August 2026 – Reliving the Future

Dolly was as country as Granny’s cornbread, but she also rocked!

The Columbia will be paying tribute to Dolly with the debut of their “Music Movie Night” this Sunday, starting at 5pm.

Bring your friends, your favorite drinks, and your love!

As if losing Dolly weren’t enough, we lost Dr. Frank-N-Furter too!

And because these things happen in threes, let’s also pour one out for Jaye P. Morgan, the queen of The Gong Show. Until she got canned for this incident:

On this episode of The Gong Show, Jaye P. was joined on the judges panel by the pride of Toledo, Ohio: Jamie Farr.

Jamie’s probably at Tony Packo’s, but there’s another kid from Toledo coming to town tomorrow night: Gary Louris. He and his bandmates in The Jayhawks will be rocking Fountain Square as part of the Friday freebie concert. Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle open the show at 7pm. Tons o’ music list members will be there, along with your humble scribe. Come on down! (Wait, that’s not The Gong Show, that’s The Price is Right…)

Tuesday, we’ll kick off Earth, Wind & Fire month.

BTW, if you haven’t seen Questlove’s documentary about Earth, Wind & Fire, it’s worth checking out.

You know what else is worth checking out? Live music! Let’s get to the September gigs to remember.

The most important show will be on Thursday, September 24^th. Lisa Walker of Wussy and Elizabeth Nelson (of The Paranoid Style) are playing at my house. (Suck it, Daft Punk!)

It’s an Undertow show, and you can get tickets here https://undertowshows.com/products/cincinnati-oh-september-24

It should also be noted that Lisa and Elizabeth are playing another show in the ‘nati on Sunday, Rocktober 4. That gig will be at The Columbia in the East End. Tickets here.

OK, back to our usual chronological order.

On Tuesday (9/1) Margo Price plays Ludlow with Jeremy Ivey opening the show.

[See what we did there?]

Wednesday, September 2 events:

RÜFÜS DU SOL (best umlauts since Mötley Crüe) plays Riverbend with Fcukers (best typo since… forever)
The Columbia stays busy with another Ween Wednesday (7-9 p.m. – spinning GodWeenSatan Live this month – BYOB)
Chance the Rapper (not Chance the Monopoly card pile) plays the Jan Brady

Shows on Thursday, September 3 include Steve Forbert at Southgate, and Third Eye Blind at the Ovation (tickets were $10.27 or $10.71 because WEBN and KISS 107.1 are sponsoring it – our whole family is going – wish us luck!)

Tons o’ tunes on Friday, September 4:

Squeeze, Adam Ant and Haircut 100 play the Rose Music Center in Dayton
O.A.R. is at the Peter Brady, with Gavin DeGraw and KT Tunstall
Ludlow Garage features Double Duran (“the ultimate Duran Duran experience”)
Tristan headlines the Fountain Square free show
The Chris Comer Trio plays Juniper’s (8-11p)
Los Honchos play a free show in the Southgate House Lounge (9:30p start)
Ludacris plays a post-game concert at Great American Ball Park (the Reds season has been pretty Ludacris too!)
Last but certainly not least, Stanbury Park in scenic Mt. Washington features a First Friday event and the musical act will be The Love Handles (featuring our friend and neighbor Aron Levin)

My belly can vouch for the amazingness of the burritos from the Mi Familia food truck.

Shows on Saturday, September 5:

Shovels & Rope play a free show at RiversEdge in Hamilton, with Cris Jacobs also on the bill
Lydia Loveless plays a 6:30 show at MOTR with Liteweight Champion
Funky Ducks and Fish & Wildlife Service take the late shift (9:30 start) at MOTR
The Rose hosts the “Ohio is for Lovers” Festival featuring Hawthorne Heights, Silverstein, Saves the Day and more
Valley of the Sun plays the Liberty Theater
Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion hosts a free Reggaefest with The Meditations as the headliner
Wu-Tang Clan and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony play Riverbend

Parker Barrow and the Dave Lacey Band play the Liberty Theater on Sunday, September 6.

Monday, September 7 is Labor Day.

All kidding aside (for a moment, at least), let’s remember the wise words of Billy Bragg:

Eric Clapton plays the Mausoleum on Tuesday, September 8 with Jimmy Vaughan opening the show.

Shows on Friday September 11:

The Eagles Project (free show) at RiversEdge
Joanne Shaw Taylor (blues – free show) at the Levitt in Dayton
Hyryder (a Grateful Dead tribute band) at The Redmoor
Helado Negro at Memorial Hall
Taj Farrant (blues) at Ludlow
Gabe Lee and Will Overman play a free house concert in Pleasant Ridge (ticket info is here)
Gladys Knight is at the Taft – no Pips. but maybe the concession stands will have the next best thing:

On Saturday, September 12, the Cereal Killers will venture outside the friendly confines of the ‘nati — but still well within the 97X listening range — and play at Hamilton’s Urban Backyard.

If I’m not in Bloomington, Indiana for a Hoosiers football game, I’ll be there.

Other shows on 9/12:

Beth Hart plays the Taft
SofaBurn Inc. presents SodaGives 2026 — a fundraiser supporting healthcare cost for artists — with The Light Wires and Joe’s Truck Stop at The Redmoor in Mt. Lookout
Mike Oberst plays New Riff Distilling
Hank Williams Jr. plays Riverbend

On Tuesday September 15, Clem Snide plays Southgate and Pitbull and Lil’ John are at Riverbend.

Wednesday September 16:

Turnstile, Thundercat and Porches play the Cindy Brady
Bob Log III with Whiskey Shambles at MOTR

Gigs on Thursday, September 17:

Sabbath “Long Live Ozzy” at the Liberty Theater
The Gin Blossoms, Blues Traveler and Spin Doctors play Riverbend (I’m pretty sure I saw at least two of those bands at a H.O.R.D.E Fest show at Riverbend 30+ years ago)
Ludlow garage has “Live and Let Die: The music of Paul McCartney”
Noah Smith’s Crooner Circus opens up the big tent at Southgate

Concerts on Friday September 18:

Jack White is at the Ovation – and you’ll likely be able to hear him from the Carol Brady
The Fixx, Colin Blumstone (The Zombies) and Peter Asher play Ludlow Garage
The Spectacular Fantastic, Graceless Minds and Jake Borgemenke play the Liberty Theater
Bouncing Souls at Bogart’s
Ratboy (local band, not Ratboys) headlines the Fountain Square freebie
Southgate has the Red Hot Cinci Peppers and Audioslaves (plural)
Oxymoronic show alert: the Hard Rock Casino has a Yacht Rock Review

On Saturday September 19, My oldest son and I will be in Cleveland for the Rush concert. I go waaaaay back with them.

Closer to home, the Fort Thomas merchants must be doing a nice job peddling their wares, as they have a packed lineup for their “Merchants & Music” event, with Toad the Wet Sprocket headlining the festivities, and The Tillers, Noah Smith, and the Gina and Johnny Band also on the bill.

Other 9/19 shows:

Peaches plays Bogart’s
Dokken, Lita Ford and Lynch Mob play the Rose
Matt Waters & the Recipe with Easy Mark & Those Moving Targets at MOTR
Hard Rock Casino once again doesn’t live up to its name, they have Air Supply

Sunday, September 20:

Asleep at the Wheel plays Memorial Hall
Gogol Bordello at Bogart’s
Eric Johanson plays Southgate

The Redmoor does! They have an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band (called “Just Vince and the Fellas”) on Monday, the 21st night of September. (And Judah & the Lion are at Bogart’s – they’re too young to remember.)

On Tuesday September 22, Ida plays an Undertow show at The Columbia.

After last year’s really impactful Coin Toss tour, Dan and Liz are inspired to continue reconnecting with this part of their shared musical history. This will be Ida’s second tour with Undertow and they are excited to continue revisiting their beginnings as a duo and interpreting their body of songs in a stripped-down acoustic setting.

Get a taste of the full band sound here and get your tickets here.

Also on 9/22, Joe Pug is at the Southgate House.

Concerts on Wednesday September 23:

Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys play Southgate with Kyle Eldridge and the Kentucky Cowhands opening
Riverbend has the Hayley Williams Show with Magdelena Bay and Rico Nasty
Thee Sacred Souls, La Lom and The Womack Sisters bring all sorts of soul to the Peter Brady

On Thursday, September 24:

Lisa Walker and Elizabeth Nelson play my house – tickets
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and Molly Tuttle play the Taft
Ludlow Garage has Dead Letter Office (a tribute to R.E.M.)
The Disco Biscuits play Bogart’s
Memorial Hall has Let Me Be Frank: A tribute to Frank Sinatra featuring Jack Garrett and the Atomic Wise Guys

On Friday, September 25:

SG Goodman plays Southgate with Abby Hamilton as the opener
Jason Ringenberg (of Jason & the Scorchers… or Farmer Jason if you have kids) is at Southgate in the Revival Room (Jason is featured in the Honky Talkin’ documentary written and directed by list member Eric Weltner – watch it for free here.)
Pokey Lafarge and Cicada Rhythm played Ludlow Garage
Liberty Theater has Henhouse Prowlers with the Comet Bluegrass All-Stars
Sara Bareilles is at the Taft
Organized Gentlemen play Harmony Hill Vineyards
Augustana headlines the Fountain Square freebie with Joe Jordan. (Note: “Joe Jordan” is not to be confused with two members of New Kids on the Block.)

Shows on Saturday, September 26:

The Dan Tyminski band plays the Liberty Theater
RiversEdge features Signs of Life (the American Pink Floyd) for free
The Rose Music Center has the Flashback Funk Fest featuring Morris Day & the Time, The Ohio Players, the original Lakeside, and Confunkshun
Not to be out-funked, Ludlow Garage features Party Train (a tribute to the GAP Band)

Here, I did the work for you:

Do you have a Garmin watch that keeps telling you that your sleep has “not enough REM”?

Then perhaps you should consider a road trip to Detroit on Saturday 9/26 for the Michael Shannon/Jason Narducy & Friends Lifes Rich Pageant tour stop at the Majestic Theater. I have a free ticket for you (bought it before consulting the family calendar – my wife’s nephew gets married that evening).

On Monday, September 28:

The Buena Vista Orchestra plays Bogart’s
Whitney plays the Southgate with Oscar Lindsey as the opener

Wait a minute… “Oscar Lindsey”… are you thinking what I’m thinking (let’s hope not, for your sake):

Does the Six Million Dollar Man know about this band? He’d go running to see them!

Annnnd the month wraps up on Wednesday, September 30 with Bleachers and This is Lorelei at the Carol Brady, and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth in Concert at the Taft.

Looking ahead to October 1st, Modest Mouse and Caroline Rose play the Ovation and Los Lonely Boys are at Ludlow Garage.

We love it live!

A rockin’ Courtney Barnett show at Ovation.

Todd Lipscomb in the friendly confines of Camp Springs Tavern.

And a really cool freebie in Dayton last Saturday called Porchfest, featuring dozens of local bands playing porches and backyards in the St. Anne’s Hill neighborhood all afternoon. BYOB, BYOchair and enjoy the tunes!

Speaking o’ porches, this Saturday is Play Music on The Porch Day across the globe. Find a gig near you on the map at the link. List member Chuck Wiggins and his friend Jeff Yaw are hosting an acoustic jam at Hamilton’s Urban Backyard. And I’ll be attending a gig about 300 yards from my house:

Support local radio!

Inhailer Radio has a fall fundraising campaign going on all month long. You can donate here. And here’s why you should:

Inspired by the late, beloved stations WOXY and WNKU, Inhailer Radio has championed independent artists, emerging voices, local music, and the spirit of discovery that commercial radio often leaves behind. Every contribution helps fund music licensing, streaming infrastructure, programming, technology, and the volunteers who keep the station on the air 24 hours a day.

Support local cancer research, education and care

I’m participating in this year’s Ride Cincinnati cycling event on Saturday, September 26. I’ll be biking 30 miles in honor of my dear friend LJ, who died from glioblastoma last November, as well as for all those who are currently battling cancer. If you can spare a few bucks, please support me here.

Let’s put on a show!

If you have a few spare millions left in the couch cushions (after donating to my Ride Cincinnati efforts, of course), maybe we* can buy the Madison Theater.