Camp Springs Tavern

Out with the old, in with the new*

Concert Listings, Music, podcast

*does not apply to the annual summer calendar of shows at Riverbend Music Center (unofficial motto: “where every year feels like 1985”)

Wow, 2024 is almost over!

We still have a few more shows before we make like Bob Seger and turn the page to 2025 (a.k.a. The Year of the Snake Rat Pig… at least in D.C.)

Shows tomorrow:

  • Marcus King plays the Hard Rock Casino
  • Rumpke Mountain Boys play Annie’s
  • Halfway Hammered plays the Liberty Theater, with Wes Shipp opening
  • The Wonderlands and Coastal Club have a holiday show within the decidedly un-festive confines of Bogart’s
  • Abiyah plays Southgate with Radar
  • Northside Tavern has Abandoned Malls of America, Moonbeau, Bear the Moon, and Knavery
  • OYOXOYO / Static Falls / Oh Condor triple bill at MOTR

Tinfoil Hat Cowboys play two sets at MOTR on Sunday.

Kate Wakefield has an album release party at The Comet on Monday.

Tuesday is New Year’s Eve (a.k.a. “Amateur Night”). Watch out for all the drunken Dicks out there!

You can ring in the new year with… Rebecca Black?

Yep, she’s at the Hard Rock Casino. Or you can enjoy “Weird Year’s Eve” at the Woodward with Ernie Johnson from Detroit and several other bands.

Madison Theater, Ovation, Ludlow Garage, and MOTR also have NYE celebrations.

[Speaking of balls dropping, New Year’s Eve also is the 60th birthday of your favorite creator of weird concert listing posts. Maybe Chrissie Hynde will stop by.]

On Thursday, Jan. 2nd, list member Keith Neltner and I will be celebrating our BDs (Keith’s is that day!) with a super-casual happy hour gathering at Camp Spring Tavern. Stop by if you’d like. First beer’s on me.

BTW, Camp Springs Tavern has live music every Thursday, Friday and Saturday all month long:

Also on 1/2, Joe’s Truck Stop kicks off two months of “Honky Tonk Thursdays” in the Southgate House Lounge.

Blanche will probably be there…

But Fred and Lamont won’t.

Next Friday, Jan. 3rd, 2025, Lez Zeppelin (“All Girls, All Zeppelin”) plays Physical Graffiti in its entirety at Ludlow Garage.

The Woodward Theater unspools a couple of classic rock docs soon:

  • Stop Making Sense on Monday, 1/6
  • Don’t Look Back (the Bob Dylan doc by D.A. Pennebaker) on Tuesday, 1/7

The Loon Wine Bar in Northside hosts a Folk Jam Session with Mike Oberst of The Tillers on Weds., Jan. 8th.

On Friday, Jan. 10th:

  • Tommy Prine plays Southgate
  • Ludlow Garage has the Pink Floyd tribute band Floyd Nation – they’ll be doing a Wish You Were Here-inspired set list and light show.

The Maria Carrelli Band plays the Liberty Theater on Saturday, 1/11, and Warren G will regulate at Bogart’s.

[Oops, my bad, that’s Warren, E (D). She’s also a big fan of regulatin’.]

On Sunday, Jan. 12th:

  • The Rabbit Hash General Store’s “Sunday Music Behind the Stove” series kicks off with The Tillers at 2pm – full slate is below.
  • The Woods (folk rock trio) and Jonathan Cody White (Cincy singer/songwriter) play a Downtowne Listening Room show at the Historic Boone County Courthouse

On Monday, 1/13, Woodward Theater screens Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story.

(I’ve heard good things about this documentary – here’s the Sound Opinions podcast interview with Redd Kross founders, brothers Jeff & Steve McDonald.)

Shows of Note(s)

  • Kim Deal is playing the Woodward on 2/21… that show is already sold-out.
  • Robyn Hitchcock will be at Southgate on 3/1.

A screen grab of this Insta (courtesy of list member Whit Gardner) really sums up how I feel about live music:

Reading is Fundamental

Here’s Amanda Petrusich’s year-end list of favorite albums from The New Yorker.

And from that same magazine, this book review/article about Spotify is scary and depressing for true music fans.

Money quote:

The Internet was supposed to free artists from the monoculture, providing the conditions for music to circulate in a democratic, decentralized way. To some extent, this has happened: we have easy access to more novelty and obscure sounds than ever before. But we also have data-verified imperatives around song structure and how to keep listeners hooked, and that has created more pressure to craft aggressively catchy intros and to make songs with maximum “replay value.” Before, it was impossible to know how many times you listened to your favorite song; what mattered was that you’d chosen to buy it and bring it into your home. What we have now is a perverse, frictionless vision for art, where a song stays on repeat not because it’s our new favorite but because it’s just pleasant enough to ignore. 

Watch This!

Waxahatchee on NPR’s Tiny Desk… chef’s kiss!

Holiday fun(nies)

(If Baby Jesus had been born in Toronto instead of Bethlehem, he could’ve played “YYZ.”)

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

“A dramatic comparison to death.” Geez, that sounds like a really uplifting album. (Or me describing a two-hour “long range planning” meeting at my work.) Can’t we listen to something happier?

Ah, yes, that’s more like it. (Vestal doesn’t realize that the boys are laughing at her hairdo!)

March(ing) Bands

books, Concert Listings, Music

Happy John Philip Sousa Month!

Let’s see what’s on the ol’ Koncert Keeper, shall we?

Tomorrow night:

  • Mike Mains & the Branches play Madison Live
  • Alex Salcido (of The Harmed Brothers) plays the Southgate House lounge
  • Camp Springs Tavern hosts their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam

On Friday:

  • Lydia Shae has an album release show at the Woodward Theater, with Daniel Noel and The Laurelys
  • Ron Pope plays Ludlow Garage
  • The old Annie’s has The Broken Hearts: Ultimate Tom Petty Tribute

Saturday, Southgate House hosts a benefit show that kicks off at 1:30 p.m.

Other Saturday shows:

  • Sammy Rae & Friends at Bogart’s
  • Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band at the Lawrenceburg Event Center in Hoosier country
  • Grateful River 2 – a benefit For Down Syndrome – is at the old Annie’s
  • The Ark Band: 7th annual Bob Marley & the Wailers tribute concert at Ludlow Garage
  • Flying Underground and String Theory play Taproom on Ludlow

Oh, and don’t forget to “Spring forward” on Saturday evening.

This Sunday, the Stardevils play Rabbit Hash General Store at 2:30 (which will feel like 1:30). In the evening (which will feel like the afternoon), Josh Ritter plays a solo show (“Works in Progress + Songs You Know”) at Memorial Hall and Hannah Wicklund plays Top Cats.

The California Guitar Trio plays Southgate on Monday, 3/11, and the Woodward Theater screens Ghosts of the Chelsea Hotel.

On Tuesday, 3/12, The Dollyrots are at Southgate.

Celtic band Screaming Orphans plays Ludlow Garage on Wednesday, 3/13. (‘Tis the season…)

On Thursday, 3/14, Marc Broussard is at the Taft Theatre and Leslie Mendelson plays Southgate’s Revival Room, with Ashley Peacock.

Friday, 3/15: Spokes (a band featuring Jeffrey Seeman and Mickey Foellger of the band Wheels… see what they did with the new band name?) plays Southgate.

Shows on Saturday, 3/16:

  • Camp Springs Tavern celebrates 8 years with music from Mike Oberst (Tillers), Justine Cefalu, Todd Lipscomb and The Northern Kentucky Derby – and food from Marty’s Waffles and wine from 4 Mile Wine Co.
  • Emmaline plays Ludlow Garage
  • The Downtowne Listening Room features Brittany Gillstrap, Taylor Henry, and Sami Riggs in the round at Memorie Makers Café in Florence, KY

Sunday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t forget to Irish Spring forward.

On St. Paddy’s evening, Margo Cilker plays the Southgate House. I plan to attend that show – her new album Valley of Heart’s Delight is delightful.

Stop Making Sense will be on the big screen at Woodward Theater on Monday, 3/18.

Sierra Hull plays Memorial Hall on Tuesday, 3/19 with Gabe Lee as the opener.

On Wednesday, 3/20:

  • Rhiannon Giddens plays Memorial Hall
  • Grouplove (the band, not the orgy… also not the band Orgy) is at Bogart’s

Beth Bombara plays Southgate’s Revival Room on Thursday, 3/21, with The Montvales opening the show.

Gigs on Friday, 3/22:

  • Shovels and Rope play the Southgate House (I’ll be there)
  • Black Violin is at the Taft
  • Joshua Radin plays Ludlow Garage

Saturday, 3/23:

  • JJ Grey & Mofro at the Taft
  • Karla Bonoff and Livingston Taylor play Memorial Hall

Jill Sobule is at Southgate on Sunday, 3/24 and Ambrosia plays Memorial Hall.

Raisins rocked the house

Great reunion shows from Rob, Bob, Ricky and Bam at The Woodward Theater.

I’ve got a fever… for Cabin Fever

The Cabin Fever festival at several unique venues (including a funeral parlor!) in Ludlow, KY a couple of weeks ago was fan-freaking-tastic. Highly recommended next year for catching up on some stellar singer-songwriters and local bands. It’s a DORA district too, so you can drink as you bop down the street. Proceeds benefitted Music Fund Cincinnati, a non-profit started by list member John Sandman.

Byrne, baby, Byrne

From David Byrne’s How Music Works book. It’s powerful stuff too!

Buffalo. Boston.

New tunes from my favorite band, that talented trio from Beantown known as Buffalo Tom? Yes, please!

Album Cover of the Week(s)

We’re not sure if this counts as “dancin'” or old Mack had too much chili before his gig.

Album Liner Notes of the Week(s)

I signed up… and included the 25 cents for postage too!

May the Sixth be with you

Concert Listings, Music

Hello friend! It’s purt near May (that’s how we say it in Arkansas) which means it’s purt near time for another Cereal Killers gig… or two! But I reckon we have a few shows before then too. Let’s take a look-see.

Friday, Khruangbin and Toro y Moi are at the Sam the Butcher Music Center. You remember Sam the Butcher, don’t you? He was the one who always delivered meat to Alice the cook at the Brady Bunch house.

Nice package!

Other gigs on Friday evening:

  • Gavin DeGraw plays the Horseshoe Jack Hard Rock Casino
  • Brit Floyd is at the Taft
  • Ben Levin rocks BrewRiver
  • Sierra Ferrell plays Southgate. According to list member Dave Green (who also plays bagpipes in the 35th Indiana Pipes & Drums), Sierra likes to make her own stage costumes by modifying thrift store clothes. I think she should call this outfit “Partridge Family Bus”:
C’mon get happy…

On Saturday evening, you can get some clean laughs with Brian Regan at the Mike Brady Music Center.

Or you can head to Camp Springs Tavern to enjoy a cold beverage, served up by guest bartenders (and brothers) Chris and Nathan Dye, founders of the local brand design agency Dye Brothers (fitting name, ain’t it?).

All tips earned that night will be donated to the Karen Wellington Foundation for Women LIVING with breast cancer, so it’s a good time for a great cause. The missus and I will be there for a spell. Hope you can join us!

NRBQ plays Southgate on Sunday.

On Wednesday, The Happy Fits are at Top Cats.

Thursday, the Walter Trout Band plays Ludlow Garage.

Next Friday (5/6), the Cereal Killers play at Fries Cafe in Clifton!

Remember, the first beer is my treat.

That same evening, Leon Bridges plays the Carol Brady. Which was your favorite Carol Brady hairdo?

The only correct answer is #3.

Ben Levin plays Wiedemann’s Brewing.

Comedian/guy who sings “Toast” Heywood Banks is at the Ludlow Garage.

And Engelbert Humperdinck plays the Taft. I hear he does a cover of “The Humpty Dance,” while wearing the glasses…

Next weekend features a flurry of festivals

Here are the gig posters:

Support local artists

Music Fund Cincinnati is a new non-profit established to promote free events and provide financial assistance to local musicians.

Please consider volunteering your time and/or making a donation.

A Public Service Announcement to the people who go to shows to talk

I’d like you to STFU. Andrianne Lenker of Big Thief put it a bit more politely:

“When music is happening in a room, there’s a performer onstage playing and doing their craft, when you enter into that space, try to be mindful of what’s happening and pay attention and don’t talk,” Lenker said. Later in the message, she rephrased the same thought: “When you come into this space where music is happening, even if you’re coming just to see a specific act play, be mindful if there is somebody performing and playing, to either listen or at least be quiet so that other people can listen. Or go and put yourself elsewhere.”

Her full message can be found in this Stereogum article

I couldn’t agree more. Wanna chat? Go to the lobby… or just go home!

Gig pix

James McMurtry put on a stellar solo show at Memorial Hall. I knew he had a way with words but was impressed by his gee-tar pickin’ too!

Valley Heat is spreading…

Remember the podcast I touted last week, called Valley Heat? We have another convert – Cereal Killers frontman/Great Lakes Brewing rep Howard Cohen:

The show is so damn funny, including the music. Check it out posthaste.

Album Cover of the Week

List member Ted Gardner wants to know if this is the worst or best album ever made? What say ye? You can put your ears on it below… enter at your own risk!

Have a great week!