At first blush, a pro tennis tournament named for a financial corporation and a music festival all about indie music and culture might seem like awkward bedfellows — not quite “oil and water,” but more “banana and helicopter.” But last year, organizers of the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament — featuring top players from around the world and matches viewed by a global audience — and the MidPoint Music Festival joined forces to make the combination a “chocolate and peanut butter” teaming that would make Reese’s proud. The cross-promotional efforts were designed to spread the good word of Cincinnati’s biggest music festival (coming up Sept. 22-24) to music lovers who might be unaware it exists. This year, the partnership seems more solidified, with a designated MidPoint Stage providing tennis fans with acoustic sets by MidPoint-approved local, original artists consistently throughout the tournament.—-
The Open has featured music at the event in the past on a stage in the food court area of the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, which also returns this year with a mix of local cover acts of varying genres playing songs familiar to the masses. The stage runs through the rest of the Open, with music beginning at 5 p.m. (The Newburg Trio, a Classical threesome and wedding favorite, plays at 10 a.m. on the stage until just before championship action commences.)
Though the artists on the MidPoint Stage may well play a few cover songs during their sets, they’re all more known for writing their own music, a prerequisite for those seeking the MidPoint stamp of approval. The stage will feature two different artists daily through Saturday, one in the afternoon and one at night.
Check lineups below and, if you’re attending, be sure to show some love for our homegrown talent. For most, this will be the first time “massive international sporting event” has made its way onto their gigging schedule.
Tuesday
12:30-2:30 p.m. Ryan Adcock (Pop/Rock)
8:30-10:30 p.m. Tracy Walker (Folk/Pop/Soul)
Wednesday
12:30-2:30 p.m. Michael McIntire and the Marmalade Brigade (Gypsy Jazz)
8:30-10:30 p.m. 46 Long (Blues)
Thursday
12:30-2:30 p.m. Jason Ludwig (Rock)
8:30-10:30 p.m. Shiny Old Soul (Folk Rock)
Friday
12:30-2:30 p.m. Ric Hickey (Rock/Pop)
8:30-10:30 p.m. Mack West (Gothic Country & Western)
Saturday
12:30-2:30 p.m. Magnolia Mountain (Americana/Roots)
8:30-10:30 p.m. Crick Gypsies (Folk/Americana)
