WEDNESDAY 05 ONSTAGE: Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story Playhouse in the Park’s Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story tells the tale of the Rock & Roll sensation via mini concerts and vignettes. Through Feb. 16. Tickets start at $30. Playhouse in the Park, 962 Mt. Adams Circle, Mount Adams, cincyplay.com. Photo: Mikki Schaffner Photography
WEDNESDAY 05 ART: From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead at the Behringer-Crawford Museum Covington’s Behringer-Crawford Museum has basically found a way to turn back time by displaying four of superstar singer/actress Cher’s detailed and glittering beaded costumes from the 1960s and 1970s. Worn by the mononymous Goddess of Pop during concerts as well as appearances on the Sonny & Cher Show, the outfits were designed by the legendary Bob Mackie — the fashion icon who has created looks for seminal divas of stage, screen and song including Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, RuPaul and Elton John. The dazzling vintage numbers will be exhibited as part of the museum’s From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead, which examines “the art and integral roles that beads have played in society over the centuries, from prayer and devotion, to art, fashion and d?cor.” It’s the perfect Mermaids-style appetizer to Cher’s Cincinnati stop of her “Here We Go Again Tour,” which comes to downtown’s Heritage Bank Center on April 7. Through May 10. $9 adults; $8 seniors; $5 kids; free for members. The Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Devou Park, Covington, bcmuseum.org. Photo: Provided by the Behringer-Crawford Museum
THURSDAY 06 ONSTAGE: All the Way Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s All the Way is a political thriller set in 1964. Though February 15. $56 adults; $52 seniors; $28 students; starts at 7:30. The Otto M. Theater, 1195 Elm Street, Cincinnati, cincyshakes.com. Photo: Mikki Schaffner Photography
THURSDAY 06 ONSTAGE: The Moth Mainstage The Moth, a curated storytelling event that originated “on a back porch in small-town Georgia” more than 20 years ago, has spent the past couple decades sharing more than 40,000 stories via its live events, podcast and Public Radio Exchange’s Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour. This week, The Moth Mainstage comes to Memorial Hall for an evening of riveting and true personal tales that play off of a specific theme. Five individuals — Phill Branch, Patience Carter, Ruby Cooper, Frimet Goldberger and Samuel James, according to The Moth’s website — will take the stage to spin stories that have evolved from the concept of “Ether: Mediators and make-believers, betwixt and between.” This event is currently sold-out, so hopefully you know someone with tickets. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday Feb. 7. $28-$48. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, memorialhallotr.com. Photo: Henry Cromett
THURSDAY 06 EVENT: Friends of the Public Library Winter Used Book Sale The Friends of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is hosting its annual, gigantic winter sale in its used book warehouse to raise funds for the public library. And the affordable items aren’t limited to those of the luddite variety — shoppers can expect to find all types of media, from CDs and DVDs to games, puzzles and gifts. Staffed by volunteers, the stock is constantly changing and there are daily surprises, where different items will be discounted. Members day is Sunday, when current members get 50 percent off. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday, Feb. 7; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9. Free admission. The Friends’ Used Book Store at the Warehouse, 8456 Vine St., Hartwell, cincylibraryfriends.org. Photo via Facebook.com/cincylibraryfriends
FRIDAY 07 MUSIC: Lee Rocker Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats plays the Fairfield Community Arts Center. 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. $25-$30. Fairfield Community Arts Center, 411 Wessel Drive, Fairfield, fairfield-city.org. Photo: Alex Solka
FRIDAY 07 MUSIC: The Motels The Motels play “Totally 80’s Live” at Bogart’s with Bow Wow Wow and When in Rome II. 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. $20. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St., Corryville, bogarts.com. Photo: Marseille & Company Management
FRIDAY 07 CLASSICAL: L’enfant et les Sortileges The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performs the whimsical childhood opera L’enfant et les Sortileges. 8 p.m Friday and Saturday. $14-$130. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St. Over-the-Rhine, cincinnatisymphony.org. Photo: Fay Fox
FRIDAY 07 EVENT: Bockfest Sausage Queen Prelims at Mecklenburg Gardens The 28th-annual Bockfest — an annual celebration of spring, bock beer and the city’s brewing heritage — takes over downtown and Over-the-Rhine Feb. 28-March 1 with a plethora of activities, starting with a parade that steps off from downtown’s Arnold’s Bar & Grill. Each year, the gender-neutral Bockfest Sausage Queen has the honor of leading the Bockfest parade — along with some guys dressed like monks walking with a goat pulling a keg of bock beer — carrying a symbolic tray of bockwurst. In the weeks leading up to the Bockfest festival, there is a series of Bockfest Sausage Queen preliminary competitions. And the third preliminary competition will be held at Mecklenburg Gardens Friday (get sign-up details online). There are three rounds — a Q&A, sausage tray modeling and a talent portion — during which potential Queens are judged on their personality, presence and talent. The winners of the Sausage Queen preliminary rounds will compete in the finals on Feb. 29 at Bockfest Hall to see who will be crowned the Sausage Queen (and Beard Baron — we have one of those, too; it’s a guy or gal with the best facial hair) to lead the 2021 parade. 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. Free admission. Mecklenburg Gardens, 302 E. University Ave., Corryville, bockfest.com. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
SATURDAY 08 COMEDY: Ben Bailey Comedian Ben Bailey is probably most recognized as the host of Cash Cab, the popular game show that was resurrected this past year. However, he’s also had a solid career as a headlining stand-up comic and has started dabbling in music. In 2019, he released an album under an assumed name, which he refused to share with CityBeat. “I want the music to stand on its own,” he says. On the comedy front, he still writes about whatever strikes him as funny. “I’ve got a bit on people asking, ‘Hot enough for ya?’ I have section on why people are building houses for birds,” he says. “It’s just random stuff that I find funny.” With 65 new episodes of Cash Cab in the can and airing on Bravo, Bailey plans to be on the road roughly every other weekend this year, including a stop at Bogart’s. Locally-based Kelly Collette features. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets start at $35. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St, Corryville, bogarts.com. Photo via Facebook.com/RealBenBailey
SATURDAY 08 ART: An Ode to Bill Murray at Artifact Gallery Actor Bill Murray — a man enshrouded in his own mythos — will soon have a pop-up art show dedicated to his likeness in Cincinnati. Dubbed An Ode to Bill Murray, Newport’s Artifact Gallery will play host to a free one-night-only art show featuring works entirely inspired by The Murricane. The exhibit will feature art from 12 local artists and is produced by Pop-Up Gallery. The same group — Pop-Up Gallery — has been behind several other shows in Greater Cincinnati, including a weekend exhibit last summer at Over-the-Rhine’s Brick storefront. When asked why they chose Murray as their upcoming event’s sole subject, artist Sara Cole said it’s simply because “everyone loves” the guy. Bill Murray costumes are encouraged and there will even be a contest to decide whose is best. Pop-Up Gallery has partnered with local nonprofit Brighton Center, which works to create opportunities for individuals and families to reach self-sufficiency by way of various services and programs, to take donations of clean, packaged socks. 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. Artifact, 114 E. Eighth St., Newport, facebook.com/popupgalleryart. Photo via Facebook.com/artifactnky
SATURDAY 08 EVENT: Garage Brewed Motorcycle Show The sixth-annual Garage Brewed Motorcycle Show returns to the Rhinegeist taproom for an afternoon of paying homage to unique bikes and unique builds. Hosted by the Cincinnati Café Racers, this is a curated invitational that showcases “custom, rare, antique, collectible and just plain odd bikes that are hidden away in garages and basements,” according to the event descriptor. The 50-plus rare bikes on display are whittled down from an ever-increasing pool of nominations and include everything from choppers and custom café racers to rat bikes and restored Indian motorcycles. In addition to the art on two wheels, local artists have hand-painted Biltwell helmets, which will be auctioned off to benefit Operation Combat Bikesaver. Noon-midnight Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, garagebrewed.com. Photo: Izzy Viox
SATURDAY 08 EVENT: Valentine’s Cabaret: Crazy Little Thing Called Love The Cincinnati Men’s Chorus heads to Below Zero’s Cabaret for a Crazy Little Thing Called Love, a “fun and flirty” Valentine’s Day fundraiser. Each singer and performer will be selecting their own song as it applies to the theme of love and romance and belting out their own rendition. Hosted by Penny Tration, expect an evening of live music, cocktails and cabaret. 7:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. $25; $75 VIP (includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, reserved seating and table service). The Cabaret at Below Zero Lounge, 1120 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/cincinnatimenschorus. Photo via Facebook.com/cincinnatimenschorus
SATURDAY 08 EVENT: Cincy Prohibition Party Ring in the roaring 2020s with the 10th-annual Cincy Prohibition party to celebrate the failure of the Volstead Act and 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the U.S. Band the Cincy Brass will be bringing the speakeasy spirit to the Woodward Theater for an evening of dancing, drinking and dressing up. Head to Arnold’s Bar & Grill beforehand for a happy hour (5:30-7:30 p.m.) with the musical Queen City Sisters. The city’s longest running tavern will be the step-off site for an anti-Temperance Movement parade leading to the Woodward. Expect entertaining homemade protest signs and plenty of flappers. 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. $20 advance; $25 day of. The Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/radpadentertainment. Photo via Facebook.com/radpadentertainment
SATURDAY 08 EVENT: The O.F.F. Market The O.F.F. Market is hosting a frigid-weather maker mart inside the balmy Barrel Warehouse at MadTree’s taproom. The winter shopping op will feature “artists, bakers, chefs, scavengers, mobile boutiques and everything in between,” which you can peruse and purchase from while sipping on a craft beer from MadTree. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. MadTree, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, theoffmarket.org. Photo via Facebook.com/theoffmarket
SUNDAY 09 MUSIC: BODEGA Dynamic Brooklyn Indie Rock band BODEGA broke through in 2018 thanks to their buzz-inducing appearances at the South By Southwest festival, which led to loads of glowing press and an opening slot on Franz Ferdinand’s North American tour. BODEGA last year followed up its acclaimed 2018 LP Endless Scroll with Shiny New Model, a wildly engaging EP that showcases a growth and maturity in songwriting and arrangements. The band is a self-sufficient unit — lead guitarist Madison Velding-VanDam also handles production duties, while singer Nikki Belfiglio develops the art and visual aesthetic. The group’s rhythmically creative sound is enhanced on the EP by newest member Tai Lee, BODEGA’s “stand-up percussionist” who was previously a performer in the long-running theatrical show STOMP. Artfully blending spiky Post Punk and sublime Indie Pop, Shiny New Model suggests BODEGA has the stuff to become an enduring, elite act in the Indie Rock world. 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9. Free. MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, motrpub.com. Photo: Kirsten Kay Thoen
MONDAY 10 LIT: Hannah Pittard The University of Cincinnati’s creative writing program opens its annual Visiting Writers Series with a visit from Hannah Pittard, a Georgia native who is also the author of four novels and is the director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Kentucky. Pittard’s most recent work, 2018’s Visible Empire, is set during the height of the civil rights movement in 1962 and involves a plane crash that kills several members of Atlanta’s high society. Her previous novels include Listen to Me, Reunion and The Fates Will Find Their Way. Pittard will be joined at 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 by Maria Massie, co-founder of Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents, for a discussion titled “The Role of the Literary Agent.” 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10. Free admission. Elliston Poetry Room, 646 Langsam Library, University of Cincinnati, Clifton Heights, 513-556-1424. Photo: Meghan Still
TUESDAY 11 ONSTAGE: Les Misérables Inspired by the work of Victor Hugo, this tragic musical tale examines the lives of revolutionary peasants and young idealists in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean is released from prison after 19 years for the crime of stealing bread to feed his sister and her starving family and then attempts to find a job in regular society. Shunned and broken, he steals again but is then redeemed, assumes a new identity and watches the cycle of poverty and shame from a different vantage point. Basically, there is love, sadness, prostitution, consumption, revenge, revolution and plenty of big, hit numbers, including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “One Day More” and “On My Own.” Presented by Broadway in Cincinnati this touring production features new staging and scenery inspired by the paintings of Hugo. Through Feb. 23. Tickets start at $31. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org. Photo: Provided by Broadway in Cincinnati