Today we’d like to introduce you to Jared Bowers.
Hi Jared, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been listening to, thinking about, writing about, and working around independent music since high school. I was fortunate to have my own radio show at my high school, as part of a really great vocational program they offered, and that set me on the path I’ve been following in various ways since!
What started as being able to write album reviews for super small ska bands in the late 90’s, turned into interviewing bands like AFI at the cusp of their massive popularity, then turned into, well over a decade later, booking and promoting shows for indie artists from across the country. When I started booking and promoting in the area, it was part of an attempt to save our favorite local record store by offering live music and a DIY art space. We were able to do that for a couple years before it became unsustainable, but it was such a unique and fulfilling experience that I chose to keep booking from time to time over the next few years.
In the midst of all this, I’ve been a contributing writer and concert photographer for CincyMusic.com, the premiere regional site for all things music in Cincy/NKY, and that’s been a really special, dynamic, and illuminating experience. I’ve seen some incredible shows, met some awesome folks, gotten to talk to and take photos of some of my musical heroes. There’s really nothing quite like it.
Eventually I hit pause on booking – getting married, raising kids, working full time, all things that made it tough to maintain the kind of quality in communication and planning that I pride myself on. But in 2024 I was presented with an opportunity to start something totally new, a multi-stage music festival that centered itself in the community, pairing Cincy and NKY bands with touring bands from across the Midwest.
MidWest Friends Fest was born, did well enough to give me the chance to bring it back for year 2, and now we’ve doubled the number of bands, extended to 2 days, and have so many incredible bands playing it’s honestly a bit intimidating!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Booking shows and working in any capacity in the independent music scene is about the least smooth possible course one can take, but I’ve chosen to take each failure as an opportunity to learn, grown, and improve on whatever comes next. I’ve had some big wins, and some resounding duds. It’s hard not to take it personally, but it’s increasingly difficult to break through the noise online, and in a town like Cincinnati, with NKY just across the river – we have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the local music scene. From March through November, you can pick a venue just about any night of the week and something special will be happening.
So every show presents a unique challenge, every band I work with presents an opportunity to learn about the people involved and how they work, and what they care about. I’ve made a very conscious decision to be borderline over-communicative, to be open, honest, and transparent, and to partner with bands and other folks that share common cause and want to see our local music scene thrive as much as I do. Unfortunately that also means finding folks that don’t quite jive with what you’re doing – and that’s okay. Everyone’s doing this because they believe in how important and special our local music scene is and can be, but not everyone goes about it the same way. In a scene as interesting, diverse, and challenging as ours, it takes all kinds!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a writer and editor by nature and have had a tremendous amount of fun writing about music for almost 30 years now. Within the last few years I’ve gotten into concert photography and have had so much fun honing my skills, finding my style, and documenting some truly incredible shows.
I love to tell stories – album reviews, interviews, and even concert photos all have a throughline for me as I’m writing, chatting, or editing, and I love bringing that to the forefront as often as possible. I try to use language the same way I use images and the same way I use discussions about music – what’s the feeling? What does the subject evoke, what does it mean to the people making it, talking about it, performing? How can I connect you, the reader, or the person looking at the photo with what the artist is trying to convey. It’s challenging, but continues to be rewarding in ways that I’m still surprised by.
With booking and promotion – and with MidWest Friends Fest – I love to curate an experience from start to finish. I love to pair bands that may not make sense on paper, but will absolutely blow your mind when they perform together live. Every show is an opportunity not just to show off the incredible talent we have in Cincy/NKY, but to strengthen and reinforce the very real community that’s building around the current iteration of the Cincy/NKY scene. I love when fans are having a visibly great time, and it’s genuinely moving when bands tell us how much fun they had and how much they can’t wait to come back. That’s when I know I’m doing what I need to be doing, and the gratitude I feel is honestly overwhelming.
But none of this happens in a vacuum – I work and collaborate with some folks that it’s difficult to convey just how much I appreciate and respect. Courtney at CincyMusic, Morrella Raleigh and everyone at The Southgate House Revival, my friends and regular collaborators Burrito Boys Booking and Daytonnati Booking, the folks behind a new music fest launching this year called Say It Louder! Fest, Chris Mueller and all the awesome people at SofaBurn Records and SofaBurn Inc., their musician-centric healthcare subsidy non-profit, and Start Today Harm Reduction, a harm reduction non-profit that’s growing in purpose and recognition at an incredible clip. There are absolutely others involved and I’m sorry to those I missed – without each and every one of the people mentioned or otherwise, none of what I do would have the same life, vitality, reach, or vibe as it does and I can’t thank them enough.
What’s next?
For the immediate future, we’re about a month out at the time I’m typing this up from MidWest Friends Fest 2025 – 42 bands, 2 days, 3 stages each day, plus community partners and art. It’s a massive undertaking and we’re so close, but there’s a lot of work to do still.
There are a series of concerts planned between now and the end of the year that will carry the MidWest Friends Fest name, as well, and I’ll be collaborating with a bunch of folks to bring those to life. You can check out MidWestFriendsFest.com for all the info about the fest itself and the shows we have planned!
After that… I’m already thinking about MidWest Friends Fest 2026. We have a date locked in, and almost half a dozen bands not playing this year’s festival that we’re considering locked in and ready to go.
And, of course, between, throughout, and running parallel to all of that is being a dad to my two awesome kids, and a partner to my awesome and incredible wife. Whatever I do, they’re top of mind, they’re championing my efforts, and they’re there to help me when I need it. I’m an insanely lucky guy.
Pricing:
- 2-Day Passes – $40 until May 29
- Friday Ticket – $20 until May 29
- Saturday Ticket – $30 until May 29
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.midwestfriendsfest.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midwestfriendsfest
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestfriendsfest/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MidWestFriendsFest?app=desktop
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3AF1nGGEiGuHBlV9ilaTnm?si=mYUWiG21SuGnuL2dYerGRg&nd=1&dlsi=7904d3963cbf4382
