I’ve written of The Mitchells before – several times, actually – on CincyMusic.com. Though somewhat outside of my normal milieu, The Mitchells have earned my respect as much as my aural devotion. It’s easy to like the music they create – it’s subtle and sincere, quietly emotional and wonderfully orchestrated. It’s the sincerity in music – and of a band themselves – that makes a true fan of someone. Of me, especially. It’s all about connection, with the music itself, and with the people who create it. Evangelical tendencies aside, The Mitchells are a band that I understand and appreciate, and truly love to listen to and share.
Playing the second night of this year’s MidPoint Music Festival, The Mitchells have secured the opening slot for well-known and respected musician Damien Jurado at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club. Along with local musician Ben Lapps and Akron’s Shivering Timbers, this may be one of the most quintessential MPMF line-ups of the year. MPMF itself is an important cornerstone of the Cincinnati music scene, and The Mitchells are increasingly aware of not just the festival’s relevance locally and regionally, but their own as well. Excitement and anticipation, and most of all sincere appreciation and love for what MPMF is, means constant rehearsal and fine-tuning – what founder/guitarist/vocalist/immaculate mustache bearer Joseph William Mitchell calls the “forced spit shine” – making Friday’s performance not just important for the band, but one that friends and fans will not want to miss.
It’s already been a busy year for The Mitchells. Dozens of shows, local and regional, participation in several local and regional music festivals, including this year’s Bunbury – which, for the band, was a an exhilarating, enlightening moment. Over the course of the summer, the band has been hard at work on their first full-length and follow-up to their warmly received debut EP, with plans to release early next year. The band also has a slew of dates across the area, including an October Fountain Square performance with Ohio Knife and one of my personal favorite local acts, The Yugos, and a November performance with Cincinnati darlings Shiny & The Spoon.
Patience, attention to detail, and no matter how seemingly unattainable, the desire for something like perfection – these are all important hallmarks for a band looking to create something meaningful, something that will last longer and make more of a positive impact than most. The Mitchells’ participation in this year’s MPMF will no doubt help to cement their spot as not just an up-and-coming local band, but as a vital, important fixture in the Indie Rock world.
The Blue Wisp – Friday September 27th
Damien Jurado
Shivering Timbers
Ben Lapps
The Mitchells
