My yearly collection of favorite songs and newly discovered artists, NOW That’s What Ed Calls Music, is available for download from the links below.

1. Frank Turner – Recovery
2. The Mowgli’s – San Francisco
3. Ha Ha Tonka – Usual Suspects
4. Kodaline – All I Want
5. Matt Nathanson – Mission Bells
6. The Oh Hello’s – Like The Dawn
7. Twin Forks – Back To You
8. Michael Franti & Spearhead – Life Is Better With You
9. Jake Bugg – Me And You
10. The Avett Brothers – Another Is Waiting
11. Ivan & Alyosha – Running For Cover
12. The Wild Feathers – The Ceiling
13. The Head And The Heart – Shake
14. Al Scorch – Working Dream
15. The Lone Bellow – Bleeding Out
16. Brett Dennen – Out Of My Head
17. Will Hoge – Strong

This compilation is available for download from Dropbox and from my site (much slower). It is also available for streaming on Spotify. Please support these artists by buying their full albums and attending their live shows. As always I hope you enjoy the compilation and happy belated holidays.

A couple of weeks ago Kim and I took an overnight trip down to Louisville without the kids. The primary destination was to see O.A.R. play at the beautiful Palace Theatre.

Beautiful Palace

This was my first time in this historic venue and I was very impressed by it. Capacity is 2700, so right around the size of the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati. Comparing the two, I think I like the Palace quite a bit more, as the architecture is so much more interesting.

Cris Cab

Opening the show was 19-year-old Cris Cab and his band. This youngster mixes pop, reggae, and soul to create music that is appealing to both young and old, which is perfect for an O.A.R. crowd. There are the aging fans who first learned of the band while both were in college, like myself, and now there is an entirely new generation of fans with the bands recent radio successes.

O.A.R.

O.A.R. played a very solid two-hour set followed up with an encore in which all members of the opening band joined them on stage for a perfect cover of The Police’s “So Lonely.” Other highlights of the set for me included “Right On Time,” “Toy Store,” “Patiently,” and their always nice to hear cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain.”

So Lonely

We had a wonderful time at the show and I was even able to dust off my old recording gear. The full show can be listened to below. Enjoy!

Two nights ago I caught a show at a place I haven’t stepped foot inside for over eight years, the 20th Century Theater in Oakley. It seems that the venue has hosted more weddings than concerts over the years, but I think it is slowly trending back towards a live music venue. The floor does not have the best layout, with a rail divider running across it horizontally, but the multiple tiers actually provide decent sight-lines even when those in the back are sitting around tables rather than standing. Plus the sound was way better inside than I remembered it to be. I hope it doesn’t take me as long to make another appearance at the historic theater.

Marquee

The opening act for the night was Greg Holden,  a New York-based British singer-songwriter. He co-wrote Phillip Phillips’ debut single “Home” so he certainly has great song-writing ability. I walked in about fifteen minutes after he started his set with Jay Foote on bass along with The Lone Bellow touring drummer Brian Griffin. At times his music was a little too quiet and subdued for the rather loud audience but I think his quirky comedic banter between songs may have encouraged it. Either way he appeared to be having a great time and even said that it was his favorite show of the tour so far.

The Lone Bellow

This was my second time this year seeing The Lone Bellow, a folk rock band from Brooklyn, NY. The first time was a late night free show in May with very few people in attendance. This time around I think that word has spread very quickly about this band and the crowd was easily double or triple in size.

Completely Unplugged

Lead vocalist Zach Williams has an amazing command over the crowd, so much so that the core trio of musicians was able to perform a couple of songs completely unplugged from both sides of the stage. The crowd was amazingly silent during these performances, but very loud when the more upbeat songs called for it. The trio of musicians (Williams along with Kanene Donehey Pipkin on mandolin and Brian Elmquist on guitar) produce amazing vocal harmonies and are joined by touring musicians Jason Pipkin (Kanene’s husband) on bass and the previously mentioned Brian Griffin on drums.

Encore

I bet the next time they come to town it won’t be to play the 20th Century, though I wish that it would be. You are more likely to find them playing the Madison Theater or some other mid-sized venue. This band is definitely going places and is much on the rise. Check out their self titled and Kickstarter funded debut album that was released earlier this year. You will not be disappointed.

A couple of Saturdays ago one of the coolest little music festivals I have ever attended took place. Mayesfest took place inside Bellevue Beach Park and was a celebration of bluegrass and American roots music. The park’s location inside historic Bellevue, KY and right on the banks of the Ohio River offered sweeping views, plenty of shade, and fun for all ages.

A temporary stage was situated so that the river was the backdrop. Between the stage area and the vending areas was the parks permanent playground, which was perfect for those attending with children. We were able to throw down a blanket under a large tree and watch both the bands playing on stage and our kids running around on the swings and slides. It doesn’t get much better than that!

The first act we saw of the afternoon was Al Scorch, who I saw for the first time earlier this year. This time he was playing a solo set, which helped his amazing banjo playing stand out even more. Al left it all up on the stage and was covered in sweat by the end of his 45 minute set. I will continue to be on the lookout for additional shows of his in the future.

Al Scorch

Next we saw a local band by the name of Hickory Robot. Fiddle player Lauren Schloemer’s pretty voice leads this quartet of talented guitar, mandolin, and bass players. They will be playing at the Washington Park’s City Apple Festival on November 2 from 3-4:30.

The final act we watched this afternoon was The Downtown County Band. Hailing from the rolling hills of Owenton KY, this group of young men are reinventing the traditional jug band sound with a style both new and unique. They will be playing the last night of Washington Park’s Bandstand Bluegrass this Thursday, October 24, from 6-8:00. I’m really hoping to attend.

We had an excellent time at Mayesfest and I hope it happens again next year!

This past weekend was the annual MidPoint Music Festival that takes place in various bars and venues around downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine. As I did last year, I only made it down for two of the three nights. I started off with a strong Thursday night and followed it up with a late Friday night. When Saturday night rolled around I was a little too tired to attempt to do it once more.

Backstage at Cody ChesnuTT

Thursday was awesome since a good friend of mine had an extra VIP bracelet that he let me use for the evening. We started with free beers and food behind the main stage in Washington Park while Cody ChesnuTT brought the funk and soul to the good sized crowd. Throughout the night I managed to see at least seven different bands.

Goodbye June at Mr. Pitiful’s

My personal highlights were Nashville’s Goodbye June who rocked everyone’s faces off at Mr. Pitiful’s along with Vandaveer from Washington, D.C. whose mellow folk sound was the perfect ending for my night. Other bands I saw included Mad Anthony, Ha Ha Tonka, and River Whyless.

Ha Ha Tonka on the Midway

Friday night I got a late start, but arrived at Washington Park just in time to see The Head and the Heart play. I was probably most excited to see this band play after seeing them once before a couple of years ago when they opened up for The Decemberists. Their latest single “Shake” can be streamed right on their website and is a good representation of their sound. Their sophomore release Let’s Be Still will be released in a couple of weeks on October 15.

The Head and the Heart

After their awesome performance I moved over to Mr. Pitiful’s to meet some friends and catch the funk rock band The Almighty Get Down followed up by hip-hop group Eclipse Movement. Both bands featured horn sections, are local to Cincinnati, and are full of energy when performing live.

Eclipse Movement at Mr. Pitiful’s

When your night ends with a keytar solo you know it was a good one.

Keytar Solo!

Tonight is the last of this summer’s Bandstand Bluegrass nights at Washington Park. This has become one of my family’s favorite activities this summer and we definitely will not miss it tonight. Our friends The Turkeys are playing from 7-9 and as always Eli’s BBQ will be there with delicious pulled pork sandwiches. Look for us there with our bottomless stroller of kiddie gear.

Lots Of Gear

This past weekend was Mumford & Sons Troy Stopover as part of the Gentlemen of the Road tour. Another one of those weekend music festivals that now require much more recovery time than years back. Or maybe I’m just having more fun at my old age.

Campers

My good friend Will lives in Troy, Ohio and he offered his place for us to crash so that we didn’t have to sleep on the floodplain with thousands of others. With that said, I’m sure the on site campground was a good time. I was just glad to have some air conditioning to escape to with the rather hot and humid weather outside.

Under The Tracks

Oh yeah, I’m sure the 4 A.M. wake up calls provided by the passing train weren’t on the top of anyone’s weekend highlights from the campground.

Main Stage

Four bands played the main stage inside the Troy High School football stadium on Friday night. Half Moon Run, a Canadian indie rock band, was my favorite from the day. Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros were the headliners of the night. I thought their set started off really slow, so I found some dinner toward the end of their set. I’m told that the last couple songs they played were great though.

Troy Stadium

Seven bands played the main stage on Saturday afternoon and evening. I only made it in for three of those, but I think they were three of the better of the day. The Vaccines are an English indie rock band and they played a good set of music while we all found our spots for the night as well as a beverage or two. Next was Old Crow Medicine Show, a great bluegrass band. They had Marcus Mumford (and others) come out on stage for an awesome rendition of Wagon Wheel to close out their set.

Mumford & Sons took the stage next and it was amazing! I’m told 35,000 people crammed into the stadium, many singing every word of every song. Their fourteen song set was then capped off by a five song encore. First covering Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m on Fire” before silencing the crowd for an amazing a capella version of “Sister.” Then another cover was played, this time was a cool take on The Beatle’s “Come Together” which then launched into the amazing duo of “Babel” and finally “The Cave.” It was my second time seeing the band play, and they were even better than the first time.

Market Street Stage

In addition to the concerts taking place in the main arena, there were two stages into the downtown Troy square with local bands playing day and night. I caught the end of a great set from “The Floorwalkers” out of Columbus. The square was free for everyone with a main stage wristband and just $5 for anyone without.

Elks Lodge

There were also small after shows and events taking place throughout the rest of the weekend. We spent our late nights at the Elks Lodge for bluegrass jams and outdoor DJ dance parties. It was a great way to cap off each day of music. If you get the change to attend a future Stopover, I would very highly recommend it. I would love to do it again.

A couple of Friday’s back my two favorite bands of all time played together at the same venue on the same night when O.A.R. opened up for the Dave Matthews Band at Riverbend. This was not the first time it has happened (the 21st time actually), nor was it the first time I’ve seen it happen (the 8th time), but it was just as memorable as the first.

Stage Right

As he normally does, Dave Matthews came out to introduce O.A.R. before their opening set. After greeting the crowd in his typical way, he had some very kind words to say about O.A.R. “They do not need to be opening up for us. In fact, if I’m lucky, maybe someday I’ll be opening up for them. Anyway, it is my great pleasure to introduce my friends, O.A.R.”

Stage Left

During O.A.R.’s opening set, touring members of the Dave Matthews Band, Jeff Coffin and Rashawn Ross, came out to play saxophone and trumpet on “Road Outside Columbus.” With O.A.R.’s touring band having two additional horn players to compliment Jerry DePizzo on saxophone, there were five horns on stage at once. It was awesome!

O.A.R. also played a new song titled “Peace” from their upcoming release later this year or next. It was a nice opening set and the entire thing can be streamed online thanks to my good friend Mike Sarnovsky. Unfortunately I do not have plans to see them headline this summer, but I’m hoping I’ll catch them again in the fall.

I had a great weekend down at the second annual Bunbury Music Festival. I did not make last year’s festival as I was out-of-town, but everyone I talked to had such positive things to say about it, that I went ahead and bought tickets for this year before a lineup was even announced. I would have preferred to have a few more acts on the bill that I was already familiar with, but I found some new acts that I really enjoyed. Plus the festival was very family friendly and in a great downtown setting. I feel it is worthy of buying again for next year before any bands are announced.

New bands that I discovered and really enjoyed include American Authors, Delta Rae, Empires, The Mowgli’s, Twenty One Pilots, A Silent Film, and Black Joe Lewis. I was also very surprised and impressed by Robert DeLong, who’s electronic style does not normally fit my tastes. However the amount of energy and ingenuity with instruments that he displayed was top-notch. Plus he had everyone in the large crowd up and dancing along, many of who I assume also do not typically listen to his style of music either.

The food and beer were not outrageously priced. In fact most of the food trucks and vendors that I saw inside the festival gates were charging the same amount as they normally would in other scenarios. All beers were $6 for what I think was a 16 ounce cup, excluding the craft beer village which was a $1 more per cup. Even though I prefer craft beer, I would have paid the extra money just to not have to wait in longer lines for domestic beer.

The policies in place for the festival are wonderful. You can come and go as you please, which allowed our kids to take a break from the festival for a few hours and still come back later in the evening. Also kids 10 and under are free with a paying adult, which is a very nice touch. They truly have created one of the best festival settings I have been to.

My one complaint that I hope can somehow be addressed would have to be large crowds at the main stage as the evening goes on. I know that large crowds are going to happen, so it seems that there needs to be a larger space for the crowds to grow. Each night the crowd would spill out onto the sidewalk next to the stage, making it very hard to get back and forth from stage to stage. There is a much larger lawn where they had the Bud Light stage setup this year, and I think that could be a much better solution for future years, even if it means not using the built-in stage and orienting the main stage in a different direction. I really think it could work and would alleviate some of the congestion issues. Other than that, I was definitely impressed and I will absolutely be back for more next year.

As I mentioned at the end of last week, I spent the weekend out in Noblesville, Indiana for two nights with the Dave Matthews Band. The area around the Klipsch Music Center, aka Verizon Wireless Music Center, aka Deer Creek, has changed a lot over the nearly fifteen years and thirteen shows I have seen at this venue, but it still continues to be one of my favorite places to catch a show.

We (myself and a dozen or so friends) do as we always do and stayed at the excellent Sleepybear Campground, which is directly across the street from the venue’s parking lots. New this year was an RV that some friends had rented, while some others in the group slept inside the farm-house for an added fee. I continued as I normally do and pitched my tent for sleeping under the stars.

Crew Cart

Our afternoons were spent playing cornhole, tossing a football, grilling food, and hanging out with a great group of friends. Of course stories from years past were shared, some of which have been told every year since. An old friend of mine is now a member of the DMB crew and he even stopped over on a branded golf cart for a surprise visit. Good to see you, Rick, and thanks for letting me get a quick photo on the cart.

Crazy Dancing Dave

Aside from a freak afternoon storm on the first day, which left some of my belongings soggy, we had great weather to go along with the music that was just as great as ever. The combo of “Best of What’s Around” and “Ants Marching” to close out the show on the first night was about as good as it gets for me. Other highlights included “Spoon” with opening act Brandi Carlile on vocals, “So Damn Lucky,” and “Hunger for the Great Light.” There were no songs repeated between the two nights, which I love to see. Overall it was another incredible weekend at Deer Creek.

Killer Light Show

Below are some additional photos I snapped at the shows.