CINCINNATI — More than 180 musical acts from Australia, New Zealand, China, Wales and 25 U.S. states as well as Greater Cincinnati will perform at the 2011 MidPoint Music Festival (MPMF), which today releases the official showcase schedule for Sept. 22-24. The 10th annual festival will present three nights of live music on 18 stages in downtown Cincinnati and adjoining Over-the-Rhine.
Artist highlights include Booker T. Jones, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer known for his Stax Records work with The MG’s; Australian dance-pop sensations Cut Copy, who starred at this summer’s Coachella and Pitchfork festivals; Jessica Lea Mayfield, nominated by the Americana Music Association as 2011 New/Emerging Artist of the Year; The Bright Light Social Hour, who won 2011 Austin Music Awards for Band of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year; Kaki King, the only woman profiled in Rolling Stone’s “New Guitar Gods”; and many, many more.
MPMF.11 is simultaneously tightening the festival footprint within the burgeoning Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and expanding audience offerings. Fourteen of the 18 stages are located in Over-the-Rhine, as are four of this year’s new features: MidPoint’s Biore® Strip, the MidPoint Midway, the VIP Sanctuary Room and extensive all-ages performances centered at the School for Creative & Performing Arts (SCPA).
MPMF Executive Producer Dan McCabe says the festival’s focus on Over-the-Rhine acknowledges the area’s growth (Gateway Quarter on Vine Street, renewed energy on Main Street and the new SCPA) and is a nod to MidPoint’s roots as an Over-the-Rhine neighborhood festival in its early years.
2011 MIDPOINT HIGHLIGHTS
• A new partnership with Procter & Gamble to celebrate the emerging
intersection of modern music-making and brand marketing.
• MidPoint’s Biore® Strip, three stages along Jackson Street featuring woman-centered acts sponsored by Cincinnati-based Biore® Skincare.
• MidPoint Midway, a stretch of 12th Street hosting ArtWorks’ box truck festival, food, drinks, live music and a variety of street activities.
• Vitaminwater Room in the Hanke Building on Main Street, turning an empty club space into a hive of activity during Vitaminwater’s week of “Uncapped” events leading up to MPMF.11.
• VIP Sanctuary Room, offering an exclusive opportunity to relax and recharge between shows (only 100 VIP Passes are being sold).
• Extensive all-ages performances at SCPA and Media Bridges featuring Kaki King, Mates of State, The Low Anthem, The Album Leaf, Toro y Moi and 20 other acts.
• Opportunities for SCPA students to participate in the festival’s creative side, from interaction with performers in “master classes” to production experience and design work.
• A new partnership with the City of Cincinnati on Bikers MidPoint, with new bike racks placed at five or more MPMF.11 venues for those wanting to go car-less during the festival, which is highly recommended.
• Busken Bakery’s 10,000 Donut Deployment celebrating MidPoint’s 10th anniversary, distributing free donuts to festival attendees throughout MPMF.11.
• Return of the Dewey’s Pizza Main Stage at Grammer’s to host the festival’s highest profile acts, including The Joy Formidable (Thursday), Okkervil River (Friday) and Cut Copy (Saturday). Dewey’s Pizza returns as MidPoint’s longest-running sponsor.
• Return of the MidPoint Poster Expo curated by Newport-based print shop and designers Powerhouse Factories.
• Return and escalation of the Tweet/Text Visualizer System by Topic Design, allowing festival-goers to see each other’s tweets and texts publicly displayed in more MidPoint venues then ever.
Advance sales of three-day wristbands continue online, at 19 area retail outlets and at MidPoint Indie Summer Series shows on Friday nights at Fountain Square. Three-day VIP Passes sell for $125, with three-day wristbands selling for $49 (a limited number are available for $39 at the Indie Summer Series shows through Sept. 2).
All ticketing details, including online sales and a list of participating retail outlets, can be found at MPMF.com/tickets.
Find the full performance schedule online at MPMF.com/festival.
Schedule updates and further festival news will be available at MPMF.com/, on Facebook (facebook.com/midpointmusicfestival) and via Twitter (twitter.com/midpointmusic).
2011 MIDPOINT VENUES
Arnold’s Bar and Grill
210 E. Eighth St., Downtown
ArtWorks
20 E. Central Pkwy., Over-the-Rhine
Below Zero Lounge
1122 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine
Blue Wisp Jazz Club
318 E. Eighth St., Downtown
Cincinnati Club
30 Garfield Place, Downtown
Courtyard Café
1211 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
Dewey’s Pizza Main Stage at Grammer’s
1440 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine
The Drinkery
1150 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
Know Theater of Cincinnati
1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine
Main Event
835 Main St., Downtown
Media Bridges
1100 Race St., Over-the-Rhine
MOTR Pub
1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
Mr. Pitiful’s
1323 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
School for Creative & Performing Arts
108 W. Central Pkwy., Over-the-Rhine
Singer/Songwriter Stage
12th and Vine Sts. (outdoors), Over-the-Rhine
Vitamin Water Room
1128 Main St., Over-the-Rhine
