Time for some music! Summer concert announcements feature major acts

Credit: Mike Clare/mikecimages

Credit: Mike Clare/mikecimages

On May 20 Dayton’s Levitt Pavilion will announce its slate of 40 free concerts for 2021 with concerts running every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. from June 12 through Sept. 18. Along with the concert announcement, safety guidelines will be outlined so concert-goers know what to expect.

Concert announcements at venues across the state began to trickle in at the beginning of the year with rescheduled dates and, as the vaccine roll-out began to happen, seemed to quicken the pace just a bit.

Some large scale events have already announced they will not be held in 2021. The Ohio State Fair, which typically has a dozen featured headlines performing over the course of its run, has said it will be limited to livestock and educational competitions only this year.

Earlier this month organizers of the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G announced that it would be postponed until July 21-23, 2022 at Paul Brown Stadium.

“The postponement of the 2020 and now 2021 Cincinnati Music Festival is a disappointment to all of us, but the safety and well-being of our guests and artists is our primary concern,” said Joe Santangelo, festival promoter in a press release. “We are grateful to all of the performers including Janet Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson and Fantasia, among others, who are working to adjust their schedules to join us in 2022.”

Other events and venues like the ever popular Country Concert at Hickory Hills Lakes in Ft. Loramie are proceeding with party plans and big name acts like Luke Combs, Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean.

Many big name acts are dates that have been rescheduled after the events of 2020 unfolded and made it impossible to hold. Still other venues lie in wait to announce what, if any, plans they may be working on.

It may not be the robust summer events calendar many of us are used to, but there is certainly far more scheduled at this point than there was last year as a forceful flurry of cancellations rained down.

It remains to be seen if these will be held, but right now, there are some hot tickets with placeholders on the calendar for live music fans to look forward to.

Contact this contributing writer at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com.

DAYTON OUTDOOR CONCERT VENUES

Hickory Hills Lakes

7103 Ohio 55, Ft. Loramie

www.countryconcert.com, 937-295-3000

Recently announced: Luke Combs, Jon Pardi, Cody Johnson, Neal McCoy, Jameson Rodgers, Niko Moon, Drew Parker, Ashland Craft, Jess Kellie Adams, After Midtown, Wyatt McCubbin, July 8; Alan Jackson, Justin Moore, Riley Green, Lorrie Morgan, Bellamy Brothers, Jesse Keith Whitley, McGuffey Lane, Alexis Gomez, Ashley Best, Dallas Moore, July 9; Jason Aldean, Chase Rice, HARDY, Jo Dee Messina Deana Carter, Flatland Cavalry, Lainey Wilson, Desert City Ramblers, Rayne Johnson, Clark Manson, Cole Ritter, July 10

J.D. Legends

85 Millard Drive, Franklin

www.jdlegends.com, 937-746-4950

Recently announced: Thunderstruck: America’s AC/DC Tribute with Mad Hatter, May 1; Velvet Crush, May 6; The Menus with Brother Maven, May 7; Clayton Anderson with Brother Maven, May 8; Michelle Robinson Band, May 13; Jasmine Cain with Reign of Athena, May 14; Sawyer: A Tribute to Rush with Stranger, May 15; Ithika, May 20; Jamey Johnson, May 21, 22; Aces High Iron Maiden Tribute, May 29; Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi Tribute, May 30; Dallas Moore, June 4; Jackyl, June 5; Thomas Mac with Cooper Alan, June 5; Catalina Wine Mixer Band with Ashley Martin Band, June 6; Hardy, June 11; Rumors: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac with the Growlers, June 12; Mr. Speed: Kiss Tribute with LoveBomb, June 18; Frank Foster, June 19; Drive-By Truckers, June 26; Jid Kentucky, July 3; The Iltimate Doors, July 9; Blues Traveler, July 16; Red Not Chili Peppers, July 22; Tyler Booth, July 30; Randy Houser with Alexis Gomez, Aug. 6; The Prince Experience, Aug. 13; The Steel Woods, Aug. 14; Panama Van Halen Tribute, Aug. 20; Cadillac Three, Sept. 24; Sammy Kershaw Collin Raye Aaron Tippin Roots and Boots Tour, Sept. 25; Metallica Tribute, Oct. 1; Tantric, Oct. 8; Straight On: A Tribute to the Music of Heart, Oct. 9

Rose Music Center at The Heights

6800 Executive Boulevard, Huber Heights

www.rosemusiccenter.com, 937-610-0288

Recently announced: ZZ Top, July 3; Collective Soul and Better Than Ezra, July 7; Air Supply, July 9; REO Speedwagon, July 30; Brit Floyd, July 31; Blackberry Smoke with The Allman Betts Band, Aug. 1; Keith Sweat, Aug. 6; Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings with Mark Farner Trip, Aug. 21; John Legend with The War and Treaty, Sept. 4; Tedeschi Trucks Band with Los Lobos and Gabe Dixon, July 24; Ted Nugent, Aug. 11

Credit: Frazer Harrison

Credit: Frazer Harrison

DAYTON INDOOR CONCERT VENUES

BMI Indoor Speedway

791 E. Main St., Versailles

www.bmikarts.com, 937-526-9544

Recently announced: Mark Farner’s American Band with special guest John Corabi, May 15; Signs of Life: The American Pink Floyd, May 29; Slaughter with special guest Vixen, Sept. 11; Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses and LILIAC, Oct. 2; Winger with special guest Firehouse, Oct. 16; The Guess Who and Orleans, Dec. 18

Hobart Arena

255 Adams St., Troy

www.hobartarena.com, 937-339-2911

Recently announced: Travis Tritt, Oct. 21

Nutter Center

3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Fairborn

www.nuttercenter.com, 937-775-4789

Recently announced: James Taylor with Jackson Browne, Aug. 4; Jeff Dunham, Nov. 18

Schuster Center

Second and Main streets, Dayton

www.ticketcenterstage.com, 937-228-3630

Recently announced: Johnny Mathis, Aug. 26; Straight No Chaser, Dec. 22

SPRINGFIELD CONCERT VENUES

Kuss Auditorium

Clark State Performing Arts Center

300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield

http://pac.clarkstate.edu, 937-328-3874

Recently announced: Diamond Rio, Oct. 7; Mannheim Steamroller, Dec. 20

CINCINNATI CONCERT VENUES

Aronoff Center

650 Walnut St., Cincinnati

www.cincinnatiarts.org/aronoff-center, 513-721-3344

Recently announced: Johnny Mathis, Aug. 28; Remembering James: The Life and Music of James Brown, Oct. 9

Bogart’s

2621 Vine St., Cincinnati

www.bogarts.com, 513-872-8801

Recently announced: Big Freedia x Too Many Zooz, Sept. 21; Watsky, Sept, 25; Tech N9ne, Nov. 4; The Cybertronic Spree, Nov. 5; Silverstein, Nov. 7; JINJER, Nov. 9

Credit: JOSH HUVEL

Credit: JOSH HUVEL

Great American Ballpark

100 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com, 513-381-7337

Recently announced: Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, June 21; Billy Joel, Sept, 10

Heritage Bank Center, formerly U.S. Bank Arena

100 Broadway, Cincinnati

https://heritagebankcenter.com, 513-421-4111

Recently announced: Michael Buble, Aug. 20

ICON Music Center

25 Race Street, Cincinnati

https://iconmusiccenter.com, 513-232-5882

Recently announced: Brothers Osborne, Sept. 9; Machine Gun Kelly, Sept. 22; Mt. Joy and Trampled by Turtles, Sept. 25

PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center

6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati

www.PNCPavilion.com, 513-232-6220

Recently announced: Megadeth and Lamb of God with Trivium and In Flames, July 14; Blackberry Smoke with the Allman Betts Band, July 18; KIDZ BOP Live July 30; Lindsey Stirling, Aug. 6; Alicia Keys, Aug. 20; PRIMUS Sept. 18

Riverbend Music Center

6295 Kellogg Ave., Cincinnati

www.riverbend.org, 513-232-6220

Recently announced: Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band, July 13; Rod Stewart with Cheap Trick, July 15; Luke Bryan, July 22; Chicago Aug. 1; The Black Crowes, Aug. 3; Daryl Hall and John Oates with Squeeze and KT Tunstall, Aug. 23; Maroon 5; Aug. 28; The Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour, Sept. 8; Alanis Morissette with Garbage and Liz Phair, Sept. 15; Thomas Rhett, Sept. 23; Dave Matthews Band, Sept. 28; Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show with Marcus King Band and YOLA, Oct. 21

Credit: Joe Raedle

Credit: Joe Raedle

Taft Theatre

317 E. Fifth St., Cincinnati

tafttheatre.org, 513-721-8883

Recently announced: Whiskey Myers July 29; Brit Floyd, Aug. 7, 8; Dermot Kennedy, Aug. 17; Dawes Sept. 26; Boney James, Oct. 1; Jo Koy Oct. 14; David Foster, Oct. 20; TobyMac, Nov. 9; Home Free, Nov. 13; Tab Benoit, Nov. 14; Trey Kennedy, Nov. 19; Ilizzam Nov. 20; Tommy Emmanuel, Dec. 9

COLUMBUS CONCERT VENUES

EXPRESS LIVE!

405 Neil Ave., Columbus

www.promowestlive.com, 614-461-LIVE (5483), ext. 101

Recently announced: All Time Low, The Story So Far, Movements, The Maine, Grayscale, Destroy Boys, Yours Truly, July 13; Brit Floyd, Aug. 13; Louis The Child, Aug. 19; Caamp, Aug. 27, 28; Parkway Drive, Sept. 9; PRIMUS, Sept. 20; Dance Gavin Dance, Sept. 22; Mt. Joy, Trampled by Turtles, Oct. 1; Tech N9ne, Nov. 2; Theory of a Deadman, Nov. 24; COIN, Dec. 10

Jerome Schottenstein Center’s Value City Arena

555 Borror Drive, Columbus

www.schottensteincenter.com, 800-273-6201

Recently announced: Justin Bieber, June 29; Dude Perfect, Oct. 14; Lauren Daigle Nov. 11; Elton John April 12, 2022; Chris Stapleton, April 21, 2022

Credit: Christopher Polk

Credit: Christopher Polk

Nationwide Arena

200 W. Nationwide Blvd., Columbus

www.nationwidearena.com, 614-246-3199

Recently announced: Eric Church, Sept. 18

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