Courtney Barnett

Dog days, sweet tunes

Concert Listings, Music, podcast

Are you ready for the dog days of summer?

Damn right “Attica!”

Are you ready for the Dawg days of summer too?

How about the Dogg days?

Well, ready or not, here comes August – the month that gets its name from Augustus Gloop, the fat kid who got sucked up into the chocolate pipe (not as dirty as it sounds) in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

Augustus Gloop also was the inspiration for these sophisticated Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me” lyrics:

I’m hot, sticky sweet
From my head to my feet, yeah

In other words, Augustus Gloop rocks! And you can too – let’s take a look at all the hot, sticky sweet shows coming your way in the month ahead.

(Note: this post covers only August gigs. If you’d like listings for August and Everything After, please contact Counting Crows.)

My oh my, the sweetest treat comes right out of the chute (again, not as dirty as it sounds):

Cereal Killers play Big Ash this Saturday, August 1st! (a.k.a. “tomorrow”)

They will play all your favorite 97X hits, some Petty… and maybe an Oompa Loompa song for good measure. The usual d2 discount will apply – first beer’s on me (with coupon):

There are other shows on Saturday — although they pale in comparison to the big Cereal Killers gig, much like Cereal Killers’ lead singer Howard Cohen’s skin pales in comparison to Oompa Loompa skin:

  • The Levitt Pavilion in Dayton has a free Rock Fest event, with headliner Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys
  • Chris Stapleton plays the Bengals Stadium (my missus will be there with the Jazzercise gals. You’ve been warned!)
  • Yonder Mountain String Band and East Nash Grass are at the old Annie’s
  • Evanescence plays Riverbend
  • The Grove and Casey Campbell play Radio Artifact
  • Ludlow Garage hosts Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience

(Accent on the “criminal” part.)

Deke Dickerson plays Southgate’s Revival Room on Sunday, August 2, with Kyle Eldridge opening.

On Tuesday:

  • The Black Keys and Eddie 9V play Ovation in Newport – still on the fence about going
  • Andrew Bird plays Taft with a symphony orchestra to be named later

Wednesday is both a WEENsday and a Weenieday. The former because The Columbia in the East End will be spinning Ween’s Quebec album from 7-9 p.m., and the latter because Barry Manilow is playing the Coliseum. If you’re downtown, please watch out for Fanilows.

On Thursday, Watchhouse plays the Taft, and Styx and Chicago bring their “All the Hits” tour to Riverbend.

Cincinnati Parks is sponsoring the On Point Music Festival Friday August 7 – Saturday August 8 at Sawyer Point & Yeatman’s Cove. Here’s the lineup:

Other gigs next Friday (August 7):

  • Chuck Prophet (and band) at Ludlow Garage
  • J. Roddy Walston & the Business play the Fountain Square freebie, with The Bright Light Social Hour
  • The Collies (a dog days of summer band if ever there were one – also the band that my son is in) play the Anderson Tap House Good Time Charley’s (by Four Seasons Marina) – please join me!
  • RiversEdge in Hamilton! has Ozzmosis (a tribute to Ozzie Nelson Ozzy Osbourne) with the Warped Band (a tribute to Home Depot lumber the Warped Tour)

On Saturday, August 8, the two-day Arcade Music Fest kicks off in Covington.

The full daily schedules are here.

Other August 8 shows:

  • Tori Amos plays a sold-out show at the Taft, with Bartees Strange
  • Lynyrd Skynyrd (featuring zero original members!) and Foreigner (featuring one original member!) play Riverbend
  • Boney James is at Ludlow
  • The Fraze Pavilion in Dayton has BaconFest

Rod Stewart brings his “One Last Time” tour to Riverbend on Sunday, August 9, with Richard Marx opening.

On Monday, August 10, The Stray Cats play the Rose Music Center in Dayton and Five Finger Death Punch plays Riverbend.

It’s dueling Dayton concerts on Tuesday, August 11:

  • Joe Bonamassa and Gov’t Mule at the Rose
  • Howard Jones at Fraze

Meanwhile Cincy has The High Kings at Memorial Hall

Lotsa gigs on Wednesday, August 12:

  • Goo Goo Dolls and Neon Trees at the Rose
  • Simple Plan and Bowling for Soup at the Mike Brady
  • The Beach Boys play PNC
  • Fraze has Get the Led Out
  • TyeDye (feat. list member John Sandman) plays Arnold’s (6-8 p.m.)

Shows on Thursday, August 13:

  • Andy Frasco & the UN with Kitchen Dwellers at the old Annie’s
  • Jack Harlow at the Marsha Brady
  • Terrance Simien plays a freebie at the Levitt in downtown Dayton
  • Soul Pocket does a free show at the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington

Whimmydiddle kicks off on Friday, August 14 at RiversEdge, with Sam Bush and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes topping the Friday night bill, and The Jack Wharff Band and Ben Chapman on Saturday. General admission is free, and the full lineup can be found here.

Other shows on Friday, August 14:

  • Courtney Barnett at the Ovation (I’ll be at that gig!)
  • The Mountain Goats play the Taft Theatre
  • Aldo Nova at Ludlow
  • Tusk (yes, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band) at Memorial Hall
  • The Funky Ducks at Stanley’s
  • Abby Holiday at Fountain Square
  • Rick Ro$$ plays a post-game show at Great American Ball Park – maybe he can lend some of his $$ to the Reds.

Saturday, August 15 is another busy day for concerts:

  • Chris Smither plays Southgate
  • Todd Rundgren is at the Ovation
  • The Hiders play Carriage House Farm in North Bend
  • Chicago Farmer & the Fieldnotes at the Liberty Theater
  • Todd Lipscomb plays Camp Springs Tavern (I’ll be there!)
  • McGuffey Lane is at the Levitt
  • Ludlow Garage hosts Kashmir (“the spirit of Led Zeppelin live”)
  • Hard Rock Casino has The Concert: a Tribute to ABBA
  • Tracy Walker plays New Riff Distilling
  • Rose Music Center hosts the Totally Tubular Festival featuring Thomas Dolby, A Flock of Seagulls, The Motels, The Producers, Animotion, The Escape Club and Tommy Tutone

Steve Earle plays solo and acoustic at Ludlow Garage on Wednesday, August 19.

On Thursday, August 20, Annie’s has Lettuce (but not the Taylor Farms kind!)

And RiversEdge has Sensamotion, which is (choose all that apply):

  • a reggae band
  • the brand name of a truck stop restroom condom
  • an updated version of the old “Magic Fingers” motel bed massage
  • what 70s disaster movies were filmed in

On Friday, August 21:

  • Wildermiss Young Heirlooms play a freebie at Fountain Square
  • Arts Fishing Club plays a free backyard show in Pleasant Ridge (reserve your spot here)
  • The Temptations and the Four Tops play the Hard Rock Casino
  • Riverbend features TLC and Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue

Shows on Saturday, August 22:

  • Peter Hook (Joy Division, New Order) & the Light at Bogart’s
  • Noah Wotherspoon at the Liberty Theater in Lawrenceburg, IN
  • Tommy Emmanuel plays the Taft
  • Stanley Jordan is at Ludlow Garage
  • Slave (Dayton funk legends) play a freebie at the Levitt
  • The Rose Music Center has the Happy Together Tour 2026 featuring The Association, The Troggs, Jason Scheff (of Chicago), Gary Puckett, The Fortunes, Ron Dante (of The Archies), The Vogues and The Cowsills

Bust out the Aquanet for Mötley Crüe with Tesla and Extreme at Riverbend on Tuesday, August 25.

Shows on Wednesday, August 26:

  • Tedeschi Trucks Band with Alabama Shakes at Riverbend
  • Don Was & the Pan Detroit Ensemble at Ludlow (check out this Broken Record interview with Don Was and you’ll definitely want to attend)
  • David Nail at the Levitt
  • TyeDye at Wunderbar

On Thursday, August 27, Hiroshima plays Ludlow and Levitt has Bad Co. Legacy

The Jayhawks play a free set at Fountain Square on Friday, August 28. I’ll definitely be there!

That same evening:

  • Brothers Osborne play the Rose
  • Knotts have a record release party at the Woodward with Moonbeau
  • Ludlow has Strangelove (a Depeche Mode tribute)

Gigs on Saturday, August 29:

  • Heather Redman & the Reputation at the Liberty Theater
  • Ray’s Music Exchange at the Woodward
  • Noah Smith has an album release show at Radio Artifact
  • Bret Michaels with Great White at the Rose
  • the family-friendly Fountain Square freebie features “Karate Girls”… guess they’ll have to put their clothes on

ZZ Top tops off August with a show at the Fraze on Sunday, August 30.

We love it live!

Good times in July with Death Cab for Cutie/Jay Som at Megacorp – with list members Todd and Regi and Mighty Joe.

The ageless wonder Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets at Memorial Hall – with list member Dan “Reds in ’27” Lewis:

And Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit (not pictured*) at the Rose with list members Whit & Barb (not pictured), Dan Bockrath…

… and Tonya, Arnie, and Angelique:

*Isbell’s show was a “no photos or video” show – I respect that.

Arnie gets special props for adding friends to the distro list for this monthly silliness. Feel free to do the same. And Dan Bockrath offered this pro tip for attending any show that isn’t sold out: look at the seating chart on the day of the show, and any “blue dot” seats = instant free upgrade.

New tunes turn-ons

The Tubs continue their power-pop brilliance. I love them so much!

(List member Ken “Lobby Boy” Laube and I will be road-tripping to see them in Cleveland on 10/19.)

And Wishy also just released another tasty confection.

In memoriam

Bonnie Tyler may be gone, but her literal video will live forever.

On a much more serious note, my heart was filled with joy when Jeff Tweedy gave a shout-out to the late great Jay Bennett during the Billy Bragg/Wilco Mermaid Avenue set at Solid Sound.

The Jay Bennett era of Wilco was the best version of that band, and I will fight anyone who disagrees. Check out the Jay Bennett documentary for a deeper dive.

TicketBastard still sucks

Shameless Self-promotion

Dave Tellmann and I had a great time chatting with John Fox (editor of Cincinnati Magazine, former editor of CityBeat and Everybody’s News) on our 97X “Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast. Check it out here.

Album Covers of the Month

If their priority was looking friggin’ awesome, they can consider that box checked! (Clockwise from top: Kojak’s brother, Tony Orlando, Tim Conway and Michael Gross)

We can’t decide which design element we like more: the pixelated band photo or the illegible font for the band name. Nice work, Mylon. Or is it Mylor? Myloo?

Parting shot

But probably not as much as I regret paying some of my hard-earned Piggly Wiggly bag boy paycheck on a Starship concert back in the early 80s.

2 responses to “Dog days, sweet tunes”

  1. Stu McCulloch Avatar
    Stu McCulloch

    One change and one addition:

    Wildermiss has been replaced by Young Heirlooms on Aug 21.

    Noah Smith has an album release show at Radio Artifact in Aug 29.

    Reply
    1. Damian Avatar
      Damian

      Thanks, I’ve made those edits!

      Reply

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This week (and next week) in Live Music

Concert Listings

Special Double Issue: June 24-July 7

That’s right kids, this go-round you get a “special double issue” because I care so much that I want to give you double the usual content, as a no-cost bonus to you. It’s like two, two, two mints in one!

(This double issue has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I’ll be on vacation next week. I would never, ever, ever prioritize relaxing/drinking on the beach over delivering piping-hot TWILM content.) OK, on with the show(s)!

Hmm, there’s not much live music action in this neck of the woods on Monday or Tuesday… guess this is more like a “special one-and-a-half issue.” But hey, Delta Rae will be at the 20th Century in Oakley on Wednesday.

Thursday, Jimmie Vaughan will be at Memorial Hall, with a full band.

Jimmie is perhaps best known for being a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s older brother/mentor/inspiration, but I always liked this quote about him from his little bro:

“I play probably 80 percent of what I can play.  Jimmie plays one percent of what he knows.  He can play anything.”

— Stevie Ray Vaughan

It should be a Fabulous show (see what I did there?). At last check, only a handful of single seats remained for this gig.

Also on Thursday, John R. Miller and the Engine Lights are at Southgate, Mykal Rose featuring Sly and Robbie will be at the old Annie’s, and Ben Levin Trio is playing Latitudes in Anderson Township, and pimping Ben’s new CD.

Hey, he looks like the kid who lives down the street from me. Wait, he IS the kid who lives down the street from me!

Guided By Voices are playing a sold-out show at the Woodward Theater on Friday evening. Bob Pollard and the boys always put on an entertaining show. Also, in the time it took you to read that last sentence, they released three new albums.

Some other shows of note on Friday:

  • NRBQ is at Southgate
  • Ricky Nye and Chris Douglas are at Wiedemann Brewery & Taproom
  • The Stolen Faces play Stanley’s
  • Ben Levin & Noah Wotherspoon are playing a Cincy Blues Fest fundraiser at Christian Moerlein Taproom
  • The Adjust Your Eyes (AYE) festival kicks off at various Northside venues, and runs through Saturday
  • Ghost Man on Second plays Northside Tavern

Saturday, the fabulous local band Cereal Killers will be playing Mt. Adams Pavilion. I’d totally be there if I weren’t on vacation. Please go in my stead. Also on Saturday:

  • Car Seat Headrest is at Bogart’s
  • Dark Star Orchestra plays Annie’s (OK, Riverfront Live)
  • Stanley’s has the 9th annual Reggae Fest, featuring the Cliftones, Elementree, the Ark Band and more
  • Ray Vietti of the Harmed Brothers plays Camp Springs Tavern. I saw Ray open up for Caroline Spence about a month ago, great stuff.
  • Ben Levin Duo is at Streetside Brewery
  • Styx is playing a sold-out gig at the Rose Music Center. Huber Heights loves their Mr. Roboto almost as much as they love brick homes.

All of those shows are really just appetizers, the main course is a Sunday show: Kidz Bop World Tour at PNC Pavilion!

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are playing Taft that night, too. Good luck trying to compete with Kidz Bop, Banjo Boy!

Well, that does it for this week’s live gigs…

Congratulations, you’ve reached the bonus round! Your reward? Courtney Barnett at Madison Theater on Monday, July 1st.

One of my favorite tunes of the past decade.

Tuesday, July 2nd, the Dave Matthews Band will be at Riverbend. I hate to name drop, but my youngest son went to grade school with the sons of the drum tech for DMB.

On Wednesday, July 3rd, Built to Spill is playing their classic album Keep It Like A Secret in its entirety at Woodward Theater. Crap! I’m missing Cereal Killers, GBV, Courtney Barnett and BTS? Looks like I picked the wrong week to go on vacation.

That same evening, Reel Big Fish and Aquabats are at Bogart’s, and Weird Al is playing the Fraze Pavilion in Dayton.

On Thursday… it’s the Fourth of July!

(The Cereal Killers do a killer version of this fantastic tune too!)

Most bands are taking a well-deserved holiday, so you’ll just have to play your Lee Greenwood albums.

Actually, 500 Miles to Memphis is playing the lawn by the Moerlein Lager House at 5 p.m., and Kansas is playing Red, White and Blue Ash at 8:30… but the band logo in the promo poster makes it hard to figure that out:

Hey, Bob Sumerel is playing!

On Friday 7/5, Ohio Valley Salvage is playing Camp Springs Tavern, Ben Levin and Cheryl Renee are at Wiedemann, and Thunderstruck, the AC/DC tribute, is at Bogart’s.

Broson Arroyo is playing Bogart’s on Saturday, 7/6. No, it’s not a whiffleball game (although that might be pretty cool), he’s playing music. The Tillers are the headliners at the Fountain Square free show, and the indefatigable Ben Levin is playing Lucius Q with 46 Long opening. I hate to name drop, but my oldest son had 50% of 46 Long as his English teacher in middle school.

Speaking of Saturdays, I do want to note the recent passing of guitarist Jeff Walls, of Guadalcanal Diary (and the Woggles). Jeff and his bandmates in Guadalcanal Diary deserved way more recognition and acclaim than they got.

“I do miss that pioneering sense of discovery which animated rock music fans at the dawn of the ‘80s. I don’t think that music carries the same desperate sense of importance with young people today as it did with my generation, or to the generations before me.”

Jeff Walls, from this article: https://creativeloafing.com/content-411337-HIGH-FREQUENCIES-Another-page-from-Guadalcanal-Diary

On Sunday, 7/7, Southgate House is hosting Blues, Brews and BBQ, a family-friendly event from 4-8 p.m. I know what you’re thinking right now: “Is the indefatigable Ben Levin playing?” The answer is “But of course, with Noah Wotherspoon on guitar and King Records legend Philip Paul on drums!”

That’ll do it for this week and next. Have a wonderful holiday!