Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Dayton Music

Jazz Jam at Wholly Grounds

By

Experience an unforgettable evening at Wholly Ground, featuring an incredible lineup of special guest vocalists: Brenda Brookshire, Sandra Rutledge, and Audrey Whitaker Wright!


Join us for a swingin’ vocal set, followed by an open Jazz Jam session welcoming musicians of all skill levels. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a budding jazz enthusiast, bring your instrument and join the fun!


Our talented rhythm section includes Noah Ramirez on drums, Connor Smith on bass, and Moses Mabarek on keys, all led by our host and vocalist, Kelli Campbell!

Levitt Pavilion Dayton Announces Season of Free Concerts

By

Levitt Pavilion Dayton  announced the 2025 Eichelberger Concert Season, featuring a lineup of free concerts highlighting a diverse array of genres and artists. The season will officially kick off on May 31 with Funk Fest, headlined by Rick James’ Stone City Band, part of the Amplified Series powered by the City of Dayton,

This year marks the second year of the Amplified Series, which will bring back the Funk, Blues and Reggae Fests and includes the return of Jazz Fest and the premiere of Gospel Fest. The Amplified Series concerts will be held on Saturdays, with no concerts scheduled on Thursdays or Fridays of those weeks. Instead, these evenings may showcase the new PNC Community Series, supporting local organizations’ utilization of the space. Highlights include Shakespeare in the Park produced by Gem City Groundlings.

Notable dates on the 2025 Eichelberger Concert Season demonstrate how the Levitt Pavilion Dayton continues to deepen its community partnerships:

  • Pride Afterparty on June 7
  • For Dayton By Dayton music festival celebrating local talent on June 14
  • The 5th Annual Juneteenth Commemoration and Celebration on June 19
  • Honoring Our Veterans on July 4
  • Celebrating Native American Communities with the band Indigenous on August 9
  • Porchfest Afterparty on August 16
  • Kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month early with Grupo Fuego on September 6

“We continue to be committed to serving our entire community,” said Lisa Wagner, executive director, “ensuring that everyone has a seat on the lawn. Partnering with other community organizations furthers that initiative.”

All concerts in the 2025 Eichelberger Concert Season begin at 7 p.m. (with the exception of select dates) and are free and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the community. Levitt Dayton is located in Dave Hall Plaza in downtown Dayton and features lawn seating. Audience members can bring in their own lawn chairs and food and beverage – including alcohol, although glass is prohibited. Beverages can be purchased on site and lawn chair rental is available for a $5 donation.

Join us for a season of unforgettable performances and community engagement at Levitt Pavilion Dayton. For more information, visit LevittDayton.org.

Contact: Levitt Pavilion Dayton Phone: (937) 281-2144 Email: info@levittdayton.org

2025 Eichelberger Concert Season Lineup:

  • Funk Fest | Thumpdaddy, Freekbass, Rick James’ Stone City Band | Amplified Series | Saturday, May 31
  • Lanita Smith | R&B/Pop | Thursday, June 5 | Opener: Feyth M.
  • REO Classics Band ft Terry Luttrell | Classic Rock | Friday, June 6 | Opener: Eleyet McConnell
  • Pride Afterparty | Molly Grace | Pop | Saturday, June 7 | 5pm start
  • Joe Waters and the Back Porch Band | Blues | Thursday, June 12 | Opener: Rachel Litteral
  • Kyle Elderidge and the Kentucky Cowhands | Country & Western/Rockabilly | Friday, June 13 | Opener: David Payne & the Midwest Business Machines
  • For Dayton By Dayton Music Fest | Various Genres | Saturday, June 14 | 5pm start
  • Juneteenth Commemoration and Celebration ft. Goapele | R&B/Neo-Soul | Thursday, June 19 | 6pm start
  • Robbie Fulks | Bluegrass | Friday, June 20 | Opener: The Brockman Brothers
  • Say She She | Disco/Soul | Saturday, June 21 | Opener: REN1
  • Blues Fest | Shaun Booker and the Dammit Band, Doug Hart, Anthony Gomes | Amplified Series | Saturday, June 28 | 5:30 p.m. start
  • Coral Moons | Indie Pop | Thursday, July 3 | Pitts & the Vipers
  • Honoring Our Veterans | The Scotty Bratcher Band | Southern Rock | Friday, July 4
  • Sinkane | Indie/Rock/Soul | Saturday, July 5 | Opener: Solistic
  • John Papa Gros | New Orleans R&B/Funk | Thursday, July 10
  • Yam Yam | Neo-Funk/Modern | Friday, July 11 | Opener: Empire Pool
  • Davina and the Vagabonds | Jazz/Blues | Saturday, July 12 | Opener: Keigo Hirakawa Trio
  • Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes | Alt-Country/Rock | Thursday, July 17
  • Carlene Carter | Country | Friday, July 18
  • DuPont Brass | New Orleans Jazz | Saturday, July 19 | Opener: Signature Levitt Summer Camp Student Showcase
  • Gospel Fest | Ashling Cole, Johnetta Moore, James Hall Worship & Praise | Amplified Series | Saturday, July 26 | 5:30 p.m. start
  • Ace Monroe | Rock & Roll | Thursday, July 31 | Opener: Oh Condor
  • Blueprint | Hip Hop | Friday, August 1 | Opener: Safe Money
  • Art in the City | Chambers DesLauriers | Blues/Soul/Rock | Saturday, August 2 | Opener: Heather Redman & the Reputation
  • Rubén Albarrán (lead singer of Café Tacuba) | Latin Alternative/Rock en Español | Thursday, August 7
  • Ashes & Arrows | Country/Rock | Friday, August 8 | Opener: M Ross Perkins
  • Celebrating our Native American Communities | Indigenous | Rock/Blues | Saturday, August 9
  • MojoFlo | Neo-Funk | Thursday, August 14
  • Incendio | Jazz/World Guitar | Friday, August 15
  • Porchfest Afterparty | Eilen Jewel | Contemporary Folk | Saturday, August 16 | Basura
  • System Ali | Jewish-Palestinian Hip-Hop | Thursday, August 21
  • Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band | Blues | Friday, August 22
  • TBA | Saturday, August 23
  • Reggae Fest | Luv Locz, Roots Society, Etana | Amplified Series | Saturday, August 30 | 5:30 p.m. start
  • Jesse “JT Jazz” Thompson | Smooth Jazz | Thursday, September 4
  • Miller and the Other Sinners w/ special guest Nikki D | Blues | Friday, September 5 | Opener: The Eric Henry Blues Band
  • Grupo Fuego | Latin Pop | Saturday, September 6 | Dayton Salsa Project
  • Jazz Fest | Jazz Stompers, Ric Sexton, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies | Amplified/Jazz | Saturday, September 13 | 5:30 p.m. start

The venue provides access to high quality cultural and educational experiences for the entire community. Levitt Pavilion Dayton presents free family-friendly concerts with a reach annually to over 70,000 individuals of all ages and backgrounds in the Dayton region. They provide access to all, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, or socioeconomic status.  www.levittdayton.org

Levitt Pavilion Dayton is part of a national ne

Levitt Pavilion Dayton is part of a national network of changemakers and nonprofits across the country that are strengthening the social fabric of communities through free, live music. Presenting a broad array of music genres and cultural programming, Levitt concerts are welcoming and inclusive destinations where people of all ages and backgrounds come together. Learn more: www.levitt.org

X & LOS LOBOS – First-ever National Tour Together

By

Two legendary bands, one historic tour! X and Los Lobos — pillars of the Los Angeles music scene — are teaming up for their first national tour together to celebrate 99 Years of Rock ‘N Roll. With all original members in both bands still rocking stages after over six decades, this tour marks an extraordinary moment in music history. This highly anticipated tour will bring X and Los Lobos to Huber Heights, OH for a performance at Rose Music Center on Sunday, September 21.

A Legacy Like No Other

These two iconic bands have paved their own paths in the industry—DIY ethics, mainstream success, top ten lists, Grammy wins, world tours, and a steadfast dedication to their craft. Now, they join forces to bring fans a celebration of their unparalleled careers.

“48 years is a long time. 51 years, even longer. But 99 years combined is an insane number for two rock and roll bands and with the same lineup? Unheard of. That’s what we got going this year when Los Lobos team up with our good amigos X for our very first American tour together. Sounds like a celebration and everybody is invited.” – Louis Perez Jr. (Los Lobos)

“This is a dream come true for me. We’re taking the 70’s & 80’s punk roots of LA both East and West all over the country. TOGETHER! 99 years and still going strong. Let’s have a party!” Exene Cervenka (X)

In addition to the tour X have released a brand new video, narrated by Exene, celebrating over 40 years of their iconic rendition of “Wild Thing.”

A limited edition 12” picture disc vinyl including “Wild Thing,” a long-time fan favorite, as well as Exene’s narrated wild history of the song will be available via Fat Possum Records. Pre-order now. The video behind the genesis of X’s “Wild Thing” was directed by James Blagden (the genius behind Dock Ellis & The LSD No-No).

X continues to ride the success of their ninth and final studio album, Smoke & Fiction, released last year via Fat Possum Records. Produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Foo Fighters), the album debuted in the Top 10 on four Billboard charts and has been met with overwhelming praise from both critics and fans. X will perform career-spanning hits along with selections from Smoke & Fiction and their 2020 release, Alphabetland.

Do not miss this first and last tour of its kind. This has never happened before and likely to never happen again. Long live Rock ‘N’ Roll!

ABOUT X

Formed in 1977, X quickly established themselves as one of the best bands in the first wave of LA’s flourishing punk scene; becoming legendary leaders of a punk generation. Featuring vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake, their debut 45 was released on the seminal Dangerhouse label in 1978, followed by seven studio albums released from 1980-1993. Over the years, the band has released several critically acclaimed albums, topped the musical charts with regularity and performed their iconic hits on top television shows such as Letterman and American Bandstand. X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift are ranked by Rolling Stone among the top 500 greatest albums of all time.  The band continues to tour with the original line-up fully intact. In 2017, the band celebrated their 40thyear anniversary in music with a Grammy Museum exhibit opening, a Proclamation from the City of Los Angeles and being honored at a Los Angeles Dodgers game where Exene threw out the first pitch and John Doe sang the National Anthem. In 2019 X reissued and remastered their first four classic albums via their collaboration with Fat Possum Records; Los Angeles (1980), Wild Gift (1981), Under The Big Black Sun (1982) and More Fun In The New World (1983). In 2020, X celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Los Angeles and celebrated with a surprise release of Alphabetland, their first new studio album, featuring the original line-up, in 35 years.  In August of 2024 X released their ninth and final album, Smoke & Fiction.

ABOUT LOS LOBOS

For over 50 years, Los Lobos have defied musical boundaries, blending rock, blues, Tex-Mex, country, R&B, and traditional Latin sounds into a style uniquely their own. Rising from East Los Angeles in the ‘70s, the band gained widespread acclaim with their Grammy-winning cover of “La Bamba” and have since built an enduring legacy with multiple awards, hit albums, and a reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts in music. With all original members still at the helm, Los Lobos continue to push the limits of their sound while staying true to their Chicano roots.

Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, May 2 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

Levitt Season Announcement Concert w/Subterranean

By

Join your community on May 1 as Levitt Dayton announces the 2025 Eichelberger Concert season with…a concert!

Cut the ribbon on the new concession stand and pick up your season schedule as early as 6 p.m. and Subterranean takes the stage at 7 p.m.

Subterranean:

Subterranean is an improvisational rock band from Dayton, Ohio that is best experienced at a live show. Their infectious grooves and spontaneous yet polished musical ventures create a unique adventure for their audience every time they step onto a stage. The band has been together for over 10 years. Subterranean has played venues all around the region from Michigan to Kentucky, Tennessee,  Indiana and West Virginia. They have played many prestigious festivals such as The Werkout, Resonance, The Mad Tea Party Jam, and Hookahville. They have shared the stage with icons such as Ron Holloway, Bernie Worrell, Johnny Neel, and Doug Wimbish.

Plan you Visit

At the Levitt Pavilion Dayton you can tailor your experience to you! Whether you bring in your own food, beverage and lawn chair or purchase refreshments and rent a chair, your experience should be easy!

DPAA’s Free Stained Glass Concert

By

DPAA’s Stained Glass Concert—the Norma Ross Memorial Community Concerts—is part of a series of community outreach efforts in honor of the late Mrs. Norma Ross.  The concerts are a wonderful opportunity for local church musicians and choirs to collaborate alongside DPO Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Philharmonic, as well as other local arts groups.

The Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Overture from The Marriage of Figaro
Joseph Haydn Cello Concerto No. 1, 1st movement
Franz Schubert Symphony No. 5
Kirk Franklin Hosanna featuring the Grace UMC Choir (Charis Weible, Worship Arts Director)

Dark Star Orchestra brings its critically-acclaimed Grateful Dead live experience to The Rose

By

Dark Star Orchestra will bring its critically-acclaimed live, Grateful Dead tribute performance to Rose Music Center at The Heights on Saturday, August 9.

Performing to critical acclaim for over 25 years and over 3,100 shows, Dark Star Orchestra continues the Grateful Dead live concert experience. Their shows are built off the Dead’s extensive catalog and the talent of these seven fine musicians. On any given night, the band will perform a show based on a set list from the Grateful Dead’s 30 years of extensive touring or use their catalog to program a unique set list for the show. This allows fans both young and old to share the experience. By recreating set lists from the past, and by developing their own sets of Dead songs, Dark Star Orchestra offers a continually evolving artistic outlet within this musical canon. Honoring both the band and the fans, Dark Star Orchestra’s members seek out the unique style and sound of each era while simultaneously offering their own informed improvisations.

Dark Star Orchestra offers much more than the sound of the Grateful Dead, they truly encapsulate the energy and the experience. It’s about a sense of familiarity. It’s about a feeling that grabs listeners and takes over. It’s about that contagious energy…in short, it’s about the complete experience and consistent quality show that the fan receives when attending a Dark Star Orchestra show.

Dark Star Orchestra has performed throughout the entire United States, including a sold-out debut at Colorado’s Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater, plus shows in Europe and the Caribbean with the band touching down in seven different countries. DSO continues to grow its fan base by playing at larger venues for two and even three-night stands, as well as performing at major music festivals including Bonnaroo, Milwaukee’s SummerFest, The Peach Music Festival, Jam Cruise, Wanee Festival, SweetWater 420 Festival, Mountain Jam, and many more.

In addition to appearing at some of the nation’s top festival, Dark Star Orchestra hosts its own annual music festival and campaign gathering, titled the “Dark Star Jubilee”, currently in its eighth year where DSO headline all three nights and are joined by a mix of established and up and coming national touring acts. Beyond the shores of the United States, DSO has taken its internationally-acclaimed Grateful Dead tribute to the beaches of Jamaica in the dead of winter for the past six years, with their event appropriately titled ‘Jam in the Sand’. Featuring an ocean-side stage, DSO sets up camp to perform shows for four nights along the tropical sands of an all-inclusive resort, selling out the event each year for hundreds of lucky attendees.

Fans and critics haven’t been the only people caught up in the spirit of a Dark Star show. The band has featured guest performances from six original Grateful Dead members Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay, Vince Welnick, Tom Constanten and even toured with longtime Dead soundman, Dan Healy. Other notable guests have included Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman of Phish, Keller Williams, Warren Haynes, Steve Kimock, Peter Rowan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and many more.

“For us it’s a chance to recreate some of the magic that was created for us over the years,” keyboardist and vocalist Rob Barraco explains. “We offer a sort of a historical perspective at what it might have been like to go to a show in 1985, 1978 or whenever. Even for Deadheads who can say they’ve been to a hundred shows in the 90s, we offer something they never got to see live.”

Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 25 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

Levitt Season Announcement Concert

By

Join your community on May 1 as Levitt Dayton announces the 2025 Eichelberger Concert season with…a concert!

Cut the ribbon on the new concession stand and pick up your season schedule as early as 6 p.m. and Subterranean takes the stage at 7 p.m.

Subterranean:

Subterranean is an improvisational rock band from Dayton, Ohio that is best experienced at a live show. Their infectious grooves and spontaneous yet polished musical ventures create a unique adventure for their audience every time they step onto a stage. The band has been together for over 10 years. Subterranean has played venues all around the region from Michigan to Kentucky, Tennessee,  Indiana and West Virginia. They have played many prestigious festivals such as The Werkout, Resonance, The Mad Tea Party Jam, and Hookahville. They have shared the stage with icons such as Ron Holloway, Bernie Worrell, Johnny Neel, and Doug Wimbish.

Plan you Visit

At the Levitt Pavilion Dayton you can tailor your experience to you! Whether you bring in your own food, beverage and lawn chair or purchase refreshments and rent a chair, your experience should be easy!

About Levitt Dayton

Friends of Levitt Pavilion Dayton is the non-profit that manages, programs, and fundraises for the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton. Levitt Pavilion Dayton is reinvigorating Dayton’s urban core by reactivating Dave Hall Plaza, which in turn inspires people’s health, happiness, and well-being by offering enjoyable experiences through a rich spectrum of music genres. The venue also provides access to high quality cultural and educational experiences for all audiences from the community. Levitt Pavilion Dayton presents free family-friendly concerts with a reach annually to over 70,000 individuals of all ages and backgrounds in the Dayton region. As the only free major outdoor performance space in Dayton, they provide access to all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, or socioeconomic status.

The Wonderlands, crabswithoutlegs, & October Tuesday

By

The Wonderlands’ Great Escape Tour of 2025 is one of the “don’t miss” music events of the spring! This special show features two other awesome bands local bands: crabswithoutlegs and October Tuesday.

HOW TO GO?

Friday, April 18, 2025

at The Brightside (905 E 3rd St Dayton)

Doors 7pm / Show 8pm

Tickets $15 advance / $20 at door

Ticket link: https://www.venuepilot.co/events/the-wonderlands-wsg-crabswithoutlegs-october-tuesday-2025-04-18-the-brightside-music-event-venue-dayt-204be1/orders/new

Ultimate Classic Rock Tour Comes To The Rose July 3

By

KANSAS, America’s legendary progressive rock band, and southern rock titans 38 Special are joining forces for a Summer 2025 Tour.  The tour will stop in Huber Heights, OH for one night only, performing at Rose Music Center on Thursday, July 3.

KANSAS

With a legendary career spanning five decades, KANSAS has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Composing a catalogue that includes sixteen studio albums and five live albums, KANSAS has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of KANSAS), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), one quadruple-Platinum single ‘Carry On Wayward Son,’ and another triple-Platinum single ‘Dust in the Wind.’ KANSAS appeared on the Billboard charts for over 200 weeks throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan. ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and ‘Dust In the Wind’ has been played on the radio more than three million times!

The summer of 2020 marked the release of “The Absence of Presence,” KANSAS’s sixteenth studio album, which debuted at #10 on Billboard’s Top Current Albums chart.  The wide-ranging progressive rock album, released by InsideOut Music, follows-up 2016’s “The Prelude Implicit,” which debuted at #14 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart.

Throughout 2016-2022, the band celebrated the anniversaries of multi-Platinum breakout albums “Leftoverture” and “Point of Know Return” with anniversary tours for both albums. Both tours were commemorated with live album releases “Leftoverture Live & Beyond” (2017) & “Point of Know Return Live & Beyond” (2021).

The band is currently comprised of original drummer Phil Ehart, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin, guitarist Zak Rizvi, violinist/guitarist Joe Deninzon, bassist/vocalist Dan McGowan, and original guitarist Richard Williams. Drummer Eric Holmquist is currently performing on drums while Phil Ehart continues to recover from a major heart attack. With no signs of slowing down, KANSAS continues to perform in front of large and enthusiastic audiences.

Along with constant touring, KANSAS continues to remain a fixture of Classic Rock radio and popular culture. The band continues to reach a whole new audience through their unmistakable presence in various commercials, live sports broadcasts, popular video games Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Grand Theft Auto; the band’s documentary film “KANSAS: Miracles Out of Nowhere,” and a guest appearance on The CW’s television show ‘Walker.’ The band’s songs have also been included in various television shows such as ‘Supernatural,’ ‘Reacher,’ ‘All Elite Wrestling,’ ‘South Park,’ ‘The Office,’ and ‘The Simpsons;’ as well as blockbuster films including ‘Old School,’ ‘The Suicide Squad,’ ‘Anchorman,’ ‘Pitch Perfect,’ and ‘Happy Gilmore.’

38 SPECIAL

After five decades, 38 SPECIAL continues to bring their signature blast of Southern Rock to over 100 cities a year. At each and every show, thousands of audience members are amazed by the explosive power of the band’s performance. Their many Gold and Platinum album awards stand in testament to the endurance of a legendary powerhouse.

With sales in excess of 20 million, most associate the band with their arena-rock pop smashes, “Hold On Loosely,” “Rockin’ Into the Night,” “Caught Up in You,” “Fantasy Girl,” “If I’d Been the One,” “Back Where You Belong,” “Chain Lightnin’,” “Second Chance,” and more. Timeless hits that remain a staple at radio, immediately recognizable from the first opening chord and paving the way to their present-day touring regimen.

Guitarist/vocalist and founding member, DON BARNES, says it’s all about maintaining that intensity in their live shows. “We never wanted to be one of those bands that had maybe gotten a little soft, or complacent over the years. We’re a team and it’s always been kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t slack up, we stack up. We go out there every night to win.”

Completing the team is bassist BARRY DUNAWAY, drummer GARY MOFFATT and keyboardist/vocalist BOBBY CAPPS. The most recent addition to the band is legendary virtuoso guitarist and vocalist JERRY RIGGS.

For 38 Special onstage, it’s a celebration of camaraderie and brotherhood, a precision unit bringing the dedication and honesty to a long history of classic songs, as well as surprisingly fresh new material.

Since 1976, the band has released more than 15 albums. And from the start, they’ve toured relentlessly, bringing their signature brand of ‘muscle and melody’ to fans worldwide.

It is that steely determination that lives on in the hearts of these ‘Wild-Eyed Southern Boys.’

Barnes adds, “This music keeps our wheels on the road. We’re a band that’s tried to stay honest with what has driven us over the years. We started out with nothing but bold determination to make our own history and to endure. Looking back now, it has been our greatest pride to have persevered and attained that level of success and longevity. For us, it’s the ultimate validation.”

“The magic’s still there,” adds Barnes. “It’s an emotional high for us to keep ‘bringing it’ after all these years. When those lights go down and we all walk up those steps to the stage and hear that crowd roar, it’s a real rush to the head. It feels like we’re getting ready to strap ourselves in and it just takes off from there.”

Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 18 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

Open Mic Night

By

Get ready for your weekly refill of music during Tuesday Open Mic Night at Peach’s Grill with host Kyleen Downes.
All styles and experience levels are welcome to our music community.
Enjoy our Happy Hour specials from 4pm-8pm, then get ready for the hot mic of artists.

Free Show by Sinclair Jazz Ensemble

By

Music @ Sinclair presents the Sinclair Jazz and Youth Jazz Ensembles with guest vocalist, Felita LaRock, and saxophonist, Greg Pflugh. Free and open to the public, Building 2, Blair Hall Theatre.

Rock & Rock Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd Return to Rose

By

Celebrate 50 years of Lynyrd Skynyrd when they make their long-awaited return to Rose Music Center at The Heights on Sunday, June 15.

More than a half century after the release of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd,’ they resonate as deeply with their multi-generational fan base today as when they first emerged out of Jacksonville, Florida in 1973.  Few ensembles have had the deep impact in creating a lifestyle as Skynyrd has. The band travels forward with a primary mission of celebrating a legacy that honors all whom have had a resonating contribution to the lives of hundreds of millions of fans globally. Former members Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, Steve Gaines, Ed King, Billy Powell, Bob Burns, and Leon Wilkeson alongside others will forever remain significant contributors to this indelible repertoire and the band’s colorful history. Today, Lynyrd Skynyrd rocks on with a current line-up featuring Johnny Van Zant, Rickey Medlocke, Damon Johnson, Mark “Sparky” Matejka, Michael Cartellone, Keith Christopher, Peter Keys, Carol Chase and Stacy Michelle.

The rock and roll powerhouse continually tours, and as Van Zant shares, “It’s about the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and what it stands for, what the fans are all about. There’s nothing like getting out there playing a great show with Skynyrd and seeing people love this music.” 

With a catalog of over 60 albums, billions of streams, tens of millions of records sold, and the introduction of Hell House whiskey, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd remain a cultural icon that appeal to all generations.

Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 11 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

The Punk Rap Tour at Blind Bob’s

By

Legends Recording Group & Four Finger Distro present Kool Keith & MC Homeless featuring DJ Halo, Marc Live, J Stylez, Cheap Gas, and The Whiteouts.

tickets available on Eventbrite.com starting at $20

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/punk-rap-tour-2025-kool-keith-w-mc-homeless-cheap-gas-the-whiteouts-tickets-1108645421299?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

The Temptations and The Four Tops to Play The Rose

By

Celebrate 40 years of The Temptations and The Four Tops, and the 60th Anniversary of the hit song “My Girl,” when the two legendary groups reunite in Huber Heights, OH for a special performance at Rose Music Center on Thursday, August 7.

THE TEMPTATIONS

The Temptations, often referred to as American music royalty, are world-renowned superstars of entertainment, revered for their phenomenal catalog of music and prolific career. They are one of the most iconic, bestselling brands in the entertainment world today. While the group has evolved over the years, Dr. Otis Williams has continued to lead the group and carry the torch forward for the next generation of Temptations fans. The Temptations are headlining concerts around the country throughout 2025. Their concerts include fan favorites such as “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me),” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” and more.

Ranked #1 in Billboard magazine’s most recent list of the “Greatest R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of All Time,” The Temptations also appear in the magazine’s 125th Anniversary list of the “125 Greatest of All Time Artists.” In addition, Rolling Stone magazine named the group among the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.” In September of 2020, the editors of Rolling Stone magazine commented that The Temptations are “Indisputably the greatest black vocal group of the Modern Era…,” and listed the group’s Anthology album among the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The Anthology album has appeared in all three of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums’ lists.

The Temptations have been the subject of a smash hit Broadway musical, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, based on Otis Williams’ personal journey, which opened on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on March 21st, 2019. The musical received 12 Tony nominations, including Best Musical, and won the Tony Award® for Best Choreography at the 73rd Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 10, 2019. The Temptations’ heritage, influence, and contributions to not only American culture and African American communities but also to the global music landscape are monumental. The Temptations’ presence in the world today has never been more vivid, and their popularity is ever-increasing.

THE FOUR TOPS

The legendary quartet, originally called the Four Aims, made their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record on the label is indispensable to any retrospective of the decade.

Their songs, soulful and bittersweet, were across-the-board successes. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” a no. 1 R&B and Pop smash in 1965, is one of Motown’s longest-running chart toppers; “It’s The Same Old Song” (no. 2 R&B/no. 5 pop), no. 1 “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” (no. 2 R&B/no. 6 pop) and “Bernadette” (no. 3 R&B/no. 4 pop). Other Tops hits include “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and many more.

In 1990, with 24 Top-40 pop hits to their credit, the Four Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Though they would no longer have hits on record, the group continued to be a hit in concert, touring incessantly, a towering testament to the enduring legacy of the Motown Sound they helped shape and define.

“The Four Tops will always be one of the biggest and the best groups ever. Their music is forever.” – Smokey Robinson

ickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 4 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office.

A Free Evening of Music to Star Wars

By

Enjoy a fun and fascinating tour through John William’s soundtracks of the Star Wars saga in this all-ages, family-friendly multimedia presentation by Dr. Toby Rush, Associate Professor of Music Theory — joined by some very special guests from a galaxy far, far away.

free but reservations required:

https://am.ticketmaster.com/rogerglass/buy/themusicofstarwars

Heather Redman & The Reputation and Ernie Johnson at Blind Bob’s

By

Together for the first time Heather Redman & The Reputation and Ernie Johnson From Detroit will take the stage at Blind Bobs with a special solo set from Seth Gilliam! Join us for an electric night of soul, garage and psychedelic funk!  Doors at 8p music at 9p
Heather Redman & The Reputation blends the bite of late-60s garage with 70s soul to concoct a nostalgic yet timeless sound. Hailing from Dayton, Ohio’s vibrant music scene, this energetic ensemble — fronted by Redman and featuring some of the scene’s finest players puts on explosive stage shows with a sound reminiscent of artist such as Black Pumas, Alabama Shakes and Sharon Jones. Their self-titled debut spotlights Redman’s robust vocals alongside unforgettable brass refrains, cozy vintage keys, and raucous psychedelic guitar licks.
Ernie Johnson From Detroit is a Cincinnati based band that blends afrobeat, funk, and jazz with 70s psychedelia and hard rock to create a hypnotic, danceable sound that is both accessible and boundary pushing. Their stage show is a high-energy, infectious dance party that centers on intense, spontaneous improvisation combined with tight, sophisticated compositions that live inside the groove. Some of the group’s many musical influences include Fela Kuti, James Brown, Mulatu Astatke, The Budos Band, Huey Lewis, and Dio amongst others.
Seth Gilliam combines elements of rock, folk, and soul, this Dayton songsmith puts on a captivating performance with superb dynamic control, ranging from quiet and contemplative all the way to loud and defiant.