“We’re doing something they always told me couldn’t be done,” said “Fancy” lead singer of Fancy and the Gentleman, said to the crowd at Eda’s Hide-a-Way two Friday nights ago for their big 90’s country-themed night. “We’re playing 90’s country…in Asheville!”
Though technically it was Weaverville, and though technically Fancy was joking—”No one actually said that,” she said, “They don’t exist in this case, but it feels like it’s something they should’ve said”—I get her sentiments. It’s something I’ve complained about before. One of my main complaints about Asheville is that it takes its music too seriously. It needs to be indie. Tasteful. Hip. Borderline obscure. It should be for the masses. It should be for real music aficionados. You know, people who know that it all sounds better on vinyl anyway.
You know what’s not serious, tasteful, or hip? Achy Breaky Heart. It’s the antithesis of all those things. It’s cheesy, made for the masses, and worse…recognizable. I love it (and, topically, I’m not someone who usually cares much about celebrity gossip, but I’ve been obsessed with Billy Ray Cyrus’s divorce; less obsessed with his Trump turn, but…is that surprising?).
My friends and I stayed at Eda’s—one of our new favorite places—from the time the band started playing until last call just around midnight. They played Achy Breaky Heart, Neon Moon, and Jo De Messina. I love 90’s country. It was glorious. I hope it’s a trend that continues, not just the 90’s country (though..please!) but just non “cool” music in general (Asheville Brewing has apparently instigated a Yacht Rock Thursdays, so it does feel like the move to fun over deep is slowly but surely getting started).
AshevilleExplorer 