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THE BATTLE IS BACK: Dayton’s Biggest Musical Showdown Returns to The Brightside

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The search for Dayton’s next breakout artist begins this winter. The Dayton Battle of the Bands is officially back for its sixth season, turning up the volume at The Brightside Music & Event Venue starting Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Dayton Battle of the Bands at The Brightside / Photo contributed

With new title sponsor Tony & Pete’s on board, this year’s competition is more than just a series of concerts, it’s a six-week gauntlet of talent featuring over two dozen local acts. From the heavy riffs of Metal night to the smooth grooves of Funk and Blues, the series offers a front-row seat to the best the Gem City has to offer.

What’s at Stake? This isn’t just for bragging rights. The overall winner will walk away with a massive prize package designed to jumpstart their career:

  • $1,000 Cash Prize

  • EP Recording Session with Huge Face Productions at Dayton Sound Studios

  • A Featured Slot on the Levitt Pavilion Dayton summer series

  • Custom merchandise and professional media assets

“We want every band to feel the ‘win’ of playing to a packed house,” says organizer Libby Ballengee. “Between the professional photos and the industry exposure, this is a launchpad for the entire scene.”

The Schedule:

  • Jan 15: Alternative / Rock

  • Jan 22: Americana / Country / Folk

  • Jan 29: Hip Hop / Rap

  • Feb 5: Hard Rock / Metal / Punk

  • Feb 12: Pop / Rock

  • Feb 19: Funk / Blues / Jam

  • March 7: THE GRAND FINALE

Doors open at 6:30 PM each week. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. All ages welcome! Grab your tickets at daytonbattleofthebands.com

D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night

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If you’re feeling the biting winds of winter already, there is going to be a reprieve this weekend at the hottest dance party of the season: the legendary D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night in The Brightside’s Vodvil Ballroom!

Making this show extra special is the fact that it’s also longtime Dayton sound engineer Monika Shroyer‘s birthday party too! What a way to celebrate! The party kicks off with D Funk’s set and then moves into after party mode with DJ Dingo. 

So grab your dancin shoes on and head on over for a truly Funkalious event!

How To Go?

Saturday November 9, 2019
at The Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St)

All ages are welcome!

Doors 8pm. Show 9pm.
$10 advance. $15 day of show.

Tickets available here: https://www.soundvalleydayton.com/events/d-funk-all-stars-with-dj-dingo

 

PorchFest – 40 Mini-Concerts In One Day

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Play Music on The Porch Day started out as an idea…“What if for one day everything stopped…and we all just listened to the music?”

Even though this seems like a simple idea, if it worked, it could produce profound results. So in 2013 the organizers of the first “Play on a Porch Day” decided to share this idea with the world and to their surprise the idea spread even faster than they could have ever imagined.

In 2017 thousands of musicians from at least 40 countries and over 400 cities – including Dayton for the first time – participated and the movement continues to grow every day. Musicians from across the globe, regardless of their differences, are finding common ground through music.

This year Dayton again participates in this growing international music phenomenon as the now annual event known as Dayton Porchfest, a free, family friendly event for all ages. The festivities take place in the historic St. Anne’s Hill neighborhood, just east of downtown. There you will find over 40 live Dayton musical acts performing on home owner’s porches. Not only do you get to listen to music all afternoon, you get to experience one of Dayton’s most charming neighborhoods!

This event celebrates Dayton’s rich and diverse music scene, with musicians and bands covering funk and blues to indie rock and jazz, classical and country, to bluegrass and old time muisc that has deep Appalachian roots here. This event also celebrates our “Welcome Dayton” spirit that has contributed to a significant influx of immigrants and refugees over the past decade.

Dayton Porchfest is organized by The Collaboratory, a non-profit incubator for community enterprises and initiatives, located on Courthouse Square. Proceeds from Porchfest go to benefit The Collaboratory. Tips for the musicians are appreciated!

St Anne’s is home to the Fifth Street Brew Pub, who will be open during the festivities. Four food trucks will also be on site, including: McNasty’s, Courtland’s Mobile Grill, Pa’s Pork, Chi-Dogs, and Gary’s Italian Ice. Be sure to scroll below for map and music schedule.

How to Go?

When: Saturday August 25th from 1:30pm – 7pm aka “International Play on the Porch” Day. See schedule below.

Where: Throughout St. Anne’s Hill Historic District located between 4th and Josie St. Please do not park in the neighborhood. Parking is available at the Liederkranz building, Stivers High School, Becker Electric, RSC Graphics, and Miami Valley Gasket. Signs will be present. See map below.

Cost: Free!

Ages: All ages welcome

Remember to bring: Sunscreen, chair, and umbrella (just in case!)

Take photos? Please use #DaytonPorchfest #MusicOnTheHill #DiscoverDayton

HeartFest: A Fun, Free & Family Friendly Wellness Festival!

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HeartFest takes place at the beautiful Natural Path Meditation Center in Beavercreek, Ohio

Stressed? Seeking some peace of mind? Aren’t we all! It’s not as complicated as we tend to imagine. Self care, through movement and meditation, can dramatically improve our ability to cope with an increasingly stressful world.

Lots of folks are unaware that we have a wonderful resource nestled right here in the Miami Valley! The Natural Path Meditation Center, a non-denominational center that teaches a heart-based form of meditation called Heartfulness, is located in Beavercreek, conveniently close to both Fairfield and I-35 (directions below).

This weekend the Center is hosting their 2nd Annual HeartFest event. It’s a FREE & fun wellness festival, with workshops and vendors for all ages! Organizers hope that by offering tools for self care and inner peace, people will be able to live a more balanced life. How wonderful would that be for our community?

Curious about meditation, yoga, and wellness? Looking for ways to cope with stress? Seeking inner peace? Something to do with the kids? All of the above? Then this is sure to be a wonderful day you won’t want to miss!

HeartFest features:

  • Heartfulness Meditation sessions all day
  • Kids Tent with Activities for all ages
  • Variety of Wellness Speakers & Vendors
  • Movement Tent offering yoga, qigong, & Melt classes + Music!
  • Food Trucks (Shakery Juice Bar, Harvest Mobile Cuisine, and Bella Sorella Pizza!)
  • For the full schedule of events, click here.

How to go?

  • 10am – 5pm on Saturday August 19, 2017.
  • Free admission!
  • Parking at St. Luke’s Parking Lot. For directions click here.

Music and skating come together in Yellow Springs

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Music and skating have always had a close relationship, especially in the Dayton region where many local songs have been used in local skating videos.  You can experience both the music and the skating live this weekend in Yellow Springs.  Sunday marks the 2010 Yellow Springs Skate-Music Fest, a daytime event that helps raise money to maintain the Yellow Springs Skate Park.  The festival is 3-8pm at the Bryan Center Skate Park in Yellow Springs.

Featured in the lineup is Yellow Springs/Springfield band The Show, Dayton’s Fuzz Hound, and Yellow Springs’ favorites Doctor Meat, and Psychonaut Suitcase.  The festival also features three younger bands: Blue Moon Soup, The Hat Trick and Francisco & Hammy.  The younger bands will compete against each other for the “SMuRF Award,” and a chance to play at Peaches Grill.  Tickets are $3 for those under 18 and $5 for adults.

This event is part of the Yellow Springs Experience.  For more on that event, check out Frank Coleman’s post here on DaytonMostMetro.com.

The weekend in music starts early

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The Fourth of July holiday gave some of us the opportunity to have a short work week.  Looking ahead to this weekend in music, it looks like we’re getting a head start on things with several great shows slated for Thursday night.

Here’s the rundown:

– South Park Tavern will feature Brooklyn’s the Judy Blooms along with Roley Yuma and Andy Smith of Andrew & the Pretty Punchers.  For those unfamiliar with the Judy Blooms, it’s the brainchild of former Daytonian Jake Geisege who you may remember from the band Wild & Free.  This all-ages show is $5 and begins around 9pm.

– Forgoing the usual Thursday open mic night for a week, Blind Bob’s is featuring an evening of music presented by Poptek Records.  Chicago’s The Love of Everything will join Poptek’s own Kris N on the stage.  Brooklyn’s Vox Humana and local musician (and Blind Bob’s open mic host) Brandon Hawk will round out the bill. This show is 21+ and costs $5.

– If you want to rock out for a cause, head over to Vex.  The Jackalopes will join Jasper the Colossal along with Todd the Fox and Henrique Couto and the Tallywacker Express (members of Splattertude).  The show is a benefit for local filmmaker, Andy Copp’s newest project, Church of the Eyes.  This show is $5 at the door and gets started around 10pm.

-You can also put your vote in for Round One of the Dayton Band Playoffs over at Canal Street Tavern.  Thursday night features performances by The Whataveya, N.P.D., and A Shade of Red.  $3 gets you in the door, and you’ll get to vote on your favorite act during this seeding round of the Playoffs (the top 16 bands move on to Round Two).

Do-Tell Records Show Tonight at South Park Tavern

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Wednesdays at South Park Tavern are usually reserved for the Rock-n-Roll Play Date, the open mic night we told you about in an earlier post here on Dayton Most Metro.  Tonight, however, is an exception.  Do-Tell Records is bringing Minneapolis band Off With Their Heads to town along with Dear Landlord (also from Minneapolis).  They’ll be joined onstage by local punk band,  Raging Nathans.  This all-ages show is $7 and gets started around 9pm.

Two Great Shows for Your Sunday Night

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The music doesn’t have to stop on Saturday.  There are two great shows downtown on this Sunday night.

The Sunset Showdown Series at Blind Bob’s continues this Sunday night with three great acts.  Singer-songwriter David Payne will perform along with Columbus band Old Worlds and Grey Leaves.  This is show is 18 and up and gets started around 8pm.

The Story Changes is getting ready to go back on tour this summer.  They’ll be playing an all-ages send-off show on Sunday night at South Park Tavern with Nightbeast and the Dirty Socialites. This one also gets started around 8pm.

Thursday Night: Smug Brothers and Turkish Delights

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Another great weekend of music in Dayton kicks off Thursday at South Park Tavern.  Local favorites the Smug Brothers will will join the Turkish Delights in welcoming Columbus’ Kyle Sowashes to town.  This all-ages show gets started around 9pm – perfect for grabbing a later dinner at South Park Tavern.

Local Bands pay tribute to the Talking Heads

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On Saturday, May 1st, DJ Masterkid will present the latest installment in his series of local tribute shows.  Life During Wartime will feature local bands playing songs by the Talking Heads as well as their own original material.  Sleepfleet, The Sics, Red Blast Radio, Atomic Euphoria, David A Berry, and Nine False Suns are all on the bill, and DJ Masterkid will spin additional Talking Heads tunes that the bands aren’t performing.  This all-ages show is at South Park Tavern, and admission is $5.

Sleepybird and the Rebel Set headline South Park Tavern on Saturday

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RebelSleepyLast fall the Rebel Set and Sleepybird each unveiled a highly anticipated album on the same day.  These two albums, Across the Relentless Sea and The Sadness Will Last Forever, went on to tie for Best Local Album in WYSO Best of 2009  Listener Poll.

This Saturday you’ll have a chance to see both bands in one place: the stage at South Park Tavern.  They’ll be joined by Andy Smith (Andrew and the Pretty Punchers) who will open the show with an acoustic set.  As with other shows at South Park Tavern, this one is all-ages and starts (and ends) a little earlier so it’s a good idea to arrive close to 9pm.

Start your weekend with rock and roll on Thursday night

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SPT showThere’s nothing wrong with starting to dream of the weekend this early, and likewise, there’s nothing wrong with getting your weekend started on a Thursday night.  So here are a few shows happening this Thursday to get you rolling…and rocking:

Canal Street Tavern will present the very catchy Dan Raridan and the Calientes.  They’ll be joined onstage by Yellow Springs band Mercury Mouth and the Fair Shakes.  The show starts at 9pm.

Over at South Park Tavern, locals Ed vs. Radio and Bernoulli will play host to Brooklyn’s Breaking Laces.  This all-ages show gets underway at 9pm and is $5.

If an open mic night is more of your thing, Blind Bob’s has it covered with its weekly open mic night.

Do you know of another great show happening this Thursday?  Share it in the comments!

The Weekend in Music (It’s a big one)

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Before a certain rabbit brings baskets of chocolates and marshmallow birds, there’s going to be a lot happening in Dayton.  You’ve got a lot of choices when it comes to live music this weekend, so here’s a rundown of just some of the shows worth hearing and seeing:

FRIDAY – 8_bit

-Singer/songwriter, BJSR will perform at Practice Yoga on Fifth Street as part of First Friday celebrations.  Practice Yoga’s spring party runs from 7 to 10pm and will feature a photography display from Matthew J. Cline, free yoga class passes for first time visitors and more.

-Also part of First Friday, Puzzle of Light will perform at Jay’s Seafood Restaurant in the Oregon District.  Call ahead for dinner reservations, but if you’re planning on coming for dessert or a drink and the music, it’ll get started around 9pm.

–Bonneville and Shrug will be hitting the stage at Canal Street Tavern around 9:30pm.  This show is $5 and promises to be a great way to usher in the weekend.

–Over at Blind Bobs, 8-Bit Revival and The Lab Partners will be celebrating the duel release show along with Okay Lindon that I told you about a few posts ago.

SATURDAY-

–Me & the MountainMe & Mountains will perform at South Park Tavern with recently reformed Ed vs. Radio and Covington’s Frontier Folk Nebraska.  This all-ages show begins at 9pm and the cost is $5.

-Touring band Lollipop Factory will stop by Canal Street Tavern to celebrate the release of their new EP.  They’re sharing the bill with the Luxury Pushers and The Dirty Socialites who are making their local debut.  This show should be getting underway around 9pm.

–Mountain Screamer will celebrate the release of their debut album at Jimmie’s Cornerstone on Brown Street.  They’ll share the stage with Northwest Ordinance and last year’s Dayton Band Playoff winners, the Turkish Delights.  This show is $5 and the music starts at 9pm.

These are just some of the great shows you can catch this weekend right here in Dayton.  Who are you excited about seeing this weekend?  What other weekend plans do you have?

Thursday: Wake Up Mordecai at South Park Tavern

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n357909660348_5681Poptek Records artist Wake Up Mordecai will be playing at South Park Tavern on Thursday, April 1st.  Also on the bill are Cincinnati’s The Minor Leagues and local act Sleep Fleet (formerly All Alliteration Aside).  This all-ages show gets underway at 9pm – so perfect timing to enjoy one of South Park Tavern’s great pizzas and hear some great music.  Puns about being a fool for missing this show are entirely optional.

For a preview, check out Wake Up Mordecai’s live performance on Kaleidoscope from last summer.

The Lions Rampant and The Professors at South Park Tavern

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ProfsCincinnati-based act The Lions Rampant will be celebrating the release of their new full-length album, It’s Fun to Do Bad Things this Saturday, March 27 at South Park Tavern.  They’ll be hitting the stage with local act The Professors whose latest album, Will Not Lie Down, is available for free download here. This is an all-ages and the cost is $5.  Don’t forget that shows at South Park Tavern generally start and end a little earlier than some of the other venues in town so get there at 9:30pm to catch all the music.

For more on The Lions Rampant’s new album, check out my interview with members of the band a few days ago on Kaleidoscope.

Monday Night Girl Fight Brings an All-Ages Show to C-Space

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l_81c56c399f2e42c0ba3901c6e6c395f8Start your week off with some good old fashion rock and roll.  On Monday, March 15th, local ladies Jasper the Colossal will play host to national act The Dollyrots (Blackheart Records).  It’s all an all-ages show called Monday Night Girl Fight at C{Space (20 N. Jefferson St, Dayton, Ohio 45402) and will also feature music from Sucker Punch Sally and Misunderstood.  The doors open at 8pm, and entry is $5