Phratry Rides Again: New Ampline/Atomic Garden Split
Phratry Records continues its recent seven-inch blitz with a new Ampline/Atomic Garden split single. —- On the a-side, Cincinnati's Ampline offers "Our Carbon Dreams," a sturdy-like-clockwork stomp that has its origins in Fugazi or perhaps a darker Chavez and burns in the mathematical, post-Post-Hardcore style with which Phratry's imprint has become synonymous. The song is…
Music Industry Needs Money But Not Press?
I hate to talk shop but I think it’s worthwhile that you understand the lengths the media goes through these days to bring you our opinions on the music that gets released each and every week. Three of this week’s reviews in my weekly online column for CityBeat, I Shall Be Released, are there for…
Art: Constructed Paper at Carl Solway Gallery
Judy Pfaff’s current exhibition of large-scale collaged works and small prints seems to continue an abiding interest that Carl Solway Gallery has in highly accomplished, mid-career artists who favor abstract interpretations of nature through a variety of approaches. Like Pat Steir, Lynda Benglis and Joan Snyder, who have all exhibited at Solway in the past…
Music: Macy’s Music Festival
Every summer, for one weekend, Cincinnati is the center of the R&B universe as the Macy’s Music Festival (around in one form or another since 1962) brings to town two jam-packed nights of old-school heroes and legends and some like-minded, younger whippersnappers. But the Macy’s Fest has also long been much more than just a…
The Fiery Furnaces, Wheat, Drug Rug, Trevor Hall and Bad Boy Bill
Whatever you think of their music, you have to give The Fiery Furnaces style points. Currently on a pace to release 10 albums by the band’s 10th anniversary next year (one of the band’s stated goals, in fact), primary Furnaces Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger are working diligently on Silent Record, a non-music music release, essentially…
Onstage: Concert on the Green
The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra returns to Forest Park for its twentieth annual outdoor summer concert. Maestro Erich Kunzel and his orchestra, joined by tenor Daniel Maimone, will perform Classical favorites from composers Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Donizetti and Bernstein. Does Classical music put you to sleep? The Pops Orchestra will also belt out some patriotic tunes, Italian…
Events: Clifton Comics and Games Anniversary
After decades of building a loyal underground fan base, comics have transitioned into the mainstream thanks to the rise of graphic novels with a surprising literary bent and a slew of television and film adaptations. But the heart and soul of the industry remains with the faithful audience of readers. And now a local haven…
Art: Offical Showcase at Synthetica Gallery
The first Saturday of the month is usually when the galleries in Brighton offer new exhibitions (for now, that only includes Synthetica Gallery and semantics gallery). This weekend, Synthetica opens Official Showcase, a group exhibition of paintings, assemblages and jewelry. Corinne Dean, a Chicago-based artist, presents stunningly elegant works in which piles of small, cut-out…
Onstage: Romeo and Juliet
This summer CSC is presenting Romeo and Juliet in a portable production that will travel to 16 locales. The presentation is a concise rendition of the tragic love story, using seven actors, each playing at least two roles with a lot of quick costume changes. The stage is six moveable wall panels festooned with posters…
Events: Fish Wars
Do you like fish? Do you own an aquarium? Do you know what a cichlid is? Then come to the American Cichlid Association’s annual convention hosted by the Greater Cincinnati Aquarium Society. The convention, otherwise known as the “infamous yearly gathering of cichlidiots, cichlidophiles and fans of all things cichlid,” is themed “Fish Wars, the…
Comedy: Bobcat Goldthwait
It’s an honor to talk to a comedy legend like Bobcat Goldthwait. “I'll crush that right out of you,” he laughs. “‘I was a big fan, and I talked to him and he’s kind of a cock.’” Quite the opposite. Goldthwait rose to prominence in the ’80s with his odd stage persona, which was punctuated…
Sports: Wakeboard National Championships
As if this summer hasn't been wet enough, come check out 75 of the top wakeboarders (whose sport is kind of like waterskiing on a skateboard) from across the U.S. as they compete to earn a spot on Team USA at Wake Nation's USA Wakeboard National Championships. Boarders who can perfect their double-back rolls and…
Comedy: Rene Bray
“When I got out of college I wanted to be an attorney,” says comedian Rene Bray, “but I was afraid to speak in front of people. I don’t know what made me do stand-up, but once I got on stage I was completely comfortable. I love it. I have a blast.” Sometimes the Florida-based comic…
Music: Vans Warped Tour
However you choose to describe the Vans Warped Tour, Punk’s annual traveling bacchanal, one thing is certain — it’s nearly impossible to see everything on your inevitable “must see” agenda. For those who need help narrowing the field, we offer these humble suggestions for the Riverbend show on Wednesday. And don’t say we’ve never done…
Music: No Age, Deer Hunter and Dan Deacon
If you’ve grown complacent with summer festivals that boast packed bills but feature little to no interaction amongst the performers, the Indie Rock-friendly trio No Age, Deerhunter and Dan Deacon has an unusual antidote. In what sounds like a logistical nightmare, the acts — an Indie Punk two-piece, a gang of four kicking out artsy,…
Music: MidPoint Indie Summer
Here's another depressing sign that summer, in fact, is drawing to a close: The MidPoint Indie Summer Series offers its last go-round Friday night. The season's 15th and final free show features the new Kiss Me Everlasting at 7 p.m. (featuring former and current members of Ruby Vileos, Roundhead and Thee Shams); Matthew Shelton’s Me…
Music: The Airborne Toxic Event
Success doesn’t come tracked any faster than that of The Airborne Toxic Event. Starting with an indie label last year, TATE was quickly attractive to the majors and, after several meetings, the Los Angeles quintet decided to cast its lot with Island Records. There was something about the label’s offer that was too good to…
Events: Butler County Fair
We all know the term "Original Gangster," but I'm coining a new term: "Original Hipster." Many of those types will be at the Butler County Fair. What do you think the "H" in 4-H stands for? You may wear skinny jeans because you think you’re cool, but these guys wear tight jeans so they don't…
Merce Cunningham Dies in His 90th Year
Merce Cunningham — one of the giants of 20th-century dance and choreography — died on Sunday at age 90 in Manhattan. Cunningham had a friendship with Cincinnati art dealer Carl Solway, whose show of his drawings, Merce Cunningham in His 90th Year, is on display at Carl Solway Gallery through Aug. 15. —- It was…
Buried Treasure: A Cincinnati Vintage & Antique Shopping Guide
Cincinnati is a city that is full of secrets and treasures untold. Among these “hidden” gems are shopping options that too many Cincinnatian’s are not privy to. Of course, there is always the question of whether or not it’s best to disclose information on said places for fear that they may lose their sparkle. In…
Romeo and Juliet (Review)
About a half-century ago, New York City’s Public Theater created “Shakespeare in the Park,” which inspired outdoor performances across the U.S., including those by Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. This summer CSC is presenting Romeo and Juliet in a portable production that will travel to 16 locales. On July 19, I watched a free performance at downtown’s…
Godspell (Review)
Godspell is typically a musical that uses a small cast and charms audiences because of its intimate storytelling of parables from St. Matthew’s Gospel, Stephen Schwartz’s tuneful score and other inventive, often amusing twists. That spirit prevails over the 28th annual Cincinnati Young People’s Theatre’s (CYPT) staging of the show at Covedale Center for the…
Vans Warped Tour
An embarrassment of riches? Too much of a good thing? Best day ever? However you choose to describe the Vans Warped Tour, Punk’s annual traveling bacchanal, one thing is certain: It’s nearly impossible to see everything on your inevitable “must see” agenda. For those who need help narrowing the field, we offer these humble suggestions.…
No Age, Deerhunter and Dan Deacon
If you’ve grown complacent with summer festivals that boast packed bills but feature little to no interaction amongst the performers, the Indie Rock-friendly trio No Age, Deerhunter and Dan Deacon has an unusual antidote. In what sounds like a logistical nightmare, the acts — an Indie Punk two-piece, a gang of four kicking out artsy,…
Wishful Thinking at the Oxford Film Festival
I guess there’s nothing wrong with wishful thinking. I bought my ticket for the 6:30 p.m. Friday film Official Rejection at Oxford International Film Festival — being held on short notice at the Esquire Theatre in Clifton — 90 minutes early because the volunteer at the information booth warned me it would be one of…
Friday Movie Roundup: Oxford Film Festival
Our largely uneventful summer movie season gets a kick in the ass this week with the arrival of not only one of the best films of 2009 — Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker — but also the third annual Oxford International Film Festival (OIFF), which moves to Cincinnati this year. —- Festival founder/Executive Director J.C.…
G-Force (Review)
Advanced, specially trained guinea pigs (and other assorted members of the animal kingdom) voiced by the likes of Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Jon Favreau, Penelope Cruz, Steve Buscemi and Tracy Morgan attempt to defeat a nefarious plot to take over the world in this live-action 3-D adventure. G-Force strains the Jerry Bruckheimer brand model past…
Stage Door: FutureFest Brings the New to Dayton
Ready for a road trip for some theater where the paint is still drying? I suggest you head north on I-75 to Dayton where the Dayton Playhouse presents its 18th annual FutureFest, a weekend of previously unproduced works — six new plays and the opportunity to meet and hear from their aspiring playwrights.—- The performances…
MidPoint Music Festival Details Revealed Today
Update: The complete schedule so far is posted here: http://mpmf.com/schedule If you've been waiting to hear what this year's MidPoint Music Festival will look/feel/sound like, today you'll have the chance to find out a bunch of details. MPMF's Executive Director Dan McCabe will be on WOXY.com at 3 p.m. this afternoon to talk about new…
CityBeat Podcast 18: Local Filmmakers
Local film is a growth industry. This episode features interviews with Southern Ohio Filmmakers Association board members Margaret McGurk and Kat Steele. Christian Appleby of Media Bridges is also a guest. If you like what you hear, please support our podcast by subscribing to our podcast in iTunes or via our RSS feed. Also, please…
Cincinnati’s Sordid History with Panhandlers
Amid all the debate over a recent proposal to tax panhandlers, some people have wondered whatever happened to Cincinnati’s requirement that all beggars get city-issued I.D. badges. In a little-noticed decision, an appellate court struck down that provision more than two years ago.—- In 2003 Cincinnati City Council approved a law that required beggars to…
If Applebee’s Makes You Fat, Try Meth
I was checking out the New York Times today (not to sound like a snob, but I only read CNN.com if I want to hear about bizarre murders, Caylee Anthony or Michael Jackson’s kids. Which is never) when I saw the headline, “Questions on NASCAR
The Ugly Truth (Review)
Almost exactly 20 years ago, When Harry Met Sally practically perfected the sympathetic control-freak as romantic comedy heroine. And it takes more than a list-maker with a pretty face to earn the “sympathetic” part of that description. Katherine Heigl plays Abby Richter, a TV producer overseeing a ratings fiasco of a morning news show. Enter…
Your 2009 Opera Idol
Last night before the sold-out opening performance of Cincinnati Opera's performance of Carmen, soprano Margaret Russo was named the winner of the first "Opera Idol" contest. Russo — a 25-year-old copywriter from Zionsville, Ind. — will receive a $3,500 contract with Cincinnati Opera. —-Russo competed against an initial 160 amateur vocalists and made it through…
D.I.Y. Samurai: The Knot
Marriage is not in my foreseeable future and I would much rather crash a reception than plan a wedding, but it’s summer and I must acknowledge wedding season. Until recently, I worked at a private club which hosted events like wedding receptions. This was a classy joint, so I worked at some gorgeous loose-budget parties,…
Rendered Obsolete (Review)
The current exhibition at Aisle Gallery, Rendered Obsolete: Printmaking by Rachel E. Heberling and Katherine Rogers, focuses on the centuries-old practice of printmaking. Of course, the practice has changed and expanded since its inception, but Heberling and Rogers seem to have found their niche in concentrating on straightforward lithography and etching, and the beauty that…
The Dead Weather: Horehound
Q: How many minor supergroups can Jack White assemble? A: All of them, apparently. The Dead Weather is merely the latest installment of “What Will Jack Do Next?,” the novelty this time being that the vaunted frontman of The White Stripes and co-frontman of The Raconteurs is taking his place behind the drumkit, the most…
Poison the Well: The Tropic Rot
Like drinking tall boys of Steel Reserve, listening to Poison the Well’s new album requires either an acquired taste or an extreme apathy in order to endure it. This fifth installment of the band’s discography maintains the Post Hardcore brutality, speed and intensity of its former albums, which is likely to please long-time fans but…
All in the Family
A Colerain Township trustee could face ethics charges over alleged conflicts of interest. Colerain Township Trustee Bernie Fiedeldey announced earlier this year he would not seek a third term as one of the township’s three trustees. “The first term, I was going in to do my civic duty,” said the 69-year-old retiree. “I got talked…
Garbage Watch
A little more than a year ago, I moved to South Korea to teach English to spoiled kindergartners. I was crammed into a small box apartment in the outskirts of Seoul furnished with only a mattress and a television I found in the trash. Every couple days, I would go to the store and stare…
County Residents and Nate Livingston
[WINNER] COUNTY RESIDENTS: Since Hamilton County began its prescription drug discount program in January, 2,694 residents have enrolled. On average, they’ve saved 20.6 percent on their medications — or $9.51 per purchase. Some skeptics last winter said the program would have little impact. As County Commissioners David Pepper and Todd Portune realize, every little bit…
Cold Turkey (Review)
If you’ve lived in Cincinnati for any amount of time, you’ve heard some variation of the most common complaint about downtown: “There’s nothing to do at night.” It’s another one of those false perceptions that you can only discredit by going out and seeing for yourself (like “downtown is unsafe” or “Cincinnati is boring”). The…
Adoration (Review)
Talented Canadian auteur Atom Egoyan errs on the side of shattered melodrama in a thought-provoking dissection of post-9/11 sensibilities. Toronto tow-truck driver Tom (Scott Speedman) cares for his parentless 16-year-old nephew Simon (Devon Bostick), who writes a controversial essay for his high school French teacher Sabine (well played by Egoyan’s wife Arsinee Khanjian). Based on…
Jersey’s in the Know
Elsewhere on this site, you can read my review of Jersey Productions' Oklahoma!, which represents more than the opening of Jersey’s fourth season. It’s part of an innovative arrangement with Know Theatre of Cincinnati. Some history: Back in 2006, as Covington’s Carnegie Center launched its renovated theater, a new summertime musical theater company was established.…
July 15-21: Worst Week Ever!
WEDNESDAY JULY 15Those of us who have already accepted that we’re going to hell if it exists are often annoyed by the common response of “God bless you” that occurs after we give homeless people money or buy their award-winning twice-monthly newspaper. Today one local politician took it upon himself to put the homeless in…
Ear-Achin’ in Mason, Sad in Fairfield
Dear Maija,I just started dating this guy and he’s really sweet and cute and all that stuff. Problem is, he is very dedicated to his band and making it big in music. It consumes a lot of his free time and he works really, really hard at it, which is fine. The issue is I…
Aurore Presses On
Independent publishing house Aurore Press has had strong ties to the local music community since its inception, releasing a book by Robert Sturdevant (aka Jughead, singer for Cincy Punk legends SS-20) and compilations featuring writings by various local musicians, writers and artists. The publisher took on the conflict in Iraq with the collection Country at…
Oxford Film Fest Heads South to Cincinnati
By year three, one would assume that an annual event of some scale and magnitude would attempt to steady itself, straighten up on its still relatively wobbly legs to test for newfound strength and stability. Thanks to the disastrous economic climate, the Oxford International Film Festival (OIFF) had to go from barely standing to boldly…
Rising Roll (Lunch Review)
When I walked into Blue Ash’s new Rising Roll (4122 Hunt Road, 513-793-7655) an hour and a half after I’d called my lunch order in, I didn’t expect to feel like I was walking into a relative’s house. But I did. “There’s our mystery girl!” the woman sweeping the floor said. “We were worried about…
Events: Oxford International Film Festival
By year three, one would assume that an annual event of some scale and magnitude would attempt to steady itself, straighten up on its still relatively wobbly legs to test for newfound strength and stability. Thanks to the disastrous economic climate, the Oxford International Film Festival (OIFF) had to go from barely standing to boldly…
Proto-Pod, Priest Worship and Coked-Up Songs
[HOT] FATHER OF THE IPOD?If there was a Nostradamus of the digital music era, it might well have been Kane Kramer, a British inventor and businessman. Thirty years ago Kramer filed patents for his digital audio player, called the “IXI.” The device resembled one of those old hand-held electronic football games and held a whopping…
Maylene and The Sons of Disaster: III
Since the release of their previous album in 2007, the winds of change have swept over MATSOD like an F-4 tornado, resulting in a new lineup and sound on their latest album. Composed of four new members, including Matt Clark and Kelly Scott Nunn (ex-Underoath), the Alabama-based Metalcore outfit expresses its Southern roots more than…
The Hurt Locker (Review)
The Iraq War has yielded a number of strong documentaries that tackle the topic both directly (Iraq for Sale, Iraq in Fragments and No End in Sight) and indirectly (Heavy Metal in Baghdad, Standard Operating Procedure and Why We Fight). Successful fictional features, on the other hand, have been few and far between. Until now.…
Zealots on the Right and the Left
Last week’s controversy about a homeless camp at the Hamilton County Courthouse and the subsequent proposal to tax panhandlers reminded a history buff like me of Barry Goldwater. For readers who aren’t familiar with Goldwater, he was yet another Republican senator from Arizona who was the GOP’s presidential candidate, this time in 1964. Because Goldwater…
The Flip-Flop Contessa
Presto-Pesto Italian Flag Chicken and Garlic & Cheese Orzo Presto-Pesto Italian Flag Chicken INGREDIENTS: * 5-6 leaves basil * 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves (about a handful) * 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted * 1 block soft garlic and herb cheese, such as Boursin brand * 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 2…
