Kate Wakefield of Cincinnati duo Lung, who play the Rhythm Brew fest SaturdayHailey BollingerThe Rhythm Brew Art & Music Festival began in 2017 as a free two-day event in Northern Kentucky that was heavy on Americana. In its second year, Rhythm Brew expanded greatly, adding several touring acts, a broader stylistic spectrum and an extra day of music.
The festival returns this weekend for its third annual event with another new wrinkle — Rhythm Brew has moved to Cincinnati proper and will unfold on three stages Friday-Sunday at Riverfront Live (4343 Kellogg Ave., East End, riverfrontlivecincy.com).
What hasn’t changed in the festival’s three-year history is its dedication to spotlighting local art and music. This year’s Rhythm Brew is dominated by some of the best acts from the Greater Cincinnati music scene, representing everything from EDM, AltPop and Indie Rock to Americana, Jamgrass and Funk.
On Friday, music begins at 5:30 p.m. and locals performing include Common Center, Kaitlyn Peace & The Electric Generals, Highly Likely, Eyeris Wide, The Electric Indigo and Bangs. Area Electronic/Dance artists Paulk, Vusive and BRWN BEAR will perform late-night sets until 3 a.m.
Harbour, Lung, Sylmar, Frontier Folk Nebraska, Multimagic, Sundae Drives. Abby Vice, Physco, Slow Glows, Coastal Club, Moira and Mavenne are the area artists performing Saturday. Joining them will be out-of-towners Jon Worthy & the Bends (from Nashville), North Georgia’s Jacob Bryant and popular Indianapolis Grateful Dead tribute outfit Hyryder. Paulk will again play a late night DJ set on Saturday.
On Sunday the headliners include Sublime tribute act Badfish, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Chance McCoy and Kansas Electronic duo The Floozies, as well as nationally-renowned Cincinnati “Trashgrass” heroes Rumpke Mountain Boys. The rest of Sunday’s Rhythm Brew features Maria Carrelli, Ernie Johnson From Detroit, Motherfolk, Buffalo Wabs & the Price Hill Hustle, Young Heirlooms, Chelsea and John Ford, Anna Applegate, Freak Mythology, Hayden Kaye and Harlot and the Hounds.
With so much great music, you might be thinking, “I wish I could just set up camp at the venue all weekend long.” At this year’s Rhythm Brew, you can do just that. Tickets for “Primitive Camping” spots — in areas just outside of the venue — are available for $50 through ticketweb.com. Weekend RV parking passes are also available.
As the name of the event indicates, Rhythm Brew Art & Music Festival will also include area artists hawking their wares and there will be food vendors on the premises if you get the munchies.
Three-day tickets for Rhythm Brew are $40; single-day Friday and Sunday tickets are $25 and Saturday-only tickets are $20.
For more Rhythm Brew info and updates (including the daily schedules), visit facebook.com/rhythmbrewfest and rhythmbrewfest.com.
