The summer concert series, Sounds at Sunset, honors Middletonian Tim Lewis, who died in December of 2021. Lewis co-chaired the Broad Street Bash. He is remembered for his love of family and friends, his love for music and a desire to make Middletown a better place.
“We’re so lucky that we get to do this, and that we have the opportunity to honor Tim Lewis. These musicians and the community really want to be a part of it, and they help make it happen,” she said.
Baumgarten said the idea behind the benefit was to showcase music, highlight the Sorg, and to raise money for more music to happen in the summertime.
“It’s been truly incredible with what we’re able to do with it, and the people that come out and support us is mind-blowing,” she said.
The benefit will be held at the Sorg Opera House from Tuesday, April 9, through Thursday, April 11. The nightly concerts will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Donations will be accepted at the door; there is no admission fee. The Sorg is located at 63 S. Main St. in Middletown. This is the third year for the “Sorg for Sounds at Sunset” benefit. The event is family-friendly, and all ages are welcome.
“The Sorg has been very gracious, and they’ve worked with us in partnership on this, and they’ve opened their arms to us. The Sorg is one of the greatest stages and rooms to play in, and I know it’s special,” Baumgarten said.
On April 9, Butler Tech School of Performing Arts will play a 70s-themed show with hits from Woodstock from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Finnigan-Denson Incident, which will headline the evening’s concert from 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Lewis’ granddaughter, Delilah Johnson, will play with the group from Butler Tech School of Performing Arts. Johnson is a junior at Butler Tech.
“She will get to play for her family, and for her grandpa, and the cause. That’s really cool. It’s like every so often, Tim (Lewis) pops up in these events, and it lets me know, he’s definitely still a part of it,” said Baumgarten.
April 10 is a reunion show, and there will be three bands performing. Sneaky Neighbor will open the concert from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by Used Toys from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m., and Jadis will headline the night from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.
On April 11, the lineup will feature Middletown native John Burg from 6 to 7 p.m., and Brass Tracks Band will headline the concert from 7 to 9 p.m. They cover Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, and more.
“I’m excited to see the growth, because in three years, we’ve had a lot of community support. There’s been more local sponsors for us, and the things that we’ve heard is that people really like it,” Baumgarten said.
Proceeds from the benefit will go toward the Sounds at Sunset summer concert series. All the bands and other volunteers are donating their time for the benefit. There will be more than 100 raffle items for patrons to bid on. Guests can purchase 40 tickets for $20.
Raffle items will include swag from the Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati Bengals tickets, concert tickets, birthday parties from Skateway, gift certificates from local businesses, and much more.
One of the items attendees can bid on in this year’s raffle is an Epiphone, Sheraton Pro II, semi-hollow body guitar with a hard case, amp, three pedals and accessories.
Patrons can bid on various items all three days, and raffle winners will be drawn on April 12. Winners will be notified.
If community members have any items they would like to donate for the raffle, contact Jayne Reardon at jaynereardon@sbcglobal.net. If any local businesses or private donors are interested in sponsorships, they may email Baumgarten at beashleyb@hotmail.com. The Sorg will have concessions and beverages available for purchase.
This is the third year for the concert series at Sunset Park. The first summer concert of 2024 will be held on May 30 with Tom The Torpedoes (The Music of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), and the series will run through Aug. 8.
There will be six concerts this year, which will be held every other Thursday. The concerts will run from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The concerts are free, family-friendly, and all ages welcome. Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or a blanket. A food truck will be on site at each event and beer will be available for purchase for those ages 21 and up.
Visit the Sounds at Sunset Facebook page at “Sounds at Sunset” for more information.
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