Cincinnati was recently graced with Sara Watkins’ presence when she opened for Dawes in the Taft Theatre’s basement Ballroom. She’s coming back, and this time she’s the headliner.  

I’ve sprained my neck.* I’m taking Vicodin and Thursday night is the first night of MidPoint Music Festival. When my editor told me my review should be first-person and to “think, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” I snorted at just how closely it might come given my current intake of prescription drugs. No longer stoked for the experience but real...  

There’s a very thin line between knowing what you want and being thankful for what you have. A few inches to one side could see you constantly unhappy with what you earn. An inch on the other side and you’re bound to never earn anything new. Cincinnati’s on-the-rise Indie Folk duo Young Heirlooms walk that line. They’re overwhelmingly thankful for the support from Cincinnati and respect from their fans. Their gratefulness is conveyed nearly constantly, onstage and off. But, just under the surface, they’re itching for more.   

Needtobreathe loves Ohio. In the last two years, the band has played in our state more than half a dozen times. It’s OK, though. There’s no such thing as too much Needtobreathe.  

You know who there aren’t enough of in America? Guys like Paul Thorn. Thorn plays a loud version of Americana, a bluesy, Southern Rock. His lyrics often illustrate stories about rough lives, hard times and rowdy women, making him a sort of funkier Johnny Cash.  

You know what I like? Pop music. Some of you may be judging me right now and, for that, I’m judging you in return. There is absolutely no legitimate reason to dislike Pop.  

Once upon a time in a loft in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Emily Haines and James Shaw made New Wave music together. They performed around New York City calling themselves Metric and trying to scrape up enough money to pay rent and buy food. 
  

You know what I like? Pop music. Some of you may be judging me right now and, for that, I’m judging you in return. There is absolutely no legitimate reason to dislike Pop.

Of course, I get it. Most Pop music isn’t the well-written, deeper-than-the-ocean type stuff, but rather easy to understand and anchored by a catchy hook. There’s nothing wrong with that, though.  Music isn’t...  

From hope to heartache, Ashes and Roses covers a wide range of emotions and capitalizes on the experiences of a now middle-aged woman.   

A legend is coming to Cincinnati. Will you be there? Bob Dylan, who turned 71 earlier this year, has been selling records and playing gigs since before the vast majority of CityBeat’s demographic was even born.