Cincinnati CityBeat is now the proud operator of the MidPoint Music Festival, which will return Sept. 25-27. A huge overhaul of the event is underway. Over the course of five years, MidPoint founders Sean Rhiney and Bill Donabedian developed their labor of love into one of the preeminent showcases for unsigned bands in the country. Their dedication to the up-and-coming artist should forever be commended as it has helped Cincinnati's profile as a "music city" in the midst of our current musical renaissance period.
CityBeat will keep true to that initial spirit and also work to broaden the appeal of the fest overall. Unsigned bands will still be a large focus of the event. Any and all artists interested in performing can submit for consideration now at mpmf.com.
No more industry panels (at least this year), just music. Over the next few weeks we'll be making further announcements about the fest (keep an eye on our music blog at blogs.citybeat.com/spill_it), culminating with an event at Below Zero Lounge in Over-the-Rhine (the former alchemize and Cavern locale) on April 9. The Omaha-based band Cursive, members of Connor Oberst's Saddle Creek Records family, will perform at the April 9 launch event. (mpmf.com) Rumors, Lies and General Misunderstandings · Indie Rock crew Wussy keep racking up the accolades for their sophomore album, Left for Dead. The band plays its last show in the area this Friday at the Southgate House before heading out for a tour that starts in Austin, Tex., where Wussy has several high-profile shows slated at South By Southwest. (Lots of locals are headed to Austin this year for SXSW, including Bad Veins, The Chocolate Horse, Jeff Roberson, The Stapletons, patientZero and Kim Taylor.) Wussy was a centerpiece of an article in the current issue of Spin magazine (the one with Vampire Weekend on the cover) about the Cincinnati music scene, and NPR also featured the group as part of the network's "Second Stage" series. Wussy will also be releasing a new EP on Shake It Records next month. The disc is similar to last year's pre-album-release teaser, the handmade Cure For Rigor Mortis EP, and will feature a couple of new tracks (and no covers). Singer/guitarist Lisa Walker says the group hopes to start recording a new album this spring, with an eye on getting it done by the end of this year. (wussymusic.com)
· The "Soundtrack Night" presented by local experimental music saviors Art Damage, Inc. picks up this Wednesday at The Gypsy Hut in Northside. The interesting series teams various local sonic sculptors and musicians with a film of their choice, for which they create a new "soundtrack" and perform it live on stage with the movie. Wednesday's free 10 p.m. event features electronicists French Crips (performing to an excerpt from Ira Cohen's Invasion of the Thunderbolt Pagoda), Columbus' Rocc Di Pietro and ISCH, a new ensemble featuring former and current members of The Wolverton Brothers, The Libertines, The Ass Ponys, BPA and The Afghan Whigs.
Contact Mike Breen: mbreen@citybeat.com
