The old saying goes that everyone complains about the weather but no one ever does anything about it. Well, MidPoint is doing something about the crummy weather: They're having the music festival anyway.

Come down to Fountain Square at 5-7 p.m. for two performances by MPMF.09 acts: Shanya Zaid & the Catch from New York City (5:00), followed by The Young Republic from Nashville (6:15). Grab a beer and food and plot your MPMF itinerary for the rest of the evening.

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Did you miss out on getting tickets to Jimmy Buffett's annual summer concert at Riverbend Saturday morning? If you didn't get them within the first 10 minutes they were on sale, you were shit out of luck because they once again sold out almost immediately. Of course, you can still pay scalpers or online "resale" sites (a.k.a. "scalpers") a couple of hundred dollars to get into the show. Or you could do ten shots of tequilla and hit yourself in the head with a hammer. Same dif.

Or you could go see a good concert this summer.

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"The Bubblegum Masquerade," you say? Indeed. A local gentleman named Paul O'Moore has put together the Saturday show under the banner of his Vibrant Fringe Productions group, an essentially pro bono, one-man promotions organization founded to "exclusively support local and regional music" and to be "a partner in rebuilding Greater Cincinnati's music scene," according to the Vibrant Fringe Web site.

And looking at the generous lineup of local acts that O'Moore's ambitious two-stage, twelve-hour, multi-genre Masquerade plans to offer, he's clearly living up to his own mission statement.

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Theory of a Deadman is a Hard Rock band that has made a dent in popular music with catchy hooks and sounds that appeal to the heartbroken everywhere. Together for over 10 years, they became hitmakers with their third album, Scars and Souvenirs, and the No. 1 hit “Bad Girlfriend,” along with other popular tracks like “Hate My Life” and “Not Meant to Be.” The band's fourth album, The Truth Is, was released last month and contains the hit single “Lowlife," currently lighting up airwaves on Rock and Pop stations across the country.

CityBeat recently spoke with guitarist Dave Brenner prior to Theory of a Deadman's set at the Kentucky State Fair, part of the Carnival of Madness tour. Brenner talked about the new record and hobbies on the road. Catch Theory of a Deadman and the Carnival of Madness at Dayton's X-Fest this Sunday. (Check the commercial below or visit here for details.)

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Can you feel it? Is it cold enough for ya? Southgate House is turning up the hot hot heat this Saturday! The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker fire up the original flames of Funk and sound out the seductive sins of Soul. Intense horns, badass bass and master guitar-itry all keepin beat for a relic manning the mic, The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker will have you groovin’ your moves for the same reasons you get down to James Brown. Come down to the House: You gotta make it your duty to groove your booty!

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Volbeat — performing at Bogart's tomorrow (Tuesday) — may not be a household name around venues in the United States, but they are an intense Danish Heavy Metal  band that has played in front of some of the largest crowds in the world overseas. The band — Michael Poulsen (vocals/guitar), Anders Kjolholm (bass), Jon Larsen (drums) and Thomas Bredahl (guitar) — is about to kick off the U.S. leg of their Grand Summer Tour, promoting Volbeat's latest album, Beyond Hell and Above Heaven. CityBeat caught up with lead vocalist Michael Poulson by phone from his home overseas to discuss the band's growing popularity in America, being naked with Metallica and the great successes of the band in Europe.

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Rockers Papa Roach hit the scene in 2000 with their most successful studio album, Infest. Six albums later, they are still headlining tours and festivals across the country including this weekend’s Rock on the Range in Columbus. 

I was able to catch up with the man behind the music, Jacoby Shaddix, the lead vocalist. The two discussed the hard times and redemption that led to Papa Roach's most recent album, The Connection, released late last year. 

Papa Roach plays Rock on the Range's Main Stage Saturday afternoon, getting the night ready for Three Days Grace, Stone Sour and The Smashing Pumpkins. Find full Rock on the Range details here.

CityBeat: What is your favorite Rock on the Range memory?

Jacoby Shaddix: Shit man, coming in headlining the second stage and utterly fucking demolishing it and being the only band asked back the next year to play the Main Stage and crushing it again.

CB: If you could trade places with anybody for one month who would it be?

JS: My wife.

CB: Why?

JS: I just want both of us to live our lives in each other’s shoes for a month. I think we both would learn a lot. I know that it is not the super mega-kick ass Rock star answer, but that is some real shit.

CB: I know you wrote the last album through some of the toughest times of your life. Are any of the songs hard to play for you personally?

JS: No, they are just really good reminders. It is like I had to re-calibrate my life and re-focus myself on what my priorities were in my life and what was important to me and where I wanted to put myself five years from now and 10 years from now. All the decisions I made in the process of making this record I believe are some of the most important decisions that I’ll make in my lifetime. I think the songs are real good reminders of that desperate place that I once was.

CB: Well my favorite song on the album when it came out was “Where Did the Angels Go”…

JS: We had a No. 1 Rock track with that song, which was fucking awesome.

CB: Can you tell me the story behind the song?

JS: As we were making the record, me and my wife had split up at that time and I was strung out again. It is no secret that I have substance abuse issues and I was caught up again and I finally decided that enough is enough. I had to stop and that just utter desperation of hanging on to life by a thread and just feeling completely alone and so broken and not really knowing if I was going to be OK. I just finally realized how much my demons ate me alive and it was time to get myself back and that is where that song came from, utter desperation.

CB: Is it hard to be on the road and stay sober?

JS: Not this time around. It used to be really hard. I have a network of sober musicians I stay really close with and I have a support group through that. 

It is finally clear to me in my life I can’t fucking drink, I can’t do drugs, because it eats me alive. I am finally on the road enjoying my life. I faced a lot of demons in the process of getting sober again and I finally put a lot of stuff to rest. I am trying to work on being in the moment, like some of that Buddhist-type culture philosophy — if I am not here now then what is the point? If I am not feeling the moment, then what is the point of my life. Just focusing on that, my spirituality makes all this other stuff that goes on out here on the road way more tolerable and way more fun. 

CB: Have you ever had an experience that led you to believe in angels?

JS: I don’t necessarily have a grasp on the idea of angels. I have an understanding of people that have come like saviors in a sense, people that have been sent to me by my higher power to show me and guide me out of the darkness. I had to be broken down to realize I needed help.

CB: People have shown up at the right time?

JS: Yes.

CB: If you could ask one question to a psychic about your future what would you ask?

JS: I wouldn’t ask anything. I wouldn’t want to know. What do you want to know? Are you going to live different or some shit? I’d rather let it be. Let the future be what it is going to be.

CB: What does your perfect day look like?

JS: Perfect day — wake up next to my wife, sex right off the bat. Then go downstairs and cook breakfast for my kids, take them to school, go for a run, dance with my wife, go fishing with my brother-in-law in the bayou swamp, stretch out and warm up, play a Rock & Roll show, then fall asleep next to my wife. That sounds pretty fucking kick ass.

CB: I know your songs that you write are very autobiographical. Have you considered writing a book or a memoir in the future?

JS: Oh definitely, that is something I am going to definitely do in my life. 100 percent.

CB: No immediate plans?

JS: No immediate plans, but I have put pen to paper. It is something that I can craft as I go along.

CB: What can the fans expect this weekend at Rock on the Range?

JS: A fan that is on fucking fire. We have been doing these festivals, May is a big festival month, and we have been fucking annihilating audiences. We just devastated Carolina Rebellion, just ripped that shit up, we had a great show. Fort Rock in Florida, Rockville down in Florida. Memphis in May was awesome at the Beale Street Festival. That was rippin’. I just feel like we are tuned up and primed for these big festivals. I have to say, all these other bands, bring your fucking A-game because P Roach is coming to town and we have come to rip it.

CB: Memphis was awesome. I saw most of the set. It was awesome. It was great as always. I look forward to shooting you guys again. Smile for the camera on Saturday.

JS: Fuck yeah. Cool. We will see you Saturday.

Icon Rock & Roll band Guns N’ Roses has been selling out arenas since their debut album Appetite for Destruction went to No. 1  in 1987. Though Axl Rose and Co. have not released an album since Chinese Democracy in 2008, they've continued to rock out across the with large-production shows, entertaining audiences not only searching for a taste of nostalgia but also value great music and a sound you cannot find anywhere else. CityBeat caught up with rhythm guitar player Richard Fortus this week and discussed his personal music path and what fans can expect from the show. Guns N’ Roses comes to Cincinnati Friday (with guests D-Generation) for a concert at US Bank Arena and it sounds like fans can expect a really long night of music. (Read our interview with current GNR/former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson here.)

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One of the strangest word combinations to ever create a band name, Death Cab for Cutie controls the alternative music scene across America. They have been a nationally touring band since 1997 with their first release. Now in their 14th year, Codes and Keys has been one of the band's most successful offerings to date. The first single, “You Are A Tourist,” received a lot of airplay on Rock radio across the country reaching number one on the Alternative charts in the U.S. The band recently released the video for its latest single, "Stay Young, Go Dancing" (view it at the bottom of this post below).

CityBeat recently spoke with bassist Nick Harmer to discuss the new album and it’s critically acclaimed reception (as well as a very scary moment on their festival run this past summer). Death Cab starts their latest tour on Friday night in Cincinnati at the PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center.

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Being the next to last show of the tour, my expectations were running pretty high for The Black Keys as they strolled into the Greater Cincinnati area, playing Covington's Madison Theater on Oct. 10.  I can at least say that I have never had quite a concert-going experience like this one.

Openers The Royal Bangs were even better than in Columbus.  The crowd really dug them and you could tell that the band was having a great time onstage.  I hope that they can make it back to the area soon.  I think they would do well at the Southgate House.  

The show sold out earlier in the day and the place was getting pretty tight as the Royal Bangs ended their set.  The lower level was packed and they were only letting people into the area as others left.  It was enjoyable to see the creative ways people were able to get beer back to their friends on the lower level.  Though I did hear more than a few people grumble about never getting alcohol for friends again.  

The crowd erupted as the Keys took the stage a little after 10.  It looked like the band was still in the zone from last night’s show in Columbus.  I did notice that there was a huge cup of tea for Dan to keep his voice going through the night.  Fortunately for him, he didn’t have to wait long for a break.  The fire alarms started going off midway through the second song of the show.  Dan and Patrick looked a little confused but tried to soldier on.  Unfortunately for everyone in the theater, they were not allowed.  The house manager came onstage and told everyone that the smoke machine had set off the alarms and that fire department needed everyone to leave the building.  Even though I knew that there was no danger, I couldn’t help but feel a little insecure as I slowly headed to the main entrance.  I couldn’t even imagine how this would have gone down if the fire were real.

The crowd outside was calmly dealing with the situation.  There were false rumors of police using tear gas and I did see the cops slam a car that was trying to leave from in front of the venue.  Around the 45 minute mark, you could see the crowd getting anxious and some stomped off cursing the band or venue.  I can’t imagine a worse way to kill the mood of a show.  The fire department finally gave the okay and got a huge cheer as they pulled away.  Another 15 minutes of slowly re-entering the venue seemed to suck any sort of energy this writer had for the evening.  It also didn’t help that the band started to play the exact same setlist as the previous night.  I gave myself a few songs, believing that the next one would be the obscure gem that I was dying to hear.  To my great disappointment, they kept playing the same songs.  
The band still sounded great, though it did feel like they were rushing a bit to make up the time.  The crowd was still very much into the performance, but something was missing for me.  The excitement from the previous night was gone.  I wasn’t mad at the venue or the band for what had transpired.  I guess I should have controlled my expectations a little more.  As midnight approached, I figured that I would salvage any joy that I still had and head for home.  I hope those that stayed had a great time. I know that they were witnessing a great performance.  I just didn’t need to see it again so soon.

— words and photos by Keith Klenowski

Find more of Keith's Black Keys' shots here.