This story is featured in CityBeat's May 15 print edition. In the 1990s, Brainiac (stylized as 3RA1N1AC) was one of the biggest bands to come out of the Dayton music scene alongside Guided by Voices and The Breeders. The trifecta established Dayton as a viable music destination, to the extent that Spin Magazine wrote a feature on it ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 15 print edition. 21 Savage is a successful rapper bringing his raw and vulnerable work to the stage this summer. Born in London, 21 Savage’s birth name is Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph ..read more

Norwood’s Hi-Wire Brewing is hosting a brand-new concert series at its home at Factory 52 this summer. Wild Card Wednesdays will offer a summer of musical discovery with a concert each week from May 29 through Sept. 4. From 6-9 p.m. each Wednesday, Factory 52 will transform its lawn into a vibrant stage, hosting bands from a variety of genres throughout the season, from blues to indie rock and country ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 1 print edition. With a new EP and a live recording, ANNIE D (Ann Driscoll) will grace this spring and summer with her amazing music.  ANNIE D began her musical journey at the age of seven, beginning with guitar lessons ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 1 print edition. On May 7, celebrated singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright will appear at Ludlow Garage in Clifton. In 1998, Rufus, son of famed folk singers Loudon Wainwright and Kate McGarrigle, burst onto the music scene with his self-titled debut album, released by DreamWorks Records ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 1 print edition. Electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk will bless Cincinnati with their robot pop music this May ahead of a nine-date residency in Los Angeles. With just two U.S. dates outside of their residency — one at MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport and one in Columbus — Ohio fans have an unusual chance to catch this elusive quartet live ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 1 print edition. The body is the conduit for creating all art, but Brianna Matzke is taking it one step further for TREMOR, the latest installment of The Response Project.  This unique commissioning initiative seeks responses from composers and artists to a certain idea or piece of existing art, weaving them all together for a special, one-night-only performance ..read more

This story is featured in CityBeat's May 1 print edition. As the New York Times noted last July, Louis Langrée concludes “a quietly transformative era” as the maestro ends his 11-season tenure as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s music director with two sets of concerts in May.  It’s the end of an era for me, too ..read more

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announced today that Cristian Măcelaru will begin a five-year term as the orchestra’s music director, beginning in the autumn of 2024. Maestro Măcelaru will serve as Music Director Designate in 2024-25. Măcelaru is currently the music director of the Orchestre National de France; artistic director of the George Enescu Festival and Competition in Bucharest, Romania; and chief conductor of the WDR Sinfonieorchester in Cologne, Germany, where he will serve through the 2024-25 season and continue as artistic partner for the 2025-26 season.  ..read more

Cincinnati radio station Inhailer Radio is launching a new event that will celebrate both independent radio and music. Inhailer Radio’s Indie 500 countdown will not only play tons of great indie hits, but it will also pay homage to the legacy and history of its two iconic predecessors: WOXY and WNKU, both of which Inhailer says left indelible marks on the music scene in Cincinnati and beyond.  “WOXY, affectionately known as ‘97X,’ was a pioneer in promoting alternative and indie rock music, earning a loyal following for its adventurous playlist and discovery of emerging artists ..read more