Carlton Smith

Double Drummer Bummer

Concert Listings, Music

I’ve been slacking on my Koncert Keeper duties. (Sorry, life got in the way.) But now I’m back, baby… just in time to be the bearer of some really sad news:

These back-to-back gut punches have music fans reeling.

Carlton and Chris brought joy to so many folks all over the world – not just through their music but also through their spirit. May both live on.

(And ICYMI, check out the 97X Rumblings from the Big Bush podcast episode where Dave Tellmann and I talked to Carlton and Happy from the RC Mob prior to their reunion shows late last year.

Tomorrow, the Newbees headline the free show at Fountain Square, and list member Keith Neltner has a opening for his art show at MOTR Pub. The show is called “Blood & Ink Rising Up from Underneath” and it’ll be at MOTR through Oct. 24. Here are details about the opening celebration:

Speaking o’ Farmer Keith, they’re kicking off the Neltner’s Farm Fall Festival music lineup on Saturday in Camp Springs, KY, with TLipscomb and Chaya J. The full music list is below, and details about the Fall Festival can be found here.

Other Saturday shows include:

  • Blackberry Smoke at the old Annie’s
  • The Mars Volta at the Mike Brady
  • Braxton Brewing in Covington will celebrate the release of their BonBonerie Opera Cream Stout with live music from StringSource and opera singer Grace Graham.
  • The Witches of Rifle Range play Neltner’s Tavern (yes, it’s a Neltner lovefest.. no, he’s not paying me)
  • Lotus Land (the American Rush Tribute) plays Ludlow Garage
  • Last, and certainly least, Nickelback is at Riverbend

GA-20 plays the Woodward Theater on Sunday, and Brian Setzer brings his “Rockabilly Riot” to the Taft Theatre on Tuesday.

Wednesday is an action-packed night for live music:

  • Speedy Ortiz is at MOTR (8 p.m. ticketed show)
  • Mt. Joy plays the Carol Brady
  • Great Lake Swimmers are at Southgate
  • Eric Johnson plays Ludlow Garage

Neal Francis plays the Woodward on Thursday, while Christopher Cross goes sailing into the Ludlow Garage.

From “Sailing” we shift to swimming: Johnnyswim plays Bogart’s on Friday 10/6.

Synchronized Swimming from Claude Kerven on Vimeo.

That same evening (10/6), Briscoe plays a free show at MOTR.

Dave Webster plays Neltner’s Tavern on Saturday, 10/7.

On Sunday, 10/8, The Brook & The Bluff are at Memorial Hall, and Valley plays the Woodward Theater.

Helmet plays Bogart’s on Tuesday, Rocktober 10th, and that same evening Phish kicks off a two-night stand at the Nut House, a.k.a. The Nutter Center.

On Wednesday, October 11th:

  • Juliana Hatfield plays a solo show at the Woodward
  • Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals play the Greg Brady

Ekoostik Hookah is at the old Annie’s on Thursday, 10/12, and Tim Reynolds and TR3 play Ludlow Garage.

Shows on Friday, October 13th:

  • The Church plays Madison Theater
  • Songwriter extraordinaire Jimmy Webb is at Memorial Hall
  • Moon Taxi and The Stews play the old Annie’s

On Saturday, 10/14, the Madison Theater has a double bill of bands with fun names: Moon Hooch & Doom Flamingo. That same evening, Ax & The Hatchetmen are at Madison Live and Foreigner* plays the Hard Rock Casino.

*Featuring one original member – but at least it’s Mick Jones

Blues artist Joanne Shaw Taylor plays Memorial Hall on Sunday, October 15th.

Guess who’s coming to the Marsha Brady on Monday, October 16th? No, not the Guess Who. It’s Yes.

(I never tire of seeing Derek Smalls and Squiggy together…)

Love it live

Since our last post, your humble scribe has thoroughly enjoyed killer shows from Cereal Killers, Drive-by Truckers with American Aquarium, James McMurtry, and both nights of the Guided by Voices 40th anniversary shows in Dayton. Oh, and a Barenaked Ladies free show downtown.

Cancer sucks.

List member Michael “Rico” Carrico lost his brother Kevin to cancer four years ago. It not only sucked because Kevin was so young (25), but also because Kevin had survived a bout with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma a few years earlier and was studying to be a pediatric oncologist when he succumbed to Ewing’s Sarcoma.

In Kevin’s honor, Rico and his family and friends have raised funds for the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation, which provides scholarships to young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer. Their biggest annual fundraiser is a golf scramble – this year’s event is next Saturday, October 7th, at California Golf Course. If you’d like to register or just make a donation, you can do so here.

Album Cover of the Fortnight

And in your next life, may your garments look less like couch coverings.

Episode 90: Carlton and Happy from the RCMob make us happy

97X, Concert Listings, Music, podcast

Carlton Smith and Happy Chichester formed the super-cool, super-tight rhythm section of the Royal Crescent Mob. They — along with lead singer David Ellison and guitarist “B” — are getting the band back together to play two fundraiser shows to benefit cancer research. They’ll be rocking the house at the Athenaeum Theatre in Columbus on Friday, December 16th and the Madison Theater in Covington, KY on Saturday, December 17th.

We talked to Carlton and Happy about how they got together way back in the mid-80s, their legendary live shows at Bogart’s, what 97X meant to their band, and why they’re looking forward to performing as a group once again.

Flyer for a Royal Crescent Mob gig back in the day, featuring a great Carlton caricature.

Tickets for both shows are on sale now at the links above. Pro tip: avoid the Ticketmaster fees on the Madison Theater show by purchasing your tickets at the Heritage Bank Center (a.k.a. Riverfront Coliseum) box office (M-F, 11a-3p).

97X Year 10 poster signed by B and Carlton

Former 97X and WVXU Nightwaves DJ Dan Reed, now at WXPN in Philly, will play a DJ set to open up both shows. Here’s more from the press release promoting the Madison Theater show:

The 1980’s-90’s Indie faves, The Royal Crescent Mob (RC Mob) have announced they are Getting Back On the Bus for a Really Big Show, a special 2 night reunion, Dec 16 in Columbus OH and Dec 17th in Covington KY./Cincinnati to benefit the Tri-State Area Cancer Research Fund.

The band last performed together almost 30 years ago, disbanding in 1994.

All four original band members, David Ellison, Harold “Happy” Chichester, Carlton Smith and Mr. B (Brian Emch). will be performing.

With drummer Carlton Smith recently diagnosed with brain cancer (Glioblastoma), singer David Ellison, recently treated for Prostate Cancer and the loss of guitarist B’s wife, Cincinnati Attorney, Sallee Fry in May, 2022, to Pancreatic Cancer, the four band members, decided there is no time like the present to celebrate life and revel in the joy of playing music together and the healing spirit music embodies in the human soul.

After vaulting up to the top 20 in college radio airplay, the band signed to the Sire / Warner Brothers label. The Mob gained national exposure touring with acts like The Replacements, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Living Colour, and the B-52s. Their legendary live shows developed quite a following of their own including Dave Grohl, who mentions the Royal Crescent Mob, as his favorite band back in his teenage days when he worked at Tower Records in DC.

The full Dave Grohl note and article about Happy are here.

“We have this really rich music scene here in Ohio. Y’know, I have friends who played with Miles Davis and Bootsy Collins, or toured the world with Dr. John. Here in Columbus, you’ll find yourself sitting next to the guy who spent ten years playing bass with Ray Charles. It all gets blended together. I sometimes feel like Ohio is the only place where my music makes sense. It’s too eclectic and far-flung for the rest of the world. James Brown, Led Zeppelin and The Meters are all equally important in the way I hear music.” 

Happy ChiCHESTER IN THE ARTICLE ABOVE

Columbus blogger Drew Layman has a great post about the RC Mob and their first release, Omerta, on his The Quiet One blog. He also has a cool post about their major-label debut, Spin the World.

RC Mob’s major label debut hit the charts in 1989.
Westerberg, actually… RC Mob opened for the ‘mats back in the late 80s.

Post-RC Mob, Carlton Smith and Happy reunited in Howlin’ Maggie, the band fronted by Happy. (Here’s a link to a live recording of a 1996 show from that band.)

Hap has also released music under his own name.

https://happychichester.bandcamp.com/
https://e.issuu.com/issuu-reader3-embed-files/latest/twittercard.html?u=futurepublishing&d=roc284.issuu&p=1

“To be honest with you, yeah, I’m a very happy person,” he smiles. “And I don’t know if that’s because it’s my name, or because I’ve had the incredible good fortune of being able to record and write my music. But being happy, yeah, it’s my natural state. And as long as I get to hit my drums and play music for few hours every day, it’s pretty easy to stay happy.”

See you all at the Big Show!