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!

Location has always been significant to the Books: Paul de Jong and Nick Zammuto began collaborating while living in New York City over ten years ago. The Way Out, the Books' fourth full-length album – their first since 2005’s Lost and Safe – has, from its start, also been shaped by location: the positioning of two books on a shelf, their titles cast in the same font, caught de Jong’s eye at a Salvation Army thrift store in Cincinnati while on tour; it was there the duo found an album title and a path to explore. The two have now settled with their respective new families north of New York City, and work from their home studios – de Jong from a converted bookstore in New Lebanon, NY, and Zammuto from a converted tractor garage in Readsboro, VT. They meet often in a small office located on the campus of Mass MOCA, the renowned contemporary arts museum in North Adams, MA.

Quickly becoming one of the region's absolute best roots acts, Josh Eagle and The Harvest City strum up country-driven full-on rockers and mournful, wistful acoustic ballads that recall Jeff Tweedy, Big Star, Neil Young and The Band while showcasing the talents of an amazing songwriter and his wholly unique, powerful voice. Eagle already has a great solo disc under his belt, and the band has just released their collaborative 'Show Your Teeth', so look for a diverse set that covers a lot of ground. CityBeat hurrahs his "...soft, longing, winged Folk. Eagle's gripping voice, touching finger picking and bleeding harmonicas snatch you up like the raw, intimate music of Ray Lamontagne. Soothing and originally raspy, songs hurt and heal, gliding into calmness." You'll be hearing a lot about this songwriter and his band, so take it in while there's still a place to sit. They're our Artist In Residence for the entire month of November, so you can catch 'em in the Lounge every Wednesday for free!

Doug Stanhope is a stand-up comic. Has been since 1990. His material ranges from true-life graphic perversion to volatile social criticism. Doug is vulgar, opinionated, brutally honest and shockingly uninhibited and is certainly not for everybody. He started his career in Las Vegas doing jack-off jokes for free drinks. Not much has changed, save for the mullet. Doug has built a wide-ranging television resume of dubious achievement. He hosted The Man Show on Comedy Central as well as the ubiquitous pseudo-porn for the sexually crippled, "Girls Gone Wild", both solely and shamelessly for financial gain. He has appeared on "The Howard Stern Show", "Comedy Central Presents", "Premium Blend", NBC's "Late Friday", "Spy TV" BBC's "Floor Show Live" while on ecstasy and wrote, produced and starred in Fox's "Invasion of the Hidden Cameras" and has even popped up on "Fox News with Greta Van Sustern" and "The Jerry Springer Show". But none of it compares to seeing him live. We'll even have two of area's best local comedians (and vets of our own Underbelly comedy group) getting things started, for good measure.

Country singer/songwriter Elizabeth Cook made her Grand Ole Opry debut on March 17, 2000, appearing repeatedly thereafter -- a remarkable achievement considering that, at the time, she was an indie artist with no radio airplay. But such was the excitement generated by her clear, beautiful voice, strong songwriting ability, and live performances, all of which have drawn comparisons to younger, critically respected artists like Kelly Willis and legends such as Dolly Parton. Elizabeth, born in 1972, moved to Nashville in her twenties and her major-label debut, Hey, Y'All, appeared in summer 2002 from Warner Bros. Cook released 2005's This Side of the Moon on Hog Country Records, and Balls appeared in 2007 from 31 Tigers, followed by Welder in 2010, featuring guest spots from Dwight Yoakam, Rodney Crowell, and Buddy Miller, also on 31 Tigers. (AllMusic.com)

Scott Miller blends folk and rock like there ain’t no words for. The power of storytelling with the power of a compressed electric guitar comes through this Virginian not heard since the likes of Wayne Newton (fellow Virginian) or The Statler Brothers (also of the Commonwealth.) Miller cut his teeth as a solo singer and member of the roots rock band the V-roys, the first band signed to Jack Emerson’s (R.I.P.) and Steve Earle’s E-Squared label. Miller and the Commonwealth even got the job as band leader on Jeff Foxworthy’s “Blue Collar TV” show. Six years into the deal and now a live record is released: Reconstruction. The band’s live shows are always rocking, and “just as good as any Bay City Roller’s show ever was,” according to Miller. “We’ve been a hard touring band with a show worth the hard earned money of our fans and this was a way of documenting that, if ‘documenting’ is a verb…” “I play solo half the time and I play with the band. I try to write good songs that have some brains to them, and write them well enough that I can go out and play them every night and not get sick of myself. I want what anybody else wants from a means to live: a means to live. And I mean it.”

"The Tin Hearts show a great deal of promise, fitting in nicely with the more rambunctious Bloodshot Records crowd as well as the sweeter, softer, Gillian Welch side of modern country." - The Other Paper

"Live audience response to this four-piece incarnation is spooky-strong – somewhere out in front of the tight percussion, baleful keyboards, guitar wail and carny vocals, this band awakens dancing ghosts who will cut the rug from under your feet." - XOXO Press

The W.B.J.C. was formed in October of 2009 as a means to start a new revolution in the jazz scene of Cincinnati and abroad. It is the W.B.J.C.'s goal to play an eclectic fusion of jazz, hip-hop, funk and groove music while keeping the integrity and spirit of the traditions of the jazz masters we respect so much. Most of the tunes performed live are original Wade Baker compositions or compositions by the band members/close friends' of band members which makes the listener's experience truly experimental, new and exclusive. In addition to playing new music, the band also performs standard jazz repertoire with more modern arrangements of the tunes, developed by members of the group. It is the W.B.J.C.'s main objective to continue the growth and development of jazz music as well as make it a more accessible vehicle for younger generations to love and appreciate truly amazing American music.

Sometimes, finding the inner voice that speaks the greatest truth can be a long and challenging process. For singer-songwriter Keri Noble, the Detroit native who has made her home in Minneapolis and has made her creative mark on both sides of the globe with two critically innovative and critically-acclaimed recordings, the search has paid off. “I’ve come this far to get to a place that feels like a beginning,” says Noble, who will make her Telarc debut with the release of her self-titled album. With that new beginning comes a sense of freedom. Hampered in the past by the preconceptions and unrealistic expectations of record executives and marketing operatives, her transition to Telarc puts her in a place that feels much more empowered, much more free than she’s ever felt in the four years since her recording career began.

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!

Quickly becoming one of the region's absolute best roots acts, Josh Eagle and The Harvest City strum up country-driven full-on rockers and mournful, wistful acoustic ballads that recall Jeff Tweedy, Big Star, Neil Young and The Band while showcasing the talents of an amazing songwriter and his wholly unique, powerful voice. Eagle already has a great solo disc under his belt, and the band has just released their collaborative 'Show Your Teeth', so look for a diverse set that covers a lot of ground. CityBeat hurrahs his "...soft, longing, winged Folk. Eagle's gripping voice, touching finger picking and bleeding harmonicas snatch you up like the raw, intimate music of Ray Lamontagne. Soothing and originally raspy, songs hurt and heal, gliding into calmness." You'll be hearing a lot about this songwriter and his band, so take it in while there's still a place to sit. They're our Artist In Residence for the entire month of November, so you can catch 'em in the Lounge every Wednesday for free!

"Imagine if you took the Tasmanian devil and put him in a chair with a couple of guitars, a slide, and some weird snare drum connected to a foot pedal contraption, and then demanded “MAKE MUSIC.” This explains the frenzy that is Smokestack and the Foothill Fury." - Creative Loafing

"Full of fury, like a rolling and tumbling ball of energy, Smokestack played raw, down-from-the-hills blues. A refreshing slap in the face to pretentious, over-produced pop." - Nasty Ned

"Awash in a melodic swath of near-psychedelic ether, Miller's I Made You Up teeters between that delicate dream state of newborn refuge and Milky Way haze. Don't let the SoCal singer-songwriter thing fool you: Miller's unassuming yet gumptious approach places him squarely alongside the likes of troubadours Pete Droge/Steve Forbert but with flecks of Supertramp /Bowie-style transcendental grandeur." - Blurt Magazine

Western swing, that's the thing! The Cincinnati Sidecars take us back to the '20s with that timeless, uptempo cowboy jazz. Virtuosic guitar lines dance, brassy horns drive the melody home and that fiddlin' can't be missed. This band's pretty fresh, too, so introduce yer ears to what they do - Cincinnati's answer to the call of Bob Wills and all his Texas Playboys.

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!

Quickly becoming one of the region's absolute best roots acts, Josh Eagle and The Harvest City strum up country-driven full-on rockers and mournful, wistful acoustic ballads that recall Jeff Tweedy, Big Star, Neil Young and The Band while showcasing the talents of an amazing songwriter and his wholly unique, powerful voice. Eagle already has a great solo disc under his belt, and the band has just released their collaborative 'Show Your Teeth', so look for a diverse set that covers a lot of ground. CityBeat hurrahs his "...soft, longing, winged Folk. Eagle's gripping voice, touching finger picking and bleeding harmonicas snatch you up like the raw, intimate music of Ray Lamontagne. Soothing and originally raspy, songs hurt and heal, gliding into calmness." You'll be hearing a lot about this songwriter and his band, so take it in while there's still a place to sit. They're our Artist In Residence for the entire month of November, so you can catch 'em in the Lounge every Wednesday for free!

The Felice Brothers and their long time friends and band mates Greg Farley and Christmas Clapton, come to us from the Catskill Mountains, where a homegrown sound has been working its way through the bloodlines for generations. Their rambling journey so far has brought them from busking in New York City subway stations, to tours across the world that have included enthusiastically received performances at major music festivals including Bonnaroo, All Points West, Outside Lands, and Langerado. As lead singer and songwriter of San Francisco duo Two Gallants, Adam Stephens (with band mate Tyson Vogel) released four critically acclaimed albums and toured incessantly over the past five years.

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!

Quickly becoming one of the region's absolute best roots acts, Josh Eagle and The Harvest City strum up country-driven full-on rockers and mournful, wistful acoustic ballads that recall Jeff Tweedy, Big Star, Neil Young and The Band while showcasing the talents of an amazing songwriter and his wholly unique, powerful voice. Eagle already has a great solo disc under his belt, and the band has just released their collaborative 'Show Your Teeth', so look for a diverse set that covers a lot of ground. CityBeat hurrahs his "...soft, longing, winged Folk. Eagle's gripping voice, touching finger picking and bleeding harmonicas snatch you up like the raw, intimate music of Ray Lamontagne. Soothing and originally raspy, songs hurt and heal, gliding into calmness." You'll be hearing a lot about this songwriter and his band, so take it in while there's still a place to sit. They're our Artist In Residence for the entire month of November, so you can catch 'em in the Lounge every Wednesday for free!

No other band in the Cincinnati area defines power-pop quite like the psychodots, and their annual Thanksgiving shows are one of the biggest parties of the year. Guitarist Rob Fetters, bassist Bob Nyswonger, and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Chris Arduser came together out of the legendary Raisins and the world-famous Bears.

There aren’t a lot of Warped Tour vets who can claim proficiency in the use of washboards, bottleneck slides and five-gallon buckets. Most didn’t spend their teens playing along to Charlie Patton and Bukka White albums. And just about none are fronted by a commissioned member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels. But the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, who appeared for two weeks on the 2009 Warped Tour and will be on the entire 2010 tour, are all that and more. With wild sing-a-longs and flaming washboards, their live shows have been converting skeptics left and right.

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!