George Clinton

New Year’s Revolution

Concert Listings, Music

In 2023, let’s resolve to support live music and the artists we love. Go to a gig – it’s heart-healthy, low-calorie* and great for your mental health.

*your results may vary, depending on how many alcoholic beverages you consume

Gigs are kid-tested and mother-approved*.

*your mother probably does not approve of concerts by the hair band Kix. She raised you better than that!

Warning: side effects of going to a gig may include euphoria, delirium and uncontrollable body twitches.

Ask your doctor if Gigrocka is right for you. Speaking of doctors…

Chris Barron (of Spin Doctors fame) spins into Ludlow Garage on Friday the 13th, while The Astronomers and Moonbeau play Southgate.

[If you happen to read this early enough on Thursday, Camp Springs Tavern hosts their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam, Ben Levin plays Dee Felice, Parker Gispert of The Whigs (the non-Afghan variety) is at MOTR and the Blue Wisp Big Band plays Bircus Brewing in Ludlow.]

On Saturday:

  • The Kentucky Struts play Southgate’s big room, along with Witches of the Rifle Range, Luther Ray & the Flood, and Matt St. George.
  • The Brother Brothers and The American Buffalo play Southgate’s upstairs Revival Room
  • Hyryder is at the old Annie’s (this is a rescheduled show from the snowpocalypse)

The Read Southall Band is at Top Cats on Tuesday.

Wednesday, Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi play Memorial Hall, and Marielle Kraft is at Southgate.

Next Friday, January 20th, the words of the profits are written on the studio wall: Memorial Hall! It echoes with the sounds… of… a Rush tribute band.

Now, I’ve been a bona fide, certified Rush fan since junior high:

How did my neck not snap from the sheer weight of that hair helmet?

So part of me is tempted to go to that show… but I know no one else is fit to carry Neil’s drumsticks, Alex’s guitar picks or Geddy’s voice-constricting underpants. And I draw the line at “Fake Neil” wearing the signature Peart skull cap:

Guess I’ll just have to stay at home and crank up my Rush albums.

Or perhaps I’ll go to Bean & Barley in O’Bryonville that evening to catch Night Owl and Tim Reisert.

Next Saturday (1/21) is a busy evening for concerts:

  • George Clinton brings his funk to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, a town desperately in need of a good funking. He’s playing the Hollywood Casino, a venue desperately in need of a naming reality check.
  • John McEuen and the Circle Band play Ludlow Garage
  • Ben Levin is at BrewRiver
  • the Bronson Arroyo Band (yes, that’s a thing, apparently) is at Bircus Brewing in Ludlow, KY
  • Bogart’s has Cash Unchained: The Ultimate Johnny Cash Tribute
  • Aronoff Center hosts an Elvis Tribute Artist Spectacular

Looking ahead to Tuesday, Jan. 24, The Arcadian Wild is at Southgate, with Sam Hibbard & Elijah Bedel opening the show.

And on Friday, Jan. 27:

  • Neko Case plays Memorial Hall (here’s hoping she doesn’t have a sh*t fit like she did several years ago at Taft)
  • Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket) is at Ludlow Garage
  • Bret Michaels (of Poison… or Ratt… or Kix) plays the Hard Rock Casino

Get ya tickets here!

Speaking of the aforementioned Neko Case, she’ll be back in town on Monday, May 8th, as part of The New Pornographers, who are playing Memorial Hall. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.

Bonnaroo tix are on sale now. Here’s the lineup:

Why major labels suck, Reason #398,275:

Why this Florida Man rocks

Yes, he looks like your typical “Florida Man”… your standard-issue Okeechobee gator ‘rassler or Daytona Beach self-employed roofer. But he rocked out on the National Anthem at a recent Jacksonville Jags home game AND he has a foundation that gives away guitars to kids.

Sunny thoughts from a normally gloomy guy

the everyday human gesture is always a heartbeat away from the miraculous – that ultimately we make things happen through our actions, way beyond our understanding or intention; that our seemingly small ordinary human acts have untold consequences; that what we do in this world means something; that we are not nothing; and that our most quotidian human actions by their nature burst the seams of our intent and spill meaningfully and radically through time and space, changing everything.

Nick Cave, on his always-entertaining Q&A website The Red Hand Files

Album Cover of the Week Month

Moe is not observing Dryuary.

Sounds good to me

Concert Listings, Music

I hope your Wet Hot American Summer is going well so far.

Let’s take a look at the live gigs, shall we? Wait, hold the phone! I actually missed a gig last week. Ian Noe played at the Southgate House last night, and I forgot to mention it, which deeply disappointed list member Michael “Rico” Carrico. Because this is a family blog, I cannot repeat what he called me.

Sorry, Rico, I will try not to let you down again. Speaking of letdowns, The Chicks had to postpone their Riverbend show due to “strict doctors orders for vocal rest.”

My wife is a nurse, and she is always giving me “strict orders for vocal rest.” Because this is a family blog, I cannot repeat her exact orders.

Anyhoo, on with the shows…

Tonight:

  • The Jan Brady hosts An Evening with Jackson Browne
  • Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers play the Taft
  • Phil Vassar plays the old Annie’s
  • Soul Pocket does a free show on Fountain Square

Saturday:

  • Maren Morris plays the Cindy Brady, with Brent Cobb as the opener
  • Hannah Wicklund and Daniel Donato are at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
  • The Temptations and the Righteous Brothers play the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights

On Sunday, we want the funk! Annie’s hosts the One Nation Under a Groove Tour:

The Avett Brothers play Timberwolf — yes, Timberwolf — on Tuesday. Tickets are still available here. Blue ice cream sold separately.

On Wednesday, Mt. Joy is at the Peter Brady. Their new album is really good.

The other Hump Day show of note is ABBA: The Concert, at Rose Music Center.

Thursday is a huge day for gigs:

  • The Zombies (with founding members vocalist Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent) are at Ludlow Garage
  • Big Bad Voodoo Daddy plays the Taft
  • The Queers, The Dwarves, The Raging Nathans and The Jasons are at Southgate
  • Béla Fleck & My Bluegrass Heart, Sam Bush, and The Jerry Douglas Band play Rose
  • The Turkeys play outdoors (weather permitting) at the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Devou Park
  • Ben Levin is at Shire’s Garden from 6-9 p.m.
  • Jordan Smart is doing the Roots Revival series at Washington Park from 7-9 p.m.

Next Friday, my homies Cereal Killers will be killin’ it at Big Ash Brewing.

I’ll be there for sure, and you should be too, if you know what’s good for you. First beer’s on me!

That same evening:

  • just up the hill in scenic Mt. Washington, The Sunburners (local steel drum band) will be playing a free show at Stanbery Park.
  • Ben Levin is at Wiedemann’s.
  • Lilly Hiatt (daughter of John and a fine artist in her own right) is the headliner for the free show at Fountain Square.

Go figure that four budget-friendly shows I’d like to see are on the same evening. When it rains, it pours… although I hope it doesn’t rain that evening.

The Morton Salt Girl probably has hypertension now.

Fun Fact Friday

Friday Dance Party… from the 80s

I promise to bust out some of these great dance moves at the Cereal Killers show next Friday:

I’ll probably be like the dude at the 1:04 mark or the guy at the 3:43 mark.

Album Cover of the Week

Wow, classical music AND diet tips? What’s not to love?