Ellington Underground Celebrates Grand Opening with Exmag, RBTS WIN

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Ellington Underground Celebrates Grand Opening with Exmag, RBTS WIN

  • Ali McGhee

    Ali McGhee is a journalist, creative writer, and academic. Her work has appeared in The Edgar Allan Poe Review, Romantic Circles, Symbiosis: A Journal of Anglo-American Literary...
Exmag
Ellington Underground (56 Patton Ave.) is on the fast track to being the most-hyped new venue of the year, and they haven't even thrown their grand opening celebration yet. But on Friday, December 1, that's all going to change. The club, on the lower floor of the historic S&K Building in downtown Asheville, will host a party to remember with music from Exmag and RBTS WIN. The night kicks off at 10 p.m. Exmag, a self-described production collective, headlines the evening. The three members of Exmag, who hail from San Francisco, combine live instrumentation with high-tech production, creating jazz- and funk-infused beats that sound like they came out of a neon-glittering future envisioned circa 1985. The music is joyful, with colorful, bouncy expressions of sound that pull in vocals and downtempo riffs, many of which add a deeply sensual element.  Exmag will pair well with RBTS WIN, who make their own soulful brand of electronic-meets-instrumental music. RBTS just dropped their latest LP, Sensitivity Kit, in which they continue to evolve their dark, dreamy sound. Song titles like "Mescaline Tapes," "Third Eyes," and "Weirdo Forest" make it clear that these guys are interested in exploring the edges of perception through sound. Like Exmag, there's a delightfully 80s vibe to the music, which melds lush synths and guitars with front man Cliff B. Worsham's airy vocals.  Ellington Underground will be celebrating in style with two fantastic musical acts, and you should join in the fun to get your weekend kicked off right. Tickets for the show are $15. Get 'em now.