If your New Year’s resolution was to embrace more local music, then you’ve stumbled upon the right post. Columbus bands are wasting no time in 2019 with scheduling shows, and so far in January they’re packed in tight and happening all around the city. There are events at venues spanning from one end of High St. (Ace of Cups) to another (Brother’s Drake), but also at classic spots such as Rumba Cafe and Big Room Bar. Variety is bountiful in Columbus, and the local music scene is no exception.
Below you can find six local concerts happening this upcoming month throughout the city.
Remember Sports w/ Trace Mountains, didi & snarls @ Ace of Cups
An even two-two split on this bill between homegrown and out-of-towner acts, this show is already setting an incredible precedent for local shows in 2019. Starting with those closest to our city’s heart, didi recently garnered some national attention after Pitchfork reviewed their album with a highly favorable mark, while snarls experienced a 2018 rich with regional visibility. Trace Mountains, the folk and indie rock project of Dave Benton, and former Kenyon College kids Remember Sports round out this stacked lineup.
Time: Doors 7 p.m. Date: Thursday, Jan. 3 Address: 2619 N. High St. Admission: $10 adv. / $12 DOS
Something Else Record Release Show w/ Hello Luna @ Big Room Bar
If you thought the previous show was stacked with natives, wait until you see how this one rounds out. Not only is this concert taking place at the revered Big Room Bar but it's also a celebration of the debut of Something Else’s new record, which you can expect to be melancholy based off of their latest releases. Alternative rockers Hello Luna, rock ‘n’ roll rebels RADATTACK, younguns Forever Unknown and Zach Frost will be joining the party as well. Seeing three of these bands for $10 is highway robbery; five for the same price and you’re driving away with the car as well.
Time: 7 p.m. Date: Friday, Jan. 4 Address: 1036 S. Front St. Admission: $10 adv. / $12 DOS
Miller and The Hunks @ Skully’s Music-Diner
And it keeps on getting better. Judging by these stacked lineups that greet us in 2019, the local talent pool is ostensibly getting deeper, creating a more pronounced national scene for Columbus. When a local band like Miller and The Hunks nabs a headlining show at a venue where national acts regularly perform, it's a true indication of organic growth. Cousin Simple and Girl Fox will be in attendance as well to supply additional overpowering rock music to this show. Also providing electrik pop support is Chicago’s Chnnll.
Time: Doors 7:30 p.m. Date: Friday, Jan. 11 Address: 1151 N. High St. Admission: $10 adv. / $12 DOS
wyd w/ Dominique Larue & Mister Moon @ Rumba Cafe
This performance might just take the cake for most intimate show from this collection of concerts. Behind the same brain of Souther—one of Columbus Alive’s Bands to Watch in 2018—multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter Carly Fratianne also presents wyd, a folk-pop outfit that’s capable of taking you through a myriad of emotions. wyd will be joined by equally passionate rapper Dominique Larue, who released her most revealing project to date this past year, and the spacey Mister Moon. Rumba is one of Columbus’ most diverse venues, and the assortment of genres on this billing truly captures a glimpse into the local music scene.
Time: Doors 8 p.m. Date: Saturday, Jan. 12 Address: 2507 Summit St. Admission: $5 GA / $7 under 21
Raft Captain @ Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza
From the geniuses behind the horn-powered Huntertones comes Raft Captain, another expansive experience of saxophone, bass and drums. Manned by Dan White, Adam DeAscentis and John Hubbell respectively, Raft Captain will be exploring a wide-range of genres and periods over the course of their Natalie’s performance. The trio will also be cooking up original material along with nods to their musical idols, which include Sheryl Crow, The Police and Thundercat.
Time: 9 p.m. Date: Thursday, Jan. 24 Address: 5601 N. High St., Worthington, OH Admission: $5 student / $10 GA / $15 reserved
Winter Werk Out Pre-Party @ Brother’s Drake Meadery
With the lavish talent that the Columbus community boasts, at times there can be an overabundance of tribute shows. From Jimi Hendrix to The Beatles to the plethora of Halloween cover shows, our city’s musicians love to put on for the artists who first piqued their interest to play live music. For some, that band may have been Radiohead, who has prompted progressive NYC multi-instrumentalists Consider the Source to pay their own respects for the prelude to the Winter Werk Out festival. The intimate event will also feature local favorites Conscious Pilot presenting a tribute to classic rock music.
Time: 8 p.m. Date: Thursday, Jan. 31 Address: 26 E. 5th Ave. Admission: $10 GA
