Music

Designs that Rock

Concert Listings, Music

If I told you that I had an album autographed by a Grammy-nominated artist, you might think I was referring to the recording artist.

That’s Matt Berninger’s solo album, Serpentine Prison, but the autograph isn’t Matt’s. It’s from my good friend (and list member) Dale Doyle, who created the album artwork. And Dale is the one up for the hardware:

I’m thrilled for Dale, (a.k.a. “the original d2”). He and I worked together at the Cincinnati office of Landor Associates. Dale spent 23 years there, until he was “downsized” back in 2018. In hindsight, it was the best thing that could’ve happened to him professionally.

Speaking of getting fired from an ad agency and being nominated for a Grammy, Japanese Breakfast is up for “Best New Artist” this year. (Even though this year’s release Jubilee was their third album… where was the Grammy committee when JB put out Psychopomp in 2016, or Soft Sounds from Another Planet in 2017, or when they were just blowing us away live in the Taft Ballroom back in 2018?) Bandleader Michelle Zauner talks about how she used her two-months’ severance from an ad agency to pursue a music career in this Broken Record podcast:

The moral of the stories: if you want to win a Grammy, the first step is being let go by an ad agency.

OK, let’s get into this week’s list of live shows:

Freekbass is hosting Funksgiving tonight at Ludlow Garage, Darlene has a record release show at MOTR, Ben Levin plays Arnold’s, and Patti LaBelle is at the Hard Rock Casino.

Saturday’s shows run the full gamut of genres and venues: The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is at Southgate, The Lions Rampant are at MOTR, Ben Levin plays Ghost Baby in OTR, local Tom Petty tribute band Tom the Torpedoes plays the Redmoor in Mt. Lookout… and Michael Bolton is at the Lawrenceburg Event Center in the Hoosier State.

Ben Levin is at it again on Sunday morning (must be trying to work off that extra helping of turkey yesterday), playing the Blues Brunch at the Hard Rock Casino from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. If 10 p.m. is more your style, Gringo Star and The Harlequins play MOTR that evening.

Tuesday, author David Sedaris is at the Aronoff. (Yes, I know it’s not a music gig but he’s a rockstar writer and just so damn entertaining in a live setting.)

On Thursday, Devotchka plays the Woodward Theater, with Milquetoast & Co. as the opener. The irrepressible Ben Levin plays Shires Garden. And if you need more cowbell, Blue Oyster Cult will be at Ludlow Garage.

Max Weinberg’s Jukebox makes a stop at Ludlow next Friday (12/3). And yes, Ben Levin has a gig – he’s playing Muse Cafe.

Next Saturday (12/4), Shakey Graves plays Bogart’s, local Dead/jam band Spookfloaters play Fretboard (my wife’s cousin is in that band, so I’ll be there), Ben Levin (him again!) plays BrewRiver, and Jess Lamb & the Factory will be at Findlay Market for a 5 p.m. happy hour gig.

That brings us full circle to yet another great design on a record: Keith Neltner (who worked with Dale and me at Landor) did the artwork for the limited edition 7-inch vinyl record featuring two songs from Jess Lamb & the Factory.

The record — a collaborative effort among Neltner Small Batch, Otto Printing in Newport, Musicol (recording studio/pressing plant in Columbus), Arnold’s, and Maker’s Mark — was released at Arnold’s on Wednesday evening, and a handful of the splatter vinyl copies went on sale today at five local record stores (Shake It Records, Everybodys Records, Plaid Room Records, Torn Light Records and Herzog Music).

Jess Lamb & the Factory band member Warren Harrison also worked at Landor…

Shop local stores. Support local artists (recording and otherwise). They might wind up winning a Grammy someday!

No Turkeys in Our House

Concert Listings, Music

No thugs either. But for sure no turkeys.

Let’s get to this week’s listings on the old 97X Koncert Keeper.

Tonight Shovels & Rope at Ludlow Garage, Bendigo Fletcher plays the Woodward with Sylmar as the opener, and the local Allman Bros. tribute band The Almond Butter Band plays their “Butterball” at the Redmoor in Mt. Lookout.

(Sidebar: after the year we’ve had, I can understand if you want to take a time capsule back to 1982. If so, you’ll be glad to know that Journey and Toto will be playing the Coliseum next April 24th. Tickets go on sale today. Warning: “Steve Perry” might look a bit different, but he still sounds the same.)

Beach Bunny has a sold-out show at Southgate on Saturday night. Didn’t get a ticket? That’s OK, you can “shop local”: Jeremy Pinnell will play two free sets at MOTR to celebrate the release of his new album Goodbye L.A., from local label SofaBurn Records.

Buy the LP or CD here

You can read list member Gil Kaufman’s interview with Jeremy for Cincinnati Magazine online. (We love Gil’s “resting outlaw face” turn of phrase.) Jason Gargano’s profile in CityBeat is here. And here’s the video (shot in Cincy/NKY) for “Wanna Do Something” from the new album:

Also on Saturday, Ludlow Garage features “Broken Arrow: The Music of Neil Young.” And if you’d prefer to laugh it up that evening, you have two fine choices:

  • Jim Gaffigan is at the Coliseum
  • Iliza Shlesinger is at the Taft (check out her Netflix specials, pretty damn funny)

On Sunday you can take a load off with The Weight Band, featuring members of The Band (revamped edition… no Robbie or Garth) and the Levon Helm Band (we still miss you, Levon). They’re playing Ludlow Garage. Wait! Looks like The Weight was too much to bear, and that show has been postponed.

Taft Theatre has a Scribble Showdown on Monday. But it’s an improv animation game, not a throwback to the old hip-hop Scribble Jam.

On Thanksgiving eve (Wednesday, 11/24), you can catch “All Together Now – A Beatles Thanksgiving Celebration” featuring the Newbees – it’s at Memorial Hall. Or you can head to Annie’s to enjoy the song stylings of the band that many* have called “The new Beatles”: Jackyl.

*these people are stoned out of their gourds

Ernie Johnson from Detroit will be at MOTR on Wednesday too.

On Thursday, Bird is the word.

Ted Cruz’s dream…

Or in my case, Tofurkey.

Wanna dance off your turkey/tofurkey coma next Friday? Get your booty down to Ludlow Garage for Freekbass and his “Funksgiving 2021” celebration.

Next Saturday, 11/27, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band plays Southgate, and Tom the Torpedoes will be at the Redmoor.

Watch this

Johnny Rotten on The Masked Singer is so 2021.

Speaking o’ punk, Devo is a band that doesn’t get nearly the credit they deserve. Check ’em out live in 1977 in NYC:

More Devo footage from that era is here.

Road trip next summer?

This festival lineup is redonk:

Whereas this pairing — Psychedelic Porn Crumpets with Acid Dad as the opener — is an early contender for twin billing of the year.

2021 favorites – care to share yours?

We’re heading down the homestretch of this year (2020 Part Deux: More Dumpster, Slightly Less Fire). If you care to share your list of favorite albums, EPs, songs, TikTok clips, whatever, you can add them here.

Album cover of the week

When you go over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house for Turkey Day, don’t forget to bring along some Sloppy fifths. Rated “Code E” for everyone.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Go-vember

Concert Listings, Music

It’s time to GO to a gig.

$200 in fake money sold separately

And you’ll have several opportunities this week. Tonight, Gary Clark Jr. plays the Icon, The Wild Feathers play Madison Theater, and Spyro Gyra plays Ludlow Garage.

Saturday, you can head to Memorial Hall for the North Mississippi All-stars with the Rebirth Brass Band and Cedric Burnside. The show sounds pretty cool:

For one special night, these three artists will be playing their own favorite selections as well as collaborating throughout the show on an array of great songs, exploring the musical connection between the Mississippi Delta and Bourbon Street… right down Highway 61.

From the Memorial Hall website

If you fancy a bit of a road trip, you can catch Hamilton Leithauser and Kevin Morby at Headliner’s in Louisville. If you’d rather stay home, Rob Fetters is streaming another house show on the YouTubes.

Sunday has a few gigs of note:

  • Ben Levin & Friends are doing the boogie-woogie brunch at Hard Rock Casino
  • Tab Benoit is at the Taft with Alastair Green
  • Carl Palmer plays Ludlow Garage
  • Sebastian Bach will be at Bogart’s for a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Skid Row’s Slave to the Grind. Maybe 20 years from now he’ll do an anniversary tour of the time he sang “Hollaback Girl” on Gilmore Girls.

On Monday I’ll probably be at MOTR Pub enjoying the sweet song stylings of Lydia Loveless, with Amber Nash as the opener. It’s a rare ticketed show for MOTR (most are free), but $15 is cheap for that gig. Doors at 7, show at 8.

Tuesday Southgate House has Alice Peacock with Tim Grimm and the Family Band: A Concert to Benefit The Music Resource Center.

Hayes Carll plays Southgate on Wednesday with the splendid Caroline Spence as the opener, and David Cross will be at Bogart’s. No word on whether any other members of Dr. Fünke’s 100% Natural Good-Time Family Band Solution will be there.

Ben Folds (hold the Five) is playing Taft on Thursday. That same evening, Olivia Jean and Leggy are at Southgate, and Edwin McCain plays Ludlow Garage.

Ludlow will be hosting Shovels & Rope next Friday, November 19th.

Dr. Shovels, with the Rope, in the Garage

Hot Ticket Alert!

Lucy Dacus (her latest album is one of my 2021 faves), will be playing Ovation (the PromoWest venue in Newport) on Friday, February 11th, 2022. Tickets go on sale today at noon (and yes, the “convenience fees” are redonk). Ovation also recently announced a Bon Iver show on June 21, 2022, with Bonny Light Horseman as the opener. The PromoWest lineup of shows had been rather underwhelming thus far, but these tasty gigs give us hope that, as list member Ken Laube put it, “maybe we’re finally getting out of concert jail.”

Gig Pics

Brett Newski and the No Tomorrow played a thoroughly entertaining set at MOTR on Wednesday. Then the band stayed at the home of list members Dave and Jacqui Killen – the same place where Brett played a Parlor & Patio gig pre-pandemic. Now that’s hospitality!

Brett had a “virtual tip jar” set up at his merch booth – take a page from the book of list member John Sandman: if you’ve been listening to a band’s music on Spotify, why not Venmo them some $ (or give them some cold hard cash… that’s still a thing) to make up for what you would’ve spent on an album? That little bit of extra moolah — and the occasional free “bed & breakfast” from friendly hosts — goes a long way for up and coming bands.

Not the Bank of Spotify

Words of wisdom

“Punk taught me that music didn’t have to express consensus. You could use music as a way to set yourself apart from the world, or at least some of the world. You could find something to love and something—perhaps lots of somethings—to reject. You could have an opinion, and an identity.”

Kelefa Sanneh in his new book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres (Hat tip to list member Cullen Lewis for the reco)

Watch this

The Sparks Brothers, the new documentary about the band Sparks (streaming now on Netflix) is delightfully entertaining. Well worth a watch.

As they point out in the doc, Sparks really invented the “Molly Ringwald” Breakfast Club style of dance. It’s merely one of many examples of the ways that Sparks blazed the trail for others musically and stylistically.

Random Album Cover of the Week

The John Denver-meets-Miami-Vice vibe is entertaining enough (as advertised), but the inscription really seals the deal:

I think ol’ Jim might be confused about how the whole brother-sister thing works. It’s not like she had a choice.

Have a great week… GO to a gig!

Roll-vember

Concert Listings, Music

Let’s get rolling with the concert rundown…

First, the Melvin Seals & the Jerry Garcia Band show that was supposed to happen tonight at Ludlow Garage has been postponed. But the Del McCoury Band gig at Memorial Hall is still a go, and the Ben Levin Trio plays Dead Low Brewing with special guest Noah Wotherspoon.

It’s gigs galore on Saturday:

  • The Steeldrivers play the old Annie’s
  • Silversun Pickups are at Ovation in Newport
  • Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening rock and rolls into the Icon (see what we did there?)
  • The Yugos play Bircus Brewing in Ludlow
  • Last but certainly not least, Styx will be rockin’ the Paradise Hard Rock Casino. No Dennis DeYoung, but Tommy Shaw, James Young and the living Panozzo brother (Chuck).

Oh, and Rob Fetters kicks off another round of “Fetters is Cheap” – streaming live shows from his home. He promises “crowd faves plus more debuts of rarities.” You can tune in via Rob’s website.

Early on Sunday, Ben Levin & Friends will again be playing the Hard Rock Casino from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Davy Knowles and the Noah Wotherspoon Band play the Southgate House, and there’s a Play It Forward benefit concert at the Madison Theater, with my old radio boss Gary Burbank listed as a “speaker”… makes sense, as he was a Pioneer in radio (see what we did there?).

Tuesday is an evening for music legends. Bob Dylan plays the Aronoff, and John Hiatt & the Jerry Douglas Band will be at Memorial Hall.

If he were really “me” he’d still go by Robert Zimmerman

That same evening, someone named TobyMac has a sold out show at Taft. I thought TobyMac was a menu item at Keystone Bar & Grill, but apparently he’s an “American Christian hip hop rapper and singer.”

TobyMac… no, wait…

On Wednesday, I’ll be at MOTR Pub, along with list members Jacqui and Dave Killen (remember their Parlor & Patio house shows? I miss them…). Former Parlor & Patio performer (say that three times fast) Brett Newski and his full band (“The No Tomorrow”… they’re from Milwaukee, you do the math) will be playing at 9 p.m., followed by Adam Flaig (of Mad Anthony). Brett’s a very entertaining dude, and you can’t beat the MOTR ticket price. Join us, won’t you?

Also on Wednesday, The Lone Bellow plays Taft, and the Hooten Hallers are at Southgate.

Thursday, GWAR plays Bogart’s and Dennis Quaid plays Ludlow Garage. Yes, that Dennis Quaid, the actor. Guess he got tired of punching the clock with his fellow actors on movie sets.

Bogart’s and Ludlow Garage are pretty close to each other – fingers crossed that GWAR sits in with Dennis for his encore. Or vice versa… although that might not end well for DQ. Also on Thursday, Neal Francis plays Taft. I don’t know much about Neal’s music, but I know his promo photo makes him a dead ringer for Nigel Tufnel:

  • Goes on by 10
  • Goes up to 11

Next Friday, November 12th, Gary Clark Jr. plays the Icon, The Wild Feathers play Madison Theater, and Spyro Gyra plays Ludlow Garage. When I was younger, I used to love Spyro Gyra…

Spyro Gyra… no, wait…

Gig Pics

What a fabulous show by the Cereal Killers at MadTree last Friday — including a special guest appearance by our neighbor Amy Hueneman doing vocals on a Pretenders song! Great crowd too, including list members Dave Tellmann, Whit & Barb Gardner, Bruce Roy, Todd Butler, and Dan Bockrath (who brought several of his high school buddies – do NOT attempt to keep pace with them on drinking).

On Sunday morning, I joined Dave & Mindy Tellmann at the Hard Rock Casino for the Ben Levin brunch show with Chicago blues legend Bob Stroger (I misspelled his name last week – sorry Bob!). Bob is 90 years young… amazing voice and great stage presence. Noah Wotherspoon was on guitar too!

Dave, Mindy and I were joined by Dave’s son Joe (of This Pine Box), Joe’s friend Liam and none other than one of Joe’s non-traditional CCM classmates: John Curley of the Afghan Whigs! When you go to live shows, good things happen.

Two feet from stardom. I had the French toast… John had an Impossible Burger.

Dave and I interviewed John Curley on our 97X podcast in April of 2020. Just sayin’.

Words of wisdom

And in case you missed it (I sure did), apparently the Mountain Goats song “No Children” went viral on TikTok. (Read more here.) Lead singer John Darnielle has the right perspective on it:

But when people do find it, it affirms for those of us who make indie music that when the broader public is exposed to it, there’s more people who would like it if they get a chance to hear it. The consolidation of radio and the diffuse nature of the media landscape means that there’s lots of good stuff that people don’t generally hear unless it gets a viral moment…

…Our childish dreams of how these things work have value. So when something like this happens in my life, well, that’s a dream come true. We did not tell people, “Check out ‘No Children,’ you’re gonna love it.” No. they took it and they ran with it, and it’s beautiful. If there was more stuff like that in the world, the world’s a better place. Not just for me, but for whoever, because there’s a million fun songs out there for people to find that people do not need to be told by the influencer factory which one to listen to.

John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats in this Variety interview

Watch this

The War on Drugs live in a studio… amazing.

You can see all three songs that The War on Drugs performed on CBS Saturday Morning via the embedded videos in this article.

Random Album Cover of the Week

I don’t need a gym membership, I just need a turntable. Upper arms, waistline and hips don’t lie.

Have a great week!

Episode 70: Getting (un)familiar with Matt lacefield

97X, Music, podcast

Matt Lacefield played cutting-edge music on a Cincinnati radio station… but it wasn’t 97X. While Dave and Damian were on the air at 97X in the 90s, Matt was a DJ for Nightwaves, which aired overnights on WVXU-FM. So we were kindred spirits… and still are, because Matt loves discovering new music. He’s sharing his latest favorites via his blog/podcast called “The Unfamiliar.” We chat with Matt about his radio days and how he finds and shares the latest and greatest indie tunes.

97X served as a gateway to a life of music discovery for Matt, just as it did for so many other Tri-state teenagers. Here’s an excerpt from Matt’s blog:

My older brother, three years older and close enough in age to be an influence (for better or worse), also played a big role in my music obsession as a teen.  He was tuned in to U2, the Talking Heads, INXS, the Smiths, and so much more.  The walls of his bedroom were lined with racks of cassettes full of bands who were completely foreign to me.  Like the scent of a pie on the windowsill, the sounds coming from down the hall lured me in. I would sneak into his room, borrow cassettes, listen to them when he wasn’t home, and sneak them back. This exposed me to bands like R.E.M., Husker Du, the Minutemen, and the Replacements. In hindsight, this was the beginning of my love of digging for new music.  I had also heard him listening to a radio station that I had never heard of, WOXY – 97X FM, broadcasting from Oxford, Ohio, playing the same music that lined his walls. For me and so many others my age who lived in Southwest Ohio, discovering 97X was like striking gold. It provided a soundtrack to my life until it went off the air in 2010.

From the “About” page of Matt’s blog

Matt’s podcast is called The Unfamiliar, and you can listen to the first episode below.

https://the-unfamiliar.com/the-unfamiliar-episode-one-10-1-21/

Here are a couple of shots of Matt’s extensive music collection:

Elvis is Everywhere

Concert Listings, Music

Elvis Presley truly is everywhere… ever since he went undercover in 1977, as part of the secret agent program he joined in 1970.

The Crook and The King

But thank goodness the best Elvis (Elvis Costello) usually comes to Cincinnati on his tours. Mr. Costello (a.k.a. Declan Patrick Aloysius McManus) and his fantastic band The Imposters will be playing the Icon this Saturday. I really like Elvis…

But Elvis isn’t everywhere on Saturday… Cowboy Junkies will be at Ludlow Garage (list member Tom Woeber will be at that gig), local Tom Petty tribute band Tom the Torpedoes play Fretboard, and Pat Metheny is Memorial Hall. Check out Pat’s sweet hairdo in the promo photo:

He looks like he could be a member of Fraggle Rock:

Speaking of family-friendly fun, load the kiddies in the family truckster and head to Neltner’s Farm in Camp Springs, KY for their Fall Fest, going on now through October 31st. List member Keith Neltner’s family has operated a farm on that patch of land since 1892, so it’s legit, not like those “throw some pumpkins and hay bales in a parking lot” joints. Neltner’s Farm Fest activities including horse-drawn wagon rides, a model train display, a corn maze, pick-your-own pumpkin patch, petting zoo, pony rides, homemade food and ice cream, farm shop, seasonal apples, barrel train and so much more… including live music 1:30-4:30 p.m. on the weekends (weather permitting). The Kentucky Struts play this Saturday and Randy Steffen plays on Sunday. The full slate is here.

The fabulous Jimmy Vaughan plays Ludlow Garage on Sunday. That same evening, David Ramirez and Matt Costa are at Southgate.

Church Girls (the band, not the personality type) will be at Northside Tavern on Tuesday. I really like this band’s sound and am very tempted to go… then again I’m an old man – I’m not even sure I’m allowed in Northside. Besides, it’s a school night. But you can talk me into going.

Also on Tuesday, Bad Bad Hats (Pat Metheny sure could use one) are at Southgate.

You have several options for live tunes on Thursday:

  • Chris Stapleton plays Riverbend on a very nice triple bill with The Marcus King Band and Yola.
  • Lucero and Morgan Wade play Taft’s basement Ballroom (a show that was moved from the Icon… which is like being banished to the kids table at Thanksgiving Dinner).
  • Mannequin Pu$$y (that’s the official Cincinnati Enquirer spelling) is at the Woodward Theater.
  • Suzzy Roche and her daughter Lucy Wainwright Roche play Southgate’s main room…
  • … while Stephen Babcock and Brad Goodall of the fine band Ona play a free gig in Southgate’s Lounge.
  • Camp Springs Tavern hosts an Open Bluegrass Jam. It’s BYOB. (Bring Your Own Banjo.) I hear these open jams are almost as good as when Jed Clampett danced while Flatt & Scruggs played:

Next Friday (October 22nd) is a big night for gigs too:

Bob Mould plays Memorial Hall. List member Dan Bockrath and I will be at that one. It’s a solo electric gig, but his touring band buddy Jason Narducy will open the show.

If you thought Pat Metheny’s hair was impressive, it’s nothing compared to the dudes in A Flock of Seagulls.

Photo taken after they ran…

They’re playing the Ludlow Garage next Friday.

That same evening, Ben Levin has an album release party at BrewRiver, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness is at Icon, and The Bronson Arroyo Band plays Bircus in Ludlow, KY. (List member Dan “I Heart Former Reds” Lewis will probably be at that gig.)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my mother-in-law’s favorite artist, Michael Bublé, is at the Coliseum. Although frankly, I’d rather see this guy in concert:

His hit single is amazing!

“You are looking live…”

Here’s a very cool set from Waxahatchee, live at KEXP studios in Seattle (hat tip to list member Bruce Frasure for the link):

But you’re not hearing it live…

There was a snafu at the Austin City Limits Festival and they pulled the plug on Phoebe Bridgers’ set during “I Know the End”… and Phoebe was not amused. (Rightfully so, that song was the killer set closer when list members Mighty Joe Sampson, Michael Carrico and I saw her in Columbus a few weeks ago.)

Speaking of Mighty Joe, Phoebe’s sound snafu was almost as bad as when the Cincinnati Parks hired-gun audio dude cut the sound on the Goo Goo Dolls when their set went over its allotted time during their Day in Eden performance at Eden Park back in 1993. Mighty Joe (who weighed about a buck-twenty) had to put Robbie from the Goos in a headlock to keep him from attacking the sound guy.

Gig pics

List member Dan Bockrath and I were treated (thanks for the freebies, list member Geoff Curless!) to a great double bill at PNC this past Tuesday: Margo Price and her band opened up for Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats. Both artists crushed it!

List members Jeff and Jill Franco also were in attendance. Jill has been a teacher at Sands Montessori for years – she taught Dan’s daughter and all four of my kids. So of course we had to get a pic with “Miss Jill” to send to our now-grown kids, just to prove that their grade school teacher still rocks!

Photo credit: Jeff Franco… taken while balancing a beer can and a pizza box

Well, that should do it for this week’s edition… STOP!

Oh, thanks for helping promote the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast, Elvis. The newest episode features our interview with Dayton-based singer/songwriter Jayne Sachs.

OK, we’ll finish right where we started, with a bit of “Elvis is Everywhere.”

https://youtu.be/mpb4ZAAP6Z4
Fun fact:  Mojo Nixon has a degree in political science and history from Miami University in Ohio.

Have a great week!

Episode 69: Jayne Sachs, Stellar Songstress

97X, Music, podcast

Jayne Sachs credits her discovery of 97X (thanks to her now-husband) with putting her on the singer/songwriter path. She’s been able to carve out a career in music, and has picked up plenty of accolades along the way, including winning 97Xposure in 1995 and garnering two first place wins (in different years and different categories) in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest. We talked to Jayne about her Xposure spoils, her performing career, record label interaction, and her current songwriting work in Nashville.

You can listen to Jayne’s latest songs on her songwriting website.

The Jayne Sachs Band won 97Xposure in 1995. Here’s a news story about that year’s finals, as it aired on Cincinnati’s WXIX-TV (Channel 19), with 97X’s Ali Castellini as the on-the-scene reporter and Jae Forman announcing the winning band on stage at Bogart’s:

Jayne has released several albums as a solo artist and with her band.

Here’s “I Recognize”, one of several songs from Jayne that got airplay on 97X:

Jayne Sachs – Back To You (2014) from Gary Mitchell on Vimeo.

The Jayne Sachs Band at WNKU’s Studio 89 in 2013.
Screen grab from our video interview with Jayne – her guitar is always nearby.

Workin’ for the Weekend

Concert Listings, Music

True story: When list member Howard Cohen joined us on a Zoom meeting for a live version of the 97X podcast, he had been painting a room in his house, and was wearing a bandanna that made him look like a dead ringer for the lead singer of Loverboy.

Uh, to be clear, we’re talking the 1982 version, not the 2014 look.

That led to a few jokes about Howard fronting a fictitious Loverboy cover band named “Coverboy.” (We trademarked it, so don’t try to steal it.)

Second true story: Howard actually fronts a real band, Cereal Killers, and they do a ton of great covers. (Sorry Mike Reno, no Loverboy… yet!) And Cereal Killers will be playing MadTree on Friday, October 29th, starting at 7 p.m. What a Halloween weekend treat!

More like “I gotta rock!”

Speaking of treats, if you show up and say “boo” to me (I’m no John Hiatt), I’ll buy you a beer. Tell a buddy, bring a friend, but don’t you dare miss this big show.

Speaking of big shows, let’s quickly run down this week’s gigs (all subject to covid-related cancellation, so check the venue website first):

Jeremy Pinnell has an album release show tonight at Southgate House.

Jon Spencer & the Hitmakers (guess his former backing band imploded…thanks, I’ll be here all week) play Southgate on Monday.

On Tuesday, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats will be at the Icon, with Margo Price as the opener. List member Geoff C. hooked me up with two tickets – caller #7 right now gets to be my “plus one” (wait, is that supposed to be a prize?).

Victor Wooten featuring the Wooten Brothers (sounds like Victor’s doing double duty) will be at Memorial Hall on Tuesday as well.

Dispatch will be at 20th Century in Oakley on Wednesday. If they don’t sell dispatchouli™ at the merch table, they are really missing a great revenue opportunity. (I’ve already trademarked it…). That same evening, the Lydia Lunch Retrovirus plays Southgate, and The Toadies play Madison Theater in Covington, with the Reverend Horton Heat as the opener.

Thursday you can pick up what Brand X is selling at Ludlow Garage.

Nothin’ doing next Friday. Would be a great night for the debut of Coverboy™. Just sayin’.

New Tunes

A new song from The War on Drugs? Yes, please! A new song from The War on Drugs with Lucius doing background vocals? Even better!

The new album from Strand of Oaks is quite tasty:

This song is a real earworm – love the lyrics too:

ICYMI

Most local venues are requiring proof of vax (or, in some cases, a recent negative test). HT to list member Lisa Collins for the article here. Got a problem with that? The singer from Trampled by Turtles has something just for you:

Gentle Reminder

If you’ve yet to contribute to the Kevin Carrico Scholarship fund, which will provide need-based financial support to young adult cancer survivors between the ages of 18 and 35 who are pursuing higher education throughout their treatment and beyond via the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation, you can donate here. Thanks on behalf of list member Michael Carrico (Kevin’s brother) and myself.

Quote of the Week

“Music is magic and I feel like the luckiest person in the world that I’m allowed to share it.”

Tim Showalter of Strand of Oaks

It’s Friggin’ Rocktober!

Concert Listings, Music

Where does the time go? Seems like only yesterday it was September. Oh wait, it was. But the time for Earth, Wind & Fire is over. (And Green Day‘s mom just woke them up.) Now it’s Rocktober, which is way cooler than the Catalina Wine Mixer.

And Rocktober is starting strong with…. (wait, are you sure… can you re-check the date… really?)… Earth, Wind & Fire. Wow, sorry that I prematurely put you out to pasture, EWF. I guess Mark Twain was right when he said “When Rocktober starts, I want to be in Cincinnati, because they always get concerts one month later.” Or maybe it was Hal Holbrook who said that… same difference.

Hal Twain

Twain also said, “Earth, Wind & Fire is my jam!” They’re playing the Icon downtown tonight – the show is sold out. But fear not, you can catch Pure Prairie League at the Ludlow Garage. Wait, that show is sold out too. Welp, maybe you can just stay home and watch the documentary about Superchunk’s 2001 tour of Japan.

Or check out the new album from Jesse Malin. It’s a bop, as the kids say.

Tomorrow Walk the Moon is playing Bogart’s… they originally booked shows for both Saturday and Sunday, but the Sunday gig is cancelled. It’s like Twain said, “when you are a one-hit wonder, there are no second acts.” Wait, maybe that was Hal Linden.

Something’s Fish-y about this case…

Also tomorrow, local Tom Petty tribute band Tom the Torpedoes will be playing Big Ash Brewing. My friend Chris Comer is in that band, playing keyboards. Benmont Tench’s shoes are mighty big ones to fill, but Chris is up to the task. I’d be there for sure if I weren’t out of town.

Btw, if you’ve yet to listen to the Broken Record podcast episode with Benmont Tench, please do so post-haste.

Local fave Ben Levin will be tickling the ivories at Wiedemann’s tomorrow night as well, with another blues wunderkind, Noah Wotherspoon, also on the bill. (You can see the full list of Ben’s gigs on his website.)

Tuesday, Roctober 5th: Modest Mouse plays the Icon with Future Islands also on the bill, and Chris Thile is at Memorial Hall.

Wednesday, Roctober 6th: The Struts amble into the PromoWest Pavilion in Newport. List member Gil Kaufman, who has seen a gazillion shows (all for free… the perks of being a big-time writer) is a big fan and says they put on a fun show.

Larkin Poe plays Bogart’s on Thursday (I’m sure you’re as tired of the Rocktober shtick as I am). Local fave Jeremy Pinnell has an album release show at Southgate next Friday.

Don Felder (a.k.a. the guy whom Glenn Frey and Don Henley railroaded… hot take) is playing the Lawrenceburg Event Center on Saturday, 10/9, and “Lynyrd Skynyrd” is playing Riverbend. I put quotes around “Lynyrd Skynyrd” because IMHO, that band came to an untimely end on October 20th, 1977.

I know I’ve been slacking on these updates. I’ll do better in the future, I promise.

Speaking of promises, I have a favor to ask of you. My friend and co-worker Michael “Rico” Carrico lost his brother to cancer a couple of 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.

Before he passed, I promised him that I would do anything that I could to help fight the terrible disease that took him from us too early.  One of the initiatives that our family has taken up is to help fundraise for the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation to provide services and support to young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer.

List member Michael Carrico

My ask of you, faithful reader (even though I’ve been a less-than-faithful writer), is to contribute to the Kevin Carrico Scholarship fund, which will provide need-based financial support to young adult survivors between the ages of 18 and 35 who are pursuing higher education throughout their treatment and beyond. You can donate here. Think of all the concert tickets you didn’t purchase over the past 18 months (for example, I know for a fact that Dan “The Reds are the Walk the Moon of MLB” Lewis was planning to go to both shows at Bogart’s), and maybe divert some of that cash to an extremely worthwhile cause. Thanks so much. You rock harder than Rocktober!

Substance over Style

97X, Concert Listings, Music

Your live music connection has become unplugged. Sorry, I’ve been busy going to Red Rocks for Tedeschi-Trucks and Jason Isbell/Lucinda Williams shows. But I don’t want to let down Dan “The Reds are going to win it all… this year!” Lewis.

I totally missed out on letting you know about both Hall and Oates. (They’re at Riverbend tonight… from my palatial estate in Mt. Washington I can sometimes hear tunes emanating from that venue, so I stuck my head outside the window earlier in hopes of catching the sweet strains of “Maneater”… no dice.)

Apologies for the slacking. Let’s get to the list, and skip the ol’ jazz hands.

The Wallflowers open up for Matchbox Twenty tomorrow at Riverbend. Guess I’ll have to stick my head out the window earlier tomorrow night. (The Wallflowers new album is a solid effort, btw… but “One Headlight” is still my favorite dance tune.)

Also Tuesday:

  • Shakey Graves plays Bogart’s
  • Enjoy a free local show with Ricky Nye Inc. at the Blue Ash Nature Park. (Pro tip: don’t make the same mistake I did… it’s a nature park, not a naturist park… wear clothes!)

Todd Snider is playing the 20th Century Theater in Oakley on Wednesday, with the amazing Aaron Lee Tasjan as the opener.

On Thursday, Buddy Guy plays the PNC Pavilion with Robert Randolph & the Family Band. Wait, this just in, that show is CANCELLED.

Friday, it’s a Yacht Rock special at Ludlow Garage: Pablo F-ing Cruise!

Wait, this just in… the Pablo Cruise show has been cancelled. Next thing you know, they’ll cancel the Catalina Wine Mixer.

https://youtu.be/RGB8QgwxZqw

Still slated for Friday: Live at the Fillmore (“the definitive tribute to the Allman Brothers Band”) and Joshua Ray Walker play outdoors at my new favorite venue, RiversEdge in Hamilton! Ohio. And Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick play PNC Pavilion. I won’t have to stick my head out the window to hear Rick Nielsen’s guitar.

Saturday is a huge day for gigs:

Maroon 5 plays Riverbend… I’ll stick my head out the window and hear every middle-aged woman in the Tri-State — including my wife and her Jazzercise friends — squealing about the lead singer. (Oh, and probably Dan Lewis too.)

Also on Saturday, Soul Asylum is playing the old Annie’s with Local H. Juliana Hatfield was also supposed to be on the bill, but she dropped out of the tour due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Plenty o’ local bands in action on Saturday as well:

  • This Pine Box is playing Southgate with Buck the Taxidermist and Circle It.
  • Lung has an album release party on Fountain Square, with Paige Beller and Small Reactions.
  • Last but certainly not least, list member Dave “Lenny” Lenehan’s band Outta Here (“a good time blues-rock band) is playing Wiedemann’s taproom.
That’s Dave on bass

Looking ahead to next week (because I’ve been slacking and probably won’t get another post out before then), St. Paul & the Broken Bones are at the old Annie’s on Tuesday, 8/31. And Kings of Leon and Cold War Kids are playing Riverbend. (Although they cancelled a show in Cleveland last week due to a positive COVID test for a band staffer.)

Thursday, September 2nd, Drive-by Truckers are playing the old Annie’s… and I’ll be down in Louisville for the Waxahatchee show at Headliner’s. Jefferson Starship plays Memorial Hall that night too. And Ben Levin will be at Big Ash Brewing. (Ben’s also opening for Booker T. Jones on Thursday, September 9th… amazing!)

JJ Grey & Mofro plays RiversEdge on Friday, September 3rd, with opener Jackie Vernon. This is the only show of the season where general admission isn’t free. But JJ Grey is totally worth it.

That same evening, Neko Case plays Memorial Hall with A.C. Newman… a double dose of New Pornographers! Let’s hope Neko is in a better mood than she was at her gig at the Taft a few year’s back. And The Roots are at the Icon.

On Saturday, September 4th, Meshell Ndegeocello is at Memorial Hall, and the Legendary Wailers (featuring Julian “Junior” Marvin) are at Ludlow Garage.

Tuesday September 7th:

  • St. Vincent plays the Icon
  • Chris Hillman is at Memorial Hall with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson.

Lots of venues and artists are requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test… I’m on board with that. As is my bud Jason Isbell:

I feel like some of us saw the exit, and the building was on fire, and now we are trying to talk everyone into following us to the exit so we don’t get burned. It’s pretty much as simple as that. And also, I just don’t think that our business is going to be able to continue this way unless we put some restrictions in place. I know my crew and my band might not be able to withstand another shutdown, and I think a lot of people are in that same situation. So I’m just happy that it’s happening and that people are getting on board.

Jason Isbell in this Variety interview

Reading list:

Tip o’ the hat to list member Dave Tellmann for the link to this great article about how Happy Chichester of the Royal Crescent Mob (97X faves from back in the day) nearly joined the Foo Fighters.

Listening list:

Speaking of Dave Tellmann and 97X, the newest episode of our podcast features another interview with former station owners Doug & Linda Balogh. Tune in via the 97Xbam website or on Podbean, Spotify , Google Podcasts, TuneIn or Apple podcasts. You can even tell your Amazon or Google spying machine device “Play the latest episode of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast” and hear it.

Must-see TV

I leave you with this gorgeous Tanya Donelly cover by Gabi Lima (who also sat in on bass and vocals on “Darl” when I saw Buffalo Tom in L.A. a few years ago and crushed it). Gabi’s dog isn’t blown away by it, but I am.