New Movie Theater Coming to Downtown Cincinnati
A startling and exciting new sign has appeared on the door of the entrance to the old Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race St. in the Garfield Tower Apartments building: It says "Coming Soon… Cincinnati World Cinema." And Tim Swallow, who long has run Cincinnati World Cinema and shown indie films, Oscar shorts, foreign movies, documentaries…
Study: Hamilton County minimum wage workers must work 60 hours a week to afford an average apartment
New research shows that renters in Greater Cincinnati communities making minimum wage — and even well above that — must work very long hours to afford rent in the region's housing market. The study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition uses data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to track rent…
Indie Rock giants Spoon are remarkably consistent, but their self-motivated evolution is what makes them so compelling
Spoon is a reliable touchstone, a reassuring presence in a world that gets more surreal by the day. It seems like the Texas-bred Indie Rock band could go on forever, dropping ear-pleasing albums every few years and standing as a stabilizing force in an increasingly fractured culture altered forever by technology and social media. Spoon’s…
Cincinnati’s New Poet Laureate Is a Man of Many Well-Chosen Words
Manuel Iris, Cincinnati’s new poet laureate, describes the subject he loves this way: “Poetry is finding the extraordinary in the ordinary.” And his writing does exactly that. For instance, in one of his poems, “Ars poetica” — from his latest book, Translating Silence, a bilingual Spanish and English anthology of his past work — he…
LISTEN: Cincinnati band Oids’ adventurous, rocket-fueled New Wave debut, ‘Zonked!’
After a few years of theatrical, wild-eyed Art Rock and building up their name as one of the best live acts in Cincinnati, Injecting Strangers came to an abrupt halt. After singer Richard Ringer suddenly moved to Los Angeles, in early 2017 the band released the material they’d been working as the Dyin’ to Be…
Musical comedy troupe The Capitol Steps mock Trump at Memorial Hall
Elaina Newport’s phone demeanor is the chipper disposition of someone who cannot get to work soon enough. The sole remaining original member of the Capitol Steps, a musical political-parody group she co-founded in 1982, Newport picks up her extension and responds immediately with unbridled enthusiasm. Capitol Steps performs two shows at Memorial Hall on Sunday.…
Ohio’s Senators to Trump: Don’t split up immigrant families; more news
Hello all! Here’s a quick news rundown for you today. Hamilton County Commission yesterday voted to increase the county’s sales tax by .2 percentage points. And, as you might expect, some people are pretty angry about that. The boost will cost a household making $50,000 a year about $24 extra annually. There’s already a petition…
We all want to live in ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’
The tagline for Won’t You Be My Neighbor? — Morgan Neville’s inspiring documentary about Mr. Rogers — says it all: “a little kindness makes a world of difference.” And maybe what the world needs, especially now, is more kindness. Neville is working with a perfect role model for kindness in the late, great Fred Rogers,…
New and Returning Summer TV Series
Summertime, and the livin’s easy. What better time to Netflix and chill? Here are some new and returning series to tune into during your summer vacay. Queer Eye (Season Premiere, Friday, Netflix) – Another installment with the feel-good Fab Five just months after its Netflix debut! Can you believe? While creator David Collins has expressed…
Izzy’s and Urban Artifact Release Pickle Beer, Host Pickle Eating Contest
Depending on how you feel about pickles, this event will either be a dream come true… or your worst nightmare. Urban Artifact and Izzy’s have teamed up once again to re-release their collaboration beer Pickle, a German-style sour gose that originally launched in 2017. Pickle, a wheat beer, is brewed with 1,000 pounds of cucumbers,…
A Look Back at LGBTQ Victories, Challenges and Rollbacks in the Past Year
The LGBTQ community has seen a lot go down this year. Here’s some of highlights (and lowlights) that made up this year’s rainbow. Countries that Legalized Same-Sex Marriage As of this year, 26 countries have fully given same-sex couples the right to marry. Slews of territories and states across the world have also recognized the…
Cincinnati LGTBQ+ Bar Owners Talk About Creating Safe and Inclusive Destinations
Carl should’ve just been here,” Terry Bond says of his husband, smiling. Carl Fox is at the gym, but their dog — a border collie — is weaving between bar stools. Bond reaches down and ruffles its ears. “Carl is almost the Godfather of NKY Pride.” Together, Fox and Bond own the Crazy Fox Saloon,…
Pendleton’s 3 Points Urban Brewery Blends Art, Beer and Good Cheer in a Creative Environment
The German word for “togetherness” is, roughly, “gemütlichkeit,” which is used to describe a state or feeling of warmth, friendship and good cheer. This word could very well be 3 Points Urban Brewery’s motto. Opened in Pendleton at the beginning of June, this brewery — operated by the Hickory Wald group, whose other ventures include…
What a Week!: June 13-19
Trump-Kim Summit Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in North Korea), you probably heard all about Donald Trump’s meeting with Kim — and we’re not talking Kardashian this time. Last Monday’s episode of The Bachelor was rudely interrupted by coverage of the historic meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un — the first time…
This Week in Questionable Decisions: June 13-19
This Week in Questionable Decisions… 1. A Memphis woman was arrested and charged with child endangerment after being caught on tape transporting her grandchildren in dog kennel crates. She said there wasn’t any other room in her SUV. 2. A trending story on Twitter introduced me to the Japanese delicacy shirako, made from milt —…
As the opioid epidemic continues, Cincinnati could end the funding it provides this addiction treatment center
A few years ago, Chris Hay came down with a severe case of pneumonia and had to undergo surgery to remove fluid from his lungs. Afterward, he was given Percocet to treat his pain while he was recovering from the procedure. Hay says it was the beginning of a slide into chemical dependency. “I was…
Minimum Gauge: Music biz legend Jac Holzman releases a collection of ringtones for those who still use phones to get phone calls
HOT: Ringtone Revival? A decade ago, some speculated (jokingly and not) that the future of music would be ringtones, those sounds phones made when people still used them to make phone calls. Music industry legend Jac Holzman — who founded Elektra Records and is a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer — seems to belatedly…
Sound Advice: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks with Lithics at Woodward Theater (June 23)
Stephen Malkmus told NPR’s All Songs Considered in a recent interview that the Steve Miller Band’s 1982 radio hit “Abracadabra” was a favorite song of his teenage years while growing up in Stockton, Calif. The show’s host, Bob Boilen, was incredulous, saying he couldn’t understand how Malkmus — the driving force behind 1990s Indie Rock…
Sound Advice: We Are Scientists at MOTR Pub (June 23)
There’s no question how guitarist Keith Murray and bassist Chris Cain view their musical output: their website is bannered with an overarching title that trumpets, “We Are Scientists – A Rock Band.” As with most things in life, quantifying the musical direction of We Are Scientists is slightly more complicated than a simple internet proclamation.…
Sound Advice: Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Sturgill Simpson and The Head and the Heart at Riverbend (June 22)
With all the summer concert options out there, it can be tough to know which ones to choose, but package shows with stacked lineups make the decision much easier. One hall-of-fame bill in particular stands out this June: the Outlaw Music Festival featuring Old Crow Medicine Show, Sturgill Simpson, The Head and the Heart and…
Cincinnati Police Reform Advocates Get National Platform
One of Cincinnati’s most consistent voices for police reform is getting a national platform during an appearance on the season finale of HBO’s Problem Areas. Iris Roley, the Black United Front activist who helped push for Cincinnati’s Collaborative Agreement police reforms in the years after the city's 2001 civil unrest, appears in the 10th episode…
Frisch’s Big Boy to Serve Coca-Cola Products
Coca-Cola has returned to one of Cincinnati's legendary diners: Frisch's Big Boy. Frisch’s CEO Jason Vaughn announced the holy soda matrimony on Monday. The move comes after a five-year stint with Pepsi, which was made in 2013. Before that, the chain diner was engaged in a 50-year relationship with Coke. Since the switch to Pepsi,…
Cincinnati Parks to Amend Policies after Protests
Cincinnati Parks will change its policies and offer special use permit fee waivers for groups providing free community services after a group of activists and musicians protested those fees this week. Triiibe, a popular band and activist group, has been holding a monthly event called "Potluck for the People" in Piatt Park since January. The…
Five best Arts & Culture Events in Cincinnati for this weekend (June 15-17)
• A new exhibit that's a mini-retrospective of the work of Jim Bowsher — a collector, storyteller, folklorist and creator of an unusual art environment in Wapakoneta, Ohio, opens with a 6-10 p.m. reception tonight (Friday, June 15) at Thunder-Sky, Inc., 4523 Hamilton Ave. in Northside. Jim Bowsher and the Temple of Tolerance consists of…
Here’s where Greater Cincinnati is still segregated — and where it’s changing
Recent U.S. Census data shows where segregation persists in Cincinnati and surrounding communities, while revealing some interesting demographic changes in the region. That data is handily mapped here by the Washington Post with color-coded dots to show population and racial density in cities across the country — blue for black population, red for white population,…
Cincinnati Pride Week Events
MONDAY, JUNE 18 Queen City Radio Karaoke — QCR kicks off their Pride week with Monday night karaoke. Order a Yaaass Queen City Mule to benefit Cincinnati Pride. 9:30 p.m. Free. Queen City Radio, 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, qcrbar.com. TUESDAY, JUNE 19 Hedwig and the Angry Inch — Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s production of Hedwig and…
Sound Advice: Mt. Joy with Oliver Hazard at Woodward Theater (June 19)
It’s hard not to believe in fate when you hear stories like the one about Mt. Joy, an Americana-flavored Indie Rock group founded by guitarists/songwriters Sam Cooper and Matt Quinn. The musicians were high school friends in the Philadelphia area, but their music-making kinship ended when they graduated and went to different East Coast colleges.…
Bar Talk: Molly Wellmann
For our annual Drinking Issue, we chatted with a handful of Cincy bartenders and mixologists to pick their brains about which cocktail they make that's their favorite and where else they drink when they aren't at work. Name: Molly Wellmann Title: Owner of Wellmann’s Brands — Japp’s Since 1879, Myrtle’s Punch House, Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar…
Bar Talk: Cody Monk
For our annual Drinking Issue, we chatted with a handful of Cincy bartenders and mixologists to pick their brains about which cocktail they make that's their favorite and where else they drink when they aren't at work. Name: Cody Monk Title: General Manager of The Anchor-OTR Favorite Drink to Make: I woke up one day and thought…
Bar Talk: Omy Bugazia
For our annual Drinking Issue, we chatted with a handful of Cincy bartenders and mixologists to pick their brains about which cocktail they make that's their favorite and where else they drink when they aren't at work. Name: Omy Bugazia Title: Bartender at Please Favorite Drink to Make: I love making the Frida Zipkin for guests. It’s a bright, complex cocktail with…
Bar Talk: Nonta Perkins
For our annual Drinking Issue, we chatted with a handful of Cincy bartenders and mixologists to pick their brains about which cocktail they make that's their favorite and where else they drink when they aren't at work. Name: Nonta Perkins Title: Senior bartender at MOTR Pub and Woodward Theater Favorite Drink to Make: My go-to cocktail is…
Bar Talk: Travis Salee
For our annual Drinking Issue, we chatted with a handful of Cincy bartenders and mixologists to pick their brains about which cocktail they make that's their favorite and where else they drink when they aren't at work. Name: Travis Salee Title: Mixologist at Metropole Favorite Drink to Make: Just Arugula Guy (a gin-based cocktail made with arugula and lime…
The Peach Truck will be in Cincinnati June 24
If you don't know about The Peach Truck, you need to know. The Peach Truck is the delicious brainchild of Stephen Rose, a Georgia native who moved to Nashville and was immediately disheartened by the lack of fresh, flavorful peaches on grocery store shelves. After taking his wife Jessica to his hometown peach farm in…
Watch as Cincinnati students begin their day listening to David Byrne’s version of Bowie’s “Heroes”
Mindful Music Moments presents Heroes. from City Silence & True Body Project on Vimeo. Mindful Music Moments is a program started locally by Stacy Sims, with ArtWorks serving as fiscal agent, that encourages students to focus and positively prepare for the day ahead by hearing a recorded prompt accompanied by Classical music. Originally just at…
Cincinnati Burger Week Ends Sunday, July 22
July in Cincinnati can only mean one thing: it’s burger time. CityBeat's Burger Week is back for seven days of $5 burgers at more than 70 restaurants across the Tri-State. From July 16-22, hungry humans can find a burger for every palate, whether your favorite combo is classic with tomato, lettuce and mayo; vegan; or…
The future of Greater Cincinnati music is in good hands: School of Rock Mason showcases at Bogart’s to raise money for a great cause
Every now and then on social media, you’ll come across a snarky rant or serious concern about the future of Rock & Roll. Likewise, some have fears about things like live music, music education and whether the generations growing up in the digital age will even have interest in picking up a musical instrument and…
Cincinnati and Hamilton County still at odds over MSD; more news
Hello, Cincy! Here’s some quick news for you today. A new lawsuit claims racial discrimination within the Cincinnati Police Department… against white officers. The suit, filed against the city, Mayor John Cranley, acting City Manager Patrick Duhaney, former City Manager Harry Black, Police Chief Eliot Isaac, the Sentinels Police Association and Lt. Danita Pettis in…
Should this group have to pay to feed people who are homeless in a Cincinnati park?
UPDATE: Cincinnati Parks announced Friday, June 15 that it will waive fees assessed against Triiibe and amend its policies to allow fee waivers for groups providing community services free of charge. ORIGINAL STORY: Since January, a group of popular Cincinnati musicians and activists have been gathering once a month at the eastern edge of downtown's…
Kim Gordon and Bill Nace’s Body/Head headline opening night of Cincinnati’s No Response experimental music fest
The build-up is dramatic. The No Response Festival, which is devoted to Experimental music and occurs June 21 and 22 at Woodward Theater, has Kim Gordon’s and Bill Nace’s Body/Head as its headlining act just as the avant-garde electric guitar duo readies its second full-length studio album, The Switch. Just last week, a July 13…
Yesterday was proclaimed “Les Claypool Day” in Cincinnati after Primus frontperson visits King Records
Last weekend, the city of Cincinnati honored rocker Jack White at the site of crucial locally-based record label King Records, bestowing him with the key to the city before his headlining appearance at the Bunbury Music Festival. Last night, Les Claypool of AltRock giants Primus received a similar honor, as the city proclaimed June 12…
Transit activists place benches at Cincinnati bus stops
A group of activists pushing for improvements to the region's Metro bus service isn't taking lack of funding for the transit system sitting down. And now, more riders will be able to have a seat thanks to their efforts. Cincinnati's Better Bus Coalition has been building and placing bus benches at Metro stops that don't…
Candy Finnigan from A&E’s ‘Intervention’ and Cincinnati native returns to discuss city’s opiate crisis
It’s no secret that Cincinnati has an opioid problem. The Cincinnati Enquirer’s "Seven Days of Heroin" — which recently earned a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting — informed the community of the vastness of the problem and shined a light on the impact opioids have had on countless families, users and victims of overdose. Accidental…
Even Walls Fall Down: The Last Days of Cincinnati’s Ultrasuede Recording Studio
Plastic Ants entered Ultrasuede Studio to pay tribute to Tom Petty’s brilliance and soon found themselves mourning the loss of the recording space itself. Ants singer/songwriter Robert Cherry shares a behind-the-scenes look at an Ultrasuede session and documents the last days of one of Cincinnati’s longest-running music institutions — and its subsequent rebirth. Plus, check…
