FRIDAY 24
COMEDY: KATHY GRIFFIN
“I love TV, I love that I have won Emmy awards, I love that I have a Grammy for best comedy album,” says comedian/actress/author Kathy Griffin, who appears at the Taft Theatre on Friday. “I’m a feminist. I feel like I have to list out my achievements every five minutes.” Those accomplishments aside, Griffin is currently fascinated by how America is reacting to the fact that Donald Trump is now president of the United States. And she’s not alone in that. She finds her audiences are following him, too — often with concern. “Everyone is saying ‘Oh, my God, we need to laugh,’ ” she says. “It’s definitely a different time out there. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I’ve never seen anything like it.” Her current tour is primarily a vehicle to promote her book, Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins, which she describes as a complete index of the people she has met over the course of her career. “A lot of these run-ins or meetings may not be appropriate for my act,” she says. “They might be weird or jaw-dropping.” Her tales of celebrity run-ins and meetings are unending. However, Griffin wants to reassure those attending her performance at the Taft that, “If you paid your hard-earned money for the book and you come to see the Celebrity Run-Ins Tour, don’t think I’m going to stand on stage and read from it.” Read more about Griffin and her upcoming performance here. Kathy Griffin performs at Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets/more info: tafttheatre.org.
MUSIC: CHUCK PROPHET
One upshot of Boomers sticking with Rock & Roll and R&B as they get older is that it has allowed some artists to slowly develop a fan following long past an age where, at one time, they would have had to give up music to find a “real job.” San Francisco-based Rock singer/songwriter/guitarist Chuck Prophet is somewhat younger — just 53. But he’s been a Rock & Roll lifer since first recording with California-based neo-Psychedelic/Alternative Rock band Green on Red in the mid-1980s. The band was never a big seller but was admired by enthusiasts, and Prophet was able to start issuing solo records in 1990. Although the first was only out in England initially, he has subsequently released new work on a variety of better-distributed American labels — his brand-new Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins (on Yep Rock Records) is his 14th solo album. And he’s built a following as a “Rock true believer” with his tight combos, guitar work that sparks and shimmers with the riffs and chording of every old Rock song you ever loved and a Tom Petty-ish drawl singing through mysterious and cryptic but seductively eerie lyrics. What especially comes through is the unabashed enthusiasm — you never get the sense he’s making records out of necessity or obligation. Read more about the artist here. Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express perform Friday at Southgate House Revival. Tickets/more info: southgatehouse.com.
MUSIC: COLD WAR KIDS
The first seven years of Cold War Kids’ tenure found the prolific Southern California Indie Rock/Blues/Soul outfit dropping a trio of full lengths, including their acclaimed/chastised debut, 2004’s Robbers & Cowards, and close to 20 additional EP and single releases, while deflecting reviews that cited Cold War Kids as a Christian band. The next six years of the band’s history were slightly less productive, with only two additional albums, two EPs and a half-dozen singles being added to the band’s catalog.The good news was that the mixed reviews for 2011’s Mine is Yours were offset by the decidedly better notices for 2013’s Dear Miss Lonelyhearts and 2014’s Hold My Home which, despite more mixed press, featured the single “First,” the band’s highest-charting single to date (No. 1 onBillboard’s Alternative Songs chart). The bad news was that Cold War Kids was clearly a band in turmoil; founding guitarist/vocalist Jonnie Russell left in early 2012 and was replaced by ex-Modest Mouse guitarist Dann Gallucci, while founding drummer Matt Aveiro departed in late 2013, with his spot being taken provisionally by Modest Mouse beatkeeper Joe Plummer, leaving vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Nathan Willett and bassist Matt Maust as the only remaining original members. Read more about the band in this week’s Sound Advice. Cold War Kids play Madison Theater Friday. Click here for tickets/more info.
ONSTAGE: A RAISIN IN THE SUN
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is not just about the Bard. Case in point: This week the classic theater opens a production of Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 play about the Youngers, a working-class African-American family in 1950s Chicago. Their unexpected financial windfall creates family tension that eventually shatters their chances of attaining the American Dream of home ownership. Hansberry was the first black female playwright with a show produced on Broadway; it received four Tony Award nominations. Guest director Christopher V. Edwards has a cast of excellent local actors, including Torie Wiggins, Burgess Byrd and Cincy Shakes’ own Geoffrey Warren Barnes II. Through April 15. $41 adults; $37 seniors; $25 students. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, 719 Race St., Downtown, 513-381-2273, cincyshakes.com.
FILM: RIVERREEL FILM FESTIVAL
A certain politician/baked cheese snack may not care about the arts, but we know you do. International, national and local feature and short films, documentaries and music videos will be on display at The Mockbee for the multi-day RiverReel all-genre film festival, created by the Cincinnati Film Society. Event passes include the Tito’s Vodka Red Carpet opening reception with light bites and a vodka tasting and access to after-parties with a photobooth and live performances from local bands like Jess Lamb and the Factory, JetLab and Marjorie Lee. Friday and Saturday. VIP pass $65; Day pass $20; Brunch pass $10. The Mockbee, 2260 Central Parkway, Brighton, cincinnatifilmsociety.org.
EVENT: OVER THE MOON VINTAGE MARKET
Join the revolution! The reuse and renew revolution, that is. Thirty-five-plus vendors offering antique, vintage and new goods will be in one location for the Over the Moon Vintage Market. From artisan jewelry to salvaged items to shabby chic styles even Fixer Upper’s Joanna Gaines would fawn over, you’re sure to find that one-of-a-kind item you’ve been searching for. Forms of payment may vary between vendors, so be sure to bring some cash just in case. 4-9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Lawrenceburg Indiana Fairgrounds, U.S. 50 and Hollywood Blvd., Lawrenceburg, Ind., facebook.com/overthemoonvintagemarket.
ART: DAAP MFA THESIS SHOW AT THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER
As the only local art school that offers an advanced degree in fine art, the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning’s MFA program has long been part and parcel of the area’s arts scene. Several years ago, the Contemporary Arts Center began exhibiting the thesis work of DAAP MFA grads — a demonstration of commitment by the art institution to engage the city’s artistic community, as led by CAC curator Steven Matijcio, who consistently models collaboration over competition. This Friday, 15 artists from the graduating class of 2017 will exhibit their thesis artwork inside the only museum in town that was built expressly for showing and fostering the work of living artists. Opening reception 6-10 p.m. Friday. Through April 9. Free. Contemporary Arts Center, Fourth Floor, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org.
SATURDAY 25
EVENT: BRAXTON BLOCK PARTY
Celebrate Braxton Brewing Company’s second anniversary at their taproom on Saturday. The Covington-based brewery is releasing two new bottled beers — Mentor, a Belgian Tripel, and Mentee, a Belgian table beer — and hosting live music on an outdoor stage with bonus food trucks including Cuban Pete Sandwiches, Empanadas Aqui and Texas Joe. The two new bottles will be available in 22-ounce bombers; pricing, limits and availability TBD. The Mentor features flavors of Belgian candi sugar, while Mentee was brewed with guava and pomegranate. A new dry-hopped sour called Tinker will also be tapped. Noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Free. 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, Ky., braxtonbrewing.com.
ATTRACTION: THE MAJESTIC MONARCH BUTTERFLY SHOW AT KROHN CONSERVATORY
Get in touch with your inner entomologist. This year’s butterfly show at the Krohn Conservatory, The Majestic Monarch, is all about learning more about butterflies and how to attract them to your home garden using specific plant colors, shapes and scents. Purchase a Butterfly Show field journal to help navigate your way through clusters of warm-colored marigolds, celosia and hydrangeas and towering fir trees, all while hundreds of butterflies flutter throughout the room — and maybe right onto your jasmine-scented butterfly landing pad. Go online for a schedule of special events focused on the importance of preserving butterfly habitats. Through June 18. $7 adults; $4 kids 5-17; free children 4 and younger. Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, Eden Park, 513-421-4086, butterflyshow.com.
EVENT: UCAN’S SPAY-GHETTI & NO BALLS FUNDRAISER
Getting spayed or neutered isn’t exactly at the top of your dog’s or cat’s to-do list. But the procedures don’t just help reduce the number of homeless animals, of which more than 2.7 million are euthanized in shelters every year; they also improve your pet’s health, greatly reducing the risk of certain cancers and curbing bad behaviors like urine-marking. This Saturday, nonprofit spay and neuter clinic the United Coalition for Animals is hosting their third-annual (and fabulously named) Spay-Ghetti and No Balls dinner, a major fundraiser that enables the organization to provide these surgeries at low costs and provide vaccine recommendations for low-income families in the community. The party includes a pasta buffet, silent auction, live music by The Doug Hart Band and plenty of hair of the dog. 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday. $60. Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, ucancincinnati.org.
MUSIC: WELL-STRUNG
New York-based singing string quartet Well-Strung — violinists Edmund Bagnell and Chris Marchant, cellist Daniel Shevlin and violist Trevor Wadleigh — mix Pop songs like Lorde’s “Royals” and Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” with parts of such classical compositions as Mozart’s “A Little Night Music” and Bach’s Double Violin concerto in D minor. They perform Saturday as the guests of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s CSO Spectrum group to raise funds for the CSO’s presentation of LGBTQ artists and programs. 8 p.m. Saturday. $35-$50 concert only; $75 VIP package. 20th Century Theater, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley, cincinnatisymphony.org.
SUNDAY 26
EVENT: HOME RUN DERBY FOR A CAUSE
If you’re nervous about showing off your mad (or non-existent) baseball skills in front of your friends, just remember everything is better with beer. The third-annual Home Run Derby for a Cause will be held Sunday at Rhinegeist to benefit the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. A $10 donation gets you 10 swings — points will be awarded based on the zone in which your ball lands. Home runs get you the most points, of course, but not every hit has to be a bona fide homer; other hits that land in high-point zones will still earn you points. Prizes, including Opening Day tickets, will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners. Come armed with your best The Sandlot quotes. Sign-ups will be onsite. 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Free. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, rhinegeist.com.
This article appears in Mar 22-29, 2017.
