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The Seventh Annual MidPoint Music Festival

Headlights

BandPoint: Headlights

Yummy, chewy goodness. There is just enough sweetness on top of the indie-pop crunch making Headlights' songs worth sinking your teeth into. The Illinois-based group has a knack for combining modern atmospherics with enough retro touches to make anyone feel at home. That doesn't make them easy listening, rather easy to listen to...again and again.

Don't miss Headlights when they play the WOXY.com stage at the Aronoff Center. Here is a video for the song TV from their first release Kill Them With Kindness.

BandPoint: Cincinnati Critical Achievement

MidPoint can tout some impressive local talent appearing at this year's festival. Don't just ask us. The Critical Achievement Awards, part of the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, are voted on by voted on by the CEA Nominating Committee. MidPoint will feature the following 2007 nominees at this year’s festival:

500 miles to Memphis, Buffalo Killers, Dan Karlsburg Group, Eat Sugar, Joe Hedges, Jon Justice Band, Pomegranates, The Seedy Seeds, The Chocolate Horse, The Lions Rampant, The Read, and Wussy. This year's full line up of bands can be found here.

Lonely China Day

BandPoint: Lonely China Day

Through the Beijing Olympics the World has seen China reaching out to fit in with the West while holding its traditions closely. Beijing's Lonely China Day could be viewed in similar fashion. Definitely more indie rock than a World sound, the band mixes a modern, minimalist approach to songwriting, still incorporating traditional Chinese music themes, melodies, and poetry.

The slow, churning guitar sounds on their debut, EP, have Lonely China Day drawing comparisons here to bands like Sigur Ros. Come to MidPoint and decide for yourself.

Robert Pollard and his new band, Boston Spaceships announce tour
kick-off debut at Cincinnati's MidPoint Music Festival September 25.

Robert Pollard's Boston Spaceships

The lineup for this year's MidPoint Music Festival is taking shape. All submitting bands and solo artists have been notified and most have confirmed their appearance. The fest — taking place in Downtown/Over the Rhine and the Southgate House (yes, there will be shuttle service) — is set for Sept. 25-27.

Several national acts have also been booked. Along with Robert Pollard and the Boston Spaceships, Seattle's The Purrs (featuring former Cincinnati musician Jim Antonio), Anticon Records' Why? (also featuring former Cincinnatians), Indie Roots band Backyard Tire Fire, Philly Indie/Pop band The Swimmers, Polyvinyl Records' Indie poppers Headlights and Chicago's organ-driven faves, Oh My God (their first local show since a serious car accident on the way to a Cincy gig) are confirmed. More national acts will be announced.

We also have plenty of great artists coming as a result of submissions. A few that stick out: Chicago-based ElectroIndie blog darlings Coltrane Motion, Brooklyn Indie/Punk band Cinema Cinema (which is featured on the new sampler CD from Magnet magazine), Columbus mixmaster Rukcus Roboticus (who is earning high praise for his Playing with Scatches CD; his new live A/V presentation sounds amazing), Chicago's 20th Century Hip Hop, New York City rockers The Death of Jason Brody, Mexican ElectroPop group The Mocks, China's (yes, THAT China) Lonely China Day, Cleveland rock band Scrimshaw, Michigan's rapper/bassist/poet/producer Yoshi and London-based Electronic/Pop group, Temposhark. And that's just scatching the surface.

Lujo Records (Lu Ho)

Also this year, MidPoint will present its first ever label showcase. The independent imprint Lujo Records, which signed Cincinnati Indie Pop foursome Pomegranates last year and released the fantastic Everything is Alive CD this year, will have its own stage. Joining the Poms' at the showcase will be similarly on-the-rise bands like Baby Teeth, Lsook Mexico, Cool Hand Luke, Dark Romantics and Mouse Fire.

Of course, there are plenty of great Greater Cincinnati acts appearing. Below is the full list of showcasing bands as of now. Keep checking mpmf.com for updates. There are still a lot more showcase acts to be announced (pending avilable slots and venues).

Click here for the full list of showcasing bands as of now.

— Mike Breen

MPMF 2008 Showcase Invite Update:

We're still in the process of inviting bands to MPMF 2008.
The number of showcase spots available will continue to evolve
as showcase venues continue to be finalized. We're just being
cautious to avoid not inviting more bands than we have showcase spots
available. If you have not received either an invitation or a decline, you
are in the running for either an invitation or a waitlist invitation.
Stay tuned, and thank you for your patience. We are aware that,
in many cases, travel arrangements need to be made etc.
If you're band that has accepted an invitation but haven't accessed the backstage module of mpmf.com, please do so immediately. If you're a band that has accepted an invitation but is having difficulty accessing the backstage module, please contact us immediately at musicstarts@mpmf.com

Invite Announcement 6/17/08:

After two months of going through a ton of great submissions, we're finally wrapping up the judging process. The invitation process will begin today and extend through the end of the month. If you're band receives one, please remember to respond within 48 hours so that we can confirm your showcase spot. MPMF would like to thank all the bands that took the time to submit for MPMF 2008. We look forward to seeing you in September! Also, check back here for weekly updates regarding performers, venues and other festival related announcements.

mpmfSuper

MidPoint Music Festival is an annual music festival in downtown Cincinnati showcasing independent local, regional, national and international artists.

Steeped in its own rich music history, Cincinnati has gained national reputation as a true music town. James Brown and Hank Williams recorded their greats at Cincinnati legacy King Records; Bootsy Collins, The Afghan Whigs, Blessed Union of Souls and Peter Frampton have all called it home.

Now in it's 7th year, MidPoint Music Festival has established itself as one of the premier music festivals in the U.S. Consequently, the Midwest region has been recognized as a champion of the newest, coolest sounds influencing the nation and beyond. Again, this September, 2008, Cincinnati will be the music epicenter where artists and fans alike come to make noise and celebrate our finest export: independent, original music.

There are three cities that have a rightful claim to be the birthplace of rock: Memphis, New Orleans and Cincinnati.
~Terry Stewart, Director, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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