Gregory Alan Isakov

Gregory Alan Isakov plays the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre on Thursday, October 8, at 7:30 PM. He's touring with his band, and the Charlotte date is part of a run that takes him across the country.

If you're coming to him for the first time, there's a fair amount to catch up on. Isakov has put out six full-length studio albums: That Sea, The Gambler, This Empty Northern Hemisphere, The Weatherman, Evening Machines—which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album—and Appaloosa Bones. He also recorded Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony, and he's performed with several national symphony orchestras across the United States. He tours internationally with his band, so you'll hear the full group rather than just a solo set.

There's a bit of a double life to the man behind the music. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he now calls Colorado home, and when he isn't on the road, he runs Starling Farm, a small farm in Boulder County that supplies produce to CSA members, restaurants, and Community Food Share. He's a horticulturist as well as a musician, and that connection to the land tends to show up in the imagery of his songs.

A few practical things to keep in mind before you head out: the Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre is an outdoor venue with no seats under cover, so the show goes ahead rain or shine. Outside lawn chairs aren't permitted, so don't bring yours along. There's also a community side to the ticket: $1 from every ticket sold goes to SAVE THE MERC, a community-led non-profit. The show starts at 7:30 PM on Thursday, October 8.