FRIDAY 20
On Friday and Saturday (inauguration weekend), Chicago-based dance company The Seldoms will be performing Power Goes at the Aronoff Center for the Arts’ Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Founding Artist Director Carrie Hanson’s interpretation of the way 36th president Lyndon B. Johnson exhibited power — physical and mental — will be portrayed through dance moves both “pedestrian” and expressionistic. (Johnson has already been the subject of Broadway play All the Way, starring Bryan Cranston.) Read more about the performance here. The Seldoms will perform Power Goes Friday and Saturday at the Aronoff Center for the Arts’ Jarson-Kaplan Theater. Tickets and more info: cincinnatiarts.org.
ONSTAGE: HENRY VI: THE WARS OF THE ROSES, PART 2
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is ready to complete its five-year project to stage all eight of Shakespeare’s history plays in chronological order: Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses, Part 2 is opening Friday and runs through Feb. 11; Richard III runs Feb. 17-March 11. CSC’s cycle began in 2013 with Richard II, the story of a king deposed in 1399. It continued with 2014’s Henry IV (two plays consolidated into one production), then 2015’s Henry V. A year ago it produced Henry VI: The Wars of the Roses, Part 1. Through Feb. 11. More info: cincyshakes.com.
Art supports science at the Miller Gallery as National Geographic contributors Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier present large-scale photos of marine environments in support of Sea Legacy. The nonprofit, which they co-founded, is a collaboration of photographers, filmmakers and storytellers working to protect ocean ecosystems affected by climate change. Mittermeier takes pictures of indigenous cultures that depend on the sea for their livelihoods; Nicklen focuses on polar regions. Both are also biologists and will be talking about the issues behind their images. Conservation is a puzzle, Mittermeier says in a press release, and pictures are the pieces that open communication. “In the absence of that, for me, photography means nothing,” she says. Through Feb. 18. Free. Miller Gallery, 2715 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, millergallery.com.
For a band that has seemingly come out of nowhere, Country act Brothers Osborne certainly has a whole lot of somewhere behind them. Guitarist John and vocalist T.J. Osborne began their musical exploits in the mid-’90s while still high school students in their native Maryland, playing covers and originals in various outfits. The originals of the Osbornes’ group Jax ’n’ Jive helped them win a 1999 high school battle of the bands competition, and the young ensemble also released an album. Read more about the Country duo in this week's Sound Advice. Brothers Osborne plays Bogart's Friday. Click here for tickets/more show info.
DANCE: ALICE
Experimental theater troupe InBocca Performance adds a bit of a twist to this original theatrical retelling of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Ten years after Alice fell down the rabbit hole, her older sister has her committed to an asylum, where she’s being treated for hallucinations. Here, under the control of a villainous doctor, she must decide whether remembering Wonderland is worth surrendering her freedom and her sanity. Watch as the troupe unravels this creative script through contemporary dance and music. Appropriate for most ages. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $16 adults; $11 students. The Mockbee, 2260 Central Parkway, West End, inboccaperformance.com.
EVENT: CCM’S MOVEABLE FEAST
The University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music’s annual Moveable Feast banquet and benefit offers guests a chance to experience a smorgasbord of talent from CCM students in a variety of genres — from Jazz and musical theater to piano, opera, acting, orchestra and more. Pick and choose performances, which take place throughout CCM Village, and enjoy dinner-by-the-bite and light refreshments. This year, special guest and CCM alumna Christine Altomare — Anya from the upcoming Broadway production of Anastasia — will be on hand to perform the Oscar-nominated “Journey to the Past” with the CCM Philharmonia as a prelude to the celebration. 6:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets start at $50. University of Cincinnati, 2600 Clifton Ave., Clifton, ccm.uc.edu.
ART: NOT GUERNICA 2017 AT DICK WALER'S ART PLACE
On the night of the presidential inauguration, Dick Waller’s Art Place will host artist couple Rick and Leslie Wolf (of the Cincinnati-based artistic tile and design team Wolf Custom Tile) in a community-driven event for their large-scale mural, Not Guernica 2017. The Wolfs have created a seven-by-16-foot mural based on Picasso’s infamous political response to the Spanish Civil War. In an effort to offer a “collective community statement for this moment,” they are inviting visitors to join in illustrating a block to be added to the piece. Artists in Washington D.C., Seattle and San Francisco have also contributed to the piece, building connection with Cincinnatians as a national response to the results of the 2016 election. 7-10 p.m. Friday. Free. Dick Waller’s Art Place, 130 W. Court St., Downtown, 513-281-7726, dickwaller.com.
Comedian Tammy Pescatelli, a Cleveland native who headlines clubs and theaters across the country, stays close to her Midwestern roots but doesn’t wear them on her sleeve. “In the words of Madonna,” she says, “I don’t compromise my artistic integrity. The audience will find you. I will talk about local things if I know about them. There’s no way I could go to Ohio and not talk about the Browns, Indians, Buckeyes and Bengals.” She first gained national attention on the second season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and has since produced a reality show for WE tv called Stand-Up Mother based on her experiences as a wife, mother and comedian. Through Sunday. $20. Liberty Funny Bone, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township, liberty.funnybone.com.
SATURDAY 21
“I think there’s just a nostalgia for snow,” Thunder-Sky, Inc. co-founder Keith Banner says. It’s a simple enough explanation for the creative response to a simple-sounding show — Thunder-Snow: Artists Remember the Blizzard of 1978. Yes, the Northside gallery’s exhibit includes some pretty paintings of winter wonderlands. But there’s much more that is unexpected. Banner’s observation — made the day after this past Christmas, when the temperature climbed to a record 71 degrees — hits on something as deep as the storm’s historic drifts. A paralyzing blizzard is a community-builder and equalizer, and perhaps we need another one to blow through in these divisive and isolating times. Many of the exhibition’s 30 or so artists aren’t wishing for the heavy precipitation they remember from childhood so much as they are longing for the peacefulness and sense of purpose that came with it. Read more in this week's cover story.
LuxDeluxe is from Northampton, Mass., but the band doesn’t much sound like the various outfits that have given the town its reputation as an underground hot bed (an aesthetic best exemplified by longtime scene anchors Dinosaur Jr.). The five guys in LuxDeluxe, all in their early 20s, make straightforward Rock & Roll that draws equally from such iconic touchstones as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones as well as modern-day masters Wilco. Read more about the Rock quintet in this week's Sound Advice. LuxDeluxe plays MOTR Pub Saturday. Click here for more info on this free show.
The title of Frank Turner’s most recent album, Positive Songs for Negative People, could be needlepointed into a sampler to exemplify his personal and professional philosophy. Through six albums with the Sleeping Souls, his gifted and almost supernaturally talented backing band, Turner has used his energetic Folk Punk style to bear witness to some of life’s most tragic situations, like addiction, suicide, poverty and loss. While reflecting on such grief and sadness, the U.K. native also regularly reveals the silver linings that human beings cling to in order to survive. Read more in this week's Sound Advice. Frank Turner plays Bogart's Saturday. Click here for more show info.
The gray of winter gives way to splashes of color at the Krohn Conservatory thanks to Blooms on the Bayou, a spring exhibit channeling the swampy splendor of Louisiana. Traverse a boardwalk encircled by bog lilies, Spanish moss and bald cypress trees, leading to an eerie river shack and traditional New Orleans courtyard complete with Dixieland Jazz. Glittering beads dangle from Magnolia trees surrounded by camellias, tulips, hyacinths and ferns. Through March 12. $4 adults; $2 kids 5-17; free children 4 and under. Krohn Conservatory, 1501 Eden Park Drive, Eden Park, cincinnatiparks.com.
Smokey Robinson is one of music’s most influential artists of all time and one of the pioneers of Motown music. This weekend Robinson joins the Cincinnati Pops to perform some of his greatest hits, including “Being With You,” “I Second That Emotion” and “Tears of a Clown.” Robinson was the leader of The Miracles from 1955-1972 and left the group to become vice president of Motown Records and launch his solo career in 1973. 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $25-$115. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, cincinnatisymphony.org.
Branch out a bit from Angry Orchard and Woodchuck this weekend and experience some small-scale locally brewed cider at Christian Moerlein’s inaugural Ciderfest. Over-The-Rhine Cider Co., a division of Christian Moerlein, has enlisted the help of establishments such as Firehouse Grill, AmerAsia, Hotel Covington, MOTR Pub, Craft Pointe and more to create their very own limited-edition variations of “infused hard cider.” Each concoction uses Moerlein’s two hard ciders, Original and Crisp, and infuses flavors like ginger (Firehouse Grill), cherry/clove (MOTR) and cinnamon/nutmeg (Craft Pointe) into each brew. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday. Free admission; $10 for five samples. Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom, 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/christianmoerlein.
EVENT: CINCINNATI SISTER MARCH
Did the fact that America elected a president who once boasted about his pussy-grabbing powers leave you feeling a little uneasy? Are you concerned about the future of basic human rights after the incoming vice president vocalized that he believes gay couples indicate the “deterioration of marriage and family” and thereby “societal collapse”? You are not alone. Join arms with likeminded people at Cincinnati’s Sister March, which coincides with the national Women’s March on Washington on Saturday. The local march shares the Women’s March’s mission of standing in solidarity with “our partners and children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our health and our families — recognizing that our vibrant and diverse communities are the strength of our country. … Defending the most marginalized among us is defending all of us.” The event is open to anyone regardless of gender and will begin as a rally in Washington Park, followed by a march. Noon-2 p.m. Saturday. Free. Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, bit.ly/2j8QMR3.
EVENT: LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL 8
Arnold’s Bar & Grill celebrates local beer, music and brewers during the eighth-annual Local Local Local event. The bar will tap local craft beers from more than 20 different breweries within a 35-mile radius, pouring pints for only $3.50 each. Reps from nearly every single local brewery, including Christian Moerlein, Listermann, Blank Slate, Braxton, Urban Artifact, Rhinegeist and more, will also be on hand to talk about their brews and give out free stuff. For music, local favorites The Cincy Brass take over the courtyard stage, playing contemporary and Big Band covers. The kitchen will also be serving featured appetizers and entrées infused with local beer. 8 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Arnold’s Bar & Grill, 210 E. Eighth St., Downtown, facebook.com/arnoldsbar.
MUSIC: GARTH BROOKS
If you like Garth Brooks, you’re really going to like the next week or so: Brooks and wife/fellow Country singer Trisha Yearwood will be performing five shows at U.S. Bank Arena between Saturday and Jan. 29. Country Music Hall of Famer Brooks is on the seventh leg of this multi-year world tour, playing songs that span his entire career, including music from his 2014 album Man Against Machine, classics like “The Thunder Rolls” and duets with Yearwood. 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 7 p.m. Jan. 27-29. $74.98. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway St., Downtown, usbankarena.com.
