LIVE REVIEW: Midpoint Music Festival – Cincinnati, OH
Cincinnati is not a music city by any means. Numerous bands skip the city in lieu of Columbus, OH on national tours and the city’s hottest music venues reside over the river in Kentucky. Midpoint Music Festival – now celebrating its 10th year – changes all of that for three days in September. The streets become filled in the Over the Rhine district of Cincinnati with music fans grasping wristbands and festivals guides.
The first night of the 2011 fest featured well-loved national bands like Mates of State and Suckers.
Both bands headlined a bill featuring Cincinnati’s own The Seedy Seeds. With two drummers this year, the Seedy Seeds were at their best. All three bands played an auditorium in the School of Performing Arts, a unique venue for a rock ‘n roll show. Suckers made good use of the light show and space blasting favorites like “A Mind I Knew” before Mates of State came to the stage. With the stage decked out in flowers, the band played to a standing audience.
The second night of the festival featured young Brooklyn band Ava Luna (a must-catch act for those interest in soul-based jazz fun), Okkervil River, and Deerhoof. The night also started to show the festival’s downfall: being on time. As it continued on Saturday, 9pm set times suddenly became soundchecks, and actual sets started 45 minutes later. With such a promising, tightly-timed fest, missed connections spoiled the experience. Luckily, for many, Okkervil River rocked the night.
Deerhoof played one of the only sets of the night that was on time at the same hour as Booker T, Gang Gang Dance, and numerous local favorites. The band played a to venue packed to capacity and ready to rock.
The last night of MPMF was bright light and electronic-packed. New York’s own Midnight Magic brought funky electro sounds to the festival’s largest stage before Washed Out. Ernest Green ran to the stage waving an iPad and worked to get the crowd on their feet. The band started 40 minutes late to a packed crowd excited for Cut Copy who closed out the night.
Check out even more badass photos HERE.