Wild Roots in Benefit Show for BeLoved Asheville (post Hurricane Helene)
Wild Roots in Benefit Show for BeLoved Asheville (post Hurricane Helene)
A special live performance in Greensboro at GothamGSO Studios, featuring Ashley Virginia, Wild Roots and the Sasha Masakowsky Sextet
“Despite not having tickets to see Stevie Wonder at the Colosseum last night, we lucked out!”
I was checking my emails when I spotted one from Wild Roots. It was a quiet, friendly message announcing an impromptu concert "tomorrow night" in Greensboro. The email had arrived the day before — so that meant the show was tonight! I quickly clicked the link and bought three tickets. My daughter Madison and her friend Hannah were in for a lovely surprise after rehearsal tonight when I announced I had tickets to see Wild Roots!
Julia and Olivia of Wild Roots graduated from Weaver Academy’s Classical Guitar Program about ten years ago. Madison and Hannah currently in tenth grade were rehearsing She Kills Vampires, the third play in the 2024/25 season at the School of Theatre at Weaver. Rehearsal ended at six, we had to go home first so couldn’t be there for the start of the evening. But we got there as soon as we could. When we arrived, the first of the three acts, solo artist Ashley Virginia, was singing her last song, and Wild Roots was up next…
Their first song was the beautiful and hypnotic "All Things Living."
Song: All Things Living
They performed about half a dozen beautiful songs about love and wind and rain and the moon and the stars — each reminding us of our precious place in this astonishing world and that what really matters carries you through the hardest of times. At one point in the evening Julia spoke of time moving differently for them at the moment. It immediately resonated with me, reminding me of a time when I lost my home through disaster—in my case fire. I was about the same age, late twenties. For a while, time indeed changed completely. It moved very slowly, every moment was crystal clear, almost visceral in itself. I found that I didn’t mourn the loss of things as I had expected, instead, I felt strangely light and intensely conscious of being alive.
Songs: Surrender and (new single) The Gardener
I recorded these, the first and the last two songs on my iphone, hoping you'd get a chance to hear them here. As for the others... well, you had to be there! To keep you immersed in the harmonies they are lauded for, until the next opportunity to see them live arises, you can listen to their album Wild Roots Rising :
On Spotify
On Apple Music
CDs and Vinyl LPs are available, with hand-made merch at their live performances.
The other artists performing were equally moving:
Ashley Virginia
“Unique and unusual” —Emmylou Harris
Also from Greensboro, North Carolina, Ashley Virginia is an artist who has gained attention for her unique songwriting style of introspective poetry and interesting harmonic structure. Her sound has been described as "raw, contemporary angst" by Americana Highways. Like the spiritual daughter of Stevie Nicks and Paul McCartney, her style falls somewhere between '70s Country cool, West Coast cosmic Americana, and ‘60s Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Listen to Ashley Virginia’s award winning song “Counting Hens” here.
Sasha Masakowsky
“Sasha Masakowski, daughter of luminary jazz guitarist Steve Masakowski, was born and raised in New Orleans. She was listed as one of 12 jazz artists to watch in 2019 by Paste Magazine, and has received accolades from Vanity Fair, Downbeat, and Jazz Times. The 6-piece band she leads, features some of the most virtuosic young jazz musicians in New Orleans today. Half of the band members are Brazilian or Hispanic, while the others hail from New York and New Orleans, yet all of us call New Orleans home.” —South Arts
Listen to A Felicidade (Antonio Carlos Jobim) here
All in all, the evening offered a wonderfully intimate performance, showcasing extraordinary artists, poets, and musicians. Solo artist Ashley Virginia opened with heart, Wild Roots followed with their deep harmonies of nature and her wilderness, and jazz talent Sahsa Masakowsky Sextet brought the night to a vibrant close with highlights from their Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, currently touring from New Orleans to Charlotte!
Over $1000 raised
The concert raised over $1000 for BeLoved Asheville—a charity the musicians have profound respect for. The organisation formed in 2009 is well-established and deeply embeded in the community with a marked impact on local initiatives. Click on the logo below to learn more about their emergency response to Hurricane Helene and perhaps consider making a donation. :-)
The Venue
GothamGSO A photography studio and events space in Greensboro, North Carolina Address: 1724 Holbrook St, Greensboro, NC 27403
Click on their logo to follow them on Instagram
The Sound
Was provided by [to come]