On September 3rd, 2010 seven local bands and DJ Empirical are donating their time and talents to a benefit show that is raising money to assist in the clean-up of the Gulf Coast region since the B.P. oil spill occurred. ALL proceeds are being donated to The United Way of Greater Cincinnati to aid their parent offices clean-up efforts.

The locals serve up plenty of spacey jazz-inspired rock and psych trips, and the out of towner, Battlehooch... well, read this: “probably the wildest and weirdest outfit in San Francisco right now has got to be Battlehooch - a hyperactive brotherhood of Captain Beefheart fanatics who peddle crazy party-prog that few can comprehend but everyone wants to dance to (irrespective of how completely impossible it may be). Fearlessly experimental, boundlessly energetic and when they end their sets by ripping through an insane cover of James Brown’s “Superbad” you can’t help but wonder what the weather’s like on their planet.” — NME Magazine (UK)

Hailing from the cave-ridden region of western Kentucky, The Lost River Cavemen have spent the last four years playing Rock and Roll on Bluegrass instruments. Always the innovators, The Lost River Cavemen dig up Roots music and shower it with a modern seasoning that will leave your palate tingling. Artfully taking parts of Folk-Rock, Americana, and Country (among others), The Cavemen spin their music into a truly original aural presentation that is easily accessible to everyone from college kids to grandmas. Their influences include masters of the trade such as Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash, Glenn Danzig, and the Hank Williams lineage.

Featuring work by Ran Barnaclo, Derek Toebbe, Aaron Oliver Wood, Doug Korfhagen, Ryan Little, Ali Calis, and Michelle Eikenbary Calis.

"The eight instrumentals that make up Ampline's debut disc The Choir have more in common with Mission Of Burma than the standard amorphous post-rock. The Cincinnati group plays passages of complex, chiming beauty, but most of its songs begin and end in a compressed rush so intense that it's easy to forget the lack of vocals..." - The Onion

"Ampline's guitar isn't droning for the sake of holding up the entire song, the way Emo bands typically do...the drums could be a band unto themselves, as the bass rolls along tactfully, never going Flea-like on the listener." - 2Walls

This whole-house event boasts a MASSIVE lineup of (some of) the best and (almost) brightest in the punk / hardcore and instrumental map-making scenes, digging up a few acoustic pals along the way, as if the range of dynamics shaking through the house's walls needed to be any more pronounced... don't miss it.

Stop by for our all-day Riverfest celebration... One cover gets you on the lawn, in the Lounge and the Parlour, too! We'll have plenty of cold drinks and hot food on the grill all afternoon. Rockabilly residents Straw Boss chaperone the shebang in the Lounge, while Americana outfit Duke Jr. & Smokey Boots and roots-rocksteady vintage ska crew Duppy A Jamba play to a vibrant Parlour crowd. Outside, we'll have special acoustic sets by Margaret Darling and lots of other special guests. We'll all meet on the front lawn for the fireworks, then get back into party mode to close out the night. Get here early!

Get your guitar and drink with us! Voted "Best Open Mic" by the readers of CityBeat two years in a row, our Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic is always a real hoot, and it's hosted every Monday by some of the nicest songwriters in the area. We welcome everyone - folk singers, comedians, poets and marimba players - to join our open mic family. Sign up begins at 9pm, and we'll keep it rolling until around 2am. This long-running event is a great place to catch new talent, spit-polish a couple new tunes, or even see a few surprises (you never know who's gonna show up)!

2009 Winner, BEST COMEDY SHOW by Cincinnati Magazine! Underbelly is a wild and unpredictable event featuring the area’s best stand-up comedians as they perform improv, sketches, original characters, poetry, music and dance – everything except stand-up comedy. Always original, undeniably unique, Underbelly is the strangest comedy show in town. Gather about 15 up-and-coming local comedians in a room, turn on the microphone, and see what happens. Not to be missed!

DJ Swirl keeps a huge songbook handy, so whether you're looking for that karaoke classic, or an obscure gem that'll blow everyone's mind, he'll dial it up in seconds. Metromix calls DJ Swirl a "fantastic karaoke guru," and it's even been voted a top karaoke spot by the readers of CityBeat. Karaoke Vocal Social in Juney's Lounge at the historic Southgate House... you've just gotta be here!

Zach Burns is a sweaty grizzly bear who mangles guitar strings like he’s hungry for the ghost flesh of Robert Johnson and Jack White’s heavenly love child... As that wet electric sweat hits the floor of the Down Under basement bricks, it also bounces, accordingly to the beats of the damned drums of Marshall Bertram’s haunting background... This wicked combination of gritty heart-felt blues-‐rock made me question both my relationship with god AND the devil... ’they got telephone books full of books of matches’... They will let you know how we keep starting fires. - Brett Schulte

Dayton's post-hardcore emo-pop outfit Hawthorne Heights saw early releases for Victory Records (a label they'd soon leave after a protracted legal battle) applauded the group with gold releases and packed arena tours; following a lineup change, the group soldiers on and will return here with classics and plenty of material from their latest release, "Skeletons."

* This is the re-scheduled date from the 7/24 show that was postponed. All tickets purchased for the 7/24 show will be honored at this show!

Andre "Mr. Rhythm" Williams is a R&B legend, and you may not even know it. He wrote "Shake A Tail Feather," and sang such uber-raunch cult classics as "Bacon Fat" (covered by the Cramps), "Greasy Chicken," and the epitome of songs about little girls, "Jail Bait." He worked at seminal labels such as Motown, Chess, and Fortune. He wrote songs for, or produced folks Ike Turner, Parliament/Funkadelic, Edwin Starr and Stevie Wonder. The guy is like music's version of Zelig; he's been everywhere, man. Yeah, baby. After a few hard years in... er... retirement, he stormed back in the late 90's with a record of smutty garage punk called Silky recorded with members of the Demolition Doll Rods and the Dirt-Bombs. Since then he has recorded with the Sadies, Jon Spencer, Two-Star Tabernacle (which included a very young Jack White) and many others. His resurgence of popularity (and notoriety) continues as he tours the world. An insider tipped me off to The Goldstars, veterans of the Chicago rock and roll scene who apparently got together as friends to simply play the music they loved. What brought them together was a mutual affection for the golden age of primitive rock n’ roll as they worshiped the holy trinity of the Farfisa organ, the fuzzed-out guitar, and the wailing voices of American kids trying to sound like British kids trying to sound black.

In their own words: "We're a progressive bluegrass band. We have a lot of different influences, from folk to rock to blues to jazz, etc. We're not worried about replicating 'traditional' bluegrass or folk music. Though we use 'bluegrass' instruments, we might not use the in a 'bluegrass' fashion. So like everyone else, we sound like ourselves and our influences at the same time."

Nashville's Matt Urmy has a raspy-soul voice for his country/folk compositions, and we think if you like Tom Waits' early years, you'll especially dig this. The Nashville Scene sez he's "blessed with a tuneful, Knopfler-esque baritone" and that his tunes "recall the groovin’ country soul of The Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers or the thoughtful folk of John Prine."

At 18, Lynne’s demos landed her an appearance on TNN s Nashville Now series, which led to a Top 50 duet (“If I Could Bottle This Up”) with George Jones and a record deal. On the strength of 2000’s I Am Shelby Lynne, she won the GRAMMY for Best New Artist. Love, Shelby was released in 2001, followed by a pair of intimate, self-produced albums – Identity Crisis (2003) and Suit Yourself (2005). She made her acting debut in 2005, playing Johnny Cash’s mother in the Fox Searchlight motion picture Walk the Line. Just a Little Lovin’, her critically acclaimed tribute to Dusty Springfield, was released in 2008. Lynne has been on the road since Tears, Lies, And Alibis was released in April.

Renown as Cincinnati's only traditional Cajun band, Lagniappe's musical gumbo stews guitar, piano, accordion, oboe, fiddle, accordion and that signature andouille zydeco two-step. Écoute - ca c'est bon!

Formed in 2004, the Black Angels took up the dark mantle of neo-psychedelic drone rock and infused it with revolutionary realpolitik and the expansive Americana of their home state. The band's 2006 debut, 'PASSOVER,' drew international praise, while the hard-touring band's powerful and evocative live sets earned them an ever-growing fanbase. For the Black Angels, it was clearly natural progression which led to its stunning sophomore outing, 'DIRECTIONS TO SEE A GHOST.' The Austin-based outfit has unleashed an epic work of modern American rock 'n' roll, a collection which expands on the turbulent dynamics and post-millennial disquiet of their acclaimed debut, 'PASSOVER.' Tracks such as 'You On The Run' and 'Mission District' are fired by massive, slow-burning riffs and sheets of effects, driven to hypnotic heights by a primordial tribal rumble and mysterious, shamanic vocals. With 'DIRECTIONS TO SEE A GHOST',' the Black Angels have grown into something extraordinary - a pulse-pounding, mind-bending beast of a band, capable of both transcendent heaviosity and raw numinous power.

Colonel JD Wilkes (The Legendary Shack Shakers) and his wife Jessica, along with "Slow" Layne Hendrickson, make up the hillbilly/hokum trio THE DIRT DAUBERS! Hailing from western Kentucky, these three caterwaulin' hooligans sing loud and proud an ecclectic mix of Appalachian, ragtime, and hot jazz standards and original music.

In the mid-1990's, Weedeater arose from the ashes of the southern-drug-lord-band Buzzov-en, who had disbanded along the swampy shores of the Cape Fear river in North Carolina not too long before. Fronted by famed madman and bass virtuoso "Dixie" Dave Collins, this three piece doom juggernaut has been eating audiences alive for more than 10 years now. After two critically acclaimed full length releases under their belts recorded by Billy Anderson (Neurosis, Melvins, High On Fire, etc.) and released respectively on Berserker and Crucial Blast Records, "God Luck And Good Speed" was released on Southern Lord Recordings.

Get your guitar and drink with us! Voted "Best Open Mic" by the readers of CityBeat two years in a row, our Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic is always a real hoot, and it's hosted every Monday by some of the nicest songwriters in the area. We welcome everyone - folk singers, comedians, poets and marimba players - to join our open mic family. Sign up begins at 9pm, and we'll keep it rolling until around 2am. This long-running event is a great place to catch new talent, spit-polish a couple new tunes, or even see a few surprises (you never know who's gonna show up)!

DJ Swirl keeps a huge songbook handy, so whether you're looking for that karaoke classic, or an obscure gem that'll blow everyone's mind, he'll dial it up in seconds. Metromix calls DJ Swirl a "fantastic karaoke guru," and it's even been voted a top karaoke spot by the readers of CityBeat. Karaoke Vocal Social in Juney's Lounge at the historic Southgate House... you've just gotta be here!

"According to frontman Valient Himself, hard-rocking metal outfit Valient Thorr were birthed on the planet Venus several millennia ago, hopscotching across the space-time continuum before finally arriving on Earth in 1957. Upon crashing in North Carolina, their time-travel machine was stolen by Walt Disney, and so the group (guitarists Eidan Thorr and Odinn Thorr, bassist Dr. Professor Nitewolf Strangees, and drummer Lucian Thorr) remains here to rock while seeking the means to return home. Valient Thorr issued their debut LP, Total Universe Man, in 2005. Legend of the World followed one Earth year later. Odinn Thorr was replaced by Voiden Thorr, and the band released Immortalizer in 2008." (Allmusic.com)

Zach Burns is a sweaty grizzly bear who mangles guitar strings like he’s hungry for the ghost flesh of Robert Johnson and Jack White’s heavenly love child... As that wet electric sweat hits the floor of the Down Under basement bricks, it also bounces, accordingly to the beats of the damned drums of Marshall Bertram’s haunting background... This wicked combination of gritty heart-felt blues-‐rock made me question both my relationship with god AND the devil... ’they got telephone books full of books of matches’... They will let you know how we keep starting fires. - Brett Schulte

One of the last true links to the great folk traditions of this country, with over 40 albums under his belt, Ramblin' Jack Elliott is considered one of the country's legendary foundations of folk music. There are no degrees of separation between Jack and the real thing. He is the guy who ran away from his Brooklyn home at fourteen to join the rodeo and learned his guitar from a cowboy. In 1950, he met Woody Guthrie, moved in with the Guthrie family and traveled with Woody to California and Florida, from the redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters. In 1961, he met another young folksinger, Bob Dylan at Woody Guthrie's bedside, and mentored Bob. Jack has continued as an inspiration for every roots-inspired performer since. Along the way he learned the blues first-hand from Leadbelly, Mississippi John Hurt, the Reverend Gary Davis, Big Bill Broonzy, Brownie Mcghee and Sonny Terry, Jesse Fuller and Champion Jack Dupree. With four Grammy nominations to his credit (and one Grammy), at 77 Jack Elliott is still doing what he does best... Ramblin'.

Here's a new local duo with some familiar faces (Jamie Ozias and Brent Vinson - aka Sid Hatfield). Their acoustic Americana / folk / country is surprisingly solid for such a fresh new outfit, recalling Son Volt and Guy Clark at their rambunctious, ramblin' best. RHR's cover and original material encompasses admirable playing and confident, assured vocals about "W.P.A.", "John Hardy" and "Clean Coal (Ain't No Such Thing...)". Ask the band, and they'll say they sound like "WNKU in the afternoon."

The enigmatic and totally bad-ass Junior Brown returns, wranglin' that guit-steel guitar and unleashing a sonic virtuosity like a cross between James Burton and Hendrix - country-style chops, with that cool cowboy hat and Bakersfield-by-way-of Nashville hillbilly sense of songwriter's humor delivered in Brown's signature deep-voiced drawl.

During a conversation about country and folk music in a Louisville coffee shop, buckswilde and Tennessee set the tone for what would eventually grow into The American Freedom Machine, a band that drank from a deep and seemingly indiscriminate well of traditional and non-traditional influences. From Willie Nelson and MC5 to The Stanley Brothers and XTC, The American Freedom Machine slowly crafted an original sound often described as a mix of garage, country and folk. Enlisting a revolving array of talented and prominent local musicians over the years, their music includes a wide range of instrumentation combined with experimentation to supplement the traditional three-piece sound, creating an engaging live performance that has become a staple of the Louisville music scene.

Reunited! Toad the Wet Sprocket’s commercial breakthrough came in 1991, as the single “All I Want” became a Top 20 hit. After their debut “Fear” was certified platinum, another single, "Walk on the Ocean," also became a successful track for the band. Three years later, Toad returned with Dulcinea, generating yet another Top 40 hit (not to mention a six week run as number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks) with the single "Fall Down." Dulcinea then also sold enough copies to reward Toad with another platinum certification. 1995 brought “Good Intentions,” another hit single featured on the platinum selling Friends TV show soundtrack. Coil, Toad the Wet Sprocket's fifth proper LP, followed in 1997 and the group parted ways the next year. While everyone has stayed busy with other projects, they'll be back together to run through all their hits that defined '90s pop rock.

Titus Andronicus is a rock and roll band from Glen Rock. There are four people in the band. Titus Andronicus take their name from a minor Shakespearean tragedy, not, as many people believe, from some sort of killer robot from the future. Titus Andronicus formed in the spring of 2005. Titus Andronicus' debut long player, "The Airing of Grievances" was released in April of 2008 by Troubleman Unlimited, and re-released by XL Recordings in January 2009. XL will release Titus Andronicus' sophomore long player, "The Monitor," in March 2010. Titus Andronicus have shared stages with such noted, world-famous luminaries as Yo La Tengo, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, No Age, The Hold Steady, Fucked Up, Times New Viking, and Los Campesinos. Titus Andronicus practice at Ian's house. Free Energy shares similarities with the heroes of old: Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, Boston, Fleetwood Mac,Bruce Springsteen, La Dusseldorf and pretty much every beloved rock band from the canon of classic rock radio. “The Energy,” which they are not commonly referred as, draw their inspiration from the deep well of sweet a.m. radio water.

Backwords blends modern psychedelics with folk rock, 60s pop and a myriad other sonic surprises. Like a bluebird fluttering through the prairie, Backwords delivers gentle, lazy melodies that stick to the tongue and cannot be forgotten. And like a hawk nesting atop a New York skyscraper, there is a fury—a swooping darker underside that Backwords explores at the drop of a wooden nickel. It is and is not quite The Beach Boys meeting Daniel Johnston meeting The Band meeting Wilco and all sharing a mellow joint.

Get your guitar and drink with us! Voted "Best Open Mic" by the readers of CityBeat two years in a row, our Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic is always a real hoot, and it's hosted every Monday by some of the nicest songwriters in the area. We welcome everyone - folk singers, comedians, poets and marimba players - to join our open mic family. Sign up begins at 9pm, and we'll keep it rolling until around 2am. This long-running event is a great place to catch new talent, spit-polish a couple new tunes, or even see a few surprises (you never know who's gonna show up)!

DJ Swirl keeps a huge songbook handy, so whether you're looking for that karaoke classic, or an obscure gem that'll blow everyone's mind, he'll dial it up in seconds. Metromix calls DJ Swirl a "fantastic karaoke guru," and it's even been voted a top karaoke spot by the readers of CityBeat. Karaoke Vocal Social in Juney's Lounge at the historic Southgate House... you've just gotta be here!

Zach Burns is a sweaty grizzly bear who mangles guitar strings like he’s hungry for the ghost flesh of Robert Johnson and Jack White’s heavenly love child... As that wet electric sweat hits the floor of the Down Under basement bricks, it also bounces, accordingly to the beats of the damned drums of Marshall Bertram’s haunting background... This wicked combination of gritty heart-felt blues-‐rock made me question both my relationship with god AND the devil... ’they got telephone books full of books of matches’... They will let you know how we keep starting fires. - Brett Schulte

Painwater is a contemporary Americana folk band with songs about parking lot carnivals, guys who jump out of windows trying to fly, and a dude named Kittypaws who collects bottle rockets and shotguns. It's real laid-back, without a drummer, even. Wm. Furbee brings the acoustic songwriter blues honed when he was but Billy Catfish; Chuck Cleaver (Ass Ponys, Wussy) plays earthy dobro and is already heralded all over the world as a pretty good storyteller. Melissa Fairmount (The Thirteens, Fairmount Girls) adds buoyant, lively harmony; and Steve Girton builds up nice, patient rhythm like he did leading psych-shoegaze drone-stars Sistern or wearing his crown as half the rhythm section of Melissa's previously mentioned Fairmount Girls. You should hear the stories we can tell. Maybe you will.

After holding down a monthly gig in our Lounge for years, folks... Mt. Pleasant String Band will be calling it a day. You don't wanna miss their last stand in Juney's Lounge to send 'em off with one heck of a party. Tune up the mandolin, banjo and acoustic guitar - this Bluegrass quintet is one of the most captivating and riveting around, performing old-time covers and originals alike. Aw, fellas... just don't forget to write!

Almost 30 years into their career, Jason & The Scorchers are still every bit as dynamic and mind-blowing as their vintage work. Folks, Jason & The Scorchers’ shows revolutionized the way people thought of rock ’n’ roll and country music. Lives were changed. This was back when playing a country song while wearing a Mohawk or shaved head could land the performer in the hospital - no one ever went away from a Scorchers show without having strong opinions about it, either wanted to feed them or fight them. There was something radically holy about what they did, maintaining the integrity of country while attacking the music with an energy equal to the wildest punk rock bands. R.E.M became huge fans and the bands toured together. People as disparate as Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols, Bill Wyman of The Stones, or Bill Golden from The Oak Ridge Boys came to their shows. These days, leader Jason Ringenberg rocks like he's still 18, leaping off the edge of the world, and laughing while he's doing it.

Get your guitar and drink with us! Voted "Best Open Mic" by the readers of CityBeat two years in a row, our Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic is always a real hoot, and it's hosted every Monday by some of the nicest songwriters in the area. We welcome everyone - folk singers, comedians, poets and marimba players - to join our open mic family. Sign up begins at 9pm, and we'll keep it rolling until around 2am. This long-running event is a great place to catch new talent, spit-polish a couple new tunes, or even see a few surprises (you never know who's gonna show up)!

DJ Swirl keeps a huge songbook handy, so whether you're looking for that karaoke classic, or an obscure gem that'll blow everyone's mind, he'll dial it up in seconds. Metromix calls DJ Swirl a "fantastic karaoke guru," and it's even been voted a top karaoke spot by the readers of CityBeat. Karaoke Vocal Social in Juney's Lounge at the historic Southgate House... you've just gotta be here!

Zach Burns is a sweaty grizzly bear who mangles guitar strings like he’s hungry for the ghost flesh of Robert Johnson and Jack White’s heavenly love child... As that wet electric sweat hits the floor of the Down Under basement bricks, it also bounces, accordingly to the beats of the damned drums of Marshall Bertram’s haunting background... This wicked combination of gritty heart-felt blues-‐rock made me question both my relationship with god AND the devil... ’they got telephone books full of books of matches’... They will let you know how we keep starting fires. - Brett Schulte

Emerging onto the national music scene from his home base of Boston, Ryan Montbleau has been described as something of a Martin Sexton by way of Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder. Yet Ryan Montbleau Band’s music is difficult to pigeon-hole or neatly categorize. It is original yet familiar—a fresh sound full of firmly-rooted ingredients, including Americana, folk, blues, ragtime and ’70’s R&B and soul. Whereas the band’s intriguing instrumentation and arrangements (not to mention top notch chops) help to create this unique sound, all is firmly anchored by Montbleau’s water-tight lyrics and unmistakable voice.

Clark Paterson is a country musician raised in the one stoplight town of Sandusky, Michigan. Growing up with good parents in a rural area introduced him to hard work, honesty, and good people… values that continue to define him today as both a person and an artist. As the youngest of four brothers, Clark was constantly exposed to good music like Lyle Lovett and Tom Petty, and those three older brothers also taught Clark how to fight without getting his butt kicked (at least 50% of the time). As a young man, Clark was trained at the The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Illinois. Shortly thereafter, he left the 9 to 5 world that never felt quite right and began to write and perform his own songs throughout the central United States. His recently released six-song EP, Songs for Another America, was produced by the great Mark Nevers (Andrew Bird, Bonnie Prince Billy). Clark now resides in Nashville, TN, but gets back to Sandusky as often as he can.