Those not in the know often knock Cincinnati for a dilapidated arts scene, as if a conservative political climate results in a conservative cultural one. Those who have read CityBeat over the years hopefully know that this is a myth. Cincinnati's arts and music scene is often right on time, if not a few steps ahead. Tonight's tribute to the Ludlow Garage (and Rick Bird's feature this week on the late ’60s/early ’70s venue) is just one example that bucks any misconception that Cincinnati is, always was and will always be a backwards, messed-up city with, say it with me now, "nothing to do."—-
The early Jazz hotspots like the Cotton Club, the The Ritz Ballroom and The Greystone; WLW and King Records' promotion of Roots music and R&B/Soul; the invention of Funk; the Bluegrass haven at Aunt Maudie's in the ’70s; the Punk/No Wave precursors on Hospital Records; the booking of pre-"Alternative explosion" bands and Punk legends at places like Shorty's, Sudsy Malone's and The Jockey Club; and the huge Hip Hop heaven that was Scribble Jam are just a few of the other examples that prove Cincinnati isn't the "20 years behind" burg some old guy (Mark Twain? Asshole) once said it was.
As Rick's story shows, Jim Tarbell and the rest of the Ludlow crew helped make Cincinnati a focal point for that era's Rock scene. Below is a list of just some of the shows (from the great liner notes in the three-disc set of Ludlow Garage performances and memories that goes on sale tonight) that were put on by Jim Tarbell Productions/Walpurgis Productions from 1969 to 1971.
1969
July 6: Edwin Hawkins Singers (Cincinnati Zoo)
Sept. 6: “The First Annual Midwest Mini-Pop Festival” at the Cincinnati Zoo with Grand Funk Railroad, Vanilla Fudge, Paul Butterfield Blues band, Lonnie Mack, Dee Felice Trio, Balderdash, Sound Museum
Sept. 12/13: The Youngbloods, Balderdash and Lonnie Mack (Emery Theatre)
Sept. 19/20: Ludlow Garage grand opening with Grand Funk Railroad and Eli Radish
Sept. 26/27: Spirit, Sound Museum and Sandy Nassan
Oct. 3/4: The Holy Modal Rounders and Times Square Two
Oct. 7/8/9: Bonzo Dog Band and Balderdash
Oct. 14/15/16: Mountain with Devil’s Kitchen
Oct. 21/22: Santana with Sound Museum
Oct.31/Nov. 1/Nov. 2: Elvin Bishop Group with Devil’s Kitchen and Catfish
Nov. 14: The Kinks, Humble Pie and Glass Harp
Nov. 21/22: The Sons of Champlin, Ricky Nelson and The Lemon Pipers
Nov. 28/29: The Incredible String Band
Nov. 28: The Steve Miller Band with James Montgomery Sand
Dec. 19/20: The Frost, Glass Wall and The Allman Brothers
Dec. 26/27: BB King, Zephyr and Balderdash
Dec. 31: James Gang, Raven, Uncle Dirty, Balderdash and Eli Radish
1970
Jan. 1: James Gang, Eli Radish and Atlantis
Jan. 2 and 3: James Gang, Eli Radish and Saving Grace
Jan. 9/10: The Flaming Groovies, Golden Earing and Iggy and the Stooges
Jan. 16/17: The MC5, Sunday Funnies
Jan. 23/24: The Flock and NRBQ
Jan. 25: Renaissance, NRBQ, The Lemon Pipers, Ed Chicken and the French Fries and SLSM (a benefit supporting freeing “political prisoners” like John Sinclair)
Jan. 30/31: Amboy Dukes and Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Feb. 6/7: Mother Earth, Eric Mercury, Birthrite and Glass Harp
Feb. 12/13/14: Herbie Mann, Wilbert Longmire, Sandy Nassan and Brute Force (Wilson Auditorium at UC)
Feb. 20/21: Grand Funk Railroad and The Lemon Pipers
Feb. 22: Savoy Brown, Balderdash and Raintree
Feb. 25: Neil Young and Crazy Horse with Renaissance (at Music Hall)
Feb. 27/28: Taj Mahal and Cold Blood
March 3: The Lemon Pipers and SLSM
March 6/7: Bo Diddley, Brownsville Station and Glass Harp
March 13/14: MC5, Stone the Crows, Elizabeth and The Stooges
March 20/21: Albert King/NRBQ
March 26: “Cincinnati Pop Festival” with Joe Cocker, Savoy Brown, Mountain, MC5, Frijid Pink, The Amboy Dukes, The Pleasure Seekers, The Stooges, Brownsville Station, Cradle, Bitter Blood, Balderdash, Glass Wall, Whalefeathers, East Orange Express & Westfauster (at Cincinnati Gardens)
March 27: New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, Alice Cooper and Mad Lydia
March 28: Ten Years After, New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, Alice Cooper and Mad Lydia
March 29: New York Rock & Roll Ensemble and Mad Lydia
April 4/5: The Allman Brothers with American Dream
April 10/11: Zephyr and Argent
April 17/18: The Staple Singers, The Silvertones and Biff Rose
April 26: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention (Taft Theatre)
April 29: Mountain and Hampton Grease Band (Music Hall)
April 30: Allman Brothers with Hampton Grease Band
May 1/2: Tony Williams Lifetime (with Jack Bruce) and Hampton Grease Band
May 8/9 Incredible String Band with The Stone Monkey
May 10: Phil Ochs with Jerry Rubin
May 12: The Allman Brothers
May 15/16: Mother Earth
May 29/30: Fairport Convention
June 28: Quicksilver, Mushroom Jones (Taft Theatre)
Aug. 28/29: Dr. John the Night Tripper and Bitter Blood Street Theater
Sept. 11: NRBQ with Rock City and The Farm
Sept. 30: John Mayall and Bachman Turner Overdrive (Music Hall)
Oct. 15: Leon Russell and the Shelter People (Xavier University Field House)
Oct. 21: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention with Balderdash (Music Hall)
Nov. 20/21: Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, Hampton Grease Band, Screaming Gypsy Bandits, Avenue of Happiness and Balderdash
Nov. 22: Johnny Winter
Dec. 10: Savoy Brown
Dec. 11/12: Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Dec. 13: Incredible String Band
Dec. 23/24: The Flock
1971
Jan. 19/20: Captain Beefheart, Ry Cooder and Pure Prairie League (last concert at the Ludlow Garage)
