Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
October 3rd, 2025
Cincinnati, OH
Riverbend Music Center
Preface: We opted for the ‘cheap seats’ here. Typically we try to avoid the lawn when we know we’re going to be running later than usual because we know how packed it gets quickly but for this one we decided after reading about the venue that regardless we wanted to be in the lawn. Such an interesting venue and layout. Lawn seats were for sure the way to go here!
The absolutely packed lawn!
Show Notes: Dirty Ought Trill moved up to 4th in the set?!?!? What we once thought to be the for sure closer has creeped up to being in the top handful of songs for the first time. This song can’t be explained in detail enough to do it justice but we’ll try. The amazing visuals show a hunter bobbing up and down while sliding across the screen next to a deer doing the same thing which is then followed by the same hunter cappin’ a deer at point blank range with their shotgun while birds fly by in the background. Truly without seeing it words can’t even begin to put into perspective how good these graphics go with the song. Deer, birds, dogs, shotguns, a hunter, deer in the woods being shown in the scope, and continued movement between these make for an absolute blast of a time!
The setlist here was very similar to other recent shows with the exception of one thing: Gemini! Gemini is often quoted by Daniel because he absolutely loves the lines “A part of me just wants to live forever on the road. Split me down the middle, ship my southpaw home.” Aside from being left handed and sending his best half home, Daniel thinks this line perfectly describes how our life of travels is. Sometimes you want to continue going forever, other times you wonder what you’re doing and if you should pack it up and head on home. Any setlist that is blessed with Gemini should be considered in high regard, this song rarely makes an appearance and if it does it should automatically propel the setlist to a higher level than most.
As usual the guys were on point throughout the entire show never missing a beat. This lawn was as packed as we’d ever seen and people seemed to love and enjoy every bit of it.
Venue Notes: This venue is very unique to say the least! Parking and the walk to the venue were very unique (check out the parking notes for details). We opted for the lawn tickets and the lawn entrance was elevated but nowhere near as elevated as most pavilions. Only a handful of stairs and you were greeted with a covered walkway that ran the length of the lawn.
You could easily go from one side of the venue to the other through this thoroughfare. Merch was instantly as you walked into the main entrance. There were food and beverage options all over. Merch was ample throughout the whole venue. And, we tried Skyline Chili for the first time!
We were both overcoming a cold at this point and just being able to eat anything with some flavor was a great thing.
The merch booth we bought our poster at was out of poster tubes but as we explored later we found a booth that was more than happy to provide us with a poster tube thankfully.
It can’t be stated enough how many bathrooms this venue has as well. We can never imagine a time where there’d be a line to a bathroom. In all the pavilions we’ve been to this one has close to double, if not triple, the amount of bathrooms as others. It should also be talked about that most of these bathrooms are permanent bathrooms built into the venue itself and therefore regularly maintained by venue staff.
Truthfully, if this venue was our “home venue” we’d go to a lot more concerts than we currently do.
The lawn was absolutely packed and finding a good spot was at times hard but that was completely made up for given how great the rest of the set up was. We can’t stress enough how much you’ll want to check this venue out.
Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps during Snipe Hunt!
Parking Notes: We parked in lot 8, for free, which is on the other side of a horse racing track which is apparently left open to provide for an easier route to the concert. This offered a unique view right next to the track and truly puts into perspective how huge a horse racing track is.
Also, because we’d parked in this area (apparently one of the farthest lots away) there was much ease leaving the event. We’ve touched on parking far away before in other posts and how people who don’t pay to park should really not be too upset with the distance they walk - obviously within reason - and this venue is a prime example of what others should do to combat the upset patrons who are parking and walking from far away. No one in their right mind would be upset that half of their walk was a behind the scenes access to a horse race, right!?
We believe if other venues would find unique and creative ways to make the far walks less noticeable that they’d have a lot less upset people at the end of the night.
Albeit, we’re fully aware that not everyone can throw up a horse racing track and even if they did not everyone would care, but this does at least pave the idea that if people are parking far distances away and can be distracted by what’s around them they’re much happier. Even if this could include a merch booth, port-a-potty, a random game of cornhole, ANYTHING!
Travel Notes: We were going pretty quickly to this show as we had to work earlier in the day and then make the nearly 7 hour drive. We made it in time to grab a poster, coney, and see the start of Tyler Childers and the Food Stamps. We don’t like making it a habit of missing openers but we also have run into some bad luck recently with timing (having a job sucks).
This one though took us through some really rural areas in Kentucky we hadn’t been to for years. Taking backroad highways for the final 120 miles or so is a unique treat. They’re similar to the highways we see in North Carolina but much less traffic and roadside stops.
Regardless of the amount of stopping places it was an amazing time of year to have been there, leaves were changing and the colors were popping as the sun was setting. We do recommend getting gas in Cincinnati before heading out or before going to the show because going back there are limited places to stop if you’re heading back south.
And when you’re in Cincinnati try some Skyline Chili! It’s famous for a reason ya’ll!