Live Music Saturday: Cincinnati Folk/Roots/Pop duo-turned-trio Shiny and the Spoon shows just how much its sound has developed in a short period of time with their new release, Ferris Wheel, the band’s high-quality debut album coming out Saturday in conjunction with a release party at the Southgate House. With superb songwriting, expressive and versatile performances, rich, colorful vocals, instrumentally-expanded arrangements and a firm grasp on the foundation of past and present Americana craftsmanship (and craftswomanship), Shiny and the Spoon has created a dynamic collection of indelible Folk Pop that has a contemporary sophistication, but also a naturalness and intimacy that defies musical eras. Below is the brand new music video for Ferris Wheel track “Bread and Butter,” produced by Pinata Productions. —-
The Ferris Wheel release shindig begins at 9 p.m. and features a strong support bill — The Hiders, Rubber Knife Gang and Lisa Walker from Wussy. Read C.A. MacConnell’s feature for this week’s CityBeat on Shiny and the Spoon and the new album here.
• Mount Adams is closing down Pavilion Street again this weekend for the annual Mt. Adams Music Festival. Nationally-acclaimed area band Buffalo Killers play the outdoor street fest, fresh off west coast tour dates for their new album, 3. Rootsy Cincy rockers One Horse also perform and headlining is on-the-rise Brooklyn-via-England rockers Alberta Cross, whose sound The New York Times called “a British take on Southern Rock.” The band tours around the planet extensively and has graced stages at America’s “Big 3” music festivals (Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza). Alberta Cross — often compared to My Morning Jacket and Kings of Leon — records for ATO Records, the artist-friendly label co-founded by Dave Matthews.
Gates open for the Mt. Adams fest at 5 p.m. Tickets are $10. Click here for more info.
• One of the best bands to ever call Cincinnati home, ’70s/’80s Rock sensations The Raisins, reunite with the seminal lineup that recorded the sole Raisins LP from 1983 (Fetters, Powell, Nyswonger and Neiheisel) for Saturday night’s WEBN Album Project Reunion Show. Other artists whose music appeared on the radio station’s annual compilations of local/regional music — a big boost for a band’s local profile at the time — will also be on hand for the Reunion at Covington’s Madison Theater, including Dan “Bus Full of Nuns Holding Babies” Barr, Rockduster, Carefree Day, Peter Mayer and Johnny Schott.
Read Brian Baker’s interview with the reconstituted Raisins from this week’s CityBeat here and click here to find out what the other acts on the bill have to say about the “class reunion.” The all-ages show begins at 8 p.m. and admission is $15.
If you’ve never heard of The Raisins, you probably weren’t in Cincinnati in the early ’80s. If you were, it would have been hard for you to escape the song in the video below, “Fear Is Never Boring,” because it was played so often on local commercial radio. Yes, local commercial radio once played local music.
• Elsewhere Saturday, Northside Tavern presents lots of entertainment for Northside Pride Day, including music from The Kellys and Zella Whelms, burlesque dancing and much more. It begins at 3 p.m. and is free. … Later on Northside Parade, Mayday presents its rockin’ dance night, Homo-A-Go-Go. … Classic Cincinnati Pop Rock band The Tigerlilies join relative newcomers The Yugos for a free show at MOTR Pub in OTR. The ’Lilies have been working on new material and a couple of songs I’ve heard are exceptional, showing a different range for the group. … And Sweet Ray Laurel hosts the debut “Sweet Sounds of Cincinnati” local music showcase at The Mad Hatter/Radiodown in Covington. Tickets are $5-$8 for the 7 p.m. event.
Live Music Sunday: It’s a typically light Sunday for live music this week, but if you don’t mind going out while the sun is still up, after church you can head to Northside Tavern, where a local breast cancer survivor hosts 3D60, a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walkathon. The benefit/celebration starts at 3 p.m. and features a broad range of music and other entertainment. Local musical acts set to appear include Sea of Storms, Baoku and the Image AfroBeat Band and Taste of Cyndi. Suggested donation is $10, but if you can’t swing it, you can donate whatever you are cool with.
• If you can pull yourself out of bed on Sunday just a tiny bit earlier, you should head down to Over-the-Rhine for the Second Sunday on Main celebration. Part of the revitalization of Over-the-Rhine has been the result of residents who fell in love with OTR and refused to give up on the neighborhood. For six years, the eclectic Second Sunday events have showcased OTR’s many positive attributes for not only those who live elsewhere, but also the people who call the neighborhood home, building a stronger sense of community while also encouraging the rest of the city to visit and enjoy the area. Things have been looking great for the area lately, as new businesses catch on and continue to bring increased numbers of people back to OTR.
The free, monthly Second Second — which runs June-October — is held on Main St., between 13th and Liberty, from noon-5 p.m. This month’s Second Sunday event is based on the theme of “indie,” celebrating the independent retailers, craft-makers, restaurants, artists, musicians and any other creative types who contribute to enriching life in the community they call home. Vendors will be on hand hawking art and photography, sculpture, jewelry, clothing, food and more. The musical entertainment is all local, kicking off at 12:30 p.m. with acoustic Folk from Nathan Holscher and Anne Winslow. Indie Pop band Oui Si Yes performs at 2 p.m., followed by charming rockers Darlene at 3:30 p.m. Click here for more info.
This article appears in Aug 10-16, 2011.