Business As Usual in Bengal Land
After a couple of days of suspense, the Bengals anticlimactically announced today that Marvin Lewis is coming back for two more years as head coach. I was going to craft a long, acerbic essay about the dysfunctional nature of Mike Brown’s dad Paul Brown’s once-proud franchise, but then I just became depressed and walked over…
Letterman: Boehner Needs Counseling
Leave it to TV talk show host David Letterman to tell it like it is. Broaching a topic that is on most political junkies' minds these days, Letterman questioned the psychological stability of House Speaker John Boehner (R-West Chester) on his CBS show Monday night.—- During an interview with NBC News anchor Brian Williams, Letterman…
Margaret Darling Goes To Southgate
• Margaret Darling, co-founder of Indie/Electro Pop darlings The Seedy Seeds, takes over the Southgate House’s “Artist in Residence” series for January, performing in the venue’s intimate Juney’s Lounge for free every Wednesday this month. For this Wednesday’s kick-off show, Darling teams up with singer/songwriter Chris Haubner (The Sheds) for the 9 p.m. show. On…
Music: Two Days of Radical Electronic Cacophony
The decaying stone corridors of Mockbee (2260 Central Pkwy., Brighton) will resonate with the pounding vibrations of Psychedelic Industrial and Ambient Collage this Tuesday to kick off “Two Days of Radical Electronic Cacophony,” a musical onslaught born from the minds of local Electronic enthusiasts Robert Inhuman and Brian Uhl. Drawing musicians from as far as…
Events: New Year’s Eve REDO
In case you passed out before the ball dropped or simply want another good reason to push your blood alcohol content to the limit, Mockbee’s New Year’s Eve REDO Dance and Art Party is a golden ticket to live it up all over again. Thrown by a noteworthy crew of Cincinnati artists and musicians, the…
Laure Quinlivan and Harrell & Monahan
[WINNER] LAURE QUINLIVAN: Mayor Mallory didn't do it. Vice Mayor Qualls didn't do it. It finally was left up to the ex-TV news reporter-turned-city councilwoman — a first-termer — to present hard, cold facts and figures about staffing levels in the Police and Fire departments. Quinlivan outlined at a council meeting how there's been more…
Art: Space Craft at Fabricate
Just coming off of his success in a two-person exhibition at Thunder-Sky Inc., Aaron Oliver Wood is set to open a solo project at another Northside gallery space. His exhibition Space Craft is on display at Fabricate (4037 Hamilton Ave., Northside) through Feb. 9. Wood’s work accumulates drawing, screenprinting and watercolor into nebulous layers of…
Two Days of Radical Electronic Cacophony
The decaying stone corridors of Mockbee (2260 Central Pkwy., Brighton) will resonate with the pounding vibrations of Psychedelic Industrial and Ambient Collage this Tuesday to kick off “Two Days of Radical Electronic Cacophony,” a musical onslaught born from the minds of local Electronic enthusiasts Robert Inhuman and Brian Uhl. Drawing musicians from as far as…
Events: Cavalcade of Customs
Hot cars, hot women and hot food. There isn’t much more that a man needs in life. Add in cold beer and you’ve completed many a man’s list of every earthly desire. Luckily for the men of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the KOI Auto Parts Cavalcade of Customs has all four. It also has Henry…
Music: Gypsy and the Tree
Following a series of shows on the road, Cincinnati-based Folk duo Gypsy and the Tree returns home for a live performance Saturday evening at The Underground (1140 Smiley Ave., Forest Park). Comprised of songwriters Kelly Miller and Noah Smith (founder of Live Love Studios in Amelia), Gypsy and the Tree exhibits hallmarks of traditional American…
Comedy: Jerry Rocha
They say the best comedy comes from pain. While that might be a point of debate, it’s working lately for Jerry Rocha. “The last time I was in Cincinnati,” he says, “I had just gotten out of the worst relationship I had ever been in. I finally found a way to take all that misery…
Sunday Jazz Brunch in the Park
Get jazzy in the park — seriously. Every Sunday through March the Hamilton County Park District is hosting themed brunches complete with live performances by the Chris Comer Trio. The brunches alternate weekly at Sharon Woods (Jan. 9 and 23, Feb. 13 and 27 and March 13) and Woodland Mound (Jan. 16 and 30, Feb.…
Events: Sunday Jazz Brunches in the Park
Get jazzy in the park — seriously. Every Sunday through March the Hamilton County Park District is hosting themed brunches complete with live performances by the Chris Comer Trio. The brunches alternate weekly at Sharon Woods (Jan. 9, 23, Feb. 13, 27 and March 13) and Woodland Mound (Jan. 16, 30, Feb. 20, March 6…
Gypsy and the Tree
Following a series of shows on the road, Cincinnati-based Folk duo Gypsy and the Tree returns home for a live performance Saturday evening at The Underground (1140 Smiley Ave., Forest Park). Comprised of songwriters Kelly Miller and Noah Smith (founder of Live Love Studios in Amelia), Gypsy and the Tree exhibits hallmarks of traditional American…
Girl Talk
Gregg Gillis has made music with the industry’s biggest names, including Black Eyed Peas, Radiohead, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Black Sabbath and The Doors. And he’s never met any of them. Neither hot producer nor veteran session musician, Gillis — recording as Girl Talk — is a brilliant sonic collagist with a gift for combining shards of…
Council’s ‘Sound and Fury’ Is Getting Old
Cincinnati's government is a classic case study of the dynamics in a dysfunctional family, which is a sad state of affairs for the city's residents, who are left reeling from the illness. Last week's extended soap opera at City Hall about how to fill a $54.7 million deficit in the budget ended anti-climatically, with differing…
Get Some Direction
When you see a play, you might notice the acting, scenic design or writing, the most visible elements at the moment of performance. But the real glue that knits a show together is the director, the person with the big picture who coordinates everything into a singular artistic event. Actors often say the most invigorating…
Forward Thinking
By the end of the year, the story lines onscreen get rewritten into a series of critical dissertations on the state of the art (and business) of filmmaking. Annual top 10 lists and Oscar prognosticating derail forward progress for the first couple of months of the new year, and the release schedule has adapted itself…
Events: Guided Ghost Tour at Music Hall
Is Music Hall haunted? Come find out for yourself at the Guided Ghost Tour of Music Hall Friday from 7-9 p.m. The tours will focus on the paranormal past and present that has been discovered at this National Historical Landmark. Participants will hear stories about Music Hall with deep historical roots, most stemming from the…
Muse, Patricia Day and Justin Bieber
[HOT] Star Whores Save a few exceptions, for musicians with a taste of stardom, too much can never be enough to make then stop pursuing even more success and fame. But there has to be a point when some excesses are just too overly cliché and blatantly … excessive. Serving thawed dinosaur meat at dinner…
Events: Monster Truck X Tour
Get ready for adrenaline-pumping, ear-splitting, high-octane action Friday and Saturday. One-thousand-horsepower monster trucks are coming to U.S. Bank Arena downtown to put on a show to kick off the new year in the biggest way possible, smashing down on top of cars and through trailers. Watch as favorites such as Bounty Hunter, Gunslinger and Crush…
Onstage: TRUE Theatre’s TRUEbeginnings
Outside, the late October evening was bracing and clear, while inside, a crowd gathered around the stage at Know Theatre, generating warmth. It was about to be Cincinnati’s first experience with TRUE Theatre, a new dramatic adventure in unscripted storytelling accompanied by an accordion. I settled in my seat, enjoying the hum of a lively…
Taser Use Prompts Lawsuits
When properly used, Tasers can be an effective tool for law enforcement agencies to subdue suspects. But Taser use can be excessive and even deadly in some instances. Local attorney Al Gerhardstein is concerned about the training and policies of law enforcement agencies regarding the justification and constitutionality of Taser use on nonviolent suspects. Gerhardstein…
Music: Girl Talk
Gregg Gillis has made music with the industry’s biggest names, including Black Eyed Peas, Radiohead, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Black Sabbath and The Doors. And he’s never met any of them. Neither hot producer nor veteran session musician, Gillis — recording as Girl Talk — is a brilliant sonic collagist with a gift for combining shards of…
New Seedy Seeds Album Coming Soon
Cincy-based Indie/Electro Pop darlings The Seedy Seeds are ready to launch the next phase in their quest for global domination. The trio — whose profile has risen increasingly around the region since forming about five years ago — recently finished tracking its next album at Newport's Audio Grotto studio. A release party for the album…
Enquirer Publisher Hires Old Pal
Carolyn Washburn has been hired as editor and vice president at The Cincinnati Enquirer, the newspaper announced today. A Greater Cincinnati native, Washburn currently is editor at The Des Moines Register in Iowa. Washburn, 48, previously worked with Enquirer Publisher Margaret Buchanan while both were at The Idaho Statesman. Buchanan will be Washburn's new boss…
Murray Is GOP’s Choice
Amy Murray came in 13th two years ago, but tonight she came in first. The Hyde Park resident was the recommended choice of the Hamilton County Republican Party's Committee on Nominations and Candidate Development to replace Chris Monzel on Cincinnati City Council. Monzel left half-way through his council term Friday to serve on the Hamilton…
UC Hits Top 25
UC, off to its best start (14-0) since the glory days of Kenyon Martin, finally hit the Top 25 today: The AP poll has the ’Cats at No. 24, while the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll has them at No. 25. Coach Mick Cronin, who seems to have been taking media savvy courses at the Marvin…
The Greenhornes Visit Rolling Stone
The local boys done good. The Greenhornes capped off their “comeback” year — which saw the critically-acclaimed release of new material on Jack White’s Third Man imprint after years in limbo due to the rhythm section’s projects with White — with an acoustic session in the offices of Rolling Stone. The magazine has released video…
What’s Your Story?
Outside, the late October evening was bracing and clear, while inside, a crowd gathered around the stage at Know Theatre, generating warmth. It was about to be Cincinnati’s first experience with TRUE Theatre, a new dramatic adventure in unscripted storytelling accompanied by an accordion. I settled in my seat, enjoying the hum of a lively…
Oprah Taps Local Chef for Show
Katrina Mincy, also known as Aunt Flora, the chef and owner of Aunt Flora’s House of Soul, has been selected by Oprah Winfrey as one of 10 finalists for a new reality show, Your OWN Show: Oprah’s Search for America’s Next TV Star, which is set to debut next week on the new Oprah Winfrey…
Marvin Gaye/Pink Floyd Collaboration?
If someone told you that two of the biggest musical icons of the 20th century had collaborated on an album that was never released and has never been mentioned in the big history book of popular music, what would you think? Sketchy, right? What if you read the same thing on the Internet? Needless to…
Ohio Gets New Election Rules
In an effort to promote greater transparency about who makes campaign contributions, outgoing Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner today unveiled a new set of election rules. The rules, which were approved by the Ohio Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, is aimed at offsetting some of the impact of the Citizens United ruling issued…
Streicher and Pope Benedict XVI
[LOSER] TOM STREICHER: Even as Cincinnati officials grapple with what cuts to make to avoid a $54 million deficit — cuts that might include laying off more than 100 cops — the city's arrogant, clueless police chief spent money from the CPD budget for an extravagant, unnecessary junket to Las Vegas. Streicher approved sending 11…
Angels, Demons, Lovers and Singers
In 2010, Cincinnati theaters continued to weather the tough economy and offer excellent productions. The year, which concluded the Cincinnati Playhouse’s 50th season and began Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati’s 25th, ended with all our local companies intact. Know Theatre presented another successful Fringe Festival in June (the seventh annual fest) and also provided a sheltering…
Mayberry Brings Quality Groceries and Lunch Options Downtown
Mayberry Foodstuffs (203 E. Seventh St., Downtown, 513-621-5555) is billing itself as “Cincinnati’s newest urban grocery store.” It’s definitely that … and more. Foodstuffs is the latest venture from Josh Campbell, chef/owner of Mayberry Restaurant on Vine Street and World Food Bar at Findlay Market. Josh’s wife, Angie, is managing the store. “People are really…
Mixed Signals for Uncertain Times
Many economists allege the recession ended in June 2009, but they didn't make that assessment until September of this year — or a full 15 months afterward — showing the imprecise nature of understanding a fading economy that's based on rampant consumerism and a predatory, mutant strain of capitalism. Anyone who lived during the past…
Year in Review Edition
[HOT] Time to Dust Off the Ol’ Commodore 64 Unless you’ve been living under a proverbial rock, you’ll know that the biggest music news story of 2010 was the arrival of music to something called “the Internet.” Smart readers might have heard rumblings about this for a few years, but, as huge fans of (only)…
Mark Frommeyer [Blue Oven Bakery]
If you’ve never had Blue Oven Bakery bread, you are missing out on something truly extraordinary. Sara and Mark Frommeyer own and operate the bakery from their family farm in Williamsburg, Ohio, on the banks of the Little Miami River. Blue Oven breads can be purchased year-round on Saturdays at Findlay Market; at the Farmers…
Escape to Experimental Places
This year I’ve been almost fully immersed in Cincinnati’s contemporary art scene, specifically the subculture of alternative art galleries. I’ve continued my own work with the nearly 18-year-old gallery semantics in Brighton, along with U-turn Art Space, a not-for-profit space I co-founded in fall 2009 that is just up the street from its venerable neighbor.…
Living It in 2010
Last month, the Living Out Loud column started its eighth year in CityBeat. That’s a little amazing to me, but maybe it shouldn’t be. Those who write here are observers of everyday life. If you’re paying attention to that life, you’re always going to find something to write about. Sometimes in everyday life, you look…
Year in Review: Worst Week Ever!
THURSDAY APRIL 22 Many people laughed when Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones billed the federal government for the cost of detaining and deporting illegal immigrants in his county (this incident was most enjoyed by white people in Hamilton who assumed busy deputies meant less enforcement of their weed dealing). But today those smiles were turned…
12 Months of Politicking and Pontificating
Although its origins are clouded in mystery, there is an oft-quoted, allegedly Chinese proverb that states, “May you live in interesting times.” It's been used by many people over the years, ranging from Robert F. Kennedy in the real world to characters on the TV show The Sopranos. In reality, many historians believe the phrase…
Making Modern Golems
Justin Poole deals in body parts: arms, legs and full torsos. He handles heads or complete specimens only rarely. “It’s kind of unusual to do a body from head to toe,” Poole says. The Walnut Hills artist designs and builds mannequins and, occasionally, wax sculptures for curiosity museums. The mannequins end up showcasing the newest…
In 2010, Museums Exhibited Crowd-Pleasing Shows
Cincinnati’s three major art museums — Cincinnati Art Museum, Contemporary Arts Center and Taft Museum of Art — all found success with 2010 exhibitions. The CAC struck the zeitgeist by bringing in the big Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand retrospective early in the year, and also inviting him to put up his semi-political posters at…
2010 All Over Again
Photo by Nicholas Joseph Viltrakis A testament to the sheer quantity of quality releases by Cincinnati area artists this past year is the fact that before I went to the archives for a little memory jog about what came about in 2010, I did an off-the-top-of-my-head list and came up with 50. Immediately. In years…
Social Networks, Deft Docs and Gift Shops
It was another transitional year at the movies, one in which curious, sometimes frustrating trends emerged or were confirmed: the rise of conceptually complex films that question the nature of “reality” and “truth”; the return of 3-D as a savior; the death of the romantic comedy; the continued fracturing of indie cinema; and the further…
Best Bites of 2010
CityBeat’s dining team had some pretty delicious moments in the running for their “Best Bite” finalists this year. Personally, I thought back to the creamy goat cheese my neighbor brought from Paris that we ate in her garden one spring night. The incredibly perfect fresh grouper at Commander’s Palace Jazz brunch in New Orleans. Caliente…
New Year’s Eve Sounds
Friday night, there are musical New Year’s Eve options for practically every taste. (I couldn’t find any Polka or Steampunk bands playing, but they’re probably out there somewhere.) And the party types (from free, small-club Rock shows to huge, swanky and expensive soirees) are as varied as the genres represented. Here are just a few…
