Today marks the first day of the tenth annual MidPoint Music Festival in venues throughout Over-the-Rhine (and a few Downtown). AND the President of the United States is in town. I don't think the two are related, but who knows — maybe Barack Obama is a huge Mansions on the Moon fan? Mr. President, I'm sure you're reading this on your Blackberry — stick around this evening after your speech about how fixing our crumbling, dangerous interstate bridge is probably more important than saving Carl Linder a few bucks on his tax returns and come on down to MidPoint to catch some of the hottest musical acts on the planet right now. Your Secret Service guys can watch your back, we'll be your tour-guides and, heck, I'll even buy you a beer or two (you still like Bud Light, right?). Email me ASAP and we'll set you and your crew up with wristbands (sorry, the VIP passes are all sold out).  In the meantime, here are a few suggestions (must-sees, big-timers and sleeper picks) for MPMF showcases you can check out tonight.

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Tomorrow evening on Fountain Square will be dry! I promise, or I'll personally refund your ticket money. This week's installment of the free MidPoint Indie Summer concert series on the Square features another solid bill. Joining in on the fun Friday is rootsy Indie Rock crew and Bloodshot recording artists Ha Ha Tonka, the eclectic Izzy and the Catastrophics (read more here) and our pals from great Athens, Ohio-born Indie Chamber Folk group, The Ridges.

The Ridges (MPMF vets) usually add a great personal touch to their area gigs by making cool little commercials for the event (which we've featured several times in the past). Tomorrow's show is no different. Check their latest "ad" and then click here to listen to more tunes from The Ridges.

Friday's MidPoint Indie Summer show starts at 7 p.m.

Here's a taste of Ha Ha Tonka, via the music video for the group's "Lonely Fortunes" from last year's Death of a Decade.

And here's a wild video from Izzy and Co. for the song "Mi Bailarina."

If you’re headed out to the Lindner Family Tennis Center near Kings Island in Mason for the big Western & Southern Financial Group Masters men’s semifinals Saturday evening and you are a fan/supporter of local music, be sure to arrive early and stay late. The tournament has teamed with the MidPoint Music Festival to bring in two top-notch local bands — the Folk/Pop duo Ellery and Blues rockers The Jon Justice Band — to entertain the masses.

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If you still have the energy after ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the fireworks on the river Sunday night — or if you're avoiding them altogether because you hate crowds (I'll be live tweeting the TV broadcast of the fireworks for all you homebodies) — two great Ohio bands are performing for free at Over-the-Rhine club MOTR Pub immediately following the big booms.

The fireworks after-party kicks off with Columbus Indie Rock crew Indigo Wild, a crafty, eclectic band that has built a nice following in Cincy thanks to frequent performances in the area (band members live in both Cincinnati and Ohio's capital). Here's a fun music video for Indigo Wild's song "Rowboats," featured on the band's debut release, the If By Sea EP (which came out last year around this time; click here to listen or purchase).



Headlining the show are The Ridges, an Athens, Ohio-based Orchestral Indie Folk troupe that has also amassed a solid following in Cincinnati. The MidPoint Music Festival vets — who perform in different configurations, depending on which members are available (including string and horn players) — return to play MPMF.12 in a few weeks. The Ridges are currently prepping a full-length album (recorded here in Cincinnati), so fans may even get a few new songs at the MOTR show.

The group performed at this summer's MidPoint Indie Summer concert series on Fountain Square, where they did an interview with CityBeat's John Byrne for a cool video feature. Learn more about the band and hear a few snippets of music in the piece below. (You can view more videos from Byrne's Indie Summer video series here.)

One of this year's MidPoint Music Festival participants, Brooklyn Indie rockers Bear Hands, have released a new music video for the song "High Society." The group (in town for MidPoint Sept. 24, with the venue TBA) is still out promoting its debut album, Burning Bush Supper Club, which came out last fall. Check the clip (and more info on the video) below. And don't forget — MPMF three-day tickets are available now at mpmf.com and, while they last, on Fountain Square every Friday during the MidPoint Indie Summer concerts.

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Sales of MidPoint VIP Passes end tonight at midnight, as do all online ticket sales for MPMF.11. Go here to make your online purchases of VIP Passes ($125) and 3-day wristbands ($49); you'll receive your tickets in the mail before MidPoint begins on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Biore® Skincare's giveaway of 20 free pairs of 3-day wristbands ends tomorrow at 12 noon. Register to win here.

If you prefer to buy your 3-day wristbands in person, you still have two options: visit one of 19 local retail stores in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky selling wristbands (full list is here) or stop by the MPMF.11 Ticket/Info Booth on the MidPoint Midway Thursday evening during the first night of MidPoint. You won't be able to buy a 3-day wristband at any MPMF.11 venue — only the Midway ticket booth — and you won't be able to buy one after Thursday night.

The MPMF.11 Ticket/Info Booth will also have 1-day wristbands for sale each night during the festival for $30. You won't be able to buy a 1-day wristband at any MPMF.11 venue — only the Midway ticket booth.

For a limited time (while supplies last, as they say), seriously discounted tickets for the MidPoint Music Festival — which returns to the clubs and venues of Over-the-Rhine/Downtown Sept. 26-28 — will be made available starting this Friday at 10 a.m.

During this “Loyalty Presale,” three-day “All Music Access” passes can be purchased through mpmf.cincyticket.com (the site will be live for the public tomorrow) for just $49 (they’ll be $20 more come MPMF time). They are expected to sell out fast, so get ’em while you can. For those wanting a VIP MPMF experience, the popular VIP passes will also be available Friday for $129 ($40 off the normal price). The VIP tickets get you priority admission to all shows, access to catered VIP-only events and other goodies. (Last year’s VIP passes sold out before the fest.)

In other MPMF news, if you are a musician/performer interested in being considered for a showcase slot at the festival, submissions are now being accepted via Sonicbids. The submission fee is just $20 until this Friday; after that it goes up to $25. (Those without a Sonicbids account can submit to MPMF and receive a two-week free trial of the service.)

Stay tuned to MPMF.com and this blog for the latest updates on MidPoint.

The 2010 MidPoint Music Festival is finally upon us. In fact, it actually kicks off at noon today on the outdoor plaza outside the Main Public Library at Ninth and Vine streets with local Americana/Roots favorites Magnolia Mountain. Should be a hot start to a long, action-packed weekend. Literally.

If you're looking for last-minute updates and answers to your questions, you can stop by the MidPoint World Headquarters across from the library at Garfield Suites Hotel (Vine Street and Garfield Place). They'll be open for business by noon today. The MidPoint web site is a good spot for daily schedules, venue details, maps, Metro shuttle bus info and everything else.

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I got a late start to the final night of MPMP 2010, and by the time I got to the Main Event, Natural Child only had a few songs left in their set. Having just turned old enough to get into bars a few weeks ago, it was the first time I’d stepped into the Main Event and I was happy with what I saw and heard. Housing Rock & Roll at its roots, the club featured a lot of plaid and, from what I heard, three damn good bands.

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Tonight at Rohs Street Café in Clifton Heights, local musicians get an industry trade show of their very own. The “Locally Insourced: Cincinnati Music Industry Trade Show” is being presented at the venue at 6 p.m., organized by the Counter Rhythm Group and presented in conjunction with the MidPoint Music Festival.

Along with being able to register for showcase consideration at this year’s MPMF (you can also do so now via Sonicbids; click here for details), Locally Insourced is designed specifically with Greater Cincinnati musicians in mind and features booths representing various music entities in the area, from recording studios and merch makers to local labels, radio outlets and much more. Among the vendors participating: Modern Misfit Classic Genius, Southpaw Prints, Bearcast Radio, The SoundWorkshop Recording Studio, El Rey Effects, Moonbeam Studios, Moonlight Studios, CincyMusic.com, Play It Forward, Phratry Records, DMark Video Productions, Cincyticket, Coda Photography, QCA and Sebastian Illustration.

The event is free and open to all ages. Visit locallyinsourced.com for more details.

Counter Rhythm Group main-man Brian Penick has just launched a Kickstarter project for his forthcoming interactive and customizable e-book, Musicians’ Desk Reference. Here is the pitch video that explains the project very well; click here to visit the Kickstarter page and check out the various perks your donation can earn for you.

For even more on the book, attend tonight's trade show and be sure to keep an eye on this here blog, where Penick recently began guest blogging monthly updates about the project.