What is a Special Improvement District, and Will This Cincinnati Neighborhood Get One?
Should property owners in southern Over-the-Rhine pay into a special district to fund services above and beyond what the city provides? That’s an idea one group is looking into. The group, made up representatives from businesses and nonprofits in the area, says that the move would preserve and expand services that are vital to OTR,…
Recommended Concerts in Greater Cincinnati for the Week of Jan. 30-Feb. 5
WEDNESDAY 30 STANLEY’S PUB – Otis. 9 p.m. Southern Rock. Cover. TAFT THEATRE – Brothers Osborne with The Wild Feathers. 8 p.m. Country. $29.50-$46.50. TOP CATS – The Josephines with Brent James & The Vintage Youth and Kevin McCoy Band. 8 p.m. Country/Rock. $10. URBAN ARTIFACT – Tooth Lures a Fang with Sungaze and Sarn…
Progressive Acoustic Instrumental Group The Jon Stickley Trio Headlines Weekend Concert in Northern Kentucky
Jon Stickley is a virtuoso-level acoustic guitarist. But, as he shows time and again with his instrumental group, the Jon Stickley Trio, his musical gifts extend beyond ace technical chops, which are based on the flatpicking technique, a style commonly associated with Bluegrass. Stickley’s versatile guitar work also exudes a distinct and impassioned “feel,” which…
Indie Pop Band Vampire Weekend’s ‘Father of the Bride’ Tour Coming to Cincinnati This Summer
Indie Pop faves Vampire Weekend have announced the dates for its massive tour behind the anticipated forthcoming album Father of the Bride, which is due this spring. Along with festival headlining spots and big-time concerts at Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl, the tour includes a Cincinnati date. The band will perform at the…
Stepped Up Enforcement, Eight-Foot Lettering Could Improve Cincinnati’s Bus-Only Lane Pilot Program
Cincinnati's first experiment with a dedicated rush hour lane for Metro buses will be getting some extra help in the form of eight-foot "BUS ONLY" lettering in the right lane of Main Street, officials with the city's Department of Transportation and Engineering told city council members today. The lettering plus stepped-up traffic enforcement could reduce…
Cincinnati’s Holocaust & Humanity Center Finds Local Angles and a Light in the Dark of the Holocaust
When Holocaust & Humanity Center Executive Director Sarah L. Weiss was still envisioning the museum’s move to prime space in the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, she said she wanted her nonprofit institution to raise its visibility. Founded in 2000 by Holocaust survivors and their families, its small museum and educational programs had most…
What is the Status of the Effort to Renegotiate the Tax Abatement Agreement Between Cincinnati and CPS?
The City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools could hash out the bones of a new agreement around the city’s tax abatement policy as soon as this spring, City Solicitor Paula Boggs-Muething told Cincinnati City Council's Education, Innovation and Growth Committee on Jan. 29. But some CPS board members have taken issue with the city's…
Food Fight 15 Pits Chefs and Home Cooks Against Each Other in a Battle for Epicurean Supremacy
Cincinnati’s Food Fight series pits chefs, home cooks, culinary enthusiasts and humans with knife skills against each other in a battle to see who is the best chef. Bring a potluck dish to share and enter your name to be a cook or judge — if you want. If you don’t want to compete (or judge),…
MOVE at Rhinegeist Brings Aerial Acrobatics and Dance Troupes to the Brewery
Nonprofit organization Mission 2 Move and Rhinegeist are helping relieve some stress with an event that puts people in motion. MOVE will feature aerial acrobatics and performances from the University of Cincinnati dance team, Exhale Dance Tribe and QKIDZ Dance Team, plus acts from the Cincinnati Circus Company. Dance to music from DJ Alex and…
‘The Cost is Accurate’ is a Wacky Game Show Blend to Benefit Know Theatre
Come on down! The price is… accurate? Hosted by Travis McElroy — podcaster extraordinaire — The Cost is Accurate blends popular game shows from TV history for a night of wild rip-off hijinks. The event will unfold live onstage but audience members will have the chance to participate, with a 1-in-100 chance of winning the evening’s yet-to-be-announced top…
Cincy Winter Beerfest Returns to the Duke Energy Convention Center with Two Days and Hundreds of Beers
Two nights. Hundreds of craft beers. Live music. More than 150 craft breweries. And did we mention beer? The Duke Energy Convention Center is hosting the 12th annual Cincy Winter Beerfest. This event features three sessions where guests can sample from 400 different types of beer from local, regional and national breweries. Tickets include 25…
Ring in the Chinese New Year at 3 Points Urban Brewery
It is about to be the year of the pig in Porkopolis and 3 Points Urban Brewery is hosting Cincinnati’s Asian Cultural Association’s Lunar New Year party to ring in the Chinese New Year. This party will be fueled by a lineup of Asian-American DJs from across the U.S., including KIML, SHEF b2b DOBOY and…
People’s Liberty Project ‘Experience Sankofa’ Takes People Back in Time to Experience the Harlem Renaissance and Birth of Hip Hop
People’s Liberty is offering a journey like no other — a journey into the past. People’s Liberty grantee Jennie Wright has created Experience Sankofa inside the Globe Gallery, which will take audiences “back in time” to experience two highlights of African-American culture through interactive performances, exhibits and cosplay. Guests can take a trip to the…
The Daily Show’s Trevor Noah Does Two Shows — in One Night — at the Aronoff Center
Stand-up comedian and The Daily Show host Trevor Noah is coming to Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center as part of his Loud & Clear Tour. Known for his satirical humor with a political edge, the comedian has sold-out shows on more than five continents. Expect to hear insight on social issues through the lens of Noah’s own personal experiences —…
Comedian and Former ‘Chelsea Lately’ Panelist Josh Wolf Heads to Liberty Funny Bone
Josh Wolf is a comedian and actor who has written for several sitcoms including All of Us; Yes, Dear; Cuts and Raising Hope. He has also appeared in a few episodes of the latter. Onstage, his process is looser than it is for the TV screen. “I’ll go onstage with a premise, but it’s a…
Chocolate in the Chapel Brings Confectioners and Bakers to Spring Grove’s Norman Chapel
It’s almost Valentine’s Day so head to Spring Grove Cemetery for a candy and chocolate tasting. At the fifth-annual Chocolate in the Chapel, local confectioners will be displaying their goods inside the Norman Chapel, offering samples and treats for sale. Participating vendors include Chocolats Latour, SugarSnap! Sweet Treats, Kilwins at the Greene, A Mother’s Touch…
Sip & Spell is a Boozy Spelling Bee at the Samuel Adams Cincinnati Taproom
Test the theory that spelling is like bowling — the more you drink, the better you get at it — at Sam Adams’ Sip & Spell monthly spelling bee. Enter as an individual or as a team; one person spells one word per round and players earn points for each word spelled correctly. Prizes will…
Step Back into the 1850s at the Cincinnati Museum Center’s CurioCity Public Landing Cocktail and Conversation Event
The Cincinnati Museum Center’s CurioCity series is a 21-and-up social event for those adults interested in history, science, conversation and cocktails. Held at venues inside the museum and across the city, each CurioCity is themed around a different topic for guests to learn about something new from curators and experts. This time, take a step…
The Owners of Agave & Rye to Open Covington Moonshine Room, Sugar Whiskey Sis
Covington is getting a new nightlife and Southern-inspired dining spot with the addition of Sugar Whiskey Sis, a self-proclaimed "moonshine room" on Madison Avenue. The grand opening of the restaurant and bar will be held 5 p.m. Feb. 8 and is aimed at "longtime whiskey drinkers and exploratory food enthusiasts to expand what they once…
Over-the-Rhine’s Longfellow Expands with ‘Other Room’
Do you enjoy the vibe at Longfellow? Have you heard about their other room that recently opened? It’s called Other Room. And it's literally another room behind the bar's first room that offers "the feel of your grandparent's basement" — plenty of wood paneling, exposed brick, framed floral prints and other cool retro and vintage ephemera. …
Bockfest’s Sausage Queen Competition Prelim Rounds Kick Off at Arnold’s
Bockfest may just be Cincinnati's weirdest festival — an annual celebration of spring, bock beer and the city's brewing heritage. The 27th-annual Bockfest takes over downtown and Over-the-Rhine March 1-3 with a plethora of activities, starting with a parade, which will step off from Arnold's Bar & Grill at 6 p.m. March 1. Each year,…
Cincinnati Beer News: Cincy Winter Beerfest, Gal/Valentine’s Day Celebrations and the Return of Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout
If you participated in Dryuary (aka an alcohol-free January) and/or have already broken your New Year’s resolution to drink less, then February is lining up to be a good drinking month for you. First up, Cincy Winter Beerfest returns to the Duke Energy Convention Center Feb. 1 and 2; sample more than 400 beers from…
Pop Group Lucius to Kick Off Acoustic ‘Live Nudes’ Tour in Cincinnati
Pop band Lucius has announced the latest leg of its "Live Nudes" tour, an all-acoustic run in support of the stripped-back 2018 album Nudes. The tour is kicking off on May 1 at Cincinnati's Memorial Hall. Tickets for the opening date of Lucius' tour — which will feature special guests Pure Bathing Culture — go…
Over-the-Rhine’s Wodka Bar Will Serve Up Vodka, Caviar and Pierogies
Sarah Dworak never thought she would make her living from pierogies. But as the granddaughter of Ukrainian immigrants, she didn’t have a say in whether or not she inherited the gene for pierogi mastery. Tucked away in the Carpathian Mountains near the Polish border, her paternal grandparents were from the rural village of Ploske, a…
Court: Church’s Challenge to Hamilton County Tent City Ban Can Advance
A challenge to a county-wide ban on tent cities enacted by Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Ruehlman over the summer can continue, the Ohio First District Court of Appeals has ruled. New Prospect Baptist Church in Roselawn is contesting the ban after it offered space to a couple dozen inhabitants of a series…
Ohio Indie Rock Legends Guided By Voices to Play Cincinnati Concert This Summer
Dayton, Ohio Indie Rock greats Guided By Voices are heading to Cincinnati this summer. The band is scheduled to play Over-the-Rhine's Woodward Theater on June 28. Tickets for the concert go on sale this Friday (Feb. 1) at 10 a.m. through cincyticket.com. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 on the day of show (if…
Braxton Brewing Co. Does Galentine’s and Valentine’s Celebrations to Cover All the V-Day Bases
Braxton has two V-Day events coming up. On Feb. 10, they’ll host a Galentine’s Day brunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in their loft. If you’re not in the know, Galentine’s Day originated on the show Parks and Recreation and celebrates female friendship, hence the “gal” part of the word. The brunch will feature mimosas (duh),…
Put an End to New Year’s Resolutions at Grainworks Brewing Co. with This Indulgent Party
Grainworks knows resolutions don’t last more than a month, so on Jan. 31 they’re throwing Busted: A Resolution-Ending Celebration “to celebrate our complete lack of fortitude and total inability to follow through.” They’ll tap a special beer and will have cupcakes, Delicious Designs Cookies and Holtman’s Donuts — all of the stuff that’s not green…
White Castle is Taking Reservations for Valentine’s Day Dinner — for the 28th Year
Love is in the air — and so is the smell of sliders. White Castle has opened up reservations for its 28th-annual Valentine's Day dinner for humans who enjoy small hamburgers and/or irony with a side of romance. From 4-9 p.m. on Feb. 14 at most White Castle locations, you and your boo can enjoy…
WATCH: “Elijah,” the Second Part of Cincinnati Hip Hop Artists Ronin Halloway and JayBee Lamahj’s “Icarus Trilogy”
A week ago CityBeat premiered "Icarus," the first song and video from Cincinnati Hip Hop artists Ronin Halloway and JayBee Lamahj's "Icarus Trilogy." Today you can watch "Elijah," the second part of the trilogy, which was filmed, directed and edited by Bradley Thompson. The duo will perform the full trilogy live on Feb. 7 at…
It is About to Get Very Cold. Here’s Where You Can Warm Up
It is frigid outside today, and the National Weather Service predicts it will get even colder tomorrow as the Polar Vortex moves through the region. The NWS has issued a wind chill warning for today through tomorrow evening, and, according to a memo from Cincinnati City Manager Patrick Duhaney, those winds could make it feel…
Indie Folk Band Bon Iver is Coming to Cincinnati This March
Justin Vernon's Grammy-winning Indie Folk band Bon Iver is coming to Cincinnati in just over two months. Taft Theatre announced today (Jan. 27) that the group will play the venue on March 31. Tickets ($89, $59 and $49) go on sale this Friday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. at the Taft box office, by phone…
Cincinnati Indie/Psych Rock Band In The Pines Celebrates Cassette Release of Stellar Sophmore LP
Late last year, Cincinnati Indie/Psych Rock band In The Pines released the digital version of its stellar second album, San Lorenzo. After recently unveiling the music video for album track “I’m Good,” the five-piece is hosting a release show for the new cassette version of the album this Saturday (Feb. 2), performing with guests Boa…
Should a Commission Responsible for Ohio River Pollution Loosen Regulations? Here’s When You Can Have a Say
Residents of Greater Cincinnati and elsewhere will get to weigh in Feb. 14 at 9 a.m. as the Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission — or ORSANCO — meets at the Embassy Suites in Covington and likely discusses moving away from many of the pollution control standards it has provided states along the Ohio River. A…
Weston Art Gallery Searches for Meaning on the Margins
Thoughts Made Visceral is an exhibition that literally speaks for itself. A new addition to the Weston Art Gallery set to open Friday (Feb. 1), the exhibition examines marginalia through the textual, visual and audio work of Cincinnati-grown artists Britni Bicknaver, Vittoria Daiello, Elese Daniel and Alex McClay. (McClay is currently based in Athens, Georgia.) …
In Conversation with National Book Award Finalist Jamel Brinkley
Jamel Brinkley has gone from aspiring author to one of the most buzzed-about writers in recent months, racking up a raft of critical praise in the process. A Lucky Man, the New York City native’s short story collection, debuted last May. Readers were immediately drawn to its detailed and often moving evocations of character and…
Rivertown Brewing Co. Hosts Goat Yoga Sessions — with Costumed Goats — in Their Monroe Barrel House
Have you ever wanted to do yoga with dwarf goats? Well, on Feb. 24, Rivertown will host two morning sessions with Yogoat. Yogoat is a Cincy startup that provides dwarf goats for yoga sessions. As the company explains, "Goat yoga is a great way to reduce stress and have fun in one’s yoga practice. Goats…
Judge: Civil Suit Around Crawford Police Shooting Will Go Forward
Much of a civil suit brought by the family of John Crawford III over his shooting death by Beavercreek police in a Walmart-Mart will go to trial, a federal judge ruled today. U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice threw out a wrongful death claim against the retail chain. But Rice also ruled that a reasonable…
Minimum Gauge: Michael Jackson’s Family Announces Jukebox Musical’s Pre-Broadway Run As Documentary Shocks at Sundance
HOT: Two Sides of NeverlandIn what was surely the most awkwardly-timed announcement ever related to a “jukebox musical," the Michael Jackson estate revealed dates for the biographical Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough's opening run in Chicago this year, before its Broadway premiere in 2020. The announcement came ahead of the Sundance premiere of Leaving…
Is West Coast Hip Hop Group Shoreline Mafia — Performing This Week in Cincinnati — on the Verge of a Mainstream Breakthrough?
Going into 2019, West Coast Hip Hop sits on the cusp of a cultural moment. Disrupting Atlanta’s once-ubiquitous formula of dreamy Trap production and Autotuned experimentation, the classic Californian sound has carved out a radio niche thanks to off-kilter hits like YG’s “Big Bank” and Kendrick Lamar’s Black Panther-inspired “King’s Dead.” Vince Staples and four-man…
Ohio’s Execution Drug Conundrum
Five years ago, prison employees injected convicted killer Dennis McGuire with a two-drug cocktail designed to end his life quickly and painlessly. It took 26 minutes for the mixture of hydromorphone and midazolam to kill McGuire — the longest execution since Ohio resumed capital punishment in 1999 — and witnesses reported the condemned man loudly…
Reviews are Rolling in for Regionally-Made Documentary ‘American Factory’
Following a sold-out world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival — which continues through Feb. 3 in Utah— the first reviews are rolling in for American Factory, directed by Yellow Springs residents Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, who was recently honored with the International Documentary Association's 2018 Career Achievement Award. The documentary follows a Chinese-run company — Fuyao…
The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Takes on Tragedy with August Wilson’s ‘Fences’
CRITIC'S PICK Let’s give thanks that the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company broadly defines its role as a classic stage. The company goes beyond the Bard to present other historical works of theatrical importance. For the first time, they have landed on August Wilson, an American playwright whose works surely elicit comparison in craft, language and characters…
The Oscars Still Lack Representation
The film industry, much like American society as a whole, can’t stop repeating the following series of buzzwords: diversity, inclusion, representation. The words form a mantra, an expression of our collective striving to do better, to be better. But words fail, especially when they are not backed up by actions. What happens when we don’t…
Kirk Hammett Says Metallica Still Feel Like Outsiders… and That’s Just How They Like It
It’s been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. That seems to have been the case for Metallica. Despite going eight years between studio albums and not doing a full-fledged tour in more than six years, Metallica’s major return in 2016 with Hardwired… to Self Destruct and its extensive WorldWired Tour found the music…
The Beat — and Life — Goes On in the Playhouse’s ‘In the Heights’
CRITIC'S PICK Sun up on a hot, early July morning. Usnavi (Ryan Alvarado) opens his bodega, a stop-and-shop that deals mostly in café con leche, fueling the energy of the struggling but generally happy residents of Washington Heights, a Hispanic community at the northern tip of Manhattan. Yes, it’s the opening scene of In the…
Cincinnati’s Metro Bus App is Getting Big Updates — Including a Potential Partnership with Rideshare Companies
The city’s bus service has plans to make riding Cincinnati buses more convenient this summer. By the end of August, the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority will be updating its Metro bus app, Cincy EZRide, to include more features, such as bus-tracking and more expansive trip-planning across the region, said Brandy Jones, vice president of…
Cincinnati Police Update Use of Force Policies for Tasers
The Cincinnati Police Department's use-of-force policies have been amended as they relate to Taser use, according to a memo from City Manager Patrick Duhaney today. The amendment strikes a section of CPD's use-of-force manual that specified use of Tasers is permitted on suspects between the ages of 7 and 70. Instead, the new guidelines add…
Two Seniors Wage War in Ensemble’s Uproarious ‘Ripcord’
CRITIC'S PICK Ripcord stars two people who possess polar opposite personalities. One is uptight; the other is easygoing. Forced to make a home together in a small space, tensions boil beneath the surface and conflict unfolds and then escalates. Finally, the long-smoldering friction ignites and becomes a full-blown confrontation. Meanwhile, the audience hoots and wipes…
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Celebrates 125th Anniversary With a Diverse Lineup That Nods to Its Illustrious Past
“There is no better way to kick off this anniversary season than to bring people together through music in the spirit of seeking and sharing inspiration," said Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director Louis Langrée. He was speaking of the upcoming 125th season of the CSO, which is one of only six American orchestras to reach that…
Cincinnati Officials Considering Handheld Traffic Cameras
City of Cincinnati officials say they’re considering equipping Cincinnati Police officers with technology like handheld traffic cameras to help improve pedestrian safety in the midst of a budget deficit. But that would require voters approving a change to the city’s charter. In a memo released this week, Cincinnati City Manager Patrick Duhaney outlined some of…
Cincinnati Funk Musician Freekbass Drops New “Fre3KroNomoKon” Single, With Full Album Due in May
Last week, veteran Cincinnati musician Freekbass released the single (and subsequent music video for) “Fre3KroNomoKon,” the Funk singer/songwriter/bassist’s follow-up to last year’s “Steppin’ Outta Line." The new track was premiered via Relix and the video debuted on Bass Player Magazine’s website. (Freekbass was also recently featured on the cover of online publication Bass Musician Magazine,…
AltPop Icon Brendon Urie Shows Off Panic! at the Disco’s Transition to Arena Rock this Weekend in Cincinnati
Although Panic! at the Disco emerged from Las Vegas in 2005 just after hometown heroes The Killers took the world by storm with Hot Fuss, the quartet was hardly part of the city’s scene, which was otherwise dominated at the time by Death Metal acts. Inspired by the likes of The Beatles, Zombies and Beach…
