Noah Wotherspoon

Hot June, Hotter Tunes

Concert Listings, Music

Gee Willikers, it’s not officially Summer yet, and we’re already melting. Just as the great Rod Serling predicted.

We’ve got more sizzling shows than Rozzi Famous Fireworks, so let’s plunge right in.

On Thursday, you have your pick of freebie shows:

  • The Tillers play at Washington Park
  • The Menus serve up a freebie at Ault Park
  • Noah Wotherspoon will be (blues) Rockin’ the Roebling (Smale Park)
  • Fairfield Village Green hosts the Fooz Fighters
  • Proxima Parada and Happy Landing are doing the free show at RiversEDGE in Hamilton
  • Wildermiss and The Smug Brothers play Levitt Pavilion in Downtown Dayton (BYOB!)
  • Lawrenceburg Civic Park has an Elton John tribute

If you insist on spending your hard-earned cash, you can check out Al Di Meola at Memorial Hall or Robert Glasper at Ludlow Garage.

Friday night:

  • Reverend Horton Heat and Supersuckers (Eddie Spaghetti! Metal Marty! Chango!) play the old Annie’s
  • TyeDye Band (feat. list member John Sandman) plays Plain Folk Café in Pleasant Plain, OH
  • The Used are at Bogart’s (seems fitting – that venue is quite used)
  • Mike Wade and the Nasty NATI Brass Band play a freebie at Levitt in Dayton
  • Last and certainly least, New Kids on the Block, Paul Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff will be at Riverbend.

Or a colonoscopy.

Friday (June 21st) also marks the 27th wedding anniversary of your humble scribe and his long-suffering wife. She will be celebrating by going to West Virginia for a “trail run.” Which basically means that instead of spending time with me, she’d rather hang with this guy:

And no one in their right mind could possibly blame her for that choice.

The Right Reverend Horton Heat is back in action on Saturday, this time playing a free show at Levitt Pavilion in scenic downtown Dayton. (Or maybe it just seems scenic after you’ve had a few free beers.) I’ll be at that show, stocked cooler and lawn chair in hand, along with list member Dave “the Father Murphy of Modern Rock” Tellmann and our friend “El Blanco.” Earlier that day, Tracy Walker plays for free at the Smale Esplanade (5-7 p.m.)

Non-free shows that evening include Charlie Musselwhite and Elvin Bishop at Ludlow Garage, Matt St. George at MOTR, Mr. Speed (a KISS tribute band) at Fraze, and Janet Jackson at Riverbend. I’m sure the Janet Jackson show will be Dyn-O-Mite!

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday:

  • Kurt Vile and the Violators play the Taft
  • Moonbeau is at Madison Live
  • Will Kimbrough is at Southgate
  • Krystal Peterson plays Carriage House Farm in North Bend (1 p.m. show)
  • The Robert Randolph Band plays a freebie at Fountain Square, with Lauren Eylise and The Perfect Children (that’s a band, not to be confused with my kids)

Blues rocker Carolyn Wonderland plays Southgate on Tuesday, June 25th, with Shelley King opening the show.

Next Wednesday (6/26), Noah Wotherspoon plays a free show at Fountain Square, and Donny Osmond plays the Carol Brady.

Next Thursday (6/27) is plenty busy too:

  • Eric Johanson (blues) plays Ludlow Garage
  • Chris Knight plays a full-band show at Southgate
  • Ben Levin performs at HighGrain Brewing’s new Brentwood location
  • Dreamboat Annie (a Heart tribute band) will play Lawrenceburg’s Civic Park
  • Camp Spring Tavern has their bi-weekly Bluegrass Jam

Next Friday (6/28):

  • Dada does a “Return to Dizzkneeland” show at Southgate
  • Santana and Counting Crows at Riverbend
  • Ghostface Killah at Madison Theater
  • Hollywood Nights (a Bob Seger tribute band) at Ludlow Garage
  • The Vindys with The Hathaways at Levitt in Dayton. Who’s your favorite Hathaway? Here’s mine – she’s smokin’:

Buddy Guy plays the Taft on Saturday, June 29th, with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram as the opener. Did I ever tell you about when I was working at B-105/WDJO (“all oldies all the time!”) back in the late 80s and somehow finagled a photographer’s pass for that year’s Chicago Blues Fest, and was front row for Buddy Guy and Junior Wells playing an acoustic set? Lying pays off, kids!

[The photo above wasn’t taken by me (Paul Natkin took it), but it could’ve been if I knew how to operate the prop camera I brought along.]

Other 6/29 shows include The Arcadian Wild at the Woodward, Mad Anthony at Southgate, Yonder Mountain String Band at the old Annie’s, and Nashville singer/songwriters Sarah Peacock & Dannie Nicholls playing a Downtowne Listening Room show at the Hellmann Creative Center in Covington.

The Beach Boys, having tired of Aruba, Bahama and even Kokomo (Indiana), are taking their surfboards to Kettering, Ohio on Monday, July 1st. Because it’s the Fraze that pays.

On Tuesday, July 2nd, Riverbend will have a show by Third Eye Blind… as predicted by the great Rod Serling:

We can’t tout two Reverend Horton Heat shows without also mentioning a rockin’ Sister.

Er, actually it’s Sister Hazel. And the only people who could make you believe that they are as good as Sister Bertrille would be the best spin doctors. Well, it’s your lucky day, because Spin Doctors are on the bill with Sister Hazel at Mason’s “Red, Rhythm & Boom” show on July 3rd! SH and SD both will be opening up for Rozzi Famous Fireworks.

[Sidebar: I get the “rhythm” and the “boom” part of the Mason show, but what’s up with the “Red”?… Is it because it’ll be “red hot”? Or because it’s MAGA country? If they’re trying to play off “Red, White & Blue” then “Rhythm” is… out of rhythm… OK, I realize I’m giving this waaay too much thought. Better to be like the WVa banjo player.]

That same evening, Tinfoil Hat Cowboys will play the free “Wildcard Wednesdays” show at Factory 52.

Ernie Johnson from Detroit will bring a different kind of fireworks to Smale Park on the 4th of July and Hamilton’s RiversEDGE has That Arena Rock Show, just as our Founding Fathers intended.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will sock it to you at Riverbend on Friday, July 5th.

Domecrusher (a band featuring list member Todd Quincy on keyboards) plays 513 Hamilton on Saturday, July 6th.

The holiday weekend wraps up with The Amish Outlaws at the old Annie’s on Sunday, 7/7.

We love it live

Pixies/Modest Mouse/Cat Power at the Brady was a great triple bill.

I met up with a college buddy in D.C. for GBV at a tiny club (The Atlantis, modeled after the famous original 9:30 Club) – killer show!

On Father’s Day, I got to see my son’s band play a brief opener set at Madison Live.

(He’s on drums… drummers never get much photo love.)

And last night, Dave Tellmann, Todd Quincy, Todd’s wife Christy (or Christi, or Kristy, or Kristie, or Kristi…) and I were treated to Los Lobos and Little Feat. Los Lobos are an American treasure – always stellar. And Little Feat “knew the assignment” – they were “Willin'” to play the hits.

Have van, won’t travel

I also was supposed to see S.G. Goodman at Southgate this past Friday, along with list members Matt and Pam Fellerhoff, and “Rico”… but S.G.’s van had other ideas:

Thankfully Rico and I, along with another co-worker and their friends, made lemons out of lemonade by having dinner at Tuba Baking Co. in Dayton, KY (great German food, including veggie options) and then playing semi-inebriated pickleball in Ft. Thomas. Because I am humble, I can neither confirm nor deny that I crushed Rico and our colleague Cathy in a 2 vs. 1 match, then proceeded to beat Rico in a head-to-head matchup (because he thought Cathy was “holding him back.”) *Ron Howard “Arrested Development” voiceover: “Cathy was NOT holding him back.”*

A gentleman never reveals the score of his pickleball matches. But suffice it to say that the next point Rico scores against me will be his first.

Album Covers of the Weeks: Whipping out the organ

Exactly what type of “organ” are we talking about here?

Oh, I see, the woman on the first album cover is staring at Eddie Layton’s organ. We’ve gotta admit, it’s quite impressive! And apparently he’s into bondage.

OK, enough of these organ double single entendres. Let’s switch to something wholesome, like piano.

There, that’s much better. No one could possibly find something puerile and vulgar about a Dick Hyman album, right?

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.

Cruel, Cruel Summer

Concert Listings, Concert review, Music

Late last month, we lost Sinéad O’Connor.

“She was vilified, humiliated at times, metaphorically crucified when alone and in her twenties. Everything she stood up for and against then, including racism in the music industry, has been proven to have been needed and right. She wasn’t just trying to look out for herself. She was the original truth sayer who wouldn’t go easy into the night. The original “difficult” woman who didn’t make it easy. Because easy wasn’t the right thing to do and it wasn’t the truth. Gone too soon. Nothing compares to you.

Irish comedian and actress Aisling Bea on Instagram

Kudos to Pink and Brandi Carlile for paying tribute to Sinéad that evening at their concert in Cincinnati. Without a doubt they each owe her a debt of gratitude for blazing the trail.

Today we lost Robbie Robertson, the bandleader of The Band, one of the all-time great groups.

Sorry to bring you down. Let’s try to brighten the mood by looking to the future…

Oops, that’s not gonna help. The first gig on Ye Olde Koncert Keeper is Ted Nugent. He’s playing the Rose Music Center tomorrow night.

Fear not, though, as there are several decent gigs tomorrow:

  • Ruby Vileos plays a free gig at Washington Park
  • Erin Coburn does the freebie at Smale
  • Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Leftover Salmon play the Taft Theatre
  • Drivin’ n Cryin’ plays Ludlow
  • Fraze has a “Happy Together” gig (that’s more like it!) featuring The Turtles, Little Anthony, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Vogues, The Classics IV and The Cowsills.

On Friday:

  • Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, and Leftover Salmon try to fumigate the Rose.
  • The Samples play Ludlow Garage
  • Here Come the Mummies are coming to the old Annie’s
  • The Beach Boys play the Hard Rock Casino
  • Kenny Roby (of 6 String Drag) plays the Southgate Lounge

Saturday, JD McPherson plays Southgate and Brett Dennan is at Ludlow Garage.

On Sunday, the ageless Willie Nelson headlines the Outlaw Music Festival at Riverbend, with John Fogerty, Gov’t Mule, Kathleen Edwards, Particle Kid, and Myron Elkins also on the bill.

Tuesday, Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin and Jinjer play Riverbend.

When I hear the name “Ghost” my mind immediately goes here:

But the band Ghost (a “GRAMMY-winning Swedish theatrical rock band” per the bio… I thought that was ABBA) has a sold-out show at Riverbend on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Rose hosts a tribute to Ghost ABBA, and Al Stewart plays Memorial Hall.

Next Thursday (8/17):

  • Asleep at the Wheel plays Memorial Hall
  • RiversEDGE in Hamiltucky has the Cordovas, Scotty Bratcher, Duane Betts and Palmetto Hotel
  • Edwin McCain is at Ludlow Garage
  • Steven Page (formerly of Barenaked Ladies) plays a freebie at Village Green Park in Fairfield

The Goo Goo Dolls play Riverbend next Friday (8/18)… will they try to strangle the sound man like they did at the 97X-sponsored “Day in Eden” back in ’93? O.A.R. opens for the Goos.

Other 8/18 gigs include:

  • In the Pines at Fountain Square
  • Dead Centric (yes, a GD cover band) for free at Evendale Pavilion
  • Jump: America’s Van Halen Experience at Ludlow Garage (free chaps to the first 50 attendees)

Next Saturday, 8/19:

  • Noah Wotherspoon and Eric Jerardi play a free gig at the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton
  • Black Owls, Heavy Hinges, and The Tigerlilies play Southgate

Next Sunday, the Old 97s play Southgate, and the even older Jethro Tull wheezes into Rose.

The show of the summer is on Monday, August 21st: The Beths play the Woodward Theater.

They aren’t just New Zealand’s finest, they are one of the finest bands going. So you’d best be going to this show. Opening act is DISQ, so it’s a great twin bill.

On Tuesday, 8/22, Marcus King, Charley Crockett, and Molly Tuttle play the Mike Brady, and Jethro Tull fiddles flutes around at PNC.

(Our favorite Jethro… yet not in Jethro Tull or The BoDeans.)

Crackerjack Cracker

The Cracker gig at the old Annie’s a couple of weeks ago was really enjoyable. A very strong set list of Cracker, Camper and more. David Lowery + Johnny Hickman = music magic. List members Howard Cohen (Cereal Killers at Big Ash on 8/26!) and Todd Butler were in the house too, which added to the festive atmosphere.

Album Cover of the Week(s)

It’s PERM-anently summer for Mac.

Song of the Season

A Killer long weekend

Concert Listings, Music

It’s a rare Thursday night edition of This Week in Live Music, because I want to give you extra time to gear up for the big CK show on Friday night.

That’s right, Cereal Killers are playing a FREE show at Big Ash Brewing — on the site of the old El Rancho Rankin Motel — on Friday night!

Not Howard Cohen

You know the drill: Cereal Killers play stellar covers of great songs from the 97X era — Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, X, The Clash, INXS, Guided by Voices, et al. — with some Stones and Tom Petty in the mix for good measure.

Not only is the show free, but your first beer is free.

Courtesy of your favorite author of a little known, infrequently-read weekly roundup of live music in the Tri-State area. (C’est moi!)

It’s really true!

Free Killer tunes and a free beer… a great way to kick off your All-American holiday weekend.

Other free shows tomorrow night include Lilly Hiatt and Heavy Hinges doing the Fountain Square gig, Ben Levin at Wiedemann’s, and the Sunburners at Stanbery Park.

The Northside Rock & Roll Carnival takes place at Hoffner Park the rest of the holiday weekend:

Wild Carrot plays Harmony Hill Vineyards in Bethel on Saturday, and Ben Levin plays at Schwartz’s Point on Sunday.

Monday is Independence Day – here’s your Public Service Announcement:

Monday also marks the official starts of “was that fireworks or gunshots?” season on the NextDoor app.

On Wednesday:

  • The Psychedelic Furs and X play at Rose Music Center near Dayton
  • Third Eye Blind, Taking Back Sunday and Hockey Dad play an outdoor show at the Ovation.

Death Cab for Cutie rolls into the Ovation on Thursday, with Illuminati Hotties as the opener. That’s an outdoor gig as well.

That same evening:

  • Noah Wotherspoon plays the Rocking the Roebling free show on the lawn by the Moerlein Lager House (6-8 pm), and the Doobie Brothers play their 50th anniversary tour (a year or so late) at Riverbend.

We are contractually obligated to mention the best 70s sitcom two-part episode ever whenever we mention the Doobie Brothers.

The part where Rerun gets busted is pure gold:

The entire episode is here. Don’t act like you don’t want to watch it.

Next Friday, July 8th:

  • Wilderado plays Madison Live. List member Jeff Franco and I saw them the last time they were in town, and it was a great show. I’ll probably go to that gig.
  • Sheryl Crow and Keb’ Mo’ are at Rose Music Center
  • China Crisis plays Ludlow Garage
  • The Brook & the Bluff play a free gig at Fountain Square, with Abby Holiday and Knotts also on the bill
  • Perpetual Groove is at the old Annie’s

Oops, I did it again

I forgot to mention the Ann Wilson show at the Hard Rock last week. List member Michael “Rico” Carrico, whose musical tastes are firmly in the “Sad Dad” music camp, wasn’t even upset with me. And the show wound up getting cancelled, so perhaps I’m not forgetful, just prescient.

Cancer sucks. Scholarships rock!

Speaking o’ Rico, some of you may recall that he lost his brother to cancer three years ago. His brother Kevin passed away while he was in med school working to become a pediatric oncologist… after he had beaten Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as a teenager… a cruel twist of fate which is heartbreakingly tragic on so many levels.

Rico and his family are honoring Kevin’s memory by raising funds for the National Collegiate Cancer Foundation to provide scholarships to young adults who have been diagnosed with cancer.  They’re hosting the Kevin Carrico Memorial Golf Tournament at California Golf Course on October 1st. Any and all support is welcome, whether that is getting a team together to play in the scramble, helping sponsor the event, donating items for auction or simply donating money.

You can sign up or donate here.

More turning lemons into lemonade

Through the blog of a comic strip artist (yes, I’m that guy), I read about the passing of a woman who was part of a husband-wife team that hosted house concerts in Pittsburgh and supported local music. The woman’s published obit included this request:

In lieu of flowers, donations, food, whatever, please honor Deb by gathering some friends to go out for a beverage or meal, and leave your servers a huge tip in her memory. While you are at it, go see some local music, fill up the tip bucket and buy a CD and some merch.

Amen!

Remain in Light Kentucky?

List member Lisa Collins has deep roots in the Maysville, KY area. Recently she went to a book signing by Chris Frantz (Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club) in Old Washington, KY. From Lisa:

His grandparents restored the Harriet Beecher Stowe house in Old Washington in the 1960’s and he spent his teen years summers in Washington and Maysville. He and Tina Weymouth got married there – his talk was on their 45th wedding anniversary.

Former Screed ‘zine creator Terrence Burke also was there with his son and got pix with Chris and Tina:

Chris’ book is called Remain in Love. It’s a decent read.

Album Cover of the Week

Yanking those suspenders qualifies as elder abuse. OTOH, playing old timey banjo tunes to a little kid qualifies as child abuse. Let’s call it a draw instead of calling 241-KIDS.

Have a great week!