Downtown After 5 Goes Virtual with LYRIC and April B. & The Cool

The Asheville Downtown Association (ADA) and Foundation (ADAF) today announced that they’re taking Downtown After 5 virtual.

Important note: The Asheville Downtown Association and its partners will follow all requirements from state and local officials in terms of gathering size, sanitization practices and physical distancing. If these guidelines or restrictions change, the live stream may be postponed or canceled. The health and safety of the bands and crew are our top priority.

Based on state and local guidelines regarding public gatherings, the May 15 and June 19 Downtown After 5 events are going online. Through a partnership with IamAVL and The Orange Peel, Downtown After 5 will be live streamed to YouTube and Facebook.

The 2020 Downtown After 5 concert series, presented by Prestige Subaru, will feature only local Asheville area bands. May 15’s event features April B. & The Cool and Lyric.

Hitting the stage at 5:15, locals April B. & The Cool mixes funk rock sounds with expressive vocals and impressive guitar work to create a captivating energy.

Asheville native, Lyric and her band are up next at 7pm, with a sound blends soul, R&B, funk, even a little hip-hop. She’s racked up several Mountain Xpress “best of” titles, including best vocalist, best funk and best lyricist.

“It’s important to us to not only stay engaged with our Downtown After 5 audience, but to also put some local musicians and music professionals back to work doing what they love,” said Meghan Rogers, executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association and Foundation.

The May 15 Downtown After 5 will also be part of V-LEAF, a virtual celebration of LEAF Global Arts May LEAF Festival, which was postponed due to COVID-19.

Downtown After 5 is scheduled for July 17, August 21 and September 18. It’s possible that these events will need to go virtual as well. The Asheville Downtown Association will follow all state and local guidelines for community events with the safety of the community taking top priority.

Virtual Downtown After 5 is presented by Prestige Subaru and sponsored by Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Carolina Hemp Company and Cambria Suites, with additional charitable support.