Ohio Lawmakers Pass 10.5 Cent Gas Tax Hike
Lawmakers in the Ohio General Assembly today passed a two-year transportation budget that includes a 10.5 cent boost to taxes on gasoline and a 19 cent boost to diesel fuel taxes — a big step down from the 18 cent hike Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine asked for, but more than the 6 cent increase passed…
Civil Liberties Organization American Atheists to Host 2019 National Convention in Cincinnati Easter Weekend
American Atheists, a non-profit civil liberties organization that advocates for the "absolute separation of religion from government," is hosting its annual national convention in Cincinnati later this month. The 2019 American Atheists conference will take place over three days (Easter weekend, April 19-21) at downtown's Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza. American Atheists was founded in 1963…
Artichoke OTR Named the Best Independent Housewares Retailer in the Nation
Brad and Karen Hughes, the owners of kitchen and housewares shop Artichoke OTR, were recently honored with a top industry award at the International Home + Housewares Show in Chicago. Artichoke took home the Global Innovation Award, recognizing them as the best independent housewares retailer in the U.S. According to a press release, "The competition…
Cincinnati Ranks No. 4 in the Nation for “Most Balanced Lifestyle”
There are plenty of reasons why more and more people seem to be pouring into our great Queen City, and why so many born-and-raised Cincinnatians seem to stick around — it could be our beautiful parks or endless brewery options, our professional sports teams or thriving art scene — it's hard to say for sure.…
Cincinnati-Based State Lawmaker Charged With Driving Under the Influence, Drug Possession
A state lawmaker representing Cincinnati has been charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license and felony possession of a controlled substance for driving after drinking two glasses of wine and possessing a single pill of the attention deficit drug Adderall. State Rep. Sedrick Denson, a Democrat from Bond Hill, was on…
Princess Brings a Unique Video Album-Performance Art Hybrid to the 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati
A unique hybrid of video album and performance art, Out There is stopping in Cincinnati during its national tour. Performance Art-Rap duo Princess (Alexis Gideon and Michael O’Neill) created and present the piece, which combines pre-recorded and live sonics and visuals into a psychedelic sci-fi story while critiquing modern society’s misogynistic foundations. Princess have been…
Buy Some Rare Vinyl at The Northside Record Fair
Thousands of records, shirts, posters, memorabilia, CDs, cassettes and plenty more will all be available for purchase at the Northside Record Fair. The fair prides itself on vendors that sell the rare and obscure music from genres like Punk, Jazz, Blues, Classic Rock, Experimental, Soul, Country, Hip Hop, Folk, Electronic and more. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.;…
Unite Mind, Body and Spirit — and Maybe Buy Some Crystals — at This Weekend’s Victory of Light Expo
One of the Midwest’s largest celebrations of the holy trinity of mind, body and spirit is returning to Cincinnati. This massive gathering is as reverent as it is wide-ranging and features 300 healers, readers and vendors; ninety seminars are scheduled throughout the weekend and all are free of charge. Featured presenters include Eagle Skyfire, Jeff…
Write a Letter During Correspondence Club at The Mercantile Library
Most people have that one letter they’ve been meaning to write for weeks, or maybe even months, but taking the time to scribble it out, let alone mail it, seems impossible. Whether it’s a thank you note, a reply to a pen pal, or any other snail mail that’s been on the back burner, there’s…
Comedian Sean Donnelly Heads to Go Bananas Comedy Club
“I’ve been on the road a bunch and working the city a lot,” says comedian Sean Donnelly. The city he’s referring to, of course, is New York. “I’m still trying to get better,” he reports, which is something all great comics, no matter how successful, continue to do. “(My set is) based on my life…
Greater Cincinnati Man Wins Big on ‘Price is Right’ Game Show
During a layover in Los Angeles while en route to China for a vacation, Gregg Frank of Fort Wright decided to test his luck at the nation's beloved television game show, The Price is Right. If you're not familiar — the game show, hosted by Drew Carey, gives participants the opportunity to play games and…
‘Cincinnati Toy Heritage’ Mural Defaced Downtown; ArtWorks is Raising Funds for Repairs
Someone has defaced the "Cincinnati Toy Heritage" ArtWorks mural downtown by adding a decidedly less artful graffiti tag in the lower left corner of the image. The white tag — with a nifty lil' peace sign in the middle — has defaced the work, which celebrates the legacy of Cincinnati's Kenner Toys on a building…
Get into the ‘Game of Thrones’ Spirit with These Themed Cincinnati Events
HBO’s fantasy phenomenon Game of Thrones will return one last time for its final season, which begins airing on April 14. Few other series incite such a rabid following: the ultimate fans can dive into the books and the show, delving into the etymology in agonizing detail and comparing clever observations and wild assumptions. Prepare for…
Cincinnati City Council Poised to Vote Again on Liberty Street
Cincinnati City Council is poised to consider a motion directing City Manager Patrick Duhaney to move forward with a long-stalled plan that would reduce Liberty Street to five lanes in Over-the-Rhine. The so-called "road diet," slimming Liberty from seven lanes to five, has been a six-year planning and community engagement effort by supporters in Over-the-Rhine.…
Short-Term Rental Regulations in Cincinnati Hit Roadblocks
Cincinnati City Council's Budget and Finance Committee yesterday batted down proposed legislation regulating short-term rentals in Cincinnati. The proposed ordinance released by Cincinnati City Council member David Mann last week would have levied a 7 percent excise tax on short-term rentals such as those listed on sites like Airbnb and would have required those rentals…
Boombox, the Electronic Rock Act with Strong Grateful Dead Ties, Returns to Cincinnati Next Month
Electronic Rock act BoomBox (aka Zion Rock Godchaux and tourmate DJ Harry) has added a Cincinnati date to its current tour. The duo returns to 20th Century Theater on May 2. Tickets go on sale this Friday (April 5) at 10 a.m. here. Over the past couple of decades, Electronic music has increasingly become as…
Cincinnati’s Top 11 New Restaurants
Each year, CityBeat curates the Best Of Cincinnati issue, highlighting the city’s most outstanding entities in categories including Arts & Culture, Shops & Services and Eats, among others. The responsibility of selecting these exceptional people and places is divided between our readers and staff. But for this issue here, we’re focusing on our readers’ favorites. …
Cincinnati Country Rock Supergroup Root Cellar Xtract Stretches Out on New Album, ‘Lonesome Miles’
Cincinnati Country Rock band Root Cellar Xtract is releasing its sophomore album, Lonesome Miles, this week. The album gets the release-party treatment Saturday (April 6) at Fretboard Brewing Company (5800 Creek Road, Blue Ash, fretboardbrewing.com). Jeremy Francis opens the 8 p.m. show. Formed just a couple of years ago by veteran singer/songwriter/guitarist Clyde Bailey, Root…
Rock Musical ‘We Will Rock You’ Will Bring the Music of Queen to Life This Fall in Cincinnati
The massive success of the film Bohemian Rhapsody — which fared surprisingly well at this year's Academy Awards ceremony, winning four Oscars (the most of any movie) — has seen a major resurgence of interest in the music of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Queen. That says a lot considering the lasting endurance of…
Merle Haggard-Inspired, Cincinnati Music-Heavy Hagfest Returns Bigger Than Ever
Now in its third year, Hagfest — a celebration of the music and spirit of late, great American music icon Merle Haggard — continues to grow, showcasing 19 touring artists and local acts from the worlds of Country, Honky Tonk, Bluegrass and other forms of American Roots music. This year's Hagfest is set for this…
‘Baseball Revolutionaries’ Maps Out Reds’ History
Before Dayton-born Orville and Wilbur tested the first airplane in 1903, Ohio was home to another pair of Wright brothers whose creativity extended far beyond their years. In 1869, George and Harry Wright — shortstop and player/manager, respectively — helped lead the Cincinnati Red Stockings to a perfect 57-0 season thanks to their innovative spirit.…
Minimum Gauge: ‘Billboard’ Decides Lil Nas X’s Country Hit Isn’t Country Enough to Be on the Country Charts
HOT: Ceci N’est Pas Country Music? Though it seems to have no problem with Pop or even EDM crossovers, recent maneuvers on Billboard’s Country music charts indicate the chart service might not be as willing to accept Country Rap artists. Though anyone with ears can hear the Country (mixed with rapping and Trap beats) in…
You Have One More Day to Get in On This Cincinnati Bus Route Bracket
I know you've been on the edge of your (fabric, plastic-edged) seat about this: The March Madness of Cincinnati bus routes is in its final days, with the (roughly) north-south juggernaut Route 43 facing off against west side ride-or-die Route 33 right now. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority's Metro bus service launched the online…
Black Violin Does the ‘Impossible’
Black Violin, a duo known for their high-energy mashups of Classical and Hip Hop, is back with their Impossible Tour, which stops at Cincinnati’s Music Hall on April 16. “You can say it’s a play on words, like ‘I’m Possible,’ but the whole point is that anything is possible,” says violist Wilner Baptiste, speaking by…
Cincinnati-Shot ‘The Public’ Is a Welcome Throwback
Audiences — and critics — lean into personality traits displayed by stars across a spectrum, be it from listening to song lyrics or parsing clues from repeat screenings of a filmmakers’ work. We seek reflections that confirm perceived shared sensibilities and cultural norms. And it is sometimes easy to assume a degree of familiarity that is…
Cincinnati is the Best City in America for Chipotle Lovers
According to a recent study published by Apartment Guide, Cincinnati is the best city in the nation for lovers of fast-casual Mexican grill Chipotle. Yes. We are No. 1. So congrats to us. We have more Chipotle locations per capita than anywhere else in the U.S. Based on the infographic below, there is 1 Chipotle…
Critically-Acclaimed Pop Singer Carly Rae Jepsen is Bringing the Tour for Her Anticipated ‘Dedicated’ Album to Cincinnati
Carly Rae Jepsen has announced the release of her next album, Dedicated, and a subsequent tour that includes a Cincinnati stop this summer. The anticipated Dedicated will be out May 17 and Jepsen will perform at the relatively intimate Bogart’s on July 12. Tickets go on sale this Friday (April 5) at 10 a.m. here.…
Soulful Folk Rock Singer/Songwriter Amos Lee to Play Cincinnati in September
Today it was announced that Soulful Folk/Rock singer/songwriter Amos Lee will play Cincinnati's Taft Theatre on Sept. 6. Tickets for the concert are $39-50-$89.50 and go on sale (here) this Friday, April 5 at 10 a.m. Madison Cunningham, who's been compared to Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, will open the show. Lee's latest album, My…
For One Day, Tickle Pickle Will Serve Up a Grippo’s-Flavored Milkshake
Ever wondered what a liquid form of Grippo's barbecue chips would taste like? No? Me either. But Northside's Tickle Pickle is delivering a Grippo's-flavored milkshake anyway. Seriously — it's blended with actual barbecue Grippo's, topped with a heap of whipped cream and garnished with a pickle. Named after experimental Hip Hop band Death Grips, the…
Joe’s Pizza Napoli Does Excellent and Award-Winning Old World Wood-Fired Pizza in the Cincy Suburbs
Pizza is best served straight from the oven. But instead of going to the source, our warped society has engineered frozen pizzas packaged in materials that replicate the charring effect of a traditional wood-fired oven when it is prepared inside of a microwave. The hubris. However, Joe Nunner and his Milford pizzeria will have you…
As Stadium Work Intensifies in Cincinnati’s West End, Some Residents Face Relocation
On a quiet stretch of Wade Street just yards north of the coming FC Cincinnati stadium in the West End, the hum and beep of construction equipment mixes with the sounds of birds nestling back into a few bare trees for the spring. There, in a small apartment on the first floor of a four-story…
Best Intentions Go Awry in Cincinnati Playhouse’s ‘The Thanksgiving Play’
The Playhouse in the Park made a curious scheduling decision this season, presenting Larissa FastHorse’s The Thanksgiving Play in early springtime. When other theaters pick up this comedy about political correctness, they’ll more than likely produce it in a November time slot when people’s minds are on supposedly long-held traditions. But FastHorse intended to shake…
Bryce Dessner Creates Mapplethorpe-Inspired New Work With ‘Triptych’
Since word first emerged last year that Bryce Dessner was working on a musical project about Robert Mapplethorpe, there’s been speculation about its form. Many thought — and hoped — it would be an opera centered on Cincinnati’s 1990 attempt to punish the Contemporary Arts Center for showing an exhibition of the late photographer’s work…
So, What Does Cincinnati City Council Actually Do?
If you’ve followed local political news over the past year, you’ve probably read a lot about Cincinnati City Council. It’s been a tumultuous first year for the city’s main governing body, which has seen nearly non-stop controversy from one angle or another and has sometimes been derided as “clowncil” by social media observers. At the…
Fifty West Brewing Company Ranks Within the Top 50 Fastest Growing Craft Breweries in the Nation
Fifty West Brewing Company has been named the 49th fastest-growing craft brewery in the country, according to a recently released list by the Brewers Association. While the nonprofit Brewers Association represents over 4,800 small and independent breweries nationwide, Fifty West is the only beer producer from Ohio in their 2018 list of the 50 fastest…
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s Summermusik Festival Announces 2019 Lineup
Entering its 45th-anniversary season, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra has rolled out its Summermusik festival lineup, which includes performances by legendary Spanish guitarist Pepe Romero and the Silver-Garburg Piano Duo. Music Director Eckart Preu made the announcement last night, following a concert fittingly titled "A Walk in Paris", in which the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra woodwind quintet…
Oddfellows Liquor Bar is Open — and Attached to Mikey’s Late Night Slice — in OTR
Columbus-based watering hole Oddfellows Liquor Bar has officially arrived in Over-the-Rhine, bringing with it an eccentrically-themed place to hang out and drink. A sister company — and neighbor — to the new Mikey’s Late Night Slice on Elm Street, it’s almost too convenient that the bar is located right next door to everyone’s favorite drunken…
Newport Aquarium is in the Running to Be the Best Aquarium in the Country
If you’ve ever been splashed by a stingray, dared to cross the world’s first suspended rope Shark Bridge or had an otherworldly experience in the neon glow of the jellyfish room, now is your chance to show your support for the Newport Aquarium. As a part of USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2019, the Newport Aquarium…
Rocker Andy Black Releases Latest Cincinnati-Referencing Single, “The Promise,” From His Forthcoming ‘The Ghost of Ohio’ Album
If the first three singles are any indication, Cincinnati native Andy Biersack's forthcoming album, The Ghost of Ohio, is going to feature a ton of references to the 28-year-old rocker's hometown. A month ago, the onetime west-sider Biersack — performing under his stage name, Andy Black — released the track/music video "Westwood Road" (the video…
After Selling Out Riverbend Last Year, Trump Golfing Partner Kid Rock to Return to Cincinnati For September Concert
Rapper-turned-rocker-turned-Country singer Kid Rock sold out Riverbend Music Center well in advance when he performed last September with Brantley Gilbert and Wheeler Walker Jr. Mr. Rock is returning to perform at the same venue on Sept. 28 for, according to Riverbend's press release, "One Hot September Night!" with special guest and noted football lover Hank…
Cincinnati Couple Arrested After Having Sex on SkyStar Wheel Following Reds Opening Day Game
Cincinnatians celebrated Reds Opening Day in many ways yesterday — through parades, block parties, cheering on the team from the stands or from barstools across the city — but the winning game really stuck a romantic chord with one couple, who was arrested yesterday evening after having sex on the 150-foot downtown SkyStar observation wheel…
Cincinnati’s Overcast Hip Hop Fest Announces 2019 Lineup, Relocates to Top Cats
The Overcast Hip Hop Fest is returning for a second year this September. Showcasing local and out-of-town underground Hip Hop musicians, DJs and dancers, the Scribble Jam-inspired event debuted in 2018 at Urban Artifact in Northside with headliners Mr. Dibbs and Blueprint. This year’s Overcast fest will take place at Top Cats in Corryville. The…
