Matthew Sweet

The Music, Man.

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Ya got concerts, folks! Right here in the River(front) City. Concerts with a capital “C” and that rhyme with “G” and that stands for “Gee, I should probably go to a show or three.”

Speaking of Shirley Partridge Marian the Librarian, The Mercantile Library hosts Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine on Tuesday as part of their “Words and Music” series. The event is sold out – good thing I got my tickets long ago.

Meanwhile at Ludlow Garage, Patty Griffin, Hayes Carll, and Lori McKenna are doing a sold-out “sharing the stage” gig. And Amythyst Kiah plays Southgate.

Here’s an interesting show on Wednesday:

That same evening, the Hackensaw Boys play Southgate (with Mike Oberst & Justine Cefalu opening). And Dawes plays the Taft. Remember when Dawes was called Simon Dawes and they played a gig at the old Alchemize bar in Northside back in 2006 with Chad VanGaalen and Band of Horses? I do, because I was there!

Speaking of cookies with jam, Camp Springs Tavern hosts their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam on Thursday.

Johnny Delaware goes to Indiana on Friday, to play the Liberty Theater, with The Hiders also on the bill.

Saturday is a big day for shows:

  • Flatland Cavalry plays the Bobby Brady
  • The Paul Thorn Band is at Memorial Hall
  • Jess Williamson (who recently collaborated with Waxahatchee) plays Southgate
  • Madison Theater has Start Making Sense: A Tribute to Talking Heads
  • Everclear and Buckcherry are at the Lawrenceburg Event Center… we’re assuming it’s called “The Compound Words Tour”
  • Warrant and Lita Ford play the Hard Rock Casino (Aqua Net hairspray sold separately)

Last, but certainly not least on the Saturday roster, Ludlow Garage has the tribute show you never knew you needed… “Toast: The Ultimate Bread Experience.”

There must be a lot of folks in the Tristate who said “Baby, I’m-a Want You” to this, as there are not one but two shows (3pm and 8pm).

Personally, I’d rather go for Toast on a Stick.

Low Cut Connie plays the Liberty Theater next Sunday (11/17), with the band Sweat (good luck Googling “Sweat Band”) as the opener. List member Dave Tellmann and I will be at that show. That same evening, Will Hoge plays the Southgate.

Next Monday, 11/18, Woodward Theater screens the Ani DiFranco doc 1-800-On-Her-Own.

Wishbone Ash plays Ludlow Garage on Tuesday, Nov. 19th.

Wishbone Ash: pairs well with Toast!

Craig Finn of The Hold Steady plays the Woodward on Wednesday, November 20th, with Katy Kirby as the opener. List member “Rico” and I will be there. Remember when Craig Finn played that house concert in Cincinnati back in 2017? I do, because it was my house!

That same evening, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder play Memorial Hall.

Americana power couple Gillian Welch and David Rawlings play the Taft on Thursday, 11/21 and Wayne “The Train” Hancock plays Southgate.

Shows on Friday, 11/22:

  • The Wood Brothers at Taft
  • The Tubes at Ludlow Garage
  • Tiny Moving Parts at Southgate
  • TyeDye Band (featuring list member John Sandman) at Plain Folk Cafe in Pleasant Plain, OH.
  • Liberty Theater hosts a free Singer/Songwriter Night

On Saturday, 11/23:

  • The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and Joe’s Truck Stop play Southgate
  • Ric Hordinski and Kim Taylor play the Woodward
  • Hyryder (Grateful Dead tribute) at Madison Theater
  • Mark Gibson and Danni Nicholls play a “Downtowne Listening Room” show at the Hellmann Creative Center in Covington, KY
  • Ludlow has Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience… with special guest Electric Duke (tribute to David Bowie)

On Sunday, 11/24, Ballyhoo! and Keep Flying are at the Liberty Theater, Ace Monroe is at Southgate, and Hard Rock Casino has Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening.

The Reading Room

Bon Iver interview in The New Yorker. Money quote:

“I believe in the power of the individual — don’t get me wrong — but I’ve always just found that it distracts from the point. Why do we like a song? Is it because of who’s singing it to us? Or is it the song? And I just think it’s the song. For me, it is. For me, it’s about the song and what the music does. It can be very distracting when it becomes, ‘Oh, I love Bon Iver so much. I want more Bon Iver. I want to see Bon Iver. I want to get his autograph.’ I’m sensitive to it, and the attention can be overwhelming. I’m also uncomfortable with it because it distracts from the point that music delivered me to myself.”

We need some “Divine Intervention”

Matthew Sweet recently suffered a debilitating stroke in Canada. There’s a GoFundMe to help pay for his medical bills and ongoing therapy and care.

And you thought 8-tracks were weird

Here’s the live link to the Demastered site.

We live for live

I couldn’t make the Cereal Killers show at Big Ash the weekend before Halloween, but I love their Ramones vibe:

No, I didn’t get tickets for the Jack White show at Bogart’s. But list members Dave Tellmann and Rico did.

I DID, however, catch all three Buffalo Tom shows during their “Please Come to Boston” festival, along with comedy from Eugene Mirman and Dave Hill, book readings from Tom Perrotta, Bill Janovitz, and Dave Hill, and a band Q&A hosted by comedian/actor Mike O’Malley.

Dave Hill is hilarious, btw.

And last night Wussy and the Chris Brokaw Band (feat. Chris Brokaw from Codeine and Come, and Clint Conley from Mission of Burma) were fantastic at the Woodward.

(That’s Brenda Sauter of The Feelies sitting in on bass.)

Todd, Regi, Tom, Jamie, Matt, Pam, Jay, Alyssa, Dave, Ken, Michelle, Dave, Kevin, Dr. David… it’d be easier to cite the list members who weren’t there – great to see such a strong turnout for our friends in Wussy.

Their new album was on sale at the show – the official release date is this Friday.

Album Covers of the Week(s)

These guys can’t count, but they look really slick.

They’ve gotten worse at counting. And/or they found out about their dad’s clandestine second family.

The 1/4 un-lonely is because his belt is off.

If my math is correct, this guy isn’t wearing pants. And/or T.G. Sheppard just walked in on him.

Golden April Showers

Concert Listings, Music

First and foremost, Happy Wet Day to all who celebrate!

(If you know, you know. And if you don’t, you need to listen to Comedy Bang Bang.)

April is spraying us with a steady stream of solid gold shows. But not these kind:

Let’s get to the calendar!

Tomorrow night, it’s our pick for the best under-the-radar show of the month: John Moreland at Ludlow Garage. His new album Visitor is great… dude’s an amazing songwriter.

I’d attend but I’ll be busy losing money at Keeneland while getting soaked to the bone by thunderstorms. (Not exactly an idyllic vacation day, but it still beats working.)

Also tomorrow night, Brothers Osborne play the Mike Brady.

On Friday:

  • Owl City plays Bogart’s
  • Todd Lipscomb does the MOTR happy hour (5-7 p.m.)
  • Ludlow Garage hosts “Jump: America’s Van Halen Experience”
  • Aronoff has “Piano Men: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John”

Speaking of Van Halen, if you’ve never played with this handy toy, you need to right now. (“I’ll wait…”)

And speaking of Piano Men, this performance is brilliant on so many levels:

Saturday evening is “Pick Your Time Machine” night:

  • Ovation has “Wish You Were Here – The Sights and Sounds of Pink Floyd”
  • Ludlow Garage hosts “Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience.”

Sunday? More time machine action… this time it’s “The Kings of Queen” at Memorial Hall.

Is it just me, or do the non-lead-singer members of the “Kings of Queen” band need to put a bit more effort into their promo photo attire?

It’s like Freddie Mercury stopped by a pawn shop and took a quick photo with the staff.

Things pick up a bit on Monday, when Suzanne Vega plays “Old Songs, New Songs and Other Songs” at Memorial Hall. I have a single ticket to that show, in the very last row of the balcony… I call it my Solitude Standing tribute.

Tuesday gigs:

  • Scott H. Biram plays Southgate with Dead Man String Band opening
  • Todd Lipscomb is at Arnold’s
  • Queensryche rocks Bogart’s

The Bygones play the Woodward Theater next Wednesday, April 17th.

Next Thursday (4/18):

  • Southgate has Wonder Women of Country featuring Kelly Willis, Melissa Caper and Brennen Leight
  • Memorial Hall hosts Live Dead & Brothers, a tribute to Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers (show description: Les Dudek from The Allman Brothers, original Grateful Dead pianist Tom Constanten, Berry Duane Oakley from The Allman Betts Band, Mark Karan from Bob Weir & Rat Dog, Scott Guberman from Phil Lesh & Friends, and Pete Lavezzoli from Oteil & Friends… skillfully recreate the magic of the Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band’s co-billed concerts during the period of 1969 to1973. Their performances capture the raw energy, improvisational prowess, and soul-stirring melodies that defined an era of musical innovation.)
  • Busta Rhymes hits the Jan Brady
  • “Bust a banjo” might happen at the bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam at Camp Springs Tavern

Next Friday (4/19), it’s the show I always dreamed of — the band Alvvays — at the less-than-dreamy venue of Bogart’s. I love the former so much that I’m willing to put up with the latter.

Other shows on Friday 4/19:

  • Carbon Leaf at Ludlow Garage
  • Ricky Nye Inc. plays the Southgate Lounge
  • Joe Satriani and Steve Vai shred at the Greg Brady
  • The old Annie’s hosts An Evening with the Sam Grisman Project
  • Big Something plays Madison Theater

Next Saturday is 4/20, dude.

Shows that evening include:

  • Los Honchos in the Southgate Lounge
  • Todd Lipscomb at Camp Springs Tavern
  • Spyro Gyra at Ludlow Garage
  • Christine Havrilla & Mama’s Black Sheep play the Downtowne Listening Room
  • Aronoff hosts Rain: a Tribute to the Beatles Magical Mystery Tour

The Skatalites play Ludlow Garage on Sunday, April 21st and The Ruen Brothers are at Southgate House.

On Monday, April 22nd, The Toasters celebrate 43 Years of Ska at Southgate. Speaking of toasters, it’s also Earth Day, and our planet might be toast unless we switch to clean energy.

Matthew Sweet plays Ludlow Garage on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Wednesday, April 24th is a busy concert evening:

  • Todd Rundgren is at the Carol Brady
  • The Robert Cray Band plays Memorial Hall
  • The Young Dubliners roll into Ludlow Garage

Friday, April 26th is a big day for all things Ohio:

  • Rob Harvilla, music writer for The Ringer (as well as Medina native, proud Ohio U. grad, and Columbus resident) comes to Knox Joseph Distilling in OTR (courtesy of the Mercantile Library) to discuss his book 60 Songs That Explain the ’90s with list member Jay Stowe. The book is a companion piece to Rob’s hilarious podcast of the same name. (Listen to the first 10 minutes of this episode for proof.) I’ll be there (starts at 6 p.m.), but I have to cut out early to make it to:
  • Dayton’s own Guided By Voices and Cincinnati’s own Wussy (full band) at the Madison Theater

Other shows that evening include Flock of Seagulls at Ludlow, and Todd Lipscomb with Michael Moeller at Wunderbar in Covington.

Ludlow Garage has Catalina Wine Mixer on Saturday, 4/27. And Howie Day plays there on Sunday, 4/28.

Damning with faint (yet accurate) praise

List member Michael “Rico” Carrico and his lovely bride Ashley recently attended the Josh Ritter show at Memorial Hall, and he said it was “thanks to being alerted by a reputable newsletter published by a questionable character.” Hey, I resemble that remark!

Making Hay while the sun shines

On Opening Day, I loaded up on free food and beer at my company’s lunch celebration during the parade, went to the Reds game courtesy of list member Dave “Deuce” Richmond, and then my lovely bride and I saw Colin Hay at Taft thanks to free tickets from list members Dave and Jacqui Killen. It was, as Jacqui called it, my own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Someone who obviously didn’t scheme as well as Ferris was this person:

If it was a bro-country show, they definitely should’ve been fired.

Math is funky

Here’s your annual reminder to stay on the one, courtesy of Bootsy and list member Todd Butler:

Album Cover(s) of the Week(s)

Swingers and nannies… the perfect combo!

“Stay gold, Ponyboy!”