The inaugural Bunbury festival will start on July13th at  Sawyer Point in Cincinnati, Ohio. Recently, the organizers have released the names of the headliners, namely Jane’s Addiction on July 13th, Weezer on July14th, and Death Cab for Cutie on July 15th. Tickets for the event are  $46 for one-day passes, $93 for three-day passes and are available at www.bunburyfestival.com. More acts are to be announced for the festival next week.

On Feb. 16th, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (a spin off band of Godspeed You! Black Emperor) will be playing at the MOTR Pub in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show starts at 10pm and is FREE, so if you’re into grandiose post-rock make sure you get there early. Below is their song “There is a Light” from the band’s last album, Kollaps Tradixionales. 

Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra
at MOTR Pub
Cincinnati, OH
10pm | FREE

Lexington designers Cricket Press will be celebrating the opening of their new studio and gallery, at The Gallery Hop on February 17th, from 7:00-10:00 pm. The exhibit will display their unique test prints, posters, and other works of art that will all be available for purchase. Also during The Gallery Hop, the Cricket Press will be hosting a reception in the main gallery of the Carnegie Center from 5:00-8:00 pm.

Cricket Press Studio and Gallery exhibit
501 West Sixth St
Suite 185
Feb 17
exhibit: 7pm-10pm
reception 5-8pm

You can access the building via The Bread Box building located on Bellaire Ave. For more information on this event please visit their Facebook event page or Cricket Press’ web site

Wednesday: Umphrey Mcgee’s @ Buster’s (9pm, $20 adv / $25 dos, 18+)

Thursday: The Butchers  @ Al’s Bar (9pm, $5)

One of the best bands in Lexington. A sure bet if you like mosh pits.

Thursday: Sunday Valley @ Cosmic Charlie’s (10PM  ·  18+  ·  $8)

Friday: Matt Duncan @ Al’s Bar (10pm, $5)

Anthemic, orthodox pop songs by a cabal of Lexington’s finest musicians.

Saturday: Randy Tuesday and the Two Two Tuesdays @ The Green Lantern (10pm, speculated price: $5) 

Saturday: Back on the Road to HONK!: A Monkey Monkey Monkey Bash featuring Big Fresh, March Madness Marching Band and others @ Buster’s. ($20,10pm,18+)

Fundraiser to help March Madness Marching Band get to HONK! TX again this year. It has a grand line-up  .

Lexington lucked out yet again with this special treat. Musical legend Wanda Jackson will be stopping by the store on Sunday Feb 26 for a meet and greet. After that she’ll head over to Buster’s where she’ll be playing a set later that night. Still waiting on a few more details (time of day), but mark it on your calenders now!

Wanda Jackson
Sunday 2/26
Free | All Ages

The Shins’ new album Port of Morrow is out March 20th. As expected, they’ll be doing a bit of touring including a stop in Louisville on June 9th.

The Shins
w/The Antlers
at Iroquois Amphitheater
Louisville, KY
Saturday, June 9
$30

Presale page (code: MORROW)

The presale runs until 10pm on Thursday. General sale begins 10am on Friday.

The Ford Theatre Reunion has built up quite a cult following in Lexington over the years. With a unique musical vision, filled with various appropriated musical cues, the band has carved a singular enclave. The group favors a ramshackle, theatrical approach heavily indebted to Tom Waits. Yet, while Tom Waits has built a cannon out of the poetic and the confessional, FTR favors songwriting that is at once playful and genial. The band is theatric but never serious- a perfect tone for the patrons of a bar.

When I caught the FTR at Lexington’s beloved Al’s Bar, the band was in a bit of a transitional period; one in which they worked in new, never previously performed live material soon to be released on an upcoming seven inch. As one might expect with newly performed material, there were false starts and occasionally members clearly out of step with other band members at a given time. The band always recovered nicely however, with a consistently attentive and enthusiastic crowd cheering them on. The group was comfortable in their surroundings throughout, joking with the audience whilst riding an interesting combination of cabaret and polyrthmic drumming supplied by an interesting set up of found jugs and containers. When playing a song at their best, the various compositional flourishes (tempo changes, experimentation with dynamics) pronounce the bands “kitchen sink” sensibility. Likeable and preposterous, the Ford Theatre Reunion burrowed down its own hole with contagious exuberance.

Comedian Demetri Martin will be hitting Louisville on Thursday Feb 9th. At $30, it’s a bit pricey, but probably your only chance for a long time to catch him live in the area.

Grab tickets at Improv Louisville

Here’s my picks for a couple local shows. If you know of any other great stuff going on, leave it in the comments!

Wednesday: Zoroaster at Cosmic Charlie’s
These deep drone rockers are making a stop in Lexington today. If you’re a fan of some loud metal, make the time to hit up this show.

Thursday: Sundown Service w/Good Saints at Green Lantern
[FB event] If you missed Good Saints at Cosmic Charlies this weekend, you’ve got another shot to see them with Sundown Service this week.

Friday: Cheyenne Marie Mize w/ Matt Duncan at Cosmic
[FB Event] I’m a touch bias, given that I’m co-sponsoring this show, but it’s still going to be an objectively great show.

Friday alternative: Hair Police at Sidecar
[FB event] Need more noise in your Friday night? Look no further than Hair Police’s show at Sidecar. Every Kentuckian should see them at least once.