Craig later worked at EMI (shh, don’t tell Johnny Rotten) and is now Director of Music Partnerships at ReverbNation. Please read the entire piece. I love Craig’s passion for the music, and how he’s encouraging all of us to rage against the machine(s):
Amen to that, Brother Craig! Taking his cue, I’ll mention yet again that the new album from Jesse Malin is fantastic, and I’m offering my Double D Money Back Guarantee™ for his show at Southgate House on Friday, November 15th. If you go to the show and aren’t completely satisfied by Mr. Malin’s music and stage presence, I’ll refund your ticket price out of my own pocket.
Welcome, officially (but not officiously) to Fall. Monday, September 23rd is the Autumnal Equinox.
Summer's goingfast, nights growing colder Children growing up, old friends growing older (name that tune... without using Google search)
9/23 is also National Great American Pot Pie Day. We suggest you celebrate by cooking a Swanson’s pot pie in the oven for about 80 minutes, and then enjoying how the crust burns your tongue yet the veggies inside the pot pie are still ice cold.
Oh, and 9/23 is National Checkers Day… as in Nixon’s dog.
Almost makes you wistful for those carefree, PAC-free days, doesn’t it?
OK, enough meandering, let’s get to the gigs.
Monday, a Beach Boy and some Zombies walked into a theatre. No, it’s not the setup for a joke, it just means Brian Wilson and The Zombies are playing Taft. Also, Bad Religion is playing Bogart’s, with Dave Hause & The Mermaid and Emily Davis.
Jesse Dayton is playing Southgate on Tuesday, with the Taylor Shannon Band and Mike Stinson. Broadside is at Top Cats, and Scott Stapp of Creed is playing Bogart’s. (If you’re keeping score at home, that means Bogart’s has Bad Religion on Monday, and bad religious guy on Tuesday.)
On Wednesday, Patty Griffin is at 20th Century Theater in Oakley, with former V-Roy Scott Miller as the opener. I’ll be at that gig, because I adore Patty Griffin. Other shows that evening:
The Brother Brothers are playing Southgate
Dressy Bess is at MOTR
Joel Ansett is at Listing Loon
Chainsmokers are at the Coliseum
Andy Grammer performs at Bogart’s. (Update your scorecard with some bad grammer.)
Thursday, Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line play Southgate, and Felix Pastorius’ Hipster Assassins roll into the Ludlow Garage.
Friday night, our old pal Chris Comer starts what will be a recurring weekend gig at The View at Shires Garden, the new rooftop bar at 309 Vine Street.
I still miss the Chris & Rob Late Night Talk Show on WAIF-FM.
There are several other notable gigs that evening:
Devotchka and The Joy Formidable form a great twin bill at Woodward Theater
Tommy Emmanuel plays Taft with Jorma Kaukonen, making that show a picker’s paradise
Tracy Walker plays the grand opening of the new Braxton Barrel House in Ft. Mitchell
The Toasters, Scotch Bonnets and Newport Secret Six are at Northside Yacht Club
Stoney LaRue plays Madison Live
Warrick & Lowell play MOTR with Nick Dittmeier and Chelsea Ford & The Trouble
REO Speedwagon chugs into Rose Music Center
We also have two multi-stage festivals on tap Friday through Sunday. The Rhythm Brew Art & Music Festival takes over Riverfront Live.
And down in Louisville, Louder than Life rocks the Kentucky Expo Center fairgrounds.
Saturday, the Neltner’s Farm Fall Festival kicks off (pumpkins, games, corn maze, petting zoo… learn more here). It’s a great place to bring the family because A. it’s a legit family farm, not some hay bales on asphalt, B. the Neltner family is super-nice, and C. they’ll have live music every Saturday and Sunday through 10/27. Here’s the lineup:
Also on Saturday, a white trash guy and a redneck walk into a shed. That’s not the setup to a joke… actually it is… Kid Rock and Hank Williams Jr. are playing Riverbend. That same evening:
Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers and Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper play Miami University-Middletown (affectionately known as MUM)
Filter plays the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg (affectionately known as Hoosier Hollywood)
Not a music show, but should be fun: Southgate hosts the annual beard and mustache competition known as Big Whisker Revival IV. In the Cartoon Mustache category, the smart money is on Dick Dastardly, Snidely Whiplash and Yosemite Sam… but Yukon Cornelius might sweep.
On Sunday, the Women of the Blues show in Southgate’s main room features Cheryl Renee, Kelly Richey, Kelly Walker, Alice Hoskins and more (doors at 1:30). The Cowpokes and Jane Rose & the Dead End Boys play a free afternoon show in Southgate’s Lounge. Amy Gerhartz and Jonathan Cody White play the Downtowne Listening Room, and Billy Alletzhauser (The Hiders, Ass Ponys) plays MOTR with Remnose.
If you listen to the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, you’ll note that my co-host Dave Tellmann and I try to keep each episode’s length to “two Bela Lugosi’s Deads”… or roughly 19 minutes. Oh, and since we mentioned that podcast, the latest episode features a 5th grade weather reporter, Abe Vigoda’s birthday, romance tips from Fabio and news about John Curley’s XXL t-shirt. You can listen via the 97Xbam.com website (which includes bonus content – photos, videos, etc.) or on Podbean, Spotify or iTunes.
Hot Ticket Alert
My main man Jesse Malin is playing Southgate on Friday, November 15th. Dude is brilliant. New album is stellar.
Pint-sized punk poet Jesse Malin
I’ve seen Jesse live several times and he always puts on a killer show… sadly, the crowds are usually pretty sparse in Cincy. Let’s change that, with my Double D Money Back Guarantee™: if you go to the show and aren’t completely satisfied, I’ll pay you back the ticket price out of my own pocket. I’m not rich, I’m just super-confident that Jesse Malin will rock your world. Here are two tracks from the new album that showcase his range.
97X was a small but mighty station in many ways. Being in the outskirts, in the fringes, left of center, off of the strip (to paraphrase Suzanne Vega) with a small (but dedicated) listener base allowed us to get away with stuff that other stations couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Not just with our music playlist (or lack of a playlist, really), but also with the other stuff that made its way to our airwaves, like having a 5th grader do the weather report…
… doing live “remote” broadcasts from the lobby, throwing birthday parties for Abe Vigoda, and sharing secrets from romance novel cover model Fabio.
Sexier than Fabio
In this episode of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, Dave and Damian chat with the 5th grade weatherperson, play some bits, and also announce the winner of the 97X 10th Anniversary “Name the 4th Band” contest.
“Others”?
Congrats to Colin Miller for winning the trivia contest by correctly identifying the 4th band: Sleep Theater.
You can listen to the latest episode via the player above, and you’ll find all the episodes on Podbean, Spotify and iTunes.
Yes, this time aroundwe’re covering a two week stretch, a.k.a a fortnight. But not Fortnite. Apologies to all our tween subscribers.
I’ll be out of town most of next week, inspecting Hurricane Dorian damage in the Outer Banks of North Cackalacky (from the comfort of a hot tub). So let’s get to it… and two it!
Glen Hansard was scheduled to play the Taft on Monday. But it got cancelled:
We are sorry to announce that have to cancel tomorrow night’s show in Cincinnati due to illness. This is something we hoped to avoid as we know how much time and energy goes into making a show happen. We would like to thank all of folks who planned on coming for their understanding. Again we apologize for this inconvenience and look forward to returning to The Taft soon. Refunds are available at point of purchase.
On Tuesday, ZZ Top and Cheap Trick play Rose Music Center. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s spinning guitars and five neck guitars, respectively.
That same evening, Elizabeth Moen is at Southgate, and Ben Levin plays at Arnold’s.
Wednesday, Adam Ant brings his Friend or Foe tour to Taft, and Morrissey is scheduled to play Fraze Pavilion, with Interpol as the opener. (We say “scheduled to play” because Moz has been known to flake out on shows before. He’s like the bastard son of George Jones and Axl Rose.)
Heaven knows he’s still miserable now.
Shonen Knife is at Southgate, with Me Like Bees opening. Them Coulee Boys are also at Southgate, in the Revival Room, with the Restless Leg String Band. “Thrash crossover legends” (just reading the press release) DRI play Northside Yacht Club, with Deathwish, Uncle Sammy & the Warlords and (earmuff it, tweens) Fuckin Basterd. Meanwhile, the resurgent Jonas Brothers play the Riverfront Mausoleum.
Thursday night, Lord Huron will be holding court at Taft. Lord Licorice will still be playing Candyland.
You should see his Red Vine!
On Friday, Chuck Cleaver plays the early show (7 pm) at Urban Artifact, with William Matheny, then Nappy Roots plays the late show (9 pm) with Triiibe and In2itv3. Chely Wright plays Southgate’s main room, and Honeysuckle is in the Revival Room. Bad Suns are at 20th Century, Starset plays Bogart’s, and Gladys Knight is at Taft.
Meanwhile, in the Land that Time Forgot (West Siiiiiidddee!) Sebastian Bach plays the Skid Row album at the Blue Note in Harrison.
Keb’ Mo’ has a sold out solo show at Memorial Hall on Sunday, and the Denim Wedding Tour with Blake Berglund and Belle Plaine is at Southgate in the Lounge.
Hip huggers.
Monday, Sept. 16 — Sunday, Sept. 22
Monday, Sept. 16, Sun Kil Moon plays Woodward, continuing the Woodward’s tradition of scheduling shows that I’d really like to see for dates that I’m out of town (see also Built to Spill). And in a “you got chocolate in my peanut butter” show, Blink 182 and Lil’ Wayne play Riverbend. It’s the greatest pairing since Robby Benson and Donny “Ralph Malph” Most in a Reese’s commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwGQ_w9lgHw
In the 70s, lots of people walked down the street with an open jar of peanut butter.
Kacy & Clayton play Southgate on Tuesday (9/17), and Marianas Trench is at Madison Theater.
Ludlow Garage has been rescheduling a lot of the shows that were supposed to happen over the past few weeks, but as of this writing, it appears that the Tyler Hilton show on Wednesday 9/18 is a go.
The much-anticipated Ludlow Garage 50th Anniversary show is Thursday (9/19), with Dweezil Zappa playing his dad’s Hot Rats album. That same evening, Indigo Girls are at Taft, and MeatWound, Thunderclap and Ball of Light play Northside Yacht Club.
The Bourbon & Beyond Festival kicks off Friday in Louisville at the KY Expo Center.
And the Overcast Hip Hop Festival starts its two night stand on Friday. It was originally slated for Top Cats but has been moved the Thompson House (old Southgate).
Also on Friday, 9/20:
The Mavericks play Taft
The Breeders play a free show at Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion
The Ghost Wolves visit MOTR
Steel Pulse plays Ludlow Garage
Murder by Death is at Woodward
Jason Eady is playing Southgate
Erica Blinn plays Camp Springs Tavern.
If you like to gamble on whether or not marginal bands from the 90s will still be any good in 2019, Eve 6, Fastball and Vertical Horizon are playing the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Saturday 9/21:
Dan Bern is at York Street Cafe
Unknown Hinson and Vincent Neal Emerson play Southgate
Crash Test Dummies play the 25th anniversary of God Shuffled His Feet at Memorial Hall
Agnostic Front ups the anniversary ante by playing a 35th anniversary show at Northside Yacht Club with Prong and Spear
Horace Greene, Life Brother and Mom & Dad are at Urban Artifact
Frank Gambale is at Ludlow, with Dennis Chambers, Sean Wayland and Mike Pope.
On Sunday, the Outlaw Music Festival comes to Riverbend, with Willie Nelson & Family, Bonnie Raitt, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne and more.
That same evening, Ludlow hosts Jimmy Herring and the 5 of 7.
Notes from last week
The Avett Brothers show after the Reds game was a lot of fun. I took my 16-year-old daughter Leah – so glad that she’s finally acquiring her old man’s stellar taste in music. 🙂 Leah and I also saw Jake Speed & The Freddies at Stanbury Park in scenic Mt. Washington (a.k.a. “Anderson Heights”) on Friday night. Well, I call him Jake Speed, but Leah calls him “Mr. Riordon, my 7th grade English teacher at Walnut Hills.”
Album of the Week
One of my all-time favorite under-the-radar artists, Jesse Malin, has a new album out called Sunset Kids, produced by Lucinda Williams. Please put your ears on it now and thank me later.
Album of the other week
Since this is a fortnight post, let’s double down on the tunes. Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby and Maren Morris have teamed up to become The Highwomen (a distaff version of the Willie/Waylon/Johnny/Kris Highwaymen). Their self-titled debut is out now.
This cover isn’t on the album, but it’s on a movie soundtrack:
Shameless plea for Cystic Fibrosis donations
As noted in a previous post, I’m riding 32 miles in the Cystic Fibrosis Cycle for Life event in Cincinnati this Saturday. Thanks much to those who have already donated. If you haven’t, there’s still time… and I’m only $25 away from hitting the $1,000 mark in donations, which would be pretty friggin’ cool. Don’t feel obligated, but if you are so inclined, you can do so here: http://fightcf.cff.org/site/TR/Cycle/42_Greater_Cincinnati_Cincinnati?team_id=82559&pg=team&fr_id=7574#teamRoster
Yes, KISS had a typo on their commemorative t-shirts (Only $50! Such a deal!). But it’s doubtful that many of the faithful in attendance even noticed. The KISS Army just wants to rock and roll all night, they don’t want to have a spelling bee.
Lett’s gett intto tthis week’s shows, shall we?
Meek Mill is free! But his concert at Riverbend on Tuesday night isn’t free. Future also will be present, as will YG and Megan Thee Stallion. At Stanley’s, it’s RumpRyder the portmanteau band featuring members of the Rumpke Mountain Boys and Hyryder.
Wednesday, Orchestral Manoeuvres (not a typo, I’m not British but they are) in the Dark (a.k.a. OMD) is playing Bogart’s, Rachel Baiman and Mike Oberst are at Southgate, and Live, Bush (that last comma was much-needed) and Our Lady Peace are appearing at the Rose Music Center.
Live Bush
On Thursday, local bands Moonbeau and This Pine Box are playing the free show at Newport on the Levee, 7-10 p.m. Flying Lotus is at Madison Theater, Adam Lee, Dylan Walshe and Brooke Blanche triple-headline the Southgate House Revival Room, and the Ben Levin Duo double-headlines BrewRiver.
Friday night, the pace picks up:
Amos Lee plays Taft with Madison Cunningham as the opener
Stabbing Westward is at Riverfront Live (formerly Annie’s, and host to many stabbings over the years)
Harbour (again, not a typo, and I’m still not British) has an album release show at Woodward, with Sylmar, Spirit of the Bear and Coastal Club
Walk Off The Earth plays Bogart’s
Southgate House has all three rooms going – Hank von Hell haunts the Sanctuary, Patrick Sweany is in the Revival Room and New Moons, Tigerlilies and Oso Bear are in the Lounge
The Almond Butter Band (a tribute to the Allman Brothers Band) plays Fretboard
Last but certainly not least, Dr. Noah Drake (Rick Springfield) is playing PNC Pavilion, with Patty Smyth and Scandal and Greg Kihn also on the bill. Remember when Patty Smyth and Scandal played a free show at the Serpentine Wall in the mid 80s? I do. My friend Tom was going to the show, and I could have joined him, but he was meeting up with his high school buddy “Skid” and in the interest of avoiding jail time, I make it a rule to never hang out with someone named Skid… unless his last name is Roper.
On Saturday, you can finally see a winner at Great American Ball Park: the Avett Brothers are playing an on-field concert after the 4:10 p.m. Reds-Diamondbacks (not a typo… D-backs is stupid) game. Your ticket to the game is also your ticket to the concert, per Dan “Trevor Bauer just needs to tweak his mechanics” Lewis. I’ll be in Section Nosebleed, Row O.
That same day, David Shaw’s Big River Getdown is getting down at Rivers Edge in Hamilton!, with The Revivalists, The War and Treaty, Brent Cobb, Southern Avenue, Neil Francis and Chris Gelbuda. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is playing a free show at Levitt Pavilion in Dayton. Rick Springfield, Patty Smyth & Scandal and Greg Kihn roll up to Huber Heights to play the Rose Music Center. Leon Bridges is playing a Cincinnati (not Cincinnatti) Children’s Hospital fundraiser at the Aronoff, Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) is at Top Cats, Wonky Tonk plays Camp Springs Tavern, and the Jay Jesse Johnson Band and Sonny Moorman (acoustic) share a bill at Fretboard Brewing. Jay Jesse Johnson is no relation to Raymond J. Johnson Jr… or maybe he is.
Sunday, The Head and the Heart plays PNC Pavilion, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue are at Riverfront Live, the B-52s play Rose Music Center with Berlin and those hard working folks in OMD. And Pat Metheny is playing Memorial Hall… I hope he packs a blow dryer on his tour bus:
Pat Metheny… or Dennis Quaid after sticking his finger in a light socket… or a Fraggle Rock cast member
Also on Sunday, comedian Brian Regan will be at Taft Theatre. He’s a funny dude.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5W6JyF7br8
Notes from last week
That house concert in Mt. Adams on Sunday was great. Noah Wotherspoon was killer. The Almond Butter Band (Allman Brothers tribute band – playing Fretboard this Friday) was great, Just Strange Brothers did a fantastic set of Talking Heads tunes, and the kids in Jukebox (including Joe Tellmann and Jacob Strom) were outstanding. Mark your calendar for next year.
Hot ticket alert
Devotchka and The Joy Formidable form a nice double bill for the Woodward on Friday, Sept. 27th, and Michael Franti & Spearhead are playing Riverfront Live on Wednesday, Oct. 30th.
Louie Pérez gets it. He knows what being in a band and making music are all about. I’ve been reading the book More Fun in the New World, co-written by John Doe of the band X. It features essays from several early 80s luminaries from the L.A. punk/cowpunk scene: Dave Alvin (The Blasters), Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Gos), Keith Morris (Black Flag, Circle Jerks), Mike Ness (Social Distortion), Maria McKee (Lone Justice), Sid Griffin (Long Ryders), Peter Case (Plimsouls), Chip Kinman (Rank & File), plus contributions from now-famous fans such as Shepard Fairey and Tony Hawk.
Louie Pérez of Los Lobos wrote about how they became part of that scene. On May 4th, 1980, they opened for Public Image Ltc. and got pelted with spit, beer bottles, loose change… whatever the punk fans could get their hands on. But they didn’t let that dissuade them. Shortly thereafter, they met The Blasters, and became friends with that band. Their big break came when they opened for The Blasters at the Whisky a Go Go. According to Louie, there was a bit of hesistation from the audience, but at least there were no projectiles:
Community… spirit… a good vibe. Yeah, that’s the stuff. Tell us more, LP:
Having a great time with new friends, bonding over a shared love of music. Man, I totally understand that. I feel like the community he’s describing in L.A. in the early 80s also existed among the people who worked at and/or listened to a tiny radio station in Oxford, Ohio, from the early 80s through the mid 2000s.
Our humble abode
That’s why Dave Tellmann and I do our podcast – to share stories, reconnect with the tribe, and keep the flame alive.
The book is well worth a read. And the music made by those bands is certainly worth revisiting.
Yes, that’s right, for this edition of TWILM we’re throwing in a bonus day absolutely free. That’s nearly 15% more than our regular TWILM at no cost! How do we do it? We buy in volume and pass the savings on to you!
Before we get into this week’s gigs, I need to apologize for not letting you know that Stevie Wonder and Chance the Rapper were playing in Dayton yesterday. My bad.
OK, moving on to this week. Wow, can you believe it’s almost Labor Day? Thanks to WEBN, the station that plays four AC/DC songs every hour, summer in Cincinnati always ends with a bang. Also thanks to WEBN, summer ends with the country’s largest outdoor display of mullets, jorts and prison ink.
Kentucky side or Ohio side? Yes, that’s correct.
It’s a relatively quiet week for live music, and a few of the gigs have a novelty flair to them. Knotts plays MOTR on Monday, with Circadian Clocks also on the bill. Tuesday, Roots of Creation plays Top Cats. Their website bills them as “electronic dance music, jam, reggae, rock, ska, world group from New Hampshire.” Their new album is Grateful Dub: A Reggae-Infused Tribute to the Grateful Dead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2W33u-2J1c
Columbus reggae band Quasi Kings opens. Your dreadlocks must be at least one foot long to enter the show.
Zapruder Point plays The Listing Loon on Wednesday.
On Thursday…
Yes, KISS will be playing Riverbend, as part of an alleged farewell tour. Gene Simmons turned 70 yesterday, so perhaps instead of spitting blood he’ll be spitting Geritol.
In a KISS-related story, Ace Frehley will be playing a Dodge dealership in East Hanover, NJ next month.
On Friday, Macy Gray was supposed to play Ludlow Garage, but that gig has been rescheduled to October 15th. But here are the gigs that are on: Dailey & Vincent play Memorial Hall; Will Payne Harrison, Chelsea Ford & The Trouble and My Brother’s Keeper are in Southgate’s Revival Room; Lagniappe is playing Bircus Brewing in Ludlow, Kentucky, with circus acrobats also working the room (really!); the Nick Netherton Band and Noah Smith play the free show at Sawyer Point; Ben Levin and Noah Wotherspoon play Mansion Hill Tavern; The Doors of Chicago are at Bogart’s; and This Pine Box plays Blind Bob’s in Dayton’s Oregon District, a venue and district that both could use some positive vibes.
Saturday, Steve ‘n’ Seagulls, a Finnish band that plays bluegrass versions of metal songs (seriously, I couldn’t even make that up), is on Southgate’s main stage, with ClusterPluck as the opener.
Meanwhile, the Steepwater Band plays Southgate’s Revival Room, Lagniappe (and tightrope walkers) are back at Bircus, and Pearl Crush is at Northside Tavern along with Britt and Brooklynn Rae.
Sunday, Judah & The Lion, Steven Puth and Public play Sawyer Point as part of the fireworks festivities, starting at 5 p.m. Mike & The Moonpies are at Southgate, and rockabilly band Lara Hope & The Ark-Tones are at MOTR.
List member Dave Tellmann, the Detective Phil Fish of Modern Rock, has caught wind of a block party in Mt. Adams called The Annual, featuring tunes from 3 p.m. until midnight, including an Allman Bros. tribute band at 7:30 and the Just Strange Brothers (CCM folks) doing a tribute to Talking Heads at 10 p.m. I’m intrigued. I’m hoping to go, even though I’ll probably have to walk a bit due to the fireworks cluster/closed streets. Who’s with me?
Next Monday is Labor Day. This song is required listening:
Notes from last week
List member Todd Butler and I caught Todd Lipscomb (and friends Brandon and Adam) at Camp Springs Tavern on Saturday night. Camp Springs Tavern is a neat little bar owned by list member Keith Neltner, whose multi-generation family farm is just across the street. If you haven’t been to CST, you really need to check it out, it’s got a great vibe, a nice little outdoor patio, and live “down-home” music most weekends.
There are only a handful of tickets left for the Brett Newski house concert at Parlor & Patio (the home of list members Jacqui and Dave Killen) in Ft. Thomas on Friday, Sept. 27th. Get yours here with the password Parlor
Mini movie worth watching
Hat tip to list member Joe Sampson for the link to a mini-movie about the making of the Tiny Changes album, an all-star tribute to Frightened Rabbit’s brilliant 2008 release The Midnight Organ Fight.
Band name of the week (NSFW variety)
Album cover of the week
If only they still taught kids in grades K-6 how to do “The Monkey” and “Funky Broadway”… the world would be a better place.
John “J.J” Jesser worked side by side with The Bakerman on the original Breakfast Club morning show in the early days of 97X… and he’s got the coffee mug and t-shirt to prove it.
JJ started out as a part-timer during his Miami University undergrad days, and did news, DJ shifts, production… and played in local bands like The Vagrants as well.
JJ on the left, his friend, roommate and bandmate Mr. K on the right
In this podcast episode, Dave and Damian talk to him about those early days, find out what he’s up to now… and discuss his “metal name” and pet poop.
These days, John works for a company that makes an app that connects patients with doctors for live online visits. He’s still rocking too, playing guitar and singing in the Cleveland band Verve Daddy.
Sorry, Neil Diamond won’t be in town this week. Neither will any Neil Diamond tribute bands. But every time you yell out “So good! So good! So good!” when they play “Sweet Caroline” at a sporting event, YOU are part of a Neil Diamond tribute band. Never forget that!
Monday, Melissa Etheridge will be at the Taft Theatre. Tuesday, it’s crickets (and not the Buddy Holly kind). On Wednesday, the only music on my radar isn’t a live gig, it’s a movie called Cinema Strangiato, featuring “the Holy Trinity of Rock”: Geddy, Alex and Neil.
https://youtu.be/Jow3-DVntj8
I love Canada’s premier power rock trio (sorry Triumph, thanks for playing, here’s a year’s supply of Rice-a-Roni and a copy of our home game) but I don’t know if I’ll make it to a “theater near you” for live highlights from the R40 tour and some interviews.
Neil Peart (center) with Nancy and Ann Wilson of Heart
On Thursday, the pace finally picks up. The Whispering Beard Folk Festival kicks off in its new location: Smale Park in downtown Cincy. Here’s the lineup for that evening:
Reverend on a Thursday – that’s hot!
Also playing Thursday: Vincent at Top Cats, Habibi with Fruit & Flowers in Southgate’s Revival Room, and the artist with the fantastic stage name of Popa Chubby will be playing Southgate’s main stage (a.k.a. Sanctuary).
Popa Button is more like it
Friday is a very busy night for live music. The Whispering Beard Festival continues with Peter Rowan, M. Ward and the Felice Brothers on the main stage, and you can also buy tickets for exclusive riverboat shows.
Urban Artifact also kicks off their BeWILDERfest, with three stages (including a tented courtyard stage) over two evenings. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah is the Friday headliner. Here’s that night’s schedule:
Two festivals in one weekend, wow, that’s almost “two” much to handle…
Better make that a try-fecta, because if you’re really ambitious, you can also try to attend Farmula Fest this Friday and Saturday, at A.J. Jolly Park in Alexandria, KY.
It’s the only festival to feature kayaking… so that’s a plus. It’s also the only festival to feature Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad as a headliner. They are no relation to Urban Dance Squad. Or the Mod Squad.
Weirdest show intro ever! Thanks Aaron Spelling.
Other Friday gigs: Carriers have a vinyl release show at the Woodward, with Turtledoves, Joesph and Molly Parden. Big Freedia is bouncing into Bogart’s. Knotts are playing Northside Tavern with Superlow and Freedom Nicole Moore. Lauren Eylise & The Part Time Lovers are at MOTR, and The Brummies and Coastal Club play the free Fountain Square gig. At Southgate, Kellie Loder plays the Revival room and the Lounge hosts The Cousin Kissers, a Country/Americana supergroup of local luminaries Jeff Leist, Jimmy Davidson, Neil Sharrow and Bill Craig.
Last and certainly least, the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, will be at Riverfront Live.
70s rocker, now off his rocker.
On Saturday, T. Lipscomb is live at the Camp Springs Tavern. I hope to make that gig. Ben Levin & The Heaters play a free show at Keener Park in West Chester, and the Beard and BeWILDERfest both wrap up – lineups below.
Whispering BeardBeWILDERfest
On Sunday, Umphrey’s McGee plays Fraze Pavilion, Stanley’s hosts their weekly open jam, and the Ben Levin Trio will make some noise in the Campbell County Library from 6-7 p.m.
Photos from last week
Rob Fetters at the Ludlow Garage 50th anniversary at Eden ParkSpookfloaters sounded fantastic at Fretboard’s outdoor stage
Hot ticket alert
The Raconteurs are playing Taft on Saturday, September 14th, and Ben Folds (and a piano) are at Taft on Thursday, October 24th. Also, the Wilco show on Saturday, November 9th is nearly sold out. Remember, go to the Taft box office to purchase Taft, Riverbend and PNC Pavilion tickets and avoid the ridiculous TicketBastard fees.
Album of the Week
The new Hold Steady album Thrashing Thru The Passion sounds great (nice to have Franz Nicolay back in the fold). But I’ll have to give the nod to this classic LP:
My podcasting partner in crime, Dave Tellmann (we’re both guilty of caring way too much about a tiny little station that went off the air long ago) often claims that he is “The Reuben Kincaid of Modern Rock” because of how often he promotes his two musically talented sons.
But Dave’s been slacking, so I’ll have to carry the torch. Dave’s younger son Joe is a blues guitar superstar in the making. (He also plays with local band This Pine Box.) He’s attended the Pinetop Perkins Blues Camp in Clarksdale, Mississippi for many years, first as a student and more recently as a counselor. Through those connections (and his prodigious talents), he was invited to attend and perform at a blues festival in Notodden, Norway, and attend Little Steven’s Blues School.
Joe and his friend Jesse White worked with two Norwegians to write an original song, and then had a little help mixing and producing it from some dude in a bandana.
He looks a bit like that guy from The Sopranos.. Joe T is in the middle
The mixing board is from Stax Records in Memphis, and was used for sessions with Otis Redding, Booker T & the MGs and all those great Stax artists from the late 60s/early 70s.
This is so friggin’ cool on so many levels that it might actually reverse global warming. Nice work, Joe!
Websites store cookies to enhance functionality and personalise your experience. You can manage your preferences, but blocking some cookies may impact site performance and services.
Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website.
Name
Description
Duration
Cookie Preferences
This cookie is used to store the user's cookie consent preferences.
