FRIDAY
EVENT: CINCINNATI FLOWER SHOW
The five-day Cincinnati Flower Show features the theme “An International Adventure,” which will manifest through a variety of fine foods and creative floral displays. Along with both amateur and professionally designed exhibits featuring rare and lovely plants and flowers in tablescapes, creative container gardens, window boxes and landscapes, the show will also feature local and regional artisan food vendors. Snack your way through floral displays dedicated to our foreign sister cities, or RSVP for a special event, like a Southern afternoon tea, lunch and learn or wine tasting. MadTree is also releasing a special collaboration beer for the event, Hortense, brewed with the Cincinnati Horticultural Society and featuring nasturtium flower and cucumber (available at the flower show or MadTree taproom). Through Sunday. $15; $5 child; special events ticketed. Yeatman’s Cove at Sawyer Point, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown, cincinnatihorticulturalsociety.com.
EVENT: STARKBIER FEST
Listermann Brewing Company celebrates strong beer at its annual Starkbier Fest. The idea goes back to the 18th century, when German monks believed the nutritional value of strong beer helped them through their Lenten fast. In continuation of this tradition, Listermann’s fest features a slew of local craft beers with an ABV of 7.5 percent or higher from breweries including Blank Slate, Fifty West, Rock Bottom, Rhinegiest, Taft’s Ale House, Braxton Brewing Company and more. Since fasting isn’t required of this party, there will be food vendors, live music and some lighter beers on draft. 5 p.m.-midnight Friday; noon-11 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. 1621 Dana Ave., Evanston,
listermannbrewing.com
.ONSTAGE: THE LAST FIVE YEARS
It’s not unusual for a movie, play or musical to follow the arc of a relationship. But Jason Robert Brown’s musical exploration of Jamie’s and Cathy’s coming together and breaking up charts a pair of parallel but opposite paths. We follow Jamie’s story from the beginning of their romance to the end, while Cathy starts at the conclusion and winds her way back to the beginning. They overlap for a moment — a song together on their wedding day. It’s a fascinating way to track the course of love… and loss. Brown’s gorgeous score makes it all the more poignant. Through April 24. $25-$28. The Carnegie, 1028 Scott St., Covington, Ky., thecarnegie.com.
MUSIC: INTER ARMA
Nuance isn’t a commodity that carries much value in Metal, but Inter Arma wields subtlety with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel rather than the body-count arc of a broadsword. The Richmond quintet is a perfect storm of Doom, Stoner, Sludge, Grindcore and Black Metal, with mercurial flashes of Punk, Psychedelia, Southern Hard Rock and symphonic Prog, all punctuated with the dirtiest hellhound vocals imaginable. Even for those who enjoy Metal but have never really embraced the raw fury of the Black end of the spectrum, Inter Arma is thrilling, visceral and unflinchingly compelling. Read more about the group in this week's
Sound Advice
. Inter Arma plays MOTR Pub with Grey Host on Friday. More info/tickets:motrpub.com
.MUSIC: GEORGE WINSTON
Consistent success and longevity are both rarities in the music industry, but the almost unhittable trifecta would be adding “genre architect” to that already improbable set of career accomplishments. Pianist George Winston has notches for that very trio on his Steinway. Winston developed an interest in instrumental music as a child, without regard for genre. At 16, he was enthralled by Vince Guaraldi’s Jazz score for A Charlie Brown Christmas and immediately purchased the soundtrack, but it was The Doors that inspired Winston to play the organ two years later. At 22, exposure to stride players Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller moved him to acoustic piano. In 1972, little more than a year after he began playing piano, Winston recorded his debut, Piano Solos, for the John Fahey co-founded Takoma Records; the album barely made a ripple. Read more about Winston in this week's
Sound Advice
. George Winston plays Live! at the Ludlow Garage Friday. More info/tickets:liveattheludlowgarage.com
.SATURDAY
EVENT: RECORD STORE DAY
The annual, worldwide Record Store Day returns Saturday (see this week’s Cover Story on page 15 for some local vinyl collectors especially excited about this). The celebration of independent record sellers means innumerable limited-edition releases will be made available from music manufacturers big and small, and several shops in Greater Cincinnati will once again be hosting special events for RSD. Visit recordstoreday.com for a list of RSD exclusives, as well as which stores in the area are participating. Here are a few local RSD notes:
• Shake It Records (4156 Hamilton Ave., Northside, shakeitrecords.com) will have some special local-music-related items available for RSD. The store (which opens at 9 a.m. Saturday) is issuing an unreleased album by Cincinnati Punk pioneers The Reduced through its label.The Jockey Club favorites recorded Drastically Reduced in 1986, but the album never came out. The Reduced will perform a set at Shake It Saturday at 7 p.m. with a special lineup that includes Bryan Dilsizian of The Long Gones on vocals (original Reduced vocalist Bill Leist passed away early last year). There will be other performances throughout the day Saturday, including sets by Folk/Americana act Honey & Houston and Reggae/Caribbean crew Queen City Silver Stars. Rhinegeist has again made a special beer in honor of Shake It for Record Store Day. Last year, the brewery created a brew called A Side; this year, the drink will be called B Side, and it will be available to sample at the store (several Northside bars will also be serving the beer). Shake It is also again doing its food drive for Churches Active in Northside (CAIN) this year; a canned good donation will get you 10 percent off your entire RSD purchase.
• Everybody’s Records (6106 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge, everybodysrecords.com) has a full slate of local musicians performing throughout the day for Record Store Day. The store opens at 11 a.m. Saturday, and live music begins at noon with a performance by reigning R&B/Soul Cincinnati Entertainment Award winners Krystal Peterson & The Queen City Band.
• Legendary downtown bar/restaurant Arnold’s isn’t a record store, but it is getting in on the Record Store Day action again this year. The bar and grill has curated and produced the Arnold’s Bootleggers and Hustlers Vol. 2 local music compilation with Neltner Small Batch Records. Last year’s compilation sold out within a few hours and was reportedly the top-selling RSD release at Everybody’s Records. The compilation is limited to 500 vinyl copies; 400 feature gold and blue covers (with artwork by Keith Neltner and pressing by Otto’s) and are on transparent gold vinyl, while 100 copies will have red and blue covers and feature clear vinyl.
EVENT: PUSHED OUT! SCREENING AND DISCUSSION
Despite the determination of national media to proffer Cincinnati as an example of a city that has rectified all of its problems related to issues of race, the experience of those affected by our city’s efforts to “revitalize” ground zero neighborhoods like Over-the-Rhine tell a much different story. In an effort to balance that narrative, Cincinnati-based filmmakers Jarrod Welling-Cann and Erick Stoll will screen their short film Good White People, about Reginald Stroud, Sr. and his family who lost their home and businesses in OTR when an urban developer bought the building they rented. Afterward, Stroud and a panel of community members will discuss the film and invite audiences to share their own experiences related to race and displacement. 3 p.m. Saturday. Free. St. Francis School, 14 E. Liberty St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/goodwhitepeople.
COMEDY: CY AMUNDSON
“Sorry about my ring-back tone,” says comedian Cy Amundson in reference to the Country music that callers hear before his cellphone connects. “It’s on there strictly to upset certain comedian friends of mine who are music snobs.” Indeed, if it hadn’t been for the fact that he can’t sing, like his more musically talented brothers, he might have pursued a career in Nashville. Using a ringtone to annoy his friends is perfectly in line with his penchant for pulling pranks. In one of his most popular bits, he tells audiences about how he’ll try on a shirt and then ask a store employee, “If you were in junior high would you trust an adult in this shirt?” Thursday-Sunday. $8-$14. Go Bananas, 8410 Marketplace Lane, Montgomery, gobananascomedy.com.
EVENT: CINCINNATI CAT CLUB SHOW
The cat’s out of the bag: The 64th Cat Fanciers’ Association Championship show is coming to town, and guests should expect to meet some pretty fancy felines. Hosted by the Cincinnati Cat Club, the show features pedigreed cats on exhibition over a two-day period, with kitties competing to come out on top in 10 separate rings. Each ring has a different judge, who will determine a winner based on the written standard for a cat’s specific breed. The 10 winners from each ring move on to the finals, during which one coveted kitty is deemed Best Cat in Show. In the meantime, guests can mingle with local rescue organizations, meet other cat people and browse booths from local pet shops. You can even enter your own fame-fancying feline in a household cat competition. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $6 adults; $3 children; $5 seniors; $12 families. Butler County Agricultural Society, 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, 513-892-1423, cincinnaticatclub.net.
EVENT: EARTH DAY AT SAWYER POINT
Drum Circles, live music, recycling games, costume contests, furry and scaly critters, parades with Earth-friendly mascots and lectures — there are countless ways to celebrate our planet on Saturday at Sawyer Point’s Earth Day celebration. Learn about the declining bee population from the Civic Garden Center, find out more about the Cincinnati Streetcar from Metro’s Paul Grether or become an expert on regional trails with Green Umbrella. Exhibits, vendors and a kids’ zone will be open for the duration of the festivities. View a full schedule of activities online. Noon-5 p.m. Saturday. Free. Sawyer Point, 705 E. Pete Rose Way, Downtown, cincinnatiearthday.com.
EVENT: QUEEN CITY COMICON
Dust off your cape, sheath your weapon of choice and follow the Bat-Signal to the convention center this weekend. This super-sized hub of all-things comics features writers and artists, workshops and panels, a costume contest and more than 40 vendors, who will offer a wide selection of comic books, cosplay jewelry, toys and steampunk gear. Dozens of comic creators — many of whom have worked with the likes of Marvel and DC — will meet and discuss their work with guests; featured artists include Frank Brunner, artist of Marvel’s Doctor Strange and Man-Thing, and David Michael Beck, a Cincinnati resident who has worked with Marvel, DC, Dark Horse Comics and many others. Come dressed as your favorite comic, manga or anime character to participate in a judged costume contest at 4 p.m. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. $5 (cash only); free with 2015 Cincinnati Comic Expo VIP badge. Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown, 513-419-7300, queencitycomicon.com.
ONSTAGE: GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
A-B-C: “Always Be Closing.” That’s the mantra of four desperate Chicago real estate agents, locked in close to mortal combat to become top dog. In David Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize winner from 1984, these guys are selling worthless real estate to unwitting buyers and will stop at nothing — lies, bribery, betrayal, flattery, even intimidation and burglary — to make what they think of as an honest living. Cincinnati Landmark Productions takes another stab at establishing its Incline Theater in East Price Hill as a place to see serious drama. Can they sell it? Time will tell. Through April 24. $23-$26. Warsaw Federal Incline Theatre, 801 Matson Place, East Price Hill, 513-241-6550,
cincinnatilandmarkproductions.com
.SUNDAY
ART: SIDEREAL SILENCE AT THE WESTON ART GALLERY
Shinji Turner-Yamamoto, the Japanese-born, U.S.-based artist living in Cincinnati since 2008, has received international attention for work exploring nature in new ways and in unexpected spaces. His latest show — Sidereal Silence — debuts at downtown’s Weston Art Gallery on Friday. Occupying the entire gallery, the exhibition includes a surround sound installation of waterfalls, a large-scale clear-acrylic structure that disperses water vapor, a two-channel video of waterfall loops, paintings made outdoors on raw cotton canvas with natural, organic materials and a series of smaller sculptural works focusing on crystal formations that emulate stars.On view through June 5. Free. Weston Art Gallery, 650 Walnut St., Downtown,
cincinnatiarts.org
.EVENT: BURLINGTON ANTIQUE SHOW
Forget spring cleaning: Ditch the dust at home and head to the first Burlington Antique Show of the season to buy some new old stuff instead. Midwest’s premier antique market is celebrating 35 years of bringing the best antiques and vintage collectibles to the Boone County Fairgrounds. More than 200 dealers converge the third Sunday of the month (through October) to exhibit and sell their authentic wares — midcentury modern, art deco, pre-war, industrial and more. 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. $3 admission from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; $5 early-bird 6-8 a.m. 5819 Idlewild Road, Burlington, Ky., burlingtonantiqueshow.com.
MUSIC: TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS
Any discussion of the world’s best guitarists would include legends that Tommy Castro lists among his influences — Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Mike Bloomfield. But the fact is, Castro himself should be a part of that conversation. With a commanding vocal style that leans toward Delbert McClinton’s gravel-and-soul approach and a furious guitar attack that blends every iteration of the Blues with blustery Classic Rock, buttery R&B and thumping Funk, Castro has been channeling his heroes into his singular musical vision over the past four decades. Castro made his bones playing in a succession of San Francisco cover bands in the ’70s, which set the stage for his successful stint with The Dynatones in the ’80s. Read more about Castro in this week's
Sound Advice
. Tommy Castro & The Painkillers play 20th Century Theater Sunday. More info/tickets:the20thcenturytheatre.com
.ART: 30 AMERICANS AT THE CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM
If you’ve been to the Cincinnati Art Museum lately, you’ve seen an early arrival for the show 30 Americans, which opens Saturday. It is the mural-sized “Sleep,” by Kehinde Wiley, the New York-based portrait painter whose depictions of young African-American men in poses reminiscent of Old Masters paintings have made him an art star. It is in the Schmidlapp Gallery, the corridor between the main entrance and the Great Hall, and is impossible to miss. 30 Americans, which primarily features some 60 artworks on loan from Miami’s Rubell Family Collection, also has such important contemporary African-American artists as Kara Walker, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mickalene Thomas, Glenn Ligon and more. On view through Aug. 28. Free admission. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Eden Park,
cincinnatiartmuseum.org
.MONDAY
EATS: GREATER CINCINNATI RESTAURANT WEEK
Be a culinary tourist in your own city with CityBeat’s inaugural Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Week. Do you like eating? Do you want to try some multi-course meals for cheap? Restaurants throughout the Tristate will be offering $35 three-course meals to delight the palate and impress your date. Participating eateries include Harvest Bistro & Wine Bar, Pompilios, Kaze, The Palace, Parkers Blue Ash Tavern and more. Check out menus and more info online. Through April 24. $35 plus tax and gratuities. Find participating restaurants at greatercincinnatirestaurantweek.com.