MidPoint Night 1

1st night of Midpoint Music Festival and I have just picked up my pass. It is hot and I gave up smoking 8 months ago. My trusty photographer is running late and I'm waiting for him in front of alchemize, afraid that at any minute Nick Spencer is going yell at me for loitering in front of his place (just kidding Nick). So here was my night:

9:00 Black Tractor at alchemize
There was too much anger for one band. Beside the anti-Semitic remarks in their stage banter, it was hard to understand any lyrics. I did catch some of the words to "Cut That Shit"-- a catchy one-chord odyssey into hair care. I will never get my time or hearing back again.

10:00 Wussy at Club Dream
Wussy defines Cincinnati music and a lot of that has to do with local legend Chuck Cleaver. It's hard rocking with just a slight "twang" and oh so much heart. The only bad thing I could say about the show was the fact that there was not attendance. In fact it seemed like there were more reporters than fans.

11:00 Patchwork at alchemize
Long ago some of these guys were my students. It is amazing to see how far they have come. They straddled the riff between rock and heavy metal and could go either way very easily. I like to think that I taught them their pop sensibility, great time keeping and wicked solos. Ididn'tw I didn't teach them to wear ball caps on stage (you're rock stars, c'mon, dress like it)