Cereal Killers

This week in Live Music: August 5-11

Concert Listings, Music

Before we get into this week’s live tuneage, let’s dwell for a moment on last week’s live shows. Big shout out to the list members (and friends of list members) who came to the Eric Bachmann house show at my place: Jacqui, Ken, Jeff, Bob, Dan and Martha, Rico, and Rico’s buddies Cody and Louie. What a great gig! And getting a chance to chat with Eric afterward was just as cool… I’m going to begrudgingly forgive Neko Case for her antics last time she played Taft, as Eric (who was in her touring band) gave us the backstory.

Eric Bachmann at Damian’s house

The Cereal Killers performed a stellar (albeit too brief) set in Mt. Adams on Friday. We need to get them a recurring gig – any suggestions for a venue that might be amenable to hosting a killer band that plays great tunes from the late 70s/early 80s indie/college rock pantheon?

Cereal Killers in Mt. Adams… that’s not Eric Bachmann on guitar, it’s his doppelganger Matt Hueneman.

And finally, a shout out to list member Dan “Come to the Trevor Bauer Power Hour” Lewis for checking out the Ben Levin Trio at the Overlook Kitchen + Bar at the Summit Hotel in Madisonville. That hotel feels out of place next to a UDF, but their restaurant/bar patio is a very cool spot to hang out… especially when Ben Levin is playing.

OK, on with the show(s)… Tonight, Max Frost is playing the 20th Century Theater, with Swells as the opener.

On Tuesday, The Regrettes are at Madison Live, Joe Bonamassa is playing Fraze, Knotty G’s are at Stanley’s, the Local Music Showcase at Sawyer Point features Jordan Wilson Coalition and Brother Smith (6:30-10 p.m.) and Tesla (the band, not the car… actually maybe both) is at Rose Music Center.

Jake Speed & the Freddies are this week’s featured band in the Wednesdays in the Woods series at Burnet Woods. The Royal Hounds are playing Southgate’s Revival Room with NP Presley and The Ghost of Jesse Garon.

On Thursday, JJ Grey & Mofro are playing PNC Pavilion with Jonny Lang and Marc Brussard. List members Whit and Barb Gardner will be at that show. Joyce Manor is playing Woodward that evening, with Saves the Day and awakebutstillinbed, the band named after my teenage kids. Jamestown Revival plays Top Cats, and Madison Theater will host the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

This just in: list member/junior correspondent Madeleine Meeks informs our news desk that The Dip will be playing a free show at RiversEdge in Hamilton! Ohio on Thursday evening, and they’ll be playing an intimate gig at Plaid Room Records on Friday night. They are, per Madeleine, “seven young, gorgeous men from Seattle playing jazzy, old timey, classy, sexy tunes”… that blurb sounds a lot better coming from her than from me.

The summer is flying by, and it’s Bellwether Weekend… and Railbird weekend. Bellwether kicks off Friday in Waynesville at the Renaissance Festival grounds, home of giant turkey legs and jousting… and perhaps jousting with giant turkey legs.

The Bellwether schedule is below, headliners include Real Estate and Cake on Friday, and Guided By Voices, Pinback and Beach House on Saturday. I’ll be in attendance both days.

Railbird is Saturday and Sunday at Keeneland in Lexington, KY. Here’s the list of performers:

There are a slew of local shows on Friday as well:

  • JJ Grey/Jonny Lang/Marc Broussard play Rose Music Center
  • Willow Tree Carolers are at Camp Springs Tavern
  • Vesperteen headlines the free show at Fountain Square
  • ghost man on second is playing Lucius Q
  • Wyatt Edmondson is at Stanley’s with Electric Son
  • The Darling Suns, Heavy Hinges and Darity are playing Northside Tavern
  • Ben Levin Trio plays BrewRiver

And there are plenty of gigs on Saturday too:

  • Chuck Cleaver, Lisa Walker and Mark Messerly of Wussy are at MOTR, playing solo stuff as well as collaborating on some Wussy tunes.
  • Santana plays Riverbend with the Doobie Brothers. List members Whit and Barb will be at that gig too… they are cuckoo for concerts this week.
  • Black Flag is playing Riverfront Live. Speaking of Black Flag, this is a cool mini-doc about their artwork.
  • Common is at Madison Theater
  • The Newbees have a 15th anniversary show at Southgate
  • Megan Wren is at Southgate too, in the Revival Room
  • 500 Miles to Memphis headlines the Fountain Square freebie
  • John Butler Trio is at Rose Music Center
  • The Gotobeds (named after me talking to my teenage kids) are playing Northside Yacht Club, with Vacation and Cold Stereo
  • Flying Underground and Maurice Mattei & the Tempers are at Urban Artifact
  • The Generics will be at Fretboard Brewing in Blue Ash.
I’m just phoning it in now.

Sunday is a bit quieter, at least from a volume (of shows) standpoint. Death Valley Girls and Moonwalks are at MOTR, and JP Harris & the Tough Choices are playing Southgate, with Jeremy Pinnell opening the show.

A few other notes: Shake It Records is selling the first deck of Cincinnnati Music Legends trading cards, a very cool idea. Read more in CityBeat.

Wham!

I’m really digging the new album from Bleached called Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough (which is what my kids say to me when I’m reaching for my third slice of cake).

And the latest episode of the 97X podcast features Barb Abney talking about her 25+ year career playing modern rock (97X, the woxy.com, then The Current in Minneapolis, and now KFAI.) All episodes of the “Rumblings from the Big Bush” podcast are now available on Spotify, too.

Have a wonderful week!

This week (and next week) in Live Music

Concert Listings

Special Double Issue: June 24-July 7

That’s right kids, this go-round you get a “special double issue” because I care so much that I want to give you double the usual content, as a no-cost bonus to you. It’s like two, two, two mints in one!

(This double issue has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I’ll be on vacation next week. I would never, ever, ever prioritize relaxing/drinking on the beach over delivering piping-hot TWILM content.) OK, on with the show(s)!

Hmm, there’s not much live music action in this neck of the woods on Monday or Tuesday… guess this is more like a “special one-and-a-half issue.” But hey, Delta Rae will be at the 20th Century in Oakley on Wednesday.

Thursday, Jimmie Vaughan will be at Memorial Hall, with a full band.

Jimmie is perhaps best known for being a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s older brother/mentor/inspiration, but I always liked this quote about him from his little bro:

“I play probably 80 percent of what I can play.  Jimmie plays one percent of what he knows.  He can play anything.”

— Stevie Ray Vaughan

It should be a Fabulous show (see what I did there?). At last check, only a handful of single seats remained for this gig.

Also on Thursday, John R. Miller and the Engine Lights are at Southgate, Mykal Rose featuring Sly and Robbie will be at the old Annie’s, and Ben Levin Trio is playing Latitudes in Anderson Township, and pimping Ben’s new CD.

Hey, he looks like the kid who lives down the street from me. Wait, he IS the kid who lives down the street from me!

Guided By Voices are playing a sold-out show at the Woodward Theater on Friday evening. Bob Pollard and the boys always put on an entertaining show. Also, in the time it took you to read that last sentence, they released three new albums.

Some other shows of note on Friday:

  • NRBQ is at Southgate
  • Ricky Nye and Chris Douglas are at Wiedemann Brewery & Taproom
  • The Stolen Faces play Stanley’s
  • Ben Levin & Noah Wotherspoon are playing a Cincy Blues Fest fundraiser at Christian Moerlein Taproom
  • The Adjust Your Eyes (AYE) festival kicks off at various Northside venues, and runs through Saturday
  • Ghost Man on Second plays Northside Tavern

Saturday, the fabulous local band Cereal Killers will be playing Mt. Adams Pavilion. I’d totally be there if I weren’t on vacation. Please go in my stead. Also on Saturday:

  • Car Seat Headrest is at Bogart’s
  • Dark Star Orchestra plays Annie’s (OK, Riverfront Live)
  • Stanley’s has the 9th annual Reggae Fest, featuring the Cliftones, Elementree, the Ark Band and more
  • Ray Vietti of the Harmed Brothers plays Camp Springs Tavern. I saw Ray open up for Caroline Spence about a month ago, great stuff.
  • Ben Levin Duo is at Streetside Brewery
  • Styx is playing a sold-out gig at the Rose Music Center. Huber Heights loves their Mr. Roboto almost as much as they love brick homes.

All of those shows are really just appetizers, the main course is a Sunday show: Kidz Bop World Tour at PNC Pavilion!

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones are playing Taft that night, too. Good luck trying to compete with Kidz Bop, Banjo Boy!

Well, that does it for this week’s live gigs…

Congratulations, you’ve reached the bonus round! Your reward? Courtney Barnett at Madison Theater on Monday, July 1st.

One of my favorite tunes of the past decade.

Tuesday, July 2nd, the Dave Matthews Band will be at Riverbend. I hate to name drop, but my youngest son went to grade school with the sons of the drum tech for DMB.

On Wednesday, July 3rd, Built to Spill is playing their classic album Keep It Like A Secret in its entirety at Woodward Theater. Crap! I’m missing Cereal Killers, GBV, Courtney Barnett and BTS? Looks like I picked the wrong week to go on vacation.

That same evening, Reel Big Fish and Aquabats are at Bogart’s, and Weird Al is playing the Fraze Pavilion in Dayton.

On Thursday… it’s the Fourth of July!

(The Cereal Killers do a killer version of this fantastic tune too!)

Most bands are taking a well-deserved holiday, so you’ll just have to play your Lee Greenwood albums.

Actually, 500 Miles to Memphis is playing the lawn by the Moerlein Lager House at 5 p.m., and Kansas is playing Red, White and Blue Ash at 8:30… but the band logo in the promo poster makes it hard to figure that out:

Hey, Bob Sumerel is playing!

On Friday 7/5, Ohio Valley Salvage is playing Camp Springs Tavern, Ben Levin and Cheryl Renee are at Wiedemann, and Thunderstruck, the AC/DC tribute, is at Bogart’s.

Broson Arroyo is playing Bogart’s on Saturday, 7/6. No, it’s not a whiffleball game (although that might be pretty cool), he’s playing music. The Tillers are the headliners at the Fountain Square free show, and the indefatigable Ben Levin is playing Lucius Q with 46 Long opening. I hate to name drop, but my oldest son had 50% of 46 Long as his English teacher in middle school.

Speaking of Saturdays, I do want to note the recent passing of guitarist Jeff Walls, of Guadalcanal Diary (and the Woggles). Jeff and his bandmates in Guadalcanal Diary deserved way more recognition and acclaim than they got.

“I do miss that pioneering sense of discovery which animated rock music fans at the dawn of the ‘80s. I don’t think that music carries the same desperate sense of importance with young people today as it did with my generation, or to the generations before me.”

Jeff Walls, from this article: https://creativeloafing.com/content-411337-HIGH-FREQUENCIES-Another-page-from-Guadalcanal-Diary

On Sunday, 7/7, Southgate House is hosting Blues, Brews and BBQ, a family-friendly event from 4-8 p.m. I know what you’re thinking right now: “Is the indefatigable Ben Levin playing?” The answer is “But of course, with Noah Wotherspoon on guitar and King Records legend Philip Paul on drums!”

That’ll do it for this week and next. Have a wonderful holiday!