Well, September certainly went out like a Scorpions song.
And now it’s Rocktober! Let’s celebrate in style, by busting out a Rocktober rock block with two weeks o’ live shows.
Tonight, The Chicks play Riverbend, with Patty Griffin as the opener, and Sales plays Southgate.
On Wednesday, Parker Millsap is at Southgate with Ray Vietti as the opener, and A.J. Croce plays the songs of Jim Croce at Memorial Hall. (Looks like he found the time in a bottle that his dad was looking for.)
Thursday is action-packed:
The Supersuckers and the Electric Six are at Southgate
Madison Theater features An Evening with Robert Fripp & David Singleton
Kitchen Dwellers and Daniel Donato play Ludlow Garage
Friday, Monophonics play the Madison Theater, and the Downtowne Listening Room features Steve Saunders and Olivia Frances.
On Saturday:
Blackberry Smoke plays Annie’s
Neltner’s Farm Fall Fest features Pappy’s Jam Band (1:30-4:30 pm)
Southgate hosts the Cincinnati Guitar Fest
Ludlow Garage has Broken Arrow: The Music of Neil Young (sans the actual Neil Young, of course)
Next Sunday (10/9), Heather Roush & the Heartstrings play Neltner’s Farm.
On Monday, Oct. 10, Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers are at Southgate.
Norman Westberg of Swans plays Southgate on Tuesday, 10/11.
Calexico plays Memorial Hall on Wednesday, 10/12, with Ada Lea and Wonky Tonk as the openers.
BLINK festival kicks off in Cincinnati (and NKY!) on Thursday, 10/13. Live bands will be playing… but I’ll be damned if I can find a schedule on the Blink website. I DO know that The Airborne Toxic Event plays Bogart’s, the Lost Dog Street Band will be in Southgate’s main room and Cory Branan will be upstairs in the Revival Room.
On Friday, 10/14:
Shame and Viagra Boys play a SOLD OUT show at the Woodward Theater
Town Mountain is at Southgate
The Toadies, Reverend Horton Heat and Nashville P*ssy are at Madison Theater.
Saturday, October 15th is a busy day for live gigs:
Southern Culture on the Skids plays Southgate
of Montreal plays the Woodward
Ani DiFranco is at the Madison Theater
Walk the Moon and Trombone Shorty play the Carol Brady
The 5th Dimension floats into the Ludlow Garage
The Licking Pike Ramblers are at Neltner’s Farm
Kurt Vile & the Violators are at the Jan Brady on Sunday, 10/16. That same day, Neltner’s Farm features Gabbard & Company, a bluegrass band fronted by my co-worker Chris Gabbard. And Ludlow Garage hosts The Ballroom Thieves… which also is a nickname for tight men’s underwear.
From the Bandcamp website: On the first Friday of the month since March of 2020, we’ve waived our revenue share to help support the many artists who have seen their livelihoods disrupted by the pandemic. Over the course of 21 days, fans have paid artists and labels more than $78 million dollars, helping cover rents, mortgages, groceries, medications, and much more. If you’re among the nearly 800,000 fans who have participated, thank you.
Raise a toast to Saint Joe Strummer
The new box set, Joe Strummer 002: The Mescaleros Years, came out recently. Here’s a promo video of one of the songs:
Shameless self-promotion
On our 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, Dave Tellmann and I talked to Chuck Cowdery, who worked at the 97X predecessor WOXR in the mid 70’s. Chuck is now “the dean of American whiskey journalism” which is proof (ha!) positive that working in radio will drive you to drink.
Live shots
Kentucky Struts rockin’ around the big ass tree at Neltner’s FarmThe Deslondes at Whispering Beard
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’sin 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.
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!
Wow, hard to believe that Labor Day is fast approaching. Better wear my white jorts every day this week before I switch over to my fall jorts:
Let’s cover two weeks’ worth o’ gigs in this post, shall we?
Breaking Naming Rights News
Sorry to interrupt our slate o’ shows, but we’ve just been informed that the PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation in Newport, Kentucky has sold the naming rights, and is now… drumroll please…
Uh, no… just no. In keeping with the cherished This Week in Live Music tradition, we refuse to refer to venues by their corporate-sponsored names. Especially when that name sounds like something from Office Space or Stepbrothers.
Tonight, Sophie B. Hawkins (remember her? She wished she were your lover) headlines the Fountain Square freebie, with Tracy Walker and Kaitlyn Peace also on the bill. Other shows include Tiffany Williams and Ray Vietti at Southgate, and The Fab Four (“the Ultimate Beatles Tribute”) at Rose Music Center in scenic Huber Heights.
Sunday, Imagine Dragons, Macklemore and Kings Elliot play a sold-out show at Riverbend, The Damned are at Bogart’s, and the Disco Biscuits play Annie’s.
Monday is the rescheduled date for the Barenaked Ladies/Gin Blossoms/Toad the Wet Sprocket show at PNC.
On Wednesday, Linda Gail Lewis is at Southgate.
Thursday, Spoon, Interpol, and Water From Your Eyes are at the Brady Kids Center. (Remember when Alice worked at The Golden Spoon?)
https://youtu.be/Bg1pl2muWIA
Also on Thursday, RiversEDGE in Hamilton has a Prince Tribute show, with local band Moonbeau as the opener.
Next Friday, Sept. 2nd, the Fountain Square freebie features Motherfolk, with The Wonderlands, and Coastal Club.
The Black Keys and Band of Horses are at Riverbend next Saturday.
On Labor Day, Jack Harlow and City Girls play the Cindy Brady.
Tuesday, Sept. 6th, Thundercat is at the Ovation. Yes, I said the Ovation. Mega-sue me!
On Wednesday, Sept. 7th:
S.G. Goodman (a TWILM fave) and Garcia Peoples are at Southgate.
“due to overwhelming demand” the Odesza, Sylvan Esso, Elderbrook and Nasaya show originally slated for outdoors at the Jan Brady will now be at Riverbend.
Ben Levin plays Ghost Baby.
Next Thursday (9/8):
Paul Thorn and Angela Perley are at Memorial Hall
Oteil Burbridge and Friends (feat. Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno and Johnny Kimock) play the Rose
Magic City Hippies play the Madison Rooftop in Covington.
On Friday, September 9th:
The Mountain Goats play Bogart’s.
Donna the Buffalo is at Ludlow Garage
Sam Hunt and Travis Denning are at the Mike Brady.
The Cereal Killers play Big Ash on Saturday, September 10th. I’ll be out of town for that show, but YOU should be there.
Built to Spill, built to rock!
Great show from BTS this past Monday at the Woodward – and opener Prism Bitch was cool too. Speaking o’ cool, list member Todd Butler busted out a vintage, mint condition 97X t-shirt for the gig.
Built to Spill Prism Bitch. (Why yes, that is the same drummer – she did double duty.)
You may already be a winner
List member Elizabeth Cannon (who worked at Riverbend for eons) was rewarded for her Bengals season ticket status.
Wussy duo wants to play your house (or mine)
Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker from Wussy are doing a run of house concerts this fall, and are looking for a Cincy host on Friday, October 28th.
I’m tardy to the live gig party this week, because it’s back to school time. Today I drove to Ohio U. solo, unloaded an SUV’s worth of apartment stuff, assembled the “some assembly required” furniture (only had 3 bolts left over!), then drove back home. Tomorrow, I’ll make the same trip with my son in tow. So this week’s post will be brief.
But first this commercial message:
Dan “Reds in 2023” Lewis has two tickets to the Spoon/Interpol show on Thursday, Sept. 1st at the Brady that he’s looking to sell:
Section 105, Row H, Seats 4-5
Dan paid $226, will take $200. His email is DLewis@Reds.com. (He’ll probably throw in some Reds tix if you ask nicely.)
Saturday night shows:
The Beths play Madison Theater, with Rosie Tucker as the opener
J.J. Grey & Mofro headline a free show in Lawrenceburg, IN as part of their Whiskey City Summer Fest (I’ll be there with list members Whit & Barb Gardner)
The Claudettes and Electric Indigo are at Southgate
Five for Fighting and The Verve Pipe are at Timberwolf
H.R. from Bad Brains is at Annie’s
Southgate hosts a fundraiser with a strong lineup:
The Woods Band and Jonathan Cody White play a Downtowne Listening Room show that isn’t downtown (or even downtowne). It’s in Florence, KY. You can request an invite here.
Dire Straits Legacy (more info about who is in the band is here) plays Ludlow Garage
Bogart’s hosts a Yacht Rock Revue
And finally, the Whimmydiddle Festival continues in Hamil-tucky, with Charley Crockett headlining.
Sunday:
21 Pilots play the Coliseum
Lauv is at the Carol Brady
Tommy Prine (a son of John) is at Southgate
And for you early birds, Carriage House Farm hosts a “Biscuits and Bluegrass” jam session with food from Chloe’s Eatery. Details here.
Built to Spill plays the Woodward on Monday – list member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there.
I’ll be Damned, the Blondie/The Damned show originally slated for Tuesday has been cancelled. But The Damned booked a different gig at Bogart’s next Sunday (8/28).
Shows that are happening on Tuesday:
The Wallflowers play Ludlow Garage
Amos Lee is at the Taft
Melissa Carperplays Southgate
Pitbull and Iggy Azalea are at Riverbend
On Wednesday, Sammy Hagar and the Circle and George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers play Riverbend, and My Chemical Romance is at the Coliseum, and August Burns Red is at Bogart’s.
Thursday:
Joe’s Truck Stop plays the free show at Washington Park
Gov’t Mule and Trombone Shorty are at the Rose
Greensky Bluegrass are at the Ovation
Michael Franti & Spearhead play Annie’s
Punch Brothers are at the Marsha Brady (oh my nose!)
Milk Carton Kids show up at Ludlow Garage
Kelsey Waldon (her new album is twangy good) plays Southgate, with Jeremy Pinnell as the opener.
Next Friday, the Brothers Osborne play the Rose, and the Kentucky Headhunters play Lori’s Roadhouse in West Chester.
Roger, Wilco
It was great to see so many This Week in Live Music luminaries at the Wilco/Courtney Marie Andrews show this past Tuesday: Dan Lewis, Bruce Frasure, Dave Roberto, Kevin Sullivan, Jay Stowe and Alyssa Brandt, Marty and Bizzy Driscoll, Billboard’s own Gil Kaufman… it was like our very own Night of a Thousand Stars. List member Rico couldn’t attend due to COVID… which meant yours truly got his ticket. I guess there is a silver lining to the pandemic after all!
Speaking of players, let’s see who’s playing this week.
Tonight:
Steep Canyon Rangers are at Annie’s
Soul Pocket headlines the free show on Fountain Square
Tower of Power and Lettuce play the Rose Music Center
On Saturday:
Sleigh Bells play the Taft. (It may seem early for sleigh bells but I had a pumpkin beer last night so all bets are off.)
Lany is at the Bobby Brady.
The Zac Brown Band and the Robert Randolph Band play Riverbend.
The Spinners play Ludlow Garage.
Local band The Newbees have a free show at Fernbank Park (7-9 p.m.)
Ziggy Marley does a tribute to his father at Rose. (Note: this is much better than his tribute to the comic strip Ziggy.)
And Southgate will have something called “Super Satan Fest II – Live as Hell”
“Something Involving a Monkey” for the band name win…
On Sunday, Boz Skaggs and The Robert Cray Band are at Rose, and Southgate House hosts a matinee benefit show for Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief:
Monday, it’s the “uplifting band name” trifecta: Anthrax, Black Label Society and Hatebreed at the Mike Brady.
Tuesday:
Wilco plays the Ovation
The Beach Boys and the Temptations are at PNC Pavilion
Lake Street Dive plays the Marsha Brady. The following evening, they’ll be at the Rose.
Other Wednesday shows:
Kid Rock is at Riverbend.
Yngwie “Can I buy a vowel, Pat” Malmsteen is at Ludlow Garage
Accordionist Sally Lukasik plays an early gig at Baker’s Table Bakery. I normally don’t mention accordion shows, but Sally just seems so darn happy in her promo photo:
On Thursday
River Whyless is at Southgate
The Surfragettes (yes, a surf rock band, how’d you guess?) play Ludlow Garage
Alicia Keys works the keys at PNC
The Dead Man String Band and Ray Vietti do the free gig at Washington Park
Bam Powell & the Troublemakers play an equally free show at Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington
Next Friday:
Chris Stapleton is at Riverbend
The Del McCoury Band plays Memorial Hall
Al Stewart is at Ludlow Garage
The two-night Whimmydiddle Festival kicks off at RiversEDGE in Hamilton with Shovels & Rope as the headliner
Normally when you hear “shovels and rope” and “Hamilton” in the same sentence, it’s about a crime scene.
Distant Early Warning
Since list member Michael “Rico” Carrico gave me so much grief for not mentioning the last Ian Noe show at Southgate (which, it should be noted, Rico did NOT attend), I need to let you “Noe” that Ian has another Southgate gig lined up for December 16th.
Kevin Carrico was in his third year of medical school at the University of Louisville, studying to become a pediatric oncologist, when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. His goal was to help children as they faced their battle with cancer, just as he did after he overcame Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 17. Kevin faced his battles with a sense of humor and a positive attitude like only he could. Although Kevin passed away in 2019 at the age of 25, we have vowed to carry on his legacy. The University of Louisville awarded Kevin a posthumous doctorate of medicine in 2020, and he received the Dr. Presley F. Martin Award, given to the senior student chosen by his peers who possesses and reflects characteristics of a good physician: competence, ethical behavior, leadership, compassion, and humor. Our mission is to carry on Kevin’s legacy to aid other young adults that have faced cancer and are pursuing higher education goals. Our proceeds are allocated 100% to our scholarship program.
Reason #3,698 of why I love Wussy
On their most recent FB livestream (which is reason #2,294 of why I love them!), Lisa posed a question about “who are your three favorite vocalists?” Check out Chuck and Mark waxing poetic about a band that I also happen to love dearly:
Well hello there, Stranger! How have you been? Vacay was great, thanks for asking. I know you didn’t miss me – even I didn’t miss me. But it’s not about missing me, it’s about not missing live gigs in the Cincinnati area. Let’s get at ‘er!
Tonight:
Ben Levin and Joe Tellmann will join other Pinetop Perkins Foundation Masterclass participants in backing Bob Margolin at the Lebanon Blues Festival. (Ben and Joe will also play with Bob on Saturday. The entire schedule is here.)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds roll into Ludlow Garage
Tab Benoit plays the Taft Theatre
Holy F*ck will be at Madison Live. I think they’re a gospel band.
The Actual F*ck plays Northside Tavern. I think they’re a hardcore band.
Ray Vietti & The Family Stoned will play a free gig at Carriage House Farm.
On Saturday you can see an Elvis Impersonator.
Wait, check that, I still have vacation brain… actually it’s Elvis Costello & the Imposters at Rose Music Center. Not to be outdone, Fraze Pavilion, the other Dayton area venue, has… Vanilla Ice.
Mr. Van Winkle, the erstwhile Ice, Vanilla, will be joined by a veritable Who’s Who of “Who’s That?” – All 4 One, Rob Base, Coolio, Tone Loc and Young MC. (Name two songs by any/all of those artist and win valuable prizes.)
Also on Saturday evening:
Ekoostik Hookah plays the old Annie’s
Ludlow Garage has Strangelove, the Depeche Mode Experience
Local artists Flying Underground (Brian Lovely) and Nick Kizirnis play MOTR
The Greg Brady hosts Dashboard Confessional and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.
Greg Brady dashboard confessionalEd McMahon in the wilderness
Daryl Hall and the Daryl’s House Band plays Timberwolf on Sunday, with special guest Todd Rundgren.
On Wednesday, RuPaul’s Drag Race is at the Mike Brady Center, and the Happy Together Tour comes to Fraze – The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Vogues, and The Cowsills. Every orthopedic surgeon in the Dayton area should be handing out business cards at that show.
Thursday shows:
The Dead South and Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band play Annie’s.
Tower of Power and Lettuce (that’s two bands, it’s not the Smoothie/Salad combo at Jamba Juice) are at the Taft.
Whitehall plays Southgate
Mike Zito is at Ludlow Garage
The Casey Campbell Band does the free show at Washington Park from 7-9 p.m.
Last, and least, the Motor City Madman Ted Nugent plays the Rose Music Center.
Next Friday:
Steep Canyon Rangers are at Annie’s
Soul Pocket headlines the free show on Fountain Square
The Rose Music Center serves up the Smoothie/Salad combo twin bill of Tower of Power and Lettuce.
Add a shot of wheatgrass for just 50 cents.
Concert Shots
Lucy Dacus and Camp Cope put on a stellar outdoor show at the Burl in Lexington. List member Joe Sampson and I helped bring up the average age.
List members Dan Bockrath, Dave Tellmann and I thoroughly enjoyed the Adrian Belew gig at Ludlow Garage. We also had fun counting the # of old men wearing ponytails.
Classy Ken, your Clifton Concert Concierge
Speaking of the Ludlow Garage, if you purchase your tickets at their box office (open Wed-Sat 4-10 p.m.), you can avoid most of the dreaded TicketBastard fees. List member Ken Laube lives in Clifton, and I’m sure he’d be happy to walk up to Ludlow (quite frankly, he could use the exercise) and purchase the ducats for you.
… my wife and I were on the college radio station when she went to UVA. You’re surrounded by so much creativity—the other DJs are creative, but also the tens of thousands of albums from the past 40 years, all their funky, weird artwork, all their liner notes. It’s just so jam-packed, and 99 percent of them are forgotten. It was sort of this different idea about how, gosh, I’m gonna be forgotten too. So why don’t I have fun with this? And why don’t I make art feel like you’re going to a show, buying a T-shirt or a CD?
Steve Keene in the interview linked above
Album Cover of the Week
This week’s album cover is courtesy of list member Dave Green:
Sayeth Dave: You’d think this would’ve been a “blues” album, but that would be too cliché. My son picked this up for me for $6 since I am a casual jazz fan and previously 80’s Smurf collector (little known fact).
We’re about to drop not one week o’ live gigs on you… not two weeks… but three whopping weeks of concerts. Because I’m heading out of town next Friday for a week of fun in the sun. And I don’t want the This Week in Live Music deadline looming over me like the sword of Damocles. Or the sword of the Black Knight.
Let’s get to the bumper crop of gigs, shall we?
Tonight, The Cult, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Zola Jesus play the Rose Music Center, and Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are at the Reds stadium. (In deference to my good friend Dan Lewis, I shall resist the temptation to make any sort of Rick Allen/Reds pitching staff comparison…)
Saturday, Kississippi headlines the Fountain Square free show… and Air Supply is at the Rose Music Center.
You got that right, Spanky!
On Sunday, list member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be visiting the Burl.
Sorry, wrong Burl. We’re going to the live music venue in Lexington to see Lucy Dacus and Camp Cope – a great double bill that’s totally worth the trip.
Meanwhile, back in the ‘nati, Elf Power is at MOTR (7:30 show – $10… new album is good) and Frankie & the Witch Fingers play the Woodward.
Pictured: Witch Fingers and Center Square. Not pictured: Frankie.
On Monday, 5 Seconds of Summer, a band that I’ve not even given a single second of my lifetime, plays a sold out show at the Brady.
But the Brady redeems itself the very next night, as Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples take the stage on Tuesday. (The New Yorker just ran a great profile of Mavis… she’s the real deal!)
That same evening, Mary Chapin Carpenter plays Memorial Hall, and The Barenaked Ladies, Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket play Rose… I think that tour is called “97X Throwback Bands.”
The Barenaked-Gin-Sprocket show comes to PNC on Wednesday – it’s sold out.
Wednesday features another 97X Throwback Show: The Psychedelic Furs and X play the Peter Brady. Meanwhile, Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples will be up the road a piece at the Rose.
Plenty of gigs on Thursday:
Adrian Belew is at Ludlow Garage – list member Dave Tellmann and I will be there
Little Feat plays the Taft, with opener Ida Mae
Ricky Nye plays an outdoor gig at the Behringer-Crawford Museum’s amphitheater
The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (yes, that’s a band name) is at Southgate
RiversEDGE in Hamilton hosts Completely Unchained: Van Halen Tribute show (this show could set a new world record for jorts… and in Hamiltucky, that’s sayin’ something)
Last and least, Jimmy Buffett plays Riverbend, or as I like to call it, Rumspringa for repressed middle-aged Cincinnatians
Next Friday (7/22), Three Doors Down and Candlebox play Timberwolf.
Saturday 7/23, The Drive-by Truckers and Lydia Loveless are at the Dayton Masonic Center… looks like I picked the wrong week to go on vacation…
… and Chicago plays Riverbend for the umpteenth time, this time with Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin in tow.
The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lobos and Gabe Dixon will be at Rose next Sunday (7/24) and Trouble No More (Allman Bros. tribute band) plays the “Eat a Peach” album in its entirety, with openers Rebirth Brass Band and TWILM favorite Aaron Lee Tasjan.
Tuesday July 26th:
Southgate’s Revival Room hosts An Evening with Slaid Cleves
Collective Soul and Switchfoot play the Ovation
On Thursday, July 27th, Earth, Wind & Fire play the Rose, and The Outlaws are at Ludlow Garage.
John Moreland is the headliner for the Fountain Square freebie on Friday, July 29th. If I weren’t out of town, I’d definitely be there. Here’s a track from his new album, Birds in the Ceiling:
That same evening, bluesman Tinsley Ellis plays Ludlow Garage.
Saturday, July 30th is jam-packed with live shows:
Willie Nelson brings the Outlaw Music Festival to Riverbend – Gov’t Mule, ZZ Top and Larkin Poe will join Willie & Family on the bill
Greta Van Zeppelin Fleet are at the Coliseum, this is the rescheduled date from their March postponement
Sarah Shook and the Disarmers play Southgate
White Denim headlines the Fountain Square freebie
Railroad Earth chugs into the old Annie’s, with Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle as the opener
Melissa Etheridge plays the Fraze
Kansas carries on at the Hard Rock Casino
Kool Moe Dee is at Ludlow Garage
On Sunday, July 31st, Rose Music Center has a great twin bill of Buddy Guy and John Hiatt & the Goners (featuring Sonny Landreth)
Roger Waters will finally play his originally-scheduled-for-2020 gig at the Coliseum on Tuesday, August 2nd. The show is called “This is Not a Drill”:
“This Is Not A Drill is a ground breaking new rock and roll/cinematic extravaganza, performed in the round, it is a stunning indictment of the corporate dystopia in which we all struggle to survive, and a call to action to LOVE, PROTECT and SHARE our precious and precarious planet home. The show includes a dozen great songs from PINK FLOYD’S GOLDEN ERA along side several new ones, words and music, same writer, same heart, same soul, same man. Could be his last hurrah. Wow! My first farewell tour! Don’t miss it. Love R.”
On Wednesday, August 3rd, Glass Animals (no relation to George Glass… or are they?) play an outdoor gig at the Jan Brady…
… and Joe Bonamassa is at the Fraze (sorry, couldn’t bring myself to use “plays the Fraze” twice in one post).
Andrew Bird, Iron & Wine and Meshell Ndegeocello are at PNC on Thursday, August 4th.
Friday, August 5th;
Ben Levin and Joe Tellmann will join other Pinetop Perkins Foundation Masterclass participants in backing Bob Margolin at the Lebanon Blues Festival. (The Festival continues on Saturday – schedule is here.)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds roll into Ludlow Garage
Tab Benoit plays the Taft Theatre
Holy F*ck will be at Madison Live. Yes, that’s what I said.
This was not a drill…
Letters to the Editor
You are correct, Dan! It’s really no way to treat someone who has been nothing but kind to me. But it’s still fun.
When music is so abundant and our attention is scarce, there’s power in adding more intention to your listening diet, more chaos, more risk. The thrill in finding music that is wired to your singular life is not that thousands of other people have found the same thing. It’s that the music becomes something confounding and unique, a true reflection of where you are and where you’ve been. The beauty of the algorithm of your mind is that it makes perfect sense to no one but yourself.
Cullen is currently looking for a gig in NYC, having recently been laid off by Landor/Fitch in their latest round of cuts. He’s good people – if you know of any agencies looking for someone with his profile, please let him know. And speaking of a Landor layoff leading to better things…
List member Dale Doyle (the original d2) is now a Grammy voter. Which means we can blame him if our favorite bands don’t win. Or maybe we can just call Dale and pressure him to “find” 10,000 votes for Japanese Breakfast.
Album Cover of the (Three) Week(s)
It wasn’t “free indeed” it was 37 cents at St. Vincent de Paul, but I still passed on it.
And three of them are scheduled to appear at Riverbend tomorrow night.
I say “scheduled to appear” because they’re opening for Santana, and he collapsed on stage during a show at Pine Knob in Michigan a couple of days ago. Apparently he was “overtaken by heat exhaustion and dehydration.” I can relate – the power was out at our house Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. No A/C? In this heat?
I’ll bet the weather is better in Berlin. Oh, speaking of Berlin, they’re playing Timberwolf on Saturday, with A Flock of Seagulls (the band… the avian version can only be found at the original Coney Island in Brooklyn – they’re eating leftover hot dogs).
Other Saturday shows:
Less than Jake, Bowling for Soup and Aquabats play the Ovation
O.A.R. plays a concert at Great American Ball Park after the Reds 4:10 tilt vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. That show is sponsored by the Ohio Lottery, which seems fitting, as the Reds have as much chance of winning the game as you do of winning the lottery.
Joshua Ray Walker and Joslyn & the Sweet Compression play RiversEDGE in Hamilton
The Paradise Music Festival continues at Braxton Brewing in Covington
Last but not least (at least in the “noises he can make” category) Michael Winslow brings his wacky sound effects comedy to Ludlow Garage. Steve Guttenberg sold separately.
On Tuesday, Riverbend will engage in an annual tradition that they cherish so much: whipping out the Rod.
Uh, Rod Stewart is playing at RB… with Cheap Trick as the opener.
Wednesday, mere inches away from the previous night’s Rod show, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Los Lobos and Gabe Dixon play PNC.
The Cult plays PNC on Thursday, with special guests Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Zola Jesus… or Jesus Motorcycle Cult for short.
Other Thursday shows:
Scott Miller (of the late great V-Roys) plays a solo gig at Southgate
Ruby Vileos will be doing the Roots Revival Series at Washington Park
Ben Levin plays Shires’ Garden
the Red NOT Chili Peppers and BLINK180True are at RiversEDGE
Please note the NOT… I do NOT want you to wind up like this dude:
Next Friday, the Reds are out of town, but Great American Ball Park is hosting Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Poison and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts… so #1 Mötley Crüe fan Dän “Reds in 2023” Lëwis surely will be front and center.
Dan has been working out.
Also next Friday, The Cult/Black Rebel Motorcycle Club/Zola Jesus show will be at Rose Music Center in scenic Huber Heights, OH.
Cereal Killers killed it at Big Ash Brewing
Great sets, awesome crowd – including several list members who cashed in their “first beer on d2” online offer. Next CK gig at Big Ash is on Sept. 10th. I’ll be out of town, so your first beer is on you… but don’t you dare miss this big show!
Mea Culpa
Your esteemed This Week in Live Music editor does exhaustive research* to compile this (nearly) weekly post. But occasionally he does miss a show or three, sometimes incurring the scorn and ridicule of list member “Rico” (he’s not in the mob, I hope) in the process. And let’s just say that Lee Greenwood is crying tears like the “Native American” in that “don’t litter” commercial from the 70s because I forgot to mention the b-list bands cashing fat checks for civic/corporate-underwritten gigs patriotic events that happened last weekend, including Gavin DeGraw at Red, White & Blue Ash; Spin Doctors at Taps, Tastes and Tunes in West Chester; and Smashmouth at Red, Rhythm & Boom. Mea maxima culpa to Smashmouth Superfan Dan “All Star” Lewis.
He was walking on the sun, but he used SPF 5000.
*lazily checking a couple of websites every few weeks
It’s a rare Thursday night edition of This Week in Live Music, because I want to give you extra time to gear up for the big CK show on Friday night.
That’s right, Cereal Killers are playing a FREE show at Big Ash Brewing — on the site of the old El Rancho Rankin Motel — on Friday night!
Not Howard Cohen
You know the drill: Cereal Killers play stellar covers of great songs from the 97X era — Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, X, The Clash, INXS, Guided by Voices, et al. — with some Stones and Tom Petty in the mix for good measure.
Not only is the show free, but your first beer is free.
Courtesy of your favorite author of a little known, infrequently-read weekly roundup of live music in the Tri-State area. (C’est moi!)
It’s really true!
Free Killer tunes and a free beer… a great way to kick off your All-American holiday weekend.
Other free shows tomorrow night include Lilly Hiatt and Heavy Hinges doing the Fountain Square gig, Ben Levin at Wiedemann’s, and the Sunburners at Stanbery Park.
The Northside Rock & Roll Carnival takes place at Hoffner Park the rest of the holiday weekend:
Wild Carrot plays Harmony Hill Vineyards in Bethel on Saturday, and Ben Levin plays at Schwartz’s Point on Sunday.
Monday is Independence Day – here’s your Public Service Announcement:
Monday also marks the official starts of “was that fireworks or gunshots?” season on the NextDoor app.
On Wednesday:
The Psychedelic Furs and X play at Rose Music Center near Dayton
Third Eye Blind, Taking Back Sunday and Hockey Dad play an outdoor show at the Ovation.
Death Cab for Cutie rolls into the Ovation on Thursday, with Illuminati Hotties as the opener. That’s an outdoor gig as well.
That same evening:
Noah Wotherspoon plays the Rocking the Roebling free show on the lawn by the Moerlein Lager House (6-8 pm), and the Doobie Brothers play their 50th anniversary tour (a year or so late) at Riverbend.
We are contractually obligated to mention the best 70s sitcom two-part episode ever whenever we mention the Doobie Brothers.
The part where Rerun gets busted is pure gold:
The entire episode is here. Don’t act like you don’t want to watch it.
Next Friday, July 8th:
Wilderado plays Madison Live. List member Jeff Franco and I saw them the last time they were in town, and it was a great show. I’ll probably go to that gig.
Sheryl Crow and Keb’ Mo’ are at Rose Music Center
China Crisis plays Ludlow Garage
The Brook & the Bluff play a free gig at Fountain Square, with Abby Holiday and Knotts also on the bill
Perpetual Groove is at the old Annie’s
Oops, I did it again
I forgot to mention the Ann Wilson show at the Hard Rock last week. List member Michael “Rico” Carrico, whose musical tastes are firmly in the “Sad Dad” music camp, wasn’t even upset with me. And the show wound up getting cancelled, so perhaps I’m not forgetful, just prescient.
Cancer sucks. Scholarships rock!
Speaking o’ Rico, some of you may recall that he lost his brother to cancer three years ago. His brother Kevin passed away while he was in med school working to become a pediatric oncologist… after he had beaten Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a teenager… a cruel twist of fate which is heartbreakingly tragic on so many levels.
Rico and his family are honoring Kevin’s memory by raising funds for the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation to provide scholarships to young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. They’re hosting the Kevin Carrico Memorial Golf Tournament at California Golf Course on October 1st. Any and all support is welcome, whether that is getting a team together to play in the scramble, helping sponsor the event, donating items for auction or simply donating money.
Through the blog of a comic strip artist (yes, I’m that guy), I read about the passing of a woman who was part of a husband-wife team that hosted house concerts in Pittsburgh and supported local music. The woman’s published obit included this request:
In lieu of flowers, donations, food, whatever, please honor Deb by gathering some friends to go out for a beverage or meal, and leave your servers a huge tip in her memory. While you are at it, go see some local music, fill up the tip bucket and buy a CD and some merch.
Amen!
Remain in Light Kentucky?
List member Lisa Collins has deep roots in the Maysville, KY area. Recently she went to a book signing by Chris Frantz (Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club) in Old Washington, KY. From Lisa:
His grandparents restored the Harriet Beecher Stowe house in Old Washington in the 1960’s and he spent his teen years summers in Washington and Maysville. He and Tina Weymouth got married there – his talk was on their 45th wedding anniversary.
Former Screed ‘zine creator Terrence Burke also was there with his son and got pix with Chris and Tina:
Chris’ book is called Remain in Love. It’s a decent read.
Album Cover of the Week
Yanking those suspenders qualifies as elder abuse. OTOH, playing old timey banjo tunes to a little kid qualifies as child abuse. Let’s call it a draw instead of calling 241-KIDS.
I hope your Wet Hot American Summer is going well so far.
Let’s take a look at the live gigs, shall we? Wait, hold the phone! I actually missed a gig last week. Ian Noe played at the Southgate House last night, and I forgot to mention it, which deeply disappointed list member Michael “Rico” Carrico. Because this is a family blog, I cannot repeat what he called me.
Sorry, Rico, I will try not to let you down again. Speaking of letdowns, The Chicks had to postpone their Riverbend show due to “strict doctors orders for vocal rest.”
My wife is a nurse, and she is always giving me “strict orders for vocal rest.” Because this is a family blog, I cannot repeat her exact orders.
Anyhoo, on with the shows…
Tonight:
The Jan Brady hosts An Evening with Jackson Browne
Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers play the Taft
Phil Vassar plays the old Annie’s
Soul Pocket does a free show on Fountain Square
Saturday:
Maren Morris plays the Cindy Brady, with Brent Cobb as the opener
Hannah Wicklund and Daniel Donato are at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
The Temptations and the Righteous Brothers play the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights
On Sunday, we want the funk! Annie’s hosts the One Nation Under a Groove Tour:
The Avett Brothers play Timberwolf — yes, Timberwolf — on Tuesday. Tickets are still available here. Blue ice cream sold separately.
On Wednesday, Mt. Joy is at the Peter Brady. Their new album is really good.
The other Hump Day show of note is ABBA: The Concert, at Rose Music Center.
Thursday is a huge day for gigs:
The Zombies (with founding members vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent) are at Ludlow Garage
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy plays the Taft
The Queers, The Dwarves, The Raging Nathans and The Jasons are at Southgate
Béla Fleck & My Bluegrass Heart, Sam Bush, and The Jerry Douglas Band play Rose
The Turkeys play outdoors (weather permitting) at the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Devou Park
Ben Levin is at Shire’s Garden from 6-9 p.m.
Jordan Smart is doing the Roots Revival series at Washington Park from 7-9 p.m.
Next Friday, my homies Cereal Killers will be killin’ it at Big Ash Brewing.
I’ll be there for sure, and you should be too, if you know what’s good for you. First beer’s on me!
That same evening:
just up the hill in scenic Mt. Washington, The Sunburners (local steel drum band) will be playing a free show at Stanbery Park.
Ben Levin is at Wiedemann’s.
Lilly Hiatt (daughter of John and a fine artist in her own right) is the headliner for the free show at Fountain Square.
Go figure that four budget-friendly shows I’d like to see are on the same evening. When it rains, it pours… although I hope it doesn’t rain that evening.
The Morton Salt Girl probably has hypertension now.
Fun Fact Friday
Friday Dance Party… from the 80s
I promise to bust out some of these great dance moves at the Cereal Killers show next Friday:
