Wilkinson, Keating Leave The Enquirer
Political columnist Howard Wilkinson and longtime photographer Michael Keating are among the 26 employees who are leaving The Enquirer as part of a buyout deal. This week was the deadline for editors at the newspaper to decide whether to accept voluntary “early retirement” buyouts from employees. Although The Enquirer hasn’t released any details, current and…
Art: 40 Self-Portraits in 40 Days
After a suggestion from her therapist, Joanna Barnett began to draw and paint what she felt. Barnett was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder that left her isolated and depressed, an affliction she battled for 30 years. Through her therapist’s suggestion, Barnett set herself a goal: to draw a self-portrait every day for 40 days. She found…
Music: Goldenboy
Born in suburban L.A., Goldenboy mastermind Shon Sullivan got his start as a member of the excellent band Spain before joining late singer/songwriter Elliott Smith’s touring band (he’s also toured with acts like The Eels and Tim Finn). On one tour, Smith’s bandmates were all given nicknames; Sullivan’s was Goldenboy and, since it was while…
Tales From the Airport: What Travelers Don’t See
The Cincinnati airport is located in another state — I’ll let you decide on how backwards that makes the city. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport, CVG, was a major hub for Delta Airlines but in the last few years the number of daily flights and employees has dropped. In 2009 the airport laid off close to…
Comedy: Geoff Tate CD/DVD Recording
As the old saying goes, it never rains, but it pours, and comedian Geoff Tate is in a monsoon of exciting gigs. The Cincinnati native recently appeared on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. That came together after the talk show host saw Tate doing stand-up in Wichita, Kansas. Ferguson was performing at a…
Art: Faux Real: A Forger’s Story
The story of American art forger Mark A. Landis is a bizarre one: Over a 30-year period, Landis attempted to gift more than one hundred works to at least 50 institutions across 20 states. Though the exhibition opens today, FAUX REAL: A Forger’s Story has an official opening reception Thursday, April 5, which should shed…
Literary: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Children's author and illustrator Eric Carle has given life and luminosity to, arguably, the world's most famous caterpillar. Since its publication in 1969, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” has sold over 30 million copies worldwide. Known for his whimsical, distinctive method of collage illustrations, Carle traces the metamorphosis of one ravenous caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly…
Art: FEMME: Self-Portraits by Danielle Voirin
William Messer, the curator of Iris BookCafe and Gallery's photography shows, follows up his excellent display of work by Czech photographer Hana Jakrlovå with a new one devoted to Danielle Voirin, who grew up in Chicago but is Paris-based. The show FEMME features 33 prints from three series — des Collages, featuring collage-like studio images…
Art: Final Friday Shows
On some Final Fridays there’s too much going on to recommend just one show — so how about three within walking distance? First up, Primaries at Yes in Over-the-Rhine celebrates the work of more than 20 international artists and designers who examine the chromatic possibilities inherent in humble heroes red, yellow and blue. Then head…
Event: Yelp Helps After School
Yelp.com is teaming up with more than 30 local charities and non-profit organizations to host the Yelp Helps After School Special event. Cincinnati residents are welcomed to come enjoy a night of fun and learn about wonderful volunteer opportunities that will help raise the awareness of these great local causes. Among some of the participating…
Onstage: The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel about endurance and hope during the Great Depression was a Pulitzer Prize winner, and Frank Galati’s 1988 adaptation won the 1990 Tony Award. The modern classic is Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s next production. Director Brian Isaac Phillips says, “This story is the definitive portrait of a family struggling to hold onto their…
In Harm’s Way
“Is this how we treat our female soldiers?” Painfully, this is a question Dayton-area resident Mary Lauterbach has been asking since her daughter, U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach, was brutally murdered in December 2007 by a fellow Marine she had accused of raping her. Maria’s story became well known in the Southwestern Ohio area…
Cincinnati vs. The World 3.28.12
Bids from energy providers proposing new energy utility plans were due to City Hall Tuesday. If City Council chooses a new green provider, Cincinnati could use an energy aggregation program that would source the city’s energy supplies from 100 percent renewable resources. CINCINNATI +1 McDonald’s is listening to its shareholders, many of whom have indicated…
Comedy: Tammy Pescatelli
“Yes, I am Sicilian, but that’s not my whole act,” insists comic Tammy Pescatelli. After she first gained national attention via NBC’s Last Comic Standing, some people were ready to pigeonhole the Cleveland native as a “funny Tony Soprano.” While perhaps not savvy to the ways of reality TV, Pescatelli is a seasoned comic, having…
Event: CAC Thank You Party with Shepard Fairey
Those stickers of Andre the Giant were made by someone, and so was the Obama “Hope” poster. That someone is contemporary artist Shepard Fairey. The street artist and DJ returns to the Contemporary Arts Center this week to spin a few records and hang out with CAC members. Some of Fairey’s work can be seen…
Storied Past, Bright Future
T he Gateway Quarter should have its own zip code: Four Five Two Oh, Oh, Oh! Located in the south central area of Over-the-Rhine, during the past few years the Gateway has become a dining mecca. It’s home to some of the hippest new eateries in town, with rampant buzz amongst the Twitterati and lines…
Smooth Moves
T he Blue Wisp Jazz Club is both a local and national legend — a Jazz club that’s been operating for more than 30 years. Steve Schmidt, longtime Wisp musician, says that the recipe for such long-standing success is “the dedication of all the people involved — the people who run the place, the musicians…
Rising Up
C artoonist Jim Borgman has taken his shots at The Banks over the years. From Santa dumping coal on the project site to comparisons with Northern Kentucky’s exploding development to The Banks development being transformed into a golf course by five middle-aged white guys — and we’ve all laughed along. But for those who live…
Review: The Shins – ‘Port of Morrow’
No one could have imagined a more appropriate outcome for James Mercer when the creatively obscure rags of Flake Music led to the everyman populist Indie Rock riches of The Shins. Strangely, but perhaps predictably, Mercer’s recent career moves seem more indicative of diva behavior, signing with Columbia Records, dismissing his longtime bandmates and making…
Your Tuesday To Do List
Tonight's the night! Our annual Best of Cincinnati Party is always one of the most fun events of the year. You voted for your favorite restaurants, bars, public figures, galleries, theaters, and everything in between – now's your chance to check them all out under one roof. This year's celebration is a preview party –…
2012 Jocks Reader Picks
Athlete: Joey Votto, Reds 2 Andy Dalton, Bengals 3 Brandon Phillips, Reds Bearcat: Isaiah Pead 2 Coach Butch Jones 3 Zach Collaros Bengal: Andy Dalton 2 A.J. Green 3 Ray Maualuga Coach/Manager High School: Steve Specht, St. Xavier Football 2 Jim Brower, St. X Swimming 3 (TIE) Dale Mueller, Highlands Football, Doug Ramsey, Elder Football Coach/Manager Pro/College: Butch Jones, UC Football 2 Dusty Baker, Reds 3 Mike Zimmer, Bengals Cyclone: Kevin Roeder 2 Matt Pierce 3 Barret Eghoetz Golf Course: Kenwood Country Club 2 Blue Ash 3 Devou Park Musketeer: Tu Holloway 2 Kenny Freese 3 Brad Redford Norse: Nancy…
This Date in Music History: March 27
On this day in 1979, the saga of one of Rock & Roll's greatest "love triangles" continued as Eric Clapton married ’60s model Pattie Boyd. According to the U.K.'s Daily Mail, Boyd met George Harrison while The Beatles were filming A Hard Day's Night and they married in 1965. The marriage wasn't unusual for a…
Staff Picks
BEST 'COINCIDENCE' THAT PLEASES THE 1 PERCENT: In an act of fortuitous timing, Cincinnati police decided to arrest nearly two-dozen Occupy Cincinnati protestors at downtown’s Piatt Park during the early morning of Oct. 21 — just hours before a parade was scheduled to pass by that marked the life of local billionaire Carl Lindner Jr.,…
2012 Public Eye Reader Picks
Blog: 365 Things To Do Cincinnati 2 Better Off Red 3 Wine Me, Dine Me Cincinnatian: Carl Lindner 2 Nick Lachey 3 Pete Rose Do Gooder: Freestore Foodbank 2 Carl Lindner 3 Matthew:25 Ministries Friend to the Environment: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden 2 Dan Korman (Park + Vine) 3 Thane Maynard (Cincinnati Zoo) Journalist: Paul Daugherty 2 Lauren Bishop 3 Laura Baverman Local Activist: Bill Cunningham 2 Jim Tarbell 3 Bootsy Collins Local Cause: Women Helping Women 2 Matthew:25 Ministries 3 Freestore Foodbank Local Elected Official: Lucy Lou (Mayor of…
Staff Picks
BIGGEST IMPACT ON THE DEFINITION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD: Watching Over-the-Rhine mold over the past several years has been like watching a child grow into maturity. It’s blossomed into a meaningful, beautiful adolescent with a true, vivacious personality — but it’s not anywhere close to reaching its peak. The renovation of OTR’s Washington Park, which will…
2012 Urban Life Reader Picks
Apartment Community: Current @ the Banks 2 Harper’s Point 3 Shillito Lofts Bed and Breakfast: Gaslight Bed and Breakfast 2 Clifton House B & B 3 Murphin Ridge Inn Building: Union Terminal 2 Music Hall 3 Southgate House Church Festival: Panegyri Festival 2 St. Rita’s 3 Immaculate Heart of Mary Cincinnati Neighborhood: Over-the-Rhine 2 Hyde Park 3 Northside Cincinnati Zoo Animal: Zoo Babies 2 Penguins 3 Lucy the Bearcat College/University: University of Cincinnati 2 Xavier University 3 Northern Kentucky University Ethnic Market: Findlay Market 2 Jungle Jim’s 3 Whole Foods Festival Event: Taste…
Staff Picks
BEST WAY TO CAPTURE YOUR PET’S BEAUTY: Funny cell phone pictures of pets are great, but sometimes you need a professional to get that perfect shot. Enter area photographer Carolyn Evans. Better known as the PhoDographer, Evans specializes in candid portraits of pets (and their people). For more than a decade, she has focused on…
2012 Shops & Services Reader Picks
New Store: 501 Salon &Spa 2 Le Bon Vivant 3 Swallow Bicycle Works 4 Sloane Boutique 5 Cymbal House 6 Belle Bridal Boutique 7 Boutique 280 8 Couture Couture Boutique 9 Sewn Studio 10 Blue Cocoon Acupuncturist: Dr. Henry F. Kenkel 2 Sandi Amoils 3 Dr. Dorothy Shaffer Antique Store: Wooden Nickel 2 Duck Creek Antique Mall 3 Rabbit Hash General Store Bank: Fifth Third Bank 2 PNC Bank 3 U.S. Bank Barber Shop: Kings Court Master Barber & Shoe Shine 2 Gil’s Barber Shop 3 Mariemont Barber Shop Bicycle Store: Montgomery Cyclery 2 Reser Bicycle Outfitters 3 Campus Cyclery Bookstore (Chain): Joseph Beth Booksellers…
2012 Eats Reader Picks
New Restaurant: A Tavola 2 Firehouse Subs 3 Taste of Belgium Bistro 4 Walnut Street Grill 5 Toppers Pizza 6 Jimmy G’s 7 Eli’s BBQ 8 Enoteca Emilia 9 Lime Taqueria 10 Abigail Street Overall Restaurant: Montgomery Inn 2 The Precinct 3 Nada 4 Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 5 Melt 6 Bella Luna 7 First Watch 8 Arnold’s 9 20 Brix 10 Boca Appetizers: Nada 2 Bonefish Grill 3 T.G.I. Friday’s Bakery (Breads): Servatii 2 Panera 3 Busken Bakery (Pastries): Bonbonerie 2 Servatii 3 Busken Bang for your Buck Restaurant: Chipotle 2 Skyline Chili 3 Five Guys Burgers and Fries Barbeque: Montgomery Inn 2 City Barbeque 3 Walt’s Beer Selection:…
Music Tonight: David Wax Museum
Don't stay in and watch NCIS tonight. Head to Covington's Molly Malone’s and check out David Wax Museum. The Museum is accurately self-described as “Mexo-Americana.” They draw much of their musical stylings from Mexican Son music. Son, which translates to “sound,” has distinct dialects dependent on its area of Mexican origins. The instrumentation includes accordions,…
Morning News and Stuff
A crowd estimated at close to 1,500 people attended a rally Monday evening at downtown's Fountain Square to express outrage that the alleged shooter of an unarmed teenager in Sanford, Fla., hasn't been arrested. The Feb. 26 killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, has sparked widespread outrage, but some of the marchers at the Cincinnati rally…
2012 Arts & Nightlife Reader Picks
Overall Nightclub: Mynt Martini 2 Mount Adams Pavilion3 Lunar4 Adonis5 Bobby Mackey’s 6 Roxy’s7 Below Zero Lounge8 The Venue9 Arnie’s on the Levee10 PLAY Overall Bar: Blue Wisp Jazz Club 2 Arnold’s Bar & Grill 3 MOTR Pub 4 Hofbrauhaus 5 Northside Tavern 6 Neons Unplugged 7 Japp’s 8 Mt. Lookout Tavern 9 Crow’s Nest 10 Southgate House Art Gallery: Cincinnati Art Museum 2 Contemporary Arts Center 3 Pendleton Arts Center Bar/Nightclub Staff: MOTR Pub 2 Japp’s 3 Northside Tavern Bartender: Molly Wellman…
Staff Picks
BEST PLACE TO START SOMETHIN’: While Vine Street might have stolen its thunder with the slew of restaurants and shops that have opened in the Gateway Quarter recently, Main Street still stands out as a haven for new shops, bars and galleries. With rents remaining lower than recently developed parts of OTR, Main Street is…
Staff Picks
BEST ORGANIC GROCERY DELIVERY : Green B.E.A.N. Delivery brings the freshest local and organic produce and natural groceries right to your doorstep. This membership-based service requires you to sign up for a standing order with a minimum purchase of $35. Your standing order consists of a customized produce bin with a healthy variety of organic…
Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson
Reach into your wallet and pull out a $20 bill. Do you know anything about the dashing guy portrayed there? Andrew Jackson, a military hero, was our seventh president, serving from 1829 to 1837. But he was a rock star back in his day, a rabble-rouser. For the past year or two, we’ve heard a…
eighth blackbird Honors Philip Glass at MusicNOW
Composer Philip Glass turned 75 on Jan. 31. The party continues this weekend in Cincinnati, starting with the wildly innovative, Grammy Award-winning sextet eighth blackbird’s appearance at MusicNOW on Thursday. Glass himself will join 8bb during the first half of the performance. Glass’ chamber works are seldom performed in the major area concert venues, but…
Pussy Riot, Bono Impersonator and Madonaa
[HOT] ‘The Devil Laughed at Us’ An all-female Punk group in Russia has been jailed for protesting recently reelected president Vladimir Putin. According to The Guardian , members of Pussy Riot were arrested after performing a guerilla gig on the eve of election day at Moscow’s Christ the Saviour cathedral, debuting the song, “Holy Shit”…
NOW … and Forever?
M usicNOW is aptly named. Founded and still nurtured by local native Bryce Dessner, the festival has consistently delivered an eclectic mix of “contemporary music” since springing to life in 2006. For the uninitiated, don’t let that relatively innocuous description deter you from further investigation. It’s not hyperbolic to call MusicNOW one of the most…
Riding Art’s Airstream
Peter Haberkorn, a Cincinnati artist who imaginatively salvages and repurposes older materials, has a background in architectural study. Fittingly, the first thing you notice upon entering Northside’s Prairie to see his new show, Airstream, is just how beautifully his work fits in as gallery-complementing design. For Airstream, up through May 5, he has salvaged and…
Surrendering to the Gorgeous and Grotesque
During the installation of her new show I surrender, dear at downtown’s Contemporary Arts Center, Moscow-born/New York-based artist Dasha Shishkin and I discussed a range of issues, including the possibility that she might be a witch. It’s true that divining rods, transubstantiation and the Russian Orthodox Church aren’t your standard meet-and-greet/photo-op topics. But Shishkin is…
1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab (Review)
From the sire of Tazza Mia, Bob Bonder brings Cincinnati another coffee destination, but this time he’s added a full bar and tapas style dining. Located in the Gateway District on Vine Street, 1215 Wine Bar and Coffee Lab blends the best of both worlds — handpicked wine parings and artisanal coffee. After enjoying several…
Staff Picks
BEST NEW RED: Nope, not Mat Latos or Ryan Madson, but Andy Dalton. The red-headed Bengals quarterback led the Bengals to the playoffs in his rookie season, throwing for 3,398 yards with 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He and A.J. Green teamed up to make the most potent rookie combination in NFL history, and it…
Cincinnati Playhouse Releases 2012-2013 Schedule
The Cincinnati Playhouse’s incoming artistic director, Blake Robison, today announced the shows to be produced for the 2012-2013 season. Robison takes over from Ed Stern, who retires on June 30 after 20 years setting the course for the respected regional theater. During Stern’s tenure, the Playhouse has twice won Tony Awards — in 2004 as…
Enquirer’s Top Sports Editors Quit
The Enquirer’s top two sports editors are resigning from the newspaper. Assistant Managing Editor/Sports Barry Forbis and Deputy Sports Editor Rory Glynn announced their resignations last week in separate emails to fellow staffers. Forbis, whose resignation becomes effective April 4, is leaving to join Fox Sports as a deputy managing editor in Los Angeles. In…
This Date in Music History: March 26
On this day in 1995, Rap star Eazy-E died. The N.W.A. cofounder got sick in late February and went into the hospital from what he believed was an issue with asthma. He was told, instead, that he had AIDS. Less than a month later, he released a public statement announcing that he had been diagnosed…
Local Rally Planned for Trayvon Martin
A rally will be held at Fountain Square today to commemorate the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and to demand a thorough investigation of the incident. The event begins at 5 p.m. and attendees are asked to bring signs that aren’t posted on sticks, to comply with a local law, and also to…
Bear in Heaven
Sometime last December, Bear in Heaven began an experiment of publicity-stunt proportions. The Brooklyn band uploaded a copy of I Love You, It's Cool, its latest album, to its site for an automatic and continuous stream. No biggie there — until you find out that BIH slowed down the stream to the point that the…
Music Tonight: Jucifer
Georgia-spawned Alt/Doom/Sludge Metal/Shoegaze band Jucifer returns to The Comet in Northside tonight for a free, 10 p.m. performance, something that, if you live within a mile of the club, you'll likely know about without ever leaving your house. Together since 1993, Jucifer is known for its needle-past-the-red volume and humongous amplifiers, which seem custom-built for…
Ernie Krivda
A list of brilliantly influential saxophone players would fill a small city phone book, but one of the most overlooked beyond true Jazz aficionados is Ernie Krivda. The Cleveland native learned clarinet at age 6 and alto sax at 16, dividing his time between his high school band, orchestras for local productions and his own…
Morning News and Stuff
Supporters of low income housing programs are criticizing a bill proposed by U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Westwood). Chabot's proposal would impose restrictions on people who use the federal Section 8 housing program, which provides vouchers to help poor people pay their rent. Among his changes, people only would be able to use the program for…
Tigers Be Still (Review)
I read Kim Rosenstock’s Tigers Be Still before I saw the production currently onstage at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. I have to confess that I found it amusing but not hilarious, perhaps even a tad predictable in the vein of contemporary plays about semi-dorky people contending with the vicissitudes of daily life and…
Lifting the Curtain (Well, a Corner of It) at the Playhouse
Around noon on Monday, the Cincinnati Playhouse will announcement its 2012-2013 season, the first mapped out by someone other than Producing Artistic Director Ed Stern in 20 years. Blake Robison takes over for the retiring Stern on July 1, so he’s had the daunting task of following in those big (and very successful) footsteps. Stern…
Stage Door: More Love for ‘Merrily’
Last Sunday evening I gave a lecture prior to the Cincinnati Playhouse performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along. I stuck around to see the show again (I attended the opening on March 8 in order to review it for CityBeat). I gave the show a Critic’s Pick, but empty seats on Sunday reminded…
I Just Can’t Get Enough
Planking can be dangerous. Tebowing is just plain dumb. If there’s one viral Internet pose I can sign off on, it’s Draping. Fashioned after Don Draper's iconic pose in the Mad Men intro, Draping has infiltrated the interwebs! This is all in anticipation for Sunday's long-awaited two-hour season premiere. Read more about that here. Like…
Q&A with honeyhoney
Honeyhoney is an up-and-coming group out of Los Angeles that offers a soulful, folksy sound that has led to comparisons to The Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons. A combination of Suzanne Santo's strong voice and banjo/fiddle playing and the voice and guitar of Ben Jaffe, honeyhoney's sound (despite the comparisons) is a unique hybrid…
Music Tonight: Joy Formidable, Family Force 5 and More
Tonight at the 20th Century Theatre in Oakley, two MidPoint Music Festival alumni team up for an 8 p.m. show, opened by Brooklyn duo and Secretly Canadian recording artists Exitmusic. Tickets are $17. Welsh-bred, London-based AltRock trio The Joy Formidable were one of the big attractions at last year's MPMF, headlining the big tent stage…
Santorum: Vote for Obama Over Romney?
Conservative presidential hopeful Rick Santorum is busy today trying to clarify a comment he made Thursday that indicated reelecting President Barack Obama would be better than electing Santorum’s Republican rival, Mitt Romney. Santorum’s comment, made in San Antonio, Texas, at the USAA insurance company, drew criticism from Romney, Newt Gingrich and other Republicans. "You win…
Your Weekend To Do List: 3/23-3/25
Stop by the hipster haven that is Northside Tavern this weekend as it celebrates 10 years as a neighborhood bar and live music staple. NST's 10th Birthday Bash runs 6:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday with treats from Take the Cake both nights. Tonight, there's music from You, You're Awesome, Ohio Knife and Lydia Burrell.…
This Date in Music History: March 23
On this day in 1969, a reported 30,000 people showed up at the Orange Bowl in Miami for the "Rally for Decency," a response to singer Jim Morrison's alleged "indecent exposure " during a concert by classic rockers The Doors three weeks earlier. One of the more infamous arrests in the history of Rock &…
Morning News and Stuff
Amid a growing public outcry, Kroger has joined the list of grocery store chains that will stop using so-called “pink slime” in their ground beef. The Cincinnati-based grocer announced Thursday it will no longer sell beef with the additive. Ever since ABC News did a report a few weeks ago on the meat filler, many…
Schmidt Drops Lawsuit
Nearly two years after she filed the lawsuit, a congresswoman who lost in the March primary election has dropped her legal action against a political opponent. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Miami Township) told The Enquirer today that she decided to drop her defamation lawsuit against Madeira businessman David Krikorian. Schmidt filed the…
Riverside Drive Bike Lanes Delayed
The last time we reported on the Riverside Drive bike lane project, Cincinnati’s Department of Transportation was considering postponing the long-awaited project because of future construction on I-471. The delay is official. According the WVXU (91.7 FM), the city’s Transportation and Engineering Director, Michael Moore, told Laurie Keleher, the city liaison with the East End Area…
Elementz Presents 7th Anniversary Party Tonight
One of, if not the, coolest youth outreach programs in the region is the "Hip Hop Youth Arts Center" Elementz on Central Parkway, which gives local kids a consistent outlet to explore their creativity and learn about the arts. The center is now 7 years old and tonight at 6 p.m. the founders are hosting…
Music Tonight: DJ Funeral Fresh, Wooden Wand and More
UPDATE: The DJ Funeral Fresh release party has been moved from Tonic to Mixx Ultra Lounge (1203 Main St., Over-the-Rhine). Local DJ Funeral Fresh (formerly DJ Skinny Fresh) is hosting a release party in honor of his new "remix tape" tonight at Tonic on Fourth. Fresh has worked shows with everyone from Gucci Mane and…
Your Thursday To Do List
SmartTalk ConnectedConcversations continues its women's speaker series tonight with Kara DioGuardi. You might recognize DioGuardi from her short time as a judge on American Idol Seasons 8-9, but you've definitely heard her work as a writer and producer with some of the biggest Pop stars of the past decade. DioGuardi has been nominated for a…
This Date in Music History: March 22
On this day in 1984, Rock legends Queen started filming the music video for their song, "I Want to Break Free." Queen was a band that embraced the concept of music videos early on. The current Spectacle exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center, about the history of music videos and where it's at today, cites…
Cincy, Columbus Mayors Bet Ice Cream on UC-Ohio State Game
University of Cincinnati basketball players might not know that much about the history between their program and that of Ohio State University, but Cincinnati's mayor just added another level to the stakes for tonight’s game. Mayor Mark Mallory and Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman have made a friendly bet on the outcome, putting each city’s…
Morning News and Stuff
Cincinnati officials approved a deal Wednesday that offers up to $12 million in tax incentives to a local firm in return for it agreeing to build its new headquarters at the long vacant site at Fifth and Race streets downtown and maintaining certain employment levels. City Council said it was important to keep Dunnhumby USA,…
City’s Expanded Recycling Program Proving Successful
It's always good news when a multi-million dollar investment turns out to reap more than it sows. So it goes with the city of Cincinnati's 2011 $3.6 million investment in its expanded recycling program. According to a report delivered to City Council's strategic growth committee, 18,880 tons of waste were diverted from Rumpke landfill in…
Homeless Programs Awarded $2.6M
Federal officials this week awarded more than $2.6 million to a local nonprofit agency that oversees various programs aimed at reducing homelessness. The money, allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was given to Strategies to End Homelessness, which was formerly known as the Cincinnati/Hamilton County Continuum of Care. In total,…
This Date in Music History: March 21
Today marks the 60th anniversary of what is widely considered the first Rock & Roll concert, DJ Alan Freed's deliciously monikered "Moondog Coronation Ball." The concert (co-produced by local record store owner Leo Mintz) was another testament to the underrated importance of Ohio in the development of Rock & Roll, taking place in Cleveland at…
Shepard Fairey Returns to Cincinnati
Street artist Shepard Fairey, whose murals from his 2010 visit can still be found plastered on walls across the city, will return to Cincinnati and the Contemporary Arts Center for one night only, March 29. Fairey's return is made possible by ArtsWave, the local organization that works with entities in all facets of the arts…
Stephane Wremble
Guitar virtuoso Stephane Wrembel comes to the Blue Wisp Jazz Club Friday for two shows. French-born and Brooklyn-based, Wrembel composed the song “Bistro Fada,” the theme from the score to Woody Allen’s great “comeback” film, Midnight In Paris (Wrembel performed the composition at the Academy Awards ceremonies this year). Wrembel came to acclaim with his…
Music Tonight: Borgore Does Bogart’s
Israeli Electronic music artist/DJ/producer Borgore (born Asaf Borger) brings his playful Dubstep/Hip Hop stylings to Bogart's tonight for an 8 p.m. show. Tickets are $22, while they last. As our own Brian Baker points out in this week's CityBeat, "Borgore" would be the perfect name for a Death Metal band (picture it written in the…
Kony Video Is Manipulative But Effective
I finally watched the 30-minute online video, Kony 2012 , calling for the capture or killing of African terrorist Joseph Kony this year. With an estimated 100 million views so far, it’s an interesting example of manipulation of social media and the mainstream media response to a propaganda and fundraising video going viral. Kony 2012…
Morning News and Stuff
One day a few years from now Cincinnati motorists might drive their vehicles across the Procter & Gamble Bridge. Ohio's transportation officials are considering ways to create public-private partnerships to help pay for large, expensive projects like the planned replacement for the Brent Spence Bridge, which is estimated to cost $2 billion. The Ohio Department…
Film: Paul Goodman Changed My Life
Paul Goodman, who died in 1972, isn't as well remembered today as he should be, but he helped shape America's post-World War II alternative (progressive) culture as much as the Beats, the Merry Pranksters, J.D. Salinger or Saul Alinsky. He was a prolific writer and public intellectual, a political activist committed to anarchism and pacifism,…
Event: Cirque du Soleil: Dralion
Mixing of Eastern and Western tastes has happened before, and the result is known as the egg roll. The two cultures have crossed paths again, but this time in a more respectable manner. The Canadian-based Cirque du Soleil has a traveling show that combines the Chinese tradition of acrobatic arts with the Cirque’s unique approach…
Healing the Universal Family
In a small Tennessee town, Cody Hines (Trevor St. John) — a happily married husband and teacher with a baby on the way — loses his wife shortly after the birth of their son. He finds solace and support in the arms of Joey Williams (Patrick Wang) and endeavors to raise his son Chip (Sebastian…
A Decade at the Tavern
One of Cincinnati’s top and most consistent original music clubs is celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend with a blowout party featuring lots of live music. And it’s all free, of course, because the club in question is the beloved Northside Tavern, located in heart of Northside’s bustling strip along Hamilton Ave. (Along with The…
Don Draper and Co. Put the ‘Mad’ in March Madness
“Mad men” was a real term for the advertising kings of Madison Avenue in Manhattan during the 1960s, created by those very same men. How telling. Inarguably one of the best current television shows across the board, Mad Men has a vast draw. Both commercially successful and critically praised, the period drama captivates audiences by…
March 14-20: Worst Week Ever!
WEDNESDAY MARCH 14 A UPS commercial slated to run throughout the NCAA men’s basketball tournament has ruffled the feathers of fans of the team shown getting powned in it. In 1992’s East Regional Final, Duke’s Christian Laettner hit a buzzer-beating jumper in the University of Kentucky’s face at the end of overtime. This ended UK’s…
U.S. Soldier’s Shooting Spree Reveals Futility of War
A s I’ve read articles and listened to media reports during the past week about the U.S. soldier who went on a bloody shooting spree March 11 in Afghanistan, one thought keeps going through my mind: It’s all so completely unnecessary. It’s not just the 16 people — including nine children and three women —…
Cincy Messes with Texas
A ustin, a city self-deemed as the live music capital of the world and which prides itself on the town’s motto to “Keep Austin Weird,” serves as host to one of the world’s largest and most unique music festivals around, South By Southwest (SXSW). Every year thousands of musicians make the cross-country (or, in some…
Right Kid, Right Camp
W hat memories do you have from summer camp — maybe swimming in the lake, hiking in the woods or paddling a canoe? Think again. How about memories of playing chess, redecorating rooms, honing skills in sports, music or art or even swinging from a trapeze? Today’s summer camps are as diverse as the children…
