Father’s Day Finds
All it takes to find a great gift is a walk through Over-the-Rhine. This Father’s Day (June 18), treat Dad and support local Cincinnati shops at the same time with these suggestions from the CityBeat interns. Candle Lab Candles can make ‘scentsational’ presents for Father’s Day. Buy all of the scents that remind you of…
The Drinking Issue
The sixth-annual Cincinnati Beer Week — an entire week dedicated to drinking and learning about beer — runs June 18 through 24, and there's no better time to take a moment to reflect on our city's alcohol providers. So for this week's issue, we've taken an in-depth look at a variety of local breweries, wineries,…
Vino Culture
It’s true that blood may be thicker than water, but there’s more than a color palette that bonds blood to wine — especially when you’re talking about a family of Italians with viticulture in their veins. The son of Italian immigrants, Anthony Maieron grew up watching his father make wine with his friends in the…
More Distillery Destinations
New Riff Deeply tied to Kentucky’s bourbon-rich history — and now a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour — Newport’s New Riff seeks not to reinvent the process of distilling spirits, but to craft their own take on tradition. Founded in 2014 and located adjacent to the Party Source, their column still produces…
Losing Our Religion in ‘American Gods’
What do you picture when you think of a god? A warm light? An old bearded man? The amalgamation of various paintings, statues and descriptions in folklore? In its first season, American Gods (Season Finale, 9 p.m. Sunday, Starz) has suggested there is room for every interpretation of gods — and that the designation is not…
Y’all Means All: Recapping NKY Pride
Bonnie Meyer was stationed at Braxton Brewing Company on Seventh Street in Covington when group after group filed down the road, holding signs and flags representing messages that included the entirety of the LGBTQ rainbow and, in turn, a spectrum of queer identities. Co-chair of the NKY Pride organization for five years and director of…
Minimum Gauge: Rhino announces vinyl LCD Soundsystem releases already available on vinyl
HOT: LCD Wax Controversy Punkish Canadian duo Death From Above 1979 has reverted to its original name, Death From Above, which was changed over a decade ago thanks to lawyers representing LCD Soundsystem head honcho James Murphy’s longtime record label Death From Above. Another DFA “controversy” surfaced days after the naming news — a press…
Morning News: SORTA will wait for 2018 for county sales tax ask; prosecution witness: Tensing wasn’t dragged; protesters dressed in ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ garb protest Ohio anti-abortion bill
It’s news time again. Let’s get right to it. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority will not ask Hamilton County voters in November to approve a sales tax that would fund its Metro bus service, the agency announced yesterday. Instead, SORTA is eyeing 2018 for its ask, citing a need to spend more time reaching…
The friendship track to a 13-year monopoly on the county prosecutor’s IT business
When Joe Deters reclaimed his desk as Hamilton County prosecutor in 2005 after a six-year hiatus, one of his first acts was to order the extinction of the office’s prehistoric Windows 98 computer system. That wasn’t all. The e-mail server needed to be built from scratch. Website access needed to be opened up. The property…
Morning News: FC Cincinnati unveils stadium plans; city, county meet behind closed doors on MSD; state lawmakers mull photo ID for food stamps
Hello all. If you’re a basketball fan with any loyalty to Ohio, you’re probably in deep mourning today. But take solace! Because the Warriors won a random game several days ago, you can drown your sorrows with a free taco later today for some reason. While you wait for that window of opportunity, let’s talk…
2017 Fringe was an all-around success
It’s all over but the shouting — the 2017 Cincinnati Fringe Festival concluded its 12-day run on Sunday, June 11, with a set of encore performances by four of the Pick of the Fringe winners. This was a new wrinkle for the 14th-annual Fringe: Activities used to wind up following a chaotic Saturday night party…
Morning News: CPD officer testifies DuBose shooting might have been justified; landscaping company faces federal indictment; should Ohio tap its $2 billion piggybank?
Good morning Cincy. Let’s talk news, shall we? A Cincinnati Police officer testifying for the prosecution in the Ray Tensing retrial Friday said that she believed Tensing’s shooting of unarmed black motorist Sam DuBose "may be determined to be justified." Sgt. Shannon Heine was one of two CPD officers who interviewed Tensing after the shooting…
New ArtWorks murals to feature big names
This summer, ArtWorks will recognize a Cincinnati artist whom the nonprofit’s CEO/artist director Tamara Harkavy calls a rock star and also a British illustrator who made a name for himself in Rolling Stone. The organization will also crank up the volume on social issues via a handful of other murals. Edie Harper is being added…
The owners of an Over-the-Rhine bar accused of racist dress code policy have had brushes with controversy in the past
An Over-the-Rhine bar that opened last month hit a rough patch recently over alleged racial discrimination and snarky social media presence. The bar’s owners have years of experience in the local nightlife industry, along with some rocky history behind them well-known to local law enforcement. Treehouse Patio Bar, which boasts rope swings for bar stools…
Stage Door: Nothing on the edge about Fringe — follow CityBeat’s picks!
In my Curtain Call column this week, I referenced seven shows that received Critic’s Picks from one of CityBeat’s writers covering the Cincinnati Fringe: Place/Setting, Balls of Yarns, Totally Untrue Stories, The Great Invention, White Privilege, Home and Spy in the House of Men. Each one has at least one more performance tonight or Saturday.…
Your Weekend To Do List (June 9-11)
FRIDAY 09 COMEDY: ALI SIDDIQ Houston has given us comedy greats like Bill Hicks, Dwight Slade, Ralphie May, Greg Warren and many more. And now: Ali Siddiq. However, while those other comics started honing their craft at open mics in Texas, Siddiq’s first performances were for a more captive audience… literally. “My entry point into…
Review: City and Colour at Bogart’s
There’s always that one band. The one you can go back and listen to no matter how long it’s been or how much your musical tastes change. The one that’s always in your artillery when someone fires the “What kind of music do you like?” question at you. The one that sticks with you through…
Morning News: DNC chair in Cincinnati to respond to Trump speech; Tensing opening statements begin; Comey testifies
Hello all. We are literally swimming in news over here, so let’s get right to it. Well, President Donald Trump came, spoke and left in short succession yesterday, talking a lot about how bad Obamacare is, how he won Ohio “by a lot,” and his administration’s bare-bones plan to drum up $1 trillion in infrastructure…
Interns at Lunch: Kitty Brew Cat Café
Before she opened Kitty Brew Café, Jenni Barrett spent ten years working as a probation officer and social worker. Along the way, she saved animals — mostly cats, but dogs as well, and even a raccoon once. Open since April 9, the niche business has adopted out 70 cats. Walking into the café, paintings of…
British Media Respond to Manchester
Listening to survivors of England’s Manchester bombing was wrenching, but I finally smiled when one young woman explained why so many people rushed to help after the blast. “We’re British.” Not boastful. Just a fact. Obviously, it’s a bred-in-the-bone spirit that didn’t expire with VE Day or the IRA bomb that destroyed Manchester’s city center…
What a Week! May 31-June 6
WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 True love is a lie: ’90s scandal queen Mary Kay Letourneau and husband Vili Fualaau have split after 20 years. In case you scrubbed your mind of the details, Letourneau met Fualaau when she taught his second grade class and was his teacher again in sixth grade, at which point they began…
FRINGE 2017: ‘Where There Were Woods’
“I am the last of the line, the final branch of the family tree. Grandma’s ghost visits regularly. Grandma asks, ‘Who will remember me?’” Thus begins Where There Were Woods, a solo piece beautifully written and performed by Samara Lerman getting its world premiere at Cincinnati’s 2017 Fringe Festival. The promotional write-up accurately describes Lerman’s…
FRINGE 2017: ‘Romeo + Juliet + Anybodys’
If you’ve seen West Side Story, you might recall a tomboy who hangs around with the Jets: “Anybodys” is a minor character in the show inspired by Romeo and Juliet. (She has no counterpart in Shakespeare’s play; apparently she’s the creation of the show’s bookwriter Arthur Laurents.) The wannabe gang member is in and out…
‘Saul’ is even better than ‘Breaking Bad’
With the recent overabundance of sequels and reboots of classic films and shows, it’s uncommon to find a quality spin-off with its own legs. Better Call Saul (10 p.m. Monday, AMC), born of the beloved drama Breaking Bad, is a rare prequel that stands up to the quality of the original, yet can be enjoyed on its…
Teaching Kids to be Tattoo-Tolerant
“One ring in a nose. Two long ears. Three roses on a head.” So begins Two Long Ears, a locally published children’s book by Cincinnati artist and educator Jacob A. Boehne. On its surface, the book is a learning tool that teaches children how to count from one to 10. But it also presents another…
Is this the ‘Wonder Woman’ we’ve awaited?
While watching director Patty Jenkins’ new representation of the iconic Wonder Woman on the big screen, I couldn’t help but pause to consider a fundamental question: Is this version of the classic DC Comics character “The One” that moviegoers have long been awaiting? Yes, it appears so. But how did the film do that? By having…
Face to face with Yoda, I was
It’s strange to finally meet your mentor after decades of familiarity. In this case, I’m referring to Jedi Master Yoda. The real Yoda is on display, along with roomfuls of authentic costumes and props, at the Star Wars and the Power of Costume exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center. This Yoda, behind a glass case at the…
Summer Guide: The Girls of Summer
Summer is finally here — well, not technically, but we've officially entered the season of outdoor drinking, eclectic fests and creamy, frozen desserts. The theme of this year's guide is the Girls of Summer; inside, you'll get to know badass female-fronted bands, meet the brain behind the local Working Girls art and design brand and…
The 91 Days of Summer
*This is not a comprehensive list — Cincinnati has many other events worth checking out this summer. Events are subject to change. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 07 Science Geek Week at Krohn — Cincinnati’s Krohn Conservatory hosts Science Geek Week, featuring carnival games, ice cream, sidewalk chalk and sprinklers (weather permitting) for the kids. Stop by The…
Persistence of Mammary
When Sara M. Vance Waddell asked via Facebook two weeks before the Women’s March on Washington, D.C. for protest signs and posters for a future exhibition, she had no idea how immense the response would be. And such was the response across America and the world: What began as a political march on the capitol…
20 Outdoor Drinking Destinations
Do you like drinking outside? Sure. We all do. It’s a chance to get some fresh air, vitamin D and take selfies with colorful cocktails. But how do you know which bar patio is the best place to enjoy your simmering summer evening or Saturday afternoon with alcohol in hand? Solution: We made a list.…
Classics, Collaborations and Kahlo
Cincinnati Opera’s summer season combines the traditional with two recent works based on the lives of fiercely independent women, along with exciting debuts and technical wizardry. The company’s website lists three operas for subscription packages, but artistic director Evans Mirageas insists that the season itself is not shortened in any way, especially with additional performances…
Buono Gelato
Dojo Gelato has expanded beyond the Cincinnati palate. Dojo’s list of mentions starts at Bon Appétit magazine, ends at PBS and stays impressive in between, even showing up on blog Serious Eats, listed as a must-try by J. Kenji López-Alt, managing culinary editor of the site and a James Beard award-nominated chef. That’s not to…
Some Summer Music Fests
No Response Festival (June 16-17) Featuring big names and pioneers from the Experimental music world, No Response returns to Over-the-Rhine’s Woodward Theater for its second-annual event, which includes headlining sets from Throbbing Gristle/Psychic TV legend Genesis Breyer P-Orridge (with Edley ODowd) and Japanese Noise collective Hijkaidan. noresponsefestival.com. Cincinnati Music Festival (July 27-29) Still colloquially known as…
The Girls of Summer
The question was simple: “If you had no restrictions, no set backs, everything you needed and could do anything you wanted, what would you do?” That’s what local musician Freedom Nicole Moore was asked one night almost a decade ago by her mentor, Brandi Smith. Smith had taken Moore on as a mentee after seeing…
Meet Working Girls
Designer Shailah Maynard, the mind behind the locally based Working Girls art and design brand, specializes in creating tongue-in-cheek modern products with a feminist lean, from “Femme” muscle tanks and crew socks with film titles like 9 to 5 and Mystic Pizza screen-printed on them to pool floats that look like boobs. You can check out her Hot…
Minimum Gauge: Music world responds to concert terrorist attack with massive One Love Manchester concert
HOT: Love and Music Trump Hate London and Manchester, U.K. have brought out the best and worst of humanity recently. The worst were the terrorist attacks near London Bridge and Ariana Grande’s Manchester concert, but the best was the massive Grande-led benefit concert featuring an all-star Pop lineup and raising more than $13 million for…
Great Fringe shows still onstage
I hope you’ve been reading CityBeat’s online commentaries about Cincy Fringe shows. Our writing team has covered every opening and occasionally cited productions especially worth seeing. As of Sunday, nine Critic’s Picks have been awarded. Two of them have closed — God of Obsidian and Mind Mechanics — to head off for other festivals. But seven continue to run.…
Cincinnati Art Museum shares a creative legacy built by and for ordinary Americans
What defines Folk Art? Julie Aronson smiles at the question. The Cincinnati Art Museum’s curator of American paintings, sculpture and drawings recognizes that there is no absolute answer. “You know it when you see it,” she says. The work is so rooted in personal and cultural identity — it’s made by us, for us. The museum…
Refugees find solace in a national project that tells the stories of Syrians through food
Growing up, writer Dalia Mortada and her mother would sit for hours by a fax machine, waiting for her grandmother’s recipes to cross the Atlantic Ocean and materialize in their Virginia home. “Food has always been a huge part of my life,” says Mortada, who now lives in Istanbul, Turkey. “My household was very Syrian…
Morning News: Downtown Kroger on the way; OTR bar gets pushback for dresscode, social media responses; protests planned for Trump appearance
Good morning Cincy. I hope your Wednesday is off to a rad start and you don’t have a million things to do. I do have about that many things going on today so let’s just skip straight to the news, shall we? President Donald Trump’s visit to Cincinnati is happening today. But his 1 p.m.…
Lost Coast delivers some ‘Sweet Action’
In the summer of 2014, after a run of more than a half a decade playing around the Greater Cincinnati club scene and releasing a solid self-titled debut, rootsy, rockin’ five-piece Shoot Out the Lights played its final show and the musicians amicably went their separate ways. That is until three of them — Josh…
The cut-up literary technique has deeply informed avant-garde artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge’s art and life
Before reading about what the avant-garde musician, performance artist and thinker Genesis Breyer P-Orridge will do when s/he headlines the first evening of the No Response Festival on June 16, it’s useful to know one fact: P-Orridge identifies with being “pandrogene.” P-Orridge sees it as an effort to have the concept of identity transcend gender…
Ohio’s legalized medicinal marijuana rollout has left a gray area for patients seeking those drugs
Scott Nazzarine of Columbia-Tusculum doesn’t say whether he is medicating his epileptic 9-year-old daughter with Charlotte’s Web, an over-the-counter herbal medicine derived from compounds called cannabidiols. He can’t get a doctor’s recommendation needed to legally obtain it, but he will tell you it’s the medicine that works the best for his daughter without the side…
Sound Advice: Sarah Jarosz (June 9)
If there was ever a textbook example of a musical prodigy, Sarah Jarosz would certainly fit the bill. The native Texan — born in Austin, raised in Wimberley — learned to play the mandolin at 10 and quickly followed by picking up guitar, clawhammer banjo and octave mandolin. During Jarosz’s senior year in high school,…
Sound Advice: The Joy Formidable with Cusses (June 8)
No one wants their breakup to become a topic of conversation. No matter how “mutual” it might be, the severing of a relationship between two individuals is emotionally taxing. But that’s what came to be the central theme in most talk surrounding The Joy Formidable’s most recent studio album, last year’s Hitch. After the remarkable…
ZZ Top with Austin Hanks (June 7)
In this era of band lineup shifts occurring as frequently as wardrobe changes, ZZ Top has maintained the same three-man roster since 1970. Still, the band’s first year of existence was tumultuous. Former Moving Sidewalks vocalist/guitarist Billy Gibbons formed ZZ Top in 1969 with Sidewalks drummer Dan Mitchell and organist Lanier Greig, who was quickly…
