7 reasons not to miss the Dayton Music Art and Film Festival

• 1. The Music

  
  Clockwise from upper left: DMAFF performers Diane Coffee, R. Ring, Motel Beds, Buffalo Killers. Photo sources: Shore Media (Diane Coffee), Facebook. 

  The bar-hopping style of past Dayton Music Festivals isn’t going anywhere: you’ll be able to catch your favorite local bands — including Good English, the Nightbeast, R. Ring and over 30 more bands — at Blind Bob’s Bar, Gilly’s Jazz, the Dublin Pub, Canal Public House and the Yellow Cab Tavern on Friday and Saturday night.

  But new this year is an outside main stage Saturday night outside of K12 Gallery & TEJAS, 341 S. Jefferson St., where you’ll watch five excellent bands perform, including a reunion of the Yellow Springs folk group Wheels and the festival headliner, indie psych-rock outfit Diane Coffee, the solo project of Foxygen drummer Shaun Fleming. Not only will the main stage literally take the festival up a level (it is raised, after all) but it’ll make it visible to everyone driving down Jefferson, St. Clair or coming on or off 35.

  Check out the music lineups and start putting your schedule together on the festival’s Facebook page here.

  Pro tip: You won’t want to miss Spaceface, the main gig of Flaming Lips’ guitarist Jake Ingalls, whose psychedelically catchy melodies blend with a killer light show, Friday night at Canal Public House. Hometown rowdy boys the Motel Beds’ set won’t be one to miss on the main stage Saturday night, along with the vibrant performance that Diane Coffee delivers.

  > > > Read why the man behind Diane Coffee is pumped to bring his soulful retro rock to Dayton for the first time.

• 2. The Art

  
  Smug Brothers / Gas Daddy Go Records Record Store Day 2014 Dayton, Ohio by Jay Woessner, part of Rock-Tography Show 2014. Photo source: Facebook

  Not only will K12 Gallery & TEJAS play host for the main stage this year, but the nonprofit will open its doors for several exhibitions curated by festival organizer and artist Nancy Epling. Throughout the weekend, wander through the gallery’s space and experience mixed-media creations by local artists, or view snapshots from Dayton’s music scene of yore in the Gem City Rocktography exhibit. Gaze upon the recurring DMF feature Poster-Tastic! exhibit, a display of local music posters from years past, or reimagine abandoned Dayton spaces as part of Gem City: What does it mean to you?

  Pro tip: Check out Dayton native and award-winning columnist and cartoonist Ted Rall’s piece “The Gutting of Dayton: Why My City Is Gone” on display. Rall’s work has appeared in a variety of publications, including Time, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Then create your own art on an interactive chalk wall and create lasting memories in a photo booth.
  
  > > > Read our interview with Ted Rall on how he went from Kettering youngster to national award-winning cartoonist. 

• 3. The Films

  Dayton runs thick through the four movies being screened over the weekend. On Friday, catch “Falling Up,” an animated short by New York filmmaker and Stivers School for the Arts graduate Djuna Wahlrab, and stick around for “N. Dixie Drive,” a documentary about life on the North Dixie strip by Daytonian Eric Mahoney with music by Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard. Then Saturday, “The Rubi Girls” award-winning documentary gives you the inside look at Dayton’s premier drag troupe before Steven Soderbergh’s “Bubble,” thrills and creeps you out, again to the music of Robert Pollard.

  And that’s not all! Enjoy a “microcinema” all around the gallery through many short films and footage playing on loop. Get the rundown of all of the film and microcinema events here.

  Pro tip: You’ll be entranced by the vintage Dayton music videos, dating back to the 1970s, playing on constant rotation in the K12 Gallery exhibition room, and footage from past Dayton Music Festivals and more musical movie merges.

• 4. Bust a Move

  
  Flow into Chaturanga while listening to "Dark Side of the Moon" at Dayton Music Art and Film Festival. Photo source: Hari-kirtana das via Facebook

  As if the music, art and film offerings weren’t enough, Friday night will have two opportunities for you to rock your body. If you’d rather stay on the more chill side of the spectrum, may we suggest a yoga and meditation class set to Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”? Yogi Jessica Kinzer will lead you through a explorative yoga session (or meditation, if yoga isn’t your thing) that draws on the seminal album’s themes to give you a renewed spiritual connection to the music. You can buy a separate ticket just for the yoga as well. B.Y.O.M. (bring your own mat). Get more information about the session at the event’s Facebook page.

  If you’re looking for more energy, DJ Barticus will bring the beats at the free for all Pride Celebration Dance Party. In recognition of “the Rubi Girls” screening coupled with the troupe’s 30th anniversary of raising funds for AIDS research, not to mention a few big deal decisions this year surrounding gay marriage, this dance party is open to anyone and everyone who wishes Pride festivities took place year-round. Stay tuned for the time and location.

• 5. Buskaroo

  
  Catch Todd the Fox without the guitar for once, emcee'ing for the Dayton Music Art and Film Festival's Buskaroo stage. Photo source: Facebook

  Another great new feature this year will be the Buskaroo stage. A handmade chalk stage situated outside of Omega Music on East Fifth Street, Buskaroo will feature acoustic bands and musicians on Saturday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. With the longtime Dayton musician Todd the Fox emceeing, this is your chance to hear unplugged versions of some of your favorite bands, or discover some new musicians and groups who might just be cutting their teeth now.

• 6. Easy Transportation

  
  Use Link bikes for free to catch every act you want to see when you pre-order your DMAFF ticket. Photo source: Facebook.

  Thanks to Link Dayton Bike Share, you won't have to run a marathon if your show schedule takes you from Blind Bob's Bar, to Canal Public House, to Gilly's Jazz. For a limited time, you can score a free 24-hour Link bike pass when you purchase your ticket in advance via the festival site or directly from a festival organizer. The Link passes will work all weekend, so save yourself the sweat, tears and $10 it would normally cost for two 24-hour passes.

  Check out the Link Bike Station map via linkdayton.org, to see just how close you'll be able to park your bike. After ticket purchase, the Link redemption codes will be made available to ticket holders via private message on DMAFF's Facebook page, or by emailing staff@daytonmusicfest.com. Ticket number must be provided at that time to receive pass code and instructions for Link bike retrieval. Get more information on DMAFF's Facebook page.

• 7. The Community

  
  Beloved Dayton Music Festival sound engineer and scene staple Karl Benge passed away earlier this year. Photo source: Facebook

  Meet local artists celèbres:Did you know that Dayton is home to a longtime comic book illustrator? Kyle Hotz helped to bring some of your favorite Marvel and DC Comics characters and plotlines to life, and his work will be featured at K12 Gallery & TEJAS during the festival.

  He’s also starring in the upcoming sci-fi web series “Bana: Heart of Darkness,” which was written by local Dayton filmmaker Tom Dallis and produced by Tyler Trent, whose band Swim Diver is performing in the festival. Festival organizer and local film commissioner Shelly Hulce will be hosting a meet and greet with the folks behind the webinar on Saturday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at K12 Gallery, get to know these creative Daytonians and get involved with the web series.

  Over the years, Dayton Music Festival has become like a family amongst the musicians, the volunteers, the patrons and the behind-the-scene workers. There’s a bond that runs through anyone who’s been involved in years past, anchored by a strong love for Dayton and support for the arts and music scenes, and once you check it out for yourself, you’ll see why.

  This year, DMAFF will be paying tribute to Karl Benge, a longtime sound engineer at Oregon Express who tragically died in a car accident in early May. Benge, who helped to run sound for the Dayton Music Festival for years, will be honored at the start of the main stage’s schedule with a musical tribute by his sound partner-in-crime, Tim Berger, a moment of silence, and a candle lighting. RSVP to the event here.

  And you can become part of the DMAFF community by volunteering to help out! Fill out the volunteer form, or email staff@daytonmusicfest.com for more information.

  > > > See what we've covered already about the Dayton Music Art and Film Festival.

  Want to go?

  What: The Dayton Music Art and Film Festival

  When: Sept. 18-19

  Where: K12 Gallery & TEJAS, 341 S. Jefferson St., and venues in downtown Dayton.

  Cost: $20 for weekend all-access pass; $15 for single-day all-access pass; $10 for main stage pass; $10 for Yoga and Spirit Guide to Dark Side of the Moon. Purchase tickets online at dmaff.com or at Omega Music, 318 E. Fifth St., and at K12 Gallery & TEJAS.

  More info: dmaff.com | Facebook |Twitter | Instagram