Pre-MidPoint X-Mas, MOTR, and Rambling

So, it is a mere few hours before MidPoint starts and I am sitting in a coffeehouse on the hottest September 23rd in Cincinnati history. I am excited. I feel like it is Christmas morning and my parents are not up yet, meaning I only get to see what Santa brought me in my stocking. The piled up gifts under the tree will wait until my parents awake. You can't rush this. My older siblings are on duty to keep me occupied while we wait. My Dad was up late last night putting one of my gifts together, and I need to let him sleep.

I snuck a peek at that gift Dad had to assemble last night: MOTR Pub, the newest original music venue in Cincinnati. It's on Main Street where MidPoint began and lives where Cooper's once resided. Having a Hudy Amber as I stood by the stage, I felt wave of nostalgia flow over me. I remember seeing a for Algernon show there with a huge line-up that forced the keyboardist to set up in front of the stage. It was the best I've heard them play. I don't remember what year it was, maybe 2005 or 2006, but was a time before Main Street really died. It was dying, but had not gone cold. Well, what felt good last night was that it was clear to me that Main Street has risen from the ashes and along with the rest of Over-the-Rhine it will be a cultural beacon for Cincinnati this weekend.

I know those who have not been to Over-the-Rhine since the Main Street Brewery closed last century will make dumb jokes. I don't really care anymore. The jokes have been fewer and fewer the last couple of years, as OTR and Downtown have started to return to their rightful place as the center of culture for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. They never stopped being the actual center of culture for the Cincinnati region, but those who live where chain restaurants and watching American Idol pass for culture are beginning to see how a vibrant urban care brings the most cultural value to a society.  The tide has turned.

OTR will have a permanent up-tick from MOTR and with its success will help keep MidPoint and local original music going forward in Cincinnati.

Now it's time to tweak my Day One MidPoint schedule for the 11th time.  If you are out tonight, say hi and buy me a beer!

More MidPoint Picks

Still not sure who to see at MidPoint this year? Well, Classicgrrl at Cincyvoices.com has her out of town must see bands as well as local picks.

UrbanCincy's Dave Rolfes has some advice on Midpoint, which includes info on the Fest extras and some band picks.

Mayberry Foodstuffs Coming

I'd heard rumors of this a while back, but haven't posted so that the news could break in the traditional media first. As reported by today's Business Courier, World Restaurant Group's Josh Campbell will open an "urban grocery store" at Seventh and Main this November. Josh is currently playing with Mayberry Foodstuffs as the business's name. It'll cater both to downtown residents and to downtown workers who want to take dinner home.

Josh is clearly quite excited by the idea. (And when Josh gets excited, good things happen, as anyone who's been to one of Mayberry's supper club events knows!) The store will be open until 10:00--a blessing for downtowners. Right now, if I want a loaf of bread after 7:00, I have to leave the neighborhood to get it.

I'll definitely have a review once the store opens, but this is obviously a positive step forward for downtown.

And as long as I'm saying nice things about Chef Campbell, I ought to offer two other tidbits:

First, Mayberry's lunch menu changed last week to a fall offering. I haven't tried everything yet, but can recommend both the turkey hot brown and the "Menage a Trois." (The latter is recommended only if you schedule an immediate visit with your cardiologist. The sandwich is the ultimate homage to pork: pork loin, pulled pork, and bacon hot slaw, along with brie cheese and Josh's spicy beer mustard.) The mashed potatoes are also very good--unsurprising, given Mayberry's skill with carbohydrates.

Second, next Thursday (September 30th), City Cellars will host a beer and foodie event from 7 until 10. The beer portion of the evening is dedicated to the 175th Anniversary Hudepohl Amber Lager. On the culinary menu will be dishes from Josh Campbell, including spiced lamb burgers and baby back ribs. Fifteen bucks gets you dinner and three beers. I have to teach that night, or I'd be there. Reservations required.

ENS's Guide to MidPoint 2010

The team over at Each Note Secure has the most comprehensive Indie music coverage in the City and released their guide to MidPoint which includes a two good selections of local bands to see and new hot out-of-town bands. Check it out if you are going to MidPoint.  If you read ENS why would you not be going to MidPoint?

Metromix Lists 20 Must See MidPoint Acts

The Enquirer's Metromix has listed its list of 20 acts to check out this weekend at the MidPoint Music Festival.  I am again pleased with the level of coverage the Enquirer has been given MidPoint in this being the third year that MidPoint is run by CityBeat. A large portion comes from their blog network, but there have been other good articles in Enquirer itself.  I hope to see more reports during the festival.

MidPoint Picks - Imports

I spent quite a bit of time listening to all of the MySpace/Facebook samples for this year's MidPoint line up and I've got my listing of artists I am going to try and see. No, I will not get to see all of these. I purposely skipped the Southgate House, not because the acts over there are not good, they are, I am just going to stick with OTR/Downtown venues for convenience. I also left off local bands. I usually don't go to MidPoint to see local bands, but I hope that doesn't stop others from going to out see them. Since I tend to not see full sets in order to see as much as I can, I'll catch other bands, especially local ones, that's just how MidPoint rolls. I also left off a few of the bigger acts, I figure you don't need me to tell you to go where the crowds are really big, if you want to see the popular bands.

Some groups will be great, some good, some will have off nights, and some just will not sound like their sample tracks. The most important thing everyone going to MidPoint should remember: have fun! The second thing they should remember: applaud the hard work of these musicians and make them feel welcome in Cincinnati.

So Here are my takes by day in order of appearance:

Thusrday
Male Bonding	Grammer’s	8:30 PM	Dalston, United Kingdom
Karate Coyote	Mainstay Rock Bar	10:30 PM	Columbus, OH
Van Dyke Parks	Blue Wisp Jazz Club	10:30 PM	Pasadena, CA
Shonen Knife	Contemporary Arts Center	11:00 PM	Osaka, Japan
Astro Fang	Courtyard Café	11:15 PM	Dayton, OH
Holy F*ck	Cincinnati Club	11:30 PM	Toronto, Canada
Loto Ball Show	Main Event	11:30 PM	Chicago, IL
Friday
Caribou	Grammer’s	9:30 PM	Dundas, Canada
Aaron Daniel	Segway Room	10:30 PM	Seattle, WA
The Front Bottoms	Below Zero Lounge	10:30 PM	Bergen County, NJ
Royal Bangs	Know Theatre	11:30 PM	Knoxville, TN
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir	Main Event	12:30 AM	Chicago, IL
Saturday
+/-	ArtWorks	8:00 PM	Brooklyn, NY
Caravan of Thieves	Grammer’s	8:30 PM	Bridgeport, CT
Natural Child	Main Event	10:30 PM	Nashville, TN
Love in October	ArtWorks	11:00 PM	Chicago, IL
Phantogram	Know Theatre	11:30 PM	Saratoga Springs, NY
Cults	MOTR Pub	12:00 AM	New York, NY
Kinetic Stereokids	FB’s	12:00 AM	Flint, MI
River City Extension	Arnold's Bar & Grill	12:15 AM	Toms River, NJ

WOW! WCPO Has a MidPoint Guide

Way to cover Local Music WCPO! They have a special MidPoint Music Festival section on their website with the schedule and other events during the festival, even some feature articles.  It appears CityBeat provided the copy, but I'm glad to have more coverage. I really hope to see TV cameras from WCPO and other TV stations out each night during the festival, along with lead features during every broadcast during MidPoint.

Hat Tip: Kate the Great via Twitter.