The free, every-Friday MidPoint Indie Summer (MPIS) series concerts at Downtown’s Fountain Square have featured some eclectic music over the past few years, everything from Bounce and Electro to Roots Rock, World music and Pop. But this Friday, the series goes where it has yet to go, presenting the very first all-Punk MPIS concert.
Though Punk is known for its quick bursts of songs, it’s a mere coincidence that this Friday’s free show features four acts (as opposed to the usual three per show). The quartet of bands playing offers a nice cross-section of Greater Cincinnati’s Punk scene.
The Pop/Punk crew BoyMeetsWorld opens the concert at 8 p.m. After coming out of the gates fast (in just its first year as a band, the group won first place at the popular “battle of the bands” competition presented by Forest Park’s The Underground), the hooks-heavy BMW released its debut EP, Do What’s Best for You, this past April. (The band is also performing acoustically at the Microsoft store at Kenwood Mall this Saturday at 4 p.m.)
At 8:45 p.m. The Lockland Brakes take over the MPIS stage. The punchy, melodic band
just played its first show and released a three-song EP last month. But they’re far from “green,” with
a lineup that includes
past/present members of Situation Red, Newport Secret Six and DAAP Girls.
The excellent, raucous trio The Dopamines, which spent a chunk of its spring touring Europe, perform at 9:15 p.m. The hard-touring band has put out several excellent releases, including last year’s stellar Vices, which caused JadedPunk.com to declare, “
For a bunch of goddamned drunks, The Dopamines sure can write some catchy hooks.”
Headlining the night at 10 p.m. is Loudmouth, a high-energy local five-piece that mixes power and melody in the vein of Screeching Weasel, NOFX and No Use for a Name. Loudmouth digitally released its latest effort, the eight-track Future Boredom EP, in late March.
For more on the MidPoint Indie Summer concerts — and all of the PNC Summer Music Series concerts — visit myfountainsquare.com.
Local Bass Hero to Host “Master Class” in London
Veteran Cincinnati bass wizard Freekbass (of the band Freekbass, as well as Freekbot, the Kelly Richey Band and Headtronics) is the first Master Class leader to be announced for The London Bass Guitar Show 2014. The event (March 1-2 at the Olympia Conference Centre London) will draw some of the world’s greatest bassists to London to “promote the art of bass playing to the general public.” The show will present new bass products and gear, plus feature clinics and “master classes” throughout the event. Past London Bass Guitar Show participants include Mark King, Gary Willis, Doug Wimbish, Peter Hook, Igor Saavedra, Wojtek Pilichowski, Malcolm Joseph, Andrew Levy, David Ellefson, Jah Wobble, Lee Rocker, Nate Watts and Phil Mulford.
Freekbass is gearing up for the next album from his eponymous band. The group is working on the new album at Lexington’s Shangri-La Studios with Duane Lundy, who has done work with My Morning Jacket, Ben Sollee and others. The album will reportedly feature special guests DJ Spooky, Adam Deitch (a producer/drummer who has worked with everyone from John Scofield to 50 Cent) and Steve Molitz (Particle, Headtronics).
This Wednesday, Freekbot (Freebass + DJ/beatmaster/electronicist Tobotius) will perform a recently announced show at Longworth’s in Mount Adams, 9:30 p.m.-midnight.
Local Artists Team Up for “Scroll Improvisation”
Singer/songwriter/musician Joe Hedges — known for work with his band July for Kings, as well as solo adventures — is collaborating with visual artist Jiemei Lin this coming Monday at downtown’s Contemporary Arts Center as part of the museum’s performance series, The Living Room.
The twosome’s project, “Scroll Improvisation,” features Hedges creating music on the fly with a mix of live and recorded material, while Lin crafts a large “scroll drawing” on the floor. According to the press release, “The piece will investigate the function and history of narrative Chinese scrolls in a contemporary fashion while exploring the idea of the western living room as a venue for improvisational ambient and Folk music.” (Lin is a native of China.)
Monday’s special performance begins at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, visit contemporaryartscenter.org.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: [email protected] or @
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