Lucinda Williams

I like American Music

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Do you like American music?
I like American music
Don’t you like American music, baby?…

… I like all kinds of music.

Well, actually not Swedish death metal. And not bro country – other than this brilliant tune:

I also like Kiwi music. Uh, not this kind:

But this kind:

That’s Jonathan, Ben, Liz, and Tristan of the New Zealand band The Beths. They’re fantastic, and so fun live. Which is why I’m super-pumped to see them with Spoon and Squirrel Flower tomorrow at Ovation in Newport.

If you’re in town, you should be there too! But you’re probably in D.C. at the the Great American Pork Festival State Fair. Looks like a sold-out rager:

I heard they were out of both ice cream and Vanilla Ice. But I’m sure they have plenty of deep fried algae on a stick!

Here’s hoping you’ll be back in time for the July gigs – let’s take a lookie-lou at the listy-list.

The first day of the July is also the first Wednesday of the month, which means it’s Ween Wednesday at the Columbia in the East End. 7-9 p.m. BYOB.

Oh, and Noah Kahan is playing a sold-out gig at Great American Ball Park.

On Thursday:

  • Noah Wotherspoon plays the “Rockin’ the Roebling” freebie on the lawn by the Cincinnati Lager House (formerly Moerlein)
  • Ernie Johnson from Detroit plays a freebie at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
  • The Summit, Electric Indigo and Hey Dreamer play Southgate

Friday:

  • River Shook (who used to go by the name Sarah Shook) plays Southgate
  • The Funky Ducks play MOTR with Dilly & the Doves and Fish and Wildlife Service (a John Ruthven triple bill!)
  • Ludlow Garage has the Artimus Pyle Band “honoring Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd” (if they really wanted to honor that band, they’d give it a rest)

On Saturday, we celebrate 250 years of independence.

And what better way to honor America and celebrate the Spirit of (19)76 than to exercise our right* to see a KISS tribute band (Mr. Speed) for free at RiversEdge in a city named after a hit musical (Hamilton)!

*2nd amendment original text: A well regulated KISS Army, being necessary to the rocking of the hottest band in the land, the right of the people to keep and bear love guns shall not be infringed.

Keep rockin’ the 250th, ‘merica! Here’s hoping we make it to 251 years. And here’s hoping you make it to July 5 with all your fingers intact.

The fittingly named American Aquarium wraps up a big ol’ USA weekend at Ludlow Garage on Sunday, July 5.

On Tuesday, July 7, Buju Banton & Stephen Marley bring their Roots and Rhymes Tour to the old Annie’s.

Shows on Wednesday, July 8:

  • Jack Johnson with Hermanos Guitierrez at Riverbend
  • TyeDye plays Arnold’s (6-8p)
  • Toast (the best of Bread) at Ludlow Garage

(Why doesn’t anyone eat toast that has an image of Jesus on it? I’ll bet it tastes divine!… I’ll see myself out.)

Hey, hey, he’s the only surviving Monkee – Mickey Dolenz plays the Fraze on Thursday July 9. Other shows that evening include these freebies:

  • Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears at the Levitt
  • The Newbees at Behringer-Crawford Museum
  • RiversEdge has Lamont Landers, plus Ernie Johnson from Detroit.

Personally, we prefer 70s TV Lamont.

But that Lamont always got upstaged by Fred.

There are tons o’ shows on Friday July 10:

  • Bob Dylan plays the PNC Pavilion with Lucinda Williams and the John Doe Folk Trio
  • Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ with Laid Back Country Picker at Ludlow Garage
  • Steep Canyon Rangers play a freebie at the Levitt in Dayton
  • The Chris Comer Trio plays Juniper’s Gin Bar in Covington (8-11pm)
  • In the Pines headlines the Inhailer Radio “513 Airwaves” show on Fountain Square
  • Taft has The Ultimate Tribute to the Bee Gees
  • Memorial Hall has Awaken: the music of Yes
  • Organized Gentlemen at Harmony Hill Vineyards
  • “Listening Factory” at Factory 52 features 3 “next gen” writers: Abigail Horan, Dixie Nash, and Kamdyn Metcalf
  • Moose Miller plays a house concert in Pleasant Ridge. It’s free, but you need to RSVP here.

Moose is a great name, btw! My dad loved telling me baseball stories that involved this Moose:

Let’s also pause for a moment to appreciate the fact that Bob Dylan (age 85), Lucinda Williams (73), and John Doe (also 73) are still doing their thing. Here’s Lu in a Paste Magazine interview talking about the songs on her new album:

It’s just… things are crappy and shitty right now. So, I wrote some songs about it. I have to admit: I do like pushing people’s buttons. I want to wake them up. People need to get mad and say, “Come on, let’s do something!” There’s always some decision you can make—something you can do to make a difference. 

Amen, sister!

Shows on Saturday, July 11:

  • Muse at Riverbend
  • Hot Magnolias headline the free show on Fountain Square
  • Sabbath Knights (featuring Vinny Appice) play Sabbath and Dio at the old Annie’s
  • The Filthy Heathens and The Damn Shames at the Liberty Theatre in Lawrenceburg, IN

The band name Filthy Heathens conjures up some Sanford & Son memories too!

Follow the flaming arrow to the Rose Music Center on Sunday, July 12 to catch Ted Nugent. But you’d better bring some Wang Dang Sweet… Dorothy Lane Market Killer Brownies?

Tuesday, July 14 might have you on the horns of an indie rock dilemma:

  • Death Cab for Cutie plays the Ovation with Jay Som as the opener
  • The Strokes play Riverbend

(I chose Horn #1: I’ll be at the Death Cab/Jay Som show.)

The Funky Ducks continue their run of shows with other animal bands, playing Stanley’s Pub with Interprid Cat on Wednesday, July 15.

Shows on Thursday, July 16:

  • Lyle Lovett and his Small Large Band are at the Taft (Lyle certainly can have an oxymoronic Small Large Band if our country can have an oxymoronic/moronic Department of Government Efficiency)
  • Sun Kil Moon plays Ludlow Garage
  • Memorial Hall hosts Back to Black, the music of Amy Winehouse
  • The Turkeys play the Behringer-Crawford Museum freebie
  • The Rose Music Center has a “Wow, they’re still together?” quadruple bill with Jefferson Starship, The Atlanta Rhythm Section, Firefall, and Orleans
  • Save your cash and head to the Levitt Pavilion free show in downtown Dayton for some killer blues from Larry McCray – he’s from Magnolia, Arkansas

Arkansas fun facts from a kid who grew up there (and rarely uses “Arkansas” and “fun” in the same phrase)

Magnolia, Arkansas is the home of Southern Arkansas University, whose mascot is the Muleriders.

Souther Arkansas Logo

They’re in the same conference as the University of Arkansas-Monticello. Their mascot is the Boll Weevils.

Next month: the Arkansas Tech University nickname for both the men’s and women’s athletic teams.

Plenty of shows on Friday, July 17 as well:

  • Trampled by Turtles at the Rose
  • Eddie 9V and Johnny Mullinax play a free show at RiversEdge
  • Ludlow Garage has Richie Furay
  • Levitt Pavilion features the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band(J2B2)
  • Vince Gill plays the Taft
  • Victor Jones tops the Inhailer Fountain Square bill, with Dearest and Horsesitter
  • Matthew Shelton has an album release show at the Woodward
  • Wilco plays an outdoor show at the Burl in Lexington

On Saturday, July 18, Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets play Memorial Hall. I’ll be at that show with list members Dan “Reds in 2027!” Lewis and Bruce F.

That same evening, Benson Boone will backflip his way into the Coliseum. And Bogarts has Smells like Nirvana… which is either a tribute band or a musty flannel shirt.

Gigs on Sunday, July 19:

  • John Mellencamp brings his Greatest Hits tour to Riverbend
  • The Fabulous Thunderbirds play Ludlow Garage
  • Young Heirlooms and Weedbloom play Westwood Town Hall
  • Harry Connick Jr. croons at the Fraze Pavilion
  • Pablo Cruise cruises into Memorial Hall

If you go to the Pablo Cruise show, be sure to get the t-shirt!

On Tuesday, July 21, Sarah McLaughlin plays the PNC Pavilion with Allison Russell, and Jason Newstead & the Chophouse Band are at Southgate.

On Wednesday, July 22, the Woodward Theater hosts “Korean rock girl band” Rolling Quartz. Here’s their promo photo:

Looks like a mashup of the Village People and one of those local theater murder mystery shows.

David Shaw’s Big River Get Down kicks off on Thursday, July 23 and runs through Saturday, July 25. Headliners include David’s band The Revivalists (Saturday) as well as Band Of Horses and JJ Grey & Mofro (Friday). Full lineup is here.

Other shows on Thursday the 23rd include Brit Floyd at PNC Pavilion, Keiko Matsui at Ludlow Garage, and Bleed the Freak (Alice in Chains tribute band) at the Woodward.

Friday, July 24:

  • Brit Floyd rolls up the road to the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights
  • Liberty Theater has Baywater Call with the Austin Tyler Lee Band
  • The Filthy Heathens are back (don’t tell Aunt Esther!) opening for Them Dirty Roses at the old Annie’s

Shows on Saturday, July 25:

  • Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play the Rose Music Center. My lovely bride and I will be there, much to the dismay of our oldest son…
  • The Collies (the band that our oldest son plays in) will be at Anderson Township Pub
  • Sungaze plays the Liberty Theatre with opener Phanta
  • Stewart Copeland is at the Ludlow Garage. But I don’t think he’ll be pounding the skins. It’s a spoken word tour called “Have I Said Too Much? The Police, Hollywood and Other Adventures”

Anne Bangert, Chris Damele, and Tim Brownlee play Northside Tavern on Sunday, July 26.

On Tuesday, July 28, The Magic Tuber Stringband plays the Woodward Theater with Mavis Guitar (feat. Travis from Wussy) as the opener. I miss the magic tubers of my youth.

That same evening:

  • Hilary Duff plays a sold-out show at Riverbend – don’t ask me why it’s sold out, I have no idea. Is she a TikTok thing now?
  • Graham Nash plays the Madison Theater… oh wait, no he doesn’t. The Madison Theater was abruptly shuttered a couple of weeks ago. But there’s some hope that it may reopen under new management.

In the interim, refunds are being issued for all shows.

On Wednesday, July 29:

  • Train, Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson play Riverbend
  • Nektar plays Ludlow Garage
  • Shallow Side, 3 Years Hollow, Trackside and Gravel Switch rock the old Annie’s
  • TyeDye Band does their monthly Final Wednesday show at Wunderbar in Covington

Pure Prairie League is at Ludlow Garage on Thursday, July 30.

“Pure Prairie League” also would be a great name for the official fan club for this show:

And the month wraps up with these Friday, July 31 gigs:

  • Adam Wayne Gilliam Band with Van Winkle and Jeremy Gilliam of Grand Dorado at the Liberty Theatre
  • Marshmello DJs a postgame show at Great American Ball Park

Let’s sneak a peek into August, shall we? On Saturday, August 1:

  • The Levitt Pavilion has a free Rock Fest and the headliner is Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys
  • Chris Stapleton plays Paul Brown Stadium
  • Yonder Mountain String Band and East Nash Grass are at the old Annie’s
  • Evanescence plays Riverbend
  • Ludlow Garage has “Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience” (Neverland sleepovers sold separately)

We love it live!

Robyn Hitchcock with a full band (other than the encore when he went through the crowd strumming his acoustic guitar and leading us all in a rousing “Waterloo Sunset” singalong) was tons of fun at Southgate. (It was especially cool to see Lisa from Wussy in the audience joining the singalong.) Robyn’s wife Emma Swift opened and joined him and the band on a few tunes too.

Tommy Stinson didn’t draw much of a crowd at the Woodward on a Tuesday, but he rocked the house (along with Karla Rose and Tim Schweiger & the Middlemen).

The dude’s a pro’s pro (he’s only been playing live for about 46 of his 59 years) and a good time was had by all – none more so than list member Dave Lenehan’s son Paul (named after Tommy’s Replacements pal Paul Westerberg):

I was back at the Woodward a night later, to see James McMurtry and his band, along with Bettie Soo. Hat tip to Jon Calderas for the ticket – you can see Jon’s photos of the show for CincyMusic here.

The Cereal Killers gig at Big Ash was a blast! They’re a real-life version of a 97X playlist (only hairier).

Speaking of long list radio stations, the 97X “Back to the Future of Rock and Roll” fundraiser for the Butler County Historical Society this past Saturday was a home run. It’s truly heartwarming to hear folks talk about what that station meant to them. And it’s always a treat to see some of the ol’ 97X gang.

(Jen Dalton and I were the eye candy, obvi.)

Shout out to John Kiesewetter for the nice article on WVXU’s website, as well as Eric Schwartzberg for his piece in the Journal-News, and of course Jen Dalton (former 97X student co-producer) for interviewing Bake and helping us class up the event.

We have fewer places to love it live

In addition to the aforementioned Madison Theater shutdown, Dayton’s Yellow Cab Tavern announced that they’ll be closing their doors for good on October 31.

New tunes Monday

The Tubs, my favorite Welsh performers (apologies to Tom Jones) have signed with Merge Records, the label co-founded by Mac and Laura from Superchunk. It’s a match made in indie rock heaven. (And I’ve known about it since I saw The Tubs in Detroit last September and happened to be wearing my Merge Records t-shirt – Tubs drummer Taylor mentioned they’d just signed with them.) Now The Tubs have a new single out, with a tour in the offing for the fall. (Looks like I’ll be roadtripping to Cleveland again.)

Finding their way (without Neil)

From all reports (including here and here) Rush is crushing it on their new tour, with new drummer Anika Nilles more than holding her own in a very unenviable role.

I’m excited to see Anika with Geddy and Alex. And she’s excited to be playing with them — not just because they’re rock gods but also because of this:

Mailbag

I’m very tardy with this response about first concerts from list member Todd Butler:

First concert is a great icebreaker for any group including this one. I think I was 7-8 when my sister took me to a triple bill at Blossom Music Center 1974-5?

  • John Sebastian of Welcome Back Kotter fame
  • Firefall
  • Seals & Crofts (“Summer breeze“)

Firefall softrocked and I was hooked on live music from then on!

Maybe The Beths will do a cover of Firefall’s “You are the Woman” when we’re at the show tomorrow night, Todd!

Album Covers of the Month

Hey kid, be careful if he asks to “play your kazoo.”

The Royal Palace Beefeaters have gotten really lax with their dress code. .

These dudes all went to the same barber and said “Give me the Wolfman Jack.”

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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Step out… to a concert!

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

We hear the CEO of Astronomer is a big fan of stepping out to see Coldplay in concert.

Uh, make that the former CEO of Astronomer.

Let that be a lesson to you: if you’re gonna be on a kiss cam, make sure you’re in full KISS makeup!

Let’s turn our attention to the state of affairs in concerts, instead of affairs AT concerts.

Tonight, Beck plays PNC Pavilion with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Molly Lewis — a whistler! — is the opener.

Tuesday shows really run the gamut. You’ve got Mavis Staples (Memorial Hall), The Crane Wives (Bogart’s) and Pantera (Riverbend).

Thursday is action-packed:

  • Silverada (formerly Mike & the Moonpies) at Southgate
  • Ben Turner and TyeDye (featuring list member John Sandman) play the free “Roots Revival” show at Washington Park – I’ll be at that gig
  • RiversEDGE in Hamilton has Jeremie Albino and CFG & the Family for free
  • Silversun Pickups play the Burl in Lexington
  • The Cincinnati Music Festival kicks off with a celebration of Hip Hop at the Carol Brady (Scarface, Goodie Mob, Sugarhill Gang with the Furious Five, and Young MC)
  • The Village People hit Ludlow Garage

Breaking news, the Village People gig has been cancelled. Guess they’re too old to tour anymore.

Friday shows:

  • Dinosaur Jr., Snail Mail and Easy Action play the Jan Brady (I’ll be there!)
  • Rick Wakeman (keyboard wizard for Yes) plays Ludlow Garage
  • The Offspring will be at Riverbend with Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory
  • The Cincinnati Music Festival moves to Please Pay Trey Hendrickson Stadium, with Earth, Wind & Fire headlining
  • Punkadelick and Us, Today play Northside Tavern
  • Goldpine and The Burney Sisters are at Southgate in the Revival Room
  • Coastal Club plays MadTree’s Pop-up Christmas Party in their Oakley taproom/dog kennel

More breaking news: the Rick Wakeman show has been postponed. He must’ve sprained his ankle playing pickleball with the Retirement Village People.

On Saturday:

  • Sami Riggs has an EP release show at Southgate, with Coy Comer, The Laurelys, and Veronica Grim also on the bill
  • LL Cool J tops the CMF lineup
  • The Rose Music Center in Huber Heights features Bachman-Turner Overdrive with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship
  • School of Rock Cincinnati plays a free show to wrap up the Glendale Summer Concert Series.

Peter Mayer plays Southgate on Sunday, July 27.

If you’re up for a road trip, Ducks Ltd. play the Rumba Café in Columbus next Monday.

On Tuesday, July 29, Cyndi Lauper plays Riverbend, and Todd Lipscomb hosts the open mic session at MOTR pub.

On Wednesday, July 30, you’re in for a surprise… a Rainbow Kitten Surprise. They play an outdoor show at the Ovation in Newport.

Next Thursday, July 31, there are a trio of free shows on the docket:

  • Sonya Moomaw and Bedel & Hibbard play the freebie at Washington Park
  • Ace Monroe plays the Levitt in Dayton
  • Queen Legacy (a Queen tribute band) plays RiversEDGE in Hamilton, with The Wonderlands opening

And Sheila E. kicks off a two-night stand at Ludlow Garage (the Friday show is sold-out)

On Friday, August 1, the On Point Music Festival kicks off a two-day run at Sawyer Point, with a boatload of local bands. Here’s the full lineup:

Other 8/1 shows:

  • of Montreal plays the Woodward
  • Ovation has John Lodge of The Moody Blues (“John Lodge” would be a great name for the communal restrooms at a KOA campground)
  • Sheila E. is back in the Garage
  • The Harmed Brothers play Southgate’s Revival Room with Sug Daniels and The Pinkerton Raid (the leader of Pinkerton Raid is a friend of list member Chuck W.
  • Blueprint plays a freebie at the Levitt in Dayton
  • Jim Trace & the Makers play at Arnold’s
  • One of the 5,827 country artists named “Luke” plays Riverbend

On Saturday, August 2, The Collies (a.k.a. the band my son Gabriel is in) play the patio at Anderson Township Pub.

Stop by, say hi, listen to some rock covers and a few originals. First beer’s on me!

Other 8/2 shows:

  • The On Point Music Festival continues at Sawyer Point
  • MOTR has Saving Escape, Mosant, and Satellite Dog
  • April Wine, Molly Hatchet, and Sweet play the Rose
  • If you prefer savory to Sweet, Dayton still has you covered: Fraze Pavilion hosts Bacon Fest!
  • If you prefer blues to bacon, Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion has Chambers DesLauriers with Heather Redman & the Reputation

On Sunday, August 3, you don’t need a time machine…

… you just need a ticket to one of these throwback shows:

  • Macy Gray is at the Ludlow Garage
  • Air Supply celebrates 50 years of soft rockin’ your face off at the Rose
  • Toto, Christopher Cross, and Men at Work play Riverbend

Seeing Toto and Christopher Cross on the Riverbend bill reminds me that I need to remind you to watch ALL of the Yacht Rock spoofs. But Toto and CC figure prominently in this one:

More time machine tunes are sailing into the Rose on Tuesday, August 5 – this time it’s the 90s, with Toad the Wet Sprocket, Semisonic, and Sixpence None the Richer.

We love it live!

Great show from Father John Misty, Lucinda Williams, and Hamilton Leithauser at the Bobby Brady last week (with list member “Rico”). Lu is one of my all-time faves, and while the stroke she had a few years ago has slowed her down, she’s still out there rockin’ in the free world, and her voice is still amazing.

Another road dog, Chuck Prophet, put on a fantastic (and totally free) show at the Levitt with his Cumbia Shoes band on Thursday. List members Kevin S. and Geoff S. were in the house (we should’ve carpooled!).

Keep that Ford Econoline going, Chuck!

We’re talking Honky Tonkin’!

List member Eric Weltner has a new movie premiering at the Southgate House on August 23. And because the movie is about Honky Tonkin’, there will be some lively live music too!

The official movie trailer is below, you can learn more about the project on Facebook here, and you can get tickets to the flick/gig here.

River Roots: it’s “Sweater” weather

The old “Tall Stacks” is sorta-kinda back – it’s now called “America’s River Roots Festival.” The musical headliners for Oct. 10, 11, and 12 are Mt. Joy, Weezer, and Maren Morris, respectively, and the full lineup is here. It’s not quite up to the level of some of the old Tall Stacks lineups, which were killer.

Shameless self-promotion (while also promoting reading)

In addition to my day job (trying to make corporate communications slightly less boring – wish me luck!) and my second job (playing pickleball) and my third job (whatever this music blog/newsletter thingy is…), I sometimes manage to carve out a bit of time to do something productive. In this case, it’s a story in the July issue of Cincinnati Magazine about Freekbass.

Check it out! Cincinnati Magazine‘s July issue is on sale now wherever fine periodicals are sold. But list member John Fox (editor of the aforementioned Cincinnati Magazine) and I both think you should subscribe. Come for the Chicken Parm, stay for the Freekbass.

I even got a byline on the cover. This is the sort of spontaneous publicity — your name in print — that makes people!

Tell a buddy, bring a friend

A tip o’ the cap to list members Dan Bockrath and Geoff “Swine Dawg” Schwein (who makes the world’s best spicy pretzels… I can hook you up if you want proof!) for sharing the music list love with some friends who have subscribed (against their better judgment, no doubt). If you know someone who enjoys haphazard lists of local concerts, delivered sporadically, in a difficult-to-follow “format”, then by all means send them my way! Maybe I can eventually monetize this mess and sell some ads, like this one:

“Talented musician”… we all know it’s former REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty.

Guess he had to settle for the first two items on his list, as he never found “music innovations.”

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

(Photo taken in Newport Beach, California by Neal Doughty talented musician)

I have no idea what’s going on in this album cover photo, but I know a talented musician who wants in on the action.

Declare your Indie-dependence!

97X, Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Four score and seven years ago… Keith Richards celebrated his 50th birthday.

As you celebrate the 4th of July this weekend, don’t forget to pay tribute to our founding fathers.

And remember the words upon which our great nation was founded:

We the Party People, in order to form a more perfect Union, insure domestic tranquility*, and promote the local music scene, do ordain and establish this list of concerts…

*except when the missus gets mad because we go to too many shows

Tonight:

  • Ween Wednesday at The Columbia (4311 Eastern Ave. – between Streetside and Terry’s Turf Club) will be spinning White Pepper
  • Greensky Bluegrass at the Rose in Dayton
  • Manchester Orchestra at the Burl in Lexington

On Thursday, the Northside Rock & Roll Carnival kicks off:

The full band schedule is here.

Other Thursday shows:

  • Rachel Mousie and The Montvales play the free Roots Revival gig at Washington Park
  • Mason’s “Red, Rhythm & Boom” (awful name!) has Better than Ezra and Tonic
  • Coral Moons and Pitts & the Vipers play a freebie at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton

Hearing the name “Better than Ezra” always reminds me of one of my favorite Norm MacDonald lines from SNL:

Friday… hey, baby, it’s the Fourth of July!

And remember:

Independence Day shows (most of which are free, because so is our country… for now):

  • Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top headlines the Red, White & Blue Ash freebie
  • the Danny Frazier Band plays the Newport Blast
  • RiversEDGE has That Arena Rock Show with Dangerous Jim & the Slims
  • the Levitt in Dayton features The Scotty Bratcher Band
  • Stanley’s Pub has the Dead tribute band Graciously Departed ($10… that gives me the U.S. Blues)

If the ‘splosions aren’t still ringing in your head on Saturday, you can check out Sinkane at the Levitt, or Sonny Moorman playing the free concert series in Glendale.

Sunday Funday shows:

  • Steve Earle: Solo & Acoustic at Ludlow Garage
  • Robin Trower plays the Taft
  • Chicago is at the Rose
  • “Weird Al” Yankovic plays a sold-out show at the Fraze

(If you’ve yet to watch the Weird Al “biopic” you really should check it out.)

Shows on Tuesday:

  • Todd Rundgren plays the Mike Brady
  • The Lumineers and Hippo Campus are at Riverbend

Next Wednesday, Aldo Nova plays Ludlow Garage, and Ben Levin plays the free “Fountain Blues” series at Fountain Square

On Thursday, July 10, Maria Carelli and Megan Bee play the Washington Park freebie, and John “Papa” Gros plays the Levitt.

Friday, July 11 is jam-packed with jams:

  • Iron & Wine and I’m with Her play the Taft
  • Indigo De Souza plays the Woodward
  • Dumpstaphunk, Headhunters, Ernie Johnson from Detroit, and Matt Waters play the old Annie’s
  • The Staleys play Ludlow Garage
  • Yam Yam and Empire Pool are at the Levitt
  • Sylmar, Moontype, and Brianna Kelly play MOTR
  • Whiskey Daredevils and Veronica Grim play Southgate’s Revival Room
  • Moonshine Drive and The Foles play Sawyer Point
  • The Menus play the Fraze
  • Sam Bush is at The Burl in Lexington
  • Paul McDonald plays RiversEDGE in Hamilton, with Bee Taylor* opening

*it’s not Aunt Bea from Mayberry… we checked!

The (90s) hits just keep on coming on Saturday, July 12, as Blues Traveler, the Gin Blossoms, AND Spin Doctors play the Rose.

Other shows that evening include:

  • The Swell Season at the Taft
  • A “Christmas in July” show featuring Jake Speed & the Freddies and The Turkeys duo at the Falcon Theater in Newport. Request tickets to this Downtowne Listening Room show here.
  • Electric Citizen has an album release show at Northside Tavern
  • Davina & the Vagabonds at the Levitt
  • Wiz Khalifa headlines a Riverbend show, with Sean Paul, DaBaby, Chevy Woods and more.

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony play the Hard Rock Casino’s lawn on Sunday, July 13, with the Ying Yang Twins.

On Tuesday, July 15:

  • Father John Misty plays the Carol Brady, with Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen) and Lucinda Williams (the best!) also on the bill.
  • The Budos Band and Benny Trokan play the Woodward
  • Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth are at the old Annie’s

Gigs on Wednesday, July 16:

  • Big Sandy & his Fly-Rite Boys are in Southgate’s Revival Room, with Kyle Eldridge opening
  • Leftover Salmon and The Infamous Stringdusters play the Rose
  • The High Kings play Memorial Hall
  • Ke$ha, Scissor Sisters, and Slayyyter play Riverbend.

Chuck Prophet & His Cumbia Shoes play a freebie at the Levitt in Dayton on Thursday, July 17. I’ll make the drive for that one.

Shows closer to home on 7/17 include:

  • The Harmed Brothers Duo and Jolly Old Hawk at Washington Park
  • A Songwriters in the Round show at the Liberty Theater featuring Ethan Hopper and Caden McMullen
  • The Bacon Brothers play Ludlow Garage.

On Friday, July 18, the two-day Big River Get Down kicks off at RiversEDGE in Hamilton.

That same evening, Carlene Carter plays a free show at the Levitt.

Sunday, July 20:

  • Ryan Adams plays the Taft
  • The Head & The Heart, Wild Rivers, and Marfa play an outdoor show at the Marsha Brady
  • Yelawolf plays Bogart’s
  • Live, Collective Soul, and Our Lady Peace play the Rose
  • We’ll wrap up this list of concerts where we began: with a Greensky Bluegrass show (they play the old Annie’s this time around)

OK, one more: Beck plays a show with the CSO at PNC Pavilion on Monday, July 21.

We love it live!

It’s been a whirlwind tour of tours for your humble scribe. Nelsonville was a very cool festival — two of the stages have plenty o’ shade — and it was great to see list members Dan “Reds in 2025… or 2026” Lewis and Bruce Frasure there with their lovely brides, along with list members Matt & Pam (with their kids) and happy camper Jeff B. (with his son Finn, who is as cuckoo for concerts as I am!). Friday night’s run of MJ Lenderman, Bug Club, Waxahatchee, and Dehd (on alternating stages) will be tough to top. Other highlights included Being Dead, Ryan Davis, Styrofoam Winos, Low Cut Connie, Garrett T. Capps and Gardener.

Then it was Devo at the Cindy Brady with list members Ken “The Lobby Boy” Laube, Jarrod M., and four Cereal Killers! A perfect old man show: no opener, started at 8, played a great set, wrapped well before 10.

On Thursday, I saw the Rush Tribute Project at Memorial Hall with my buddy Craig and a bunch of other pickleball old-timers. I could do without two of the band members dressing like Geddy and Neil, but with 27 songs over two sets, they certainly delivered a reasonable facsimile of the ol’ Rush concert experience. Neil’s not coming back, so it’ll have to do.

This past Saturday, my lovely bride and I… and list member Heather E. — drove up to Over the Rhine’s Nowhere Else Farm to see Patty Griffin play in their restored barn (with a short opening set from Linford & Karin). What a great space to see such top-notch singer/songwriters!

What, no Puppet Show?

In advance of the Spinal Tap sequel that Rob Reiner credits Kate Bush for, several theaters are playing the OG This is Spinal Tap this Saturday/Sunday/Monday. Check listings here. Unlike Stonehenge, it’ll be huge.

We should give the R&R HoF an “It’s about damn time!” award

Warren Zevon will finally be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame through their “Musical Influence Award.” I agree with Sound Opinions’ Greg Kot that he should’ve been in as a performer and songwriter long ago, but if his daughter is okay with it, and his son is okay with it, then I am too.

He came through the industry in an indirect way, which is how he came into a lot of things — by taking his own strange route. And he earned his reputation and fan base through hard work. People who really put value on songwriting know the influence his songs have had on his peers. They appreciate his lyrics and poetry and the commentary on humanity, heart, and humor. – Ariel Zevon

“In the same way you’ll hear Philip Seymour Hoffman called an actor’s actor, to musicians (Zevon) is a musician’s musician. He was in his own separate box. It’s that Stravinsky influence and classical background he had…that made him think a little different than everyone else. I’ve had instances where I’ve had to cover his songs and you go, ‘Wait, he went to THAT chord? That’s the wrong chord,’ but it works.” — Jordan Zevon

Don’t let the TicketBastards and Ticket Shysters get you down

Huge tip o’ the 97XBam hat (it’s a Mojo Nixon trucker cap) to list member Frank B., who found a great way for me to sell my Waxahatchee/MJ Lenderman tickets for their show near Syracuse, NY. (I bought those tix before the Nelsonville lineup was announced – same weekend.) It’s called CashorTrade, and you can use it to buy or sell tickets without scalpers or brokers. I was able to sell my two tickets for face value, and the whole process was pretty easy.

I’m sure the TicketMafia will figure out a way to shut them down, but for now, check it out!

Rust Never Sleeps, especially in Akron

Before the Devo show, list member and Super Spud Jarrod M. shared this wild, woolly, and wacky ’78 collab between Neil Young and Devo:

If you listen, you will cry. Guaranteed.

Ben Kweller lost his 16-year-old son in a tragic accident and somehow managed to keep on making music. His interview on the Broken Record podcast is deeply moving.

This just in…

The brand-new episode of the Broken Record podcast is an interview with Jesse Malin.

Patriotic Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

Andy Warhol, eat your heart out!

Yes, please pray for the billionaires who will need new storage space for the Big Beautiful Boats that they purchase with their new tax breaks.

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Fall on me

97X, Concert Listings, Music

Even though I’m referring to the season, not the verb, I can’t use that headline and not pay it off… so here you go:

Speaking o’ R.E.M., local legends and TWILM favorites Cereal Killers often do an R.E.M. song or three in their stellar sets. And Cereal Killers are playing tonight around 8:30 outside Crowley’s in Mt. Adams as part of that bar’s 85th anniversary celebration. (Here’s a news clip if you want to experience some awkward happy chat from Tricia “PermaTan” Macke. Is it just me or has she become Magda in There’s Something about Mary?)

Normally, list member Dave Tellmann and I would be all over the CK gig. (That might be the first time that Dave and I have appeared in the same sentence with a variation of the word “normal.”) But in typical feast-or-famine fashion, we’re already slated to attend the Whispering Beard Festival this afternoon and evening. (Dave’s son Jack engineered the new album from The Deslondes, who hit the Beard stage at 9 p.m. tonight.)

Other gigs today include Sweet William at Neltner’s Farm this afternoon, Hyryder at Annie’s, Joan Osborne at Ludlow Garage and the Corn Stand Jam free show at RiversEDGE with Rumpke Mountain Boys headlining.

Tomorrow, the Kentucky Struts are playing Neltner’s Farm from 1:30-4:30. I’ll be pulling up a hay bale for that gig. Lead singer Todd Lipscomb’s wife Angie just took our son Andrew’s senior photos and Angie’s so good that he looks like a GQ model, despite his hereditary handicap on the paternal side.

If you need some pro photos, check out Angie’s website. Highly recommended. (Even though I’m the world’s biggest cheapskate, this is in no way an attempt to get her to cut us a deal on wallet-size prints.)

Other Sunday shows include The Paper Kites at Top Cats, Flobots at Southgate, and Live Skull with Fairmount Girls at MOTR.

On Tuesday, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott rambles into Southgate, with Mike Oberst and Sean Geil of the Tillers as the opener.

(Speaking of Ramblers, one of the roughly 138 crappy $500 used cars that my dad bought* during our time in Arkansas was an AMC Rambler with push button automatic.)

*on the installment plan, of course… man, we were poor!

Sierra Hull plays Memorial Hall on Wednesday. Taylor Rae opens that show.

On Friday, Lucinda Williams plays Madison Theater. That’s a seated show… and Lu may be seated as well. She’s had some health issues, but she’s still one of America’s finest singer/songwriters.

Also on Friday, American Aquarium is at Southgate.

Next Saturday, there’s a free concert at Seasongood Pavilion as part of a celebration and fundraiser for The Community Program for Recovery.

From CincyMusic.com

And it wouldn’t be “Rocktober” without a battle of the tribute bands: Thunderstruck plays Annie’s, and The Ultimate Doors play Ludlow.

Fake Angus will whip out his Gibson SG, and Fake Jim will whip out his… uh, nevermind!

Other 10/1 shows include Deadmau5 at the Marsha Brady and Sam Hibbard & Elijah Bedel at Neltner’s Farm.

Hippie Bob is listening in heaven

I’ll readily admit that my musical tastes are outside the mainstream, which means most shows I go to have a smaller crowd. You start noticing the same faces. And for a long stretch in the late 90s and early 2000s, it seemed like every show I went to — especially the Magus shows– I’d see this older dude with a ponytail. The Venn diagram of our musical tastes overlapped significantly. So I finally introduced myself to him, and every show after that, we’d compare notes on new albums we liked and upcoming shows on our radar. His name was Bob Gregory (I called him “Hippie Bob”), and he taught photography at Sycamore High School for decades before retiring to a life of going to sparsely-attended shows and being bothered by some music nerd (c’est moi!). He was a sweet dude, soft-spoken, funny, and kind. I’m now at the age where I read the obits to make sure my name isn’t in it. This past Sunday I read that Hippie Bob had passed away earlier this month at the age of 82. R.I.P. my music friend.

WTF is on a roll

Marc Maron’s been on a music tear lately… recent episodes of his WTF podcast include interviews with Sharon Van Etten, S.G. Goodman and Covington’s own Adrian Belew. All are well worth a listen.

Coming next year to a bookstore near you

Album Cover of the Week

Any dude with an umlaut in his name knows how to rock! Party on, Günter!