Devo

Spring-ing into action

books, Concert Listings, Music

Last things first if you’re into Devo (and if you’re not, why read this blog?): there’s a free The Beginning Was The End book event tonight at the OTR Stillhouse, courtesy of our friends at the Mercantile Library.

Details and the free registration link are here. I’ll see you there – I’ll be the guy wearing the Energy Dome.

Let’s take a gander at the music shows coming our way.

Tomorrow night, catch Mom Jeans at Bogart’s

Thursday:

  • Colin Hay is coming all the way from the Land Down Under to the Taft Theatre
  • Brandy Clark and Hayes Carll play the Ludlow Garage
  • Less Than Jake (no relation to Better than Ezra) plays Bogart’s
  • Too Many Zooz (more like too many z’s) plays Madison Theater
  • Bumpin’ Uglies and Bikini Trill play Madison Live

Friday it’s time for a Come to Jesus session. Jesus Jones, that is, at Ludlow Garage.

On Saturday, Alex Salcido of The Harmed Brothers plays Camp Springs Tavern, and the Madison Theater hosts the jam band Spafford. (No relation to Susan Stafford, the original letter-turner on “Wheel of Fortune.”)

Blues dude Noah Wotherspoon plays the Rabbit Hash General Store’s “Sunday Music Behind the Stove” series on 3/21 – music starts at 2:30.

Breaking news: this coming Monday, we’re shutting down our music blog.

Beach Fossils are at Bogart’s next Tuesday, 4/2 with Nation of Language.

TC Superstar plays a free show at MOTR next Wednesday, 4/3.

I really hope their band name is a tribute to T.C. the true superstar of “Magnum, P.I.” (apologies to Larry Manetti).

Shows next Thursday, April 4th:

  • Raul Malo of The Mavericks brings his amazing voice to Ludlow Garage
  • Chicago Farmer & the Fieldnotes play Southgate with Joe’s Truck Stop
  • Camp Springs Tavern hosts their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam

On Friday, April 5th:

  • William Fitzsimmons plays Southgate
  • The Rabbit Hash String Band will be at Plain Folk Café in Pleasant Plain, OH
  • Badfish (a tribute to Sublime… or to gas station sushi) plays the Madison Theater

Ludlow Garage hosts Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam on Saturday, 4/6.

The Tillers play the Rabbit Hash Music Behind the Stove series on Sunday, 4/7.

Supremely talented singer/songwriter John Moreland plays Ludlow Garage on Thursday, April 11th.

That same evening, Brothers Osborne play the Mike Brady.

Hot Ticket Alert!

The Violent Femmes are playing the old Annie’s on Friday, May 17th. Not only that, but they’re playing their first two albums cover to cover!

Get yer tix here.

And come November 3rd, Drive-by Truckers will be bring their Southern Rock Opera Revisited Tour to Bogart’s. Let there be rock!

Tickets for that gig go on sale to the general public on this Friday.

Podcast Promo/Hot FREE Ticket Alert!

If you’re old enough to remember the 1990s, and if you’re even slightly into music, and you appreciate great writing, you really owe it to yourself to check out the 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s podcast.

Rob Harvilla, a senior staff writer for The Ringer, spends each episode breaking down a single song from the ’90s. Actually, he spends about half of each episode on a series of digressions, often about his time growing up in northern Ohio in the 90s, before finally getting to the featured song. And the digressions are great – brilliantly written, completely engaging, and typically hilarious… and the humor is usually self-deprecating.

Rob’s written a book to accompany the podcast, and he’ll be talking about both at the OTR Stillhouse on Friday, April 26th. Better yet, list member Jay Stowe will be conducting the interview!

It’s yet another freebie from our friends at the Mercantile Library. Sign up here. (Unfortunately that event is the same night as the Guided by Voices/Wussy show at Madison Theater, so I’ll have to cut out early to get across the river in time for Wussy’s set.)

Speaking of Wussy…

They’ll be playing a trio house concert (Chuck, Lisa, Mark) at Casa de Dubbatrubba on Friday, May 10th. If you’re keeping score at home, this’ll be their third home show at my home. Much to my utter delight… and my wife’s ever-increasing odds for sainthood.

Hot tunes

Waxahatchee’s new album Tigers Blood is fire.

The album’s songs got their live debut during a club show at the Empty Bottle in Chicago – check out some clips in this Stereogum article. (Hat tip to list member Joe Sampson for the link.) And here’s an interview with Katie Crutchfield in Pitchfork.

Cleveland’s own Dave Hill is right up there with Rob Harvilla on the writers-who-are-hilarious-and-musically-inclined scale. (Check out his books Parking the Moose, Tasteful Nudes and Dave Hill Doesn’t Live Here Anymore for proof.) Dave’s also a musician, and his band Valley Heat has a rockin’ new single out.

Here’s to Music Moms

I’m not a fan of The Facebooks, but I loved this post from Buffalo Tom bassist Chris Colbourn (and the comment from his bandmate Bill Janovitz):

(Hat tip to list member Lisa Collins for bringing it to my attention.)

Here’s to the faithful departed

R.I.P. Karl Wallinger (The Waterboys, World Party) and Eric Carmen (The Raspberries, cheesy movie soundtracks).

Video above courtesy of list member Todd Butler.

Album Cover of the Week(s)

Nothing says “raising hell” like a crewcut, a sports coat, and a piano singalong.

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!