MidPoint Music Festival continues into the weekend with another night of fantastic acts on 9/27. We scoured Friday’s lineup across all fifteen stages to find you the best of the Midwest. Here are our suggestions for Friday’s must-see artists.
The Mitchells | 8:15pm | Blue Wisp
Hailing from the Queen City, The Mitchells are a five-piece band of storytellers that weave their tales with a seemingly effortless blending of voice, guitar, bass, violin, viola, and drums. Their debut EP, Bird Feather, showcases a powerful beauty and mastery of songwriting that will instantly endear you to the outfit—from the steady, percussive drive to the gossamer lines of the violin – which rise, wafting on the thick orchestration of the guitars – and vocals that walk a tightrope between a tenor which is at once vulnerable & rugged, and group, capable of giving goosebumps as only an autumn’s breeze could.
Alone at 3AM | 9:45pm | The Drinkery
Alone at 3AM may have cut their teeth in the punk rock scene, but the five-piece has matured into a roots rock band that features soaring guitar lines against the passionate, gritty vocals of Max Fender. The band, which has been around since 1999, crafts songs which will get your toe tappin’ as the drumbeat pulses through you.
Twin Peaks | 10:00pm | Midpoint Midway
The barely legal four-piece of Twin Peaks hails from Chicago, and sings primarily of babes, brews and bud. They blend washy guits with distorted vocals to create a sound that embraces a youthful exuberance through its loud, defiant sound. The college dropouts re-released their debut album Sunken in June and are hot off a September 15th performance at Riot Fest, with no signs of slowing down. They’re contendors for breakthrough artists of the year, no doubt.
Shivering Timbers | 10:45pm | Blue Wisp
The tale of Shivering Timbers’ beginning is as much a fairytale as anything they crafted on their first album. The duo, comprising Sarah and Jayson Benn, began making music for a tiny audience: their infant daughter. Their first album caught the ears of another notable Akron musician: Dan Auerbach, of Black Keys’ fame, who then asked the couple to play his birthday party. Their first album, We All Started in the Same Place, was produced in Auerbach’s Akron studio in 2010. Auerbach proved gateway to Brian Olive, who produced Shivering Timbers’ second album, 2012’s Sing Sing. The duo has since expanded to include drummer Daniel Kshywonis and occasionally Suzi Benn, now aged five, on toy piano or tambourine.
Murder by Death | 12:00am | Taft Theatre-The Ballroom
We strongly suggest closing your evening with the dark folk rock of Bloomington, IN’s Murder by Death, a quintet comprising talented songwriters and musicians who have spent the last ten years honing their craft together. 2012 found the band releasing their sixth album, Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon. Since, the band has spent many nights touring and growing an audience with their lush orchestration, Cash-esque vocals, and delicate harmonies. Close your eyes, breathe deep and take it all in.
Pacific Northwest, we’d like to tip our hats to you, too. Friday offers heavy hitters from your corner of the country: the ethereal, ambient rock of Youth Lagoon, the harrowing beauty of singer/songwriter Damien Jurado, and the straightforward organic folk of The Head and The Heart.
See you in the audience, Cinci.