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‘Tis the season (for songs)

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, podcast, woxy.com

It’s a December to remember. Especially with 0% aper.

Unfortunately for music lovers like you (and me!), the ol’ Koncert Keeper tends to be mostly holiday shows. But there are a few nuggets worth digging for in the music mix. Let’s peek at our presents:

This Wednesday is Ween Wednesday at The Columbia in the East End. They’ll be spinning the live At The Cat’s Cradle album from 6-10 p.m. BYOB.

On Thursday, the Liberty Theater in Lawrenceburg, Indiana hosts a free Songwriters in the Round show featuring Anne Bangert, Steve Covington, and Charlie Overman.

Friday shows:

  • The Raisins (the Cincinnati ones, not the California ones) kick off a two-night stand at the Woodward
  • MOTR hosts a free Indie Rock Extravagant-za with Girl Gordon, Kind Skies (Lexington), and Pout
  • Moviola, the Wussy Duo, and Nervous Verbs play The Comet
  • Damien Escobar is at Ludlow Garage. (If you go, tell him he spells his first name incorrectly.)
  • Old Crow Medicine Show has a “Holiday Hootenanny” at the Taft Theatre
  • Monday Night Big Band Holiday Show at the Redmoor
  • Yung Gravy (not a Thanksgiving leftover) is at Ovation

Saturday:

  • The Raisins are back at the Woodward. I have a ticket for this show but can no longer use it – if you want it (free!), hit me up via text, or the comments, or passenger pigeon.
  • Dead Centric plays Stanley’s
  • Noah Smith’s Crooner Circus (songwriter showcase) at Southgate
  • Ludlow Garage has Aja, a tribute to Steely Dan

On Sunday, December 7:

  • Soul Coughing plays the Madison Theater
  • Steel Panther plays Bogart’s

Heart plays the Carol Brady on Monday, December 8.

(Carol had too much of Alice’s favorite dish: “Sam The Butcher’s Sausage Stuffing.”)

Thievery Corporation plays Bogart’s on Tuesday, December 9. (Fun fact: “Thievery Corporation” is the official LLC name for Ticketmaster.)

Oh, and the Phil DeGreg Trio plays “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Memorial Hall on 12/8 and 12/9.

The Taft Theatre hosts back-to-back holiday shows:

  • Straight No Chaser “Holiday Road” on Wednesday, 12/10
  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band “Creole Christmas” on Thursday, 12/11

Gigs on Friday, 12/12:

  • Eric Gales at Ludlow Garage
  • Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder do a Christmas show at Memorial Hall
  • The New Royals (funk revival) play two sets at MOTR

Saturday, 12/13:

  • Samantha Fish, Cedric Burnside and Jon Spencer at the Ludlow Garage
  • A Very Motherfolk Christmas at Bogart’s
  • Cinci Folk Festival (Maria Carrelli, The Montvales, Jolly Old Hawk, et al.) at Southgate
  • Crown Watts performs the music of Rush at the Madison Theater

Ludlow has Irish Christmas in America on Wednesday, 12/17.

Shows on Thursday, 12/18:

  • Liberty Theater has another free Songwriters in the Round show with Rachel Holt and Naomi Carman
  • Jess Lamb & Friends do a jam session at MOTR
  • The SunBurners and Queen City Silver Stars play an Island Christmas show at The Redmoor (they do the same show on Friday 12/19 also)

Friday, 12/19:

  • Erika Wennerstrom plays a sold-out solo show at The Columbia on Eastern Avenue. Didn’t get tickets? You can’t say I didn’t warn you:

That same evening, Over the Rhine kicks off their three-night “Acoustic Christmas” stand at Memorial Hall, and Chris Isaak plays the Hard Rock Casino

Saturday, 12/20:

  • The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band at Southgate
  • Over the Rhine at Memorial Hall
  • “An Olde English Christmas” with Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits at Ludlow – there’s a matinee show and an evening gig. BYOB.

Then, the Xmas lull kicks in. But there’s still time to get the perfect gift for someone special.

On Boxing Day (Friday, 12/26), Ludlow has ESC4P3 (a Journey tribute band).

On Saturday, 12/27:

  • Bershy plays Madison Live, with Multimagic and Phanta
  • The Woodward Theater hosts a “Holiday Hangover” show with Sylmar and Mosant

And finally, the year will wrap up with a bait-and-switch bang as the Hot Red Chili Peppers host a Red Hot countdown to 2026 at the Ludlow Garage on New Year’s Eve.

That same day (Lord willin’), your humble scribe will be celebrating yet another birthday.

We love it live!

The Mynabirds (a.k.a. Laura Burhenn) put on a great show at The Columbia last night. Laura is super-nice, she had high praise for woxy.com, and she brought her dog along on tour.

The Cereal Killers masquerading as The Distractions were note-perfect on their Elvis Costello set, and Dot.Dot.Dot. did justice to their R.E.M. covers at The Village Theater in Covington.

Foxy John loves it live too!

Speaking o’ R.E.M., here’s a shot of list member John Fox (2nd from right) hanging out with Mike Mills and Steve Gorman (Black Crowes) after the Howl Owl Howl show in Indy. Steve and his brother (at right) went to WKU with John’s brother and sister.

Live on tape is pretty cool as well!

MJ Lenderman & The Wind on Austin City Limits is well worth the watch – go to the 26:37 mark for the start of their set.

Two thumbs up for new Crooked Fingers

Eric Bachmann and friends with a new tune called “Cold Waves” – so hot right now!

The “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast gets Freek-y

Dave and I chatted with Freekbass. Check it out here or wherever you get your podcasts, and check out the post on the 97Xbam website for some bonus content, including a throwback Sleep Theater show on video.

Letters to the editor

List member Bruce Frasure shared this bit of musical lore via Jason Narducy’s Instagram:

Nearly seven years ago, I did a blog post about the sudden disappearance of the band Sons of Bill featuring brothers James, Sam, and Abe Wilson. Just this week, 1/3 of the mystery was solved via this comment:

And list member and official Old People Fall Headguard Hat Spokesmodel Dan Lewis aired yet another grievance after we published this photo in our last post:

You’re right, Dan, I am the worst. Speaking of Python, you might want to spend some of your retirement time tutoring the youth of America.

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

Yes, needlepoint rocks!

Uh, the photo perspective really highlights Steve’s pants, which are so tight we can tell what religion he is. Somebody please cover that with a Dawn throw pillow!

Ah, yes, a balm for sore eyes. But wait, is that Steve Gibbons in the back? Is he wearing pants?

2 responses to “‘Tis the season (for songs)”

  1. Lisa+Collins Avatar
    Lisa+Collins

    Hey Damian! Thought of you today when I was at Plaid Room Records getting nostalgic! I was perusing The Smiths section when a young man – couldn’t have been twenty yet – told me they have the really good albums “in the back”. He was looking for the same albums – my faith in the youth of America was restored!

    Reply
    1. Damian Avatar
      Damian

      That’s great, thanks for sharing, Lisa! (P.S. you told him Morrissey was a wanker now, right?)

      Reply

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Tofurkey tunes

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, woxy.com

There are NO turkeys in this lineup o’ live tunes.

Before we get to the main courses for the next couple of weeks, let’s take a gander at a really big show coming to The Columbia in December.

I’ve often dreamed of spending an intimate evening with Erika Wennerstrom… now I’ll get to do it in an old church! Tickets are available here.

OK, now let’s see what’s cooking a bit sooner.

On Thursday:

  • 10,000 Maniacs (the non-Natalie version) play Ludlow Garage
  • MOTR features Clay Cole (Pavement and Wild Flag) solo with Bridget Battle (Tweens) and Lisa Walker (Wussy)
  • NAS does Illmatic live with the Cincinnati Pops at Music Hall

On Friday:

  • Whiskey City’s Liberty Theater has a Four Roses tasting 5-8 p.m., followed by Heather Redman & the Reputation
  • Draven & the Ravens at MOTR
  • You can da-doo-ron-ron to Ludlow Garage to catch former teen heartthrob Shaun Cassidy.

If there are any Shaun Cassidy leftovers, be sure to store them properly.

Saturday shows:

  • Rhett Miller (Old 97s) and Bob Schneider at the Madison Theater
  • The Steep Canyon Rangers at Memorial Hall
  • The Local Honeys and Maria Carrelli at the Liberty Theater in Lawrenceburg
  • Kashmir: The Spirit of Led Zeppelin Live! at Ludlow Garage
  • KC & the Sunshine Band at the Lawrenceburg Event Center
  • The Trans-Siberian Orchestra plays two shows at the Coliseum

On Sunday Black Violin is at the Taft, and Wishbone Ash settles into the Ludlow Garage.

Little Image and Coastal Club are at Madison Live on Tuesday, and Sevendust plays the Ovation with Cory Marks.

Silverstein (not Shel) plays Bogart’s on Wednesday.

Shows on Thursday, GO-vember 20:

  • Brett Dennan at Ludlow
  • Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle at Southgate
  • a free Songwriters in the Round at Liberty Theater, with Billy Alletzhauser & Ali Edwards (of Ruby Vileos)
  • Kitchen Dwellers and Them Coulee Boys at Madison Live

Gigs on Friday, November 21:

  • Molly Tuttle at Memorial Hall, with Birdtalk and Cecilia Castleman
  • An Evening with the Trey Anastasio Band at the Greg Brady
  • Hunter Root and Harley Day at the Liberty Theater
  • Honour Rae plays an album release show at Southgate, with Tracy Walker
  • The Taft Theatre has a tribute two-fer: Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience with Electric Duke: a Tribute to Bowie
  • Madison Theater has Signs of Life: The American Pink Floyd.

Wait, I thought this was the American Pink Floyd:

On Saturday, November 22:

  • Pigeons Playing Ping Pong play the Madison Theater, with Dizgo
  • Kruger Brothers are at the Liberty Theater
  • Domecrusher (feat. list member Todd Q.) plays North Second in Hamilton
  • The Jonas Brothers (another generation’s Shaun Cassidy) play the Coliseum
  • The Collies (my son is the drummer) play the Valley View Tavern in scenic Williamsburg, OH
  • Lauren Ruth Ward plays an Undertow show in the 45202 zip code. Get tickets here.

Here’s an excerpt from Lauren Ruth Ward’s interview on a site called c-heads:

Johnny Gill (of New Edition) plays the Ludlow Garage on Sunday, November 23.

Feast week starts Monday, November 24, with BOTH of my son’s bands (The Collies and Van Winkle) playing The Comet in Northside.

On Wednesday, November 26 (a.k.a. Thanksgiving Eve, a.k.a. the biggest bar night of the year), The Distractions (a.k.a. Cereal Killers) will be doing an all-Elvis (Costello) set, along with Dot.Dot.Dot. doing R.E.M. at The Village Theater in Covington. Be there!

Other shows that same evening:

  • The Woodward has An Evening with Ray’s Music Exchange. They will be joined by members of Ernie Johnson from Detroit, who will then play at MOTR starting at 10:30.
  • The Liberty Theater features an Adam Wade Gilliam album release show, with The Spectacular Fantastic.
  • Southgate’s Revival Room features Shelter from the Storm (Dylan tribute) and the Dead Revival Band (GD tribute)
  • List member Keith Neltner has created another cool design for the Maker’s Mark album featuring tunes from The Tillers and Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle. The release shows (plural this year!) are at Arnold’s on 11/26 and 11/28:

Friday, November 28 (a.k.a. Black Friday):

  • Freekbass plays his Funksgiving show at Urban Artifact (look for a 97X Rumblings podcast interview with Freekbass coming soon)
  • Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle at Arnold’s
  • Mama Said String Band plays the Liberty Theater, with Dave Lacey & Ten Pound Hammer
  • Stolen Faces (Grateful Dead tribute band) play the Woodward

On Saturday, November 29:

  • Bela Fleck and the Flecktones play a “Jingle all the Way” (not sure if that’s a Christmas reference or a revenue reference) show at the Taft
  • Tripping Billies (DMB tribute) at Ludlow
  • Last, but certainly not least, The Mynabirds play an Undertow show at The Columbia on Eastern Avenue. Tickets are available here.

If you’re not familiar with The Mynabirds (solo nom-de-stage of Laura Burhenn), check out her new release on Bandcamp.

Bandcamp, not Spotify… here’s the only Mynabirds song selection you’ll find on Spotify:

Right on!

Finally, Stevie Nicks plays a sold-out show at the Coliseum on Sunday, November 30. Resale tix in the cheap seats are going for $350 (and TicketBastard will once again charge exorbitant fees on the resale, even though they already collected fees on the original sale).

A Halloween treat

Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and her twin sister Allison (Swearin’) teamed up with MJ Lenderman and super-producer Brad Cook to form the band Snocaps, and they dropped a tasty album on 10/31. Read more on Stereogum.

Forever Sounds: forever cool

Lisa Walker and Chuck Cleaver do a weekly show on WAIF-FM called “Forever Sounds” and they’re giving out a digital album of cover songs (GBV, Bill Fay, Joni Mitchell, The Bats, Hüsker Dü and many more) to folks who pledge to support their show.

You’ll find the pledge form and past episodes here.

The full Wussy band also did a couple of songs — including a brand new one — at the new Cincinnati Public Radio studio with former woxy.com Lounge Acts engineer Brian Niecz.

Places (and People) that are gone

Tommy Keene is gone.

We love it live!

The Beths in Nashville: amazing!

Kathleen Edwards and her fantastic band the next night in Louisville: transcendent!

Three nights of Buffalo Tom in Boston – including John Wesley Harding, Moving Targets, and a Pogues tribute band as openers, an acoustic set that included several tasty covers (see setlist below), a band Q&A, and much more: Stupendous!

Wishy at Madison Live last night: not too shabby!

But we don’t always love it live

Rickie Lee Jones played a great set at Memorial Hall.

Patty Griffin? Not so much. I understand the desire to feature several new songs – I expect that from most artists with a new album out. But to completely ignore a large part of your catalog — including the most popular songs — is not my cup of tea. The set was pretty much a snoozefest.

Wright State pitching star on Miami U. turf

Good old Robert Pollard – he can make a cool tune out of city and school district names.

Forget Bitcoin – invest in Lu!

Chuck Prophet can see the future. And the future is pure Lucinda Williams gold!

The full post is here. Chuck’s Substack is worth a subscribe.

Mailbag

In case you missed this fun exchange in the comments section of our last post, list members Lisa Collins and Dan Lewis took issue with my Beatles ranking:

Here’s that Westerberg clip that Lisa Collins sent me:

And Dan Lewis is right about me fitting in with the Goad Family. I certainly have the wardrobe for it:

Speaking of retired Cincinnati Reds superstar salesman Herb Tarlek Dan Lewis, I’m happy to report that he has found another modeling gig that’s perfect for his golden years. He’s the official spokesperson for this product:

“Fall” doesn’t mean the season, it means taking a tumble. Here’s Dan modeling the product:

“Collision to the elderly head” would be a great name for a punk band!

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s): Hair today, gone tomorrow

Her hair took up so much space on the cover that they had to reduce the font size of the type.

Ditto for “Lee Michaels” (we all know it’s really a young Richard Lewis.)

One response to “Tofurkey tunes”

  1. Dan Lewis Avatar
    Dan Lewis

    Tyrannical power at its worst. I’m reminded of the Holy Grail Monty Python quote “see the violence inherent in the system. Help help, I’m being repressed.” You can’t fight city hall…

    Reply

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Rumblings Special Edition: Inhailer’s Indie 500 heats up!

97X, Music, podcast, woxy.com

Your affable (and somewhat addled) co-hosts Dave and Damian have been trapped inside the Big Bush for many moons (and a few Moonpies) but we broke free to chat with Nils Illokken, Music Director and DJ for Inhailer Radio, about the upcoming Inhailer Indie 500. If you remember the 97X Modern Rock 500, Inhailer’s Indie 500 is an updated version of that annual Memorial Day Weekend countdown.

Back in 2023, Inhailer hosted the 40th anniversary Modern Rock 500, with 97X DJs from throughout the station’s rich history hosting the countdown of the top songs played during the 97X and woxy.com era (1983-2010).

You can listen to the archive of that broadcast here.

Last year, Inhailer launched the Indie 500, which added in songs from 2010 to the present… picking up the torch from 97X and WNKU’s annual “Top 89.”

And this year, the cool kids at Inhailer have added a new twist to put even more great tunes into the mix… and to extend the fun to more than a full week!

We chatted with Nils about the Indie 500, his background in broadcasting, how Inhailer got started, how he finds the artists that Inhailer plays, and much more.

You can read more about Nils on the Inhailer website and in this music director profile from a trade publication.

You can find all 100+ episodes of the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast on Podbean, as well as on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, and most major podcasting platforms. Hear interviews with former 97X DJs and station staffers, listeners, bands that were played on the station, record label execs, advertisers, and more.

Episode 101.1/102.5/92.9: Randy Malloy of Ohio’s last indie radio station

97X, podcast, woxy.com

In 1991, Randy Malloy started as an unpaid college intern at WWCD-FM in Columbus, an independent, alternative rock radio station cut from the same cloth as 97X. He held a variety of positions at the station, including promotions director, marketing director, and operations director. In 2011, Randy purchased the station. Together with a dedicated band of staffers, they kept the independent/alternative flame alive for 33 years as the station moved around the radio dial from 101.1 (“CD101”) to 102.5 to 92.9 before eventually signing off on February 1st of this year.

We talked to Randy about his “Ran-sanity” career, how they looked up to 97X, how they programmed the music to let the listeners “pass through them” and why being part of the community was so important to them.

“No one told us that we couldn’t.”

Randy’s passion for the station and the community is patently obvious. Unfortunately, the station went off the air earlier this year when Randy couldn’t reach a workable financial agreement with the station’s corporate owners.

Headline above is from this article in the Columbus Navigator.

Much like 97X, WWCD-FM has a fond place in the hearts of music lovers who craved something more satisfying than mainstream music.

“And yet you could tune in to this radio station where they were playing The Cure and T. Rex and Adrian Belew and Marshall Crenshaw and Siouxsie and the Banshees, and all this other stuff that you couldn’t hear unless you owned the records.” 

— Columbus poet/author Maggie Smith, from the March 2024 Columbus Monthly article by Dan Williamson

Like 97X/woxy.com, the station had several brushes with going off the air, somehow surviving… until earlier this year.

Ultimately, what killed WWCD is what made its existence so unlikely back in 1990: Independent radio is more of a labor of love than a business strategy.  

— from the March 2024 Columbus Monthly article by Dan Williamson

[Photo credit: Tim Johnson/Columbus Monthly]

Episode 97.7 – yet another end of an era

97X, Music, podcast, woxy.com

Nearly five years ago, Dave and Damian started a podcast about 97X. They had no idea what they were doing.

They still don’t know what they’re doing, but they DO know that as they stumbled through nearly a hundred episodes, they had a blast reconnecting with station staffers, listeners, advertisers, record reps, and even some bands that made the station so special.

But now they’ve caught up with nearly everyone affiliated with the station (in both the 97X and woxy.com era).

They had the distinct privilege of co-hosting the Mercantile Library’s event with 97X book author Robin James.

They helped usher the 2023 97X Modern Rock 500 from crazy idea to amazing reality, thanks to more than 30 former DJs, Dave’s son Jack (producer extraordinaire) and our friends at Inhailer Radio.

Dave and Damian sucked at promoting the podcast, but somehow, some way, through the magic that was and IS 97X, listeners found it:

“I am not sure you guys realize just what impact having this modern rock format has had on my life… your podcast has brought about all of these thoughts, feelings, and memories of the soundtrack of 21 years on my life. I thank you for playing your part in it back then and I thank you for creating this podcast to help me process just what those 21 years have meant to me.”

“Anyway, I know you’ve heard it before, but you did a hell of a job preserving the mental health of lots of weird sullen people in our corner of the Rust Belt. I cried real drunken tears from Baltimore when the terrestrial signal died and I’ll never be able to tell you how important you all were in helping me get to adulthood.”

“Thanks for the pod. It is like finally being able to talk with someone about the treasure that was WOXY.” 

“There are so many bands and songs that make me think so fondly of 97X.  97X will forever have a place in my heart.”

“That was about the only good thing about where I lived: 97X came in crystal clear and was like an oasis among the fields of corn. The music you played opened my mind and heart to soundscapes so different than anything I’d ever known. You took me to places I was sure I’d never get to go. How lucky was I!… Really I just wanted to let you know how much 97X meant to me in my teen years. You truly saved me. I can’t fully express how much you did. But I am Here in large part because of this station. You gave me hope and an outlet. I heard you, and my spirit felt heard in return.

Thank you, friend, for listening. So long for now…

Gigs and Books

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast, woxy.com

I let you down yet again (you should be used to it by now). I’m tardy with my list of gigs so I didn’t get to tell you about the New Pornographers show at Memorial Hall last night. That said, the show was sold out. Besides, I don’t know why people need New Pornographers, the old ones still work just fine.

Tonight, Southgate House is hosting The Nude Party. (It’s a band, get your mind out of the old pornographers gutter.)

OK, let’s focus on the future. The Future of Rock and Roll, that is. Robin James wrote the book about 97X, and thanks to Northside’s Downbound Books and Shake It Records, she’ll be talking about it with a couple of knuckleheads at the Mercantile Library this Thursday. If you’re one of the faithful 200 who registered for this event, you can hear from Robin, get a book signed and enjoy some tasty Great Lakes Brewing Co. beverages courtesy of our ol’ pal Howard Cohen (Cereal Killers… more on them later).

If you can’t attend in person, you can stream the event on Crowdcast here. (Great Lakes Beer not included.)

Tomorrow night, Richard Thompson plays a solo acoustic show at the 20th Century Theater. I’ll be there, of course. Forget about King Charles III, to me, King Richard is the Brit who rules.

KT Tunstall and Martin Sexton are also playing a double bill tomorrow, at Memorial Hall.

On Thursday, if you can’t make the Merc, Memorial Hall is hosting An Evening with the Cowboy Junkies.

Wait, wrong sort of Cowboy Junkie…

Friday night, Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker from the band Wussy are playing at my house. (Apparently they didn’t learn their lesson from the first time I hosted them back in October of 2022 and totally fanboyed out.)

John “Don’t call me Cougar” Mellencamp also kicks off a two-night stand at the Aronoff on Friday. And The Comet hosts BurritoFest 2023 on Friday and Saturday.

The Taft Theatre has some interesting shows lined up:

  • An Evening with Natalie Merchant on Sunday
  • The Wood Brothers with Shovels & Rope on Tuesday, May 16th
  • David Cross on Thursday, May 18th

Roger McGuinn does a “Songs & Stories” gig at Memorial Hall on 5/18.

On Friday, May 19th, Cereal Killers play at MadTree Brewing in Oakley. 7-11 p.m. First beer’s on me.

I won’t be dressed like that… unless you ask nicely.

That same evening, Frank Turner plays Bogart’s and Leo Kottke is at Ludlow Garage.

On Saturday, 5/20, Dopapod is at the Madison Theater, Steve Goodie and Eric Gnezda play a comedy music show in Florence, KY, and Fountain Square hosts the KISS tribute band Strutter.

The Gem City shines

Dayton, Ohio (birthplace of flight… and the Deal sisters) has some really nice freebie shows coming up this summer at the Levitt Pavilion downtown, including Dave Alvin, John Doe, Tab Benoit, Ernie Johnson from Detroit, and Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys. The first gig is The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band on Thursday, June 1st. Check out the full lineup here.

Mailbag

List member Mighty Joe Sampson, a resident of a posh Cincy suburb, wrote:

This longtime subscriber is formally objecting to your slanderous comment about Madeira aka “the friendly town.”

You’re right, Joe. Madeira is very accepting of strangers… as long as they follow the instructions to leave the DoorDash food delivery on the front porch.

Reading Room

Amanda Petrusich profiles The National in The New Yorker.

Sweet Swag

Inhailer Radio has a nice t-shirt to celebrate the 2023 Modern Rock 500, coming to their airwaves May 22-29.

You can order yours here.

Shameless self-promotion

The latest episode of the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast features the woxy.com crew (Shiv, Mike Taylor, Joe Long, Bryan J and Brian Niesz) talking about their rollercoaster ride on the interwebs from 2004-2010.

Album Cover of the Fortnight

Those wacky Brits… I don’t know how in the heck you can guard a horse when your helmet obstructs 70% of your field of vision and your “chin” strap is well above your chin. But… “tradition!”

Episode 95: woxy.com signoff – the end of the future

97X, podcast, woxy.com

After 97X signed off in 2004, “the future of rock and roll” stayed alive as woxy.com – with many fits and starts (and stops) along the way. “Angel investors”… LaLa.com… Future Sounds… Oxford… Longworth Hall in Cincinnati… Austin, Texas. The dot-com version had several homes, and more lives than a cat, before finally ending quite abruptly on March 23, 2010.

We talk to the folks who experienced all those ups and downs, and lived to tell the tale: Shiv, Mike Taylor, Joe Long, Brian Niesz, and Bryan J. Miller share their stories of the woxy.com era.

Matt Shiv (l) (music director) and Mike Taylor (program director) from WOXY.com

One of the highlights of the move to woxy.com (and the move to a former recording studio in Cincinnati) was the expansion of live, in-studio performances – the fabled “Lounge Acts” engineered by Brian Niesz.

WOXY.com presents: Frightened Rabbit from WOXY on Vimeo.

Frightened Rabbit – "Swim Until You Can't See Land" – WOXY Lounge SXSW from WOXY on Vimeo.

You can find a boatload more of these Lounge Acts videos here: https://vimeo.com/woxy and here: https://www.youtube.com/@woxyloungeactsarchive5619/featured

And Brian Niesz, who moved back to Cincinnati after the Austin demise of woxy.com, now works at WCPO-TV (Channel 9) and revived the Lounge Acts format.

Check out more of those performances here: https://www.wcpo.com/loungeacts

Back to the Future

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast, woxy.com

Perhaps you’ve heard that the 97X Modern Rock 500 is making a comeback?

More than 30 former on-air folks (Steve Baker, Julie Maxwell, Dan Reed, Rictile, Barb, Shiv, et al.) will be counting down the top tunes of the 97X/woxy.com era on Inhailer Radio May 22-29. Press release is here, Mike Taylor’s interview with WVXU is here, and Dave Tellmann and I also talk about it during our Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast episode with the folks who were at the station when it signed off the airwaves in 2004.

It’s pretty exciting stuff if I do say so myself… granted, I’m not exactly an impartial observer.

Let’s observe the bands who are coming to town over the next couple of weeks, shall we?

Tonight, Southgate has Rock’n Revival for the Cure, with a slew of local bands:

And Ark Band plays Ludlow Garage.

On Sunday, Ben Levin plays Schwartz’s Point, and Ludlow hosts Nektar… no relation to keytar.

On Wednesday, The Dollyrots play Southgate, with The Von Tramps at the opener, and Altan fiddles around at Ludlow Garage.

Thursday evening, Billy Strings kicks off a sold-out three-night run at the Greg Brady.

Greg Brady loved Strings!

That same evening, Kenny Wayne Shepherd will at the Taft, doing a 25th anniversary tour of his Trouble Is… album.

Friday, Billy Strings has a second helping of the Peter Brady.

Don’t Bogart your Billy Strings tickets.

That same day, Ben Levin plays happy hour at Element Eatery, The Huntertones and Doc Robinson play Woodward, and Vanessa Carlton is at Ludlow. Oh, and ’tis St. Paddy’s Day, too.

Next Saturday, Bogart’s hosts Rumours: A Fleetwood Mac tribute. And Billy Strings plays Night 3 at the Marsha Marsha Marsha Brady.

Marsha Brady thinks Billy Strings is hotter than Alice’s pot roast

And NRBQ rocks the Ludlow Garage.

Southgate House has an embarrassment of riches on Tuesday, March 21st:

  • The Casey Campbell Band and El Dorado play the main room
  • Adam Weiner (of Low Cut Connie) plays the Revival Room upstairs

On Wednesday, March 22nd, The Quebe Sisters are at Southgate, and Dead Letter Office (yes, an R.E.M. tribute band), plays Ludlow Garage.

On Thursday, 3/23:

  • Beth Harris and Freedom Nicole Moore play a freebie at the Listing Loon in Northside
  • Leo Sayer plays Ludlow Garage
  • Blake Shelton plays the Coliseum

On Friday, 3/24:

  • Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, Slippery Creek and Mike Oberst are at Southgate
  • Them Dirty Roses and The Josephines play the old Annie’s
  • Aronoff Center has The Blues is Alright tour:
Pokey Bear, second cousin of streetwise informant Huggy Bear on Starsky & Hutch

On Saturday, March 25th:

  • They Might Be Giants play a sold-out gig at Madison Theater.
  • Florence Dore plays Southgate (her backing band includes Will Rigby and Gene Holder of the dBs, and Son Volt’s Mark Spencer)
  • Aronoff has The Simon & Garfunkel Story (per the press release: “The show features huge projection photos, original film footage, and a full live band performing all of Simon & Garfunkels’s hits, including “Mrs. Robinson,” “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound,” and many more.” In other words, since Paul and Artie will never share a stage again, holograms will have to suffice.)

And if the fates cooperate and the stars align, your humble scribe will be in NYC that evening for this show:

The Fine Art of Self-Destruction is one of my all-time favorite albums.

On Sunday, 3/26, New Edition (which really should be called Old Edition at this point) will be at the Coliseum, with Keith Sweat, Guy and Tank. Note: “Guy” is a band and “Tank” is another band… in case you were expecting this:

Instant Karma

In our last missive, we mentioned that Dan “Reds: 2027 World Series Champs” Lewis loves Debbie Gibson… right after we listed some incorrect tickets-on-sale info. So who do you think pointed out our error almost immediately?

I’ll refrain from pointing out that we listed TTB, not DTB…

Dan is a superfan of both Dwight and The Mavericks, so the PNC gig is a dream date for him. (So is Debbie Gibson, btw.)

Like father, like son

Dan’s son Cullen also is a music superfan, and in a recent edition of his Substack newsletter he linked to this really cool “Music Map” site where you can type in the name of a band you like and it’ll suggest other bands you may enjoy.

Your own personal hit factory

HT to list member Todd Butler for the link.

Album Cover of the Week

This album came out yesterday. If your band’s name is “The Atomic Bitchwax” you are contractually obligated to play the Freak Valley Fest. It’s a combination as classic as peanut butter and jelly…. or Dan Lewis and Debbie Gibson.

Episode 93: Memories of the 97X station signoff in 2004

97X, Music, podcast, woxy.com

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two decades since that fateful evening when Steve Baker said “goodbye to the future of rock and roll.” For current and former staffers and loyal listeners, it was like the death of a loved one. We reunited an all-star cast of folks who were at the station at the bittersweet end (Bakerman, Shiv, Barb, Mike Taylor, Sledge, Bryan J., Gentleman Jim Mercer) to share their memories of that time.

But we’re not just here to rue the day and mourn once again. There’s actually a future for “the future of rock and roll.” We’re getting the gang back together for one last heist Modern Rock 500 this May.

Read more here.

It’ll be just like old times. Maybe even better. It’s like getting a present from your old friends, in the present day. We can’t wait to share the music and the love with you!

Speaking of love, you gotta love the Bakerman’s “now and then” coda for the episode:

Start spreadin’ the news – 97X is back (for a limited time)!

97X, Music, podcast, woxy.com

97X, BAM, THE FUTURE OF ROCK AND ROLL RETURNS WITH THE 2023 97X MODERN ROCK 500

(Oxford/Cincinnati, OH) – March 9, 2023 – It’s been 20 years since the legendary Oxford, OH-based alternative radio station WOXY FM, aka “97X, BAM! The Future of Rock and Roll” first left the airwaves. Celebrating what would have been its 40th anniversary, 97X makes its triumphant online return in May 2023 with the 2023 97X Modern Rock 500 countdown.

In partnership with Cincinnati-based streaming station Inhailer Radio, 97X and WOXY.com present the 2023 97X Modern Rock 500, airing May 22 – 29, 2023 on Inhailer Radio, also available on the Inhailer Radio app and WGUC 90.9- HD3 in Cincinnati.

The 2023 Modern Rock 500 will air on Inhailer Radio in five 100-lap segments from May 22-26, 2023, and repeat in the 500’s traditional Memorial Day weekend timeslot from May 27-29, 2023. Plans are in the works for an on-demand archive of the broadcast. 

As a special treat, the broadcast is hosted by over 30 station DJs sharing memories from WOXY’s 40-year run. From its fledgling 80s days to the explosion of the format in the 90s and its time as an online entity in the early 2000s, the 2023 Modern Rock 500 is represented by the people who were there making it happen.

If there was one signature program that became synonymous with 97X, it was the annual Modern Rock 500. Borrowing thematically from the nearby Indianapolis 500 and broadcast over Memorial Day Weekend, the 97X Modern Rock 500 counted down the best alternative songs as “laps”. The Modern Rock 500 aired on 97X from 1988-2003 and continued on WOXY.COM from 2005-2009. 

Now it returns for one final countdown.

The broadcast also serves as a wrap-up of the 97X-focused podcast Rumblings from the Big Bush (a reference to a distinctly large shrubbery located on the station’s Oxford, Ohio property), hosted by former DJs Dave Tellmann and Damian Dotterweich.

“Rumblings over the last few years has caught up with former air talent, station employees, fans of the station, and some of the artists that we played at 97X. It’s been a blast! The podcast has about run its course; but the idea of capping it with the Modern Rock 500 couldn’t be a better way to sign off,” said co-host Dave Tellmann.  Rumblings… episodes can be found on all major podcast player sites and on 97Xbam.  

“We here at Inhailer are honored to hand over the airwaves to the people of 97X who influenced our own musical journeys and the music we play here”, adds Taylor Fox, Founder and Program Director at Inhailer. “We’re downright giddy with excitement!”

“This new Modern Rock 500 will be limited to those songs that landed on the countdown in the past.  It’s taking a look back from a present-day point of view”, states Mike Taylor, 97X Program Director from 2001 to 2010.  “Any way you slice it, it’s gonna be 500 great tunes.”

The 2023 97X Modern Rock 500 is a love letter to its loyal legion of listeners and to station owners Doug and Linda Balogh, for giving the world something super special. We’ll see you at the starting line…

Full list of featured talent:

Aaron Borns

Ali Castellini

Barb Abney

Bill Douglas

Brian Ewing

Bryan Jay Miller

Damian Dotterweich

Dan “Danny Crash” Reed

Dave Tellmann

Dorsie Fyffe

Forrest Griffen

Julie “Jae Forman” Clay

Jeff Rohrs

Jim Mercer

Joe Long

John Jesser

Julie “Maxwell” Argonis

Keri Valmassei

Luann Gibbs

Matt Shiv

Matt “Sledge” Waller

Matthew Harris

Mike Taylor

Mike Winstead

Nick Pleimling

Phil Kollin

Ric “Tile” Cengeri

Rob Ervin

Robin Plan

Stase Wendland

Steve Baker

Tina Kristina Mueller

If all the old bands can reunite, so can we. Long Live 97X – The Future of Rock and Roll!