Sudsy's, Southgate Get Punk'd

This weekend's Cincypunk Fest IV cannot be contained by one venue. Heck, the benefit concert can't even be held by one state. This year, the fest — featuring the cream of the local Punk and Punk-influenced crop — takes place at Newport's Southgate House on Friday and Corryville's Sudsy Malone's Saturday. Last year's Cincypunk Fest III raised $2,500 for the Lighthouse Youth Services of Cincinnati. Organizers hope to raise even more for this year's chosen charities — the Mental Health Associations of Northern Kentucky and Hamilton County. As the name suggests, the festival is the work of www.cincypunk.org, a Web site dedicated to local and national Punk Rock, with news, reviews, interviews and active message boards.

Friday's Southgate House kick-off starts at 8 p.m. and features performances on all three of the club's stages. Solo acts Ben Thamann, Matt Stanton and David Hobbs keep things hopping on the entry "Lounge" stage. On the "Parlour" stage, catch A Voice Like Rhetoric, Norust, Krinj, Sweet Ray Laurel, The Frankl Project and Mint 6 Ten. In the ballroom, things kick off with LostHandsFoundFingers, while The Culling Song, Abigail, Alone at 3AM, Thistle, Caterpillar Tracks and Rescue Effort are also scheduled to appear.

Admission is $6 for attendees 21 and up; 18-20 year olds will have to cough up $7.

Saturday at Sudsy's, the fest will utilize both the main stage and the newer "basement stage." On the downstairs stage, Margin of Error, Alispyo, The Shakedown, Hollywood Handgrenade, Team Stray, Elbowdrop and Shotgun on Blonde perform. Mainstagers include Dropkickmejesus, Black Tie Bombers, Junior Revolution, Mara, A Present Day Nightmare, Banderas and The Minni-Thins. Music starts at 8 p.m. The cover is $6 and the show is for those 18 and up only. (www.cincypunk.org)

OTR Returns
Beloved locals Over the Rhine return to Coney Island's Moonlight Gardens for a concert on Saturday. Kim Taylor, who has been touring with the band as opening act and OTR back-up singer, opens the 8 p.m. show. OTR brain-trust Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler have been renovating a small farm east of Cincinnati (they call it "Nowhere Farm"), but it hasn't hampered the ongoing promotional duties behind their most recent Back Porch/Virgin Records release, Drunkard's Prayer. The duo and their backing band have toured steadily across the country, selling out shows in big hubs like L.A., New York City, Chicago and Seattle (among others). In September, OTR hits the road again for a jaunt that includes more U.S. dates as well as the group's first trip to Australia and New Zealand, where Prayer has been basking in both critical and commercial success. The band will be back in the States for its annual Christmastime run, which, according to the OTR Web site, will include their always much anticipated Taft Theatre "homecoming" show, scheduled for Dec. 10. (www.overtherhine.com)

Rumors, Lies and General Misunderstandings
· A new local music compilation to benefit the animal-friendly "Save Our Strays" organization is set for release this Saturday at Soupie's in Norwood. Free Lap Dances Vol. 2: Return of the Snuggler features songs from Langus, Tonefarmer, Robin Lacy and DeZydeco, Kelly Richey, Wojo and others. Saturday's release show features performances from Wallace's Line, The Newbees, Philosopher's Stone and Buckra, each of whom is also represented on the CD. (soscincinnati.petfinder.com)

· The excellent local Rock quartet Saving Ray are gearing up for a big "return to action" show on Sept. 2 at the Southgate House (a reunited Semi-Automatic is also slated to appear). This Saturday at midnight, the band will appear on WAIF's Live City Licks radio show to plug the reunion. Tune in to 88.3 FM or dial up www.waifstream.com to listen.

· A benefit for the local music-centric film Dead On goes down Sunday at the Southgate House. The show will raise funds for the film processing and a CD release featuring songs from all of the artists featured in the movie, which is set to debut Oct. 19 at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Sunday's show includes performances from Abiyah, Roesing Ape, The Tigerlilies, Moot, Southgate Boys, Hobilly and several others. (www.subversiverecordslimited.com)