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Assorted ramblings from the world of entertainment:
• Temperatures may be in the 30s and the threat of snow may linger, but this is the time of year when many outdoor music festivals would be announcing their lineups … or at least their dates.
Weather is the least of the worries for concert promoters now. The concerns about music festivals in 2021 aren't when and where; they're if and how.
Not surprisingly, many Ohio's destination music festivals remain on hold as promoters await some (any?) signs of optimism that they can return next year.
Nelsonville Music Festival sent out a press release this week that said, "We believe that things will eventually return to some degree of normalcy. But, because of the current uncertainty for the coming year, we are waiting to make any announcements or offer any tickets related to NMF21."
That's more than most promoters have said. Danny Wimmer Presents, which stages several music festivals nationwide, including Sonic Temple in Columbus, has no information on its website about 2021 plans for Sonic Temple. Bunbury Music Festival in Cincinnati hasn't posted any news on its website since April.
WonderStruck was struck down by COVID-19 before the former LaureLive festival could move to a new location in Kirtland with its new name. Last summer, organizers announced 2021 dates for WonderStruck at Lakeland Community College (June 12-13) and for WonderBus in Columbus (Aug. 28 and 29, 2021). Organizers said at the time they were holding a second weekend later in the summer for WonderStruck if they were unable to proceed in June.
The one genre of music that's moving ahead with the most confidence is country.
The Country Fest at Clay's Park Resort in North Lawrence includes two weekends of music -- June 16 to 19 and July 22 to 24 -- and already has tickets on sale with headliners announced. The June event features Chris Janson, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and Sam Hunt, while the July lineup includes Jake Owen, Chris Young and Dierks Bentley.
Country Concert 21 in Fort Laramie on July 8 to 10 also has tickets on sale for a lineup that includes Luke Combs, Alan Jackson and Jason Aldean as headliners.
After many concertgoers waited for months for refunds for canceled 2020 shows, I wonder how many people are willing to commit several hundred dollars for a pair of weekend passes for festivals that might face the same obstacles in 2021.
• I've added a couple songs to the An Ohio Christmas, the playlist I created featuring songs by Ohio artists, primarily acts with ties to the Mahoning Valley.
"The Funky Snowman" is a holiday tune released by the Youngstown band East 9th in 2016. "Remember Him on This Day" was written by Rick Blackson and sung by his wife and cabaret partner Mary Jo Maluso. The 2014 song was commissioned by Joe Dragovich in conjunction with his Christmas book "The Empty Hook."
The playlist now features 28 songs and can be heard on Spotify shared through my agray-ticket account.
Andy Gray is the entertainment editor of Ticket. Write to him at agray@tribtoday.com.