The musicians were so close I could see beads of sweat on their foreheads. The intricate pattern on the cowboy boots of the steel guitarist caught my eye. We had a clear view of the set list, a piece of paper taped to the stage. As the band situated plugs and amps, I looked at the sign hanging on the back wall which said “The Grey Eagle.” The spelling of “grey” (more of a British spelling) piqued my interest. Later, I looked it up. The original venue location was in Black Mountain, which was historically called Grey Eagle after a nearby rock outcropping.
With the first note, the venue erupted with sound and energy. The band, called Fruition, jammed out for the next two hours and during that time, I was reminded of the power of live music. Later, walking back to our car, we wound through the streets of the River Arts District and talked about the progress made since Hurricane Helene in 2024.