We told you a few weeks back about the lineup for the MidPoint Indie Summer concert series on Fountain Square, featuring numerous (primarily local) Indie and Rock acts every Friday this summer from 7-11 p.m. Click here for the full rundown.
But there are many other popular themed nights returning this summer to both Fountain Square and Washington Park, which re-opened after a major makeover in time to introduce live music nights last summer for the first time. (Both spots are managed by the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC).
Fountain Square’s PNC Summer Music Series will have live music five days a week, while Washington Park will host three themed music nights this summer. All events are free and a great way to enjoy our city’s central districts. The concerts begin at the end of May/start of June and run through the end of August/start of September. Be sure to check the official websites of both venues for any updates, additions or cancellations.
• Every Tuesday from 7-9 p.m., the Square presents “American Roots” night. This year, the lineup is the strongest its been, showcasing the best of Greater Cincinnati’s rich Roots/Americana scene (as well as a few regional faves).
Magnolia Mountain
Terminal Union
Kentucky Struts
The Turkeys
The Tillers
Tom Evanchuck
Dallas Moore Band
Jamison Road
Kentucky Timbre
Tex Schramm
Shiny and the Spoon
Ten String Symphony
Glossary
Frontier Folk Nebraska
Pure Grain
Straw Boss
Jeremy Pinnell & the 55s
Arlo McKinley
Great Peacock
The Seedy Seeds
Bulletville
Ricky Nye & Chris Douglas
Mason James
Honey and Houston
Bobby Mackey
Blair Carman
Robert Ellis
Fifth on the Floor
• Reggae Wednesdays return to the Square this summer, with wider-net bookings that include numerous regional and touring Reggae acts. Music runs every night from 6-10 p.m. and acts are teamed up with a DJ or DJ squad for each event.
The Ohms
DJ Frankie D
The Zionites
Queen City Imperial Sound System
Cliftones
DJ Frankie D
Seefari
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez
The Drastics
DJ Frankie D
Jah Messengers
Queen City Imperial Sound System
Dougie Simpson and Faith
DJ Frankie D
Billbuckers
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez
Ark Band
DJ Frankie D
Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew
Queen City Imperial Sound System
Ras Dodirie
DJ Frankie D
Ras Gato
Summer Splash Happy Hour with I Vibez
Nature
DJ Frankie D
One World Tribe
Queen City Imperial Sound System
• Salsa dancers and music lovers will be happy to know that Salsa on the Square is returning this summer on Thursdays, running 7-10 p.m. As always, dance instructors will be on hand to give you pointers (if you need ’em). Music is provided primarily by some of Greater Cincinnati’s finest Salsa/Latin music groups.
Son Del Caribe
Kandela
Zumba
Tropicoso
June 27: Grupo Tumbao
July 4: Clave’ Son
Kandela
Tropiscoso
uly 25: Grupo Tumbao
Zumba
Azucar Tumbao
August 15: Clave’ Son
Brian Andres & the Afro-Cuban Jazz Cartel
Son Del Caribe
• Before MidPoint Indie Summer on Fridays, local club/bar conglomerate 4EG (which operates several nightclubs in the area) will present 4EG Happy Hour from 5-7 p.m. Local DJs will spin every Friday (except for Aug. 2, when local cover band Snidely Whiplash performs).
DJ Ice Cold Tony
DJ Jake the Ripper
DJ E-trayn
DJ Identity
June 28:
DJ Jesse the Ripper
DJ D-Lo
Fuseamania
DJ Tina T
DJ Will Kill
Snidely Whiplash
DJ Scene
DJ Simo
DJ Spryte
August 30:
TBA
• One of the most popular nights on the Square during the summer is Saturdays’ “Beats” night, booked by local promoter Self Diploma. The concerts run 7-10 p.m. and again feature an impressive mix of local and touring Hip Hop, Electronic and DJ acts. Among the national act highlights this year are Mod Sun, Hoodie Allen, Watch the Duck and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Chuck Inglish
Puck
Olu
The Natives
DJ D-LO
Cal Scruby
DJ Vizion
Hoodie Allen
D-Why
Sam Lachow
Ian J
Mod Sun
Trademark Aaron
Junya Be
Jean P
Drummer vs Emulator
Firecat 451
Black Signal
Catch Phrase
Mutrix
Milk N Cookies
DJ X Nightmare
7 p.m.: No Limits
T Mills
Huey Mack
Santino Corleon
Round 2 Crew
Nick Youngerman
Collin Mcloughin
Napalm
X5ight
DJ Sab
Watch the Duck
Gold Shoes
Vincent Vega
DJ Rhetorik
Emari J
Somo
Arin Ray
Eben Frankewitz
Alabama Capital
Stafford Brothers
Davey C
J Hollow
7 p.m.: 4 Grand
Candyland
DJ Prism
B-Funk of Dave Rave
Neon Medusa
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Joseph Nevels
Erica P
After a successful inaugural summer of events last year, Washington Park brings back three music nights, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, plus several other entertainment offerings, including “Dancing Under the Stars,” an every-Tuesday dance night, with lessons that focus on different types of dancing each week. (Click below for the concert lineups.)—-
• Wednesdays at Washington Park will be all about Jazz. The Crown Jewels of Jazz series runs 7-9 p.m. and includes top-notch local artists playing everything from Be Bop to Latin Jazz to Dixieland.
Mike Wade and the Jazz Ambassadors
June 5
William Menefield Quartet
Jazz Alive with Ron Jones
Tracy Walker
Marc Fields Quintet
July 3
CSO Pops Goes Jazz
Nancy James Quartet
Poco Loco
Sound Body Jazz Orchestra
Queen City Dixie Cats
August 7
Ed Moss Quartet
August 14
Siobhan and The Situation
Crown Jewels of Jazz® Heritage Festival: Pieces of A Dream
Faux Frenchmen
Brent Gallaher Quartet
• The every-Thursday Bandstand Bluegrass series returns to Washington Park this summer, with music from 7-9 p.m. Organizers snuck a few Folk/Americana acts into the lineup mix again this year, but they’re all solid Cincinnati-area performers, so who cares?
The Tillers
Jake Speed & the Freddies
The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars
Red Cedars
Northern Kentucky Bluegrass Band
Kentucky Timbre with the Boone County Caterwaulers
Blue Rock Boys
Wild Carrot & the Roots Band
The Missy Werner Band
Rattlesnakin’ Daddies
Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass
Hickory Robot
Magnolia Mountain
Ma Crow & the Lady Slippers
Whisky Bent Valley
• Last year, the Friday Flow concerts in Washington Park were probably the biggest of the music nights. With a focus on R&B, Soul and Funk (plus dashes of Jazz and Hip Hop), this summer’s Friday Flow concerts — running from 7-11 p.m. — features numerous local acts, performers from the Elementz Hip Hop youth center and some bigger names, including Jay-Z’s DJ, Young Guru, Rick James’ Stone City Band (minus Rick James, of course) and Billy Becks’ Ohio Players (not the original group).
PJ Morton
9 p.m.: Jon Schuyler
7:10 p.m.:
Elementz
Rick James Stone City Band
Eclectic Vibe
7:10 p.m.: Jazpel
Flawless
Aprina Johnson
7:10 p.m.: Sydney Arterbridge
Collection of Sidemen
Young Jazz Messengers
7:10 p.m.: TB
June 28
10 p.m.: Park Jams ft.
Young Guru
Jameze
Elementz
Mr. Reed
America’s Got Talent
Soul Fuzion
7:10 p.m.: TBA
Erica P.
9 p.m.: Bianca Page
7:10 p.m.:
Lo Lo Harris
Thee Phantom
Tracey Walker
7:10 p.m.: Def Comedy Jam Poets
July 26
6 p.m.: TBA
5 p.m.: Papa Don
4 p.m.:
Ingrid Rachel
Elementz
August 2 (No concert)
Aristar
9 p.m.: Enjae (NJ Legal)
7:10
p.m.: TBA
Hot Sauce
Ingrid Woode
August 23 (Part of the Crown Jewels of Jazz Festival)
10 p.m.: TBA
9 p.m.:
Phil DeGreg
the Samba Jazz Syndicate
Cincy Brass
August 30 (No concert)
Billy Becks’ Ohio Players
Natural Progression
7:10 p.m.: Siobhan
This article appears in May 8-14, 2013.
