FRIDAY 14
Sculptor Leah Woods is fascinated by maps. In Navigation, her sculptures use line, curve and the shadow projected onto the wall in order to symbolize movement through an event or experience, she says, and she encourages viewers to “connect and empathize with the emotions experienced during each journey.” She takes inspiration from modern hikers on the Appalachian Trail as well as from ancient means of suggesting movement in map-like representations in order to show journeys both physical and psychological from her own life. Woods grew up in Cincinnati and is now an associate professor of art at the University of New Hampshire. Opening reception 6-9 p.m. Friday. Artist talk 5:30-7 p.m. Saturday. Through Nov. 12. Free. Cincinnati Art Underground, 1415 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, cincinnatiartunderground.com.
EVENT: CREATIVE TIME SUMMIT DC LIVE STREAM
Creative Time, a decades-old New York City-based public art initiative, will be streaming key lectures from its annual conference devoted to exploring the intersection of art and politics by such current leaders as Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, Fugazi frontman Ian MacKaye and artist Hank Willis Thomas. For those who are unable to travel to Washington, D.C. for the world’s largest summit on art and social change, Wave Pool will host a live stream of the two-day event staffed by Cincinnati-based social practice artist Mary Clare Rietz. Additionally, Garza’s keynote will be screened Friday evening at The Sanctuary in Lower Price Hill and will include a post-lecture discussion. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. Wave Pool, 2940 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington, wavepoolgallery.org.
EVENT: CINCINNATI CRAFT BREWER’S OKTOBERFEST
Oktoberfest season continues with Listermann Brewing Company’s fifth-annual Cincinnati Craft Brewer’s Oktoberfest. Generally the final themed fest of the local season, this Oktoberfest is particularly dedicated to good fall beer. While only one official Oktoberfest brew will be served, the rest of the craft-tacular will feature favorites and seasonals from area breweries including Blank Slate, Fifty West, Christian Moerlein, Rhinegeist and more. Cincideutsch German club will also be on hand to lend an authentic feel, as will food trucks and local bands. 5 p.m.-midnight Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Listermann Brewing Company, 1621 Dana Ave., Norwood, listermannbrewing.com.
EVENT: LADYFEST
The future is female and so is the present. Ladyfest Cincinnati — a branch of the not-for-profit global feminist music and arts festival that aims to create opportunities for inclusion across gender, race and class — takes over various Northside venues Friday and Saturday. The multi-faceted program focuses on visual art, musical and multi-media performances, educational workshops, community building and empowerment to support and highlight both influential and emerging women in Cincinnati’s and the rest of the country’s independent scene. This weekend’s programming includes live music from local acts like Leggy, Darlene and Lung, plus bands from New York, Chicago and more. Also expect radical yoga, self-defense classes, readings and films. Friday-Saturday. Free. Find a full list of events at ladyfestcincinnati.com.
MUSIC: DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979
Death from Above 1979 roared out of the Toronto scene at the turn of century, wielding a sound that was as exhilarating as it was novel — a punky, funky Rock & Roll two-piece made up of drummer/vocalist Sebastien Grainger and bassist Jesse Keeler. The duo’s full-length debut, You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine, was an intense monolith of a record, at once intimidating and oddly danceable. Alas, the band suddenly called it quits at the height of their relatively modest popularity in 2006. Then, seemingly just as randomly, Grainger and Keeler reunited in 2011 for a few one-off live gigs, which were followed by a full-blown tour in 2012, both of which were met with unbridled enthusiasm from the band’s rabid fan base. A new album, The Physical World, dropped in 2014, its sonic contents largely picking up where the debut left off, with one exception — “White Is Red,” a moody, tempo-shifting love song of sorts that is damn near romantic. Read an interview with Grainger here. Death from Above plays Bogart’s on Friday. Tickets/more info: bogarts.com.
HALLOWEEN: CINCINNATI GHOST TOUR
With an abundance of temperature fluctuations, flickering lights, mysterious murders and restless souls, the dead are very much alive in Clifton. Follow Roy Heizer — professional tour guide, author and actor — into the dark side of the neighborhood and be regaled with tales of bizarre crimes, fires, serial killers and outbreaks. You’ll hear the histories of local homes and apartment buildings before venturing to the Esquire Theatre, Lydia’s on Ludlow and Clifton Firehouse #34. Tours last approximately 90 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday through October; 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday November and December. $15 (cash only). Tour begins at 295 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, cincinnatighosttour.com.
SATURDAY 15
Book lovers, this is a prime opportunity to meet authors, buy books and get them signed for your collection. This year’s Books by the Banks festival features authors across myriad genres including fiction writers David Bell, Leah Stewart and Chris Bachelder; non-fiction writers Jenny Lawson, Jim Obergefell and Dean Regas; and many more (including CityBeat contributor Rick Pender). You’ll also be able to watch panel discussions and participate in writing workshops. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Free. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, booksbythebanks.org.
EVENT: NORTHERN KENTUCKY WINE FESTIVAL
Discover your favorite local wine at the Northern Kentucky Wine Festival, featuring vino sourced from wineries across the region, including Baker-Bird Winery, Atwood Hill Winery and Loves Leap Vineyards & Winery, and food from local eateries. Tickets include a souvenir wine glass and four sample tastings, and when you find a wine you love, vendors will be selling it by the bottle or the case. There will be live entertainment and local artisans, too, so plan on good wine and a good time. 3-10 p.m. Saturday. $15. MainStrasse Sixth Street Promenade, Covington, mainstrasse.org.
HALLOWEEN: FALL-O-WEEN
Fall has taken over Coney Island with trick-or-treat trails, a “Fright Lights” musical lights show, classic amusement park rides and farm animals. In addition to pumpkin painting and pumpkin launching — where targets must be hit with a pumpkin slingshot — other activities include a hay maze, apple pie school, a river hayride accompanied by a fiddler and a haunted mini-golf course. 1-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 1-7 p.m. Oct. 22-23. $11; $5 parking. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
MUSIC: DWEEZIL ZAPPA
It would take every page in this issue to attempt to explain the legal and family power outage that has darkened Dweezil Zappa’s nearly perfect tribute project, Zappa Plays Zappa, and forced him to reboot his show, first as “Dweezil Zappa Plays Frank Zappa” and now as the snarkily appropriate banner of “Dweezil Zappa Plays Whatever the F@%k He Wants!” As you may recall, Dweezil was schooled in the way of guitar through exposure to his father’s stratospheric gifts as well as tutelage under Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Almost two decades after Frank’s untimely passing, Dweezil set aside his solo endeavors and undertook what he envisioned would be the ultimate tribute to his father’s colossal catalog and creative ethic. In order to exactly match Frank’s technique, Dweezil had to completely relearn guitar and then learn to play the material that comprised not only Frank’s 75-album catalog but also the iconic live versions of those songs that in many cases eclipsed the studio recordings. Dweezil Zappa plays Madison Theater Saturday. Click here for tickets/more info.
SUNDAY 16
EVENT: FRIENDS & FAMILY SIDS BRUNCH
Some of the best restaurants and chefs in the city unite for this annual brunch, which benefits the de Cavel Family SIDS Foundation’s programs and research to eradicate Sudden Infant Death Syndrome — a condition that takes the lives of 2,500 babies a year in the United States. Snack on sweet and savory treats from Happy Chicks Bakery, Maribelle’s eat + drink, Keystone Bar & Grill and many other eateries, compete in a silent auction and bring the little ones along for a host of kid-friendly activities. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. $65 adults; $40 ages 12-20; $20 ages 5-12; $102 Love Brunch bundle. Midwest Culinary Institute, 3520 Central Parkway, Clifton, culinary.cincinnatistate.edu.
EVENT: FALL FOOD FESTIVAL
Head to Findlay Market for a fun and food-filled Sunday, featuring live cooking demonstrations, a “Fall Food 101” class from food writer Bryn Mooth, a cheese flights pairing class and other activities like pumpkin painting and a scavenger hunt for kids. There will also be fall-specific specials like $1 off cans of Moerlein cider in the OTR Biergarten, pumpkin-and-fluff flavored gelato at Dojo, pumpkin spice chocolate bars at Maverick Chocolate and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, findlaymarket.org.
MUSIC: AND THE KIDS
A lot of bands talk about the strong relationships between friends within the group structure, but few have had the opportunity to put that connection to the test quite like And The Kids. The Northampton, Mass. band began with a seventh grade band class friendship between guitarist/vocalist Hannah Mohan and drummer Rebecca Lasaponaro, who eventually dropped out of school to pursue music. The duo’s earliest inspirations were primarily Rilo Kiley, Modest Mouse, The Doors and The Police, and its current sound reflects a lot of the elements of that powerful quartet of influences — epic Rock classicism, pulsing New Wave cool, jittery Indie Rock energy and a freewheeling sense of Art Rock experimentalism. And The Kids plays MOTR Pub Sunday with Palm. Click here for more info on this free show.
