City Beats
By Jamie Rhein
Music is considered a universal language — one of those rare things that brings people together and helps us express ourselves. It’s no surprise you’ll find loads of music, from acoustic singer-songwriters to lively jazz to engaging rock, resounding all around Mansfield and Richland County.
Throughout the dazzling summer months, The Brickyard in downtown Mansfield hosts the Final Friday concert series. Concerts begin in the early evening and feature a trio of acts throughout the night. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to relax while they listen, and refreshments are always available on site via food trucks and takeout from nearby restaurants.
Richland Source, one of Mansfield’s local news outlets, hosts the Newsroom After Hours concert series on select Fridays through the late spring to early fall. The intimate gatherings allow audiences 21 and up to engage with local live music (and the news room) up close.
The experience includes food and drinks, and, best of all, it’s free!
The Spirit Room is a beautifully appointed whiskey bar nestled above The Phoenix Brewing Company in downtown Mansfield. The intimate venue, with its wood floors, brick walls and leather seating, hosts a ticketed Sunday songwriter series four times a year, where local musicians share their work with guests. What better way to enjoy great live music with a glass of bourbon in hand?
Plenty of local parks host live music all summer long! Grab your lawn chair and head to the charming Bellville Bandstand every other Thursday for great tunes. The new Black Fork Commons in downtown Shelby features an amphitheater perfect for listening to country, rock, jazz and more. Ontario’s Marshall Park also puts on live music in the band shell during warm months.
Many of the stops on the popular Wine & Ale Trail feature live music so you can sip and savor the sounds. The Vault Wine Bar, stunningly fashioned out of a 1911 bank building featuring the original vault, often hosts musicians on summer weekends to complement your dinner and glass of wine. Head to Foundation Plaza in Ashland the second Saturday of the month and Uniontown Brewing will be pouring brews to go with great tunes. Shelby’s new Black Fork Brewing plans to host live music at their sprawling venue, too.
The stunning mansion and gardens at Kingwood Center Gardens are the backdrop for its Live on the Lawn summer concert series, Thursday evenings in July. Guests can snag a glass of wine at the Gateway Café and relax on their lawn chairs while they enjoy favorite local musicians.
Mansfield Art Center hosts the American Federation of Musicians Local 159 Summer Concerts most Friday evenings from June through August. The professional musicians of the AFM Local 159 have been performing for well over a century, bringing brass bands, jazz and classical works to the public for free.
Inkcarceration
Returning July 19–21, 2024, the Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival is the ultimate immersive music and arts event, featuring dozens of hard rock bands and tattoo artists at the Historic Ohio State Reformatory. Make a weekend of it by camping or finding a lodging fit for you — see page 55 for ideas.