Patty Griffin

Sizzlin’ Summer Shows

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

OMG, it’s Summer’s Eve!

Speaking of douches, how about that taxpayer-funded $45 million BD party for the Mango Mussolini?

OK, political rant over (maybe).

Just remember, the best way to combat that “not-so-fresh feeling” is to see some live music. 

Tonight:

  •  The Allman-Betts Band plays the old Annie’s
  • the Marsha Brady hosts Dispatch with John Butler and G. Love & Special Sauce + Donavon Frankenreiter
  • Emily Nenni and William Matheny will be at Southgate House

Queens of the Stone Age play a sold-out show at the Jan Brady on Wednesday. 

Speaking of Queens of the Stone Age: 

Gigs on Thursday: 

  • The String Cheese Incident at the Cindy Brady
  • North Mississippi Allstars at Ludlow Garage
  • Sean Geil of the Tillers hosts the Farm Jam at Lost Bridge Beverage Co. 
  • Murder by Death: The Farewell Tour 2025 with Laura Jane Grace at Southgate
  • Genesis Retouched: The Essence of the Phil Collins Era of Genesis at RiversEDGE
  • Megan Bee and Ma Crow & Company at Washington Park (free)
  • The Red NOT Chili Peppers play the Madison Theater

Shows on Friday: 

  • James Arthur plays the Greg Brady
  • Robbie Fulks headlines the FREE show at the Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
  • Sungaze and Horsehell are at the Liberty Theater
  • Garrett T. Capps and Nasa Country, Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band, and Styrofoam Winos play the Southgate (in advance of their Nelsonville sets)
  • Ally Venable plays Ludlow Garage
  • Dexter & the Moonrocks play the Ovation
  • MadTree Oakley has a summer solstice party with Jess Lamb, Siri Imani, Abby Vice, Aunty JoJo and KY Honey

Also, on Friday, the Nelsonville Music Festival kicks off with MJ Lenderman, Waxahatchee, Dehd and The Bug Club topping that day’s lineup. I’ll be there, as will list members Matt & Pam (not to be confused with Matt & Kim).

Oh, and the kids TV show stars The Wiggles have a show at the Rose Music Center in Dayton, but they really should be ashamed of and/or arrested for the show’s title:

Does Chris Hanson know about this?

Saturday is the first day of summer!

It’s also the longest day of the year. Perhaps not coincidentally, it’s my wedding anniversary! My lovely bride of (nearly) 28 years plans to join me at the Nelsonville Music Festival to:

a. see a bunch of bands she’s never heard of (Styrofoam Winos, Low Cut Connie, Esther Rose, Watchhouse, Being Dead, Bonnie Prince Billy, Charley Crockett and Black Lips) and

b. celebrate setting a new Guinness record for “most years married to a ne’er-do-well who spends most of his free time going to concerts and writing a really weird music blog.” (The Guinness folks are getting reeeeeally specific these days, and it’s a bit hurtful, tbh. They should stick to categories like “World’s Heaviest Twins”)

Also on Saturday, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit kick off a two-night “Evening with” stand at the Peter Brady. (It should be noted that the McCreary brothers never called what they were wearing an “outfit.”)

Other Saturday shows:

  • The Gaslight Anthem at Bogart’s
  • Say She She plays a show that’s free-free at Levitt Pavilion in Dayton
  • Taj Mahal is at the Ludlow Garage as a tune-up for his Nelsonville gig the next day
  • The Little River Band plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
  • the Daniel Wayne Band headlines a show in Southgate’s Lounge
  • Tracy Walker plays a 5pm freebie at Smale’s Castellini Esplanade
  • Covington Metal Fest at Madison Live (bring 2 sets of earplugs)

On Sunday, the Outlaw Music Festival rolls into Riverbend, with Willie Nelson, Timothée Chalamet Bob Dylan, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Trampled by Turtles, and Myron Elkins.

That same evening, Jason Isbell plays Night #2 at the Bobby Brady. Southgate House has the California Guitar Trio and Kaki King, Nelsonville has The War & Treaty and Taj Mahal on tap, and Band of Horses plays an outdoor show at The Burl in Lexington.

Sweet Baby James Taylor plays Riverbend on Monday, 6/23, and the Rose in Dayton hosts “I want my 80s” tour featuring Rick Springfield, John Waite, Wang Chung, and Paul Young.

Get yer energy domes out on Tuesday, June 24 for Devo at the Carol Brady. (I’ll be there!)

Come to think of it, Carol Brady did have a bit of a Devo “hair helmet” vibe going on back in the day:

Other shows that evening:

  • Less than Jake at Bogart’s
  • The Mission UK with Poppy Jean Crawford at Ludlow Garage
  • The “I want my 80s” tour plays Riverbend. Which means if you are really ambitious, you can Wang Chung tonight for two nights in a row!

Double the Wang, Double the Chung, Double the Fun! (Er, let me modify the start of that last sentence… lest Chris Hanson pay me a visit.)

Did you know the 20th Century Theater in Oakley still has the occasional show? Neither did I, which is why we both missed out on getting tickets to see Fred Armisen’s sold-out “Comedy is for Musicians but Everyone is Welcome” show there on Wednesday, June 25.

Gigs on Thursday, June 26:

  • Billy Corgan and the Machines of God play Bogart’s
  • Sam Hibbard and the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys play the free Washington Park Roots Revival show
  • Across the street at Memorial Hall, it’s The Rush Tribute Project (I think it should be called “Out of the Rutsey” or “Closer to the Peart” or “Xana-don’t” of “La Villa Doppelgänger”…)
  • Way up yonder in Dayton, the Jayne Sachs Band (winner of 97Xposure 1995) plays a reunion show at Brightside (Dave and I talked to Jayne for an episode of the 97X “Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast back in 2021.)
  • Mr. Nicole Kidman plays Riverbend

Friday, June 27 is bursting at the seams with live music:

  • Young the Giant and Joywave play the Hard Rock lawn
  • Mannequin Pussy is at Bogart’s (they might’ve gotten their name from the infamous “Wheel o’ Sex” in Bogart’s backstage office)
  • Paleface plays a free show in the Southgate Lounge
  • Bear Hands and OK Cowgirl play Madison Live
  • Tyler the Creator is at the Coliseum, with Lil Yachty and Paris Texas
  • The old Annie’s has the AC/DC tribute band Back in Black
  • The Rose Music Center hosts The Fab Four: USA Meets the Beatles

Saturday, June 28 isn’t too shabby in the concert department either:

  • Patty Griffin plays Over the Rhine’s Nowhere Else Farm, with OTR doing the opening set (I’ll be at that gig!)
  • Sinkane and Moonbeau play the Liberty Theater
  • The Avett Brothers are at the Fraze
  • Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion hosts the Dayton Blues Fest

The Sun Ra Arkestra plays Memorial Hall on Tuesday, July 1.

Shows on Wednesday, July 2:

  • Manchester Orchestra at the Burl in Lexington
  • Greensky Bluegrass at the Rose
  • Ween Wednesday at the Columbia in the East End 6-10pm). They’ll be spinning White Pepper. BYOB. I was there last month, as was the legendary Billy Alletzhauser (Ass Ponys, Ruby Vileos, The Hiders) and the equally legendary Taylor Fox of Inhailer Radio. It’s a cool hang – stop by!

Ass Ponys sighting… OK, hearing

A recent episode of the Sound Opinions podcast (hosted by longtime Chicago music writers Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis) is about “Regrettable Band Names.” Jim talks quite a bit about the Ass Ponys (any publicity is good publicity, right?), and Greg calls Wussy a great band. (The segment starts around the 34:50 mark.)

Bootsy!

Tune in here. Or see Bootsy’s outfit when you watch it here. Bootsy always stays on the one.

We love it live!

Well, I missed the American Aquarium show (it was a lazy Sunday…) but I hear it was great. I did, however, catch Blonde Redhead and Squirrel Flower at the Woodward with list member Ken “Lobby Boy” Laube (also of Inhailer Radio fame – Fridays 11a-3p).

We mourn the dead

R.I.P. to Brian Wilson and Sly Stone.

“Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music. His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable.” (from his family’s statement)

We’re not getting any younger either!

Shirley’s had BOTH hips replaced. She’s still hip, though. Check out her interview on the Broken Record podcast here.

My angel former co-worker is a centerfold

List member Dale Doyle (the OG D2) was on The Tonight Show – Jimmy Fallon shows off the artwork Dale created for Matt Berninger’s new album, including a quick peek at the centerfold at the end of this clip:

The Reading Room

The Oxford American has a lovely “on the road with…” profile of Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee. Katie’s twin sister Allison (Swearin’) is also part of the story as Katie’s A&R rep for Anti- Records, and in an interesting bit of sibling symmetry, the feature was written by Jenn Pelly, whose twin sister Liz wrote the book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. (Highly recommended.)

The “We can’t read” Room

That’s the album title, not a song title. Nice try, AI! Article is here.

What a lineup!

There’s only one possible reaction to that bill…

Details are here. Wish me luck convincing my wife that I need to go. Or better yet, buy my ticket.

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

E, L, and P are clearly trying to steal Jay Ferguson’s Thunder, but they don’t have the proper footwear:

Remember, when you have a hankering for falling down laughing in the wet grass, or nights in the cool sand, accept no substitute… ask for Jay Ferguson by name!

The Music, Man.

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Ya got concerts, folks! Right here in the River(front) City. Concerts with a capital “C” and that rhyme with “G” and that stands for “Gee, I should probably go to a show or three.”

Speaking of Shirley Partridge Marian the Librarian, The Mercantile Library hosts Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine on Tuesday as part of their “Words and Music” series. The event is sold out – good thing I got my tickets long ago.

Meanwhile at Ludlow Garage, Patty Griffin, Hayes Carll, and Lori McKenna are doing a sold-out “sharing the stage” gig. And Amythyst Kiah plays Southgate.

Here’s an interesting show on Wednesday:

That same evening, the Hackensaw Boys play Southgate (with Mike Oberst & Justine Cefalu opening). And Dawes plays the Taft. Remember when Dawes was called Simon Dawes and they played a gig at the old Alchemize bar in Northside back in 2006 with Chad VanGaalen and Band of Horses? I do, because I was there!

Speaking of cookies with jam, Camp Springs Tavern hosts their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam on Thursday.

Johnny Delaware goes to Indiana on Friday, to play the Liberty Theater, with The Hiders also on the bill.

Saturday is a big day for shows:

  • Flatland Cavalry plays the Bobby Brady
  • The Paul Thorn Band is at Memorial Hall
  • Jess Williamson (who recently collaborated with Waxahatchee) plays Southgate
  • Madison Theater has Start Making Sense: A Tribute to Talking Heads
  • Everclear and Buckcherry are at the Lawrenceburg Event Center… we’re assuming it’s called “The Compound Words Tour”
  • Warrant and Lita Ford play the Hard Rock Casino (Aqua Net hairspray sold separately)

Last, but certainly not least on the Saturday roster, Ludlow Garage has the tribute show you never knew you needed… “Toast: The Ultimate Bread Experience.”

There must be a lot of folks in the Tristate who said “Baby, I’m-a Want You” to this, as there are not one but two shows (3pm and 8pm).

Personally, I’d rather go for Toast on a Stick.

Low Cut Connie plays the Liberty Theater next Sunday (11/17), with the band Sweat (good luck Googling “Sweat Band”) as the opener. List member Dave Tellmann and I will be at that show. That same evening, Will Hoge plays the Southgate.

Next Monday, 11/18, Woodward Theater screens the Ani DiFranco doc 1-800-On-Her-Own.

Wishbone Ash plays Ludlow Garage on Tuesday, Nov. 19th.

Wishbone Ash: pairs well with Toast!

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady plays the Woodward on Wednesday, November 20th, with Katy Kirby as the opener. List member “Rico” and I will be there. Remember when Craig Finn played that house concert in Cincinnati back in 2017? I do, because it was my house!

That same evening, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder play Memorial Hall.

Americana power couple Gillian Welch and David Rawlings play the Taft on Thursday, 11/21 and Wayne “The Train” Hancock plays Southgate.

Shows on Friday, 11/22:

  • The Wood Brothers at Taft
  • The Tubes at Ludlow Garage
  • Tiny Moving Parts at Southgate
  • TyeDye Band (featuring list member John Sandman) at Plain Folk Cafe in Pleasant Plain, OH.
  • Liberty Theater hosts a free Singer/Songwriter Night

On Saturday, 11/23:

  • The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and Joe’s Truck Stop play Southgate
  • Ric Hordinski and Kim Taylor play the Woodward
  • Hyryder (Grateful Dead tribute) at Madison Theater
  • Mark Gibson and Danni Nicholls play a “Downtowne Listening Room” show at the Hellmann Creative Center in Covington, KY
  • Ludlow has Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience… with special guest Electric Duke (tribute to David Bowie)

On Sunday, 11/24, Ballyhoo! and Keep Flying are at the Liberty Theater, Ace Monroe is at Southgate, and Hard Rock Casino has Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.

The Reading Room

Bon Iver interview in The New Yorker. Money quote:

“I believe in the power of the individual — don’t get me wrong — but I’ve always just found that it distracts from the point. Why do we like a song? Is it because of who’s singing it to us? Or is it the song? And I just think it’s the song. For me, it is. For me, it’s about the song and what the music does. It can be very distracting when it becomes, ‘Oh, I love Bon Iver so much. I want more Bon Iver. I want to see Bon Iver. I want to get his autograph.’ I’m sensitive to it, and the attention can be overwhelming. I’m also uncomfortable with it because it distracts from the point that music delivered me to myself.”

We need some “Divine Intervention”

Matthew Sweet recently suffered a debilitating stroke in Canada. There’s a GoFundMe to help pay for his medical bills and ongoing therapy and care.

And you thought 8-tracks were weird

Here’s the live link to the Demastered site.

We live for live

I couldn’t make the Cereal Killers show at Big Ash the weekend before Halloween, but I love their Ramones vibe:

No, I didn’t get tickets for the Jack White show at Bogart’s. But list members Dave Tellmann and Rico did.

I DID, however, catch all three Buffalo Tom shows during their “Please Come to Boston” festival, along with comedy from Eugene Mirman and Dave Hill, book readings from Tom Perrotta, Bill Janovitz, and Dave Hill, and a band Q&A hosted by comedian/actor Mike O’Malley.

Dave Hill is hilarious, btw.

And last night Wussy and the Chris Brokaw Band (feat. Chris Brokaw from Codeine and Come, and Clint Conley from Mission of Burma) were fantastic at the Woodward.

(That’s Brenda Sauter of The Feelies sitting in on bass.)

Todd, Regi, Tom, Jamie, Matt, Pam, Jay, Alyssa, Dave, Ken, Michelle, Dave, Kevin, Dr. David… it’d be easier to cite the list members who weren’t there – great to see such a strong turnout for our friends in Wussy.

Their new album was on sale at the show – the official release date is this Friday.

Album Covers of the Week(s)

These guys can’t count, but they look really slick.

They’ve gotten worse at counting. And/or they found out about their dad’s clandestine second family.

The 1/4 un-lonely is because his belt is off.

If my math is correct, this guy isn’t wearing pants. And/or T.G. Sheppard just walked in on him.

Summertime blues (and other music genres)

Concert Listings, Music

The official start of summer is just around the corner. So are some decent shows. But first, a P.S.A.:

All day today (until midnight PDT), Bandcamp is holding their third annual Juneteenth fundraiser, where they donate 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a racial justice organization with a long history of effectively enacting change through litigation, advocacy, and public education. Read their statement here.

Tonight:

  • Steve Rosen discusses his book Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the 50s and 60s at MOTR at 6 p.m.
  • The two-day Hell is Ohio festival kicks off at Swine City Brewing in Fairfield, with 500 Miles to Memphis as the headliner.
  • Ben Levin plays Front Street Cafe in New Richmond
  • The Wood Brothers, Guster and David Wax Museum play the Marsha Brady
  • Fitz & the Tantrums and St. Paul & the Broken Bones double-ampersand the Fraze.
  • Matchbox Twenty and the Wallflowers are at Riverbend
  • Hiroshima is at the Ludlow Garage
  • Carriage House Farm in North Bend is hosting Songwriter Sweep: An Evening of Short Sets with The Hiders, Night Owl, Zapruder Point and Peace Police.

Saturday:

Free admission
  • Indigo De Souza plays Madison Live
  • Jackie Venson (blues) and New Breed Brass Band are at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
  • Neal Francis headlines the Fountain Square free show
  • This Pine Box plays a free show at MOTR with Boa and Fat Sal. Showtime is 10 p.m.
  • Ben Levin’s at BrewRiver
  • Jesse Terry will be at Parlor & Patio (a.k.a. the home of list members Dave & Jacqui Killen) in Ft. Thomas. A few tickets might still be available here – and check out the Jesse video below.

On Sunday, Train makes a stop (ba-dump-bump) at Riverbend, with Jewel, Blues Traveler and Will Anderson in tow. (List member Lisa Collins saw Blues Traveler play at Top Cats back in the day. Perhaps the hook will bring her back.)

But most of the smelly hippies will be at the Greg Brady on Sunday night for An Acoustic Evening with Trey Anastasio.

Greg ordering takeout – he got the Phish.

Sunday is Father’s Day too – This Week in Live Music would like to wish a very Happy Father’s Day to all the dads on this list. May your day be peaceful and relaxing.

But Tuesday, is a day for The Chicks (nee Dixie Chicks)… they play Riverbend, with Patty Griffin as the opener.

Or if you prefer Bon-Bons, you can savor Bon Iver and Bonnie Light Horseman at the Ovation. (Sorry, no Bon Jovi.)

https://youtu.be/paOGLFDADgY

Tuesday also is the official start of summer.

The smelly hippies will be back in full force on Wednesday, when Dead & Company come truckin’ into Riverbend. Yours truly will be there, as Mrs. TWILM is quite the deadhead.

Samuel Hibbard plays a free gig at Washington Park on Thursday as part of their Roots Revival series.

Next Friday, June 24th:

  • The Jan Brady hosts An Evening with Jackson Browne
  • Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers play the Taft
  • Phil Vassar plays the old Annie’s

Letters to the Editor

List member/Cereal Killer Howard Cohen riffed on last week’s SMÖRGÅSBORD theme by sending us this gem of a 70s TV commercial:

That commercial sent me down a Mason Reese rabbit hole… I’m still there.

Nimoy’s suit is highly illogical

Speaking of rabbit holes, list member Gil Kaufman and I were at the same grad party last weekend and he was telling me about his detective work trying to track down the kid from the Pearl Jam “Jeremy” video. The piece Gil wrote for Billboard back in 2017 is here – as Spock would say “fascinating!”

Silliness for a serious cause

Also from Gil comes news that you can pre-order a seven-inch vinyl edition of this Who medley from Tenacious D, with proceeds benefitting Everytown for Gun Safety:

Silliness for the sake of being silly

If you’re not familiar with James Fridman, a Photoshop whiz who accepts requests from anyone… but often turns them into something a bit too literal… you really need to check out his website. Here’s an example of his work:

Album Cover of the Week

Happy Father’s Day! Happy Summer!