Hot enough for ya?
Speaking of hot, let’s get to the hot, hot, live music action.
Ain’t nothin’ going on Monday… but Tuesday more than makes up for that. Sebadoh is playing Woodward Theater, with Eleanor Friedberger opening up the show. That’s a great double bill, and I just may rally my old man bones enough to make that show on a weekday. Father Time will tell.
That same evening, Combo Chimbita is playing Northside Tavern. This band comes highly recommended by TWILM member Michelle Boyles.
There are two other bands on the bill with Combo Chimbita, so if you’re an old fogey like me, the start time might be past your bedtime.
John Paul White (formerly of the Civil Wars… that name turned out to be prophetic) is playing Southgate, with Caleb Elliott.
What about Dayton, you ask? Any live tunes in “The Gem City” on Tuesday? Maybe at a gas station?
So glad you asked! The Steve Miller Band is playing Kettering’s Fraze Pavilion, with Marty Stuart as the opener. Meanwhile, in another Dayton suburb (Huber Heights, “America’s largest community of brick homes”), Amos Lee is playing Rose Music Center, with Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers opening up the gig. Remember when Bruce Hornsby’s backing band was called “The Range”? Or was it the Amana Radarange?
On Wednesday, PNC Pavilion has a triple bill: Third Eye Blind, Jimmy Eat World and Ra Ra Riot. I’m not much of a Third Eye Blind fan, but I do like Jimmy Eat World and Ra Ra Riot. Speaking of three i’s, Triiibe is the local band playing the free “Wednesdays in the Woods” gig at the Burnet Woods Bandstand. And in a cruel twist of fate The Commodores are playing Fraze, NOT the Rose Music Center… I have a feeling “Brick House” would go over better in Huber Heights.
Thursday, some old guy in a Hawaiian shirt is playing Riverbend. I’m not going to Buffett-bash… I just wish all the folks who go cuckoo over his concerts would get out of their suburban enclaves more than once a year, and actually support other bands as well. Bring that crazy energy… but leave the plastic flamingos in the garage next to the Lawn-Boy.
Ben Levin & the Heaters are playing the Behringer Crawford Museum in Devou Park. Meanwhile, in the Gem City, Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle are playing a free show at Levitt Pavilion. That’s the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton, not to be confused with Levitt Pavilion in Westport, Connecticut, or the one in Denver, or the one in Arlington, TX.
On Friday evening, the Wheels of Soul tour rolls into PNC Pavilion, with Shovels & Rope, Blackberry Smoke and Tedeschi-Trucks Band. My wife is a close personal friend with Blackberry Smoke.
Just to clarify, my wife is a close friend, but she’s not a “special new friend.”
Soul Pocket is playing the free show on Fountain Square, Jeremy Pinnell is playing Folk School Coffee Parlor in Ludlow, KY, the Kingston Trio is playing Memorial Hall, and Wreking Crue, the Motley Crue Experience, is at Bogart’s (tribute bands can’t afford the umlauts).
Saturday, it’s 1995 all over again: Hootie & The Blowfish are playing a sold-out show at Riverbend, with Barenaked Ladies as the opening act.
Stanley’s is hosting the Ladyfolk Festival (Honey & Houston, Maria Carelli Band, Chelsea Ford & The Trouble, twig&leaf), the Downtowne Listening Room has Dierdre Flint with Eric Gnezda, The Redemptioners are playing Camp Springs Tavern, Ben Levin’s at Streetside…. and the Wheels of Soul tour (TTB, Blackberry Smoke and Shovels & Rope) rolls up to The Gem City (Rose Music Center).
On Sunday, Nicholas Johnson & The Same Old Strangers are at MOTR, Comet Bluegrass All-Stars are at the Comet (duh!) and Stanley’s hosts an open jam. Bring your tambourine.
In other news, Houndmouth is playing a two-night stand at Southgate Nov. 22 and 23. Get yer tix now. And Tiny Changes – A Celebration of The Midnight Organ Fight is out. Various artists (Ben Gibbard, Julien Baker, Craig Finn, Manchester Orchestra, Josh Ritter, Lauren Mayberry from Chvrches, Aaron Dessner from The National, The Twilight Sad) cover songs from Frightened Rabbit’s brilliant sophomore album, which came out a decade ago. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Tiny Changes, the children’s mental health charity founded in honor of Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison. Here’s my close personal friend Craig Finn doing Head Rolls Off:
Craig played an Undertow house concert at my place back in 2017. Now it’s Eric Bachmann’s turn. He’ll be here on Thursday, August 1st. Get tickets here before they vanish.
In other house concert news, my friends Jacqui and Dave have lined up another show: Brett Newski will be playing their lovely home (a.k.a. Parlor & Patio) in Ft. Thomas on Friday, September 27th. That should be a real dandy. Get your tickets for that gig here with the password parlor.
“Newski’s live shows are part rock n’ roll, part stand up, and part therapy. In the end, the room is won over.”
–Jim McGuinn, The Current, Minneapolis
Have a rockin’ week!
P.S. As a writer and a former advertising guy, I hope whoever came up with this slogan was fired:
I remember seeing Bruce Hornsby open for The Grateful Dead at Buckeye Lake. Hottest (as in temperature) concert I ever went to – I think it was 103 in the shade – oh wait, there was no shade! It was an out of body experience – me in my white pleated shorts and red/white stripe Gap shirt (with shoulder pads?!? Haha!) and red bow headband, stepping into a 1969 Time magazine cover. They sold draft beer in 2 gallon milk jugs. Crazy!!
PS – GREAT article in City Beat on Chuck Cleaver. I still have my signed Ass Ponys CDs – haha! Thanks for the heads up!