April showers bring live music

Concert Listings, podcast

Welp, list member Dale Doyle didn’t win a Grammy today. Then again, I’m pretty sure he was the only list member who was nominated. And you know what they say:

Congrats, D2 on your stunning work.

And if you’re wondering who did get the Grammy for best package design, it was:

Other Grammy winners include… I have no idea. You think I’m going to watch an awards show? Well, other than this one:

But unless it’s the Bono Awards, I’d much rather see a live concert!

Body parts — and the lack thereof — will be on display Tuesday. The Flaming Lips play the Bobby Brady Icon Music Center, with Heartless Bastards as the opener.

Bobby needed ice cream to cool his flaming lips

Wednesday, The Minks plays Southgate House. This show is highly recommended by list member Jim Siegert, who has attended a gazillion concerts (conservative estimate), so he really knows shows like no one else. Here’s what he said about The Minks:

I saw them twice at AmericanaFest last September, and they’re awesome. Check out their YT channel when you have a chance. https://youtube.com/c/TheMinksss

Tommy Castro & the Painkillers play the Taft on Thursday. [These are over-the-counter Painkillers (active ingredient: killer chops) so no prescription is required. Side effects may include head-bobbing, toe-tapping, rockin’ pneumonia and boogie-woogie flu.]

The weekend will bring a deluge of shows.

Friday:

alt-J and Portugal. The Man and Cherry Glazerr play Ovation (I think it’s called “The weird punctuation and spelling tour.”)
The Louisiana Swamp Stomp, featuring The Iguanas and Kevin Gordon, rolls into Southgate’s main room (Sanctuary).
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Experience deals the tunes at the Hard Rock Casino.
Mike Farris and the Fortunate Few play Ludlow Garage.
Christian Nicholas Gough has a show in Southgate’s upstairs Revival Room, with Miranova and Closest Relative also on the bill. True story: my friend Art’s son Sam (who also is a member of the Cleveland Guardians roller derby team and a world-ranked pinball player) is playing bass with Miranova.

Saturday shows:

Jess Lamb headlines the Fountain Square Spring Music Series free show at… you guessed it… Fountain Square.
Baroness plays Southgate’s Revival Room.
Suzanne Santo plays the Taft Ballroom.
John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band plays Ludlow Garage (the Esquire Theater should do a matinee showing of Eddie and the Cruisers that day).

Next Sunday (April 10), Rise Against plays Ovation, and Ludlow Garage hosts Progject: The Ultimate Prog Rock Musical Experience. From the press bio:

ProgJect Features:

Michael Sadler (Saga) – Lead Vocals, Keys, Bass & Percussion
Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard, Asia, Phil Collins, Chris Squire) – Keys & Vocals
Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, The Zappa Band) – Guitar
Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact, In Continuum) – Bass, Pedals, Guitar, Keys & Vocals
Jonathan Mover (GTR, Marillion, Satriani, The Tubes) – Drums, Percussion & Vocals

With a two-plus hour set that includes “Squonk”, “Firth Of Fifth”, “Cinema Show”, “Siberian Khatru”, “Roundabout”, “Heart Of The Sunrise”, “From The Beginning”, “Karn Evil 9 – 1st Impression”, “21st Century Schizoid Man”, “Lark’s Tongues In Aspic”, “Xanadu”, “Solsbury Hill”, “Money”, “Living In The Past”, “Rendezvous 6:02” and more… ProgJect is going to drop your jaw and blow your mind.

Hmm, didn’t know the guy from Saga had it in him.

But Series-ously, Folks

We mentioned a Fountain Square Spring Music Series gig – the full series lineup is here on CincyMusic.com.

And speaking of music series, Parlor & Patio is back! List members Jacqui and Dave Killen will once again be hosting shows in their Ft. Thomas home. Huzzah!

Their first two announced shows:

Friday, May 13: Ritt & Wilder Deitz (tickets on sale here)
Saturday, June 18: Jesse Taylor

Funny Business

This Uproxx article by Steven Hyden, wherein he ranks all the Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, is filled with hilarious snark. An excerpt:

The album overall has the feel of a late-period U2 album. Which doesn’t sound like a compliment, though I am genuinely impressed that they could make a record this unhorny. In that respect, The Getaway is genuinely subversive, a Chili Peppers record without a cucumber in its trousers.

Speaking of trouser cucumbers, Jason Isbell cracked me up with his comment on a poorly worded Stereogum headline:

Shameless self-promotion

List member Dave Tellmann and I continue to crank out ~~top-quality~~ slapdash episodes of the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast, garnering ~~worldwide acclaim~~ comments of “oh, that’s nice” from our spouses. (We’re currently #27 on the list of “Top Podcasts to Fold Laundry to.”) The most recent episodes are a two-parter (like a “very special episode” of Punky Brewster, only with less pigtails) with former station manager Jay Batista, who, along with Steve Stenken, helped flip the format of WOXY to modern rock. Part 1 of our chat with Jay is here, and Part Deux is here.

Album Cover of the Week

The unpicturesque field… the uncomfortable pose… the lack of a tight focus on the subject… but all is forgiven because the Cousin Eddie shoes match the fence.

Tucker Carlson Album Cover of the Week

Live music, no foolin’.

Concert Listings, Music

Another week, myriad opportunities to check out live music.

On Monday, Nektar is at Ludlow Garage. That’s a Brit prog rock band that’s been around since 1969. And the name is pronounced like “nectar”… although it’d be cooler if it were “Neck-Tar”… and it came from the instrument that was the ill-fated, banned-due-to-choking hazard follow-up to the Keytar.

Where was I? Oh, that’s right, gigs. Also on Monday, Relient K plays Bogart’s. (The “K” stands for Keytar!)

On Tuesday, Colin Hay (of Men at Work) comes all the way from the Land Down Under to the Peter Brady Icon Music Center, creating a magical marriage between vegemite sandwiches and pork chops & applesauce.

That same evening, Greta Van Zeppelin… I mean Led Fleet… I mean Greta Van Fleet, plays the Coliseum, creating a magical marriage of a band that reeks of the 70s and an arena that reeks of the 70s.

Also on Tuesday, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia play Southgate.

Sylmar plays MOTR on Wednesday – it’s an 8 p.m. ticketed ($12 advance) show. And finger-style guitarist Yasmin Williams is at Ludlow Garage.

Thursday, Ludlow Garage has Church of Cash. It’s a tribute to Johnny Cash, not Kash Amburgy… although I’d be fine with either.

Friday is April Fools’ Day.

Celebrate with some Negative-Calorie Cookies and Tree Frog Beer… or just get sad that a formerly progressive radio station is now a parody of itself.

That evening, Johnnyswim plays the Ovation. The band features the marriage (literally) of Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano. Amanda is the daughter of Donna Summer, so she probably grew up around keytars.

Also on Friday:

Kishi Bashi is at the Madison Theater
The Wooks play Southgate’s Revival Room
Rumpke Mountain Boys kick off a two-night stand at the old Annie’s
EXTC plays Ludlow Garage. EXTC features Terry Chambers (drummer for XTC) plus Steve Tilling (vocals, guitar, ex-TC&I, the band of XTC’s Colin Moulding and Terry Chambers), Steve Hampton (guitar, vocals) and Matt Hughes (bass, vocals).

Saturday shows:

Shawn Colvin is at Memorial Hall, and she’ll be playing her brilliant 1989 debut Steady On acoustically, along with other favorites.
Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle/The Harmed Brothers have a nice twin bill show at Southgate in the Revival Room.
Rumpke Mountain Boys are back at Annie’s.
The Ben Levin Blues Band plays Ghost Baby
The Yugos play a free show at MOTR.

On Sunday, list member Dale Doyle just might win a Grammy in the Best Recording Package for his artwork/design on Matt Berninger’s solo album Serpentine Prison.

Even though Dale’s work should be feted during the evening telecast, he’s not a teenage pop songstress (at least he wasn’t the last time we checked his…er, recording package…). So you’ll have to tune in to the afternoon event where more than three-quarters of the 86 winners will be announced. The live stream will start at 3:30 EDT and will be available on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel as well as on the website live.grammy.com.

After Dale picks up his hardware, Ben Levin has a 6:30 show at Schwartz’s Point, the cool jazz club in OTR. The building’s been around since about 1870, and a keytar has never darkened its doorway.

Motherfolk is at Top Cats — yes Top Cats — on Sunday.

R.I.P. Taylor Hawkins

New tunes

Here’s a fun new song from Lucius:

Grant-Lee Phillips always delivers:

Digging the new one from Soccer Mommy too:

Old tunes

Gospel great Sister Rosetta Tharpe, born on March 20th, 1915 in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, was as rockin’ as any rock star. Here she is just shredding on a 1965 gospel TV show:

https://youtu.be/cyrQJVxP6Ec?t=28

Album Cover of the Week

We heard that Bob was a fan of The Kinks. Or something like that.

Spring Awakening

Concert Listings, Music

Spring has officially arrived… meaning we should only have four more snow days before May. But the gigs are popping up like crocuses. (Sorry, no gigs from Krokus though. Guess you’ll have to settle for their “Live at Wacken” album.)

Krokus fans and Wacken – they go together

Graham Nash rambles into Memorial Hall on Tuesday for “An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories.” Graham’s 80 now, so I don’t know how “intimate” we want to get with him… that’s a hard pass even for Joni Mitchell.

“I’m not wearing any pants!
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Meanwhile Thao (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down fame) plays the Woodward with her band (which may or may not be the Get Down Stay Down…). Becca Mancari and Why Bonnie open the show.

On Wednesday, David Ramirez plays Ludlow Garage, with TWILM favorite Caroline Spence as the opener.

Thursday’s gigs:

Dark Star Orchestra plays Ovation
The Other Favorites are at Southgate
Ben Levin is at Shire’s Garden
The Red Hot Chili PIPERS play Ludlow (so no Flea… also no fly, because they wear kilts)

Freekbass and the Bump Assembly hit Ludlow on Friday for FunKISSdelic – a Funkadelic/KISS mash-up.

That same evening, the equally funky Combo Chimbita plays Northside Tavern.

On Saturday, Todd Snider plays Madison Theater, and əkoostik hookah is playing the old Annie’s. That’s an indoor show – the better to smell the Hookah.

Sunday is the perfect day for Holy F*ck to play Madison Live. More for the “Holy” part than the… well, you know.

Ticketbastard!

Faithful readers of This Week in Live Music (all three of you) already know how much I despise Ticketmaster. John Oliver just add more heat to my already-boiling blood:

Listen to this!

Here’s a nice half-hour interview with Michael Stipe on World Cafe:

Watch this!

Sly Stone in a halter top… with a super-tight band… and, at the seven-minute mark, a dancer who is a dead ringer for Roger from What’s Happening!!? Yes please!

https://youtu.be/bJ_QaEir7FU

Album Cover of the Week

I can certainly understand why Elvis shot his TV set when this guy was on…

Parting shot

Spring forward. Irish Spring. March madness.

Concert Listings, Music

Top o’ the evening to ya. Can you believe how late it stayed light tonight? Other than the car wrecks, Daylight Saving Time is the best.

Actually I wrecked trying to change the car clock while driving.

Speaking of car wrecks, congrats to my beloved Xavier Musketeers for backing into the NIT like Jim Rockford eluding the bad guys.

That’s OK, though, I’m sure the entire Tri-State will get behind the… Wright State Raiders?

Their mascot name is Raiders and their mascot is a wolf. Makes sense.

OK, enough sporty-sports talk, let’s get to the music:

Monday, Little Feat’s Waiting for Columbus tour comes to the Taft, with opener Ida Mae. And Rob Schneider’s daughter (Elle King) plays Bogart’s.

Sammy Rae & Friends play Memorial Hall on Tuesday

Wednesday, Manchester Orchestra plays Ovation, and Sam Bush is at Ludlow Garage.

Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day – here’s a public service announcement:

List member Howard Cohen recommends this particular brew:

If you’re looking for tunes that evening, Ludlow Garage is hosting An Evening with J.D. Souther – all the hits, some of the stories.

Friday, 10,000 Maniacs will be at Ludlow, and Jukebox the Ghost plays Taft.

Saturday is a Jethro night.

Martin Barre from Jethro Tull will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Aqualung with a show at Memorial Hall. And David Sanborn will sax up Ludlow Garage.

New tunes

A live version of a new tune from Lucius… goosebumps!

Cincy’s own Afghan Whigs have a rockin’ new tune out:

And The National’s Matt Berninger does guest vocals on a new tune from TWILM favorite Caroline Spence – mighty fine!

(If you haven’t checked out Caroline’s 2019 album Mint Condition, do so posthaste. It’s fantastic.)

Art about artists from an artist

Michael Wilson, acclaimed Cincinnati-based photographer, collaborated on a new body of work with the Visionaries + Voices community. His process, using a 4×5 format camera led to a series of intimate black and white portraits of artists with the possessions they hold most dear.

During his distinguished career Michael has worked with the likes of B.B. King, David Byrne, Robert Plant, Aaron Neville, Bill Frisell, Doc Watson, and Dr. John. See Cherished at V+V’s Northside gallery this spring to learn why Michael is known widely as a master storyteller. The exhibit runs through the end of April at the Visionaries + Voices Northside Gallery, M-F, 10a-4p.

Album Cover of the Week

We’re really diggin’ the main font… and Bob’s disco shirt, of course… but the secondary font is nearly illegible.

Time marches on. And March’s time is on.

Concert Listings

I’m playing catch-up…

So this week’s rundown of gigs ’round town will be short and sweet. Like a ketchup packet.

But without the high fructose corn syrup.

Tomorrow night, Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays Memorial Hall.

Sam Weber is at Southgate on Wednesday.

Thursday, Gangstagrass will be wafting into the Ludlow Garage.

Flying Underground and Paige Beller play a free show at MOTR, and The Way Down Wanderers are at Southgate.

On Friday, Billy Strings kicks off two nights of shows at the Cindy Brady Icon Music Center. List member Michael Orzali will be there both nights. That sort of devotion explains why both gigs are sold out.

Also on Friday:

Kasim Sultan’s Utopia plays Ludlow Garage.
Angela Perley and Megan Wren are at Southgate
Shiner plays the Woodward Theater
Mol Sullivan and Carriers are at MOTR
Ben Levin plays Dead Low Brewing with special guest Lil’ Jimmy Reed

Saturday is Yolo time… wait, check that, it’s Yola.

She’s at the Taft.

Also on Saturday:

All Them Witches play the Woodward.

You know Gladys Kravitz will be at that gig.

Billy Strings is back at the Jan Brady Icon Music Center
Ace Frehley of KISS plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
This Pine Box headlines a three-band bill (Thomas & the Work-men, Street Limes) at MOTR
Ben Levin and Lil’ Jimmy Reed shift to Lucius Q
McGuffey Lane is at the Ovation
New Edition is at the Coliseum… I think the last time they were actually a NEW edition was when these guys were around:

On Sunday, The Regrettes play the Taft Ballroom, with Kississippi as the opener… that’s a nice double bill. That same evening, Henry Rollins is at Bogart’s (it’s a spoken word tour) and comedian John Mulaney does his thing at the Coliseum.

And if you’re an early riser, you can catch Ben Levin & Lil’ Jimmy Reed at the Hard Rock Casino at 10:30 a.m. That’s Eastern Daylight Time… ‘cuz we spring forward in the wee small hours of the morning.

The forecast calls for more shows

The summer scene is heating up. Recently announced shows include Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, Blondie (with The Damned!), Lumineers, The Chicks (with Patty Griffin!) and Idles. Also, RiversEDGE in scenic Hamilton will be hosting David Shaw’s two-day Big River Get Down:

Shameless Self-Promotion

We mentioned Lucius Q earlier in this post. Aaron Sharpe, that dining establishment’s co-owner, was a longtime staffer at WNKU-FM… and he’s the latest interview ~~victim~~ subject in the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast. Check it out here.

Dueling Album Covers of the Week

We’re diggin’ the 50s TV show vibe of Teresa, but Vivienne!! has a great 70s TV commercial style. I bet she soaked her nails in Palmolive.

Singin’ the blues

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Well, the Orange & Black made a valiant effort, but in the end they were edged out by the Blue & Yellow.

Wait, I’m talking about leftover Halloween candy. What did you think I meant?

Oh yeah, the Bengals lost too. But as the people on this boat said upon further reflection* “that sure was a heck of a ride!”

*i.e. after they recovered from their concussions

OK, let’s move on to the tunes. Great news: as part of the This Week in Live Music President’s Day Weekend Sale, you can buy one week of concert listings and get one week free!

Speaking of furniture, let’s give it up for Lucy Dacus, who played a great show at the Ovation while lying on a couch for most of the gig due to two herniated discs in her back. What a trooper.

Looking heavenward with the voice of an angel

New release Friday

Today, Jacob Strom (son of list members Jen and Tim Strom) has a new track called “Charger” dropping on all the major streaming sites. It’s a song he co-wrote for an artist named JVKE, who apparently is quite the TikTok-er. Check it out. And by “it” I mean the song, not TikTok. OK, go ahead and do both, you impetuous youth!

Tickets on sale today

Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples at the Greg “Johnny Bravo” Brady Center on July 19th.

Gig time

Tonight, John Scofield plays Ludlow Garage.

Saturday, Beth Hart is at the Taft, Madison Live hosts a Weezer and Smashing Pumpkins tribute, and the Icon has a sold-out show: Louis Tomlinson. (Never heard of him? Same here, my friend with discriminate taste in musical artists… apparently he was a member of One Direction.)

On Monday, Superwolves (a band featuring Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy*) plays Southgate.

*no relation to Prince

Tuesday, Drew & Ellie Holcomb play Memorial Hall, and The Thing with Feathers lands in Southgate’s Revival Room.

On Thursday:

Allison Russell plays Memorial Hall. (Allison is from Birds of Chicago, and her solo album from 2021 got rave reviews.)
Zachary Williams (of The Lone Bellow) will be at Ludlow Garage, with local band The Hiders opening the show.
Ovation has Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. That show is BYOG (Bring Your Own Groupies)

Next Friday evening, Lily Hiatt plays Southgate, with the Harmaleighs opening, and Jack Russell’s Great White (essentially Jack Russell minus all the other members of Great White… it’s complicated when that much hair is involved) plays the Blue Note in Harrison.

“What can I say? I threw a band together because I needed the money.”

On Saturday, Feb. 26th:

Anderson East plays Bogart’s
Local artists Physco and Christian Nicholas Gough play the Woodward
Alex Williams is in Southgate’s Sanctuary
Letterkenny Live is at the Taft.

Sunday, 2/27, British blues-rocker Joanne Shaw Taylor is at Southgate and Gaelic Storm hits the Taft.

The four members of the band called We Banjo Three have two shows at Memorial Hall, on Tuesday, March 1st and Wednesday, March 2nd.

Also on Wednesday (3/2), Beach House will be on the river… at the Ovation in Newport. And Wishbone Ash plays Ludlow Garage.

Goats will march forth when Bockfest kicks off on Friday, March 4th. That same evening the Devon Allman Project (featuring Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars) plays Annie’s with the Samantha Fish Band, and The Well and Howling Giant play Northside Yacht Club. If you’re into tributes, Bogart’s has The Prince Experience (no relation to Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy) and Taft hosts The Fab Four Ultimate Tribute. (I’m assuming it’s a tribute to the Rutles.)

Shows on Saturday, March 5th:

Ministry, the Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity are at the Madison Theater
Mat Kearney plays the Taft
Local artist David McGlynn has an album release show at the Woodward, with Ric Hordinski and Moonshine
Aja – A tribute to Steely Dan is at Ludlow Garage (I’m assuming it’s a tribute to the BAND Steely Dan, not the… um… toy.)

Coheed & Cambria plays Ovation on Sunday, March 6th, and the husband and wife duo called Ordinary Elephant plays Southgate, with Rachael Kilgour as the opener.

Vote early, vote often

I’m with AC Newman…

Album Covers of the Week

I spend a lot of time crate-digging at the local thrift stores, trying to add to my vinyl collection on the cheap. Usually it’s a colossal waste of time, as the bins are filled with nothing but albums from Andy Williams, Engelbert ~~Hump-or-death~~ Humperdinck and the Ray Conniff Singers. But this past Sunday, I scored big:

Not a bad haul for the princely* sum of $4.63.

*no relation to Prince

Have a great fortnight!

Super. Love. Music.

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

What a great time to be in the Cincinnati area. This Sunday, the local NFL team, owned by the Browns (in more ways than one), has a chance to take home the ultimate prize: a trip to Disney World!

(Oh, and a shiny trophy too.) This town is going bonkers for their Bengals!

Then on Monday, it’s VD for everyone! Let me wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Always remember that I love you, even if I forgot to get you something… wait, sorry, that’s the note for my wife. Although sometimes I DO get her a gift and she’s still upset.

I have no idea why…

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before we get to the Super Bowl and the Super Love, we have an action-packed weekend of hard-hitting rock and/or roll.

Tonight, Lucy Dacus plays the Ovation, with Indigo De Souza as the opener. Should be a stellar show – hope to see you there.

This just in… if Lucy has back-to-back back pain, she might be crooning from a couch, like she did last night in the Motor City:

Saturday, Foxy Shazam plays the Peter Brady Icon Music Center.

That same evening, Manor House in Mason hosts The Cincy Winter Blues Experience, Rob Fetters kicks off Season #6 of his “Fetters is Cheap” live streams, and the Tri-State’s smelly hippies find themselves with a tough choice:

Local jam band Spookfloaters (feat. my wife’s cousin Mike on guitar and vocals) plays the event center at Little Miami Brewing Co. AND
Runaway Gin (a tribute to Phish) is at Annie’s.

I guess they’ll have to take two trips that night.

The Peter Brady mustache really makes the outfit.

On Super Sunday, Stay Outside and Leland Blue play Southgate.

Monday, in addition to the aforementioned hug fest that is Valentine’s Day, Langhorne Slim plays Southgate.

Southgate House has two shows on Tuesday:

The Pine Hill Haints play the main room (Sanctuary)
In the upstairs Revival Room, you can enjoy An Evening with Clem Snide – I may hit this show, could be really cool.

Wednesday, Dream Theater plays the Marsha Brady Icon Music Center.

Iconic football scene.

On Thursday, Cary Morin plays Southgate’s Revival Room.

Next Friday, John Scofield will be at Ludlow Garage.

Tickets on sale today

The Who at TQL Stadium on May 15th… yes, Quadrophenia fans, that’s 5:15…
Idles at Ovation on September 12th
“Mickey Dolenz celebrates the Monkees” at Icon on April 9th
Engelbert Humperdinck at Taft on May 6th.

Trick question

Live shot

The War on Drugs put on a stellar show at Ovation this past Sunday. The venue is similar to the Mike Brady Icon Music Center, although it only has a single wraparound balcony instead of two. The sound was very good, sightlines were decent, I just wish they had more exits for post-show egress.

Album Cover of the Week

Your collection of the best Soul music isn’t complete unless you have Hutch in your hutch.

I promised you Superlove music, so here it is:

Ass Ponys covering the Afghan Whigs… it doesn’t get any better than this.

It’s snowtime… with an occasional flurry of showtime!

Concert Listings, Music

Last night’s Country Westerns gig at MOTR was scuttled by the freezing rain, sleet, and snow. Mmm, wintry mix! (Special message to all those “if it’s going to be cold, I wish it would snow” types: bite me!)

But you can love The Ultimate Doors tribute two times, babe…

OK, technically one time. And probably tonight, because they are riders on the storm.

At press time, Brother Moses and Tom the Torpedoes are still on for Saturday (Southgate and Redmoor, respectively).

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday… it’s The War on Drugs at Ovation in Newport. List member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there with bells on (but we will only shake them between songs).

Are you less of a Drugs person and more of a jazzer-person?

Then you can catch the Blue Wisp Big Band’s 40th Anniversary CD Release party at The Redmoor on Sunday starting at 6 p.m.

On Tuesday, Anaïs Mitchell and Bonny Light Horseman trot into Memorial Hall. Bonny Light Horseman is Anaïs Mitchell with Eric D. Johnson (of Fruit Bats fame) and Josh Kaufman (a multi-instrumentalist and producer known for his work with Craig Finn, Hiss Golden Messenger, Josh Ritter, The National and Bob Weir). Should be a really cool show.

Washout Wednesday

Sleigh Bells were supposed to play Taft on Wednesday… but they moved their entire tour back several months.

And the Wailing Jennys were supposed to play Memorial Hall on Hump Day, but they moved that show back an entire year!

Oh, and I hate to pile on, but here’s more breaking news:

Speaking of non-music, The Moth Mainstage will be at Memorial Hall on Thursday, and comedian Whitney Cummings is appearing at the Taft.

But there IS music on Thursday: you can catch list member John Sandman’s Tye Dye Band at Eli’s BBQ in the East End. They’ll be playing (inside the heated/tented barn-like structure) from 6-8 p.m.

Next Friday, Lucy Dacus plays Ovation, with Indigo De Souza as the opener. Once again, list member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there. I’m assuming our bells will have been confiscated by Ovation staff earlier in the week, but we’re really pumped up for this show.

Lucy’s most recent album, Home Video, was one of our faves from 2021, and she has a new one-off single out that’s pretty tasty too.

Also next Friday, Ben Levin plays Wiedemann Brewing.

Tickets on sale today…

Manchester Orchestra is playing Ovation on Wednesday, March 16th, and Tori Amos will be at the Taft Theatre on Tuesday, May 24th. Tickets for both shows go on sale this morning. I wonder if Tori will play “Oil Spill”…

If you love me, you’ll buy this for me

Just a gentle reminder that VD is right around the corner. That’s Valentine’s Day – get your mind out of the gutter! And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for your favorite This Week in Live Music correspondent, you can get me this:

The pro model will suffice, no need to splurge on the premium or limited edition… it’s a mere $7K – you probably have that in your couch cushions. Better “rush” out and buy it soon though!

Magazine Cover of the Week

Now that’s an unfortunate sticker placement. Or not, depending on how phreaky Mike Gordon is.

Album Cover of the Week

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. And the Pathway to Heaven is peppered with polyester.

Groundhog Day… or Groundhog Month?

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast

February is just around the corner… and if you look around that corner you might see a few band vans headed your way. Maybe even a tour bus or three.

I loved Your Logo Here’s first EP, but they’ve sucked since they signed with a major label.

You might even spot a tour Winnebago.

Charles Napier ruled!

We covered this weekend’s shows in last week’s post, but just in case you were stricken with a serious case of Bengal Fever and missed it, here’s a recap:

Tonight:

Ana Popovic plays Ludlow Garage
Hyryder plays Annie’s
Knotts are at MOTR
Ben Levin is at BrewRiver
Alice Cooper plays the Icon.

Saturday:

The Wombats play Ovation
.38 Special plays the Hard Rock
Buckcherry and The Lacs are at Annie’s
String Theory plays Wiedemann’s
Ben Levin is at Japp’s
[The Big Mountain show at Ludlow Garage has been postponed. Which just goes to show that you can move a Big Mountain if you put your mind to it.]

Sunday:

Railroad Earth plays the Madison Theater.
The Cincinnati Bengals play the Kansas City Chiefs. Playoff football, NBD.

But there might be a QB who can beat him in 13 seconds or less.

The week ahead is kinda desolate. Julia Jacklin was slated to play Madison Live on Monday, but that gig has been cancelled. It’s like a pre-Groundhog Day Groundhog Day.

Speaking of our ol’ pal Punxsutawney Phil and his special day, Ben Levin plays the Hard Rock Cafe on Wednesday. And in true Groundhog Day fashion, he’s got a few other gigs this week… just like he does every week. You can see the entire list on Ben’s website. (No word on whether he’ll play a cover of “I Got You Babe.”)

The mighty fine band called Country Westerns will be at MOTR on Thursday. (Hey, do they drive a Winnebago too?) The Hiders duo opens the show. I hope to make that gig, but it’ll be a game day decision, given the late set time and my advanced age. (I might be too tired from playing pickleball and/or shooing kids off my lawn and/or yelling at a cloud.)

Next Friday you can watch Garage Doors…

Wait, check that, it’s actually a Doors tribute at the Ludlow Garage.

Next Saturday, Brother Moses (a rock band from… Arkansas!) plays the Southgate House’s Revival Room, and The Fighting Side and Wonky Tonk play a free show in the Southgate Lounge. Over on the Ohio side of the river, Tom the Torpedoes, a Tom Petty tribute band, is at the Redmoor.

Big show next Sunday: The War on Drugs at Ovation in Newport. List member Mighty Joe Sampson and I will be there. You should be too.

Watch This

Superchunk’s video for their new song “This Night” is a homage to the Replacements’ videos of yore.

Read This

Longtime Cincinnati arts journalist Steven Rosen has a new book called Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the ’50s and ’60s : From the Surf Club to Ludlow Garage. Read more here and order the book on Steven’s website. (Thanks to list member Jay Stowe for the story.)

The Words of the (Chuck) Prophet

And even if there’s a lot of political noise out there, and people who have strong opinions about things like science and religion, the stage remains my church and my job is to bring a group of strangers together and make them into a community for 90 minutes or so. If they don’t agree with every word that comes out of my mouth, that’s cool. Hell, if they don’t like every chord, that’s okay too. All I know is that they all left the house and had to find a place to park and they have to decide how much alcohol it’s okay to drink to be a responsible citizen or just not to get a DUI and have to sit in traffic school and endure the jokes of failed comedians. It’s because of those folks that I’m not one of those guys teaching at traffic school myself.
(Sign up for Chuck’s always entertaining and often enlightening newsletter on his website.)

The Words of the Podcast

The latest episode of the “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast features an interview with former 97X weekend DJ Jeff Rohrs, who talks about polka music, mispronouncing an artist’s name, bands he loved, and that time it rained on stage at Bogart’s during a Violent Femmes show.

You can listen to every episode of the podcast on pretty much every major podcasting platform (Spotify, Apple podcasts, Podbean, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, etc.) I don’t like to brag, but in 2021, “97X Rumblings from the Big Bush” was the 27th-fastest growing podcast about defunct radio stations. Take that, Joe Rogan! Oh, and take this too! (not a link to ivermectin)

Album Cover of the Week

Look at that track list! (Hat tip to list member Howard Cohen for sharing the Dick.)

Janu-Wary

Concert Listings, Music

Late-breaking news from the This Week in Live Music newsroom: Everyone’s favorite Meat Loaf has expired.

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, Meat Loaf, 1975

The pandemic just goes on and (omicr)on, so it’s OK to be a bit wary about venturing out this month. But hope springs eternal that when spring arrives, we’ll be in a better spot.

If you ARE comfy taking in a show or three, take a gander at the gigs o’ the week and pick your faves.

Tonight, we have Ben Levin at Wiedemann’s, Sabbath (a tribute) at Ludlow Garage and Justin Wells at Southgate.

Saturday night, Dopapod plays the Madison Theater and Better than Ezra and Tonic are at the Hard Rock Casino. And Southgate is hosting a Western Kentucky Tornado Relief benefit:

Ben Levin is back on the brunch shift at Hard Rock (10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.) on Sunday. (Just to clarify, Ben will be playing piano and singing the blues, he won’t be taking your order for Quiche Lorraine… although maybe he can play a bluesy version of that song.)

On Wednesday, you can check out Albert Lee at Southgate, with The Cryers as the opener, or see Lucky Chops (brass/funk) at the Taft Ballroom. (Lucky Chops are not affiliated with the Slap Chop.)

Thursday, Umphrey’s McGee is at the Ovation in Newport, and Ludlow Garage welcomes Tim Reynolds with TR3.

Next Friday, January 28th:

Ana Popovic plays Ludlow Garage
Hyryder plays Annie’s
Knotts are at MOTR
Ben Levin is at BrewRiver
That guy who is on the insurance commercial with Baker Mayfield plays the Icon.

This Pine Box was originally slated to play the Woodward that same evening, but that gig has been postponed. And the Erasure concert on 1/29 has also been postponed.

Next Saturday (1/29):

The Wombats play Ovation
.38 Special plays the Hard Rock
Buckcherry and The Lacs are at Annie’s
Big Mountain is at Ludlow Garage
String Theory plays Wiedemann’s
Ben Levin is at Japp’s
Bogart’s hosts a “Taylor Swift Inspired Dance Party”… just watch out for Taylor’s variant!

Next Sunday (1/30), Railroad Earth will be at the Madison Theater.