Around this time for the past decade, the Northside Rock N’ Roll Carnival has brought unique music and “sideshow” attractions (as well as various vendors) to Northside, which, coupled with the neighborhood’s annual Fourth of July parade, has made it one of the country’s most unique Independence Day celebrations. The festival returns this week to Jacob Hoffner Park (4101 Hamilton Ave., Northside) for four days of great music from local and touring bands. The lineups (featuring mostly Indie Rock, Punk and Post Punk of varying stripes) are among the best in the Carnival’s history and, as always, the whole thing is free.
The music starts Friday at 6 p.m. with Cincinnati’s The Yugos representing the Queen City at 9 p.m. on a bill that also includes Cleveland, Ohio bands Archie and the Bunkers and Pleasure Leftists, Bloomington, Ind.’s The Vallures, Baltimore’s Ed Schrader’s Music Beat and headliners Chain and the Gang from Washington, D.C.
Saturday and Sunday’s massive lineups begin at 3 p.m., with the last bands going on at midnight. On Saturday, touring groups like Nots, Dilly Dally, Wray and Varsity are joined by hometown acts Leggy, Cough It Up, Swim Team, Death Sex Advocates, Kate Wakefield, Black Planet, Darlene and Smut. Sunday, the Carnival’s headliners are Louisville, Ky.’s White Reaper and Memphis, Tenn.’s Ex-Cult, with local acts like Tweens, Mad Anthony, Lung, mr.phylzzz, Birdie Hearse, Pop Empire, Molly Sullivan, The Slippery Lips, Go Go Buffalo and Lipstick Fiction rounding out the bill.
The Northside Fourth of July Parade winds down Hamilton Avenue starting at noon on Monday. The music at the Carnival picks back up Monday at 5 p.m. with a band featuring students from Mason’s School of Rock. Three of Cincinnati’s finest — the unique, sitar-fueled Indie/Folk duo Dawg Yawp (whose “Can’t Think” single has been drawing glowing national attention) and great Rock crews Lemon Sky and Electric Citizen — close out Monday’s festivities.
For the full schedule and more Northside Rock N’ Roll Carnival info, visit northsiderocks.com.
More Local Notes
• After a successful appearance at the most recent Bunbury Music Festival, Cincinnati Alternative Pop/Rock band Room for Zero is now set to issue its first album, Come On! Come On! The full-length will be released this Friday in conjunction with an 8 p.m. show at The Mockbee (2260 Central Parkway, Brighton, facebook.com/themockbee). Fellow Cincy acts Jane Decker and Daniel in Stereo also perform. The $10 admission charge includes a copy of the album on CD.
Go to roomforzero.com for more on the band.
• A new two-day music and beer festival, Paradise on the Point, comes to Sawyer Point along the riverfront this Friday and Saturday. Featuring an interesting mix of touring Jam, Roots, Rock and Electronica acts (including Pink Talking Fish, Manic Focus, Keller Williams and Emancipator), the festival also has a few area artists booked, including Northern Kentucky’s Brother Smith (on Friday), and Cincinnati’s Strange Mechanics, Frankly Speaking and Peridoni (all playing Saturday).
The fest — which will also have live painting, a kids’ area and a variety of beer and food offerings — is free and open to all ages. Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday. Find the complete schedule and more at essentialproductions.net.
• If the words “President Donald Trump” send chills up your spine, this Saturday you can gather with some like-minded folks, laugh and hear some good local music, while also helping Women Helping Women and the Freestore Foodbank. The 8 p.m. “Dump Trump” benefit show at Southgate House Revival (111 E. Sixth St., Newport, southgatehouse.com) was organized by local comedian Brad Thacker and will also feature comedy from Jay Armstrong, Glenn Childress, Wes Hedger, Zach Hale and Justin Schafer. Local groups Draculas, The Whiskey Shambles and Go Go Buffalo provide the tunes. Admission is a $5 donation; proceeds will be split between the aforementioned organizations.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: [email protected]
