by James Cassara

In many ways the history of The Orange Peel is closely intertwined with the resurgence of downtown Asheville and its national (and international) reputation as a mecca of the arts and entertainment scene.

The winner of multiple honors and recognitions, including numerous Mountain Xpress “Best of WNC” awards for both individual shows and as a collective entity, The Orange Peel continues to serve as a model of success. It has been consistently recognized by the Chamber of Commerce, the Asheville Area Arts Council, and the Asheville Downtown Association as not just a great venue to see live music but as a vital component of Buncombe County’s economic well being.

Given the relatively small size of the area from which it draws, the quality of shows it is able to present is simply staggering. Be they members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Bob Dylan, Steve Winwood, Stephen Stills, Dave Mason and others) or cutting edge up and comers, The Orange Peel has hosted them.

Originally the home of Skateland Rollerdome, the building that occupies the corner of Biltmore and Hilliard Avenue has long been an integral part of our city. After Skateland closed in 1962 it housed a number of nightclubs; the last of these was the original Orange Peel, which featured the occasional live band (including The Commodores and The Bar-Kays) as well as recorded disco and funk music.

When The Peel closed down during the early 70s, a period that saw Asheville entering into a long and steady decline, the site lay vacant for many years. It eventually became an auto parts warehouse before being reborn in its current incarnation.

Working closely with The Orange Peel has been Ashley Capps, the founder and driving force behind AC Entertainment. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, AC Entertainment may be best known as the organizers of Bonnaroo but their part of The Orange Peel’s success cannot be overstated. Nearly all the major shows that have come through The Peel have been booked via AC Entertainment, a mutually beneficial relationship that has paid dividends to the club, to Mr. Capps, and mostly to the music lovers of our area.

While he might be best identified as a businessman, Mr. Capps is in many ways first and foremost a music fan, someone who has fulfilled his vision in channeling that passion into his life’s work. He is a tireless advocate for the arts who just happens to run a highly respected enterprise.

James Cassara: How did you come into this business? Was it something you intentionally set out to do or did it evolve out of other interests?

Ashley Capps: I’ve had a love for music for as long as I can remember…along with a passion for sharing the music that I loved with others. So my career emerged from that. But I didn’t exactly set out to be in the music business really…in fact, I tried almost everything else I could think of before I realized that music was going to my vocation. It happened pretty naturally and organically over a long period of time.

JC: You book other venues in Asheville and have certainly been a strong force in the local entertainment scene. But The Orange Peel seems to hold a special place for you. Talk about that relationship, how you came to work with them and what it brings to you.

AC: Asheville was the first place where I presented a concert outside of my hometown of Knoxville…and that was back in 1985 at a venue on Wall Street called the Asheville Music Hall. I chose Asheville because it was a community with a great cultural legacy and appreciation for the arts. I didn’t do it again until 1991, when I officially formed AC Entertainment. From that point on, we started presenting shows here frequently because, more often than not, the audiences were especially appreciative and also open to a rich variety of music.

During the 1990s, we booked a great club called Be Here Now on Biltmore Avenue. It was a great run with some amazing shows, and during that time I really fell in love with Asheville. Sadly, the club closed after the owner endured an unfortunate sequence of personal setbacks unrelated to the club. For a few years, we continued to present a lot of shows in Asheville – from the club level to the Thomas Wolfe to the Arena – but we were really struggling to find a great club situation. Then along came The Orange Peel. When the plans were being formulated for The Peel, we met with them and struck a deal, so we’ve been booking all of the national acts that have played The Peel from the very beginning.

The Orange Peel is not just a fabulous club, but it’s a fabulous team of people. The music business is about relationships, taking care of artists and helping insure that they can perform at their very best as well as insuring that the audience has a wonderful, memorable evening. It’s hard work. There’s a lot of attention to detail, a lot of long hours, and it requires an ability to deal with curveballs – to handle the unexpected – with savvy and grace. The Orange Peel team sets the standard in that regard. They’re the best. We know when we book an artist at The Peel that they will be well taken care of and have a great experience in Asheville.

JC: I am certain a lot of people have no idea what’s involved in bringing an act to town. I am equally certain no two days are alike. But give us a basic breakdown of what AC does. You have the promoter, booking agent, publicist, and any number of myriad individuals involved. I’m curious as to how all those pieces fit together.

AC: As the promoter or producer, we’re really in the role of coordinating all of the players…working first with the booking agents and the artists’ managers to book the shows, then planning and executing the marketing and publicity…there’s overseeing the ticketing and putting the show on sale…coordinating with artists’ touring personnel, the tour manager and the production manager, along with the venue’s staff, the stagehands, security, catering…making sure everything’s as it should be on the day of the show.

For starters, we book about 1000 shows each year now…plus the Bonnaroo Festival, the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Big Ears Festival in Knoxville…and there are a few new ones set to be announced here in 2015. We also operate and manage two historic theaters – the Tennessee and the Bijou. There are a lot of moving parts.

JC: Do you typically have much direct contact with the artist? You and I are about the same age so I assume we grew up listening to much the same music. I can only imagine what it’s like to book an act you’ve long admired, to bring to the stage a band you loved during your formative years. How many times a day do you pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming?

AC: It really depends upon the situation. I have some great friendships and close working relationships with some artists. Others I’ve worked with and never really met beyond perhaps a quick hello. I still have a deep love of music and great appreciation and admiration for artists and what they do. So yes, I have those “am I dreaming?” moments often. There’s an indescribable magic in great performances.

JC: Compare the Asheville and Knoxville markets. Do they seem to offer up similar demographics? Both seem to benefit by geography, as they are within reasonable distance to much larger markets. Is that how you’re able to bring a Bob Dylan to a club which holds around 950 tops?

AC: I love both Asheville and Knoxville, but they seem to me, quite different from one another, although they share characteristics as well. The most obvious difference in Asheville is that it is such a tourist destination, especially these days. But it has always had that rich cultural history too. Both cities have a great historic character to their downtowns, both have rivers; both have wonderful access to nature and the outdoors. One thing that Knoxville has that Asheville does not are the two remarkable historic theaters, both of which are very much world-class venues. But Knoxville doesn’t have an Orange Peel.

As far as Dylan playing the Peel that was just Bob wanting to do something special. He does that regularly. We’ve worked with him a lot over the years, and the idea of doing a club show in Asheville came up one day, and we said…“we have the perfect place!” That was quite a night too.

But Dylan has also played the 1500 seat Tennessee Theatre twice in Knoxville and those were also unforgettable shows.

JC: Do you have a staff that helps alert you to up and coming bands? I’ve been fortunate to be sent an incredible amount of music for review purposes, but not a week goes by that I don’t stumble across a band and wonder how they managed to skirt under my radar screen.

AC: I’ve got an amazing staff at AC that makes all that we do possible. And we’re all passionate music fans, and we turn each other on to new music all the time. There’s so much going on out there…it’s impossible for anyone to keep up with it all. But we try. I’m still a very active listener to new music…it’s in my DNA…I get a lot of help from my team but I definitely do my part too.

JC: Any near misses you would care to share; artists that have so far eluded you for one reason or another? A couple of years ago there was a rumor that Jack Bruce was going to be playing The Peel. I have no idea if there was any substance to that but his recent passing made me play the “what if?” game.

AC: Jack Bruce did almost play The Peel, with John Medeski, Vernon Reid, and Cindy Blackman Santana in Spectrum Road. They were going to do a gig before they played Bonnaroo but it didn’t pan out. At this point, I really can’t believe how many of the legendary artists I idolized, that I’ve had a chance to work with over the years…Dylan, McCartney, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Springsteen, Lou Reed, Johnny Cash…to name but a few… and so many more that I’m not thinking of right now.

I find it especially rewarding to work with many of the great younger artists emerging as well. One of the aspects of this business that is so exciting is how new artists are continually making their mark and changing and revitalizing the art form. I love that. It keeps me awake and on my toes.

JC: Where do you see the future of the Asheville area entertainment scene going, and how do changes in the music industry in general come into play? A month or so ago I saw Dave Mason at The Peel. Here is a genuine legend, a member of what I refer to as “British Rock Royalty” and yet he’s made himself accessible to his fans, coming out after the show and signing merchandise. That sure as heck never happened back in the 1970s!

AC: Asheville has a great music scene and a very knowledgeable and appreciative audience for music, so I see the scene continuing to grow. I think the biggest challenge in Asheville is venues. Asheville really needs some quality venues beyond the Orange Peel in order for the live entertainment and culture scene to develop. This is important for tourism and economic development and it needs some attention.

JC: Not wanting to toot our own horn but Rapid River Magazine has been covering the arts and entertainment scene in Asheville for 18 years. What place do you see local press as playing in the industry? No less an artist than Roseanne Cash once told me that good local coverage goes much further in selling tickets and merchandise than a write up in Rolling Stone. I was really taken aback by that.

AC: I think the local press is important to foster and nurture a sense of community and to insure the health of that community…period. Its importance to arts and culture is paramount but it goes deeper.

It’s disturbing to see the decline in the local press – especially the daily newspapers – but I think part of this has been fueled by out-of-town corporate owners who have sacrificed their commitment to the community in the ill-considered and myopic pursuit of short term profit, but in doing so they have sacrificed their sense of purpose and reason for being.

I’m optimistic that there will be a resurgence of the local press led by truly passionate people committed to the communities in which they live…people who are determined to make a difference.

JC: Anything else you’d like to add? I’d like to offer you my own thanks for not only taking the time to answer these questions but in bringing to Asheville so much great music. I’ve been able to see bands for the first time in years as well as catch new acts that I’d heard about.

AC: Thanks for giving me the opportunity. I appreciate that. We love Asheville and the response of the audiences here have made it especially satisfying and rewarding to do what we do. It’s been a great relationship and one that we hope to continue to grow.