We told you a few weeks back about the lineup for the MidPoint Indie Summer concert series on Fountain Square, featuring numerous (primarily local) Indie and Rock acts every Friday this summer from 7-11 p.m. Click here for the full rundown.

But there are many other popular themed nights returning this summer to both Fountain Square and Washington Park, which re-opened after a major makeover in time to introduce live music nights last summer for the first time. (Both spots are managed by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC).

Fountain Square's PNC Summer Music Series will have live music five days a week, while Washington Park will host three themed music nights this summer. All events are free and a great way to enjoy our city's central districts. The concerts begin at the end of May/start of June and run through the end of August/start of September. Be sure to check the official websites of both venues for any updates, additions or cancellations.

Fountain Square

• Every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m., the Square presents "American Roots" night. This year, the lineup is the strongest its been, showcasing the best of Greater Cincinnati's rich Roots/Americana scene (as well as a few regional faves). 

May 27
8 p.m.: Magnolia Mountain
7 p.m. Terminal Union

June 4
8 p.m.: Kentucky Struts
7 p.m.: The Turkeys

June 11
8 p.m.: The Tillers
7 p.m.: Tom Evanchuck

June 18
8 p.m.: Dallas Moore Band
7 p.m.: Jamison Road

June 25
8 p.m.: Kentucky Timbre
7 p.m.: Tex Schramm

July 2
8 p.m.: Shiny and the Spoon
7 p.m.: Ten String Symphony

July 9
8 p.m.: Glossary
7 p.m.: Frontier Folk Nebraska

July 16
8 p.m.: Pure Grain
7 p.m.: Straw Boss

July 23
8 p.m.: Jeremy Pinnell & the 55s
7 p.m.: Arlo McKinley

July 30
8 p.m.: Great Peacock
7 p.m.: The Seedy Seeds

August 6
8 p.m.: Bulletville
7 p.m.: Ricky Nye & Chris Douglas

August 13
8 p.m.: Mason James
7 p.m.: Honey and Houston

August 20
8 p.m.: Bobby Mackey
7 p.m.: Blair Carman

August 27
8 p.m.: Robert Ellis
7 p.m.: Fifth on the Floor

• Reggae Wednesdays return to the Square this summer, with wider-net bookings that include numerous regional and touring Reggae acts. Music runs every night from 6-10 p.m. and acts are teamed up with a DJ or DJ squad for each event. 

May 29
The Ohms
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

June 5
The Zionites
Summer Splash Happy Hour with Queen City Imperial Sound System

June 12
Cliftones
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

June 19
Seefari
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

June 26
The Drastics
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

July 3
Jah Messengers
Summer Splash Happy Hour with Queen City Imperial Sound System

July 10
Dougie Simpson and Faith
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

July 17
Billbuckers
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

July 24
Ark Band
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

July 31
Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew
Summer Splash Happy Hour with Queen City Imperial Sound System

August 7
Ras Dodirie
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

August 14
Ras Gato
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez

August 21
Nature
Summer Splash Happy Hour with DJ Frankie D

August 28
One World Tribe
Summer Splash Happy Hour with Queen City Imperial Sound System

• Salsa dancers and music lovers will be happy to know that Salsa on the Square is returning this summer on Thursdays, running 7-10 p.m. As always, dance instructors will be on hand to give you pointers (if you need 'em). Music is provided primarily by some of Greater Cincinnati's finest Salsa/Latin music groups. 

May 30: Son Del Caribe

June 6: Kandela

June 13: Zumba

June 20: Tropicoso

June 27: Grupo Tumbao

July 4: Clave’ Son

July 11: Kandela

July 18: Tropiscoso

 uly 25: Grupo Tumbao

August 1: Zumba

August 8: Azucar Tumbao

August 15: Clave’ Son

August 22: Brian Andres & the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel 

August 29: Son Del Caribe 

• Before MidPoint Indie Summer on Fridays, local club/bar conglomerate 4EG (which operates several nightclubs in the area) will present 4EG Happy Hour from 5-7 p.m. Local DJs will spin every Friday (except for Aug. 2, when local cover band Snidely Whiplash performs). 

May 31:
DJ Ice Cold Tony

June 7:
DJ Jake the Ripper

June 14:
DJ E-trayn

June 21:
DJ Identity

June 28:
DJ Jesse the Ripper

July 5:
DJ D-Lo

July 12:
Fuseamania

July 19:
DJ Tina T

July 26:
DJ Will Kill

August 2:
Snidely Whiplash 

August 9:
DJ Scene

August 16:
DJ Simo

August 23:
DJ Spryte

August 30:
TBA

• One of the most popular nights on the Square during the summer is Saturdays' "Beats" night, booked by local promoter Self Diploma. The concerts run 7-10 p.m. and again feature an impressive mix of local and touring Hip Hop, Electronic and DJ acts. Among the national act highlights this year are Mod Sun, Hoodie Allen, Watch the Duck and DJ Jazzy Jeff. 

June 1
10 p.m.: Chuck Inglish
9 p.m.: Puck
8 p.m.: Olu
7 p.m.: The Natives

June 8
10 p.m.: DJ D-LO
9 p.m.: Cal Scruby
8 p.m.: SD Choice
7 p.m.: DJ Vizion

June 15
10 p.m.: Hoodie Allen
9 p.m.:D-Why
8 p.m.: Sam Lachow
7 p.m.: Ian J

June 22
10 p.m.: Mod Sun
9 p.m.: Trademark Aaron
8 p.m.: Junya Be
7 p.m.: Jean P

June 29
10 p.m.: Drummer vs Emulator
9 p.m.: Firecat 451
8 p.m.: Black Signal
7 p.m.: Catch Phrase

July 6
10 p.m.: Mutrix
9 p.m.: Milk N Cookies
8 p.m.: DJ X Nightmare
7 p.m.: No Limits

July 13
10 p.m.: T Mills
9 p.m.: Huey Mack
8 p.m.: Santino Corleon
7:30 p.m.: Round 2 Crew
7 p.m.: Nick Youngerman

July 20
10 p.m.: Collin Mcloughin
9 p.m.: Napalm
8 p.m.: X5ight
7 p.m.: DJ Sab

July 27
10 p.m.: Watch the Duck
9 p.m.: Gold Shoes
8 p.m.: Vincent Vega
7:30 p.m.: DJ Rhetorik
7 p.m.: Emari J

August 3
10 p.m.: Somo
9 p.m.: Arin Ray
8 p.m.: Eben Frankewitz
7 p.m.: Alabama Capital

August 10
9:30 p.m.: Stafford Brothers
8:30 p.m.: Davey C
7:45 p.m.: J Hollow
7 p.m.: 4 Grand

August 17
9:30 p.m.: Candyland
8:30 p.m.: DJ Prism
7:45 p.m.: B-Funk of Dave Rave
7 p.m.: Neon Medusa

August 24
9-11 p.m.: DJ Jazzy Jeff
8 p.m.: Joseph Nevels
7 p.m.: Erica P

Washington Park

After a successful inaugural summer of events last year, Washington Park brings back three music nights, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, plus several other entertainment offerings, including "Dancing Under the Stars," an every-Tuesday dance night, with lessons that focus on different types of dancing each week. (Click below for the concert lineups.)

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One of Cincinnati's all-time greatest bands, The Afghan Whigs, have announced numerous overseas dates on its forthcoming reunion tour, but the only U.S. show announced was the Sept. 22 concert headlining the Greg Dulli co-curated "I'll Be Your Mirror" event in Asbury Park, NJ. Today, another American show was announced with the release of the 2012 Lollapalooza lineup (the event takes place in Chicago's Grant Park, Aug. 3-5). The Whigs were up pretty high on the poster for the event, but the top-billed acts announced are soon-to-be Rock & Roll Hall of Famers the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, Black Sabbath and Jack White. (Check the full lineup here and the announcement video below.) Lolla tickets are on-sale here.

That sets up a loose timeframe for more U.S. dates for the Whigs — Aug. 3-Sept. 22 (minus about three days in August when they'll be back overseas). We've been hearing about a few offers to the band for shows in Cincinnati from a pair of larger festivals, but so far nothing official has been ironed out (at least to the point that an appearance could be announced). Stay tuned. The band now has about 20 dates booked worldwide.

There is a pretty good chance you haven’t seen the members of Cincinnati’s powder-keg Freak Punk Soul Pop maniacs Foxy Shazam around town lately. That’s because the piano-driven band appears to tour more than stay home these days, ever since the release of its cult-favorite classic, Introducing Foxy, on the indie label Ferret Records back in early 2008.

Things are going to get any easier for the band anytime soon — besides its massive upcoming tour with Swedish new wavers The Sounds (which will take them to every inch of the country for the next seven weeks straight, including a local stop at Covington's Madison Theater on Nov. 3), it was recently announced that the group’s next album will be its first for major label Sire Records

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Local Blues musician Phil Blank lost his battle with cancer and passed away on Jan. 15. He was 57. A memorial service for the veteran singer/harmonica player/guitarist is scheduled for Jan. 30 at the Staley-Crowe Funeral Home in Deer Park starting at noon.

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Nationally recognized as one of the best record stores in the Midwest, it makes sense that Northside’s Shake It Records would go all out on the forthcoming global Record Store Day (April 16). Besides offering many of the limited-edition RSD exclusives being released by everyone from Blitzen Trapper, Yeasayer and Built to Spill to Television and The Velvet Underground (for the full list of exclusives, click here), the store/label is also issuing its own exclusive release from Shake It recording artists Wussy. And they’ll be hosting an in-store appearance by modern Hip Hop hero Talib Kweli.

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By now, if you watch television at all, you've likely seen the commercials promoting the upcoming Reds' baseball season. And if you've seen the spot, you've probably thought, "What's that song?"

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Some sad news on the MidPoint front. Chicago "Chamber Pop" band The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir were involved in a serious highway accident on the way to their MPMF show last night at the Contemporary Arts Center. The Seedy Seeds, playing to a packed room in the slot right before SYGC's, said a few words about the accident during their set (and played a little longer, to the disappointment of no one) and the news has hit the media in the Bloodshot recording artist's hometown.

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Gas up the ol’ Tivo (that's how they run, right?) and set it for Jan. 23, when the Austin City Limits live music TV program (one of the best shows on television, especially for real music fans, and the longest-running one) airs its episode featuring Cincy-bred/Austin-based rockers The Heartless Bastards. Each hour-long show is split between two artists (unless ACL gets a big-wig like R.E.M. or Pearl Jam or, apparently, Them Crooked Vultures) — the Bastards' show will be shared with Neo Roots kings The Avett Brothers.

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The Cincinnati-born, Brooklyn-based members of Indie Rock sensations The National recently announced details about their first new album since 2010's High Violet, Trouble WIll Find Me. The album is due in the U.S. on May 21 on the 4AD label. (Click here for the album cover, track listing and more National news.)

Today, The National unleashed the first song from Trouble, the warm, crawling "Demons." Check the tune and a video for it below.

UPDATE: Today (April 11), The National released audio of the first single from Trouble Will Find Me, "Don't Swallow the Cap." Check it out:

The National perform a homecoming show on July 14, headlining the final night of the three-day Bunbury Music Festival at Sawyer Point Park. For tickets and more info, click here.

The National has been previewing the new album on its current global tour. Here are a handful of new songs from the LP performed live in Berlin last week.

Eat Sugar and Mush Records are giving away three tracks though the Mush Web site, free for a limited time. The download is a maxi-single featuring the original version and two remixes of “Clap You Hands,” a track from Eat Sugar’s Levántense! album. The digital-only full-length (the first from the band) was recently re-released by Mush on CD, giving it a well-deserved extra push to find a wider audience.

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