Written by Jimmy Cummings

I have always been open to listening to many different types of music, from Rock, Metal, Jazz, Indie, Jambands; but until recently I was never really into Bluegrass. Over the past couple of years I have grown to love it mainly because of Cincy’s Rumpke Mountain Boys and this month’s Artist of the Month BLUE MOON SOUP. The band from Yellowsprings, OH has gained quite a following and with their recent CD release called “Lonely Mountain” the band is making some serious noise in the Ohio music scene. Ben Clonch (Guitar, Vocals), Robbie Marion (Fiddle, Vocals), Jon Bauman (Standup Bass, Vocals), Brendan Moore (Mando, Vocals) make up the quartet that has played at some of Ohio’s biggest festivals like The Werk Out, Miami Valley Music Fest, and Peace Through the Music Fest as well as some of the area’s best venues like the renowned Canal Street Tavern. As a result Blue Moon Soup has established themselves as one of the top bands in the state; just ask their fans. The band has quite a following as fans travel wherever the band decides to set up shop. I recently caught the band at Blind Bob’s in Dayton and as usual the place was packed out with fans waiting to get their daily helping of Blue Moon Soup.

I have seen the band several time over the past year or so and the guys seem to get better with every show as they hone their craft for one of the best live shows you’ll see. The Band is armed with an arsenal of tunes that stretch from originals like “Lonely Mountain” and “Pale Rider” from the bands first CD (to be released December 24) and an abundance of cover tunes from some of the bands influences such as the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and Led Zeppelin. The guys blew me away the first time I heard them do Zeppelin’s “No Quarter” it was freakin amazing. There must be something in the water in Yellowsprings because it seems the town keeps pumping out some of the State’s best talent. Robbie Marion is quickly becoming the go-to guy on the Fiddle and Brendon Moore’s Mandolin work is astounding and fun to watch. When the two stand next to each other in the middle of the stage it is hard to take your eye off them, these guys are incredible. The two are complimented by the talented and charismatic Ben Clonch on Guitar and Vocals as well as Jon Bauman on Standup Bass who is insane on that damn thing.

Whether the band is playing a late-night gig around the bonfire or headlining Canal Street Tavern you can bet these guys are gonna bring the heat and give you a show that you’ll go home talking about. I remember once this past summer when Chubby and I were back behind the stage at Peace Fest as the band was playing; we look at each other and said “these guys are bad ass” and it’s not the first time we’ve said it. The band recently appeared on the long running radio show Kaleidoscope on WYSO Radio in Dayton and previewed some of the material from the upcoming album Lonely Mountain. We are proud and honored to make BLUE MOON SOUP Buckeye Music Magazine’s December Artist of the Month. So be sure to check out the bands Website and Facebook page for more information on where you can catch them live. And join the band Christmas Eve as Santa comes to Canal Street and brings with him the Blue Moon Soup CD Release Party.

Blue Moon Soup

Blue Moon Soup on Facebook