‘Heartbeat’ Bill Returns to Ohio Legislature
Committees in both the Ohio House and Senate yesterday heard testimony around a law that would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected — as soon as six weeks after conception. It's not the first time the restrictions — which, if passed, would be among the strictest in the country — have come before…
Jose Salazar Only Cincinnati Chef Named as a Semifinalist for the James Beard Award, Great Lakes Region
The James Beard Foundation has announced its annual list of restaurant and chef award semifinalists in advance of its 29th-annual awards ceremony, held in Chicago on May 6. And chef Jose Salazar is among the nominees for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region (which encompasses Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio). Salazar, who was also…
WATCH: Cincinnati Hip Hop Artist JayBee Lamahj’s New “Timing” Music Video featuring D-Eight and Ronin Halloway
Released late last year, JayBee Lamahj's Phonk Phoever. was one of the best albums by a Cincinnati Hip Hop artist to come out in all of 2018. The album was a collection of singles released earlier in the year, with a handful of unreleased cuts, and it featured several special guests, including local artists like…
Christine Vachon of Killer Films is Coming to the Aronoff to Chat About Her Oscar-Winning Films
Next week, award-winning film producer Christine Vachon is coming to Cincinnati's Aronoff Center for a night of discussion and a Q&A. The talk takes place at 7 p.m. March 6; tickets went on sale today. The co-founder of Killer Films — which she started in 1995 with Pamela Koffler — Vachon is renowned in the indie scene,…
Should Cincinnati Lower its Earnings Tax to Sweeten the Chances of a County Sales Tax for Metro?
The City of Cincinnati could end an earnings tax that funds the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority’s Metro bus service if Hamilton County voters approve a county-wide sales tax to replace it. But like most issues around boosting the region’s under-funded bus service, the proposed city charter amendment faces some complicated politics and competing proposals.…
Recommended Concerts and Club Shows in Greater Cincinnati for the Week of Feb. 27-March 5
WEDNESDAY 27 MEMORIAL HALL – The Milk Carton Kids with Vera Sola. 8 p.m. Folk/Americana. $30-$45. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) – Ryan Malott with Jacob Tippey and Noah Smith. 9 p.m. Singer/Songwriter. Free. URBAN ARTIFACT – Marjorie Lee and The Lovers with Kyleen Downes, Knotts and Jess Lamb. 8 p.m. Pop/Rock/Various. Free. U.S. BANK ARENA…
Cincinnati’s Kim Taylor Channels Love, Loss, Faith And Years Of Teachable Moments Into ‘Songs Of Instruction’
Kim Taylor certainly doesn’t possess the look of an international music star. At least not today. As she’s huddled over a book at a table for one-and-a-half at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, the gifted Cincinnati singer/songwriter bears the appearance of a graduate student attempting to cram in a couple of chapters before class. Though she might not…
Busken, Virgina Bakery and New Riff Distillery Collaborate on Bourbon Street Schnecken
Though it may seem impossible, the beloved, classic German pastry schnecken just got a little bit tastier. Three local businesses have joined forces to create a limited-edition schnecken, which is being specially made for Mardi Gras. "Bourbon Street Schnecken" is a collaboration between Northern Kentucky's New Riff Distillery and two of the city's most iconic local bakeries, Busken Bakery…
FC Cincinnati Unveils New Mascot — An Orange Lion Named Gary
New league, new lion. As FC Cincinnati prepares to kick off its first Major League Soccer season March 2, the team today officially unveiled its new mascot. He is orange. He is feline. He is plush. His mane, nose and wingtips (yes, he has wings) are blue — we're not sure if that's natural or…
Cincinnati Breweries Host Events and Discounts for International Women’s Day
International Women's Day is "a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women" which also "marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity." Locally, International Women's Day also happens to be a great day to visit a local brewery. For the third year, Norwood's Listermann Brewing Co. is releasing a female-brewed…
City of Cincinnati Settles Lawsuit Brought by Protester
The City of Cincinnati last month paid $90,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a demonstrator arrested during a November 2014 rally protesting the police shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, city documents reveal. Cerissa Newbill was one of several people arrested while marching after a rally on the evening of Nov. 25…
What’s the Hops: Cincinnati Beer News and Events for March
You know the saying “March comes in like a lion?” Well, prepare yourself for a fun-filled and busy month of Bockfest, Saint Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras, FC Cincinnati’s major league debut, a brewery anniversary and the return of some favorite brews. The 27th annual Bockfest — a celebration that includes goats, a parade, sausages, German…
The Cincinnati Art Museum Gets a Parisian Makeover During ‘Paris 1900: City of Entertainment’
The Cincinnati Art Museum is showing an exhibition of works from Paris at the start of the 20th century. Paris 1900: City of Entertainment displays over 200 pieces to celebrate Parisian culture. The exhibition — organized by the Petit Palais Museum of Fine Arts — includes paintings, sculpture, posters, fashion, furniture and souvenirs from notable…
The 28th-Annual Mardi Gras for Homeless Children Raises Funds for Families in Need
Fat Tuesday is a celebration of indulgences before the fasting of Lent, but it can also be an opportunity for the privileged to give back to those less fortunate. Mercedes Benz of Fort Mitchell and the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association are presenting the 28th-annual Mardi Gras for Homeless Children, complete with a parade. Let the…
Dr. Morgan’s Hangover Relief Tour is a Bockfest Weekend-Only Brewery History and Underground Tunnel Excursion
Mike Morgan, author, historian, beer expert and president of Queen City History & Education, takes to the streets to lead interested and likely hungover humans on a walking tour of Over-the-Rhine during his Bockfest-only Dr. Morgan’s Hangover Relief Tour series. This educational jaunt includes information about OTR’s pre-Prohibition past, its recent brewing rebirth and the…
MainStrasse Mardi Gras Brings New Orleans to Covington
Let’s be real: We all can’t make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, but Covington may be the next best thing. Get those purple, gold and green beads ready and pull out the masks because Mardi Gras is coming to us. Take a journey through MainStrasse Village bars or get your dancing shoes on…
Cincinnati Roots Band Wilder Leans Into Its Rock Edge On New ‘Pick Your Poison’ Album
The lines between what is accepted as “Country” music nowadays and the various American Roots music offshoots (like Roots Rock, Americana and AltCountry) that have developed over the past couple of decades have been progressively blurred. Labels like Bloodshot Records and artists like Steve Earle have helped exploit the crossover points between Country and Rock…
‘Start Over Tomorrow While There’s Still Time’ at Wave Pool Embraces Wit and Absurdity in Line Drawing and Text
The doodle is, perhaps, the most universal art form. Even the least creative of us has spent preoccupied time scribbling nonsense in the margins of notebooks, or at least been forced to play Pictionary. Wave Pool contemporary art fulfillment center will soon showcase an exhibition celebrating modern artists’ uses of ink on paper to embrace…
The 10th-annual Cincinnati Color Ball Raises Money for the Human Rights Campaign
The 10th-annual Cincinnati Color Ball, hosted by the Human Rights Campaign at the Hyatt Regency, is a celebration of inspiration for people of the LGBTQ community and allies, family and friends. Tickets include a cocktail reception, silent auction, elegant dinner, speakers and live entertainment. Upgrade to a premium ticket, which includes a VIP wristband, for…
Chicago Comedian Lil Rel Brings His Stand-Up Set to the Liberty Funny Bone
“I’ve always been funny,” says Lil Rel, “but it’s one of those things where my family was hilarious, and then my friends were all hilarious. Was I the funniest one? No, but there were a lot of laughs because everyone had these funny jokes. I think I’m more a combination of all of my family…
Bockfest Takes Over OTR and Downtown with Beer, Goats, Monks and a 5k
In the late 19th century, Cincinnati was the country’s third-largest beer producer and the citizens drank enough beer for every man, woman and child to consume 40 gallons a year — more than double the national average at the time. Needless to say, the Queen City has a storied history of drunken debauchery that extends…
Naïve Rock Cult Hero Jonathan Richman Comes to Cincinnati This Week to Promote His Latest Album, ‘SA’
If Nerd Rock could be considered a musical realm, then Jonathan Richman would be the kingdom’s crowned head. After playing out the string with his first band — wildly influential ’70s Rock group The Modern Lovers — Richman used that ensemble’s name sporadically but essentially operated as a solo artist after the release of 1983’s…
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Presents ‘The Winter’s Tale’
“A sad tale’s best for winter.” Cincinnati Shakespeare Company brings an old tale of jealousy and redemption to life with The Winter’s Tale. King Leontes of Sicilia has it in his head that his wife, Hermione, is having an affair. So he unleashes a wrath upon her and their child and banishes them into the…
Minimum Gauge: 50 People Contacted the FCC to Complain About Adam Levine’s Nipples
HOT: Man-Nipplegate or Nah? People on social media had a lot to say about Maroon 5’s performance at the most recent Super Bowl halftime show and practically none of it was about the Pop band’s music. About 50 people took things a step further and filed official complaints with the FCC, all centered on two…
Zundo Ramen & Donburi Noodle Bar Does Authentic Asian Fast Food and Sake in Over-the-Rhine
You’ve probably been eating ramen the wrong way as long as you’ve been eating it. But before you panic, let me reassure you: it’s OK. I was in the same boat until I sat down with David Chao, operating manager at Zundo Ramen & Donburi in Over-the-Rhine. “We wanted to bring that actual, ramen-fast culture…
The Cincinnati Playhouse Announces its 2019-2020 Season
Even as plans are underway for the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park to evolve and grow dramatically with a new mainstage a few years from now, Artistic Director Blake Robison is announcing the award-winning regional theater’s 60th season. Running from September 2019 to June 2020, it will be presented while fundraising and design work for…
Historic Conservation Board Recommends Terrace Plaza Landmark Status
Cincinnati's Terrace Plaza Hotel, a 1948 International Style building on Sixth Street downtown, took another step toward being designated as a local historic landmark. After more than a dozen preservationists gave public comment supporting the designation, the Cincinnati Historic Conservation Board voted 5-1 to recommend that status despite reservations from some board members about whether…
Someone Scored My Life Tonight: Building a Lifetime of Memories Around the Music of Elton John
It has been postulated that, at the end of our lives, chemical and electrical impulses flood our brains and every memory we've ever had flickers across our frontal lobes like a home movie projected on a sheet at a family picnic. If that's true, my movie is going to have a pretty incredible soundtrack, and…
Come for the Pie, Stay for the Apocalypse in Know Theatre’s ‘Always Plenty of Light’
Know Theatre’s world premiere of Darcy Parker Bruce’s Always Plenty of Light at the Starlight All Night Diner is the theater’s fifth installment in its season-long examination of fear. Though sprinkled with charming moments and held together by a capable cast, the production struggles to overcome a confused, albeit creative, script. As the lone establishment…
Lafcadio Hearn: A Voice Shaped by Cincinnati
An immigrant train bound inland made its way from New York City to Cincinnati some hundred years ago. On it rode 19-year-old Lafcadio Hearn, a writer and orphan who was well read and built of curiosity; currently, the debate over his exact arrival date in Cincinnati is being passionately investigated. Leading the search are the…
Alison Tavel’s ‘Resynator’ Documentary Unravels Musical Mystery with Cincinnati Connections
Alison Tavel began her documentary Resynator, which is named after a synthesizer invented in 1979 by her late father, Don Tavel, just to chronicle its restoration. “I realized as I was filming that this is not the story about the resurrection of a synthesizer,” Alison says. “This is the story about me connecting with my…
Seafood Restaurant The Anchor-OTR Announces Closure
On Monday, Feb. 25., The Anchor-OTR announced its closure via its social media after seven years as an Over-the-Rhine mainstay. The Anchor has been an impressive addition to the local dining scene since it opened, wooing CityBeat critics and dining writers with its fresh fish and insane bloody mary. It was also a frequent winner…
Hard Rock Titans Korn and Alice In Chains to Bring Co-Headlining Tour to Cincinnati This Summer
Hard Rock heavyweights Korn and Alice in Chains have announced a major co-headlining amphitheater tour for this summer that will include an August date in Cincinnati. The two bands — and special guests Underoath and FEVER 333 — will play Riverbend Music Center on Aug. 18. Tickets go on sale to the general public this…
Cincinnati Art Museum Looks Toward Accessibility with a New Front Entrance Ramp
The Cincinnati Art Museum will begin construction on a new front entrance ramp this week. The ramp comes as an addition to the DeWitt entrance, an accessible entrance at the back of the building. “The twenty-first century visitor to the Cincinnati Art Museum experiences state of the art museum interpretation, stellar art collections and intergenerational…
Here’s When Cincinnati Creamy Whips Open for the 2019 Season
Creamy whip Zip Dip is opening its doors for the season on March 1, which means warmer weather, little league games and balmy evening ice cream runs can't be too far off… right? A West Side family tradition, Zip Dip's old-school neon sign, featuring a lightning bolt striking an ice cream cone, is instantly recognizable…
A Full List of 2019 Oscar Winners — Including Those with Cincinnati Ties
It’s been a weird awards season for the Oscars: After past homophobic tweets from scheduled host Kevin Hart surfaced, the title of emcee went to — as Mitski might sing — nobody. And, honestly, it was better off that way.Then the awards played a game of retraction when they announced a new category for best popular picture…
Cincinnati Crawfish Boils and Mardi Gras Parties
As the last big hurrah before Lent (if you are of a religious persuasion) or a random reason to down half-price Hurricanes and collect colored beads, Fat Tuesday is manifesting in myriad ways in the Queen City. Crawfish Boils Fat Tuesday at Allyn's Cafe — There will be an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil, plus a full…
Jazz Singer and Cincinnati Native Petra van Nuis Returns Tonight for Hometown Album Release Party
Jazz vocalist Petra van Nuis — a Cincinnati native now based in Chicago — is back in her hometown and tonight (Feb. 25) will perform at Walnut Hills Jazz spot Caffè Vivace. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and there is a $10 cover charge at the door. Van Nuis has returned to Cincinnati to support her…
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ Finds an Epic End
The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is one for the ages and truly mythic. Introduced in 2010, the series’ protagonist, Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), was a typical would-be comic figure. A young Viking from a clan of dragon hunters, he encounters his match among the dragons — whom he dubs Toothless — and…
University of Cincinnati’s European Film Festival Continues With Four Flicks at Esquire Theatre
As part of University of Cincinnati's ongoing European Film Festival, four screenings were added at Esquire Theatre, with dates there slated Feb. 28-March 10. Underscoring the festival is its theme, which tests the "Limits of European Cinema." Though the fest itself kicked off Jan. 26 at The Mini Microcinema, the Esquire showcases were confirmed earlier…
Local News Roundup: Covington Tries An Innovative Approach to Public Input on Development and Much More
Hello Cincy. We haven’t done a weekly news roundup in a while, and this was a pretty eventful week. So let’s review, shall we? The big news out of Cincinnati City Hall this week is that city council took what will likely be its final vote on FC Cincinnati’s West End stadium, at least for…
Rock Legend Peter Frampton Returns to Cincinnati This Summer on His Farewell Tour
Rock legend Peter Frampton — who lived in Cincinnati for several years around the turn of the century — has announced he will embark on his final tour this summer. The tour dates (primarily in the U.S.) include a July 12 return to Riverbend Music Center, where Frampton has performed several times in recent years,…
Reunited Indie/Noise Rock Duo Royal Trux to Kick Off Rescheduled Tour in Cincinnati
Controversial Indie/Noise Rock duo Royal Trux kicked off 2019 in classic Truxian style, announcing its first new album since 2000 and also the postponement of their 2019 tour dates. Those initial dates were bagged due to “some unresolved issues arising from a past arrest” (singer Jennifer Herrema said she was just happy to avoid jail…
The ‘Hamilton’ Cincinnati Staging is on Par with Broadway’s Original
CRITIC’S PICK The pervasive, infectious, high-energy numbers that fuel Hamilton provide plenty of lines that aptly describe this phenomenal show. Let’s start with “The Story of Tonight” being in the “Room Where It Happens.” That’s the Aronoff’s Procter & Gamble Hall, where the rough-hewn set — ropes, wood beams, stone arches, stairways — fills the…
Cincinnati City Council Gives What is Likely Its Final Approval for FC Cincinnati’s West End Stadium
Cincinnati City Council today voted 7-0 to approve a zoning variance FC Cincinnati needs to move forward with its $250 million soccer stadium in the West End. A last-minute, $1 million deal "good neighbor" agreement between the team and the Cincinnati Ballet as well as another, smaller agreement between the team and displaced restaurant Just…
Jose Salazar’s Forthcoming Goose and Elder will Focus on American Comfort Food
Queen City locals have enjoyed chef Jose Salazar’s upscale culinary works at his restaurants Mita’s and Salazar, but now he has plans to bring American comfort food to 1800 Race St. — across from Findlay Market — at his forthcoming venture, Goose and Elder. “We will serve American comfort food and will also offer healthy…
DeWine Proposes Big Boost to Gas Tax to Fund Highway, Bridge Maintenance
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has proposed an 18-cent boost to the state's gas tax to fund maintenance of Ohio's crumbling roads, bridges and highways — a big jump from the state's current 28-cent-per-gallon tax. If the Ohio General Assembly approves the boost, it would be the first increase in the gas tax in 14 years.…
PREMIERE: Watch Cincinnati Synth Pop Act Moonbeau’s Barbershop Romp in New Music Video for “Hair So Wild”
One of the best album releases of 2018 was from Cincinnati’s Moonbeau, whose self-titled debut was an exhilarating, upbeat and emotive collection of memorable, wonderfully-crafted Synth Pop nuggets. Today CityBeat is thrilled to present the premiere of the duo’s new music video for “Hair So Wild,” a song that perfectly encapsulates the ’80s-inspired jubilance of…
Texas Singer/Songwriter Gina Chavez’s Latin/Folk/Pop Sound Takes a Soulful Turn on New EP
Gina Chavez’s fusion of Soul, Folk, Pop and Latin sounds has made her one of the more widely celebrated musical acts in her Austin, Texas homebase, which says even more than it would about similarly-acclaimed artists from other cities, given Austin’s reputation as a musicians’ haven. But her 10 Austin Music Award nominations haven’t kept…
Can Apple Street Market Survive?
Despite a reputation as one of Cincinnati's hippest and most livable neighborhoods, Northside is lacking a fundamental feature: A place to get a bag of oranges, shampoo or some bread. For five years, residents have been pushing hard to establish a cooperative grocery store in the community. But just as it looked like the project…
MSD Set to Introduce Rate Discount for Seniors, But Some Say it Doesn’t Go Far Enough
Calls for lower sewer rates from the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) have been going on for years. But community activists say that a new assistance program that MSD is offering is not enough to help low-income users. The Hamilton County Commissioners met with community members at the Board of Elections Tuesday to reveal their customer…
Hate Groups on the Rise in Ohio, Nationally, Civil Rights Group Says
The number of hate groups in many parts of the region is rising, according to a prominent civil rights organization. The Southern Poverty Law Center this week released its annual "Year in Hate" report, which details the groups it tracked in 2018. That report shows a spike in the number of groups in Ohio and…
Mohawk Gallery in the Over-the-Rhine Exhibits the Diversity of Black Identity
The Mohawk Gallery’s current exhibition — titled Manifestations of Time: The Black Experience — speaks to an array of perspectives: historical, contemporary, personal, political, religious and geographical. Each of these social constructs, explored in depth in the exhibit, shape one’s identity. Zoom out: There is no one way to be black. That sentiment resounds throughout,…
Settlement Reached in Cincinnati City Council Texting Lawsuit
There is a likely deal to settle a lawsuit filed by a private citizen against the City of Cincinnati regarding text messages sent between five Democratic Cincinnati City Council members in likely violation of Ohio's open meetings laws. That lawsuit, brought by conservative activist Mark Miller and his attorney Brian Shrive, seeks the release of…
The Montgomery Inn Boathouse Celebrates its 30th Birthday with Cheap Ribs and Bourbon Cocktails
The Montgomery Inn is celebrating the Boathouse's 30th birthday with a weeklong rib special. The Boathouse — and the original Montgomery Inn location in Montgomery — opened its doors in 1989, so the Ribs King is throwing it back with a deep, meaty discount: From Feb. 24-March 2, guests can get a slab of original…
Kick Off Your Weekend With British AltRock Band The Kooks at Bogart’s
More than a single meaning can be inferred in The Kooks’ chosen band name. On a strictly surface level, the British Indie Rock quartet consciously christened themselves after David Bowie’s “Kooks” from his 1971 album, Hunky Dory. Dig a little deeper and you uncover an interesting parallel. Bowie was notorious for changing creative guises, and…
Recommended Live Music in Greater Cincinnati for the Week of Feb. 20-26
WEDNESDAY 20 MADISON LIVE – Magic Giant with Castlecomer. 8 p.m. Indie/Folk/Rock. $15. MOTR PUB – Smut with Slow Glows and Rei Clone. 10 p.m. Indie/Rock/Post Punk. Free. NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB – Tetrarch with Glassworld, Sacrifice the Sun and BBS. 8 p.m. Metal. $10, $12 day of show. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) – Ryan Malott…
Hip Hop/R&B Rising Star DaniLeigh Performs a Cincinnati Show This Week After Her Hit “Lil Bebe” Breaks 100 Million Streams
Even if the name DaniLeigh doesn’t immediately ring any bells, you might recognize her dance moves. The on-the-rise Hip Hop vocalist caught big attention last year when her homemade entry in the “In My Feelings” dance challenge — during which she fluidly danced to the Drake song alongside a moving car after jumping from the…
