2010 MusicNOW Festival

by Zachary Long

Ohio music lovers will be happy to know that the dates and line-up for the 2010 edition of the MusicNOW Festival in Cincinnati were announced this past week. The annual festival, now entering it’s fifth year, showcases some of the most forward-thinking artists in contemporary music. The event is curated by Bryce Dessner, a Cincinnati native who is better known as a guitarist for The National. The festival is held at Memorial Hall, a 150-year-old restored theater in Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine district.

This year’s festival kicks off on March 30th with a performance from harpist Joanna Newsom who will likely be playing material from her upcoming Drag City release, Have One On Me. On March 31st, St. Vincent will headline and the yMusic ensemble will premiere a commissioned piece penned by St. Vincent front-woman Annie Clark. The festival will close out on April 1st with a solo performance by Justin Vernon, better known for his work with the band Bon Iver