Presented by Horizon Heating & Air, Rhythm & Brews continues the tradition of bringing the public this FREE event for ALL ages! Come and enjoy a fantastic concert by talented musicians, as well as local favorite food trucks, craft beer, cider, and wine.
Opener: Alexa Rose
(on her new album) A series of rivers, ‘Headwaters’ is centered on the fluidity of time. After a year where time seemed to ebb and flow inconsistently and all routine had been dismantled, I found myself writing in the medium of water. When I was sitting alone in my room in the southern summer heat, windows open, humidity fuming, a song called Human poured out of me. It was August, and all summer there had been such a tremendous sense of humanity, revolution, justice coming up against division, misinformation, fear. Like most regular, feeling people, I had such a strange mixture of emotions: grief, excitement; solidarity with the ways people across the world were showing up to love and support one another. I wanted so badly to run outside and be a part of it all, right then and there in that moment. But I was stuck at home. And in that strange swelling of simultaneous loss and the richness of witnessing so much kindness, I remember laying on the bed with the guitar, staring at the ceiling, and just singing “I wanna go downtown and look some stranger in the face.” I would be happy to see anyone. I just really want to hug someone. To jump into some icy swimming hole. To feel the surge of aliveness. And I felt so imperfect and raw, but I knew so did everyone else.
And in the same way I found the songs, waves breaking against my own roughness, only visitors, I’m passing them on to you now. May all of your rivers come back headwaters.
(on her new album) A series of rivers, ‘Headwaters’ is centered on the fluidity of time. After a year where time seemed to ebb and flow inconsistently and all routine had been dismantled, I found myself writing in the medium of water. When I was sitting alone in my room in the southern summer heat, windows open, humidity fuming, a song called Human poured out of me. It was August, and all summer there had been such a tremendous sense of humanity, revolution, justice coming up against division, misinformation, fear. Like most regular, feeling people, I had such a strange mixture of emotions: grief, excitement; solidarity with the ways people across the world were showing up to love and support one another. I wanted so badly to run outside and be a part of it all, right then and there in that moment. But I was stuck at home. And in that strange swelling of simultaneous loss and the richness of witnessing so much kindness, I remember laying on the bed with the guitar, staring at the ceiling, and just singing “I wanna go downtown and look some stranger in the face.” I would be happy to see anyone. I just really want to hug someone. To jump into some icy swimming hole. To feel the surge of aliveness. And I felt so imperfect and raw, but I knew so did everyone else.
And in the same way I found the songs, waves breaking against my own roughness, only visitors, I’m passing them on to you now. May all of your rivers come back headwaters.
Opener: Aaron Burdett
Aaron Burdett is an acclaimed Americana/Bluegrass singer-songwriter and performer from Western North Carolina who is listed as one of the most important western NC musicians by WNC Magazine. He has won awards in multiple songwriting competitions hosted by the likes of MerleFest, Mountain Stage, the NC Songwriter’s Co-op, and Our State Magazine, most recently taking home the coveted Chris Austin Songwriting Award at Merlefest in 2021 ( for the postponed 2020 event) His last four albums have been voted one of the Top 20 Albums of the Year by WNCW radio listeners. His most recent album, Dream Rich, Dirt Poor debuted at #8 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts. Three singles off that album went to number one on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart, two of them charting for six consecutive weeks in the second half of 2020. The title track, “Dirt Poor” reached number one in early October.
Aaron Burdett is an acclaimed Americana/Bluegrass singer-songwriter and performer from Western North Carolina who is listed as one of the most important western NC musicians by WNC Magazine. He has won awards in multiple songwriting competitions hosted by the likes of MerleFest, Mountain Stage, the NC Songwriter’s Co-op, and Our State Magazine, most recently taking home the coveted Chris Austin Songwriting Award at Merlefest in 2021 ( for the postponed 2020 event) His last four albums have been voted one of the Top 20 Albums of the Year by WNCW radio listeners. His most recent album, Dream Rich, Dirt Poor debuted at #8 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts. Three singles off that album went to number one on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart, two of them charting for six consecutive weeks in the second half of 2020. The title track, “Dirt Poor” reached number one in early October.
Rhythm & Brews is sponsored by:
Horizon Heating & Air
B Squared Realty
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Optimum
Van Winkle Law Firm
Norm’s Minit Mart
Yoga and Massage
Cascades Mountain Resort
Printville
Oklawaha Brewing Co
Dry Falls Brewery
Guidon Brewing Co
Saint Paul’s Mountain Vineyards
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Flat Rock Cider Co
Horizon Heating & Air
B Squared Realty
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Optimum
Van Winkle Law Firm
Norm’s Minit Mart
Yoga and Massage
Cascades Mountain Resort
Printville
Oklawaha Brewing Co
Dry Falls Brewery
Guidon Brewing Co
Saint Paul’s Mountain Vineyards
Bold Rock Hard Cider
Flat Rock Cider Co
