- Dale Spradling from local band Shotgun Surprise: "He is the reason I am a musician. Hearing his talent for the first time made me fall in love with music as a whole, not just a specific genre."
- BeTrice Casada from local band Jah Soul: "Not only am I enamored by his talent, but Prince's musical genius reminded me that there is more to life than what we realize. Through the sensuality of his music, he gave us a glimpse into his spirituality, which resonated so deeply within my soul. He will never be replicated, and he is deeply missed."
- Matt Shiverdecker, former DJ from 97.7 WOXY: "I fell in love with Prince's music as a kid because it was "forbidden fruit" - I had to hide my 45 of 'I Would Die 4 U' from my mother after a clandestine purchase at the Englewood K-Mart when I was in the third grade. As I got older, I appreciated his work on a much deeper level. Never having the chance to see him play live will now forever be my greatest regret."
- Shelly Hulce, Dayton promoter and Host of a The Wax Carnival on 97.3FM WSWO: "Since the beginning of time, bold and brilliant spirits have been 'on loan' to this earth, to give us joy, stir up our thinking and move us forward in our individual creativity. He, like many before him, did the thing they were sent here to do, joyfully. What sets artists like him apart is that he spent his gift wisely to help others succeed."
It's interesting to note that Prince was a fan of Dayton's homegrown funk music. That is one of the many reason why supporting local music is so critically important. Not only is it the soundtrack of our city, it creates a ripple effect of influence that cannot be measured.
Let's carry on with a renewed sense of spirit and enthusiasm for live music this weekend! Read on to find out where and when great shows are happening near you. (Hint: Sunday night is going to be pretty sweet!)
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Friday, April 29
Classic rock fans bands, a special evening featuring the lead singer/guitarists from Kansas and Starship are performing with your Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Cool! They will be performing classics from their bands, along with epic tunes from Led Zeppelin, Heart, Journey and more! Hearing these favorite songs with strength and fullness that the Philharmonic provides is truly special. Tickets range from $29-81. Military, student and senior discounts are available. For information on tickets click here.
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
A super sweet
free
show is going down at
tonight with
, from Covington, and
, from Yellow Springs. The former is self described as "gypsy rock boogie funk" which just sounds fun, right? Grover is local crowd pleaser. These guys are definitely worth checking out, especially since it's a free show and there is a fabulous patio out back! 9:30 p.m.
Jam band fans will also be delighted with the line up at Jimmie's tonight, with Electric Orange Peel (Columbus) and Earphorik (Ft Wayne). Both bands are talented and ready to get you boogieing down with them. $5 cover.
Goodnight Goodnight, Echo Mecca, and en(p)de are sharing the stage at Oregon Express this evening. This show will be appealing to those who enjoy more of an electronic vibe / techno vibe, with a hint of spoken word. Dancing is encouraged! Show 10 p.m. $5 cover. 21+.
Metal, punk and hard rock fans, check out Lo-Pan, Bridesmaid, Kenoma, Maharaja at Blind Bob's. Get crazy kids! 9 p.m. 21+.
, a 19-year-old virtuoso who is new on the scene, is performing with special guests
at
. This is going to be a great laid back show! Lots of talent on stage. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Yellow Springs! You are in for a treat this evening, especially for rock fans. The ultra fab rock sisters, Good English, will be at Peach's performing - for free! Yeah baby! That just made your Friday a whole lot more fun, right? Special guests Manray and TOK (St Louis) are getting the night going with some straight up rock'n'roll. Again - this is a free show! Doors 9 p.m. 18+.
Toney Rocks, a talented soul-blues-roots music multi-instrumentalist, is in town on tour and performing at Taffy's in Eaton. Watch him rotate instruments and styles from 8:30-11 p.m.
Gillys_Hirakawa.jpg
Keigo Hirakawa Trio, with Eddie Brookshire and Fenton Sparks are all performing at Gilly's Jazz as part of their celebration of International Jazz Day. This is a don't miss event for jazz fans! Only $5 admission. 8 p.m.
Self-Evident, a Minneapolis rock band on an East Coast tour, cruises through town and perform with Ampline, Grenades?!, and Rottinghaus at Blind Bob's. There will be a mix of rock, punk and dark pop. Show starts at 9 p.m. 21+.
Another great rock show is going down at Jimmie's Ladder 11 this evening with Sunset Junkies (their first Dayton gig!), Scarecrow Sideshow, and A Shade of Red. Doors 8 p.m. $5 cover.
Americana, roots enthusiasts, head over to Oregon Express for a show with Elk Creek and The Ready Stance. 8 p.m. $5 cover.
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
, a tribute to the Deftones, and
, a tribute to Tool, are both performing at
. No cover! Pizza and craft beer on hand, as always. All ages show. Minors must be accompanied by adult.
North of town, at Oscar's Bar in Vandalia, catch a night packed with great local talent, including: Krunk Town Boogie, Shelby Love Brothers, Todd the Fox, Winchester Gray, McGuff and the Dumpster Fires. This is going to be a funky and fabulous evening, so swing by for a great time. Just a $5 cover for all this talent! 8 p.m.
Popular country crooner Clark Manson is at WO Wrights in Fairborn this evening. He's up and coming, and just getting more fans as he tours from Nashville across the midwest. If you are a country fan, check out this show. 9 p.m. Pre-sales were $12, so I'm thinking it may be $15 at the door.
Mike Vial, from Ann Arbor and special guest Denny Cottle, are both performing at Taffy's this evening from 8-11 p.m. Vial mixes emotional vocals and gorgeous acoustic guitar. If you enjoy classic singer/songwriters like James Taylor, you will enjoy a lovely evening in Eaton with these two.
Sunday, May 1
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
One of the most anticipated shows of the entire weekend is Widespread Panic at the Rose Music Center. These jam band heroes are finally in Dayton, and local fans could not be more excited! Doors 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $23.50 - $57 and are subject o applicable Ticketmaster fees and day of show increase. All events are rain or shine. For more information on tickets click here.
Also on Sunday is a VERY worthy benefit show, to help Tamika Bostic offset medical costs from having an artificial, electronic heart put in. Wow! The Dayton music community is coming together to show their support. Check out Cherry Lee and the Hotrod Hounds, Doug Hart Band, Dana Farley & Scott Houchens all perform at Blind Bob's. Custom motorcycle helmets will be available on auction too! 7:30 p.m. 21+.
Reminder - I'll be at the May 9th Music Power Conference, which is a cool concept to bring the Dayton music community together and learn from each other. If you go, which I hope you do, please come up and say Hello! I really enjoy meeting Dayton Music Insider readers!!
13096162_481497838706099_6033713598031667127_n.jpg
Summer Festival Alert -
Throughout the summer I'm going to keep you updated on local and regional music festivals. Due to the nature of music festivals, many are located outside of the immediate Dayton area. However, since they feature many of Dayton's best bands and are one of the true joys of summertime, I think they are important to report to you, the fans!
Music festivals truly offer a tremendous value to music fans: you get to see tons of music for a fraction of the price if you went to see them all individually, plus you get to shake off cabin fever and enjoy the gorgeous summertime weather! Plus many festivals offer so much more than just music, including yoga classes, visual art displays, unique vending and even music workshops.
This weekend is the ultra cool Paradise Music Festival, put on by pros at Essential Productions out of Cincinnati. The line up includes Papadosio, Boombox, The Floozies, and more! This festival runs this weekend from April 28th - May 1st in Pomeroy, Ohio. Two day pre-sales were $110, for reference. Single day and weekend passes will be available all weekend at the gate, although they generally are at a premium from the pre-sale price. If you're looking for a whole weekend of fun - this is truly a great event!
Also happening this weekend is Live Right Now, an intimate festival in St. Paris, Ohio, which features primarily Cincinnati and Dayton based bands. Along with live music, you can expect interactive art displays, live painting, a variety of do it yourself and gardening indoor/outdoor workshops, and many other creative activities kids and adults can enjoy! There are no pre-sales, just a $30 at the gate fee. Kids 12 & under are FREE. Price includes camping.
Credit: Libby Ballengee
Credit: Libby Ballengee
In two weeks you can catch the first ever Alchemy Rising Music Festival, located in Central Ohio, just east of Columbus. The interesting thing about this festival is that it really features a lot of Ohio bands, including a couple from Dayton. This festival is one that includes workshops for festival goers, which is really cool! It also offers one of the best values around at pre-sale weekend passes going for just $70, including camping! I can't wait for this one!
As always, thank you for supporting live music!
About the Author