Month: January 2022

Groundhog Day… or Groundhog Month?

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast

February is just around the corner… and if you look around that corner you might see a few band vans headed your way. Maybe even a tour bus or three.

I loved Your Logo Here’s first EP, but they’ve sucked since they signed with a major label.

You might even spot a tour Winnebago.

Charles Napier ruled!

We covered this weekend’s shows in last week’s post, but just in case you were stricken with a serious case of Bengal Fever and missed it, here’s a recap:

Tonight:

  • Ana Popovic plays Ludlow Garage
  • Hyryder plays Annie’s
  • Knotts are at MOTR
  • Ben Levin is at BrewRiver
  • Alice Cooper plays the Icon.

Saturday:

  • The Wombats play Ovation
  • .38 Special plays the Hard Rock
  • Buckcherry and The Lacs are at Annie’s
  • String Theory plays Wiedemann’s
  • Ben Levin is at Japp’s
  • [The Big Mountain show at Ludlow Garage has been postponed. Which just goes to show that you can move a Big Mountain if you put your mind to it.]

Sunday:

  • Railroad Earth plays the Madison Theater.
  • The Cincinnati Bengals play the Kansas City Chiefs. Playoff football, NBD.
But there might be a QB who can beat him in 13 seconds or less.

The week ahead is kinda desolate. Julia Jacklin was slated to play Madison Live on Monday, but that gig has been cancelled. It’s like a pre-Groundhog Day Groundhog Day.

Speaking of our ol’ pal Punxsutawney Phil and his special day, Ben Levin plays the Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday. And in true Groundhog Day fashion, he’s got a few other gigs this week… just like he does every week. You can see the entire list on Ben’s website. (No word on whether he’ll play a cover of “I Got You Babe.”)

The mighty fine band called Country Westerns will be at MOTR on Thursday. (Hey, do they drive a Winnebago too?) The Hiders duo opens the show. I hope to make that gig, but it’ll be a game day decision, given the late set time and my advanced age. (I might be too tired from playing pickleball and/or shooing kids off my lawn and/or yelling at a cloud.)

Next Friday you can watch Garage Doors…

Wait, check that, it’s actually a Doors tribute at the Ludlow Garage.

You’ll believe that Gym is him…

Next Saturday, Brother Moses (a rock band from… Arkansas!) plays the Southgate House’s Revival Room, and The Fighting Side and Wonky Tonk play a free show in the Southgate Lounge. Over on the Ohio side of the river, Tom the Torpedoes, a Tom Petty tribute band, is at the Redmoor.

Big show next Sunday: The War on Drugs at Ovation in Newport. List member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there. You should be too.

Their first EP was pretty good…

Watch This

Superchunk’s video for their new song “This Night” is a homage to the Replacements’ videos of yore.

Read This

Longtime Cincinnati arts journalist Steven Rosen has a new book called Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the ’50s and ’60s : From the Surf Club to Ludlow Garage. Read more here and order the book on Steven’s website. (Thanks to list member Jay Stowe for the story.)

The Words of the (Chuck) Prophet

And even if there’s a lot of political noise out there, and people who have strong opinions about things like science and religion, the stage remains my church and my job is to bring a group of strangers together and make them into a community for 90 minutes or so. If they don’t agree with every word that comes out of my mouth, that’s cool. Hell, if they don’t like every chord, that’s okay too. All I know is that they all left the house and had to find a place to park and they have to decide how much alcohol it’s okay to drink to be a responsible citizen or just not to get a DUI and have to sit in traffic school and endure the jokes of failed comedians. It’s because of those folks that I’m not one of those guys teaching at traffic school myself.

(Sign up for Chuck’s always entertaining and often enlightening newsletter on his website.)

The Words of the Podcast

The latest episode of the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast features an interview with former 97X weekend DJ Jeff Rohrs, who talks about polka music, mispronouncing an artist’s name, bands he loved, and that time it rained on stage at Bogart’s during a Violent Femmes show.

You can listen to every episode of the podcast on pretty much every major podcasting platform (Spotify, Apple podcasts, Podbean, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, etc.) I don’t like to brag, but in 2021, “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” was the 27th-fastest growing podcast about defunct radio stations. Take that, Joe Rogan! Oh, and take this too! (not a link to ivermectin)

Album Cover of the Week

Look at that track list! (Hat tip to list member Howard Cohen for sharing the Dick.)

Episode 75: Jeff Rohrs, Weekend Warrior

97X, Music, podcast

Jeff Rorhs was hooked on 97X from the very first song he heard on the station. In fact, he attended Miami University mostly because of 97X, and he was so determined to work at the station that he played polka music at his hometown radio station just to get on-air experience. All that polka-playing paid off – he wound up working weekends and fill-in shifts at 97X for his entire college career, from 1987 through 1991.

In this episode, we talk to Jeff about that first song he heard, how he scored the weekend gig, his unfortunate mispronunciation of an artist’s name, how he pissed off Doug Balogh, the longest song in the 97X library, the bands he championed both at 97X and on his music video show at Miami U., his MTV regrets, and the Violent Femmes concert at Bogart’s when it started raining on the stage.

Jeff still has a special place in his heart for 97X, as witnessed by his description of the station in his LinkedIn profile:

Here are the photos of the Violent Femmes show at Bogart’s back in 1990 when it rained on stage.

Jeff is at the left, getting Gordon Gano’s autograph
Jeff and a friend with Brian Ritchie
Jeff has many leather-bound books…

Janu-Wary

Concert Listings, Music

Late-breaking news from the This Week in Live Music newsroom: Everyone’s favorite Meat Loaf has expired.

  • THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, Meat Loaf, 1975
R.I.P. Marvin Lee Aday

The pandemic just goes on and (omicr)on, so it’s OK to be a bit wary about venturing out this month. But hope springs eternal that when spring arrives, we’ll be in a better spot.

If you ARE comfy taking in a show or three, take a gander at the gigs o’ the week and pick your faves.

Tonight, we have Ben Levin at Wiedemann’s, Sabbath (a tribute) at Ludlow Garage and Justin Wells at Southgate.

Saturday night, Dopapod plays the Madison Theater and Better than Ezra and Tonic are at the Hard Rock Casino. And Southgate is hosting a Western Kentucky Tornado Relief benefit:

Ben Levin is back on the brunch shift at Hard Rock (10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.) on Sunday. (Just to clarify, Ben will be playing piano and singing the blues, he won’t be taking your order for Quiche Lorraine… although maybe he can play a bluesy version of that song.)

On Wednesday, you can check out Albert Lee at Southgate, with The Cryers as the opener, or see Lucky Chops (brass/funk) at the Taft Ballroom. (Lucky Chops are not affiliated with the Slap Chop.)

Thursday, Umphrey’s McGee is at the Ovation in Newport, and Ludlow Garage welcomes Tim Reynolds with TR3.

Next Friday, January 28th:

  • Ana Popovic plays Ludlow Garage
  • Hyryder plays Annie’s
  • Knotts are at MOTR
  • Ben Levin is at BrewRiver
  • That guy who is on the insurance commercial with Baker Mayfield plays the Icon.

This Pine Box was originally slated to play the Woodward that same evening, but that gig has been postponed. And the Erasure concert on 1/29 has also been postponed.

Next Saturday (1/29):

  • The Wombats play Ovation
  • .38 Special plays the Hard Rock
  • Buckcherry and The Lacs are at Annie’s
  • Big Mountain is at Ludlow Garage
  • String Theory plays Wiedemann’s
  • Ben Levin is at Japp’s
  • Bogart’s hosts a “Taylor Swift Inspired Dance Party”… just watch out for Taylor’s variant!

Next Sunday (1/30), Railroad Earth will be at the Madison Theater.

January Heat

Give it up for Parquet Courts for their incendiary performance on… Ellen?

And check out this super hot (or super cool) lineup from an old Jazz Fest.

Hat tip to list member Lisa Collins for sharing the visual.

2nd Best Match Game ever!

This McSweeney’s piece by John Moe, “What Your Favorite Sad Dad Band Says About You,” is quite funny… and sometimes hits a little too close to home.

Best Match Game ever!

CNR… the Dickster… Miss Jane… the dude from the Doritos commercials… and Gene Rayburn!

57 X 3 = Fun Gig

List member John Sandman (57), Ellis Paul (57) and your humble scribe (57) after Ellis Paul’s birthday show at the Redmoor

Album Cover of the Week

Have a great week!

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before…

Concert Listings, Music

“Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are at an all-time high and concerts are being postponed or cancelled left and right.”

January 2021

“Coronavirus cases in the U.S. are at an all-time high and concerts are being postponed or cancelled left and right.”

January 2022

Gonna keep this one short and sweet because there ain’t much going on and it’s a bit depressing to think about it for too long.

This week’s postponements:

  • Erasure’s 1/29 show at the Icon is off – no new date yet.
  • Oliver Wood’s show at the Taft Ballroom, originally scheduled for tomorrow night, has been shifted to May 14th.

This week’s cancellation: Fairmount Girls at MOTR is a no-go this evening.

We already covered the shows for tonight (Ellis Paul at Redmoor… oh, and the happy hour at Big Ash starts at 5 – first beer’s on me!) and tomorrow night (uh… Vince Neil?) in last week’s post.

It’s slim pickings the rest of this week. But sadly, no Slim Pickens.

It’s pretty much Ben Levin or bust.

Ben’s the young, handsome one… on the left.

Ben’s at Ghost Baby on Wednesday, Shires’ Garden on Thursday and Wiedemann’s on Friday.

True story: I went to the Ovation box office this week to buy tickets for The War on Drugs show (recently announced – Sunday, Feb. 6th) because I love The War on Drugs and I hate ridiculous TicketBastard fees. Guess who was manning the ticket window? Ben Levin’s big bro Joshua! Pro tip from Josh: You can use the “Drop Off & Pick Up Only” lane on 3rd Street during the daytime (box office is open noon-6 p.m., M-F) to run up and buy tix for upcoming shows. I wound up saving about $20 in fees on two tickets.

There are a few other gigs of note this week:

Thursday:

  • The Ghost of Paul Revere plays Taft Ballroom, with opener Early James (“get there early for Early…”)
  • Flying Underground (Brian Lovely) and Maurice Mattei & The Tempers are at MOTR – that’s a nice local legends twin bill

Next Friday (1/21):

  • Justin Wells is at Southgate – list member John Sandman really likes this artist
  • Sabbath is at Ludlow Garage (it’s billed as “the complete Black Sabbath Experience…. covering the Ozzy Years and the Ronnie James Dio years” – what, no love for Tony Martin, Rob Halford, Ray Gillen, Glenn Hughes, Jeff Fenholt, David Donato, Ron Keel, Ian Gillan or Dave Walker?)

Next Saturday (1/22):

  • Dopapod plays Madison Theater
  • It’s ‘Nati Dread Day at Fretboard Brewing, featuring the release of their ‘Nati Dread Bourbon Barrel Stout, with music from the Queen City Silver Stars and opener Positive Libations.
  • Better than Ezra and Tonic play the Hard Rock Casino… which brings to mind my favorite Norm MacDonald “Weekend Update” joke of all time:
R.I.P. Norm…

Speaking o’ comedians, Hasan Minhaj will be at the Aronoff next Sunday.

Honors Program(s)

Let’s try to end on a high note or three. Patti Smith got the key to New York City… a symbolic one, not one of the 57 keys on the apartment super’s keychain.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1475667304495079424

And the Austin City Limits 7th Annual Hall of Fame Honors program feted Alejandro Escovedo, Lucinda Williams and Wilco. Not too shabby. You can check out the 90-minute show with a slew of special guest right here: https://www.pbs.org/video/austin-city-limits-7th-annual-hall-of-fame-honors-90-min-ije3u7/

Parting words of wisdom from the (Mountain) Goat

If you missed John Darnielle’s New Year’s Eve Twitter thread (which I like to call “The Triumph* of the Three Tubers”), it’s worth checking out below.

*as in victory or success, not as in Canada’s second-best power rock trio.

Hell yes! Hell yes! Hell yes!

New Year, Same Old Song & Dance

Concert Listings, Music

Let me be the 127th* person to wish you a Happy New Year!

*EPA city estimate, your actual mileage may vary.

Now that we’ve turned the page on 2021, the pandemic is over – we can toss our masks into the dustbin of history and enjoy wall-to-wall live music with thousands of other fans…

Nope, no such luck. I’m beginning to think Rip Van Winkle had the right idea. Or wait, was that Robbie Van Winkle?

Yep, it’s a new year, but the same “abundance of caution” – the Secret Sisters gig at Memorial Hall in February has been cancelled. Nick Mason’s show at the Aronoff has been postponed. However, Betty White’s 100th Birthday Party is still a go.

Unfortunately, Betty is unable to attend. More cake for Betty’s Hot in Cleveland co-star Valerie Bertinelli, I suppose. Wait, is she still on Jenny Craig?

OK, enough bitching about what we’ve lost (other than Valerie and her 30 pounds)… let’s focus on the positive. There ARE still gigs on the ol’ This Week in Live Music® Koncert Keeper™. Granted, not many, but a few. Caveat: please check the band and/or venue website or FB page for up-to-date info. Out of “an abundance of caution,” natch.

Tonight, the irrepressible Ben Levin plays Arnold’s with his band.

On Saturday, Inhailer Radio presents Physco with Coastal Club at the Woodward Thea…

Whoops, there goes another gig… Alrighty then. Well, the Tom the Torpedoes show at the Crow’s Nest is still a go… even COVID is afraid of the West Side.

Sunday, the indefatigable Ben Levin plays Schwartz’s Point – show starts at 6:30.

On Thursday, the Louisiana Swamp Stomp Tour featuring The Iguanas and Kevin Gordon rolls (or stomps) into the Redmoor in Mt. Lookout.

Next Friday, there are a whole slew of gigs and goings-on (fingers crossed):

  • List member Whit Gardner is hosting the BDFM (Beer Drinking Flash Mob) at Big Ash Brewing. Starts at 5 p.m. and This Week in Live Music® list members will get their first beer gratis, courtesy of your humble editor.
  • The Fairmount Girls are at MOTR
  • Evanescence and Halestorm play the Coliseum
  • The intrepid Ben Levin plays at a library… the Hebron Branch of the Boone County Public Library to be exact
  • Comedian Nate Bargatze is at the Taft
  • Last but certainly not least, Ellis Paul will celebrate his 57th birthday with a gig at the Redmoor. List member John Sandman (who turns 57 tomorrow) and yours truly (I turned 57 on New Year’s Eve) will have to bring him some leftover birthday cake. I still have plenty of mine:
“Make a wish!”

Next Saturday, Vince Neil will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the last time he was relevant with a gig at the Lawrenceburg Event Center.

Hellö Lawrencebürg!

That same evening (Jan. 15), Oliver Wood of the Wood Brothers is at the Taft, and the Aronoff is hosting an Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular.

Andy Kaufman won’t be there… or will he? (Andy always played the long game.)

2021 Favorites – straight outta Albuquerque!

List member Dave Purcell, who now lives in New Mexico (and has joined a local band in Albuquerque!) put together a list of his favorite albums and live music events. Check out the lists and get a link to Dave’s Spotify playlist here.

Here’s the story… of a man named Brady

The Icon music venue in downtown Cincinnati, which has only been open since last July, has changed its name. It will now be known as:

Nah, just kidding, they dropped the “Icon” and now it’s just the Andrew J. Brady Music Center. As list member Jay Stowe said, “‘Icon’ sounds like a place you’d see a concert, but ‘Andrew J. Brady Music Center’ sounds like a place where your kid takes trumpet lessons.” In keeping with my hard and fast TWILM “no venue name changes allowed ” rule, I will still call it the Icon (see also: Coliseum and Annie’s).

You know that you’re over the hill…

… when Forecastle announces their 2022 lineup and you’ve only heard of about 18% of the artists, and actually heard the music of about 5% of them.

Who’s on first? Nope.

On a more positive age-related note, my AARP membership not only gets me discounts at Red Roof Inns from coast to coast (take that, Super 8 Motel!), but it also got me exclusive access to Barn, the companion film to Neil Young’s new album of the same name. It’s pretty cool to see not-so-young Neil and the Horse still rockin’ more than a chair.

“When you get to be the age that I am, every day is a gift, and every day should be filled with creativity. That’s what keeps us alive, and if you are not working on something and feeling good about what you did, that’s pretty much death in a handshake right there… Getting love and happiness out of your creation is going to keep everybody on the planet longer.”

Neil Young

Amen, Brother Neil! Let’s all live to play another day!