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 t
he Anderson Tap HouseGood Time Charley’s (by Four Seasons Marina) – please join me! - RiversEdge in Hamilton! has Ozzmosis (a tribute to
Ozzie NelsonOzzy Osbourne) with the Warped Band (a tribute toHome Depot lumberthe 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:
WildermissYoung 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.
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