City to Study Youth Poverty, Homelessness
About 48 percent of Cincinnati’s youth are in poverty — a statistic that has haunted Cincinnati and landed the city in third place for the nation’s highest poverty rates. Now, Councilwoman Yvette Simpson is trying to figure out the underlying causes to better prioritize city programs. At City Council’s Livable Communities Committee today, Simpson and…
I Just Can’t Get Enough
Country music is kind of one of those love-it-or-hate-it genres. You often hear people with limited exposure to music say “I listen to anything but Country;” at the same time, area Country music concerts draw huge crowds (CityBeat readers even voted the 2012 Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw show the best concert of the year. Sigh.) —…
Musicians Unite for Pete’s Sake
Musician Matt Baumann, who performs as the Folk act WolfCryer, and several area Folk/Americana musicians are teaming up this Wednesday to help a local music venue that has given them a home over the years. The club Geez’l Pete’s (508 Madison Ave., Covington) is having financial difficulties to the point where the electricity has been…
Music: The Bernie Worrell Orchestra
If you were to put together an all-star Funk supergroup culled from the history of the genre (dead or alive), there are a few “no-brainer” choices. Bootsy Collins would, of course, hold down the bass, George Clinton would be the bandleader, James Brown would sing and Bernie Worrell would command the keyboards. Worrell, a crucial…
Event: Asian Culture Fest
As part of the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Passport to the World series, the ninth annual Asian Culture Fest will transport attendees to the rich cultural center of Asia. Programs, vendors and activities will highlight the traditions, art and culture of China, India, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Nepal. See live performances, dances, demonstrations, storytelling, workshops…
Art: Macy’s Arts Sampler Weekend
Saturday is the final ArtsWave and Macy’s Arts Sampler weekend of 2013, and if you’ve never taken advantage of this day of free art events at area institutions and organizations, this is the perfect opportunity to do so. This month’s offerings at various locales are particularly performance based, so use this day as an excuse to…
Event: Roller Sk80s
Am I the only person who dreams about going all the way back to the era of Reaganomics, Duran Duran and hot-pink-jumpsuit wearing, bleach-hair babes? Probably. But now you can, too, because Cincinnati’s only 1980s/Top Gun-themed roller skating night is coming to West Chester. The bar at SkateTownUSA will have drink specials going on all…
Onstage: Lawrence Brownlee
After winning the Metropolitan National Auditions in 2001, naysayers warned Lawrence Brownlee that he’d never have a career because of his short stature and his race. Three years later, the still-unknown African American tenor appeared in Cincinnati Opera’s production of The Daughter of the Regiment, best known for the killer aria “Ah! Mes Amis!” with…
Onstage: Apartment 3A
Actor Jeff Daniels (who’s done films ranging from Dumb and Dumber to The Squid and the Whale) has a theater company in Michigan and has authored 10 plays, including a 2006 script, Apartment 3A. It’s a gently romantic tale about Annie Wilson, a public TV employee who’s lost her faith in just about everything —…
Comedy: Jimmy Pardo
It’s not hard to understand why Jimmy Pardo is one of Cincinnati’s favorite comedians — or the nation’s. His quick, effortless wit is on display weekly as host of the award-winning Never Not Funny podcast. Where guests on most podcasts are interviewed by the host, NNF truly lives up to its billing as a “party…
Event: Creative Hook Up
Everyone needs a little creativity in life. Whether you’re in need of some creative genius (a new business card design, remodeling your living room, etc.) or you are that creative genius (that “stay-at-home mom” who really has her own design studio in the closet under the stairs), Cormier Creative and the Rachel Lynn Studio have…
Event: International Quilt Festival
The world’s largest annual quilt show, sale and quiltmaking academy makes its way to Cincinnati this week. With classes, events and a variety of vendors offering quilts, fabrics, books and supplies at almost 200 booths, guests can interact with exhibitors, view quilt and textile artworks and attend more than 50 different classes, lectures and special…
Morning News and Stuff
Cincinnati’s Horseshoe Casino topped state casino revenues last month , translating to $1.4 million in casino tax revenue for the city in March. If the trend holds — a huge if, considering March was opening month for the Horseshoe Casino — the city would get $16.8 million a year, which would be above previous estimates…
Belle Histoire Singer Featured on ‘The Voice’
Last night, Jane Smith, singer for the Cincinnati area band Belle Histoire, appeared as a contestant on the NBC singing competition, The Voice. None of the judges "turned around" (the show's sign of approval, but, really, isn't it rude not to look at someone singing for you?), but Smith earned some fans with the appearance.…
The Banks Manager Could Take Over Streetcar Project
City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee moved forward with two controversial measures in two 5-4 votes today that will allow the city to rehire retirees while still paying their pensions and create an executive project director position for the streetcar project. One of the measures repeals the city’s ban on “double dipping,” which means rehired…
Susan Werner
National Public Radio christened Susan Werner with the revered title of “Empress of the Unpredictable,” and the Iowa native/Chicago resident has clearly earned the complimentary sobriquet. Werner transformed her youthful interest in music into degrees in voice from the University of Iowa and Temple University with an ear toward an operatic career, but she was…
My Gold Mask
It comes as no surprise to learn that My Gold Mask’s Gretta Rochelle and Jack Armondo are fans of giallo, a genre of Italian cinema saturated by garish colors and melodrama galore that was at its creative apex in the 1960s and ’70s. The Chicago-based trio (drummer James Andrew recently joined the founding duo) has…
Green Jellÿ
In 1981, 17-year-old Bill Manspeaker and three friends formed the novelty Punk band Green Jellö with the express intent of being the world’s worst band; their name reflected the notion that lime Jell-O was terrible. The friends quickly gained notoriety for their passionate musical incompetence and interactively destructive stage shows, as the band’s food throwing…
Richard Thompson Electric Trio
If there is a buzz on the concert circuit this spring, part of it centers on the shows currently being performed by Richard Thompson. The London, U.K.-born musician is a legend in many eyes, with Rolling Stone magazine listing Thompson as one of the “Top 20 Guitarists of All Time,” and the BBC giving him…
Morning News and Stuff
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, State Sen. Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican, compared Ohio’s energy efficiency laws to former Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin’s five-year plan. Seitz is leading the charge on a review of the state’s energy efficiency and renewable energy standards, which CityBeat covered in further detail here . The review…
Your Weekend To Do List: 4/5-4/7
The artistically-minded Chef Frances Kroner of Feast and the creative minds behind Modern Makers present The Big Dinner: Taste {food art} Friday night. Guests will enjoy locally-sourced, beautifully designed foods in a gallery setting for a unique culinary experience. The event kicks off at 6 p.m. at the Niehoff Urban Studio in Corryville. Last-minute tickets…
Roger Ebert Will Live on When the Lights Dim
What can I say about a man I never met, but who had been part of my life for decades? I, seemingly like a whole generation of film fans, watched Siskel and Ebert back in the 1980s, and then graduated to reading his reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times during my college years. Every Friday morning,…
BoyMeetsWorld Meets Radio Rescue for Dual Release Party
Cincinnati Pop/Rock band BoyMeetsWorld returns to the Madison Theater in Covington Friday to celebrate its debut EP, Do What’s Best For You. The band is co-headlining the show with fellow Cincy Pop Rock/Punk crew Radio Rescue, which is releasing its newest effort, the band’s sophomore EP, The Soundtrack to Second Place. Radio Rescue’s Pop Rock…
Stage Door: Tickets Available for ‘War Horse’
I'm off to the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville this weekend, where I'll be checking out plays that could well be on their way to theaters across America in future seasons. For those of you staying here in Greater Cincinnati, there's lots of good stuff to get out and…
Guest Blog: Musicians’ Desk Reference Goes to SXSW
I feel like an entire calendar year has passed since my last blog entry. The thought of "how much time has passed this year" is instantly canceled out by the perplexing conclusion of that it's really only April. This year has been one long workweek for me and I honestly would not have it any…
Mallory Fires Back at Critics During Testy Council Meeting
If Cincinnati does not lease its parking assets to the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority, it will have to pay off a $35 million deficit in the fiscal year 2014 budget through other means, but those means were disputed at a special session of City Council today. City Manager Milton Dohoney Jr. and other…
ACLU: Ohio Courts Wrongfully Criminalizing Poor
A new report from the ACLU of Ohio released today suggests that in many courts across Ohio, it's a crime just to be poor. The report, titled The Outskirts of Hope, delineates how several courts across Ohio, including Hamilton County Municipal Court, are unlawfully jailing people because they’re too impoverished to pay court fines. It’s…
Morning News and Stuff
City Council will hold a special meeting at 2 p.m. today to discuss alternatives to laying off cops and firefighters to balance the budget, which CityBeat covered in detail here . Council members Chris Seelbach and P.G. Sittenfeld are pushing to use casino revenue and cuts elsewhere in the budget to avoid cutting public safety…
Zoo’s Tunes & Blooms Concert Series Begins Today
The annual Tunes & Blooms concert series at the Cincinnati Zoo kicks off today. Despite the late-coming spring, the weekly series — which showcases two local musical acts at each event — is in honor of the blooming flowers of the Zoo's Botanical Gardens. At least the snow is gone … (If you're going purely…
No
How timely to watch a film about an advertising executive (Gael García Bernal) who develops a campaign to defeat a referendum proposed by Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet in 1988. Director Pablo Larrain’s Best Foreign Language nominee perfectly captures the period, which creates a mood and sense of prescience, in terms of the impact of marketing…
Brooklyn Castle
In much the same way that Bully sparked outrage over the challenging conditions this generation of children face against one another and school administrators who shirk their duties to promote and maintain a safe learning environment for all, Brooklyn Castle narrows the focus to one NYC public school’s efforts to support their junior high chess…
Evil Dead
The fanatic cult of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell devotees are eager to strap themselves in for this Raimi-endorsed reboot of his classic series. Having handpicked Uruguayan Fede Alvarez to shepherd the project, Raimi seems so inspired that while on the publicity circuit to promote the film (which he and Campbell are helping to produce),…
City-Funded Parades Must Obey Anti-Discrimination Policies
City Council today unanimously passed a motion that will require parades funded by the city to adhere to the city's anti-discrimination policies, marking the end of an effort that began when the Cincinnati St. Patrick's Day Parade barred an LGBT group from participating. The motion, which was championed by Councilman Chris Seelbach, requires any future…
I Just Can’t Get Enough
As the weather gets warmer, music lovers tend to get antsy looking forward to summer concerts and music festivals. There’s Bonnaroo, Forecastle, Bunbury all within a reasonable drive from Cincinnati, plus tons of touring concerts like The Shins, The Lumineers, country acts galore and the most anticipated tour of them all: The Package. Boy band…
REVIEW: Wavves at Columbus’ Basement
While waiting in line for 45 minutes for the sold-out Wavves show at The Basement in Columbus, Ohio, I begin to notice a much longer line accumulating outside the substantially bigger and more extravagant venue directly across from me, The LC Pavilion. Then, just as I’m about to ask the stoned kid next to me…
Mainstay Living Up to Its Name
Mainstay Rock Bar has indeed become a mainstay in the blossoming downtown entertainment district. It’s officially been four years since the venue (at 301 Fifth St.) opened, hosting regular shows by local acts, primarily of the “original artists” variety. This week, the club is celebrating its four-year anniversary with a string of free events, including…
Fools’ News, Digital Resale and Rape Rap
HOT Fools’ Day News April Fools’ Day has become one of the toughest days of the year for those in the media. Unless you want to look like a total idiot, you have to quadruple-check sources to make sure the news you’re reporting (or aggregating) wasn’t just conjured up by some bored prankster. Most of…
Young Heirlooms Birth Debut Full-Length
It took a nine-month gestation period, but Cincinnati’s increasingly popular Indie Folk Pop duo Young Heirlooms are finally set to give birth to their debut full-length. The twosome — featuring Kelly Fine and Christopher Robinson on vocals and guitars — will host a free album release party this Friday at MOTR Pub in Over-the-Rhine. The…
New Blue Revue
When Noam Pikelny brings his razor-edged Roots music to Oakley’s 20th Century Theater on Tuesday evening, he will be surrounded by a special group of all-star musicians. Culled from the best of his generation, Pikelny and crew will be showcasing the possibilities of progressive acoustic music writ large. Pikelny is the 32-year-old banjo player for…
The Need for (Edible) Speed
The other day I made a quick stop at my neighborhood dollar store to pick up some supplies for my daughter’s birthday party. At the check-out, I spotted a weird red canister with some familiar imagery. It was an Altoids-like container of mints from Ed Hardy, makers of much of the clothing you see douchebags…
New DVD Set Tells Cinema’s History
Film history, like art history, has tended to be fairly academic — you take a class, which uses textbooks and screens key movies in full, and dryly study the high points of cinema, from the silent era to the arrival of digital effects. But in recent years, a more impressionistic, essayist alternative has emerged. Discursive…
It’s a Very, Very Mad World
In one of last season’s final (and very cinematic) scenes, the leaders of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce take in the view from an empty office space, what could be a second floor for the advertising company. As Pete, Don, Joan, Bert and Roger gaze down upon Manhattan, we get a sense of a clean slate.…
Patti Smith’s CAC Show Will Be a Robert Mapplethorpe Tribute
Although the Patti Smith exhibit that will open at downtown’s Contemporary Art Center on May 17 has been announced for some time, the details are only now becoming known. It will be a tribute to her close friend, the late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. He is a subject whose resonance is great for both Smith —…
Morning News and Stuff
Hamilton County Judge Robert Winkler’s ruling last week has already led to the dissolution of one project , according to Mayor Mark Mallory. The Kinsey Apartments project fell through after City Council was unable to expedite a change in the building’s classification that would have enabled access to state tax credits. Winkler’s ruling effectively eliminated…
Art: Up, Up, Up and Up at Visionaries & Voices
The current exhibition at Visionaries & Voices showcases the drawings of Kathy Brannigan and Rob Macke and smartly incorporates elements of installation. Up, Up, Up and Up features Brannigan’s and Macke’s works in subtle white frames against backgrounds that provide additional layers for understanding the artists’ works. Brannigan’s Shel Silverstein-esque line drawings on white…
Music: The Deer Hunter
Sometimes the side project eclipses the parent band; such is the case with Casey Crescenzo’s The Dear Hunter. Crescenzo formed The Dear Hunter in 2005 when he began writing Alternative/Progressive Rock songs that didn’t fit the Post-Hardcore mold of his primary outfit, The Receiving End of Sirens. In late 2005, he collected his initial demos…
Music: Anthrax
With lead guitarist Rob Caggiano’s recent and seemingly sudden departure from Anthrax to join Danish metalheads Volbeat, many fans of the group, like me, wondered what the future would hold for the Thrash legends. But going back through the band’s 30-year history, I’ve come to find that Anthrax’s career has not only been built around…
Local Unemployment Rate Drops
Cincinnati, Hamilton County and Greater Cincinnati experienced dramatic drops in the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate between January and February, according to new data released by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). In Cincinnati, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate dropped to 7.5 percent in February, down from 8.6 percent in January. The civilian…
Ohio Dems Blame Budget Problems on Kasich Cuts
Ohio Democrats say Gov. John Kasich’s local government funding cuts are to blame for Cincinnati’s budget woes. Chris Redfern, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, mentioned Cincinnati’s potential layoffs in a statement released last week. “Make no mistake, the only reason Cincinnati has been forced to debate firing hundreds of police and firefighters is because…
BMV to Issue Licenses to Children of Unauthorized Immigrants
After months of deliberation, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles on March 29 said it will grant driver’s licenses to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, which means the children of unauthorized immigrants now qualify for Ohio driver’s licenses. DACA is an executive order signed by President Barack Obama that allows the children of…
Cincinnati vs. The World 04.03.2013
Westwood’s 170-year-old Gamble House, the pink Victorian mansion once inhabited by the inventor of Ivory soap, was demolished after years of efforts by neighbors and preservationists to keep the property alive. CINCINNATI -2 The worldwide illegal great ape trade is becoming more sophisticated and organized, according to a new United Nations report, which estimates that…
Poor Messaging Holds Back Parking Plan
When Cincinnati found out about the city manager’s parking plan, it was not through a press conference or a widely dispersed announcement from the city; it was through a silently released memo that media outlets stumbled upon almost by accident. By itself, the incident wouldn’t mean much, but that quiet memo reflects an ongoing lack…
Music: Bobby Long
Long before his first album, Bobby Long acquired a following due to his friendship with a certain sparkling vampire and writing a song for one very popular soundtrack. Soon after, he released A Winter Tale. The album earned quite a few Folk generalizations due to its acoustic styling. That was pretty unfair to the thoughtful…
Lease or Layoffs?
S peaking at a press conference on March 28, Mayor Mark Mallory and other city officials did not mask their contempt for the ruling that put the parking plan on hold earlier in the day, saying it will eliminate the passage of expedited legislation and force the city to carry out cuts and layoffs in…
Music: Warm Soda
If brevity is a virtue, Warm Soda should be up for some sort of musical sainthood. The Oakland, Calif., quartet’s debut album, the recently released Someone Like You, clocks in at just more than 27 minutes but its 12 tracks quiver with the kind of unbridled Pop/Punk intensity that characterized The Kinks’ early singles, the…
2013 Public Eye Reader Picks
Blog 1 365Cincinnati (365cincinnati.com) 2 CityBeat Staff Blog (citybeat.com) 3 Wine Me, Dine Me (winemedinemecincinnati.com) Cincinnatian 1 Nick Lachey 2 Pete Rose 3 Bootsy Collins Do Gooder 1 Freestore Foodbank 2 Matthew 25: Ministries 3 St. Vincent de Paul Friend to the Environment 1 Thane Maynard (Cincinnati Zoo) 2 Dan Korman (Park + Vine) 3…
Onstage: The Book Club Play
The title of the Cincinnati Playhouse’s current production, The Book Club Play, straightforwardly describes the show (presented in the Thompson Shelterhouse Theatre), a comedy about five people with some personal history who come together for monthly conversations about books. But two catalysts disrupt their dynamic and multiply the humor. First, an avant-garde filmmaker has convinced…
2013 Public Eye Staff Picks
BEST ISSUE NEGLECTED BY VOTERS When Ohio voters said no to Issue 2 last November, they were essentially embracing Ohio Republicans’ heavily gerrymandered congressional districts, and it will have big consequences for the state’s elections for the next decade. Political redistricting is already being attributed as the main reason Republicans managed to keep the U.S.…
2013 Arts & Nightlife: Staff Picks
BEST LOCAL ACTRESS/SINGER-SONGWRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE Ever since the 2002 release of So Black, So Bright, Kim Taylor has been embraced by the local music community and beyond, her sultry, evocative sound catching the ears of TV music licensers, leading to song placements in numerous network shows. But Taylor recently surprised fans with her impressive other talent…
The Church of Rock & Roll
L ast January, former Southgate House marketing director Morrella Raleigh felt she and her father Ross Raleigh would never find a new location for what had become one of the country’s highest profile and most original music venues. After a 35-year run, ownership issues with Ross’ sister forced the Raleighs from the Southgate mansion; while…
If You Build It, They Will Come
A c ouple of years ago, Washington Park wouldn’t have been much of a spot to have a picnic. In a few months, though, the fountains in the water park will be turned back on after a long winter and children will clamp their feet over the pop-up jets and watch the clear blue water…
Nonconformist Nuptials
When thinking of weddings, the concepts of “unconventional” and “traditional” tend to sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. But with the advent of the DIY craze and Pinterest, many more brides and grooms are daring to step outside the shadow of their parents’ 1980s cookie-cutter affairs to make their weddings truly unique and personal,…
To Rock a Bowtie
D hani Jones’ resume reads kind of like an adventure novel. Cincinnatians and football fans probably know him best as the former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker and tackler extraordinaire; the rest of the world might recognize him from his adventures as host of Travel Channel series Dhani Tackles the Globe, wherein he travels from country to…
Music: Lupe Fiasco
The University of Cincinnati’s Programs and Activities Council (PAC) was formed to organize various events — from film screenings to comedy shows — for students and the surrounding community. One of the group’s biggest annual events is its PAC Spring Concert, which always manages to bring to town big-name musical acts to perform on campus.…
Welcome to the 2013 Best of Cincinnati Issue
In last year’s Best of Cincinnati issue, we celebrated the opening of Smale Riverfront Park and the ongoing renaissance of the Gateway Quarter, in addition to hundreds of local businesses, people, places and cool stuff we found worthy of highlighting in our annual — 17 years running — ode to the best of the best…
Visionaries and Voices: The Evolution of a Nonprofit Gallery
Visionaries and Voices (V&V) has experienced many changes in the decade since it was first incorporated as a nonprofit organization. During the late 2000s, V&V put on countless exhibitions (inside and outside of their own galleries), hosted street festivals, outgrew several studios and opened a second location in Tri-county to serve clients farther from their…
2013 Arts & Nightlife Reader Picks
Art Gallery: Cincinnati Art Museum 2 Contemporary Arts Center 3 21c Museum Hotel Bar/Nightclub Staff: Japp’s 2 Below Zero Lounge 3 MOTR Pub Bartender: Molly Wellmann (Japp’s/Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar) 2 Pam Diebold (Arnold’s Bar & Grill) 3 Nonta Perkins (MOTR Pub) Beer Selection on Tap: Moerlein Lager House 2 Cock & Bull 3 Beer…
Up The Food Chain
U nlikely things that made an impact on Cincinnati’s culinary scene: Andrew Mersmann’s mother gave him a cast iron skillet for his birthday when he was a teenager. He used it to make pork chops and mashed potatoes. Now, having made mashed potatoes “600 times since then,” he’s the head chef and general manager at…
A City That Sings
T ake a chance on the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus this week — they’re presenting ExtrABBAganza, a show devoted to the campy ’70s and early ’80s classics of Swedish Pop group ABBA. It’s also the chance to hear a larger, improved ensemble under the direction of their (relatively) new artistic director, Dr. Casey Hayes. “It’s just…
2013 Jocks Reader Picks
Athlete: Joey Votto (Reds) 2 Brandon Phillips (Reds) 3 A.J. Green (Bengals) Bearcat (Current): Coach Mick Cronin 2 Cashmere Wright 3 Sean Kilpatrick Bengal (Current): A.J. Green 2 Andy Dalton 3 Mike Nugent Coach/Manager High School: Steve Specht (St. X) 2 John Rodenberg (Moeller) 3 Dale Mueller (Highlands) Coach/Manager Pro/College: Dusty Baker (Reds) 2 Mick…
2013 Jocks Staff Picks
BEST HITTER DOING THINGS NO ONE ELSE DOES People know Joey Votto is one of the best hitters in baseball, an MVP-caliber player in his prime. Reds fans are lucky to see him play every day, and even more so when you pay attention to how interesting his approach to the game is. Last year,…
Pale as a Ghost Sign
T he old Dennison Hotel sign, hand-painted on the side of an 1800s brick building on Main Street, usually makes people take notice — if not for the building’s lack of residents (the hotel closed years ago), then for the numbers it advertises: “Dennison Hotel, 105 Rooms, 60 Baths.” If you do the math, that…
Wind Is the Worst
People have been talking a lot lately about the recent wave of crappy winter weather, and rightfully so: It snowed in March and everyone is pissed about it. But what people don’t realize while conversing about how much the weather sucks is that the temperature isn’t the worst part — the wind is really the…
Worst Week Ever!: March 27-April 2
WEDNESDAY MARCH 27 Florence Elementary School’s student body today celebrated the birthday of legendary author and illustrator Dr. Seuss. Kids dressed in costumes to look like characters from the author’s extensive trove of works and took part in “Reading the Most from Coast to Coast,” an event organized by a nationwide Accelerated Reader program.Plenty of…
Blurring the Lines on April Fools’ Day
I’ve written about mindless political correctness, but there was an eye-popping example on HuffingtonPost.com the other day: “Lincoln Journal, West Virginia Paper, Prints Anonymous Rant Claiming Gays, Minorities Be Put To Death.” The rant was screamingly offensive or brilliant satire at the expense of Appalachian culture. I’m undecided. HuffPost’s indecisive editors managed to be incorrect…
