Concert series in Asheboro to bring back popular band

Number of Sunday events reduced, but longer shows

ASHEBORO – One band is returning based on popular demand, while there’s a bit of a revamped schedule for spring and summer concerts in Asheboro.

Downtown Asheboro Inc. and the City of Asheboro have put together a lineup of Friday and Sunday concerts at Bicentennial Park.

First things first: On the Border is coming back as the lead-off for the Friday night series.

“There were multiple requests to bring them back,” said Addie Corder, executive director of Down Asheboro Inc. “They had the availability and they love playing in Asheboro.”

On the Border is an Eagles tribute band, drawing an estimated crowd of 5,500 for last year’s show in Asheboro. The band comes to the city May 31.

There’s a theme for the Friday events, everything from 1970s era through recent decades. Those shows begin at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s going to be another great lineup,” Corder said. “We worked really hard to provide a good lineup.”

The June 28 show features the 1990/2000s with Larger than Life (boys band tribute) and July 12 has a 1990s vibe with Doug Brewin’s tribute to Alan Jackson (country). On Aug. 23, there should be a 1980s feel with Cassette Rewind.

Cassette Rewind is quite a production, Corder said, with a lights show involved.

“Very high-energy show,” she said. “They put on a high-impact show.”

There are changes to the set-up for the Sunday Summer Concert series. The number of concerts has been reduced from nine to five.

The Sunday concerts have been expanded in duration from about 90-minute shows in 2023 to two hours.

“It was becoming harder to coordinate nine Sunday shows with how busy Bicentennial Park was getting,” Corder said. “And it wasn’t easy finding bands for every month.”

Sunday concerts begin at 6 p.m. Here’s the lineup: BlackWater Band (May 19), North Tower (June 9), Special Occasion Band (July 21), EnVision (Aug. 11), and too MUCH SyLviA (Sept. 8).

The city added the Friday night series in addition to the Sunday events in 2022 based on strong turnouts.

Bring on the Bluegrass

The Asheboro Cultural and Recreation Services presents Friday Night Bluegrass at the historic Sunset Theatre on April 19. For the first time, Friday Night Bluegrass welcomes Last Hour Bluegrass, a gospel group with a five-piece band with four vocalists. Noah Stills of Asheboro is on the banjo.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10 online (SunsetTheatre.org) or at the door.

By Bob Sutton