Month: August 2022

The fruits of my Labor (Day)

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Summer’s gone a summer song
You’ve wasted every day, every day
Summer’s gone, can’t wipe it off my hands
Write it in the sand, in the sand

Buffalo Tom “Summer“

Wow, hard to believe that Labor Day is fast approaching. Better wear my white jorts every day this week before I switch over to my fall jorts:

Let’s cover two weeks’ worth o’ gigs in this post, shall we?

Breaking Naming Rights News

Sorry to interrupt our slate o’ shows, but we’ve just been informed that the PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation in Newport, Kentucky has sold the naming rights, and is now… drumroll please…

Uh, no… just no. In keeping with the cherished This Week in Live Music tradition, we refuse to refer to venues by their corporate-sponsored names. Especially when that name sounds like something from Office Space or Stepbrothers.

Tonight, Sophie B. Hawkins (remember her? She wished she were your lover) headlines the Fountain Square freebie, with Tracy Walker and Kaitlyn Peace also on the bill. Other shows include Tiffany Williams and Ray Vietti at Southgate, and The Fab Four (“the Ultimate Beatles Tribute”) at Rose Music Center in scenic Huber Heights.

Sunday, Imagine Dragons, Macklemore and Kings Elliot play a sold-out show at Riverbend, The Damned are at Bogart’s, and the Disco Biscuits play Annie’s.

Monday is the rescheduled date for the Barenaked Ladies/Gin Blossoms/Toad the Wet Sprocket show at PNC.

On Wednesday, Linda Gail Lewis is at Southgate.

Thursday, Spoon, Interpol, and Water From Your Eyes are at the Brady Kids Center. (Remember when Alice worked at The Golden Spoon?)

https://youtu.be/Bg1pl2muWIA

Also on Thursday, RiversEDGE in Hamilton has a Prince Tribute show, with local band Moonbeau as the opener.

Next Friday, Sept. 2nd, the Fountain Square freebie features Motherfolk, with The Wonderlands, and Coastal Club.

The Black Keys and Band of Horses are at Riverbend next Saturday.

On Labor Day, Jack Harlow and City Girls play the Cindy Brady.

Tuesday, Sept. 6th, Thundercat is at the Ovation. Yes, I said the Ovation. Mega-sue me!

On Wednesday, Sept. 7th:

  • S.G. Goodman (a TWILM fave) and Garcia Peoples are at Southgate.
  • “due to overwhelming demand” the Odesza, Sylvan Esso, Elderbrook and Nasaya show originally slated for outdoors at the Jan Brady will now be at Riverbend.
  • Ben Levin plays Ghost Baby.

Next Thursday (9/8):

  • Paul Thorn and Angela Perley are at Memorial Hall
  • Oteil Burbridge and Friends (feat. Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno and Johnny Kimock) play the Rose
  • Magic City Hippies play the Madison Rooftop in Covington.

On Friday, September 9th:

  • The Mountain Goats play Bogart’s.
  • Donna the Buffalo is at Ludlow Garage
  • Sam Hunt and Travis Denning are at the Mike Brady.

The Cereal Killers play Big Ash on Saturday, September 10th. I’ll be out of town for that show, but YOU should be there.

Built to Spill, built to rock!

Great show from BTS this past Monday at the Woodward – and opener Prism Bitch was cool too. Speaking o’ cool, list member Todd Butler busted out a vintage, mint condition 97X t-shirt for the gig.

Built to Spill
Prism Bitch. (Why yes, that is the same drummer – she did double duty.)

You may already be a winner

List member Elizabeth Cannon (who worked at Riverbend for eons) was rewarded for her Bengals season ticket status.

Wussy duo wants to play your house (or mine)

Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker from Wussy are doing a run of house concerts this fall, and are looking for a Cincy host on Friday, October 28th.

You can volunteer here.

Album Cover of the Week

The album is pretty good, tbh.

Have a great Labor Day!

The whole tunes and nothing but the tunes.

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

I’m tardy to the live gig party this week, because it’s back to school time. Today I drove to Ohio U. solo, unloaded an SUV’s worth of apartment stuff, assembled the “some assembly required” furniture (only had 3 bolts left over!), then drove back home. Tomorrow, I’ll make the same trip with my son in tow. So this week’s post will be brief.

But first this commercial message:

Dan “Reds in 2023” Lewis has two tickets to the Spoon/Interpol show on Thursday, Sept. 1st at the Brady that he’s looking to sell:

Section 105, Row H, Seats 4-5

Dan paid $226, will take $200. His email is DLewis@Reds.com. (He’ll probably throw in some Reds tix if you ask nicely.)

Saturday night shows:

  • The Beths play Madison Theater, with Rosie Tucker as the opener
  • J.J. Grey & Mofro headline a free show in Lawrenceburg, IN as part of their Whiskey City Summer Fest (I’ll be there with list members Whit & Barb Gardner)
  • The Claudettes and Electric Indigo are at Southgate
  • Five for Fighting and The Verve Pipe are at Timberwolf
  • H.R. from Bad Brains is at Annie’s
  • Southgate hosts a fundraiser with a strong lineup:
  • The Woods Band and Jonathan Cody White play a Downtowne Listening Room show that isn’t downtown (or even downtowne). It’s in Florence, KY. You can request an invite here.
  • Dire Straits Legacy (more info about who is in the band is here) plays Ludlow Garage
  • Bogart’s hosts a Yacht Rock Revue

And finally, the Whimmydiddle Festival continues in Hamil-tucky, with Charley Crockett headlining.

Sunday:

  • 21 Pilots play the Coliseum
  • Lauv is at the Carol Brady
  • Tommy Prine (a son of John) is at Southgate
  • And for you early birds, Carriage House Farm hosts a “Biscuits and Bluegrass” jam session with food from Chloe’s Eatery. Details here.

Built to Spill plays the Woodward on Monday – list member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there.

I’ll be Damned, the Blondie/The Damned show originally slated for Tuesday has been cancelled. But The Damned booked a different gig at Bogart’s next Sunday (8/28).

Shows that are happening on Tuesday:

  • The Wallflowers play Ludlow Garage
  • Amos Lee is at the Taft
  • Melissa Carperplays Southgate
  • Pitbull and Iggy Azalea are at Riverbend

On Wednesday, Sammy Hagar and the Circle and George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers play Riverbend, and My Chemical Romance is at the Coliseum, and August Burns Red is at Bogart’s.

Thursday:

  • Joe’s Truck Stop plays the free show at Washington Park
  • Gov’t Mule and Trombone Shorty are at the Rose
  • Greensky Bluegrass are at the Ovation
  • Michael Franti & Spearhead play Annie’s
  • Punch Brothers are at the Marsha Brady (oh my nose!)
  • Milk Carton Kids show up at Ludlow Garage
  • Kelsey Waldon (her new album is twangy good) plays Southgate, with Jeremy Pinnell as the opener.

Next Friday, the Brothers Osborne play the Rose, and the Kentucky Headhunters play Lori’s Roadhouse in West Chester.

Roger, Wilco

It was great to see so many This Week in Live Music luminaries at the Wilco/Courtney Marie Andrews show this past Tuesday: Dan Lewis, Bruce Frasure, Dave Roberto, Kevin Sullivan, Jay Stowe and Alyssa Brandt, Marty and Bizzy Driscoll, Billboard’s own Gil Kaufman… it was like our very own Night of a Thousand Stars. List member Rico couldn’t attend due to COVID… which meant yours truly got his ticket. I guess there is a silver lining to the pandemic after all!

Album Cover of the Week

Episode 86: Keri Crawford found freedom and family at 97X

97X, Music, podcast

Keri Crawford was at 97X from 1998-2001, as a DJ and program director. She talks to us about her radio and record label background, the unique energy of 97X, the fun shows she got to organize and promote, the fervor of the listeners… and how her dog had free rein at the office.

The Player’s Club

Concert Listings, Music

What up, playa?

Speaking of players, let’s see who’s playing this week.

Tonight:

  • Steep Canyon Rangers are at Annie’s
  • Soul Pocket headlines the free show on Fountain Square
  • Tower of Power and Lettuce play the Rose Music Center

On Saturday:

  • Sleigh Bells play the Taft. (It may seem early for sleigh bells but I had a pumpkin beer last night so all bets are off.)
  • Lany is at the Bobby Brady.
  • The Zac Brown Band and the Robert Randolph Band play Riverbend.
  • The Spinners play Ludlow Garage.
  • Local band The Newbees have a free show at Fernbank Park (7-9 p.m.)
  • Ziggy Marley does a tribute to his father at Rose. (Note: this is much better than his tribute to the comic strip Ziggy.)

And Southgate will have something called “Super Satan Fest II – Live as Hell”

“Something Involving a Monkey” for the band name win…

On Sunday, Boz Skaggs and The Robert Cray Band are at Rose, and Southgate House hosts a matinee benefit show for Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief:

Monday, it’s the “uplifting band name” trifecta: Anthrax, Black Label Society and Hatebreed at the Mike Brady.

Tuesday:

  • Wilco plays the Ovation
  • The Beach Boys and the Temptations are at PNC Pavilion
  • Lake Street Dive plays the Marsha Brady. The following evening, they’ll be at the Rose.

Other Wednesday shows:

  • Kid Rock is at Riverbend.
  • Yngwie “Can I buy a vowel, Pat” Malmsteen is at Ludlow Garage
  • Accordionist Sally Lukasik plays an early gig at Baker’s Table Bakery. I normally don’t mention accordion shows, but Sally just seems so darn happy in her promo photo:

On Thursday

  • River Whyless is at Southgate
  • The Surfragettes (yes, a surf rock band, how’d you guess?) play Ludlow Garage
  • Alicia Keys works the keys at PNC
  • The Dead Man String Band and Ray Vietti do the free gig at Washington Park
  • Bam Powell & the Troublemakers play an equally free show at Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington

Next Friday:

  • Chris Stapleton is at Riverbend
  • The Del McCoury Band plays Memorial Hall
  • Al Stewart is at Ludlow Garage
  • The two-night Whimmydiddle Festival kicks off at RiversEDGE in Hamilton with Shovels & Rope as the headliner

Normally when you hear “shovels and rope” and “Hamilton” in the same sentence, it’s about a crime scene.

Distant Early Warning

Since list member Michael “Rico” Carrico gave me so much grief for not mentioning the last Ian Noe show at Southgate (which, it should be noted, Rico did NOT attend), I need to let you “Noe” that Ian has another Southgate gig lined up for December 16th.

Oh, and please consider playing in — or making a donation to — the Kevin Carrico Memorial Golf Scramble on 10/1. (Rico is Kevin’s brother.)

Kevin Carrico was in his third year of medical school at the University of Louisville, studying to become a pediatric oncologist, when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma.  His goal was to help children as they faced their battle with cancer, just as he did after he overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 17.  Kevin faced his battles with a sense of humor and a positive attitude like only he could.  Although Kevin passed away in 2019 at the age of 25, we have vowed to carry on his legacy.  The University of Louisville awarded Kevin a posthumous doctorate of medicine in 2020, and he received the Dr. Presley F. Martin Award, given to the senior student chosen by his peers who possesses and reflects characteristics of a good physician:  competence, ethical behavior, leadership, compassion, and humor.  Our mission is to carry on Kevin’s legacy to aid other young adults that have faced cancer and are pursuing higher education goals. Our proceeds are allocated 100% to our scholarship program. 

Reason #3,698 of why I love Wussy

On their most recent FB livestream (which is reason #2,294 of why I love them!), Lisa posed a question about “who are your three favorite vocalists?” Check out Chuck and Mark waxing poetic about a band that I also happen to love dearly:

The most recent Wussy livestream also featured some absolutely amazing cover songs. Check it out. Oh, and check out their appearance on the Songwriter podcast with Jonathan Franzen:

Album Covers (plural) of the Week

I’m sure you remember former ACotW star Woody Woodbury:

Well, Woody has some competition in the “party albums of the 50s and 60s” category.

If it turns out that list member Lisa Collins’ mom is also breakfast buddies with Rusty, we’re going to have to stage an intervention.

Have a great week, baby!

August and nothing after

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Well hello there, Stranger! How have you been? Vacay was great, thanks for asking. I know you didn’t miss me – even I didn’t miss me. But it’s not about missing me, it’s about not missing live gigs in the Cincinnati area. Let’s get at ‘er!

Tonight:

  • Ben Levin and Joe Tellmann will join other Pinetop Perkins Foundation Masterclass participants in backing Bob Margolin at the Lebanon Blues Festival. (Ben and Joe will also play with Bob on Saturday. The entire schedule is here.)
  • The Fabulous Thunderbirds roll into Ludlow Garage
  • Tab Benoit plays the Taft Theatre
  • Holy F*ck will be at Madison Live. I think they’re a gospel band.
  • The Actual F*ck plays Northside Tavern. I think they’re a hardcore band.
  • Ray Vietti & The Family Stoned will play a free gig at Carriage House Farm.

On Saturday you can see an Elvis Impersonator.

Wait, check that, I still have vacation brain… actually it’s Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Rose Music Center. Not to be outdone, Fraze Pavilion, the other Dayton area venue, has… Vanilla Ice.

Mr. Van Winkle, the erstwhile Ice, Vanilla, will be joined by a veritable Who’s Who of “Who’s That?” – All 4 One, Rob Base, Coolio, Tone Loc and Young MC. (Name two songs by any/all of those artist and win valuable prizes.)

Also on Saturday evening:

  • Ekoostik Hookah plays the old Annie’s
  • Ludlow Garage has Strangelove, the Depeche Mode Experience
  • Local artists Flying Underground (Brian Lovely) and Nick Kizirnis play MOTR
  • The Greg Brady hosts Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.
Greg Brady dashboard confessional
Ed McMahon in the wilderness

Daryl Hall and the Daryl’s House Band plays Timberwolf on Sunday, with special guest Todd Rundgren.

On Wednesday, RuPaul’s Drag Race is at the Mike Brady Center, and the Happy Together Tour comes to Fraze – The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Vogues, and The Cowsills. Every orthopedic surgeon in the Dayton area should be handing out business cards at that show.

Thursday shows:

  • The Dead South and Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band play Annie’s.
  • Tower of Power and Lettuce (that’s two bands, it’s not the Smoothie/Salad combo at Jamba Juice) are at the Taft.
  • Whitehall plays Southgate
  • Mike Zito is at Ludlow Garage
  • The Casey Campbell Band does the free show at Washington Park from 7-9 p.m.
  • Last, and least, the Motor City Madman Ted Nugent plays the Rose Music Center.

Next Friday:

  • Steep Canyon Rangers are at Annie’s
  • Soul Pocket headlines the free show on Fountain Square
  • The Rose Music Center serves up the Smoothie/Salad combo twin bill of Tower of Power and Lettuce.
Add a shot of wheatgrass for just 50 cents.

Concert Shots

Lucy Dacus and Camp Cope put on a stellar outdoor show at the Burl in Lexington. List member Joe Sampson and I helped bring up the average age.

List members Dan Bockrath, Dave Tellmann and I thoroughly enjoyed the Adrian Belew gig at Ludlow Garage. We also had fun counting the # of old men wearing ponytails.

Classy Ken, your Clifton Concert Concierge

Speaking of the Ludlow Garage, if you purchase your tickets at their box office (open Wed-Sat 4-10 p.m.), you can avoid most of the dreaded TicketBastard fees. List member Ken Laube lives in Clifton, and I’m sure he’d be happy to walk up to Ludlow (quite frankly, he could use the exercise) and purchase the ducats for you.

Always at your service…

Recommended Reading

Pitchfork has a pretty cool interview with artist Steve Keene, best known for his Pavement album cover art.

… my wife and I were on the college radio station when she went to UVA. You’re surrounded by so much creativity—the other DJs are creative, but also the tens of thousands of albums from the past 40 years, all their funky, weird artwork, all their liner notes. It’s just so jam-packed, and 99 percent of them are forgotten. It was sort of this different idea about how, gosh, I’m gonna be forgotten too. So why don’t I have fun with this? And why don’t I make art feel like you’re going to a show, buying a T-shirt or a CD?

Steve Keene in the interview linked above

Album Cover of the Week

This week’s album cover is courtesy of list member Dave Green:

Sayeth Dave: You’d think this would’ve been a “blues” album, but that would be too cliché. My son picked this up for me for $6 since I am a casual jazz fan and previously 80’s Smurf collector (little known fact).

Absolutely Smurftastic, thanks for sharing, Dave!

Nothing to do with music… but funny

Have a great week!