Event: Vinyl Club at The Comet
You know that old vinyl Chumbawamba record you somehow managed to get ahold of and, in a fit of shame, stashed a way for a rainy day? Break it out. Every Monday night the Comet hosts The Vinyl Club, a group of music lovers with a collection of records that hardly get to be heard,…
Event: Wet Hot American Summer Beer and Grill Out
Mayday, the Northside bar, restaurant and music venue all in one, has a lot of goals for itself. While it already stands as one of the most happening local spots, it simply does not want to settle for anything less than what it is capable of: expanding its impact while still maintaining that community embracement.…
Art: More is Always More
This month Prairie in Northside hosts More is Always More, an exhibition and collaborative installation by artists Lesley Ash and Kenton Brett. Ash is currently Brooklyn-based, but earned her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati in 2011. Brett, formerly of the Arthole collaborative, earned a bachelor’s degree from UC in 2007 and…
Onstage: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created quite a franchise with his tales of Sherlock Holmes, the detective who solved crimes with his amazing skills of deductive reasoning. Probably his best-known tale is “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” in which Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson investigate a “hound of hell” that stalks the moors. Cincinnati Shakespeare…
Event: When in Pompeii
Tired of feeling boring and uncreative? Experience the creative processes of ancient Pompeiian artists at When in Pompeii, hosted by Enjoy the Arts and FUNKĕ Fired Arts. Sip on complimentary wine, nibble on delicious treats and get your creative juices flowing! At this event, you will design and make your own pottery painting and enjoy…
Event: The Slurring Bee
Scrabble is fun. Words with Friends is more fun. The Slurring Bee, though, out-funs them all. What word game could possibly beat a real-life spelling competition centered around free shots in one of Cincinnati’s hippest, danciest Rock n’ Roll Bars (bonus: they serve gourmet hot dogs)? Nothing, that’s what. Logophiles and bold bar-goers alike can…
Event: CNKY Scene LGBT Film Festival
Get your pride on at CNKY Scene’s first LGBT film festival. The three-day festival forays into online dating, adoption, HIV and homophobia with more than 20 full-length and short films sure to make audiences laugh, cry and wave their inner rainbow flag. A Q&A with actress and producer Meredith Baxter will follow the documentary Raid…
Comedy: Jeff Dunham
Watching ventriloquist Jeff Dunham perform live, you might catch a glimpse of what Steve Martin used to call “the creativity in action.” It’s the part of his set during which he might try something brand new. “I come up with an idea or a premise,” he explains, “and I’ll stick it in the middle of…
Film: Shut Up and Play the Hits
Following the successful screening of acclaimed Sigur Ros concert film Inni in April, the Contemporary Arts Center is showing another hot music flick this week. This time, on the same night and at the same time as an ever-growing list of theaters and venues nationwide, the CAC is screening Shut Up and Play the Hits,…
Obama Visits Cincinnati For Packed Town Hall Meeting
In the first town hall-style event of the 2012 campaign, President Barack Obama fielded questions on Monday about rights for the LGBT community, what he would do for small business during a second term and which was his favorite Girl Scout cookie (Thin Mints). Obama — the first Democrat to carry Hamilton County since Lyndon…
Forecastle Recap: Backstage with Everest
I started out the second day of the Forecastle festival in Louisville by getting caught in the rain and being picked up like a hitchhiker by the Everest band van on the way to setup for their set on the main Mast Stage of the festival. The band agreed to let me hang for “A…
Bunburied Alive … and Lovin’ It
I’ve been to more festivals than I care to recall, but they mostly pale in comparison to Bunbury’s inaugural weekend. The planners of the three-day Cincinnati festival scored awesome bands for a first-year festival and the location couldn’t have been more spectacular, stretching from Sawyer Point to Yeatman's Cove along the riverfront. Bonnaroo sucks because…
Joshua Radin
There isn’t much about Cleveland that Cincinnatians will admit to liking — it’s a bitter rivalry we just can’t move past. Cleveland did, however, offer us one very good reason to love them. Raised in Cleveland, singer-songwriter Joshua Radin quickly rose to success with his soft-spoken lyrics and acoustic guitar. Easily as talented as the…
Whigs Offer Free Download of Frank Ocean Cover
Along with the obscure R&B song "See and Don't See," the reunited Afghan Whigs have been performing their cover of modern Soul singer Frank Ocean's "Lovecrimes" since the start of its global tour. Since then, Ocean made headlines for declaring his bisexuality, a rarity in the world of Hip Hop (though a Soul crooner, he's…
Beats Summer Music Series featuring Pierce Fulton
In the swelling tide of Dance producers with great ears, a metric ton of talent and the laser-focused potential to take Electronic Dance music to an exponentially higher level, few stars shine as bright as Pierce Fulton. Recently spotlighted by genre bible Mixmag in their “Keep An Eye On” column, Fulton is one of the…
MidPoint Indie Summer Series featuring Izzy and the Catastrophics
If you’re looking to dust off your dancing Keds or run a diagnostic test on your pacemaker or combine your aerobic activities with your club regimen, Izzy and the Catastrophics, the pride of Brooklyn, N.Y., should be your soundtrack of choice. Featuring the estimable talents of gifted guitarist/frontman Izzy Zaidman (who once tore shit up…
Hayes Carll & the Gulf Coast Orchestra
It’s not hard to believe that Hayes Carll is from Houston; it seems he embodies so many great things about the music of Texas. A country drawl mixed with Rock & Roll, Carll’s most recent album, KMAG YOYO, was the Americana Music Association’s No. 1 album in 2011. His strength really lies within his songwriting;…
World Choir Games: Wrapping Up
On Saturday (July 14) I spent much of my day attending two excellent events. In the afternoon, I was part of a full-to-the-rafters Music Hall (every single seat was sold, meaning more than 3,400 people were in attendance!) for the final Champions Concert, featuring 11 groups that were judged to be the best in their…
Falling in Love at Bunbury
I hate festivals. I hate that they’re always at the peak of a heat wave or in the middle of a tornado warning. I hate that 90 percent of festival goers don’t understand the concept of deodorant. I hate the rushing around to multiple stages and the trying to decide who you like best when…
World Choir Games: Awards Ceremony
On Friday evening, I hiked down to U.S. Bank Arena for the World Choir Games awards ceremony. It was bustling at The Banks, since the Reds are back in town and playing the Cardinals. It was fun to see the WCG participants, many dressed in colorful team T-shirts, mingling with the crowds around Great American…
Archer’s Paradox Makes Its Own Luck
Archer’s paradox, according to Wikipedia, is the phenomenon whereby "in order to strike the center of the target with an arrow, the arrow must be pointed slightly to the side of the target." Archer’s Paradox, the band, according to the two members I spoke with on a hot Thursday — much the same. “It started…
World Choir Games: Packed 12 Hours on Thursday
I spent 12 hours on Thursday absorbing events and performances of the 2012 World Choir Games. My "day pass" gave me way too much to write up in detail, but here are some highlights and random observations. Show Choirs: I spent several morning hours at the Aronoff Center (which was "sold-out" — no empty seats,…
Bunbury or Bust: Music Fest Kicks Off Today
The three-day Bunbury Music Festival kicks off today at noon at Sawyer Point Park along the riverfront. Stay tuned to our music blog for updates and reports from the festival all weekend. Follow @CityBeatMusic on Twitter for updates as well. If you're headed to the festival and have a smartphone, I highly recommend downloading the…
Stage Door: ‘The Foreigner’ + World Choir Games
The best theatrical entertainment onstage this weekend is The Foreigner, presented by the Commonwealth Theatre Company at Northern Kentucky University. I saw it a week ago (review here) and it's a winner — a very funny play with a marvelously inventive performance by Roderick Justice in the title role. He plays a painfully shy man…
Morning News and Stuff
A citizen committee has determined that l evy-funded Hamilton County social-service agencies need to provide their services with fewer resources, advising that property owners pay the same levy rate despite decreases in property values that will reduce funding for groups that help senior citizens and people with mental illnesses. The decision by the 11-member committee…
Attempt to Overturn GOP Redistricting Moves Forward
Ohio's House Bill 369 has been causing fuss across the state since it was signed into law by Ohio Gov. John Kasich last December, and opponents of the bill are close to getting an amendment onto the November ballot that would redesign the congressional districts instituted by the bill. On July 3, Voters First, a…
Bunbury Sleeper: Now, Now
The inaugural Bunbury Music Festival — three days of top-shelf Alternative music at Cincinnati's riverfront Sawyer Point Park — is TOMORROW! All this week, CityBeat's music blog has featured samples from some of our "sleeper picks" for the fest, artists who some may not be as familiar with as they are Weezer or Death Cab…
World Choir Games: “Music of the World” + Parade
The beginning of this week was a slower pace for the World Choir Games in Cincinnati. At the halfway point, choirs visiting for the first week departed and new ones arrived, so there was very little activity on Monday. A festive, rambunctious parade from the Convention Center to Fountain Square too place 6 p.m. Tuesday,…
Bunbury and Self Diploma Team Up for DJ Stage
Though there is a lot of it, this weekend's three-day Bunbury Music Festival isn't just dudes with guitars playing Alternative Rock music. You'll also find Folk, AltCountry, Post Punk, Blues, Pop and, if you're a fan of DJs and Electronic music, besides acts like RJD2 and Lights, there's a whole stage set up for you.…
Bunbury Sleeper: Tristen
The inaugural Bunbury Music Festival — three days of top-shelf Alternative music at Cincinnati's riverfront Sawyer Point Park — starts TOMORROW! All this week, CityBeat's music blog has been featuring samples from some of our "sleeper picks" for the fest, artists who some may not be as familiar with as they are Weezer or Death…
MPMF.12 Washington Park Schedule Taking Shape
The newly remodeled, freshly reopened Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine is shaping up to be one of the hottest music venues in the city. Last evening, the every-Wednesday "Bandstand Bluegrass" series kicked off with Jake Speed and the Freddies; tonight is the debut of the park's every-Thursday "Jazz in the Park" series (7 p.m., with Chris…
Morning News and Stuff
A new survey by the Coalition for a Drug-Free Greater Cincinnati found that local teenage marijuana use is up slightly. Mary Haag, president and CEO of the coalition, says it’s the organization’s biggest concern — makes sense considering the organization is dedicated to creating a drug-free Cincinnati, but shouldn’t someone be concerned about this, too?…
Bunbury Sleeper: The Henry Clay People
The inaugural Bunbury Music Festival — three days of top-shelf Alternative music at Cincinnati's riverfront Sawyer Point Park — is just two days away. All this week, CityBeat's music blog will be featuring samples from some of our "sleeper picks" for the fest, artists who some may not be as familiar with as they are…
Did Schmidt, Boehner Scrub Wikipedia Pages?
A post on viral web cataloger BuzzFeed accuses U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt or her staff of airbrushing the congresswoman’s Wikipedia page. BuzzFeed claims that a user bearing the Internet fingerprint shared by all Congressional offices removed the section of Schmidt’s Wikipedia entry titled “The Armenian Genocide issue.” Schmidt was one of 33 Congress members alleged…
Bunbury Sleeper: The Silent Comedy
The inaugural Bunbury Music Festival — three days of top-shelf Alternative music at Cincinnati's riverfront Sawyer Point Park — is just two days away. All this week, CityBeat's music blog will be featuring samples from some of our "sleeper picks" for the fest, artists who some may not be as familiar with as they are…
“Bandstand Bluegrass” Series Starts Tonight
We previously told you about some of the newly remodeled Washington Park's musical additions, including the "Jazz in the Park" series, curated by Jazz pianist Chris Comer and beginning tomorrow with special guest Napoleon Maddox of Jazz/Hip Hop/experimental group IsWhat?!. Now, the full lineup for the free Wednesday night "Bandstand Bluegrass" series has been revealed.…
Bunbury Sleeper: Child Bite
The inaugural Bunbury Music Festival — three days of top-shelf Alternative music at Cincinnati's riverfront Sawyer Point Park — is just two days away. All this week, CityBeat's music blog will be featuring samples from some of our "sleeper picks" for the fest, artists who some may not be as familiar with as they are…
Kim’s Theme, Hotplate DJs and Dangerous Bassists
HOT: Lil Kim Gets a Theme Song As Sacha Baron Cohen showed in his most recent film, despite their often horrid acts of human rights violations and other atrocities, most dictators are also hilarious. North Korea’s new “supreme leader” is picking up where his pops left off in the crazy/hyper-vain department; The Atlantic reports Kim…
Locals at Bunbury: A Primer
This weekend’s huge Bunbury Music Festival at Sawyer Point features some of the top-names in Alternative music. And it also includes several local favorites. Since Bunbury is drawing music lovers from all over the region, here is a primer on some of the Greater Cincinnati-based acts performing at the festival. Friday You won’t hear a…
Jane’s Conviction
S inger Perry Farrell and his band Jane’s Addiction have spent much of 2012 touring theaters, creating a show that he promised would be a new kind of immersive experience for fans. But the group’s Friday appearance at the Bunbury Music Festival at Sawyer Point in Cincinnati will offer a different kind of challenge for…
Rushed Reporting is Nothing New
No one likes to recall his failures. But rushed, wrong CNN/Fox News stories on the Supreme Court’s Obamacare ruling reminded me of my descent into rushed, botched reporting. My job at UPI’s London bureau included turning messages and cables into news stories. A flash from Stockholm announced the Nobel Prize for physiology/medicine: Crick, Watson and…
I Just Can’t Get Enough
If you watch IFC’s new comedy game show, Bunk, or remember the relationship Rumspringa story from This American Life, you’re familiar with comedian Kurt Braunohler. One of his newest projects shared on his blog has Braunohler buying tons of greeting cards at pharmacies, adding his own inscription, and returning them to the store shelf. Check…
Worst Week Ever!: July 4-9
WEDNESDAY JULY 4 A text message from Bengals coach Marvin Lewis reportedly evoked an emotional response from his former player, Chad Ochocinco, on Ocho’s wedding day. Ochocinco wrote on Twitter that he was “going through text messages, Marvin Lewis message is making me tear up a lil bit and I didn’t even see the bride…
How ‘Magic Mike’ Taught Me to Let Go and Have a Good Time
Being in the know about area events and hot spots is part of my job description. It’s my duty to make readers aware of what to do and where to go throughout the city, and it’s one of my favorite responsibilities. But when it comes to my own free time as of late, you’re more…
That’s So Gay
Eyes rolling. Heavy sigh. Gays and lesbians are some of the most tedious people. A worrisome, worried lot. I get being out. I do. I am. It’s this new way folks come out that is funny and boring, and when I say “folks” I mean celebrities, stars, rappers, singers, athletes. You know, the ones living…
Cincinnati vs. The World 07.11.12
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first over-the-counter HIV test, which allows users to test themselves for the virus within 20 minutes in the privacy of their homes. WORLD +1 North Carolina’s Republican legislature passed a bill that strips $343,000 in federal funding from private family planning providers, namely, Planned Parenthood, and…
Billy Hamilton Turns Heads at Futures Game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A hundred stolen bases? That’s so 2011. Today, Vince Coleman’s minor-league record of 145 stolen is the goal for Cincinnati minor-leaguer Billy Hamilton. “Yeah, last year I didn’t get to 100 until the last couple of games of the season. Then when I hit 100 this year, it didn’t feel the…
First Amendment: Gore Good, Genitals Bad
Blocks away from the newest specialty store opened by First Amendment crusader/pornographer Larry Flynt — a man whose many court appearances helped define the legal boundaries of free speech — anti-abortion activists on the sidewalks around Fountain Square July 9 showed downtown workers and visitors to the 2012 World Choir Games graphic depictions of fetuses…
Schooled on Debt
U niversity of Cincinnati student Dan Traicoff is not happy about the limitations that costs have placed on his education. At one point, Traicoff was looking forward to attending a prominent college for graduate school. Now, due to rising education costs and student loans that have become more difficult to afford in recent years, Traicoff…
Life in the Fast Lane
The two forward rolls got everyone’s attention the night of June 26, but something else occurred that fans hadn’t seen before, and it had nothing to do with grade school tumbling. After recording his ninth save of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers — and following the double somersault — Aroldis Chapman smiled. As much…
