Month: March 2022

Live music, no foolin’.

Concert Listings, Music

Another week, myriad opportunities to check out live music.

On Monday, Nektar is at Ludlow Garage. That’s a Brit prog rock band that’s been around since 1969. And the name is pronounced like “nectar”… although it’d be cooler if it were “Neck-Tar”… and it came from the instrument that was the ill-fated, banned-due-to-choking hazard follow-up to the Keytar.

Where was I? Oh, that’s right, gigs. Also on Monday, Relient K plays Bogart’s. (The “K” stands for Keytar!)

On Tuesday, Colin Hay (of Men at Work) comes all the way from the Land Down Under to the Peter Brady Icon Music Center, creating a magical marriage between vegemite sandwiches and pork chops & applesauce.

That same evening, Greta Van Zeppelin… I mean Led Fleet… I mean Greta Van Fleet, plays the Coliseum, creating a magical marriage of a band that reeks of the 70s and an arena that reeks of the 70s.

Also on Tuesday, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia play Southgate.

Sylmar plays MOTR on Wednesday – it’s an 8 p.m. ticketed ($12 advance) show. And finger-style guitarist Yasmin Williams is at Ludlow Garage.

Thursday, Ludlow Garage has Church of Cash. It’s a tribute to Johnny Cash, not Kash Amburgy… although I’d be fine with either.

Friday is April Fools’ Day.

Celebrate with some Negative-Calorie Cookies and Tree Frog Beer… or just get sad that a formerly progressive radio station is now a parody of itself.

That evening, Johnnyswim plays the Ovation. The band features the marriage (literally) of Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano. Amanda is the daughter of Donna Summer, so she probably grew up around keytars.

Also on Friday:

  • Kishi Bashi is at the Madison Theater
  • The Wooks play Southgate’s Revival Room
  • Rumpke Mountain Boys kick off a two-night stand at the old Annie’s
  • EXTC plays Ludlow Garage. EXTC features Terry Chambers (drummer for XTC) plus Steve Tilling (vocals, guitar, ex-TC&I, the band of XTC’s Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers), Steve Hampton (guitar, vocals) and Matt Hughes (bass, vocals).

Saturday shows:

  • Shawn Colvin is at Memorial Hall, and she’ll be playing her brilliant 1989 debut Steady On acoustically, along with other favorites.
  • Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle/The Harmed Brothers have a nice twin bill show at Southgate in the Revival Room.
  • Rumpke Mountain Boys are back at Annie’s.
  • The Ben Levin Blues Band plays Ghost Baby
  • The Yugos play a free show at MOTR.

On Sunday, list member Dale Doyle just might win a Grammy in the Best Recording Package for his artwork/design on Matt Berninger’s solo album Serpentine Prison.

They should’ve used a keytar image

Even though Dale’s work should be feted during the evening telecast, he’s not a teenage pop songstress (at least he wasn’t the last time we checked his…er, recording package…). So you’ll have to tune in to the afternoon event where more than three-quarters of the 86 winners will be announced. The live stream will start at 3:30 EDT and will be available on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel as well as on the website live.grammy.com. 

After Dale picks up his hardware, Ben Levin has a 6:30 show at Schwartz’s Point, the cool jazz club in OTR. The building’s been around since about 1870, and a keytar has never darkened its doorway.

Motherfolk is at Top Cats — yes Top Cats — on Sunday.

R.I.P. Taylor Hawkins

New tunes

Here’s a fun new song from Lucius:

Grant-Lee Phillips always delivers:

Digging the new one from Soccer Mommy too:

Old tunes

Gospel great Sister Rosetta Tharpe, born on March 20th, 1915 in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, was as rockin’ as any rock star. Here she is just shredding on a 1965 gospel TV show:

https://youtu.be/cyrQJVxP6Ec?t=28

Album Cover of the Week

We heard that Bob was a fan of The Kinks. Or something like that.

Spring Awakening

Concert Listings, Music

Spring has officially arrived… meaning we should only have four more snow days before May. But the gigs are popping up like crocuses. (Sorry, no gigs from Krokus though. Guess you’ll have to settle for their “Live at Wacken” album.)

Krokus fans and Wacken – they go together

Graham Nash rambles into Memorial Hall on Tuesday for “An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.” Graham’s 80 now, so I don’t know how “intimate” we want to get with him… that’s a hard pass even for Joni Mitchell.

“I’m not wearing any pants!
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Meanwhile Thao (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down fame) plays the Woodward with her band (which may or may not be the Get Down Stay Down…). Becca Mancari and Why Bonnie open the show.

Urkel will not stay down

On Wednesday, David Ramirez plays Ludlow Garage, with TWILM favorite Caroline Spence as the opener.

Thursday’s gigs:

  • Dark Star Orchestra plays Ovation
  • The Other Favorites are at Southgate
  • Ben Levin is at Shire’s Garden
  • The Red Hot Chili PIPERS play Ludlow (so no Flea… also no fly, because they wear kilts)

Freekbass and the Bump Assembly hit Ludlow on Friday for FunKISSdelic – a Funkadelic/KISS mash-up.

Oops, wrong KISS mash-up.

That same evening, the equally funky Combo Chimbita plays Northside Tavern.

On Saturday, Todd Snider plays Madison Theater, and əkoostik hookah is playing the old Annie’s. That’s an indoor show – the better to smell the Hookah.

Sunday is the perfect day for Holy F*ck to play Madison Live. More for the “Holy” part than the… well, you know.

Ticketbastard!

Faithful readers of This Week in Live Music (all three of you) already know how much I despise Ticketmaster. John Oliver just add more heat to my already-boiling blood:

Listen to this!

Here’s a nice half-hour interview with Michael Stipe on World Cafe:

Watch this!

Sly Stone in a halter top… with a super-tight band… and, at the seven-minute mark, a dancer who is a dead ringer for Roger from What’s Happening!!? Yes please!

https://youtu.be/bJ_QaEir7FU

Album Cover of the Week

I can certainly understand why Elvis shot his TV set when this guy was on…

Parting shot

Episode 78: Jay Batista, there from Day One

97X, podcast

Jay Batista joined 97X before it was 97X… it was more like a real-life WKRP with “odd personnel and wacky programming.” Jay played a pivotal role in helping the station make the switch to the modern rock format. We talk to him about those formative days, going from spinning the Spinners to hanging with the Talking Heads, and he shares what he learned from station owners Doug and Linda Balogh.

Jay used his Masters in Broadcast Management at 97X… and he uses his English degree to this day, as an author specializing in Fantasy, Historical Fantasy and Adventure novels. In 2019, he published the first of his Forerunner Saga novels, following the lives, loves, tragedies and successes of the Agneson clan in England and Scandinavia circa 890.

Jay’s novel Thorfinn and the Witch’s Curse was a Bronze Medal winner in the 2021 International Book Awards and also the recipient of the 2021 Bronze Medal for Young Adult Fantasy novels from The Wishing Shelf Book Awards.

A true renaissance man, Jay also is an accomplished  acrylic collage artist, represented by galleries in the East and Midwestern US. Learn more about Jay on his website.

Spring forward. Irish Spring. March madness.

Concert Listings, Music

Top o’ the evening to ya. Can you believe how late it stayed light tonight? Other than the car wrecks, Daylight Saving Time is the best.

Actually I wrecked trying to change the car clock while driving.

Speaking of car wrecks, congrats to my beloved Xavier Musketeers for backing into the NIT like Jim Rockford eluding the bad guys.

That’s OK, though, I’m sure the entire Tri-State will get behind the… Wright State Raiders?

Their mascot name is Raiders and their mascot is a wolf. Makes sense.

OK, enough sporty-sports talk, let’s get to the music:

Monday, Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus tour comes to the Taft, with opener Ida Mae. And Rob Schneider’s daughter (Elle King) plays Bogart’s.

Talent skips a generation

Sammy Rae & Friends play Memorial Hall on Tuesday

Wednesday, Manchester Orchestra plays Ovation, and Sam Bush is at Ludlow Garage.

Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day – here’s a public service announcement:

List member Howard Cohen recommends this particular brew:

If you’re looking for tunes that evening, Ludlow Garage is hosting An Evening with J.D. Souther – all the hits, some of the stories.

Friday, 10,000 Maniacs will be at Ludlow, and Jukebox the Ghost plays Taft.

Saturday is a Jethro night.

Martin Barre from Jethro Tull will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Aqualung with a show at Memorial Hall. And David Sanborn will sax up Ludlow Garage.

New tunes

A live version of a new tune from Lucius… goosebumps!

Cincy’s own Afghan Whigs have a rockin’ new tune out:

And The National’s Matt Berninger does guest vocals on a new tune from TWILM favorite Caroline Spence – mighty fine!

(If you haven’t checked out Caroline’s 2019 album Mint Condition, do so posthaste. It’s fantastic.)

Art about artists from an artist

Michael Wilson, acclaimed Cincinnati-based photographer, collaborated on a new body of work with the Visionaries + Voices community. His process, using a 4×5 format camera led to a series of intimate black and white portraits of artists with the possessions they hold most dear.

During his distinguished career Michael has worked with the likes of B.B. King, David Byrne, Robert Plant, Aaron Neville, Bill Frisell, Doc Watson, and Dr. John. See Cherished at V+V’s Northside gallery this spring to learn why Michael is known widely as a master storyteller. The exhibit runs through the end of April at the Visionaries + Voices Northside Gallery, M-F, 10a-4p.

Album Cover of the Week

We’re really diggin’ the main font… and Bob’s disco shirt, of course… but the secondary font is nearly illegible.

Time marches on. And March’s time is on.

Concert Listings

I’m playing catch-up…

So this week’s rundown of gigs ’round town will be short and sweet. Like a ketchup packet.

But without the high fructose corn syrup.

Tomorrow night, Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays Memorial Hall.

Sam Weber is at Southgate on Wednesday.

Thursday, Gangstagrass will be wafting into the Ludlow Garage.

Flying Underground and Paige Beller play a free show at MOTR, and The Way Down Wanderers are at Southgate.

On Friday, Billy Strings kicks off two nights of shows at the Cindy Brady Icon Music Center. List member Michael Orzali will be there both nights. That sort of devotion explains why both gigs are sold out.

Also on Friday:

  • Kasim Sultan’s Utopia plays Ludlow Garage.
  • Angela Perley and Megan Wren are at Southgate
  • Shiner plays the Woodward Theater
  • Mol Sullivan and Carriers are at MOTR
  • Ben Levin plays Dead Low Brewing with special guest Lil’ Jimmy Reed

Saturday is Yolo time… wait, check that, it’s Yola.

She’s at the Taft.

Also on Saturday:

  • All Them Witches play the Woodward.

You know Gladys Kravitz will be at that gig.

  • Billy Strings is back at the Jan Brady Icon Music Center
  • Ace Frehley of KISS plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
  • This Pine Box headlines a three-band bill (Thomas & the Work-men, Street Limes) at MOTR
  • Ben Levin and Lil’ Jimmy Reed shift to Lucius Q
  • McGuffey Lane is at the Ovation
  • New Edition is at the Coliseum… I think the last time they were actually a NEW edition was when these guys were around:

On Sunday, The Regrettes play the Taft Ballroom, with Kississippi as the opener… that’s a nice double bill. That same evening, Henry Rollins is at Bogart’s (it’s a spoken word tour) and comedian John Mulaney does his thing at the Coliseum.

And if you’re an early riser, you can catch Ben Levin & Lil’ Jimmy Reed at the Hard Rock Casino at 10:30 a.m. That’s Eastern Daylight Time… ‘cuz we spring forward in the wee small hours of the morning.

The forecast calls for more shows

The summer scene is heating up. Recently announced shows include Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Blondie (with The Damned!), Lumineers, The Chicks (with Patty Griffin!) and Idles. Also, RiversEDGE in scenic Hamilton will be hosting David Shaw’s two-day Big River Get Down:

Shameless Self-Promotion

We mentioned Lucius Q earlier in this post. Aaron Sharpe, that dining establishment’s co-owner, was a longtime staffer at WNKU-FM… and he’s the latest interview victim subject in the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast. Check it out here.

Dueling Album Covers of the Week

We’re diggin’ the 50s TV show vibe of Teresa, but Vivienne!! has a great 70s TV commercial style. I bet she soaked her nails in Palmolive.