Hurray for the Riff Raff

Septuneber

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, podcast

Hey, if “classic rock” radio stations can use the terms “Rocktober” and “Rollvember” then the staff at 97Xbam (all one of us) can coin our own phrase for the 9th month of the year.

We hope your Labor Day weekend was gloriously labor-free. Now let’s get back to work on the gigs:

Tonight:

  • Ani DiFranco plays the Taft with Hurray for the Riff Raff opening
  • Woodward Theater has The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis with Touchdown Jesus
  • It’s another Ween Wednesday at The Columbia. Tonight they’ll be spinning the Ween album Quebec

Thursday:

  • Ludlow Garage has the Texas Headhunters feat. Ian Moore, Jesse Dayton, and Johnny Moeller
  • Burning Witches play Madison Live

(Remember that before you burn a witch, you have to make sure she weighs the same as a duck.)

The Whimmydiddle Festival kicks off a two-day stand at RiversEDGE in Hamilton on Friday, with The Devil Makes Three and Town Mountain on the bill. Saturday, Grace Potter headlines with Taylor Hunnicutt and Clay Street Unit.

Other Friday shows:

  • Red Wanting Blue and Justin Wells plays Southgate’s main room
  • Colby T. Helms & the Virginia Creepers play the Southgate Revival Room
  • Electric Cars and Tragic Blonde Weekend are at the Woodward
  • CFG & the Family play the Liberty Theater
  • Miller & Other Sinners do the free gig at the Levitt in Dayton
  • The Redmoor in Mt. Lookout hosts Fleetwood Gold, which is either a Fleetwood Mac tribute band or a classic Cadillac
  • Ludlow Garage has Toast: the Ultimate Bread Tribute

Note: Toast is the Ultimate Tribute to the band Bread, and this is the ultimate tribute to toast:

It should be noted that Ludlow’s Toast is NOT on a stick.

Saturday is jam-packed with gigs:

  • Whimmydiddle Night 2 (Grace Potter, Taylor Hunnicutt and Clay Street Unit in case you’ve already forgotten the info from a couple paragraphs ago… and I get it!)
  • Carriers play a free show at MadTree Oakley, with the Wussy Duo and Lylak also on the bill, starting at 6 p.m.
  • Bonnie Raitt plays the Rose in Dayton, with Jimmie Vaughan & the Tilt-a-Whirl Band opening
  • The War and Treaty play Music Hall
  • The Brooks Werner Band will be at the Liberty Theater
  • Barrington Levy plays Ludlow Garage
  • The Red Clay Strays and The Dip are at the Carol Brady
  • The Redmoor has the Dead Revival Band
  • Dead Centric is at Stanley’s, with I Dig Pig as the opener

Back in high school, I dug the Pig too. My afterschool job was at the Piggly Wiggly in Morrilton, Arkansas.

Morrilton is also home to Petit Jean Meats, makers of a Mock Chicken Loaf.

Was there really a need in the lunch meat category for “mock chicken loaf”…???

Speaking of mockery, The Beach Boys play the Fraze on Sunday.

That same evening, Jerry Cantrell and Filter play Bogart’s, and Southgate House features Renegade: The Songs of Warren Zevon.

Shows this coming Tuesday:

  • Bob Mould does his solo electric thing at Memorial Hall, with J. Robbins
  • Bogart’s has the Yacht Rock Revue
  • Katie Pruitt and Jess Nolan play Southgate’s Sanctuary
  • Upstairs in the Southgate Revival Room, it’s Thelma and the Sleaze with Leggy

Shows next Wednesday, the 10th of Septuneber (yes, I’m sticking with it until it sticks):

  • Leon Bridges and Charley Crockett (“The Crooner and the Cowboy”) play the outdoor stage at the Marsha Brady*
  • Soccer Mommy is at Bogart’s
  • Chevelle plays the PNC Pavilion
  • AJ Lee & Blue Summit (California bluegrass) at Southgate in the Revival Room
  • Skerryvore (Scottish music) plays Ludlow Garage

*we chose Marsha for the outdoor stage because it always reminds us of this classic outdoor clip:

Shows on Thursday, Septuneber 11:

  • Gangstagrass plays Ludlow Garage
  • Scotty Bratcher and Johnny Mullenax play a free show at RiversEDGE
  • Liberty Theater has a free Songwriters in the Round show with Ryan Moore, Dave Lacey, and TC Eckstein
  • Erin Viancourt (country music… from Cleveland!) and Andrew Hibbard are at Southgate
  • Little Big Town plays Riverbend with Wynonna Judd and Shelby Lynne

(Morrilton, Arkansas is a Little Big Town, because it has a population of 6,992 yet it still has the temerity to mock chicken.)

Friday, Sept. (up to you whether it’s an abbreviation for September or Septuneber) 12:

  • James McMurtry and his band play the Woodward, with Betty Soo opening (I’ll be at that gig)
  • Bonnie Raitt and Jimmie Vaughan circle back to the area to play the Greg Brady
  • The Doobie Brothers and the Coral Reefer Band play Riverbend
  • Carson Lowe & Kayla Rose with Harley Day at the Liberty Theater
  • Poppy plays Bogart’s with MSPaint
  • Southgate House has Back to Mac, which is either a tribute to Fleetwood Mac or Mac Davis (Mac D. had the better perm back in the day)

Shows on Saturday, September (I give up) 13:

  • Momma plays the Woodward, with Villagerrr (not a typo) – I’ll be there!
  • Conan Gray is at Riverbend
  • The Liberty Theater in Lawrenceburg, Indiana has an improv comedy show (featuring one of my co-workers in the troupe called Crash Course)

Tuesday, September 16:

  • “Weird Al” Yankovic and Puddles Pity Party are at the Ovation in Newport
  • Todd Lipscomb plays Arnold’s
  • The Close Trio and Jonathan Cody White play a Downtowne Listening Room show at the Historic Boone County Courthouse
  • blink-182 is at Riverbend – this was their finest hour:

We love it live!

I think we had a record number of folks cash in their “free beer” coupon at the last Cereal Killers show at Big Ash. Which was great. But the tunes from Cereal Killers were even greater.

Dave T. and I also attended a joyful house show featuring Jay and Tim from Too Much Joy — now in the band Wonderlick — in Hamilton.

(Tim and Jay might be coming soon to a podcast near you… )

Speaking o’ podcasts

The Kelce Bros and T-Swift…

… are no match for the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” Bros and Julie Maxwell.

Tune in via the link below.

The “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast is back, baby!

Maine gets it

Saw this posted on a shop window in Portland and fell even more in love with Maine:

It’s a New Tunes Bonanza!

Uh, that’s not what I had in mind. (But I still love you, Hoss!) I was referring to the new releases from Superchunk (below), Kathleen Edwards, and The Beths. Put yer ears on ’em!

Reason #2,327,097 why I love Chuck Cleaver

This exchange between Dave Tellmann and Chuck on FB was pure gold!

Akron rules!

Album (and 45 rpm) Covers of the Week(s)

The Bonanza cover above was a bonus. But here’s the back cover, so you can see an action photo of Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Pernell Roberts contributing those sweet vocal harmonies to mix:

Spoiler alert: It involves booze. Thomas returned to the Hotel Chelsea, declaring, “I’ve had eighteen straight whiskeys. I think that’s the record!” Which means the record above is a record of the record.

The 80s sure were a different time.

No Bummer Summer

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music, podcast

We have so much for be grateful for this summer, especially if our cars don’t have vinyl seats.

Let’s peel our butts off our chairs and head to some concerts, shall we?

Tuesday:

  • Band of Horses plays Bogart’s (I’ll be there with list members Deuce and Matt V.). Maybe I’ll run into BoH drummer Creighton again like I did outside the Ryman in Nashville in 2013.
  • Former Tom Petty Heartbreaker Mike Campbell and his band The Dirty Knobs play the Taft
  • Old Crow Medicine Show is at the Rose in Dayton, with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway also on the bill

Norah Jones plays the Rose on Wednesday.

Thursday gigs:

  • The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band and The Tillers play Memorial Hall
  • Sungaze and Sylmar will be “Rockin’ the Roebling” at Smale Park
  • Blueswoman Lauren Anderson plays a free show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
  • The Artimus Pyle Band (“honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd”) plays Ludlow Garage

Whoops, wrong Pyle.

On Friday, Arlo McKinley will headline the “Indie Friday” free show at Fountain Square. And Tye Dye Band (featuring list member John Sandman) will play Carriage House Farms.

Other Friday night gigs:

  • Riverbend hosts a tribute to Planes, Trains and Automobiles…

OK, actually it’s Boats (Yacht Rock Revue), Train (the band) and Automobiles (REO Speedwagon).

  • Old Crow Medicine Show will be roosting at the Cindy Brady, with the Del McCoury Band – Tiger better behave himself!
  • Whiskey Myers plays the Rose, with Whitey Morgan & the 78s and Reid Houghton
  • The Samples play Ludlow Garage

Whoops, wrong Samples. Wrong band too!

On Saturday, there are two festivals of note(s):

Or you can head to the Madison Theater to catch Genesis ReTouched – a Cincy band that claims “our live shows capture the aural and visual essence of Genesis between the mid 80’s and late 2000’s.” So go to the (Tony) Banks to get money for tickets, then treat yourself to a Tom Collins at the show while the ersatz Phil Collins steps up to the Mike (Rutherford). Gotta be better than the other Genesis gig in the area:

Next Sunday (7/14):

  • Lake Street Dive plays the Bobby Brady, with The Lemon Twigs as the opener
  • Southgate House hosts The Good People Festival, a benefit for the Incubator Kitchen Collective. Featured acts include: The Local Honeys, Maria Carrelli, Ben Knight & David Faul, Stephen J Williams & The 1865, Ray Vietti, Tinfoil Hat Cowboys, Chelsea Ford, and Adam Lee
  • And Ludlow Garage has the “We Love Zappa” tour:

On Monday, 7/15, Hurray for the Riff Raff will play the Woodward, with Hannah Frances. I’ll be there… mostly because I’m riffraff, but also because the last H4TRR show at the Woodward gave me all the feels.

Musiq Soulchild kicks off a three-night residency at the Ludlow Garage on Tuesday, 7/16.

On Wednesday, 7/17, The Tillers play a free show at the Delhi Park Pavilion, and The SunBurners do the freebie at Burnet Woods. Both shows start at 7 p.m. (although Delhi is so far west that it might be on Central Time).

Jon Spencer plays MOTR on Thursday, 7/18, with IdleAires opening the 8 p.m. show, which, in a concession to the average age of Jon Spencer fans, will offer some seated tickets.

That evening (7/18) also features an overwhelming slate of free shows:

  • Erin Coburn plays Smale
  • Carriers play Washington Park
  • Buffalo Nichols (blues) at Levitt in Dayton
  • RiversEDGE in Hamilton has Foreigner’s Journey with Draven & the Ravens
  • Lawrenceburg Civic Park hosts Gone 2 Paradise: the Ultimate Jimmy Buffett Tribute
  • Fairfield Village Green features The Eagles Project
  • Marsha Brady (the band) plays the Marsha Brady Ault Park

On Friday, 7/19, Aaron Lee Tasjan headlines the Indie Friday show at Fountain Square. I’ll be there, and you should go too!

“My most effective tool in sharing my music and live performances with new listeners is word of mouth, and you can do so much to support me when you invite people into this lovely little world we’ve built and continue to build.”

Aaron Lee Tasjan

That same evening:

  • Torres plays the Woodward
  • moe. plays the Rose in Dayton, with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
  • Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire play Riverbend
  • Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience will play for free at Levitt in Dayton
  • Ludlow Garage has Adrenalize: the Ultimate Def Leppard Experience
  • If you want to catch the band X on their farewell tour, they’ll be at their closest stop to the Tri-state: The Vogue in Indy. Here’s a tune from their new album, out 8/2:

Acoustic Alchemy plays the Ludlow Garage on Saturday, 7/20, and Rick Springfield and Richard Marx play the Fraze in Dayton.

That ageless cat Al Stewart plays Ludlow Garage on Sunday, 7/21 and MOTR hosts Thelma & The Sleaze.

Monday, 7/22, PNC Pavilion hosts Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival, with blues stars Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward and Jackie Venson on the bill. (In case you were wondering, “S.E.R.P.E.N.T. is an anagram that stands for Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance.” And now you know. Quiz next week.)

The Best Sibling Duo from Dayton ain’t the Wright Brothers

Orville and Wilbur are no match for Kim and Kelley Deal. A Breeders show at the Henry Miller Library near Big Sur got rained out last fall, so they played an impromptu stripped-down gig among the redwoods. Gorgeous!

It’s always a treat to feel the Heat

The Reverend Horton Heat put on a spectacular (free) show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton on 6/22 (wrapping up their encore with a killer version of Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades.”) List members Dave Tellmann, El Blanco, Michael T. and I were there, along with list member Gene “The Photo Machine” Dow, who snapped these stellar shots:

You can check out more of Gene’s photos from the show here, and view more from his portfolio here. Gene’s available for weddings, senior photos, and general lifestyle photography, yet he refused to do a bit of boudoir photography for me. I can’t imagine why not.

Valley Heat is a treat too!

I know I’ve sung the praises of the Valley Heat podcast before. It’s the aural equivalent of Fernwood 2 Night meets Arrested Development. Hilarious. In the clip below, the host Doug sings the praises of the lowly 8-track, while also pointing out the challenges of playing an LP … and taking a few spot-on shots at vinyl snobs.

I missed the hottest heat

List member Mighty Joe Sampson pointed out a glaring omission from last week’s heat-related visuals:

Jesse is a friend, with some really cool friends

In December, Jesse Malin will be back on stage for the first time since his spinal stroke in May of ’23. And he has an all-star cast joining him for two benefit shows (read more on Relix). The first gig on 12/1 sold out quickly; the 12/2 show still has a few tickets left.

Life imitates Art (but not Art Garfunkel)

Album Cover of the Week(s) – Retail Nostalgia Edition

Why yes, that is Bonnie Raitt’s dad John Raitt in the middle… and yes, that’s a Record Theatre 4.99 sticker too!

This band is as-advertised… they look pretty plain to me. And yes, that’s a Swallen’s sticker! Maybe this album was free with the purchase of any white appliance.