The Wheel's Still In Spin: Midpoint Music Festival - Day Two - Cincinnati, OH

Day 2 of Cincinnati's Midpoint Music Festival showed a strong increase in attendance from Thursday night. The attendance for the opening performances this evening appeared to be equal to the strongest attendance from Day 1. The crowd continue to increase throughout the night, filling Cincinnati's Main Street in its Over The Rhine district. While Day 1 seemed to gather momentum as the night progressed, Day 2 was full of powerful bands from the evening's first notes played. With more people in attendance, it was a little harder to bounce around to venues. I was able to see these bands: Western Civ, For Algernon, Direc-T, Arrow Sparrow, Brice Woodall, Loyal Divide, The Wrenfields, Twilight Revival, Coltrane Motion, Southeast Engine, Of God And Science, The Newbees, The Electric Souls, and The Jack Fords. The following is a list of some of the strongest performances.

Western Civ - This band from Chapel Hill, NC, kicked off the second day of the festival in style. Combining a dual guitar attack with the versatility of a bass player and guitar player who each also play keyboards, Western Civ mixed the tonal qualities of Built To Spill and Pavement into a refined indie pop sound.

For Algernon - Jason Wells fronts this Cincinnati band. The lineup has changed through the years, but is currently comprised of the members of The Newbees. Wells songs are dynamic and lush. This set showcased the diversity of For Algernon's range of styles, from electrified rock and roll to placid acoustic pop.

Direc-T - Traveling to the festival from Istanbul, Turkey, Direc-T presented a poppy, punk sound. Walking into their performance a few songs in, the sound began as a gypsy punk sound but quickly transformed into the grunge genre. While both of these genres are often accompanied by wild live shows, this band was more subdued than the music desired. They were a very tight band with great talent and skills.

Arrow Sparrow - My first introduction to this Cincinnati band was clicking on the link to their press kit from the Midpoint Music Festival on Tuesday. Upon hearing their audio tracks, I was immediately enthralled by the band's sound. This evening's set reinforced my initial captivation. Their performance brought to mind the sound of Being There era Wilco sung by the Mick Jagger of Sticky Fingers. The band provided a great foundation from the Rhodes piano, Gretsch bass, and Tele (with an ES-335 standing by as the backup guitar).

Coltrane Motion - I have had the privilege of seeing this two-piece band from Chicago, IL, a number of times. Each time, I marvel in the fact that they present a unique and spellbinding take on a rock & roll duo. Mixing soundscapes from an iMac, synthesizers, heavily distorted electric guitar, and captivating vocals, Coltrane Motion create music that is equal parts indie rock and equal parts dance music. The result is an original experience. Throwing themselves around the stage, bands with more members rarely match the layers of sound or energy of this band's two members.

Southeast Engine - This band hails from the Appalachian town where I went to college, Athens, OH. They mix classic and indie rock with the countrified and folk elements of the Southeastern Ohio region. The performance was secured with potent arrangements enriched by layers of guitars and keyboards.

The Newbees - A Cincinnati area band comprised of five singer-songwriters. They meld into a catchy, poppy musical outfit with a lively stage presence. This was their fourth consecutive performance at Midpoint Music Festival, dating back to 2004. As with the numerous local shows, tonight's set was upbeat, diverse, and enjoyable.

The Jack Fords - This band made the drive down I-71 from Cleveland, OH. They specialize in an Americana blues style. While the music has elements of classic rock, alt country, and rockabilly, singer Brent Kirby's phrasing was reminiscent of Jay Farrar. Their songs were memorable from the recordings I sampled in preparation for the festival, but their live performances were even better. The band was solid and energetic with two electric guitars, keyboards through a Leslie amp, and a tight rhythm section. Filling the 1:00 am set, Kirby declared that "it's hard to place last because we've been drinking and smoking pot all night. It's either gonna be hit or miss." They were definitely a hit.

Midpoint Music Festival

Midpoint Music Festival - Day One on The Wheel's Still In Spin
Midpoint Music Festival - Day Three on The Wheel's Still In Spin
Midpoint Music Festival - Overview on The Wheel's Still In Spin
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