 The Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club is a downtown Asheville live music club (101 Biltmore Avenue) that features state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment rarely found in a club of its size. The smoke-free facility has a beautiful interior, creating a fabulous setting for enjoying the premier musicians who perform here. The Orange Peel Social Aid & Pleasure Club's capacity was expanded in late 2009 to 1,200 standing, and it is the nation's premiere Live Music Hall and Concert Venue featuring the very best in live music and cultural arts. Acts appearing on stage have included Bob Dylan, Flaming Lips, Ben Harper, Blondie, Spoon, Sonic Youth, Damien Rice, Sam Bush and many more. The Smashing Pumpkins did a nine-show run there in June 2007.
The dance floor is several hundred square feet of springy wooden slats, and the stage is in perfect view from any angle on the floor. Dancing is a big part of the live music experience, so dancing styles are as varied as the music played at the club! They do not have our own parking lot. However, like other downtown businesses, The Orange Peel rely on street parking, paid parking decks, and public parking (free after 6pm!). DO NOT park in other neighbors' spaces that are marked as tow-away zones.
In late 2009, The Orange Peel Social Aid and Pleasure Club expanded. A private club was added downstairs on the Orange Peel's Hilliard Avenue side that will seat 75 to 150 people and serve cocktails, along with a new smoking porch of at least 400 square feet on the club's opposite north side. On the main floor, 50 to 100 removable "box seats" will be added to the left side of the stage to allow for special seating during certain shows. And the long bar on the south side of the room will be divided, with half of it staying put and the other half moving to the north side of the room. By bumping up the club's capacity from 942 to about 1,200, it can draw acts that might have previously passed up chances to play there.
Sitting at the corner of Hilliard and Biltmore avenues, the club has a long history, first as a 1950s skating rink and then as a home for R&B clubs featuring disco and funk. Last year Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the five best clubs in the U.S.
FAQs
Directly from The Orange Peel!
When is your box office open?
Our new box office hours are Wednesday - Saturday 12:00noon - 5:30pm.
The box office is closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Please note that the box office is open half an hour before the doors open on show nights.
Tickets may be purchased in person at the box office window.
The box office does not take phone orders, they need to be placed at 1-866-468-7630
Or purchase tickets online | See their Calendar of Concerts
Why do you charge a $1 service fee at your box office?
Most (if not all) of the ticket money goes to the bands, which have high overhead/travel costs of their own. The service fee covers part of the overhead costs involved in staffing and running a box office four afternoons a week and every show night, and is intended to help cover the costs of labor, ticket stock, ticketing software fees, credit card fees, phone charges, box office equipment, etc. We make every effort to keep this service charge as low as possible.
Someone else is buying me tickets on-line, how can I pick them up at Will-Call?
If you are picking up someone else's tickets, this is what you will need in order to pick them up:
-A photocopy of the original purchaser's picture ID
-The last 4 digits of the credit card used to purchase the tickets
-The purchaser's signature verifying that you may pick up their tickets, for example, "(Your name) has my permission to pick up my tickets."
Preferably you should have all of this on the same page. And DON'T forget to bring your own ID!
Do you have an ATM?
The Orange Peel does not have an ATM, but we do accept credit and debit cards at our box office, bar, and merch counter. If you need actual cold hard cash, the closest ATM is located two blocks from the Peel at the BB&T Building.
Can you hold me a ticket?
Our ticketing system is set up to allow advance purchase of tickets at our box office. You may purchase tickets on-line or by phone with an additional surcharge. We are unable to "hold" tickets unless you purchase them first and leave them at will-call.
What kind of ID do I need to drink at The Orange Peel?
According to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, we are allowed to accept only four forms of identification as proof of age for the consumption of alcohol. The NC law reads as follows: "Acceptable forms of identification are driver's license, North Carolina special identification card, passport and military identification card. Businesses reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who appears intoxicated or underage. GS 18B-302, 18B-305" Any guest who presents an out-of-state ID card is marked with X's and is not allowed to purchase or consume alcohol while at the club. We will allow entry to a show with an out-of-state ID, but we will not allow that person to use it as proof of age for drinking at our bar. The law specifically notes an NC special ID card - but no other state's ID cards are acceptable as proof of age. Any state's drivers licenses may be accepted, but not ID cards from out-of-state. For more information, visit the NC Alcohol Beverage Controls' website: http://www.ncabc.com/education/permittee/faq.aspx
When will the show end?
Ah, if only we had a crystal showtime ball. The end of a set is at the discretion of the performing act (although we contract them for a minimum set length - anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes, depending on the act). This is a question we usually cannot answer.
Where is your parking lot?
We do not have our own parking lot. However, like other downtown businesses, we rely on street parking (free after 6pm!) and paid parking lots. DO NOT park in other neighbors' spaces that are marked as tow-away zones. You WILL be towed. In addition, do not stop your car on Biltmore Avenue or in neighbor's lots to buy tickets at our box office, this is dangerous, illegal, and causes problems for the businesses that surround The Orange Peel. Please move your car if a business owner asks you to do so.
Is there dancing? What kind?
The Orange Peel was voted Best Place to Dance by readers of the Mountain Xpress and for good reasons! The dance floor is several hundred square feet of springy wooden slats, and the stage is in perfect view from any angle on the floor. Dancing is a big part of the live music experience, so dancing styles are as varied as the music played at the club!
The show is sold out, will you be releasing any tickets?
No. Some places do this, we don't.
Do you have a dress code?
Clothing is required, the style is up to you.
Do you have a coat check?
Yes, only during the cold season! It is located directly to the rear of the room as you enter through the front door.
Is there food?
The Orange Peel sells Asheville Pizza Company pizza in the front gallery. Mmmmm, good.
I'm supposed to be on the guestlist...
If you are supposed to be on a guestlist, be sure you know the name of the person who has put you on the list. It is also a good idea to confirm with that person that you are on the list 24 hours before the show. Valid ID is always required at The Orange Peel, and it is essential when you are picking up tickets at Will-Call or from the Guestlist. We are not responsible for mistakes made by band members, radio stations, or other promotional groups, although we will follow up on guestlist questions to the best of our ability. The guestlist is almost always at the box office window a half an hour before doors open.
Where can I get some cigarettes?
There is a convenience store south of The Orange Peel on Biltmore Avenue, but remember, there is no smoking inside the club.
Where can we smoke?
Smoking is not permitted at all inside The Orange Peel. A landscaped area has been completed at the corner of Biltmore and Hilliard to provide outdoor seating and some greenery.
Where do I get an orange hoodie like that?
Our orange shirts and hoodies are reserved for staff, krewe ("crew" to non-Louisiana natives!), and a select group of interns. The bright color helps distinguish our staff from customers, although orange is a great color and you will see non-staff members sporting this trendy color!
Have you seen my husband? He's 6 foot, gray hair, red shirt...
It is difficult for us to locate people in large crowds. Unless there is a true emergency, we are unable to page customers or make announcements. You may want to prearrange a meeting place with your group (i.e., next to merch booth at 10:15pm) or try setting your cell phone to "vibrate" so that you can be contacted during the show if necessary.
Will you call me a taxi?
Absolutely! Ask anyone in an orange krewe or staff shirt, and we will make it our first priority. Cab service in Asheville is reliable and steady, but a little slower than in larger cities, so be patient.
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