Starting to get Spooky!

No worries readers, I'm fully recovered from the bangin' birthday weekend and ready to rage on! Thankfully this weekend is a little less packed out, and quite a bit easier to navigate.

One thing is for sure, fall is in the air, and bands are starting to get into the Halloween Spirit!

From The Transylvania Hellhounds to the Star Gaze Festival - this is the perfect weekend to start getting spooky!

Thursday October 1, 2015

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The Flips, an indie band from the south side of Chicago, is making a stop over in town, with special guests The Joe Tillman Band at Canal Public House. If you're an indie or rock fan out for some bootleg Friday fun, this is a great choice for the evening! Music from 9 p.m. - Midnight.

Another out of town guest, Wednesday 13 (former front man for Murderdolls), is putting on a huge metal show this evening. He teams up with special guests Your Chance to Die, The Loveless, Shadow of the Mountain, and The Transylvania Hellhounds at Rockstar Pro Arena. Sounds like this is a perfect pre-Halloween throw down for the head bangin' hard rockers in town! 7 p.m. All Ages. $10 pre-sale, $13 at the door.

Friday October 2, 2015

First Fridays are always a special day downtown. If you're out enjoying the fall crisp evening, keep an eye out for The Gathering in the Oregon District. The Gathering is literally just that - a gathering of musicians and dancers who revel in celebrating life. The Mad Ones, as Jack Kerouac would put it. They are interesting and inspiring, and a true joy to watch!

It's no secret I'm a jam band fan, and love a little improv in my life! Check out my good friends, TNT & Friends jam out at Jimmie's Ladder 11. Music starts at 10 p.m. $5 cover.

Looking to get a little more funky? Freakquency, a local funk/soul band, will be performing at Delish Cafe, across from the Victoria Theatre. I've been trying to catch this band. if you go - let me know what you think! Music runs from 9 p.m. - Midnight. No cover!

Credit: Libby Ballengee

Credit: Libby Ballengee

on East Third St is hosting a Blues Jam for First Friday. I'm hearing great things about this venue and the music coming out of here, so give it a try! 8pm - 11pm. $5 cover.

Outside of the direct Dayton area? You have great live music too! The Almighty Get Down is throwing it down at Peach's Grill this evening. This band was awarded "Best Live Act of 2014" by the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. See for yourself what all the buzz is about! You won't regret it.

Local country fans! Hop in your truck to see TRUK (the band!) at JD Legends  in Franklin. This local group has been on fire lately - so give them a listen. They are at JD Legends pretty frequently, so if you miss this show, check out JD's website and take a look at what dates work for you.

A late season music festival has popped up on my radar! The Star Gaze Music and Arts Festival is two days and two nights of live music, visual art installations, flow performances, impactful workshops, and human togetherness, just outside of Oxford. Organizers encourage patrons to dig into their own creative flair with whatever inspiration takes hold in the moment. Fun! The line-up includes regional jam band favorites including: Jahman Brahman, Glostik Willy, Sassafraz, Yheti, Yosemight, Tropedelic, Subterranean and more! $70 for advance tickets.

Saturday October 3, 2015

Star Gaze festival continues today! Enjoy it!!

Credit: Libby Ballengee

Credit: Libby Ballengee

If you're wanting to get out early, and possibly stay out late, stop by

a sweet benefit show going on at

from 10 a.m. - 1 a.m.! Really

all

day! This day of art and music for the benefit of

The musicians and artists of Dayton come together for this festival to help combat the bullying of LGBT students in our local schools.

The morning youth event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature artists, speakers, and live music from Kyleen Downes, Kevin Milner, Georgia & Jill, and ThunderTaker! $3 suggested donation, $1 with student ID. The second part of the event opens at 4 p.m. and runs till 1 a.m. Killer line-up including Evil Eye Gypsy, Far from Eden, McGuff and the Dumpster Fires, Death by Fetish, Duderus, Skurt, a Shade of Red, Jasper the Colossal, and en(pde). Wow! Suggested donation is $5, or $3 with your student ID.

I'm very excited for the grand opening celebration of the The Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Hall at Stivers School for the Arts. A pre-performance reception is being held at The Liederkranz-Turner Hall offering beer, wine and heavy hors d'oeuvres . The performance will be held at 8 p.m., at the school (across the street), which features performances by local arts groups with students from Stivers School for the Arts. Tickets start at $10+. There are special patron tickets available as well! Please support this fabulous school and arts institution!

Credit: Libby Ballengee

Credit: Libby Ballengee

Who are the disco fans out there? Come on - I know you're out there!! In case you are not aware, The Bee Gee's Rockin' Orchestra with the

is this evening! My friends over at

have

for all the young professionals out there that may have missed the Bee Gee's era! Show starts promptly at 8pm. Reg priced tickets start at $28+

Local jam band and reggae fans are in for a real treat over at Oddbody's Music RoomMcLovins, a young, energetic improv band from Connecticut, will be performing as part of their larger fall tour, along with supporting act Shrub, a reggae sensation from Columbus. Doors 9pm, show 10pm. $10 at the door. SO worth it!

In the downtown area, I'm really excited to check out Topher James and the Biscuit Brigade at Trolley Stop. I listened to their music - and wow - I'm impressed! They have been compared to Sam Cooke and Stevie Wonder, so if you're looking for some quality tunes, this might be your sweet spot!

Another great option is The Snopes Family Band performing at South Park Tavern. They are a lively and upbeat band that is perfect for this neighborhood bar.

If you're in a bluegrass/folky kind of mood, this is a great time to stop by The Dublin Pub. Ryan Judy (from the band Sawgrass) will be performing starting at 9pm.

Credit: Libby Ballengee

Credit: Libby Ballengee

An interesting show is lined up over at

:

,

, and

LaBello has a progressive, synthy sound. Echo has a trip hop feel - which I love! Wish there was more of that around town. The later is self-described as pirate gypsy country punk rock stank music! ha! That makes me

real

curious to see them live!

Indie fans will be happy campers over at Blind Bob's for Noble Giants, Good Personalities, Lot Lizard, and Santah (from Chicago). Or you can head over to Canal Public House to see garage rock band, The Zygotes. Either show sounds like a rockin' time!! Cheers!

Mark your calendars! My event and promotion company, Venus Child Productions, is very excited to announce an upcoming concert: Werksgiving! Featuring The Werks, who are home from endless touring, along with special guests The Goods. This will be the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, November 25th, at Oddbody's Music Room. Show starts at 8pm. $10 pre-sale tickets are now available! $15 tickets at the door.

As always, thank you for supporting the live music scene in Dayton.

Your Dayton Music Insider,

Libby Ballengee

Note to Readers:   The information above is for October 1st-3rd. If I don't list a price, that's because I'm not sure what the price is. Generally cover charges for local shows are $5. Please click the links to find out information about the bands, venues and events, including start times, directions and pricing. Always check with the venue about start times and ticket availability. As you can see, I try to promote as many shows as possible, but there will be some I miss. Keep me in the loop:  @LibbyBallengee. You can also keep up with my adventures on Instagram here.

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