" - a progressive “Americana" band. Leon Lobos has over 40 years of experience playing bluegrass banjo for bands on the East and West coast. In the early 2000’s he played with “Mighty Fine Bluegrass Band”.“Old & In The Way” had a profound effect on all of the younger players of that time. The renditions of their classic songs such as “Midnight Moonlight”, “The Hobo Song” , “Old & In The Way”, “Land Of The Navajo” "Panama Red” , Wild Horses”, Kissimmee Kid”, "Pig In A Pen” as well as others will all be performed by us this evening. Come and enjoy the celebration.In the words of Dave Grisman from 1975 “O&ITW" album cover - “We hope you dig”!

By their name, you know where they are from, and by their sound, you know what they are about. The Asheville Mountain Boys are on a mission to capture not just the style but the spirit of traditional bluegrass. Asheville, NC has long been known for great music and its roots in bluegrass go back to the founding of the genre (Bill Monroe’s first broadcast performance as the Bluegrass Boys was at Asheville radio station WWNC in 1938) A group that firmly stakes its claim to the tradition of the music from the area, The Asheville Mountain Boys spring onto the scene with a thought,” What happened to bluegrass?” It’s not a disparaging one that condemns current styles in the genre but rather asks, “Why do we love this music in the first place” and answers with an approach that is true to the originators of the genre in the sense of both style and philosophy. Bluegrass is raw emotion, excitement, drive, and authenticity. It is not sanitized or compromised but a reflection of the lives of those who play it. It’s storytelling that follows a throughline of tradition.

Host or Publisher West Art Community Center