What's Happening in Cincinnati, OH…

A band often credited with laying the foundation for heavy metal groups is coming to Cincinnati.

Vanilla Fudge first called themselves The Pigeons when they got together in 1965 in New Jersey. They toured relentlessly, building a following and developing a signature “East Coast Sound.” The band was one of the earliest to add psychedelia to heavy rock, resulting in a new genre called “psychedelic symphonic rock” that would help establish the shape of heavy metal. They started without material of their own, instead slowing down pop songs into epic anthems.

Their breakthrough came when they released their psychedelic version of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” a Supremes hit. That won them a contract with Atco and at the same time they changed their name to Vanilla Fudge. In 1967, they dropped their debut album, “Vanilla Fudge,” which debuted at number 33, climbed to number 6, and remained on the US charts for 79 weeks. More successful releases followed, and the group appeared with artists including Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Jimi Hendrix.

The group disbanded in 1970 as members pursued other projects. They have reunited in various configurations several times, supporting releases and celebrating milestones, with members occasionally playing gigs in other groups.

Vanilla Fudge will be at the Ludlow Garage on October 7. Performances like this benefit when organizers use poster printing to create suitable advertisements to support them.