Mar 20-27, 2019
Better Off Reds: In its historic 150th season, the Cincinnati Reds dive head-first into 2019 with higher-than-usual hopes
City of Cincinnati Releases Council Emails
The City of Cincinnati today released roughly 300 pages of emails sent between various combinations of five Cincinnati City Council members. The release of the emails comes as part of a settlement for a lawsuit brought by conservative activist Mark Miller, who sued the city over text messages between the five that violated Ohio's open…
Greater Cincinnati Native Accused in Charlottesville Killing of Anti-Racism Protester Heather Heyer Pleads Guilty
Northern Kentucky native James Alex Fields Jr. today pleaded guilty to hate crime charges stemming from an incident in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fields was accused of driving his car into a group of protesters during the weekend of a white nationalist "Unite the Right" event, killing anti-racism protester Heather Heyer. He'd initially pleaded not…
Live Music in Greater Cincinnati: This Week’s Concerts and Club Shows (March 27-April 2)
WEDNESDAY 27 ARNOLD'S BAR AND GRILL – Todd Hepburn. 7 p.m. Piano/Various. Free. BLIND LEMON – Jonathan Spaulding. 7:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE – Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big Band Jazz. $10. * THE GREENWICH – Down Home Collective. 8 p.m. Jazz. Free. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT – Pat Kelly Trio. 6…
One-Man Play Depicts Famed ‘Nazi Hunter’ Simon Wiesenthal — But Don’t Expect a History Lesson
Tom Dugan grew up with the stories of his father, a decorated World War II veteran, and the horrors he came across as a young man. “I always wanted to honor his memory, his participation,” says Dugan via a phone call from his home in southern California. “The thought came across — ‘What am I…
Fifty Years Ago This Week, Rock Legends The Doors Played Cincinnati’s Music Hall… Almost
March 30 marks the 50th anniversary of a huge concert at Cincinnati’s Music Hall that, ultimately, never happened. The Doors were riding a pretty big high at the start of 1969. Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, John Densmore and Ray Manzarek were members of one of the biggest bands in the world, coming off of a…
Owners of Downtown’s Terrace Plaza Hotel Announce Renovation Team
The owners of one of Cincinnati's most prominent Modernist icons say they're working on a "top to bottom" mixed-use renovation of the property. The Terrace Plaza Hotel, which opened in 1948, is a landmark of ground-breaking design and technology. Owners JNY Capital say they want to return the towering structure on Sixth and Vine to…
Two-Hour Special on Piketon Murders to Air on Oxygen Network Sunday
Oxygen Media, which has become a "multi-platform crime destination brand" — who knew? — will host a two-hour special on the 2016 Rhoden family murders in rural Piketon, Ohio, (about two hours east of Cincinnati) this Sunday (March 31) at 7 p.m. Hosted by Beth Karas, The Piketon Family Murders will "take viewers inside the…
New Music Festival Railbird to Bring The Raconteurs, Hozier, Brandi Carlile, Gary Clark Jr., Old Crow Medicine Show and More to Lexington This Summer
With large-scale events like Bourbon & Beyond and Forecastle, it would seem as if Louisville has exclusively cornered the market on huge music festivals in Kentucky. But today a new summertime fest called Railbird was announced for Lexington and it features a strong Americana-leaning lineup that includes Brandi Carlile, Gary Clark Jr., Old Crow Medicine…
Proposed Ordinance Would Place Safety Regulations, Tax on Short-Term Rentals
A proposed ordinance released by Cincinnati City Council member David Mann yesterday would levy a 7 percent excise tax on short-term rentals such as those listed on sites like Airbnb and would require those rentals to be registered and certified compliant with city safety regulations. Under the potential new law, the tax receipts collected by…
Artful Cincinnati Indie Band A Delicate Motor Dazzles On New EP of Material Written Specially for The National’s Homecoming Fest
Last April at The National’s two-day Homecoming music festival along the riverfront, Cincinnati Indie Rock band A Delicate Motor was the only local act in the lineup, performing alongside up-and-comers and heavyweights like Julien Baker, Father John Misty, Future Islands and Big Thief. ADM’s drummer, Ben Sloan, was the festival’s Artist in Residence and he…
Calling All ‘Star Wars’ Fans: May the Fourth Be With You Art Show Will Take Cincy to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
You may find those droids you were looking for in Cincinnati. Or maybe just a bunch of Porgs wilding out in Reds gear. Because of May the Fourth — aka Star Wars Day — an art show celebrating George Lucas’ iconic franchise will take over Brew House in Walnut Hills like tribbles. Ahem. Oops. Wrong…
Changes Coming to Overtime Policies, Cincinnati Police Chief Says
Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac told Cincinnati City Council today that the department is working to keep overtime spending under control as council mulls the department's — and the city's — budget. The update on the department's budget comes after the office of State Auditor Keith Faber recommended changes to the way CPD administers its…
Hilarious Aussie Instagram Star Celeste Barber Brings Her Live Show to Cincinnati
Comedian, actor and social-media star Celeste Barber is coming to Cincinnati. Barber — who has amassed a huge Instagram following thanks to posts in which she recreates sexy celebrity social media photos and videos in a more realistic style — is bringing her "Celeste Barber is Back" tour to Bogart's on June 2. Tickets go…
New Riff Single-Barrel Bourbon Wins Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
New Riff Distilling only released its first batch of bourbon last fall, but it’s already making an international impression: The distillery’s single barrel bourbon won Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Now in its 19th year, the competition is the largest of its kind in the world. Over the weekend, more than…
Cincinnati Musicians Kate Wakefield and Steve Schmoll Join Dayton Music Legends Brainiac for Reunion Show Timed to Ohio Documentary Premiere
Cincinnati musicians Kate Wakefield (a solo singer/songwriter/cellist and also one half of the duo Lung) and Steve Schmoll (formerly of local bands like Lazy and The Tigerlilies and founder of the local Black Plastic record shops) will appear as guest vocalists when the surviving members of revolutionary Dayton, Ohio band Brainiac reunite for a show…
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Tackles Murder and Madness as ‘Macbeth’ Tries to Capture — and Keep — the Scottish Throne
Cincy Shakes tackles this bloody and tragic tale of power and ambition as Lord Macbeth succumbs to murder and madness on his reign of terror and tyranny to capture — and keep — the Scottish throne. A trio of witches reveals a prophecy that Macbeth will one day take the crown from the current King Duncan.…
Hamilton, Ohio-Born Pop Star-turned-Avant-Garde Music Icon Scott Walker Dead at 76
Scott Walker's path from Ohio to European pop stardom to a perch as a revered avant-garde composer must have been long, strange and fascinating. It ended Friday when Walker, born Noel Scott Engel in Hamilton, Ohio in 1943, died at 76 years old. Along the way, Walker parlayed fame from his time in the Walker…
Art After Dark: Passport to Paris Offers Free Entry to ‘Paris 1900’ plus Macarons, Cancan Dancers, Wine, Cheese and More
Paris of the Belle Époque is currently available to visit at the Cincinnati Art Museum, where the ticketed Paris 1900: City of Entertainment exhibition will be on display through May 12. Organized by that city’s Petit Palais Museum of Fine Arts, which is in a building originally constructed for the 1900 exposition, the show consists of…
More Than 100,000 Tulips Will Flower During ‘Zoo Blooms’ at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
As one of only two accredited botanical gardens in Ohio, the Cincinnati Zoo has much more to offer than sassy hippos. Zoo Blooms takes over the grounds each April with an explosion of color and elaborate floral displays. Dubbed “Tulip Mania,” the zoo has planted more than 100,000 tulips in a rainbow assortment of colors…
The 100th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade is Thursday — You Took the Day Off Work, Right?
Thankfully, world order has been restored and the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade and Reds Opening Day game are once again taking place on the same day in 2019. Last year, the parade was held four days after the Reds’ home opener against the Washington Nationals because MLB scheduling changes moved the season’s start date…
Emilio Estevez is in Town for the Cincinnati Premiere of his Film ‘The Public’
The Public, written and directed by Emilio Estevez and shot at Cincinnati’s Main Library branch downtown, follows a group of homeless patrons during an arctic cold front who decide to stay at the library for shelter. The situation boils into a standoff with local police and unravels into a David vs. Goliath tale. Slated to hit…
Irish Singer/Songwriter Glen Hansard is Coming to Cincinnati in September on Tour Supporting Forthcoming Album, ‘This Wild Willing’
Acclaimed Irish singer/songwriter Glen Hansard has announced a Sept. 9 date at Taft Theatre, part of the tour behind his forthcoming album, This Wild Willing, which is due on Anti- Records on April 12. Tickets for the concert ($33-$43) go on sale this Friday (March 29) via ticketmaster.com or at the Taft's box office. Below…
New Documentary Film Celebrates the Music and Community Fostered by Cincinnati-Based Record Label Phratry Records
“I can’t imagine my life without Phratry Records,” says Ringo Jones, singer/guitarist of Mad Anthony. “To us, Phratry was the only record label worth being a part of.” Over the past 15 years, Cincinnati label Phratry Records has issued almost 60 releases in nearly every format possible, working with bands from across North America and…
Locally-Filmed ‘Sons & Daughters of Thunder’ Premieres Saturday at Downtown’s Cincy World Cinema
A new film — Sons & Daughters of Thunder — from Mid-America Emmy-nominated filmmakers Tammy and Kelly Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will premiere this weekend at Cincinnati World Cinema's Garfield Theatre. Set in Cincinnati in 1834, the 85-minute flick retells the true story of the anti-slavery debates that unfolded in the Lane Theological Seminary,…
The Butterflies are Back at Krohn Conservatory with Butterflies of Ecuador
As a mass butterfly migration made its way through California this week, Cincinnati was preparing for an invasion of its own: Starting March 23 and running through June 16, the Krohn Conservatory will welcome back its annual butterfly show for the Butterflies of Ecuador. If you’re familiar with the delight of spotting a single butterfly…
BLDG Celebrates Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day With Art — and a Game of Wiffle Ball
Cincinnati Reds’ 150th season is upon us — and so are Opening Day shenanigans. Hot dogs smothered in mustard and ketchup. Specialty brews. Cracker Jacks. Quirky mascots. The famed parade. Parties that take over rooftops and others that claim entire city blocks. Add another tradition to the list: an art show. Across the river in…
Ohio Senate Passes Six Cent Gas Tax Hike
You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes and you're Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, you might get about a third of what you say the state needs. At least, that's what the Ohio Senate told DeWine as it voted 24-6 for a transportation budget containing a 6-cent gas and diesel tax…
Downtown Brazilian Steakhouse Boi Na Braza Closing its Doors
Earlier this week, downtown Brazilian steakhouse Boi Na Braza announced its plans to close to the public by the end of the month. The sign, posted to the front doors of the steakhouse, explains to its patrons that they are moving and will keep them updated on their new location. "We're moving!" the sign reads.…
A Regional ‘American Factory’ Rises Again
It is not often that the subject of a documentary feature demands a sequel, which is part of what makes American Factory — a new award-winning film from renowned documentarians Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert — such a stunning narrative achievement. Winner of the U.S. Documentary Directing Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, American…
Metro’s Bus Route Bracket is the Only March Madness Tournament That Matters
It's tournament time. But the best March Madness bracket doesn't involve your favorite team getting on buses to face off with other collegiate athletes. The bracket you really need to watch is for buses themselves. Metro wants to know your favorite bus route, and it has put together a "Metro Madness" bracket to determine the…
With His Astronomical Popularity in the Region, Country/Folk Artist Tyler Childers Might Need an Arena for His Next Greater Cincinnati Concert
With his most recent studio album, 2017’s Sturgill Simpson-produced Purgatory, Country/Folk singer/songwriter Tyler Childers has become a darling of critics and the Americana set. But Greater Cincinnati fans have been greeting him like a superstar for a few years now. Thanks to consistent visits over the years, his relative proximity to the area (he’s from…
Downtown Mexican Eatery Nada Asks the Public Where Their Next Location Should Be
According to a recent Facebook post by downtown Mexican eatery Nada, they are planning on expanding with a second Cincinnati location. The post reads, "Hey Cincinnati we want to hear from you! Where should we open our next Nada: Kenwood, Mason, Tri-County, West Chester, or Covington?" With multiple locations in cities ranging from Columbus and…
Cincinnati Rock Band Electric Citizen to Kick Off International Tour on 4/20 at Los Angeles’ Psycho Smokeout Festival
Cincinnati's hard-touring Rock band Electric Citizen are heading back out on the road next month. The extensive run of dates will take the quartet throughout Europe and includes slots at several music festivals, where they'll perform alongside a variety of likeminded Hard Rock/Psych Rock/Stoner Rock/Metal acts from all over the world. The band is touring…
13 Places for Beer, Baseball and Pregaming on Reds Opening Day
The Cincinnati Reds play the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 28 to kick off a new season that could be the best in a while. Thankfully, world order has been restored and the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade and Reds Opening Day game are once again taking place on the same day this year. Last year,…
Cincinnati City Council Declares Columbia Parkway Landslides ‘City Emergency’
Cincinnati City Council yesterday unanimously approved a motion that declares landslides along Columbia Parkway a city emergency. Those landslides, triggered in part by heavy precipitation over the past few months, have buckled the backyards of homeowners who live above the parkway and have caused closures of the vital artery from the city's east side into…
Bellwether Music Festival Announces 2019 Additions Cake, Guided By Voices, STRFKR, Black Moth Super Rainbow and More
The Bellwether Music Festival has announced the rest of its 2019 lineup. Artists joining previously-announced acts Cold War Kids, Beach House, Twin Shadow, Real Estate, Pinback and Caroline Rose include Cake, Guided By Voices (whose upcoming Woodward Theater show is sold out), STRFKR, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Sego, Arlie, The Brook & The Bluff, Katie…
Cincinnati Ranks No. 35 for Top Dog Park Cities in America by the Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public Land, which "creates parks and protects land for people," has released their rankings for the top 100 cities in America for dog parks. The ranking is based on the number of dog parks for every 100,000 residents in a city and assorted other data. Boise, Idaho ranks No. 1 with 5.7 dog…
Soulful Northern Kentucky Country Singer/Songwriter Jeremy Pinnell Unveils New Live Performance Video Ahead of Extensive U.S. Tour
Earlier this month, a new video of Northern Kentucky Country singer/songwriter Jeremy Pinnell was released ahead of the start of an extensive tour that began last week with seven performances at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The clip features Pinnell and his band playing “Best I Could Do” off of his phenomenal…
Otherworld Ohio Immersive Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Sci-Fi Art Installation Opens in Columbus
A former vacant strip mall storefront has transformed into an immersive choose-your-own-adventure sci-fi art installation via Otherworld Ohio. This 32,000-square-foot space features more than 45 different rooms, each with their own themes and interactive features. More than 40 different artists ranging from programmers and animators to metalworkers and mediums have worked together to create an…
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen Plays Penultimate Show In Xavier’s 2018-2019 Jazz Series
Trumpeter and composer Avishai Cohen is among the most critically-acclaimed musicians in modern Jazz, earning high praise from all over the world, including from esteemed U.S. outlets like The New York Times (which wrote, “Like (Miles) Davis, (Cohen) can make the trumpet a vehicle for uttering the most poignant human cries”) and the U.K.’s The…
Murder Goes Miniature at Northside’s Thunder-Sky, Inc.
Thunder-Sky, Inc. will transform into a crime scene — six miniature ones, to be exact. The exhibition Murder in a Small Town is inspired by the life and work of Frances Glessner Lee, the first female police captain in the United States, who made a series of 20 dioramas known as Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, the…
Legendary Punk Band Black Flag Books a Cincinnati Date This Summer
Black Flag is coming to Cincinnati this summer. But if you haven't kept up with the Black Flag saga over the past 30-plus years, it might not be the Punk Rock juggernaut you're thinking of. Innovative guitarist Greg Ginn — who founded the band 43 years ago — reformed the group in 2013, released a…
Listen to The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble and Kelly Finnigan’s Fire Cover of “Impeach the President” for Southwest Ohio’s Colemine Records
Loveland, Ohio's Colemine Records has become one of the leading U.S. labels for vintage-styled Soul and Funk music. Today (March 20), Colemine released its latest single, a digital offering from a forthcoming vinyl 45 release. Premiering yesterday via Flood, the newest Colemine track is a cover of The Honey Drippers' 1973 Funk jam "Impeach the…
University of Cincinnati’s Kingsgate Hotel Will ‘Graduate’ To New Ownership
Cincinnati, meet Graduate Hotels: A modern-retro hotel chain known for its curated aesthetic with spots in college towns across the U.S. Next year, The Queen City will join their ranks. Last week, the University of Cincinnati and AJ Capital Partners (the owners of Graduate Hotels) closed on a deal regarding the Kingsgate Hotel and Conference Center…
PREMIERE: “The Unfortunate Yucatan Fire” From The Forthcoming Album by Brilliant Cincinnati Indie Pop Singer/Songwriter Joey Cook’s Joesph
Cincinnati Indie Pop singer/songwriter Joey Cook’s Joesph band project crafts miraculously melodic, fairly psychedelic Pop Rock that has been released in a somewhat askew sequence over the past few years. Cook (also the mastermind behind Danny & His Fantasy) began working on the material that was on Joesph’s second album, Temples, when his former band…
Live Music in Greater Cincinnati: This Week’s Concerts and Club Shows (March 20-26)
WEDNESDAY 20 ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL – Todd Hepburn. 7 p.m. Piano/Various. Free. BLIND LEMON – Tom Roll. 7:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free. * BLUE NOTE HARRISON – Buckcherry. 6 p.m. Rock. $28. BOGART’S – Last In Line. 8 p.m. Metal. $20. CAFFÈ VIVACE – Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big Band Jazz. $10. HILTON…
What Does the Uptown Innovation Corridor Mean for Avondale Residents?
The neighborhood of Avondale has seen a monumental transformation over the past 25 years. What was in 2000 a neighborhood of 16,298 shrank into a neighborhood of 12,466 by 2010, according to the U.S. Census. The reasons for the population loss in Avondale — the city’s fourth-largest neighborhood — are complex. Some residents moved out to…
