With the MidPoint Music Festival returning this Thursday-Saturday, numerous musical acts from around the world will be performing at venues throughout Over-the-Rhine and Downtown. But there are also several artists playing MPMF who don’t have to travel far at all.
Since beginning 13 years ago, acts from Greater Cincinnati have been the backbone of MPMF. The festival is a great chance to discover new artists from out of town and perhaps catch one of your favorites at a bigger venue, but it’s also an excellent opportunity for area residents explore some of the best music being made right in their own backyards.
So be sure to add a few locals to your MPMF itineraries; you won’t be disappointed. Here’s a rundown of who’s playing where:
THURSDAY: Saturn Batteries (Arnold’s; 11:15 p.m.); Darlene (Know Theatre main stage; 9:15 p.m.); The Almighty Get Down (Mainstay Rock Bar; midnight); Heavy Hinges (Mainstay Rock Bar; 9:30 p.m.); Automagik (MidPoint Midway; 10 p.m.); Black Owls (MidPoint Midway; 8:45 p.m.); Pike 27 (MidPoint Midway; 7:30 p.m.); The Fairmount Girls (MidPoint Midway; 5 p.m.); Frontier Folk Nebraska (MOTR Pub; 9:30 p.m.); Bulletville (Mr. Pitiful’s; 9:15 p.m.); Smasherman (The Drinkery; 9:15 p.m.).
FRIDAY: Honey and Houston (Arnold’s; 7:30 p.m.); Honeyspiders (Contemporary Arts Center; 7:45 p.m.); Pop Goes the Evil (Know Theatre main stage; 9:15 p.m.); Us, Today (Know Theatre second stage; 8:45 p.m.); Culture Queer (Mainstay Rock Bar; 10 p.m.); Young Heirlooms (Memorial Hall; 10:30 p.m.); The Yugos (MidPoint Midway; 5 p.m.); Why? (Ballroom at the Taft Theatre; midnight); Old City (The Drinkery; 8:45 p.m.); Wussy (Washington Park; 7:15 p.m.).
SATURDAY: Injecting Strangers (Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. indoor stage; 11:15 p.m.); Fists of Love (Know Theatre main stage; 8:30 p.m.); Leggy (Know Theatre second stage; 10 p.m.); The Ready Stance (MidPoint Midway; 6 p.m.); State Song (Ballroom at the Taft Theatre; 8:15 p.m.); Prim (The Drinkery; 10 p.m.); Public (Washington Park; 3:45 p.m.).
Often, local acts will do something special for MPMF, but I can’t remember any unveiling a new, drastically expanded lineup. That’s what Young Heirlooms will do with their MidPoint show Friday at Memorial Hall. The Folk Pop act began as a duo, but Friday the group debuts as a sextet. Joining masterminds Kelly Fine and Christopher Robinson at the big reveal are Kyle Elkins (upright bass), Laura Bock (harmony vocals), Charles Christopher Alley (drums) and Steve Hauke (pedal and lap steel).
For ticket info, schedules and everything else you need to know about MidPoint, visit mpmf.com.
More MPMF Odds and Ends
• The official MidPoint Music Festival preview party goes down Wednesday night at 8 p.m. at the Christian Moerlein Events Center (1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine), which is also an MPMF venue, hosting acts Thursday-Saturday both indoors and outside. The free opening party will feature live music from a pair of Electro Pop/Rock MPMF alums, Tennessee’s Machines Are People Too and Louisville, Ky.’s The Pass. And beer nuts, take note — Moerlein will be unveiling its Helltown Rye-Ot brown ale at the event.
• Eli’s BBQ is hosting happy hour parties Thursday and Friday at Herzog Studios (811 Race St., Downtown), the historic spot where legends like Hank Williams once recorded and which now is home to the Cincinnati Music Heritage Foundation’s (takingyoutothebridge.org) headquarters. The free happy hours run 5-10 p.m. and offer MPMFers and others a chance to check out the space and its cool photos and memorabilia from the studio’s heyday. There will be a cash bar and Eli’s BBQ buffet. Asheville, N.C., bands Hank West and the Smokin’ Hots and Screaming J’s will perform Thursday.
On Saturday from 2-5 p.m. at Herzog, the MPMF-sponsored Eli’s BBQ Sessions will feature live performances by MidPoint performers Low Cut Connie (Philadelphia), Mustered Courage (Australia) and Margo & the Price Tags (Nashville, Tenn.). An MPMF ticket/wristband is required to attend Saturday’s festivities.
• One of Over-the-Rhine’s longstanding jewels, Findlay Market, will again host daytime performances from several Midpoint acts this year. Dubbed MPMF.FM, the free sets take place 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday
at the Market’s OTR Biergarten,
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at LL Spirits, and Sunday noon-3 p.m. at the Biergarten. Playing MPMF.FMFriday are locals
Pike 27 , while Saturday has Twinsmith, Wild Leaves, Xoe Wise, DVA, Fort Wilson Riot, Jeecy & the Jungle, Shivering Timbers, Blair Alise and By Light We Loom. Sunday’s lineup is anchored by Cincy’s Darlene and Honey and Houston, who will be joined by Mary Bragg and Juniper Rising. Find more info at
findlaymarket.org/mpmf .
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: mbreen@citybeat.com or @
CityBeatMusic
This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2014.