Shows to know

Art Show Opening

Southgate House - 24 E. Third St. - Riverfront

This is going to be quite the art collection. Fifteen local artists are bringing their own style and media to the Southgate House parlour, in a grand effort to collaborate and bring together the local art and music scene. If you’re not so much into art, come later and enjoy music from Wake the Bear, an acoustic set from A Decade to Die For or dance your face off with DJ Footrub. Downstairs, the Buffalo Killers will be busting out its brand of garage rock in the ballroom with J Dorsey Blues Revival. It’s a house party. Get down, get down.

Close To Home

Mad Hatter - 620 Scott Blvd. - Riverfront

It’s hard to believe that three years have passed since Close to Home lost bassist Bradley Andress to cancer. According to the band’s MySpace blog, the past few years have been rough, and it wasn’t sure where it was headed as a band. Luck seemed to have come in the form of a manager from Los Angeles, but that didn’t work out either. Last month, the guys decided to make a fresh start, and the band is celebrating with the release of “Let It Be Known.” Tour dates have been scheduled, and the band is celebrating with Cincinnati a few days before the album’s official release. It’s a big lineup – scheduled to appear are Beneath the Sky, Pluto Revolts, I Am The Messenger and The Paramedic. Come help Close to Home revel in its fresh return to the scene.

Maurice Mattei and the Tempers

Northside Tavern - 4163 Hamilton Ave. - Northside

Maurice Mattei and The Tempers fiercely channel Bob Dylan, and the stripped tunes, void of overproduction, sound quite pleasant in tiny earbuds, so their simple beauty can only be wonderfully amplified in a live setting. The lyrical expressions are something that we can all relate to and, set to the background of the harmonica, make one long for green-grassed meadows and rocking chairs. The band released “Straggler” last week at The Redmoor, and Mattei has been releasing albums left and right since the 80s – this city’s version of Ryan Adams, if you will. The Tempers will be sharing the stage with Cletus Romp.

Hoots and Hellmouth

Southgate House - 24 E. Third St. - Riverfront

“Hallelujah for Hoots and Hellmouth” is what a pin at my desk reads. That’s quite the sentiment for a band, but once I saw them live, I could almost feel the words urging to bust out of my mouth in a loud yelp. The Philadelphia-based roots-rock band has a sound that blends three-part harmonies, guitars, a mandolin and an upright bass – perfect recipe for a crowd hoedown, if you ask me. Earlier this summer, it released “The Holy Open Secret,” its second album since the self-titled debut in 2007. If you’re a fan of The Avett Brothers, The Felice Brothers or Dr. Dog, it will take little effort to add this band to your list of loves. Hoots and Hellmouth will be stompin’ its feet with William Elliott Whitmore and Wake the Bear. Hallelujah, indeed.

Seven-Year Anniversary Party

aliveOne - 941 Pavilion St. - Mount Adams

There are a lot of birthday related things happening this week, huh? AliveOne is celebrating its seven year anniversary with a super lineup – Bad Veins and You, You’re Awesome. Both bands are hot right now. Bad Veins just returned home from a long tour (Longer than expected. Due to a faulty van, they got stuck in Austin.), and You, You’re Awesome just got home from New York City after playing CMJ. The hipsters are taking over Mt. Adams! Run! Just kidding. Maybe the popped collars need, and will appreciate, a new brand of music infused in their daily lives. DJ Matt Joy will spin in between sets, and DJ K-Smuv will showcase his tunes in the basement.

Giant Wow

Southgate House - 24 E. Third St. - Riverfront

Release alert! Release alert! Giant Wow just got “Hey Girl,” its five-song EP, pressed and packaged, and they look nice. Wanna get your hands on one? Make the trek over to the Southgate House parlour to celebrate with the band, Bootleg Rider and Goose. The new EPs are enhanced, so that means in addition to the five songs, the disk has five extra mp3s, photos and a video for the song “Cosmonaut.” The band has a knack for writing catchy pop tunes, the kind that stick in your head. We dare you to listen to “Cosmonaut” and not keep humming it for the rest of the day. If you can’t make it to the show, don’t fret – the EP will be available on iTunes in a couple weeks.