podcast

Go-vember Music

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast

Happy All Hallow’s Eve, y’all. Quick question: can we dispense with the whole “trick/treat” thing (which, IMHO is a false dichotomy) and get right to the feet-smelling? Er, asking for a friend…

And now let’s get to the live shows in the Tri-state area over the next fortnight:

Scott H. Biram has a gig at Southgate on Wednesday.

On Thursday,

  • Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and Cedric Burnside play Ludlow Garage
  • Chris Smither and Tim O’Brien with Jan Fabricius are at Memorial Hall
  • Wheatus plays Madison Live
  • Banditos play Southgate. Note, they are not related to the Frito Bandito.
https://youtu.be/5irr_2nbB_Y

Friday is a busy night for gigs:

  • The Smithereens play Ludlow, with Marshall Crenshaw as the guest vocalist
  • Taft has a “Celebrating David Bowie” show featuring Todd Rundgren, Adrian Belew, Royston Langdon, Jeffery Gaines… and someone called “Scrote” for reasons that we don’t care to investigate. More on the show here.
  • The Redmoor in Mt. Lookout hosts An Evening with Karla Bonoff
  • Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle are in Southgate’s main room
  • William Elliott Whitmore plays Southgate’s upstairs Revival Room
  • Northside Tavern has a show they’re billing as “Alternative Indie Psychedelic Shoegazey Garage Rocking show!” (They must be trying their hand at SEO…)

The Queen City Blues Fest rolls into Southgate on Saturday.

On Sunday, Christine Havrilla and Mama’s Black Sheep play a matinee show (4 p.m.) at the Cincinnati Fire Museum. And that evening, Yes plays a Close to the Edge 50th anniversary show at Taft.

Giving us yet another excuse to run this classic skit:

Looking ahead to next week…

Sun Room plays a sold-out show at Top Cats on Wednesday, Nov. 9th.

On Thursday, 11/10:

  • Puscifer (fronted by Maynard James Keenan of Tool) plays the Jan Brady
  • Fun Lovin’ Criminals are at Ludlow (“Scooby Snacks” sold separately)
  • My Brother, My Brother and Me are at the Taft. Note: My Brother, My Brother and Me are not related to another trio of brothers:

Also on 11/10, Memorial Hall hosts Majesty – a Tribute to Queen.

Next Friday, 11/11:

  • The Mavericks play Taft
  • Twiddle is at Madison Theater
  • Paramore plays the Marsha Brady
  • The Yellowjackets jazz up Ludlow Garage

Ludlow hosts John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band on Saturday, 11/12. (Note: the Beaver Brown Band is not related to Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.) And Southgate has An Evening with Lucy Kaplansky on Sunday, 11/13.

Hot Ticket Alert: Get on the Bus!

97X favorites (and Ohio’s own) The Royal Crescent Mob have announced two reunion shows in December, to raise funds for cancer research. They’re playing Columbus on 12/16, and hitting the Madison Theater in Covington on Saturday, December 17th. More info and a ticket link here.

(Fun fact: RCMob lead singer David Ellison is currently tour manager for Miley Cyrus, Camila Cabello, and Ke$ha, and formerly was the tour manager for Jay-Z, Demi Lovato, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, Adam Lambert, Goo Goo Dolls, and Panic at the Disco.)

What Heaven is Like…

Heaven is Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker of Wussy playing in my living room. What a great night! New tunes from Wussy coming soon…

What Hell is like…

Two downer articles for live music fans:

“The Live-Music Industry is Broken” from Vulture and “How Ticketmaster gets away with it” from Popular Information.

We still miss Mr. K

The latest episode of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast features a tribute to Ken “Mr. K” Glidewell, who worked at the station and was in Chemdyne and later Big in Iowa, and also had a long radio career at WEBN and 92.9 The Fox.

On my holiday shopping list:

Album Cover of the Fortnight

Wendy likes Action Pants. And Children of the Corn.

Episode 88: Mr. K was A-OK

97X, Music, podcast

Ken “Mr. K” Glidewell put the personality into “radio personality.” He had the gift of gab, a wicked sense of humor and a way of making friends wherever he went. Ken worked at 97X during the station’s formative years while also playing with fellow 97Xer Dan “Danny Crash” Reed in Chemdyne. He later moved on to WEBN-FM and 92.9 The Fox in Cincinnati for his day job, and co-founded the Americana band Big in Iowa. 

Unfortunately, Mr. K passed away in May of 2008 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident. In this episode of the podcast, we talk to a few 97X-ers who worked with Mr. K: Phil Manning, Julie “Jae” Forman and Steve Baker, as well as the founding members of the Mr. K Fan Club, Elizabeth Cannon and Wendy Dorn. 

Mr. K (2nd from left) mugging with Timothy Hiatt, Jetson and the BoDeans.
Mr. K and Jetson with Mike Peters from The Alarm.
A review of Big in Iowa’s 1999 release in No Depression magazine.
https://www.citybeat.com/music/farewell-mr-k-12171326
https://cincygroove.com/2008/05/27/musician-mr-k-dies-in-crash/

Here are a couple of videos of Mr. K playing with Big in Iowa.

You can find more Big in Iowa videos on their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BigInIowaBand

Big in Iowa was awarded their first Cammy (Cincinnati’s version of Grammy Awards) as Roots Rock Band of the Year in 1997, a trophy they would own over the next several years. By the beginning of 1998, Bryant had left the band and O’Keefe was replaced by Jeff Wilson, thereby formulating the core quartet, which proceeded to prepare its second album for release. Twisted was a substantial improvement on the preceding effort. In addition to standing as Big in Iowa’s first mature work, it also began its long-term association with Germany’s Blue Rose Records. In addition to its Group Cammy, Twisted also helped to earn individual honors for Burns (Best Vocalist) and House (Best Instrumentalist), as well as new fans such as Mojo Nixon and an appearance at the 1999 South by Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. The band contributed a version of “Cinnamon Girl” to the Neil Young tribute album This Note’s for You, and then set about working on its third studio album, Bangin’ ‘n’ Knockin’, which appeared in Europe at the tail-end of 1999. As outstanding a progression from Twisted as that album was from Big in Iowa, Bangin’ provided the band with its most extensive praise yet, including notices in Bucket Full of Brains, No Depression, and Amplifier magazines; as well as its first opportunity to tour Europe (Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, United Kingdom, Switzerland) at the beginning of 2000, and jaunts through the Midwest and New England. Such was the band’s reputation that it also began landing opening slots for such lauded peers as Dave Alvin, Dan Baird, the BoDeans, the Bottle Rockets, Cheap Trick, Alejandro Escovedo, Bob Mould, Drivin’ N’ Cryin’, and Jerry Jeff Walker, among others.

After the limited appearance of the live 4 Guys in a Trabi — which delightfully documented a show from its first German tour — the quartet began making treks to Brooklyn to begin working on its fourth studio album with Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, one of the catalysts of the ’80s roots revival as leader of the fabled Del Lords, in the producer’s seat. Released in Europe in mid-2001, Green Pop was a quantum leap ahead of anything Big in Iowa had previously recorded, an artistic apex that single-handedly vaulted the band into the upper level of roots rock bands. In Europe, the CD’s first pressing sold out in just two weeks, and on a second tour of the continent, the band routinely played to capacity crowds, including a headlining performance before up to 5,000 people at the Wolfstock Festival. After returning to the United States, House decided to leave the band due to family obligations, and he was replaced in early 2002 by Jason Erickson. (Source: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/big-in-iowa-mn0000060379/biography)

Cheers to you, Ken!

Rockin’ the ‘tober

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast

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.

via GIPHY

October 7th is a Bandcamp Friday

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 Farm
The Deslondes at Whispering Beard

Album Cover of the Week

Album Cover of Next Week

Have a great fortnight!

Episode 87: Chuck Cowdery, on the same frequency as 97X

97X, podcast

Back in the mid-70’s, long before 97X came along, there was a free-form station on 97.7 FM in Oxford called WOXR.

Chuck Cowdery was part of that merry gang playing progressive rock… and whatever else they wanted to. Chuck was on the air in the early afternoons, and also served as the station’s operations manager and sold ads too. It’s clear from talking to Chuck that WOXR was on the same frequency as 97X, both literally and figuratively – and that station influenced a generation who, if they stuck around the area, were much more receptive to a modern rock format.

You can read Chuck’s post about his WOXR radio days right here on his blog. He worked alongside such luminaries as Rick Ludwin, who went on a long and storied career as an NBC programming exec (he’s the guy who fought to keep Seinfeld and Late Night with Conan O’Brien on the air) and Bob Michelson, who managed syndication for the “National Lampoon Radio Hour,” a steppingstone for most of the original cast of Saturday Night Live. (And yes, WOXR was one of the first stations to air that syndicated program.)

Chuck went from the spirit of radio to spirits – he’s been writing about whiskey and bourbon for a few decades now.

Check out Chuck’s blog here.

And here’s Conan O’Brien’s tribute to Chuck’s Miami U. and WOXR friend Rick Ludwin:

Echoes of 97X

97X, Music, podcast

One of my go-to podcasts is The Memory Palace – it’s audio storytelling at its finest. But somehow this episode from 2017 had slipped through the cracks until it was reposted recently.

Host Nate DiMeo pays tribute to WBRU-FM in Providence, Rhode Island. But if you’re a 97X fan, you’ll definitely relate to the subject matter. Here’s a great snippet from the culmination of the episode:

“The one (station) that in no small part made you who you were then… maybe still are. But this one station, now gone, was mine…”

Nate DiMeo on the episode linked above

Like WBRU, 97X lives on, in our own Memory Palace.

[I highly recommend all the episodes of The Memory Palace. Check ’em out here.]

Episode 86: Keri Crawford found freedom and family at 97X

97X, Music, podcast

Keri Crawford was at 97X from 1998-2001, as a DJ and program director. She talks to us about her radio and record label background, the unique energy of 97X, the fun shows she got to organize and promote, the fervor of the listeners… and how her dog had free rein at the office.

Episode 85: Rhett Leibecke is still recovering from being a Breakfast Club co-producer

97X, podcast

Rhett Leibecke (a.k.a. “Reed LeBeak”) spent a single semester as a student co-op for Rictile and Dave on the Breakfast Club… and it’s clear that he’s been scarred for life (and not just from the lawn jarts). He got the gig based on his shady past doing a “SoundScam”… and it was all downhill from there. Rhett and special guest Rictile join up to talk about Rhett’s stellar work cleaning a “sound room,” the Aye Team, BatBoy, 97X bitcoin, Barenaked Ladies and Northern Exposure.

In a rare moment of seriousness, we also talk about Rhett’s courageous battle against a rare form of cancer, and how his positive attitude has helped lift the spirits of others in their cancer battles.

97X was really the premium outlet for a kid in the Midwest to tune in and catch fantastic new tunes… when I got to Miami and that opportunity presented itself, I was there. I was like a kid who was in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, that’s how magical and special it was.

Rhett “Reed LeBeak” Leibecke, former Breakfast Club co-producer

Episode 84: Garin Pirnia wrote the book on Ohio rock and roll

97X, Music, podcast

Garin Pirnia grew up in Centerville, Ohio and discovered 97X when she returned to the area after stints in L.A. and Chicago. She’s written about music (as well as film, food, and travel) for dozens of publications including Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vanity Fair and The Atlantic. Her book about bands from the state of Ohio, Rebels and Underdogs, came out a few years ago. We chat with Garin about the many bands who hail from the Buckeye State and explore why Ohio is such a fertile ground for musicians.

You can find out more about Garin’s writing on her website.

Episode 83: Taylor Fox, keeping cool music on the air

97X, Music, podcast

Taylor Fox (a.k.a. “TayFo”) is a co-founder and morning host on Inhailer, a streaming/HD radio station that plays indie rock and helps promote local bands and the music scene in Cincinnati. The impetus for the station came from losing other local stations that played cool music, first 97X and WVXU’s Nightwaves, and later WNKU. Taylor tells us about how the station started, how he discovered 97X, and how the 97X message boards helped him connect with kindred spirits.

Inhailer can be streamed from their website or mobile apps (Apple App Store and Google Play), and you can also tune in over the airwaves on 90.9 HD3.

In our podcast interview, we mentioned Taylor goes to a ton of live concerts. Here’s his list for June:

Making music memories

Concert Listings, Music, podcast

Everybody wants to rule the world. Except me. I’d settle for the dogs staying off my side of the bed.

But Tears for Fears said everybody wants to rule the world. And they’ll be at Riverbend tonight, along with Garbage… dogs like garbage too!

Other gigs tonight include Will Kimbrough at Southgate and Al Stewart at Ludlow Garage. Al’s more of a cat person.

The two-day Big River Get Down kicks off at RiversEDGE in Hamilton tonight as well. Here’s the full schedule:

On Saturday:

  • Martin Sexton plays Ludlow Garage
  • The Heavy Hours play Southgate
  • It’s Night #2 of the Big River Get Down
  • SNL funnyman David Spade plays the Taft. Let’s hope he makes his audience crack up half as much as Chris Farley made him crack up in this sketch:

Miranda Lambert plays Riverbend on Sunday, with Little Big Town. Country shows always seem to draw a crowd there. I’m really hoping Memphis-Kansas Breeze comes to town this year.

On Tuesday, John R. Miller and Vincent Neil Emerson play Southgate, and Tabitha Johansen Tori Amos is at the Taft Theatre.

on Wednesday, Elephant Stone plays MOTR and Valerie June plays Memorial Hall.

Southgate has a couple of options on Thursday:

  • Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola Duo play the Southgate Sanctuary
  • Joe Buck Yourself plays the Revival Room

Speaking of Joe Buck, here’s a fun game to play this fall – it’s a variation on the old “Hi Bob” game. Watch a football game where Joe Buck is the announcer and take a drink every time he says “pass is caught”… you’ll be hammered before the 1st quarter is over.

Next Friday is a busy night for gigs:

  • Kitchen Dwellers and Neighbor play RiversEDGE in Hamilton
  • Smashing Pumpkins do an outdoor gig at the Ovation in Newport
  • Comedian Tom Segura kicks off a two-night stand at the Aronoff
  • Local bluesperson Erin Coburn plays a free gig on Fountain Square
  • Last but certainly not least, America’s AC/DC tribute, Thunderstruck, plays the Event Center at Little Miami Brewing in Milford.
The Angus and Malcolm of the late 1800s.. or more like the Liam and Noel Gallagher.

Next Saturday (5/28), Ray Lamontagne plays the Carol Brady, with Sierra Ferrell as the opener. Also, local band Kentucky Struts plays Southgate.

Due to a recent COVID outbreak within the touring group, the Haim show originally slated for 5/19 has been rescheduled for Sunday, May 29th. That same evening, Fountain Square has a nice freebie show featuring Jeremy Pinnell, Wonky Tonk and the Dead Man String Bang.

Cool cover of an amazing original

Jenn Wasner has a new album out under the Flock of Dimes moniker (she also is in Wye Oak) and she does a great cover of a gorgeous tune from the woefully underappreciated Joan Armatrading. Here’s a live version from her appearance on KEXP:

The original always gives me goose bumps too. Here’s Joan doing it live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjQG8zYCQFw

This Teacher is a Wussy

Congrats to Mark Messerly, bassist for Wussy, on being a finalist for Educator of the Year.

Why I love Jon Wurster’s social media posts

Jon is the drummer for Superchunk… and Bob Mould… and the Mountain Goats… and he’s part of The Best Show… and he’s well worth a follow on the socials – you know, your Facegrams and Instatweets and such.

Shameless Self-promotion… and local music promotion

The latest episode of the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast (available wherever you get your pods… but not your Tide Pods) features our interview with Brian Niesz, who engineered 400+ live performances on woxy.com. If you go to our post on 97XBam.com, you’ll find a few of Brian’s favorites – including one from Magnolia Electric Co. Brian is keeping the old woxy.com “Lounge Acts” name alive with live performances from bands on WCPO.com. Check ’em out here.

Album Cover of the Week

Let the double entendres commence. (The album is actually pretty good… in other words, I think you might really enjoy some new Peaness.)