Eric Gales

Got My Mojo Workin’

Concert Listings, Music

R.I.P. Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. — better known as Mojo Nixon.

He really liked that red shirt… he was even wearing it when list member Dave Tellmann caught up with him a while back.

And list member Dave Lenehan shared a couple of Mojo stories on Facebook:

Someone dug up this audio of Mojo (a Miami U. alum!) and Skid Roper on 97X with Mr. K:

And Ken Katkin paid tribute to Mojo on his Trash Flow Radio show. Listen here.

Outlaw to the very end. Amen.

OK, let’s talk live music.

Friday night shows:

  • Joe Pug and Hello Darling play the Southgate House
  • War Hippies and Blake Tyler are at the old Annie’s
  • Neck Deep plays the Ovation

On Saturday, your faithful scribe will be in Ludlow, Kentucky for their Cabin Fever extravaganza. The lineup of local artists is outstanding:

And proceeds benefit Music Fund Cincinnati, a non-profit started by list member John Sandman and his wife.

Other Saturday shows:

  • Saving Escape, Sunmates, and Knotts play MOTR
  • The Aronoff hosts Blackout featuring Siri Imani
  • Songwriter and longtime Jimmy Buffett Coral Reefer band member Mac McAnally kicks off a three-night stand (Sat/Sun/Tues) at Ludlow Garage.
  • Bogart’s has Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA. If you go to that gig, be sure to break out your best ABBA threads.

(Not sure if that’s ABBA or stunt doubles from “Logan’s Run.”)

Joe’s Truck Stop plays the Rabbit Hash “Music Behind the Stove” series Sunday at 2:30 p.m. If you go to that show, be sure to wear your best “BJ & the Bear” outfit.

(Greg Evigan hair by Vidal Sassoon. Shirt from Botany 500. Buttons sold separately.)

Mac McAnally wraps up his Ludlow series on Tuesday.

Speaking of (‘Til) Tuesday, Aimee Mann plays a sold-out show at Memorial Hall on Wednesday, with Jonathan Coulton as the opener. And Gaelic Storm storms the Taft.

Next Thursday (2/29) is Leap Day

A.k.a. the 17th birthday of list member Ted Gardner. Teddy Boy can celebrate with Eric Gales at Ludlow, or Bryan Adams at Truist Arena. The opener for the latter gig is “Eurythmics Songbook featuring Dave Stewart”… which is a better name than “the guy without Annie Lennox.”

Next Friday, March 1st, The Raisins reunite for the first of three consecutive sold-out shows at the Woodward Theater. I’ll be in the house for that one.

Other 3/1 shows are Steel Wheels at Ludlow Garage, Moonbeau and Sappha at MOTR, and Mammoth WVH at Bogart’s.

Saturday, March 2nd is action-packed:

  • The Raisins are back on the Woodward stage
  • The Tillers kick off a two-night stand at Southgate – both shows will be recorded for an upcoming live album
  • Joe Bonamassa plays the Taft (giving blues-rock guitar freaks a massa-ive bona)
  • Madison Live hosts “An Evening with Sofaburn” – acts include Mike Montgomery, Lung, Super City, Shadwick, Wilde with Quiet Hollers, and Mosant
  • Plain Folk Café in Pleasant Plain, OH has An Evening with Dead Centric (that should be pleasant)
  • Molly Hatchet plays the Madison Theater
  • Annie’s hosts Aces High: The Music of Iron Maiden

On Sunday, March 3rd, The Tillers are back at Southgate and rolling tape for the live album.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo plays Memorial Hall on Tuesday, March 5th. And Socks in the Frying Pan and Enter the Haggis play that same venue the following evening (3/6). (“Socks in the Frying Pan and Enter the Haggis – part of this complete Celtic breakfast!”)

Local Lixx

Hat tip to list member Reid McCreary for recommending Mol Sullivan’s new album Goose. Definitely worth a spin or three:

Future Shows of Note

  • Guided By Voices and Wussy (full band!) play Madison Theater on 4/26.
  • They Might Be Giants play Madison Theater on May 14 and May 15
  • Pixies, Modest Mouse, and Cat Power at the Carol Brady on 6/5
  • Railbird (June 1-2 in Lexington) and Bourbon & Beyond (Sept 19-22 in L-ville) lineups below

Fast Car goes Back to the Future

I’m no fan of the Grammys, but it sure was nice to see Tracy Chapman back on a stage… and back on the charts.

Possibly Bogus Album Cover of the Week

List member Howard Cohen shared this one, but he warned me it could be fake news:

After a bit of internet sleuthing, I think it’s the handiwork of graphic designer Cris Shapan, who does a lot of retro fakery that’s friggin’ hilarious. Check out his work on Facebook but be prepared to laugh your buttocks off. Here’s a fake TV Guide listing:

And here’s a fake ad:

Real Album Cover of the Week

This is actually more disconcerting than the fake album cover, TBH.

I love music… and you!

Concert Listings, Music

Howdy! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I want you to know that you are the Porter Wagoner to my Dolly Parton, and I will always love you.

If you think I look nothing like Dolly, you haven’t seen my moobs lately.

Or maybe I’m the Ralph Wiggum to your Lisa Simpson, and you choo-choo-choose to read this rag because you feel sorry for me.

Let’s take a loving look at the shows coming to the Tri-State Area, shall we?

We covered this in our last missive, but just in case you missed it:

There’s quite a grab bag of shows (and venues) on Saturday, Feb. 11th:

  • Blackberry Smoke plays the Lawrenceburg Event Center
  • Joe’s Truck Stop, Willy Tea Taylor and Jordan Smart play Southgate’s Revival Room
  • The Judds (featuring one original member!) are at the Nutter Center in Dayton
  • The Coliseum hosts the Legendz of the Streetz Tour (in case you hadn’t guessed from the use of the “z plurals” — there will be hippin’ and/or hoppin’ at that show. Per the show description, it will be “an interchanging ensemble of some of the most Iconic names in Hip-Hop including Rick Ross, Jeezy, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, Jadakiss, Cam’ron with Special Guest Jucee Froot”
  • Last, and most incongruously of all, Michael Bolton will be at the Hard Rock Casino. (Which might be the first time that “Michael Bolton” and “Hard Rock” have been used in the same sentence.)

On Sunday, Ben Levin plays Schwartz’s Point.

Then there’s a whole lot of nothin’ until Valentine’s Day is over.

On Thursday, The Gibson Brothers play Southgate.

Joshua Redman plays Memorial Hall on Friday.

Gigs next Saturday (2/18):

  • Ana Popovic is at Ludlow Garage
  • Dave Mason plays Memorial Hall
  • Ben Levin plays the Hilton Netherland for the first time
  • Bogart’s hosts “That Arena Rock Show”:
If they don’t play some Ratt, I’m gonna demand a refund…

If you’re more into “That Used-to-Be-Opening-Act at an Arena Rock Show,” Jackyl plays the Blue Note in Harrison.

Gaelic Storm is at the Taft on Tuesday 2/21.

That’s Fat Tuesday, by the way.

Blues-rock guitarist Eric Gales plays Ludlow Garage next Wednesday, 2/22, and if you’re up for a wild road trip, you can go to Kentucky to see Canada. (Cody Canada plays The Burl in Lexington.)

On Friday, Feb. 24th, Silversun Pickups are at Bogart’s, and Rob Fetters plays another “Fetters is Cheap!” home live stream with special guest Bob Nyswonger:

And a couple of Saturdays from now (Feb. 25th), the remaining members of Brainiac (R.I.P. Tim Taylor) will play the Woodward. (The New York Times did a nice article about the tour.)

Or you could observe the Sabbath:

Is that Ozzy or Fran Lebowitz?

They’ll be at Ludlow Garage that evening. After sundown.

Say it ain’t so, Joe Jon

Longtime This Week in Live Music favorite Jon Wurster is leaving Superchunk.

Sure, he’s still the drummer for The Mountain Goats and Bob Mould, and he’s still part of The Best Show… and he’ll still be hilarious on Twitter and Instagram.

But he’ll be missed in the ‘chunk. Oh well, as list member Mighty Joe Sampson said, “we’ll always have our Sudsy’s memories”… including the Superchunk show at that venue when an overpowering acrid smell nearly cleared out the room — and I used that as my opportunity to get closer to the stage.

Breaking news: Ticketmaster still sucks

I don’t know much about the band Lawrence, but kudos to co-lead Clyde Lawrence (great name – his sister Gracie is also in the band) for testifying before the Senate about the ridiculous monopoly that is Live Nation/Ticketbastard:

I hope the $25 towels were extra fluffy.

Summer festivals: coming soon to a venue (not so) near you

Ticket info for this Columbus festival here: https://columbus.resetconcertseries.com/

Speaking of boygenius, they recreated the iconic Nirvana Rolling Stone cover.

Nice interview feature too.

Philly + Minneapolis = Detroit?

War on Drugs and Craig Finn covering Bob Seger…

Won’t you be my Valentine?

Speaking of the ‘mats, Paul’s got more style than Styles, because he wore it first, and better:

Yes, it’s from Jon Wurster… he’s the best!

Album Covers of the Fortnight

Nothing says “love” quite like belly dancing and Jerry Wallace.