Q&A with Volbeat
Since the last time we saw Volbeat in Cincinnati, the band has blown up in the U.S. thanks in part to its tour with Megadeth and Motorhead. Volbeat is a first-class Danish Metal band that is taking North America by storm, playing coast to coast. The band has been touring the album Beyond Hell/Above Heaven…
Not So Simple
No doubt many people here who turn to local media outlets for tips about money issues recognize Nathan Bachrach as half of the two-man advice dispensary called Simply Money. What Mike and Mike are to sports fanatics and Click and Clack are to befuddled car owners, Bachrach and his partner Ed Finke are to the…
Great Expectations Follow Great Rookie Seasons by Dalton, Green
Andy Dalton jokes that he can now hold his head up and boss around the mere rookies that invaded the Bengals’ locker room this past week for a rookie minicamp. He, of course, is joking. It’s not his style to boss anyone around — more likely he’s showing his new teammates the ropes. But the…
Cincinnati vs. The World 5.16.12
An entrepreneur profited off of Trayvon Martin’s death by selling gun range targets featuring a hoodie with crosshairs aimed at the chest, Skittles and a can resembling iced tea — all items Martin had in his possession when he was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla. in February. WORLD -2 More than 100 employees at…
Your Tuesday To Do List
Ricky, Julian and Bubbles, better known as the Trailer Park Boys, come to Madison Theater tonight. The Canadian mockumentary-style comedy series makes a fun transition to stage with the “Community Service Variety Show.” If last year’s live show was any indication, expect more skits, audience participation and white trash goodness than you can throw a…
Event: Exhibitionism II
Exhibitionism: (n.) the act or practice of deliberately behaving so as to attract attention. The underground dance party for histrionics is back after last year’s sold-out event made waves. Get your groove on this year with non-stop dance tracks from one of Cincinnati’s hottest DJs, body painting, dancers, photo booth by Framester, neon bars, cool…
Music: Birds of Chicago
Dubbed “two of the most compelling new voices in Americana roots music” by their hometown Chicago Sun-Times, JT Nero and Allison Russell first crossed paths when their respective bands — JT and the Clouds (from Chicago) and Vancouver’s Po’ Girl — began collaborating. In 2011, Nero’s Mountains/Forests became the first full release to showcase the…
Event: Smale Riverfront Park Opening
Ever thought that the riverfront needed a little life? Discover it Friday with the grand opening of the John G. and Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park. The park came to fruition after a gift of $20 million was given to the Cincinnati Parks Foundation by John Smale for a park to be dedicated to his…
Event: Big Ship Lollipop
Candy is dandy but drag and dancing is fancy! This isn’t exactly what Shirley Temple had in mind and we aren’t exactly on the sunny beaches of the Peppermint Bay, but hey, it’ll do. Come and join CNKY Scene and BB Riverboats for the first annual Big Ship Lollipop for some of the best entertainment…
Downtown Cincinnati Population Increasing
From the edge of the Ohio River at blooming Smale Riverfront Park to the buzz at Fountain Square to gush in the Gateway Quarter, it feels like something is happening in downtown Cincinnati. It feels different. Something is different: According to the findings of the "2011 State of Downtown Report," released today by non-profit advocacy…
Is Ohio the Real Garden of Eden?
Ohio is a pretty nice place, sure, but could it have been the Garden of Eden? Not a metaphoric Garden of Eden, mind you, but the real, true thing? The notion would seem to strike many people as absurd, not the least reason being that it’s a stretch to believe the Bible’s take on Creation…
The Gold Rush
P eople about to change the world rarely look like people about to change the world. Take Gold Shoes — central casting didn’t assemble a new millennium Monkees to storm the music world with calculated precision. Gold Shoes is comprised of oddly yet perfectly meshed parts, disparate musical personalities contributing unique flavors to their fascinating…
Technically Refined, Formally Graceless ‘Compositions’
The 20th century looms large in Paul Schuette’s new show Compositions at semantics. An investigation into form, structure and sound, the exhibition’s multimedia works orient themselves around Modernism’s concern with quintessence, but pose typically Postmodern questions about how we define genres and the context in which we encounter works of art. A Ph.D. candidate at…
Silent Bob Speaks Up
“W e didn’t dream where we were from,” says Kevin Smith of his childhood in Highlands, N.J. “Nobody had an example to point to and say ‘Hey, someone came from Highland and did something big.’ And no one from my family had done anything like that.” Indeed, Smith was rooted in a blue-collar existence, watching…
Online Premiere: Ill Poetic’s “Gone” Music Video
Below you can check out, for the first time, the final cut of the new music video for Hip Hop artist Ill Poetic's latest single, "Gone." The clip was celebrated and screened at the Northside Tavern a couple of weeks back, but this is the completed version. The video takes a look at Cincinnati and…
This Date in Music History: May 15
On this date in 2000, frontman for Punk/Pop band The Offspring, Dexter Holland, testified on behalf of Jello Biafra, leader of Punk pioneers Dead Kennedys and both a friend of and huge influence on Holland. Biafra was being sued by his former DK bandmates for allegedly mismanaging royalties from their back catalog and failing to…
Art: RAW: Natural Born Artists
A gathering of Cincinnati’s artists, RAW: natural born artists is reaching out to local artists to help further their careers. The organization showcases artists in their first 10 years on the job in hopes of making their dreams come true. During the first RAW event in Cincinnati, artists can interact with the organization and community…
Farm to Table Event Benefits Community Farm Alliance
Napoleon Ridge Farm is hosting “Dinner on the Farm” on Friday, June 1 at their farm in Gallatin County. The fundraising dinner is part of this year’s Farmers’ Fair: Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food series. The event will raise funds for Community Farm Alliance, a 26-year-old nonprofit Kentucky grassroots organization that advocates for farms,…
Morning News and Stuff
The private group hoping to purchase Music Hall for $1 is now asking for $10 million in city contributions to its effort to update the historic building, double the initial $5 million it asked for. The Music Hall Revitalization Co. says failing to strike a deal before June 1 will jeopardize the proposed $165 million…
Art: Thanks: 50th Anniversary Exhibition
This year, Carl Solway Gallery in the West End is commemorating a half-century in business. Given the lightning speed at which Cincinnati art galleries arrive and depart, 10 years would be an accomplishment, let alone 50. The current exhibition, Thanks, celebrates this milestone with an all-star lineup of 60-plus artists whose works have been featured…
Event: Dante’s Gypsy Circus
Not enough circus in your life? Head for Circus Mojo where Dante’s Gypsy Circus and the Accidental Circus come together for an evening described as “Darwinism in Action & Luscious Cabaret: danger, humor, beauty, song, and weird social commentary — all in the first act.” No word on what’s in the second act; you need…
Event: Cincitalia
Stuff your face with pasta galore and sip on a Bellini or two at CincItalia, a celebration of all things Italian. The festivities start Friday night with the Grand Carnevale for those ages 19 and older. The Cincinnati Bartending School will provide the drinks while Sal Ventura and Dr. Zoot provide the tunes. Enter the…
Comedy: Nate Bargatze
Though his dad is a magician, Nate Bargatze never felt destined to be in show business. “I guess [my dad’s career] played into it in the back of my mind,” he says. “But I didn’t think, ‘I’m going to do stand-up.’ It just kind of happened.” At first, he had a go at improv, after…
Onstage: The Second City 2: Less Pride, More Pork
If you laughed your way through Second City’s first round of poking fun at Cincinnati, you’ll want to head back for another dose. They came to town a few months back to find even more aspects of the city that we love — and love to laugh about. It’s provocative at several points, but never…
Q&A with Five Finger Death Punch
Five Finger Death Punch will be one of the headlining acts of Rock on the Range, one of the nation’s biggest Hard Rock and Metal festivals that takes place in Columbus this weekend. FFDP has become known for its “active” show, encouraging crowd participation that can get on the edge of out-of-hand at times. The…
Sebastian Bach Sings “WKRP” in Cincy
Reality show regular and former singer for Hair Metal faves Skid Row Sebastian Bach was in town Friday night for a solo show at Inner Circle (formerly Annie's) and the appearance made a few national music news headlines. What happened? Bach broke into a little TV theme song segment during his performance, leading with the…
Your Monday To Do List
On this first day of Bike to Work Week, Park + Vine and Queen City Bike want to reward all those who swapped their cars for two wheels with a kombucha keg party tonight. Fab Ferments’ brew will be tapped at 4:30 and the fermented goodness will be served 'til 6 p.m. alongside tasty vegan…
Music Tonight: Dope Body at The Comet
Baltimore Noise Punk foursome Dope Body introduced itself to the Indie Rock world with the donkey punch that was last year’s Nupping, the band’s first full-length. A chaotic barrage of guitar harmonics, muscular drum/bass pummeling and howling vocals combine in Dope Body’s assault, resulting in something that sounds like The Jesus Lizard jacked up on…
This Date in Music History: May 14
On this date in 1993, Elvis Presley died. For real this time. This according to the tabloid Weekly World News, which has given the world such groundbreaking stories as the trials and tribulations of Bat Boy (half-boy, half-bat, of course), the capture of various mer-people (mermen and mermaids) and the secret romantic relationship between Saddam…
The Merchant of Venice (Review)
Let’s give props to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for bringing to the stage The Merchant of Venice, one of Shakespeare’s most difficult plays. It’s officially categorized as a comedy, and it contains humorous and romantic elements, including a subplot about contesting for the hand of a wealthy heiress. But the central story of a more dire…
Morning News and Stuff
Bike to Work Week today kicked off its series of morning commuter stations offering free coffee and treats all week long in an effort to encourage residents to try cycling to work, meet fellow cyclists and learn about bike advocacy. The city was scheduled to announce an award for its Bike Program this morning at…
Horse Feathers
Eight years ago, guitarist/vocalist Justin Ringle relocated from his native Idaho to Portland, Ore., and very quickly shifted his stylistic allegiance from the aggressive Rock he had played at home to the gentler Folk sound that pervades the Northwest scene. Ringle formed Horse Feathers to pursue his newfound acoustic passion and garnered rabid fans and…
‘The Avengers’ Hits All The Right Notes
If you haven’t gone to the theater to see The Avengers yet, you should go this weekend. On second thought, you should go now — just wait until you’re done reading this. As a long time Thor fan, this movie has been on my calendar for months. Going into The Avengers I was excited but…
Elementz Shows Off New Location Tonight
Local Hip Hop youth center Elementz — which provides an outlet for young people in the area to learn and practice the Hip Hop arts (DJing, MCing, dancing and legal graffiti artwork) — is settled into its new location at 1100 Race St., across from the School for Creative and Performing Arts and they're ready…
Signs of Life
Pink Floyd tribute band Signs of Life make their only hometown tour stop this Saturday at the Madison Theater in Covington. The winners of Cincinnati Magazine’s “Best Tribute Band” for 2011, Signs of Life delivers a powerfully authentic experience for its audience. “This is not so much a Rock & Roll concert as it is…
Your Weekend To Do List: 5/11-5/13
Experience the rich tradition of mountain culture, music, craftsmanship and food this weekend at the 43rd annual Appalachian Festival at Coney Island. Bluegrass music fills the air as visitors enjoy dancing and storytelling, taste classic country fare and browse hand-crafted gifts, jewelry, housewares and more. The popular spring fest runs all day through 9 p.m.…
Anti-Fracking Roadshow Kicks Off in Cincinnati
The first in a series of nine events in cities across Ohio, culminating with a rally at the Columbus statehouse, kicks off in Cincinnati tomorrow to protest the use of fracking across the state of Ohio. The event will take place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at the Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church…
The Reds Are On a Roll
The Reds are on a roll. They haven’t lost any of their last six series — discount the two-game series against Chicago. Despite all the successes the Reds have had there are still some things that need to be addressed. Numero uno: When is Mike Leake going to get off that fat goose egg in…
Stage Door: Musicals Rule the Weekend
I was at the Tuesday night opening of a one-week run of the tour of the 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables. You might be saying, “I’ve seen that before — more than once.” But this is a new version — no more turntable or pirouetting barricades. Now we have some startling video that let’s…
This Date in Music History: May 11
On this date last year, somebody paid $10,000 for a T-shirt. An Australian man purchased a 1979 Led Zeppelin concert T-shirt on eBay for that amount, making it the most expensive concert T-shirt ever sold. (Though I bet The Eagles got close on their various, outrageously-priced reunion tours in recent years.) The shirt appears to…
Morning News and Stuff
Gov. John Kasich has something to say to anyone waiting on federal funding to help fix their bridges (and while we're at it, any local governments who need funding for something other than food and water): Forget about it. During an interview with Enquirer editors and reporters yesterday,* Kasich said tolls are the best means…
Flux Pavilion
In a relatively short time, Joshua Steele has become something of a Dance Pop/Dubstep poster boy in his native England and is well on his way to similar status in the U.S. The renowned DJ, producer and co-founder of Circus Records, better known by his flashier marquee name Flux Pavilion, came to prominence last year…
Colin Hay
Australian Pop/Rock band Men At Work hit me — and many other music fans around the world — at just the right time. I was 12 when the single “Who Can It Be Now?” exploded onto the charts. I was intrigued by the group’s quirkiness, but it was singer/guitarist Colin Hay’s voice that initially drew…
Walk the Moon Album Cover, Tracklist Revealed
Local on-the-rise AltPop band Walk the Moon's debut album for RCA Records (NOT their debut album, as is widely reported) is set for release on June 19 and MTV just posted the album cover and tracklist on its "Buzzworthy" blog. (The band was deemed one of MTV's "Artists to Watch" for 2012.) Click over to…
One Hell of a Collaboration
In The Rake’s Progress, Tom Rakewell is seduced by a devil in disguise whose promise of easy wealth sends Tom on a path of self-destruction. Along the way, he deserts the woman who loves him, loses a fortune in a brothel, marries a bearded lady and winds up in Bedlam. Igor Stravinsky’s opera and its…
MidPoint 2012 Submissions Deadline Tomorrow
If you are a musician who has an act they'd like to showcase at this year's MidPoint Music Festival and you haven't submitted for consideration, you better get on it. Tomorrow is the final day submissions will be accepted. Click here for details on how to submit an EPK for consideration. In related news, the…
Your Thursday To Do List
I'll admit I'm obsessed with This American Life. I listen to archived shows like most people listen to Rhapsody. I've seen every episode of Showtime's TV version. I have a bit of a crush on Ira Glass. For anyone else who's laughed and cried over a story or reached a destination only to sit in…
Fountain Square’s Music Season Kicks Off Tonight
The summer musical events on Fountain Square are kicking off a little earlier this year. (Blame global warming?) Tonight, local Salsa band Tropicoso kicks off the Salsa on the Square series, which runs each Thursday through Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. As usual, dance instructors will be on hand for tips and pointers. And, like…
Hang with Pete Rose at a Casino
No matter how many times Pete Rose makes an appearance at a casino, it still just screams, "INAPPROPRIATE!" in light of his place in baseball history (the bad stuff, not the greatness). Guess a guy's gotta make a living somehow. Next weekend you can once again hang with the Hit King and play the slots…
Q&A with Hunter Hayes
Hunter Hayes is one of the fastest growing, most unstoppable forces rising in Country music. At just 20 years old, he recently released his debut self-titled studio album featuring the hit single “Storm Warning." In less than a year of truly being a part of the Nashville music scene he has found himself on tour…
This Date in Music History: May 10
On this date in 1963, right after signing their deal with Decca Records, The Rolling Stones entered London’s Olympic Sound Studios to track its first single, a cover of Chuck Berry's "Come On." The single came out in the U.K. on June 7 and went to No. 21 on the U.K. charts, allowing them to…
Morning News and Stuff
In news you've likely already heard from your favorite website, social network, radio station, print publication, TV or the guy in your neighborhood who likes to talk about current events, President Barack Obama yesterday announced his support for same-sex marriage, becoming the first-ever sitting president to do so. The news has spawned analysis from across…
Obama Declares Support for Gay Marriage
News has been buzzing about North Carolina yesterday passing a controversial constitutional amendment that defines marriage as solely between a man and a woman, making it the 30th state in the U.S. to outright ban same-sex unions. Unsurprisingly, the backwards legislation and its passage came as a monumental blow to the LGBT community and its…
Music Tonight: St. Vincent, Freekbot and More
Indie darling Annie Clark and her St. Vincent are at Bogart's tonight promoting their new album, Strange Mercy. Check out Jason Gargano's recent feature story on Clark from last week's CityBeat here. Opening the show is Austin-based Shearwater, Jonathan Meiburg's orchestral Indie project that is on tour in support of the new Animal Joy album…
Education Reform Struggles in Ohio Legislature
Ohio Gov. John Kasich has been put at odds with his own party during the past few days over a battle for education reform. On Tuesday, Republicans in the Ohio Senate pushed to slow down Kasich’s reforms, which would call for tougher reading standards and report-card rating systems in Ohio schools and districts. The tougher…
Music Stars and Gender Identity
The Internet is abuzz today with Rolling Stone's teaser about an article in the mag's issue out this Friday. The magazine spoke with Tom Gabel, lead singer for successful Punk band Against Me!, about his plans to begin "gender transition" to become a woman (taking the name Laura Jane Grace). The article will include conversation…
This Date in Music History: May 9
On this date in 1980, the British awards program honoring songwriters, The Ivor Novello Awards, bestowed the awards for best Pop song and best lyrics to The Boomtown Rats, the Irish Punk band featuring Live Aid founder Bob Geldof. The song that won the honors was the band's biggest, "I Don't Like Mondays," a tune…
May 3-8: Worst Week Ever!
THURSDAY MAY 3 A 23-year old Fairfield man was arrested last week after being caught writing “Oink” on a police cruiser with a black marker. Parents hoping that the anti-authority phase will end for their teenagers before they’re old enough to vote or for people to think they’re weird for hating the police were unsettled…
Institute of Medicine, HBO Team Up For Heavy Documentary
The ignorant, beer-bellied McDonald’s masticator: It’s a punchline of American society. But the fact that nearly 70 percent of American adults are overweight or obese is not a joke — and the makers of The Weight of the Nation (8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, HBO) show that it’s more detrimental to our country than many…
Rumors, Lies and General Misunderstandings
For the 43rd year, the Appalachian Festival returns to Cincinnati this weekend for three days (Friday-Sunday) of celebrating the music and culture of Appalachia at Coney Island. Admission is $8 ($2 for kids 4-11 and $4 for seniors). Parking is $6. The hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-6…
Council to Vote on Taxi Fare Increase Tonight
Anyone who's ever tried to hail a cab in Cincinnati knows it's nothing like the experience you imagine in a big city — stepping out confidently onto the street and gracefully waving your arm isn't usually enough to garner the attention or interest of cab drivers around here. In fact, hailing a cab in the…
Yellow Submarine Surfaces in Theaters One More Time
Sometimes a film event comes along that is so special, we owe it to our readers to present the review in a form fitting the auspicious nature of the release. That is certainly the case with Rave Theater’s regional screenings of Yellow Submarine, a classic that will unspool, likely for the last time, in theaters.…
Basil Balian Translates Popular French Series for American Readers
When Basil Balian was growing up in Iraq, everybody was reading a series of 19th century over-the-top stories of dark deeds and derring-do by a French writer, Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail. Rocambole, the unlikely hero of these tales, moves from bad guy to good guy in the course of numerous books charting his story.…
Déjà Vu, All Over Again
If you’re paying attention to local theater currently, you might feel you’ve jumped into Mr. Peabody’s wayback machine. Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is in Springfield again for Life Could Be A Dream, where teens from the 1950s fret about love and the future by singing tunes that Baby Boomers know by heart. At the Cincinnati Playhouse…
Cincinnati Bike Center Opens
After safety issues, shipping complications and ongoing construction postponed its original May 1 opening date, the Cincinnati Bike Center at Smale Riverfront Park opened its doors to the public Sunday, May 6. The Center, which is the third of its kind in the U.S., follows in the footsteps of already-existing centers in Chicago and Santa…
Ohio Medicaid Changes Planned
In another effort to save tax dollars and fill holes in the state budget, Gov. John Kasich and his health care advisers will streamline the state’s Medicaid system by altering the availability of care plans and condensing care regions. There are currently 38 health plans and 10 regions in the state of Ohio, which provide…
Anna Louise Inn Faces Setback
The women’s shelter that has called downtown’s 300 Lytle St. home since 1909 last week faced another hitch in moving forward with its $12.6 million expansion. Hamilton County Judge Norbert Nadel on May 4 ruled that the Anna Louise Inn’s zoning was incorrectly done in its application for a building permit last year for its…
Your Wednesday To Do List
Stop by Fountain Square today to celebrate Museum Day, an event that brings the area’s best art and history museums and attractions to one spot. Get information about your favorite museums and historical sites and discover attractions you didn’t know Cincinnati had to offer. Participants include the Behringer-Crawford Museum, The Betts House, Cincinnati Observatory Center,…
Remixed and Reloaded
I ’m going old school with the flow, biting a rhyme from Uncle L, when I say, “Don’t call it a comeback.” It being the rebirth, the remixing and reloading of The Alternative, and I could also add that like LL, “I’ve been here for years.” I’ve been underground, hiding out in darkened theaters, multiplexing…
The Great Cincinnati Music Trivia Challenge: Part 2
Are you ready for some trivia?! In the summer of 2008, CityBeat ran the first “Great Cincinnati Music Trivia Challenge,” featuring questions about local musicians and Cincinnati musical events from several eras and multiple genres. On that quiz, we included questions from the relatively obscure (“Name the local guitarist/actor who had a bit part in…
Morning News and Stuff
Walnut Hills High School has once again been recognized among the country's top high schools, ranking No. 1 in Ohio and 90th in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual Best High Schools rankings. The ranking considered 22,000 public high schools, distinguishing some with gold, silver or bronze medals based on factors…
Missing Link
I n January of 2011, Keller’s IGA on Ludlow Avenue closed its doors due to delinquent taxes, leaving Clifton residents devastated. For those who believe “devastated” to be too strong of a word, simply ask residents how much the store is missed or, better yet, visit the numerous posts on Facebook asking about the store’s…
