Multi-Hyphenate Actor/Comedian/Author Jay Mohr Headlines Cincy Brew Ha-Ha on Saturday
Jay Mohr is most widely known for, well, many things. He first gained national attention on Saturday Night Live before being cast in the blockbuster film Jerry Maguire. His status as a comedic actor solidified when he starred opposite Jennifer Aniston in Picture Perfect. Since then, he has appeared in over 25 films and his…
Cincinnati’s Fall Arts Preview 2019
Cincinnati's arts scene has a lot to look forward to on the 2019-2020 season horizon, from major organization anniversaries — the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is turning 125 and Cincinnati Opera is turning 100, to name two — to anticipated Broadway in Cincinnati arrivals to brave new works choreographed by Cincinnati Ballet dancers. And this year's…
10 Cincinnati Fall Arts Things to Do in Theater, Film, Visual Arts and More
ONSTAGE: August: Osage County Usually we look to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for plays that have been around for a century or four, but some shows become classics in less time. One of those will kick off Cincy Shake’s upcoming season: Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County. The 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner (it also won the…
Cincinnati’s Classical Music Organizations Host Landmark Anniversaries and New Initiatives in the Upcoming Season
Cincinnati breaks the mold as a midsize city with a world-class orchestra, opera company and chamber music organization. All three of which are gearing-up for anniversaries this 2019-2020 season as the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra celebrates 125 years, the Cincinnati Opera observes its 100th anniversary and Chamber Music Cincinnati turns 90. The programs for each company…
‘Come From Away’ Tells Nick and Diane’s True Love Story, Stranded in Newfoundland During the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
In mid-September 2001, 38 planes with over 6,500 passengers landed unexpectedly in Gander, Newfoundland, a remote island off Canada’s east coast. U.S. airspace had been shut down in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The town’s 10,000 residents hosted people from all over the world for nearly a week. The “guests” spoke more than 100…
The Esquire is Devoting One of its Six Screens to Showing Classics and Special Event Films
Clifton’s Esquire Theatre is primarily known as the city’s premier art/indie/specialty cinema, a place where the more critically praised narrative and documentary films like Echo in the Canyon, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am and The Last Black Man in San Francisco play alongside the more thoughtful and/or edgy Hollywood releases. Now it is also…
Three Cincinnati Ballet Dancers Have Choreographed Pieces for the Annual Kaplan New Works Series
Three dancers are taking the stage this fall in more ways than one. When Cincinnati Ballet’s 14th Kaplan New Works Series opens on Sept. 12 at the Aronoff Center for the Arts in the Jarson-Kaplan Theater, three of its company members will have their own choreography featured. Soloist David Morse and corps de ballet dancer…
The Cincinnati Reds Hosted an On-Field Naturalization Ceremony for 114 New U.S. Citizens
On Aug. 16, 114 new American citizens were naturalized on the field of Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds took on the St. Louis Cardinals. GABP is one of four Major League ballparks taking part in naturalization ceremonies held across the country to celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day (Sept. 17). Federal Magistrate Judge Stephanie…
Ohio House Speaker ‘Less and Less Supportive’ of Death Penalty
One of Ohio's top conservative state lawmakers says he's less convinced the death penalty is right for the state. Ohio Speaker of the House Larry Householder, a Republican, said today that he is less supportive of the state putting inmates to death than he used to be, mostly due to the difficulty executions present. Officials…
As Shootings Continue, City Officials Mull Responses
It has been an especially violent summer in Cincinnati, and a new rash of shootings over the past week has upped the sense of urgency around gun violence in Queen City neighborhoods. Now, city officials are calling for a number of efforts to address the shootings — including making counseling and other mental health services…
Everything You Can Eat and Drink at This Weekend’s Germania Society Oktoberfest
Don’t let the name confuse you: this year’s Oktoberfest party is actually kicking off in late August. The Germania Society boasts that their 49th-annual Oktoberfest is the most authentic in Cincinnati (or Zinzinnati if you’re really getting in the Deutsch mood).They have live German music and dancing, games for kids, plenty of food and, of…
Race Through the Cincinnati Zoo — and Get a Special Cheetah Encounter — During the Cheetah Run 5k
The Cheetah Run takes place inside the Cincinnati Zoo and includes admission. This 3.1-mile course winds through the park’s unique gardens and animal exhibits and includes a cheetah encounter and post-race refreshments for runners. There will also be prizes awarded to the first 10 men and 10 women who complete the race. The special cheetah…
Downtown’s Metropole at 21c Museum Hotel Hosts a Yasssss! Queen Drag Brunch
Your favorite local drag queens will be looking fresh as they slay and sashay from the window to the wall at the Metropole. This family-style brunch includes a mimosa and show. Call 513-578-6660 to RSVP. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. $35. Metropole at 21c, 609 Walnut St., Downtown, 21cmuseumhotels.com.
‘Back to the Future’ Screens for Free at Liberty Center in Liberty Township
Bring the kids, a blanket, snacks and watch movies for free at Liberty Center. This week, it’s Back to the Future. A California teen travels 88 mph in a Delorean from 1985 to 1955 to save the future (and the past) and avoid making out with his mom. 8-11 p.m. Tuesday. Free. Liberty Center, 7100…
Over-the-Rhine’s Mini Microcinema Hosts a 40th-Anniversary Screening of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll High School’
Over-the-Rhine’s Mini Microcinema has been celebrating a different timeless film’s anniversary each month this year, starting with the 30th anniversary of Sex, Lies, and Videotape. The series allows The Mini to showcase movies that still resonate with audiences today, despite being released 10, 20, 30 years ago or beyond. This weekend, catch at 40th-anniversary screening…
Pendleton’s 3 Points Urban Brewery Goes Dog-Friendly Once a Month During Pups & Pints
3 Points Urban Brewery is celebrating the dog days of summer with its monthly Pups & Pints pooch-friendly night. Bring your favorite furry friend to the taproom, where they will receive attention from strangers while you drink a beer or two. There will also be treats plus special guests from the Cindependent Film Festival, who…
Big Freedia Brings New Orleans Bounce to Bogart’s
Whether or not you’ve heard of Big Freedia, you’ve likely heard the New Orleans rapper on the radio. Sampled in the intro and chaotic breakdown of Drake’s 2018 chart-topper “Nice For What,” snippets from her live performances act as a jarring interjection — the force with which she chants the line “these hoes, they mad”…
Church Comic Turned Comedy Club Stand-Up Taylor Tomlinson Heads to the Liberty Funny Bone
Most comedians start their careers in a comedy club of some sort. Taylor Tomlinson started in church at age 16. After taking a comedy class with her dad at their church, the instructor, a Christian comedian, invited Taylor to be his feature act. She did the church circuit for two years before switching to mainstream…
War-of-the-Sexes Romcom ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ is Now Onstage at Price Hill’s Warsaw Federal Incline Theater
It’s a war between the sexes as seven frontier women take charge of their lives in 1850s Oregon in this romantic comedy. With musical hits like “Bless Your Beautiful Hide” and “The Sobbin’ Women,” seven dummy brothers think they know what a woman’s place is. But they learn what’s up through one of their spirited…
Minimum Gauge: South African Duo Die Antwoord Accused of Homophobic Attack
HOT: Die Antwoord Loses Gigs Over Apparent Attack Experimental South African Hip Hop duo Die Antwoord has been booted from the lineups of two major U.S. music festivals — including late September’s Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky — after a 2012 video surfaced showing the rappers attacking Andy Butler of Hercules & Love Affair.…
See ’10 Things I Hate About You’ for Free During Washington Park’s Summer Cinema Series
Free films take over Washington Park Wednesdays in summer. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, pretty and pleasant Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) can’t go to prom unless her uptight sister (Julia Stiles) does. Thankfully, bad boy Patrick (Heath Ledger, RIP) steps in. Bring some chairs or a blanket and head to the park early…
Cincinnati Rollergirls to Host First-Ever Boot Camp This Fall
If you've ever wanted to try your hand (foot?) at roller derby, this fall you'll have the opportunity to participate in a crash course from the best in the city. Cincinnati Rollergirls are hosting a first-ever boot camp from Oct.13-24 for aspiring skaters. Tryouts for the 2020 season will be held on Oct. 27. The…
Ohio’s Unemployment Rate Has Remained at or Below 4 Percent for the First Time in Almost Two Decades
For the first time in almost two decades, Ohio's unemployment rate has stayed at 4 percent or below for more than one month, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJS) reported last Friday. The overall U.S. unemployment rate for July 2019 was 3.7 percent. Over the past year, the number of Ohioans facing unemployment — as defined by people who…
Celebrate National Dog Day at Cincinnati’s Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar+Arcade
Cincinnati's Pins Mechanical Co. and 16-Bit Bar+Arcade will be just a tad dog-friendlier on Aug. 26. In honor of National Dog Day, the entertainment bars — which are both always happy to have doggos on-site — are inviting guests to bring their pups along for the party. All dogs will receive a "wag bag" with…
Check Out the Full Schedule for BeWILDerfest, Urban Artifact’s Two-Day Live Music Extravaganza
Hosted on three stages in and around Northside church-turned-brewery-and-music-venue Urban Artifact (1660 Blue Rock St., Northside, artifactbeer.com), beWILDerfest is described as a “wild culture music and beer festival.” The annual event, which began in 2016, returns this weekend with a lineup that includes several of Cincinnati’s finest musical acts (like Tweens, Lung, Moonbeau, Us, Today,…
Blues Rock Singer/Guitarist Popa Chubby Returns to Greater Cincinnati This Week
Ted Horowitz probably thought few people would listen to scorching, Pop-inflected Blues played by Ted Horowitz, so he created the suitably audacious nom du plume Popa Chubby, which doubled up on entendre and threw in dichotomy for good measure. Obviously, the name references street slang for getting an erection, but then there’s the disconnect between…
Trade In Your Columbus Crew Duds for Some Fresh Discounted FC Cincinnati Gear
Hell's about to get realer. Ahead of this Sunday's much-anticipated match against the Columbus Crew at Nippert Stadium, FC Cincinnati has a special offer for local soccer-crazy fans who perhaps stanned for the wrong Ohio team back before the Queen City had its own MLS squad. Until 5 p.m. Saturday at the FCC's downtown shop…
Premiere: Cincinnati Psych Rock Trio Slow Glows’ Dreamy New Album Track, ‘Tangerine’
Cincinnati Psych Rock band Slow Glows will celebrate the release of their debut album, Stargaze Rock ’n’ Roll, Saturday, Aug. 24 at MOTR Pub (1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, motrpub.com). The free, 9 p.m. event will also feature performances by fellow local Indie Rock trios Pop Empire and Darlene. Cincinnati has seen a lot of great…
‘David Crosby: Remember My Name’ Explores a Complex Kind of Genius
In preparation for this review of director A.J. Eaton’s documentary David Crosby: Remember My Name, I Googled “genius,” seeking a definition that would serve as a starting point. I landed on a Wikipedia listing with a description of what I sought: “A genius is a person who displays exceptional intellectual ability, creative productivity, universality in…
The Cindependent Strikes Back
After a successful inaugural run, the all-genre three-day Cindependent Film Festival returns to Over-the-Rhine Aug. 29-31, touting a total of 106 films to be screened in 18 time-blocks, plus 31 screenplay readings, the scripts for which will be interpreted by actors at Know Theatre. When I spoke with founder and creative director Allyson West on…
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden to Open Hops Craft Beer Garden This Fall
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is brewing up some exciting plans, set to take shape this fall. This October, the zoo is slated to open Hops, a 130-seat craft beer garden which will feature a handful of local brews, plus national beers and a variety of locally and sustainably sourced food items. “Cincinnati is…
Bass Virtuoso Marcus Miller is Coming to Cincinnati This Fall
Contemporary Jazz bass superhero Marcus Miller is coming to Cincinnati this fall. Tickets to see Miller at the Ludlow Garage on Nov. 23 go on sale this Friday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. via ticketmaster.com. Though known as an influential Jazz player, Miller is far from just a "Jazz bassist." He's done sessions with Jazz…
Ohio Farmers Begin Navigating Hemp and CBD Production
Now that Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill legalizing CBD oil and hemp production, many Ohio farmers are wondering when they can begin growing the cannabis plant. The law allows farmers to grow hemp as long as it contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Erica Stark, executive director of…
Whispering Beard Folk Festival Hosts First Riverfront Event This Week with M. Ward, Ryan Bingham and More
In January, the hugely popular Whispering Beard Folk Festival announced it was moving from its cozy confines in small-town Friendship, Indiana to Smale Riverfront Park (on West Mehring Way downtown, where The National hosted its huge Homecoming music fest in 2018). Taking place Aug. 22-24, the 2019 WBFF lineup is in keeping with the event’s…
HighGrain Brewing Co. Is an Eco-Friendly Taproom Housed in Silverton’s 1950s Municipal Building
HighGrain offers a wide range of styles, brewed by Matthew Utter, a former head brewer for Christian Moerlein. Utter, who lived in Germany for a decade, takes notable inspiration from the country’s beers and, where applicable, sticks very closely to the Reinheitsgebot purity laws, 500-year-old regulations that dictate the ingredients allowed to produce beer (water,…
Youngstown Man Who Threatened to Shoot Up Jewish Community Center Arrested
A 20-year-old man was arrested this weekend in Youngstown after posting an image to his Instagram account of a man firing a gun, and tagging the local Jewish Community Center. James Patrick Reardon was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on Saturday and is being held on a $250,000 bond. Reardon’s social media accounts were…
Wodka Bar Introduces the Complexities of Vodka to OTR — Backed by an Eastern European Food Menu and Opulent Décor
I must confess that vodka hasn’t been on my radar for quite some time. After a brief flirtation with deceptively “light” drinks like Vodka Collins in my youth, I came to think of it as tasteless and too neutral. Why use a spirit if it doesn’t have a distinctive flavor? Give me bourbon, gin or…
Cincinnati Priest Indicted on Nine Rape Counts
A grand jury has indicted a Cincinnati Catholic priest on nine counts of rape, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters announced today. Father Geoff Drew is accused of raping an altar boy at St. Jude in Bridgetown, where Drew was then music minister, between 1988 and 1991. The survivor was 10 when the abuse started. He…
Middletown, Ohio Candy Shop Grandpa Joe’s Sells Chocolate-Covered Pickle Oreos
The confectionary minds behind Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop are damn geniuses (or pregnant or super, super high). They have concocted the completely insane Pickle Oreo and people — and People — are freaking out. The sweet and savory combo was recently featured in People online: Peanut butter and jelly, milk and cookies, ham and cheese…
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Returns to Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena This Fall
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is bringing its long-running Christmas "multi-sensory extravaganza" back to U.S. Back Arena this holiday season. The group's all-new musical/theatrical "Christmas Eve and Other Stories" tour comes to Cincinnati on Nov. 29 for two shows (at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.). Fans can register now through Aug. 30 for presale tickets. Presale tickets for the general public go…
Actor Damon Gupton Named Cincinnati Pops Principal Guest Conductor
The Cincinnati Pops announced the appointment of actor and musician Damon Gupton as their first-ever principal guest conductor. The Detroit native has guest-conducted for the Pops since 2014 and most recently led last October’s Haunted Hall concerts. Gupton’s three-year contract will lead with a live orchestra film screening of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.…
DeWine: Fentanyl ‘Not an Option’ for Executions
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has batted down a suggestion from a fellow Republican state lawmaker that would have the state use fentanyl seized by law enforcement officers to conduct executions. State Rep. Scott Wiggam, who represents Wooster and surrounding areas, said last week that he is working on legislation that would allow the state to…
Oliver’s Desserts Brings Traditional Treats — Plus Gluten-Free, Vegan and Keto Sweets — to the East Side
Cincinnati's East Side is about to get a little bit sweeter. Oliver's Desserts is hosting the grand opening of its bakery on Aug. 24 with a day full of cookie decorating, a raffle and prize wheel for free and discounted goodies, face painting and plenty of tasty treats to consume. The bakery has been in…
Say Bye to Marty Brennaman with Giveaways and Events at Great American Ball Park in September
Cincinnati Reds play-by-play broadcaster Marty Brennaman is retiring in September after a 46-year career with team. His final broadcast will be Thursday Sept. 26. “It was important to me that my last regular season broadcast happened at home, so I won’t go to Pittsburgh with the team to finish the season,” Brennaman said in a…
Is a Plan to Fix Metro Finally Getting Ready to Roll Forward?
It’s a hot mid-morning at Government Square, the central hub for Cincinnati’s Metro bus service, and riders are milling about waiting for their routes. Many are like Marlon Tate — in the middle of hour or longer journeys involving transfers to get to work. Tate is waiting on Route 20 so he can get to…
Cincinnati Singer/Songwriter Curt Kiser Finally Finds the Right Time for Debut Carriers Album
Over the past two years, Cincinnati’s Curt Kiser, formerly of Indie Pop faves Pomegranates and Enlou, has leaked so many singles and stray tracks from his current band project, Carriers, it seemed as though the first album would be released like Johnny Cash’s mythical Cadillac — one piece at a time. But, finally, Kiser has…
Melissa Etheridge’s Brings Her ‘Medicine Show’ to the Taft Theatre
Melissa Etheridge began her career in 1988 with a self-titled album, which included one of her signature songs, “Bring Me Some Water.” In 1993, Etheridge came out as a lesbian and also released her breakthrough album, Yes I Am, notching hits like “Come to My Window” and “I’m the Only One.” Following numerous Grammy nominations…
Quaintrelle Confections to Close OTR Shop, Moving to Online and Wholesale Orders Only
Quaintrelle Confections opened on Main Street in Over-the-Rhine in early 2018, offering Cincy sweet tooths an artisan s'mores bar plus retail shop for handcrafted marshmallows. The shop announced on Facebook the morning of Aug. 16 that they will be closing their Over-the-Rhine location on Aug. 21 and will be focusing on online and wholesale orders moving forward. With…
Souls of Mischief, Del the Funky Homosapien and Underground Hip Hop Collective Hieroglyphics Coming to Cincinnati
Based in Oakland, California, the Hip Hop collective Hieroglyphics bubbled up from the underground in the ’90s, considered by many the “golden age” of the genre. After its members like Del the Funky Homosapien, Casual and the Souls of Mischief signed major record deals, they released albums that didn’t necessarily notch blockbuster sales numbers but…
Cincinnati Public Schools Accidentally Emails Students’ Personal Info
A glitch in a computer program caused Cincinnati Public Schools to send out some students' personal information to parents of 7,000 of the district's bus riders, CPS says. The emails sent yesterday were supposed to be reminders to parents to check their students' bus route information before school starts Aug. 19. That information was included…
Learn How to Taxidermy Your Very Own Anthropomorphic Rat at Hail Dark Aesthetics
Hail Dark Aesthetics, the MainStrasse oddities and record shop, is hosting several taxidermy, articulation and mounting workshops with Meddling with Nature, an educational group that explores the connection between art and nature through direct, hands-on experience. And if you've ever fancied yourself a bit of a Wes Anderson-type and longed to create and display your very own…
Traffic Calming Pilot Starts Monday in Clifton
After requests from Clifton's community council and business association, the neighborhood's business district will get 24-hour parking along Ludlow Avenue between Cornell Place and Brookline Ave. starting Monday. Currently, the curb lanes on both sides of Ludlow are parking restricted during morning and afternoon rush hours. But some residents have complained about high rates of…
Officials: Police Bullets Struck Two Dayton Mass Shooting Victims, But Were Not Responsible for Any Deaths
Autopsies have revealed that two victims of the Aug. 4 Dayton mass shooting were also hit by Dayton Police gunfire during the 30-second exchange between officers and shooter Connor Betts. An autopsy on Betts himself, meanwhile, revealed he had cocaine, alcohol and Xanax in his system when he opened fire on a crowd in the…
Tell Your Boss: Oktoberfest’s Opening Day is Now an Official ‘Half-Day Holiday’ in Cincinnati
One of Cincinnati's most popular festivals, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, is kicking off six hours earlier this year. The event will now begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20. Previously, the German-themed feasting and fun got on its way on the opening Friday evening at 5 p.m. In honor of the shift, Mayor John Cranley has…
Minimum Gauge: Rammstein and The 1975 Use PDA to Protest Anti-LGBTQ Laws Around the World
HOT: PDA As Protest Musicians have been making statements about some of the world’s most primitive anti-LGBTQ laws by overtly breaking them with some PDA. Last month in Russia, Rammstein guitarists Paul Landers and Richard Kruspe kissed onstage during a concert, defying the country’s “gay propaganda” laws, which forbid such public acts of “nontraditional sexual…
University of Cincinnati Gets $1.35 Million From Feds to Fight Addiction Epidemic
The University of Cincinnati will get $1.35 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for training students to treat patients struggling with addiction, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announced Aug. 15. The federal funds, which come from a $70 million pool awarded to 64 programs this year by the Opioid Workforce Expansion Program,…
Devil Went Down to Lawrenceburg: Charlie Daniels is Coming to Southeastern Indiana This Fall
Tickets to see Country music legends The Charlie Daniels Band this fall in Lawrenceburg, Indiana go on sale Friday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. Daniels and Co. are scheduled to perform at the Lawrenceburg Event Center at Hollywood Casino on Oct. 12. Daniels — who will be celebrating his 83rd birthday on Oct. 28 —…
Teller’s of Hyde Park Will Be Closing at the End of August
Longtime Hyde Park Square eatery Teller's of Hyde Park announced it will be closing at the end of August via a Facebook post. In the post, managing partner Brendan Hurley thanks Teller's guests, friends and employees for the past 25 years of memories, going on to credit the "1,782 employees" they have had since opening…
Live Music in Greater Cincinnati: This Week’s Concerts and Club Shows (Aug. 22-27)
THURSDAY 15 ARNOLD'S BAR AND GRILL – Philip Paul Trio. 7:30 p.m. Jazz. Free. BLIND LEMON – Billy Otten. 8 p.m. Acoustic. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE – Mandy Gaines Trio. 8 p.m. Jazz. Cover. COMMON ROOTS – Open Mic. 8 p.m. Various. Free. *FOUNTAIN SQUARE – Salsa on the Square with La Formula with Atrevidos. 7…
Jose Salazar’s Findlay Market Eatery Goose & Elder Sets Grand Opening Date
Goose & Elder is local chef and restaurateur Jose Salazar's most recent venture. The eatery/bar is located across from historic Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine and will host its grand opening on Aug. 20. Salazar describes the restaurant as "Midcentury grandma," sourcing colors and patterns that evoke a sense of the 1970s and '80s. "You will…
