MATT EVANS

Matt Evans plays guitar in Old Flings, a rock band from Asheville, NC.

What was the food highlight of your year?

My food highlight of 2014 was discovering this great Pho place in Asheville, PHO R US. I mean, it has a horribly great name. The pho itself is quite extraordinary. I've been there about 20 times after discovering it in late 2014.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My music highlight of 2014 was probably playing FEST in Florida. Fest is such a good time with the right ingredients: people, music. I got to see a lot of folks that I hold dear to my heart.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

We played a sushi place in Toronto. It was my first time in Canada, so that made it memorable. The meal that I had was pretty good too.

@mattbbqevans

JORDAN LUFF

Jordan Luff plays in the Asheville, NC band Old Flings.

What was the food highlight of your year?

Every summer, my fiancée and I take a week-long trip somewhere fun and full of delicious food. This year, we spent a week in New York City with our dear friend Meghan, and we ate our way through countless restaurants between Brooklyn and Manhattan. We ate at a pizza place in Greenpoint called Paulie Gee's that not only had a solid vegan selection, but the very best vegan pizza I've ever had in my life: the In Ricotta Da Vegan (I'm assuming/hoping that's an Iron Butterfly reference). The pie is topped with tomato sauce, house-made vegan sausage, and post-oven topped with house-made cashew ricotta dollops, baby arugula, and extra virgin olive oil. Sweet Jesus. Just typing that out makes my mouth water. Meeting the amiable and gracious Paulie Gee later really sealed the deal on how much I love that restaurant.

Additionally, if you're ever in Brooklyn, go to Champ's Diner for breakfast/lunch and Dun-Well Donuts for tasty confections, both located in Williamsburg. At Champ's, I had a vegan Eggs Benedict that ruined vegan breakfast for me--and by ruined, I mean that I can't eat vegan breakfast anywhere else because nowhere else I've been stands up to the greatness that is Champ's breakfast food. And Dun-Well Donuts basically did the same thing for me but with donuts. Going home to North Carolina where our options are Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts (neither of which offer vegan donuts) was a sad, sad donut day for me.

What was the music highlight of your year?

I'll have to point to NYC, again. While we were there, we got to see one of favorite current hardcore bands, Incendiary. I've been wanting to see them since I bought their split with Suburban Scum a couple years ago, and lucky for me, they played my favorite song, "God's Country" from that split. Their full-length, "The Cost of Living", is a perfect record full of poignant New York hardcore and relevant political/social commentary. That set made me feel the same energy and excitement that I used to experience on the regular back in 2003-2008, when I used to go to hardcore shows pretty regularly. Also, I got to see Brand New perform in my own city last month, and they were absolutely incredible. "The Devil & God Are Raging Inside Me" has got to be one of the best post-hardcore/rock albums of the last decade. So much power and energy in that band, who continually evolve from record to record in ways that surprise and excite me.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Old Flings got to travel to Montréal on our last tour this summer, and let me tell you, I can't wait to go back. Of course, every tour we do, experiencing the food of the city we're in is a top priority. Getting to eat poutine for the first time was a major success for me, although vegan poutine is arguably not considered real poutine, but whatever. 10/10, would eat poutine and tour through Canada again.

@oldflings

CHRISTOPHER CHAISSON

Christopher Chaisson lives in Holliston, MA and has been writing songs under the name The Young Leaves for over 8 years.

What was the food highlight of your year?

This year my band, The Young Leaves, went on a 30-day summer tour and I set out on a quest to find the BEST donuts ever. We passed through a lot of different cities with all sorts of "gourmet/artisan" donut shops and I tried them all. However, I found the greatest donuts in the entire world in Pittsburgh at a place called Better-Maid Donut Co. It's essentially this hole in the wall, ran by some huge Steelers fan who lives for nothing but donuts and football. There's nothing fancy about it, and admittedly the place looks like it hasn't been cleaned or decorated since the 1960's, but it's hands-down the best donut experience you'll ever have. It's old-fashioned, meaning he makes nothing but cake donuts, and he only makes a limited run per day. But again, I can't stress how incredible they are in their craft and deliciousness. I did the 13 for $5 deal and crushed all 13 donuts in about an hour. I felt sick, but in that horribly good foodie way. So worth it.

What was the music highlight of your year?

The musical highlight of my year was most definitely The Young Leaves summer tour. We went out for 30 days in June and played from Boston out to Minneapolis, down to Orlando, and back up (like a gigantic triangle spanning half the country.) For some, touring can be an absolute nightmare, but I adore it. If I had to chose a specific moment on tour that made my year it would be when we visited Springfield, IL for Dumb Fest 2. I had no expectations heading into it, but the whole thing ended up being a beautiful arrangement of music, skateboarding, and DIY culture. I had never been to Springfield before, but everyone was so ridiculously friendly and the bands were all fantastic; it was everything I love about "punk" or "independent" music or whatever. I hope they continue on with making it an annual thing, and maybe we'll play it again! Also, the band Looming from that area were great. I hope they're still doing their thing as well!

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

One of the best dudes I've ever met through music is a guy by the name of Matt Evans. He plays guitar in an awesome band called Old Flings and, in addition to being a great guy and songwriter, he also LOVES barbecue with a serious passion. He set us up a show in Asheville, North Carolina and when we arrived he had us hop in the bed of his truck and took us to a gas station. This was no ordinary gas station, though. It had a built-in BBQ dive with some of the most serious pulled pork and hush-puppies that I'd ever eaten. As with most barbecue, it's all in the sauce and that place delivered. Later on that night we ended up seeing Jim Wilbur of Superchunk at our show trying to help a band fix their broken down van. It was great. Just great.

@youngleavesma

JORDAN LUFF

Jordan Luff plays bass in the band Old Flings

What was the food highlight of your year?

I have to include two highlights: the first is my hometown Asheville, NC’s only vegan restaurant, Plant. It’s a little out of my price range for an everyday dinner, so I keep it in my back pocket for special occasions. The hazelnut crusted seitan is quite possibly the most decadent food I’ve put in my mouth since becoming vegan. Served with whipped cauliflower, grilled broccolina and romesco, pickled onions, and shiitake bacon. Absolutely breath-taking dinner.

Second, Farmburger, another Asheville favorite. They serve a vegan burger made up of sea island red pea, Smiling Hara smoked tempeh (local brand), and black eyed peas, topped with clover sprouts, red cabbage, and a basil tofu spread on the bun. It’s like it melts in my damn mouth.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My band Old Flings got to play a lot of regional and national festivals this year, including Fest 12 in Gainesville, FL. I got to see some of my all-time favorite bands play, including Torche, Iron Chic, Knapsack, Hop Along, and Restorations. But the best band I saw this year was probably Superchunk in Asheville at the Grey Eagle Music Hall on August 23rd. Watching them was about as close to a religious experience as seeing Coalesce back in 2009 at FEST 8. It’s been a great year for music!

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Any time Old Flings gets to hit the road, be it for a weekend, a tour, or a festival trip, I try to incorporate food into my adventure. While down at Fest, we had the opportunity to dine at Harvest Thyme, a vegan-friendly sandwich and smoothie joint, and Reggae Shack, one of the best Jamaican-style restaurants I’ve ever had. And I can’t forget Richmond, VA. We only played there once in 2013 (which sucks), but we hit up Ipanema Cafe, Panda Veg, Strange Matter, and Harrison Street Coffee Shop. Richmond has great, great food.

@oldflings

SERGIE LOOBKOFF

Sergie Loobkoff plays guitar in Samiam, Knapsack, and Felled Trees.

What was the food highlight of your year?

I love a restaurant in Silverlake called Cliff’s Edge. From the outside it looks like a muffler shop next to a 99¢ store…but when you walk through the gate, you discover this Tolkien-like outdoor multi-tiered garden with tables build around a giant Oak tree (maybe it’s more like the tree from Pan’s Labrynth without the gross toad). There is a full bar to get sloshed from and at the end the chocolate lava cake is retarded-good. In the middle part of the evening, meat and fish is awesome and the salads are of the yummy variety. Each February, the discussion comes up to where to go for Valentine,s Day… can’t go there every year (according to my girlfriend) but 2013 was a Cliff’s Edge…which made it a good year.

What was the music highlight of your year?

I went out to Florida again for The Fest. It was my third time. Samiam played a couple of shows, Knapsack played, and I have little quartet with George from Hot Water Music and my bubs Mike and John called Grievers. Playing was fine and dandy, but I also got to see Iron Chic, who were awesome….and Off With Their Heads who were also awesome, and a new favorite, Old Flings. I made a new buddy from Michigan called Kevin, which is fun. I hate seeing bands usually, it’s so 1988 for me….but this was a good time.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Speaking of Knapsack, we went out to Chicago a few weeks ago to play a show. This famous chef guy likes the ’90s emotional rock music thing, of which Knapsack was a part of, so he invited us to his restaurant for a feast. Graham Elliott is his name and he treated us really, really well…like we were ‘somebodies’ even though everyone knows we are ‘nobodies’. Drunk? Yes. Full? Yes. Tummyache? Surprisingly, no…go figure.

@deadcosmo

MATT EVANS

Matt Evans plays guitar and sings in the band Old Flings.

What was the food highlight of your year?

This is such a hard question, because I’ve eaten so much great food this year. Being from Asheville, NC, the food game is on a new level, and it takes a lot for other places to meet the bar.  Even after mentioning that though, my food highlight of the year was homemade.  

I recently had to cut dairy out of my diet which meant that I couldn’t eat pizza like a college slob anymore (because what is pizza without pounds of cheese). My girlfriend helped me in the woe process by convincing me that we could make homemade pizza.  It ended up being delicious!  We crammed so much stuff on there.  I never would have thought that chorizo on pizza would be amazing! 

What was the music highlight of your year?

I would say the music highlight of my year would be around the release of our new singles.  My band worked really hard to write a string of songs that we would release on 3 different 7”s.  It meant that we had to push ourselves and I was nervous about where our music would land after our first LP.  Getting to play FEST 12 was a close 2nd though.  It was quite possibly the best show I’ve ever played in my life.  

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

I once did an acoustic show at Cook Out, a local fast food chain in the south - kind of like IN-N-OUT. It was myself and the glorious PJ BOND. If you’ve never eaten at Cook Out then you should and if you’ve never listened to PJ BOND then you definitely should. 

@oldflings