We are two weeks into summer and there have been plenty of great musical events already. But, thanks in part to the growing number of venues hosting larger concerts in the area, there’s still a lifetime of shows to come this hot season.
Greater Cincinnati’s general growth, particularly in the Downtown/Over-the-Rhine area, has changed the concert landscape. Over the past couple of years alone, Washington Park has emerged as a favorite outdoor music spot (joining its cousin, Fountain Square, in providing free music all summer); Taft Theatre’s lower-level Ballroom has been bringing to town more and more “mid-level” acts (with career arcs that have them too big for clubs, yet still not big enough for theaters and arenas); and Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, opened just this year, has already brought blockbuster artists like The Killers and Ke$ha to its outdoor concert stage, The Shoe.
And that’s just in Downtown and Over-the-Rhine. Clubs and other venues all over the area will be bustling this summer with live music.
In this preview of (the rest of the) summer’s live music options, CityBeat talks with Matt Berninger, whose band with fellow Cincy ex-patriots, The National, performs at next weekend’s huge Bunbury Music Festival, set for its second year along the riverfront. We also caught up with the organizers of the grassroots Whispering Beard Folk Festival to chat about the event’s unexpected origins and growth into one of the more anticipated music fests in the region.
Inside you’ll also read interviews with two artists on Riverbend’s music schedule this summer — Hip Hop star Wiz Khalifa and recently inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Heart. And we’ve collected a sampling of some of the summer’s best musical events into a handy summer music calendar to laminate and hang on your fridge.
Have fun and stay hydrated! Visit the Music page for CityBeat's full summer music guide, or click on one of the links below.
