Despite being in the middle of a possible move and closure, Legends Bar & Venue continues to put on top-tier local shows. Legends, located at 3801 Harrison Ave. in Cheviot, is hosting It’s gonna be May, a five-day series of concerts between May 1-5. The shows will feature primarily local acts, catering to a particular genre each day — perfect for a diverse audience. How could this be any better? The shows are only $5 each day.
Legends is hosting these shows during uncertain times for the bar and venue. In January, the music hall made it known via social media that they were looking to relocate. A GoFundMe campaign was created to raise funds to help keep the venue open and move to a new location. The campaign is still up, currently sitting at $6,330 out of a $40,000 goal. Information from the GoFundMe post describes how the donations are for required repairs for the venue’s potential new location.
“We have found the perfect spot to move the venue, however this new location will need a lot of renovation to get it up to par and able to host the shows we have booked for the remainder of the year.”
Legends made the decision to relocate following a year-long court battle with their landlord. According to accounts from Legends' ownership, multiple attempts were made to urge the landlord to fix a leaky roof. Legends opted to put their rent in escrow based on advice from their lawyer in hopes of encouraging the landlord to make the necessary repairs to the building where the venue is currently located. This action led to court proceedings in which a Hamilton County judge ruled in favor of the landlord and released all funds. Legends goes into some detail about this via the GoFundMe post.
“In January of 2023, the roof (which has been an ongoing issue since we signed our lease) basically gave in during a rainstorm,” the venue said in the GoFundMe post. “The apartment upstairs looked like the monsoon scene from Jumanji!! Guess where that all goes? That’s right, through the floor into our bar & venue.”
The landlord has yet to comment on the matter. Legends asked that CityBeat not include the landlord’s name due to fear of retaliation.
Promoter and Legends mainstay Qbert “Q” Seiter initially suspected the venue would close sometime in May. However, Legends management was able to keep the shows going until Aug. 20. Q spoke with CityBeat about how the past few months have gone and what the venue's future looks like currently.
“As of right now, I’m not 100% sure about relocation. We were able to extend until Aug. 20, and we will be booking shows until then. Past that, I’m not sure. There are 20 different things going on behind the scenes right now.”
Q also explained that Legends is still looking for investors and that if the funds are raised, a plan to relocate the concert hall is in place. Legends currently operates without major investors and relies primarily on its shows and events to bring in money. The new location site is still under wraps. Q also expressed his desire to continue creating shows catering to mid-level crowds.
“You can play a place that maybe holds 50 people, but if you’re getting up to a place where you need to play to 150 or 200 people, you’re still too small to play places like Bogart’s or the Icon. And that’s the only thing I worry about, which is how many bands might not come through here until they make it up to that point.”
This type of promotional thinking is reflected in shows like It’s gonna be May. Local acts like The Obnoxious Boot, Gorrest Fump, Wasted Away, Samarra and Southbound Beretta are among the lineup. The show on May 4 also features two touring acts, With Sails Ahead and Space Weather. With this many local acts, It’s gonna be May is destined to be one of the biggest local showcases in the Cincinnati area.
Each day of the show will showcase a different genre, each more stacked than the last. The first day features mainly solo and hip-hop artists; the second and third days are predominantly metal and hardcore; day four is a mixed bag of different types of artists and the final day is a more traditional rock show. The shows will feature 72 acts for a total of $25 across all five days. With so many acts and artists, why are the shows so cheap? Promoter Q explains that this event is meant to give back to the community.
“It’s supposed to be a giveback. Almost every single band except for a couple, especially the ones that are coming the furthest away, understand that it’s a giveback show so that everyone can just come and have a good time. I thought it was going to be closer to our closing since it was supposed to be May 31. Instead, it’s like a kickoff-to-the-summer-type deal.”
Q also urged people to show up and support the venue as much as possible. He states that things as simple as buying a drink or tipping the bartenders go a long way. Q also expressed gratitude to all those who have donated to the GoFundMe campaign, but he prefers people show support by coming to a show and having a good time.
Information about It’s gonna be May, including the lineups and event times, can be found on the Legends Bar & Venue website and Facebook page. There’s also an event page on Facebook where eager concert attendees can RSVP. Legends also has other shows booked for the upcoming months. All information regarding any upcoming events can be found on their website as well. The GoFundMe campaign to help fund a possible new location can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/diy-til-we-die.
It’s gonna be May takes place at Legends Bar & Venue from May 1-5. More info: facebook.com/Legends.Bar.Venue.
