Ohio’s Nelsonville Music Festival
The 6th Annual Nelsonville Music Festival is set to take place May 14-16 in the beautiful hills of Southeastern Ohio, about three hours from downtown Cincinnati. The first festival took place in 2005, in the downtown Nelsonville Historic Arts District, and celebrates the coming together of the music and arts on both a local and national level. The festival is produced by Stuart’s Opera House, the cornerstone of the historic Public Square in Nelsonville. Working with Rural Action and the Hocking College Green Club, last year’s event saw over eight-thousand gallons of recycled wastes. This year’s festival includes headliners like Loretta Lynn, The Swell Season and Man Man.
Weekend passes are onsale now and available for just $45. Individual day passes will go onsale beginning April 1, and weekend passes will rise to $50 and then $55 in May. Tickets will be $60 at the gate. For everything you need to know about the festival regarding the lineup and schedule, tickets, directions, accomodations and volunteering, please visit their website here.
Artist Lineup
Loretta Lynn, The Swell Season, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Man Man, Todd Snider, Billy Joe Shaver, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Michael Hurley, Detroit Cobras, Buffalo Killers, Drakkar Sauna, Those Darlins, Southeast Engine, Alwood Sisters, Lydia Loveless, The Givers, Duke Junior & the Smokey Boots, Adam Torres, Missoula Oblongata, She Bears, Manor Animals, Seascapes, Chris Biester, Flyaway Saturn, The Fed, John Atzberger, Steve Zarate and many more to be announced!
St. Patty’s Day on Fountain Square
It would appear that Spring has finally sprung. The several feet of snow that covered my yard for the past month or two has almost completely melted away and the forecast for the month of March is looking to have an average of about fifty-something degrees. The good weather has arrived just in time for St. Patty’s Day. Celebrate the holiday downtown with green beer this weekend, with the annual St. Patty’s Day Parade, followed by the first outdoor concert event of the year on Fountain Square. There’s a lot of great bands playing this Saturday, from locals like The Tigerlilies, who kick things off at 1 pm, the Mt. Pleasant String Band, The Tillers and the Buffalo Killers. The Super Desserts from Columbus, and Rhode Island indie-folk band Deer Tick, are also on the bill. Here’s the full schedule:
1 pm The Tigerlilies
2:05 pm Mt. Pleasant String Band
3:10 pm Mark Utley and Magnolia Mountain
4:15 pm The Super Desserts
5:20 pm The Tillers
6:25 pm Buffalo Killers
8 pm Deer Tick
Related show
CincyPunk 9 Lineup
The CincyPunk 9 lineup is out. Here are the answers to those clues I posted a few days ago. See which ones you guessed right.
1. Do you remember that catchy hit The Proclaimers had? Part of this band’s name is in that song.
Answer: 500 Miles to Memphis
2. Plant them in the ground, watch them grow.
Answer: The Seedy Seeds
3. “My Old Kentucky Home” and “Hang on Sloopy” are _______ _______.
Answer: State Song
4. This band’s name is an alteration on the spelling of the last name of the British composer who wrote the score to Battle of the Bulge.
Answer: The Frankl Project
5. This band’s name is also the name of a Woody Allen film starring Tracey Ullman and Hugh Grant.
Answer: Small Time Crooks
6. Hurry up Charles!
Answer: Charlie Hustle
7. The UFO Seige
Answer: Situation Red
8. Turns the rudder
Answer: The Tillers
9. Was the world’s largest bingo parlor when it opened in 1970, in Las Vegas.
Answer: The Western
10. A type of nut, plus the town of Coronation Street.
Answer: Hazle Weatherfield
11. Focus on two of the words found in this band’s name. One of these words is a Jamaican word of West African origin meaning “ghost” or “spirit.” The other word can be found in the name of a popular chain of smoothie restaurants.
Answer: duppy a’ jamba
12. Your siblings.
Answer: The Brothers and The Sisters
13. This band’s name is kind of like a wrecking yard, only one important letter is missing.
Answer: The Junkards
14. “I have a dream…”
Answer: Martin Luther and the Kings
15. This band’s name can relate to a type of spider found in the Castlevania video game series.
Answer: Skeletone
16. Greatest vengeance.
Answer: Best Revenge
17. A Chicago-based radio program hosted by Ira Glass.
Answer: This American Life
18. What your parents used to do to you when you were really young, just before you went to bed. Also the name of an Alkaline Trio song.
Answer: Tuck Me In
19. Unrestrained and violent, kind of like their sound.
Answer: The Lion’s Rampant
20. Often associated with conservative business attire or the New York Yankees home uniform.
Answer: The Pinstripes
21. Not fast, plus a curvy appendage found at the end of the toe or finger in most mammals.
Answer: Slow Claw
22. The most commonly-played musical instrument.
Answer: The Guitars
23. All by myself, in the middle of the night.
Answer: Alone at 3am
24. The opposite of strength.
Answer: Weakness
25. A medication that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, much like the feeling you get when watching this band live.
Answer: The Dopamines
26. Don’t ever think of doing this to your Lord and Saviour.
Answer: Dropkickmejesus
27. Size doesn’t matter.
Answer: Two Inch Winky
28. America’s Most Wanted.
Answer: John Walsh
29. The name of a song by The Ramones. Also the name of Bob Geldof & the Boomtown Rats greatest hits compilation.
Answer: Loudmouth
30. Who is Rich Ellerson?
Answer: Army Coach
31. Two parts to this clue. The first part is a New Zealand rugby player from the 1905 Original All Blacks that passed away on March 2, 1972. The second part of this band’s name refers to the state known as “Old Dominion.”
Answer: Billy Wallace and the Virginia Blues
32. The sun never sets.
Answer: The Never Setting Suns
33. The English translation means “Day of the Dead.”
Answer: De Los Muertos
34. His last name rhymes with the first name of that jolly fat guy in red who brings you presents on Jesus’s birthday.
Answer: Sam Banta
CincyPunk Lineup Clues
Put your thinking caps on! I’ve come up with a bunch of riddles and mind benders regarding the band’s who are playing at this year’s CincyPunk Festival. I’m gonna go ahead and give you all of the clues right now. I’ll be posting the answers (full lineup) late next week. Feel free to send in your thoughts on the clues to nate@brokenmic.com
All the clues refer to a band playing at this year’s CincyPunk Festival, which will be held on the weekend of April 9-10 at the Southgate House in Newport, Kentucky. Most of the band’s playing live right here in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. For those familiar with our music scene, these should be somewhat easy for you. Good luck to everyone!
1. Do you remember that catchy hit The Proclaimers had? Part of this band’s name is in that song.
2. Plant them in the ground, watch them grow.
3. “My Old Kentucky Home” and “Hang on Sloopy” are _______ _______.
4. This band’s name is an alteration on the spelling of the last name of the British composer who wrote the score to Battle of the Bulge.
5. This band’s name is also the name of a Woody Allen film starring Tracey Ullman and Hugh Grant.
6. Hurry up Charles!
7. The UFO Seige
8. Turns the rudder
9. Was the world’s largest bingo parlor when it opened in 1970, in Las Vegas.
10. A type of nut, plus the town of Coronation Street.
11. Focus on two of the words found in this band’s name. One of these words is a Jamaican word of West African origin meaning “ghost” or “spirit.” The other word can be found in the name of a popular chain of smoothie restaurants.
12. Your siblings.
13. This band’s name is kind of like a wrecking yard, only one important letter is missing.
14. “I have a dream…”
15. This band’s name can relate to a type of spider found in the Castlevania video game series.
16. Greatest vengeance.
17. A Chicago-based radio program hosted by Ira Glass.
18. What your parents used to do to you when you were really young, just before you went to bed. Also the name of an Alkaline Trio song.
19. Unrestrained and violent, kind of like their sound.
20. Often associated with conservative business attire or the New York Yankees home uniform.
21. Not fast, plus a curvy appendage found at the end of the toe or finger in most mammals.
22. The most commonly-played musical instrument.
23. All by myself, in the middle of the night.
24. The opposite of strength.
25. A medication that can increase heart rate and blood pressure, much like the feeling you get when watching this band live.
26. Don’t ever think of doing this to your Lord and Saviour.
27. Size doesn’t matter.
28. America’s Most Wanted.
29. The name of a song by The Ramones. Also the name of Bob Geldof & the Boomtown Rats greatest hits compilation.
30. Who is Rich Ellerson?
31. Two parts to this clue. The first part is a New Zealand rugby player from the 1905 Original All Blacks that passed away on March 2, 1972. The second part of this band’s name refers to the state known as “Old Dominion.”
32. The sun never sets.
33. The English translation means “Day of the Dead.”
34. His last name rhymes with the first name of that jolly fat guy in red who brings you presents on Jesus’s birthday.
CincyPunk Festival 9
Get ready Cincinnati! I’ve just been informed by CincyPunk Fest organizer/my brother, Adam Rosing, about the details of this year’s punk fest. The ninth installation of the festival will return to Newport, Kentucky’s historic Southgate House on the weekend of April 9-10. This year’s festival looks to be the most-diverse and best yet, featuring over thirty local and regional bands with styles ranging from acoustic, country, hip hop, indie rock, reggae, ska and everything in between. Oh yeah, and of course punk and hardcore bands. This year’s festival will benefit the Animal Adoption Foundation and Cincinnati’s Friends of the Children, with a portion of the proceeds going to each foundation. Since 2005, CincyPunk Fest has raised over $25,000 for local charities. The festival will once again be sponsored by Chipotle, so get there early to grab yourself a free burrito! This will be an 18+ show and tickets will range from $7-10.
Lineup Clues
Taking inspiration from Bonnaroo Radio DJ JD Farmhound, I’ve decided to assemble a fun way of announcing the CincyPunk lineup. For the past several years, DJ JD has been sending out riddles, rhymes, quotes, tongue twisters and all other types of sillyness referring to the band’s that play the festival every year. I thought it’d be fun and exciting if I applied that to this year’s CincyPunk Festival. Now I’m sure some of you know the band’s playing, may be friend’s with them or are even in one of the band’s, and you already know that you are playing and more than likely all the band’s that are playing will slip out. I just thought this would be a fun way to build up the hype for the festival. Stay tuned to BrokenMic.com, clues are coming soon!
General Music News
West Virginia’s All Good Music Festival has added Keller Williams & the Added Bonus, Bassnectar, Garage a Trois, The Travelin’ McCoury’s, Dr. Didg and The Lee Boys to their lineup. They join a cast that includes FURTHUR, a band featuring former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Widespread Panic, George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic and Umphrey’s McGee.
Indie-folk band, Band of Horses, have announced that their third full-length album will be out on May 18. Infinite Arms is the first album to feature Tyler Ramsey and Bill Reynolds since they joined the band. Also coming May 18, is the Black Keys six full-length album. Brothers is said to capture “spooky sounds” and “tough-minded, blues haunted songs.” It will be the fourth Keys-related disc released in the past year, which joins Dan Auerbach’s solo effort Keep It Hid, Patrick Carney’s band Drummer, and Blakroc, a collaboration featuring both Auerbach and Carney with rappers RZA, Mos Def, Q-Tip and Raekwon.
On March 9, Ben Harper’s most recent project, Relentless7, will be releasing a live CD/DVD from their performance at last year’s Montreal International Jazz Festival.
Jane’s Addiction bassist, Eric Avery, has quit the band, citing “equal parts regret and relief.” Rumor has it that former Guns ‘n Roses bassist, Duff McKagan, may fill the spot.
Phish may be returning to Telluride, Colorado for the first time in nearly twenty years. Negotiations are underway for what should be an intimate two-night stand later in the year, playing to only 9,000 people.
Bonnaroo Additions Round One
The first round of artist additions were announced today for this summer’s Bonnaroo Music Festival. Fans of Bonnaroo’s past will be happy, with bands like Ween, Galactic, Umphrey’s McGee and the John Butler Trio, each of whom have played the festival multiple times since its 2002 inception. Marking their first appearances at the festival this year are the dance-punk band, Gossip, and experimental-rock band, Circa Survive, who are led by former Saosin vocalist, Anthony Green.
Ween’s last appearance at the festival came in 2007, where they played a near three-hour show closing out the early evening time slot in a tent. Galactic, who have close ties to festival organizers AC Entertainment and Superfly Productions, were at the festival just last year. They played a mid-day slot on the festival’s main stage, the What Stage, which featured special guest Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, who will also be playing this year with his band Orleans Avenue. Umphrey’s last appearance came in 2008, where they played an early day slot on the festival’s second largest stage, the Which Stage. Looking back over their history at Bonnaroo, I’d say we’re due for another stellar latenight show from the boys in Umph. John Butler’s last appearance at the festival came in 2007, where his band played on the What Stage for the very first time, opening for the legendary Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.
Gossip should give fans of Bonnaroo vets like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Tegan & Sara something to look forward to, while fans of vets like Portugal. the Man and Minus the Bear should enjoy Circa Survive.
Have a listen to Gossip’s “Heavy Cross”, the first single off of their 2009 album, Music For Men.
Bonnaroo Compilation for Climate Change
Want to relive great moments from Bonnaroo’s past AND preserve the planet for the future? Well check this out…
For the first time ever, a climate change-related bill has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, it’s up to the U.S. Senate to vote on similar legislation. That’s why it’s never been more important for elected officials to hear from citizens on this issue. With that in mind, HeadCount and the NRDC Action Fund have teamed up with the Bonnaroo Music Festival to offer a free “Best of Bonnaroo” download compilation.
Download the free compilation here and learn about pending legislation and email your elected officials.
Official Track List:
Wilco – “Bull Black Nova”
Pearl Jam – “Animal”
Jack Johnson – “Inaudible Melodies”
Dave Matthews Band - “Rapunzel”
Death Cab for Cutie – “Cath…”
Ani DiFranco – “Fuel”
Phish – “Kill Devil Falls”
Gov’t Mule – “Banks of the Deep End”
O.A.R. – “Delicate Few”
moe. – “Not Coming Down”
Raphael Saadiq – “100 Yard Dash”
Bob Weir and RatDog – “Throwing Stones”
The Disco Biscuits – “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night”
The Decemberists – “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid”
My Morning Jacket – “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’”
Guster – “Happier”
Phil Lesh and Friends – “Box of Rain”
The Debut of Pop Empire
For the second night in a row, a local music release show at the Southgate House brought in a sold out crowd, again turning away fans at the door. Friday night, 500 Miles to Memphis drew nearly a thousand people to the whole house show, which featured over ten bands on all three of its stages. Last night, Pop Empire made their debut upstairs in the tiny parlour, bringing in about one hundred and fifty people that filled the room wall to wall. I know one hundred and fifty people doesn’t sound like a whole lot compared to the previous night of a thousand, but if you’ve ever been in the parlour at the Southgate House, you can probably imagine exactly how it felt in this room last night.
The great thing about a show in the parlour is that it provides a much more up close and intimate concert experience, not just for the fans but for the band as well. I like to think that because of this, it’s easier for a band to feed off of the crowd’s energy, thus providing some of the most classic shows you’ll ever witness in the Cincinnati area. Last night was certainly one of those classic shows.
The night began around 8:30 pm in the third floor gallery, where several local artist’s displayed artwork inspired by the music from Pop Empire’s EP, Rainy Child. There was a lot of visually-stimulating pieces, and having already heard these songs, it was interesting to see how these artist’s interpreted the songs onto paper.

The music began just after 9:30 pm, with The Lion’s Rampant up first. Stuart, Nick and Nate are typically a rowdy bunch, perhaps captivating that rockstar persona the best among any of the area’s bands, but they seemed to tone down the wild mayhem last night. That’s not to say that it wasn’t a great performance (it certainly was) but they did have the same strong stage presence and the musical closeness to each other that still proves they are deserving of the title of best live act in the area. They covered older songs from their first two EP’s, like “Need A Man?” and new songs from their upcoming debut full-length, It’s Fun To Do Bad Things, which comes out next month. They kick off their midwestern Spring tour with the release party on March 13 at the Mockbee with The Guitars.
Up next was another one of the area’s best bands, The Seedy Seeds. Their set featured mostly new songs from their critically-acclaimed/local album of the year, Count the Days. With Mike switching back and forth between banjo and guitar, Margaret with guitar and accordion, and Brian Penick whose drumkit is fashioned with synchronized Christmas lights to his every beat, The Seedy Seeds will always make you feel good and put a smile on your face with their mix of electronica, folk and indie pop. They’re heading back to Austin’s South by Southwest Festival in a few weeks, and will celebrate with a send-off show March 12 at the Mad Hatter with MidPoint vets Loyal Divide, Peasant, and Ben Davis of Bad Veins and Yusef Quotah of You, You’re Awesome, both whom are also playing SXSW this year.
But the band everyone seemed overly anxious to see was Pop Empire, who were making their live debut. Most everyone seems to be familiar with Cam Cochran, whether it be his work as a solo artist, his time with The Lion’s Rampant and The Sheds, or even his work in the studio as a producer and engineer, Cam is certainly one of the most respected names in the Cincinnati music scene. But not everyone is familiar with the name Henrie Wilson and his work as a solo artist. I’m not sure how this collaboration came to be, but I’m glad that it did.
Pop Empire’s set last night was short, sweet and inspiring, with Cam handling the guitar duties and Henrie taking control of the keys/synth and all the samples and beats coming from his laptop. Both Cam and Henrie share lead vocal duties for the songs, and for the most part, it seems like they were out to bring a number of styles, influences and elements to the table, creating no two songs that sound alike. Like I said, it was a short and sweet set, and every song seemed to be better than the last. Before I knew it the show was over and everyone was left wanting more. We may not have gotten an encore from Pop Empire last night, but this is a band that you’ll be hearing a lot about this year.

March 10th, 2010
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