· Indie Rock band Lonely the Seabird has announced its imminent demise. The band -- together for the past three years -- is doing one final show this Friday at the Southgate House Parlour with guests Loose Threads and Lazy Ass Destroyer. Most of the band members will continue making music -- Mike Fair is joining new band deliver us and Chris Wales and Eric Weber are planning a new project, to debut later this year. Greg Kertis has moved to Cleveland (he'll continue to make music as Desperate Housecats) and John Barney is now based in Louisville. The band is leaving fans something to remember them by -- they have recorded their bittersweetly excellent swan song,
Ancient Ships, which will be available for free at the show Saturday. (
myspace.com/lonelytheseabird)
· This Monday, the Reds' "Opening Day" will be the first in decades to not include the late, great player/announcer Joe Nuxhall. But Jake Speed is well on his way to starting a fun, new Opening Day tradition. On Saturday at Arnold's, the Folk singer and his band The Freddies present their second annual "Spring Training for Opening Day" show. The event is far from a simple concert -- fun asides include a mini-opening day parade through Arnold's (featuring N'awlins-styled marching band, the Queen City Zapatistas), appearances by harmonica player/Vice Mayor Jim Tarbell (dressed as "Peanut Jim") and members of a group that "recreates" games by the 1869 Red Stockings team, a live performance of "Casey at the Bat" by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company's Jeremy Dubin and peanuts and crackerjacks on every table. Local musicians Ryan Adcock and Greg Mahan will perform their own baseball-themed songs and The Freddies will do a full set of them, including Speed numbers like the Nuxhall tribute, "Old Man Joe," and "Mel Almada's Leap" about the first Mexican-born major-leaguer (the band will also do the Woody Guthrie/Wilco collaboration, "Joe DiMaggio Done It Again," from the Mermaid Avenue Volume II album). Things get started at 9 p.m. and there is no cover charge. (freddiesmusic.com)
· The Cincinnati Rollergirls roller derby league is hosting a pre-season promotional party this Saturday at Cincinnati Gardens. The skaters will be on hand to sign autographs and offer some demonstrations (plus other fun and games). The event will also mark the Rollergirls' first "battle of the bands" contest, the winners of which will have their music played during the team's games (the losers should have to skate against the Rollergirls!). Competing/performing are Code Vain, Corruption of Blood, Daughters and Sons, Faultline, In Rage, Kid Jupiter and The Frankl Project. The wheels start rollin' at 6 p.m. Saturday and the fun continues until midnight. To order tickets and for more information, go to cincinnatirollergirls.com.
· A taping for the TV show After Midnight (airing Saturdays on Channel 25) takes place Saturday at The Greenwich in Walnut Hills. Three strong and different local groups -- Souse (R&B/Funk/Jazz Fusion), Lines & Spaces (classically influenced Piano Pop) and Basic Truth (old-school R&B/Funk/Soul) -- will perform at 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Contact Mike Breen: mbreen@citybeat.com
