CityBeat | May 1, 2019

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Beyond the noise about text messages, Twitter battles and missed meetings, can Cincinnati City Council members’ productivity be measured? We gave it a shot. By Nick Swartsell

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NEWS Berding: Council Motion Ahead of FC Cincinnati Zone Change Vote a ‘Threat’ FC Cincinnati’s president and general manager blasted a motion by Cincinnati City Council asking the team to convert a building they recently purchased to affordable housing

FC Cincinnati’s Jeff Berding and Mark Mallory

BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

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C Cincinnati President and General Manager Jeff Berding says the team is not set up to be a landlord to Section 8 residents living in two buildings it purchased earlier this year just north of its coming West End stadium. But, he added, he is meeting with residents as a group to discuss their situation. During a press roundtable April 25 with the team’s Director of Community Development Mark Mallory, Berding at times jabbed sharply at Cincinnati City Council, which the day prior passed a motion asking the team to move residents from one of the buildings it bought from former owner Fred Berger — at 421 Wade St. — to another it purchased at the same time at 1559 Central Ave. Berding called the motion, introduced by council members David Mann and P.G. Sittenfeld “a threat,” comparing it to an attempt to convince Children’s Hospital in Avondale to contribute more money to the neighborhood as it expanded in 2017. The hospital wanted council to pass zoning changes and sell city-owned right of way for that expansion at the time. The issue became a key mayoral campaign debate point between Mayor John Cranley and his challenger, thencouncil member Yvette Simpson. Simpson, who had encouraged Children’s to contribute more to the neighborhood, is believed to have lost the race in part due to the showdown. “That didn’t go too well for those council

PH OTO: NIC K SWARTSELL

members,” Berding said at the roundtable. The revelation that residents, including a 99-year-old woman who is bedridden, are being told to move out of buildings purchased by FC Cincinnati has kicked up a storm of controversy — and could hold up key zoning approvals for the $250 million Major League Soccer facility. The Wade Street property was included in, then removed from, an amended zoning change application the team needs the Cincinnati Planning Commission to approve so it can continue work on the stadium. The Central Avenue property was not included. If the commission approves the zone change, likely at a meeting May 10, council must also vote on that change. A number of West End residents showed up to a public hearing on that application April 22, where passions ran high. “You don’t care about us,” 16-year-old Amier Lane, one resident who is being displaced, told team representatives and members of the Cincinnati Planning Commission’s staff as he shook his head in frustration. “I just want you guys to honestly listen.” Other attendees took former Cincinnati mayor Mallory, who grew up in the West End, to task for working with the team. “I’ve been living in the West End for 80 years,” said Faye Atkinson, who lives on Baymiller Street. “I’ve known Mark since

he was a child. You’re cheating your people in the West End.” Some council members have suggested there may not be enough votes to approve the change if displacement isn’t addressed, but the motion’s language makes no mention of the team’s zoning application. “City council acts as if we’re some plague upon the city to be blocked at every opportunity,” Berding said of the body that last year approved $34 million in public money for infrastructure serving the stadium site. He called the motion asking for the Central Avenue property to be converted into affordable housing “outside the law.” The team has dropped all properties on Wade Street from its request and says council cannot legally reject its zoning change — now over two small alleyways — due to concerns about displacement. It is unclear if that is correct, though council members take issue with that claim. The team also says it will not enforce an April 30 move-out date originally sent to the residents, though Berding stressed they will eventually need to leave the buildings. Berding also addressed criticism about promises he made last year that no one would be displaced by the stadium. “The notion that we’re somehow going to try to buy people’s homes out, move people out of the neighborhood, that’s just false,”

he said in January 2018. “That’s just made up.” At the press roundtable April 25, Berding said the team, which has entered into a community benefits agreement that could be worth millions for the neighborhood, made those assurances because there were no homes in the footprint of the facility. “Our stadium plan did not require that,” he said about tearing down houses. “Our focus has been on getting our stadium built.” Three businesses and one person had to relocate when the State Theater, which was within the stadium site, was torn down earlier this year. Now, critics of the team say others are being displaced — residents who will struggle to find more affordable housing in a city with a reported 30,000-unit shortfall for its lowest-income citizens. But the team says that assertion is unfair and that Berger, after being approached by several developers, came to FC Cincinnati with the option to buy the properties. The team says it bought them because it wants to control what kind of development occurs around its stadium. Berding says what will happen to the properties has not been decided, but that a surface parking lot could be one option. What is clear: the CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

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CITY DESK

Likely Trump Nominee Once Called Cincinnati, Cleveland ‘Armpits’ BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

President Donald Trump is expected to tap Stephen Moore as a nominee to the Federal Reserve Board, which sets financial policy for the federal government. As he receives closer scrutiny as a potential appointee, recordings have emerged of Moore dumping all over two of the Buckeye State’s biggest cities. A former CNN contributor, Moore is currently a columnist with the Heritage Foundation, the staunchly conservative think tank that has increasingly funneled staff and preferred appointees into Trump’s administration. The foundation has taken a number of controversial stands, from stances skeptical of climate change to campaigns hounding insufficiently-conservative Republicans. But those are stances about the wider world. Moore, during a 2014 book talk in Chicago hosted by the Heartland Institute, expressed some more focused opinions about our own Queen City, as well as Cleveland. “If you live in the Midwest, where else do you want to live but Chicago,” he said about 46 minutes into the talk. “You don’t want to live in Cincinnati or Cleveland or these armpits of America like that. You want to live in Chicago.” In the same talk, Moore calls teachers’ unions “the evil empire,” an assertion sure to anger educators and Democrats. The statement has, somewhat predictably, riled up U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat and Trump critic. Brown fired off a letter to Moore demanding an apology. You can probably safely say Brown won’t be voting for Moore’s appointment — he called Moore’s 2014 remarks “disqualifying.” “Unfortunately, it’s not just your words that make your disdain for the American people clear,” Brown wrote. “You have a long history of supporting policies that

have directly contributed to the challenges faced by the millions of Americans in these towns and cities. Your positions on the economy, tax cuts for the wealthy, health care, financial regulation, and farm policy show that you don’t understand the ongoing challenges these communities face and the policies that would actually help them.” Trump hasn’t formally nominated Moore, but his other pick, former Republican presidential primary contender Herman Cain, dropped out of consideration recently. Cain is best known for serving as the CEO of Godfather’s Pizza from 1986 to 1996. He also served a brief stint as the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and as economic advisor to Republican Bob Dole’s presidential campaign. The shade thrown at Cincinnati and Cleveland isn’t Moore’s only comment getting attention since his name started being floated for the Federal Reserve Board appointment. Most prominent among them are his views about women as expressed in columns he wrote for the National Review in the early aughts. In one, expressing anger over women being allowed to referee men’s college basketball games, Moore calls the development “an obscenity” and wonders, “is there no area in life where men can take vacation from women?” “Here’s the rule change I propose,”

Stephen Moore PHOTO: GAGE SKIDMORE

Moore wrote in the 2002 column. “No more women refs, no women announcers, no women beer venders (sic), no women anything. “There is, of course, an exception to this rule,” he continued. “Women are permitted to participate, if and only if, they look like (then-CBS sports reporter) Bonnie Bernstein. The fact that Bonnie knows nothing about basketball is entirely irrelevant.” Moore has since said those comments were “a spoof.”

Should Trump formally nominate Moore, the Senate will need to approve him. How is Ohio’s other senator, Republican Rob Portman, responding? Portman’s office told Cleveland.com that he will review Moore’s qualifications should he become Trump’s nominee. But Portman spokesperson Kevin Smith also said Moore’s 2014 statement isn’t great. “If Stephen Moore meant that as a joke, it was a bad one,” Smith said.

Hamilton County Commission Votes to Create Sewer Bill Discount for Low-Income Senior Homeowners BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

That’s less than some advocacy groups wanted, however. South Cumminsvillebased Communities United For Action says the adjustment doesn’t do enough to provide relief for rising sewer rates. They’d like to see a rate discount of 40 percent, a level offered by Cleveland’s sewer district and recommended in a 2018 draft report by the Hamilton County

“The 25% discount will make a real impact in the lives of low-income seniors, while minimizing the number of shut offs in Hamilton County,” Commission Vice

About 19,000 people, or 2 percent of MSD’s roughly 784,000 customers, are eligible for the new discount. About 14 percent of the sewer district’s customers make less than $35,000 a year. Commission members say they’re working on ways to expand MSD’s newlycreated Customer Assistance Program, or CAP, to all low-income customers, but that will take a change in state law. Commission members say they are also looking into ways to assist renters, who aren’t covered by the new rate discount.

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The Hamilton County Commission’s three members voted April 23 to provide a discount of 25 percent for homeowners over 65 making less than $32,800 a year.

Planning and Development Department. “Communities United For Action and the public provided recommendations for improving the senior Customer Assistance Program at the February 19, 2019 public hearing,” CUFA’s Wanda Ball said in a statement. “Two months later, they finally passed a program making only one improvement — raising the discount from 20% to 25%. Commissioners vowed to expand the program, and it is our hope that expanded programs won’t be delayed like this one. People need help with sewer bills now.”

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President Stephanie Summerow Dumas said in a statement. “The 25% discount will also allow the Commissioners flexibility to possibly include more residents in the future.”

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Low-income seniors who own their homes will see a discount on their bills from the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati — just not as high as some groups hoped.

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CITY DESK

Columbia Parkway Landslide Fixes Funded — But New Police Station Must Wait BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

It took a while, but Cincinnati City Council April 24 finally settled on a way to pay for $17 million in repairs starting in June that will shore up the hills above Columbia Parkway. Council argued for hours over whether to take some money for landslide mitigation from a fund to build a new police headquarters or whether to leave the fund alone. They settled the argument by spending all the money for the police facility on Columbia Parkway repairs instead. The major artery from the city’s East Side into downtown has been closed at least seven times in the past year due to landslides, and council, Mayor John Cranley and City Manager Patrick Duhaney have all deemed fixes an emergency. But the price tag for the retaining walls and “soil nailing” needed to provide a 30- to 50-year solution to that problem is prohibitive as the city stares down a budget deficit as high as $19 million.

Two competing plans were on the table going into the meeting — one put forward by city administration that borrowed $6.2 million of the total price from money set aside for a new Cincinnati Police District 5 headquarters in an as-yet undetermined location, and another, suggested by council member David Mann, that instead borrowed against the city’s capital budget, meaning roughly $1.2 million a year less would be available in that $80 million pot of money. Mayor Cranley backed the administration’s plan. “Columbia Parkway has to start now,” he said, urging council members to pull money from the police station. “District 5 isn’t even in the drawing phase.” Both of those options left $3.2 million for needed updates to the temporary police headquarters, which is in a shopping plaza off Hamilton Avenue in College Hill. The upgrades are needed so that the facility

meets standards for a police station, CPD officials say. But council members like Mann and P.G. Sittenfeld said they worried that making that investment would cement the police station in College Hill despite a lengthy public engagement process that also left a location at the city’s permitting center in Clifton in the running. After wrangling in the council meeting, gridlocking 4-4 on both plans, moving on to other items and a two-hour recess, council chose... neither. Instead, the city will pull $9.4 million from the fund for District 5. The city will also issue bonds to be paid off by a 2018 property tax increase to raise another $7.6 million. That’s less borrowed money than under the previous two plans, but also no money for a new police station. “I don’t love that this will drain a previously allocated budget for District 5,” Sittenfeld noted, but said he was happy that

Columbia Parkway will be addressed. The plan council settled on keeps the city’s options open in a way, but only by spending all the money available for a new headquarters at any location. It means that the city would likely borrow all funds needed to build a new District 5 headquarters or retrofit the permit building in Clifton. It also takes the $3.2 million in upgrades to the current temporary facility off the table. City Manager Duhaney said the city will tackle the police station over the next couple years. He also brought up a third possibility mentioned by council members David Mann and Amy Murray, as well as FOP President Dan Hils — selling District 1 headquarters, which is currently next to FC Cincinnati’s stadium site, and building a joint District 1 and District 5 headquarters between the two districts. That, however, will be a discussion for another day.

After a Year of Back-and-Forth, Cincinnati City Council Passes Short-Term Rental Regulations BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

home-sharing.” “This is a great achievement for our Cincinnati hosts, who fought diligently towards a clear, fair regulatory environment that protects and empowers the home-sharing community,” Airbnb’s statement said. “We commend Councilmember Mann, who allowed local hosts a seat at the table throughout this inclusive and transparent process.” In committee earlier this month, other operators continued to insist that the regulations were unfair. “There haven’t been any safety issues,” a local Airbnb operator told the council committee. “There is no other business platform that monitors a business more than Airbnb. I feel like you’re discriminating against short-term rentals. Many of the things in the ordinance don’t apply to long-term rentals.” Supporters of the regulations, meanwhile, say they’re a good start, but don’t go far enough. “A lot of work has gone into this. It’s very important that city council move on and adopt this. This is a good first step,” Legal Aid of Greater Cincinnati’s John Schrider said, noting that Columbus, Ohio has short-term rental regulations that are more rigorous and include stricter codecompliance measures and background checks for operators. “We know that short-term rentals are having an impact on our neighborhoods, and we need to study that. But we appreciate the support this ordinance will provide on the affordable housing trust.”

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bringing in tourism spending. Last year, Mann introduced a more wide-reaching series of ordinances that sought at first to cap the number of days in a year an owner could operate a shortterm rental at 90. Mann then proposed a different idea: capping the number of short-term rentals an owner could operate instead of the duration. Those efforts, like the most recent proposals, ran up against stiff opposition from short-term rental supporters. Mann’s last proposal also hit skepticism from some of his fellow council members. A number of local Airbnb owners said they don’t mind the tax — which is comparable to what hotels pay — but claimed the code compliance stipulations in the ordinance would be “onerous.” Their main issue: That the ordinance would treat short-term rentals with more than four units as commercial instead of residential buildings, which would make them subject to commercial building code compliance. That was a sticking point before Mann’s revisions clarified that the city won’t actively seek out shortterm rentals for compliance inspections. Some Airbnb owners are still opposed to the ordinance. A few argued in council committee earlier this month that the ordinance’s July start date is too soon and that questions about the tax remain unanswered. Airbnb will collect the tax and remit it to the city. The company applauded the legislation in a statement today, calling it “pro

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last November and 640 the site showed this time last year. About 70 percent of those are rentals encompassing an entire house, condo or apartment — up from 60 percent this time last year. The city has seen a 41-percent annual growth rate in those rentals in recent years. Critics of the industry say it causes noise and other nuisances from guests, incentivizes landlords to pull traditional apartments off the longterm rental market and exacerbates housing shortages, especially in large cities where investment groups operate large numbers of short-term rentals. Cincinnati has a roughly 30,000-unit gap when it comes to housing affordable to its lowest-income residents, though shortterm rental supporters claim the industry hasn’t contributed to that gap. Mann’s ordinance will prohibit any property owner receiving public subsidies to provide affordable housing from offering that property for rent on sites like Airbnb. “We don’t want you to have the opportunity to operate Airbnb if you’re receiving support to operate subsidized housing,” Mann said in committee earlier this month. “We don’t want you to take that unit and put it on Airbnb.” Locally, some residents in neighborhoods like OTR also say the growing number of short-term rentals is changing the character of those neighborhoods. Airbnb supporters in Cincinnati, however, say that isn’t the case and that the units actually boost neighborhoods by

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After more than a year of back and forth about short-term rentals like those found on Airbnb and other sites, Cincinnati City Council April 24 finally passed regulations on the industry. Council member David Mann has been spearheading efforts to regulate shortterm rentals. His latest ordinance, which passed unanimously through council’s Budget and Finance Committee earlier this month, will impose a 7-percent excise tax on short-term rental operators starting in July, and require them to register with the city and self-certify that their properties are in compliance with city code. Proceeds from the tax would go into the city’s affordable housing trust fund. Council approved Mann’s ordinance 5-3, with council Democrats approving and Republicans Amy Murray and Jeff Pastor and independent Christopher Smitherman voting against it. The new version tweaks language found in Mann’s last proposal to clarify that the city won’t actively seek out Airbnb properties for code compliance inspections and will only respond to complaints. The new language also clarifies rules around nuisance complaints such as public intoxication and gives owners 15 days instead of seven days to respond to code compliance issues. There are roughly 880 short-term rental units in Cincinnati, most in Over-the-Rhine, downtown, Walnut Hills, Northside and other popular neighborhoods. That’s up from about 830

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Plans for the Newport SkyWheel Move Forward BY M A I JA Z U M M O Newport's proposed SkyWheel is one step closer to construction after the Newport City Commission unanimously approved a ground lease agreement with St. Louis-based project developer Koch Development. Similar to the temporary SkyStar Ferris wheel across the river, SkyWheel will be a permanent 230-foot-tall observation wheel with 30 climate-controlled gondolas that offer panoramic views of the Ohio River and downtown skyline. At night, LED displays will illuminate the structure. The attraction will be located on a 13,000-square-foot concrete pedestal to be built on the banks of the Ohio River, connected to Newport on the Levee by a 40-foot-wide plaza extension. "The SkyWheel is going to be a major tourist attraction for the City of Newport and the entire Greater Cincinnati region," said Newport City Manager Tom Fromme in a press release. "We expect about 400,000 riders a year. And because the gondolas are climate controlled, the SkyWheel can be enjoyed year-round."

The final piece of the puzzle is a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has to approve the development. They are expected to issue the go-ahead this spring and ground-breaking on SkyWheel is expected to begin this summer. Construction of the wheel and accompanying structures should take six to nine months. Koch Development also operates similar SkyWheel attractions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Panama City Beach, Florida. The components to build SkyWheel, which will be made in the Netherlands, will be shipped to Newport on barges from the port of New Orleans, up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. "It's like a big Erector Set that will be put together once it gets to our riverfront," Fromme said. "Watching those big pieces coming up the river and erected in Newport will be something to see," said Newport Mayor Jerry Peluso in the same release. "And once it is in place, it's going to draw people from all over the country."

Amier Lane, one resident facing displacement PH OTO: NIC K SWARTSELL

FROM PAGE 04

team wants the residents there to move eventually. “The way the law works, when you sign a lease, the owner has some rights, and so do the tenants,” Berding said. “I can’t imagine it’s unusual that someone buys low-income housing and decides it’s more profitable as market rate.” Berding and Mallory met briefly with residents and their representatives April 27, though no agreements were signed. Another meeting will be scheduled soon, sources say. Residents want written assurances that they will not be evicted in the near future. They say they need that documentation because Section 8 vouchers are involved.

The residents have formed a group called FightBack Cincinnati to negotiate with the team. “It is of the utmost importance that FC Cincinnati provide FightBack Cincinnati with a written statement saying that Tenants of 421 Wade Street and 1559 Central Avenue do not have to move by or on April 30th, 2019,” the group said in a statement following the meeting. More than a dozen people live in the two buildings, though a few have found other housing options. The rest, organized by the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, have blasted the team for not meeting with them directly. Instead, FC Cincinnati has attempted to communicate through Berger, who has stayed on as property manager at his former buildings. That, residents say, is disrespectful. “I’m very sympathetic to people moving,” Berding said, relating a story about his family moving to make way for demolition when he was a child. “We are going above and beyond what the law requires to help them. As we should. But at the end of the day, the owner decided to sell his buildings. Someone else could have bought them. We are not landlords... we are a soccer team.”

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Beyond the noise about text messages, Twitter battles and missed meetings, can Cincinnati City Council members’ productivity be measured? We gave it a shot.

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By Nick Swartsell

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Cincinnati City Hall Photo: Nick Swartsell

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 very beginning of its term, council stepped into a tense tug-of-war over a mayoral appointment to the Cincinnati Park Board. Then there was the dramatic showdown between then-Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black and Mayor John Cranley last spring. And don’t forget an intense debate over FC Cincinnati’s stadium in the West End. We’ve seen splashy news stories about council members missing meetings. And, of course, there was the battle around five council members who texted each other in violation of Ohio open meetings laws. But as those waves of acrimony have washed over council’s nine members, a key question has remained largely unasked: What exactly do taxpayers get from each of their supposedly part-time employees, each of whom makes $65,000 a year? Or, to put it even more simply: What does council actually do? CityBeat pored over legislation records and made records requests for members’ calendars. We talked to council members, chiefs of staff, political experts and others to get an answer. As it turns out, there is a lot going on behind the scenes, and it’s hard to fairly judge the work a council member is doing by public meeting attendance or social media static alone.

“For the average council member, the real work of the job happens when the council’s not in session,” says University of Cincinnati Political Science Professor David Niven. “The real task is being a voice for Cincinnati. That doesn’t just happen in meetings.” Council members and staff CityBeat talked to each independently estimated about 70 to 80 percent of the job takes place outside of council chambers. And no one said it was a part-time gig. “How’s this for camaraderie?” first-term council member Jeff Pastor, one of two Republicans on council, asks. “I guarantee you not one member of council is only spending 20 hours a week on city business. When we were going through the Harry Black debacle, or working on the budget, you’re spending hours and hours in your office. Everyone loves to beat up on city council. Now, there’s some clown shit that goes on here, don’t get me wrong. But the reality is, when we pull our sleeves up and get things done, the media won’t report on it and then people don’t get to appreciate it.” Of course, council members are more than happy to say that — it makes them look active and engaged to voters. But by considering some key pieces of evidence — legislation filed, meetings taken, goals achieved — it’s possible to get a better idea of who is doing the work. There are some caveats to any measure of an elected official’s performance. Council member Wendell Young had a serious health scare in 2017 involving his heart. And Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman lost his wife of 28 years after a long, brutal fight with breast cancer. Those kinds of personal events cut into the time they have to attend public hearings, file legislation and meet with constituents, the same way they would with any job that has sick leave.

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David Mann and his staff discuss upcoming issues at a weekly staff meeting Photo: Nick Swartsell

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JOB DESCRIPTION

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First, let’s lay out the various moving parts of a council member’s job. They must attend the 36 public Cincinnati City Council meetings, usually held on Wednesdays, plus any number of committee meetings that happen bi-weekly. Most council members chair a committee, and all are part of the Budget and Finance Committee, which is chaired by council member David Mann. It's perhaps the most important of the committees, and this year, it meets once a week. One of council's most important jobs is amending and approving the city's $1.4 billion-plus budget every year. That involves a lot of work — especially when the city is facing the $19 million deficit it must address this year. As part of the budget process, members attended three special public meetings about the city’s budget last June. Those evening meetings were hours long. The Cincinnati Enquirer earlier this year reported members’ attendance at council’s 36 regular meetings. Council veteran Mann, a Democrat, was the only member to have perfect attendance. Democrats Greg Landsman and P.G. Sittenfeld both missed one meeting each. Republicans Pastor and Amy Murray, along with Democrat Young, all missed three meetings; independent Christopher Smitherman and Democrat Chris Seelbach both missed four; and Democrat Tamaya Dennard missed six. Council members each stressed that attendance at council's regular public meetings is vital and not to be missed whenever possible. However, attendance isn’t the be-all and end-all, council members, their staff and political experts say. “It’s almost embarrassing I’ve missed no meetings,” says Mann, who has served more than 20 cumulative years on council, in addition to three years as mayor and two years in Congress. “That hasn’t been true in the past. I don’t go out of my way to not miss meetings. Sometimes I have to for a client (Mann is also an attorney). Maybe I have to be in court. (Former Cincinnati City Council member) Kevin Flynn didn’t miss any meetings for four years, and, you know, I thought, that’s great Kevin, but it’s not my aspiration.”

Much of the legislation council members vote on during those meetings originated in one or multiple member’s offices in the form of resolutions, motions and ordinances. To draft that legislation, council members and their staff often take a regimen of meetings — with constituents, stakeholders on an issue, experts inside and outside city government and, yes, the city’s powerbrokers — to understand an issue, get buy-in and push their legislation to the finish line. There are also plenty of other events to attend as part of the job — interest groups, community councils in any of Cincinnati’s 52 neighborhoods, information sessions, out-of-town conferences — that also show up on a council member’s calendar. And then there are the less-measurable duties: the calls and visits from constituents for individual issues, the hours spent stopping to report potholes via the city’s app (an activity Murray says is a routine, if not favorite, pastime on her morning commute) and conversations about policy during chance public encounters. Murray, now in her second full term on council after she was appointed to a brief term in 2011, says for her, that’s the heart of the job. “A lot of what my office does is meeting with constituents,” she says, noting many residents come to her with things like zoning, development or basic infrastructure concerns. “That’s where I feel we can offer so much to people. That’s a huge amount of what we do with businesses and individuals.” Down the hall and across the aisle, first-term council member Dennard agrees. “People reach out at the gas station, or the grocery store,” Dennard says during an interview in Walnut Hills that she and her chief of staff Tara Keesling squeezed in between constituent meetings. “I’ve had plenty of impromptu meetings in front of Kroger. I don’t care if you’re at a bar. I’ve had people ask me about the budget at Queen City Radio. What am I going to say? ‘I can’t talk to you right now’? I want to be approachable. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

LEGISLATION Last year, council members sponsored 120 ordinances, 162 motions and 49 resolutions. The mayor and city manager can also introduce legislation, and do so often. The numbers from council are higher than they were a decade ago. In 2008, council members sponsored 50 ordinances, 154 motions and 45 resolutions. Now, numbers aren’t everything and not every piece of legislation introduced ends up becoming law. And there are varying philosophies about whether more is better at all when it comes to legislating. “I don’t know that having more motions and ordinances is necessarily a good thing all the time,” Murray says, noting that sometimes, those moves by council put strain on the city administration. Not all council members draft legislation equally — and not all legislation is the same, either in terms of the work required or in terms of its efficacy. Ordinances actually change the laws of the City of Cincinnati. Motions are directions from council to the city’s various departments about the way in which the city is run — directions that the city administration may or may not take up quickly. Resolutions, meanwhile, express the values or wishes of council. Those mostly happen as a way to honor Cincinnatians, proclaim a special day or express an opinion about national policy. “When you consider all three, you’re talking about things that range from directly affecting people’s lives to how the city does its job on a daily basis to symbolically gesturing toward things that matter to us,” Niven says. Some argue that motions are often “frivolous,” and that ordinances are the only true way to accomplish goals. Others say that it’s vital that council publicly voice and vote on the way it wants the city run. Either way, most council members said ordinances are generally the heaviest lifts in terms of legislation. “An ordinance has great finality about it,” Mann says. “It’s the law. I think it’s supposed to get more respect from the city administration, though sometimes we make mistakes and someone has to help us figure it out. Legislation should occur only after a lot more engagement, a lot more research, input.”

Mann was the king of ordinances last year, having sponsored 38 in 2018. A few of those were multiple attempts at the same policy goal. Others were simply legislation meant to transfer money between various parts of the city’s budget. But many were separate efforts on different issues. As an example, he brings up the multiple versions of an ordinance that would impose a tax and safety regulations on short-term rentals found on sites like Airbnb. Mann would like that tax to go to fund affordable housing, a badly-needed resource in Cincinnati. “We’ve been working on Airbnb since the beginning of time it seems,” Mann says during an interview in his office. “A year and a half,” Mann’s chief of staff, Ioanna Paraskevopoulos, chimes in. “We’ve put a hundred or more hours into Airbnb for sure. Ordinances are more serious because we consult very closely with the (city’s) law department, who makes sure we aren’t running afoul of any laws and helps try to protect us against the possibility of getting sued and losing once we pass a new law. We also have to work with administration officials who will be implementing these complicated programs. That’s really important because we can introduce this piein-the-sky ideal, but when the building and inspections department has to create a registry for every single Airbnb host and then be able to make sure they have a way of enforcing the law that we create, they will end up investing a significant amount of money in software and personnel time.” Mann recalls a meeting with a constituent at an OTR bar who started out by yelling at the council member over his efforts to regulate Airbnbs. That’s not the norm, and not enough to sway a policy proposal, but Mann says he strives to listen to everyone and is open to trying again when an ordinance isn’t right the first time. “It’s a new phenomena, there are a number of legislative responses around the country, there’s a fledgling industry that is very resistant to interference, so we’re trying really hard to identify the right public policy,” he says of the Airbnb efforts. “The first time through, I tried to establish caps (on the number of Airbnbs a property owner can operate). I didn’t have the votes for that, so we went back to the drawing board.”

Legislation in 2018

(Excludes motions to schedule or cancel meetings)

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Resolution 13 3 1 0 2 2 10 10 0

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Ordinance 8 17 38 9 9 9 20 6 4

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Tamaya Dennard Greg Landsman David Mann Amy Murray Jeff Pastor Chris Seelbach P.G. Sittenfeld Christopher Smitherman Wendell Young

Motion (solo or leading) 14 22 30 6 17 14 34 22 3

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After a number of permutations and revisions, Mann’s ordinance levying a 7 percent tax on short-term rental units to fund affordable housing finally, and rather unceremoniously, passed council on April 24. Most council members agree motions are also important, as they publicly express the will of the city’s democratically-elected officials and direct the city’s administration to issue reports and take concrete actions. Sittenfeld originated the most motions of any city council member — 34 — but was also second when it came to ordinances with 20. “Some members of the administration have told me they prefer requests to come in motion form for a few reasons,” Dennard’s chief of staff Keesling says. “There’s a process for approved motions — they get logged in a certain systematic way versus an email or call, which can get buried. With a vote, they know how many council members are interested in the topic and whether or not there is a strong will of council to move in a certain direction. Some motions alert the administration that

there may be a bigger change coming and gives them time to prepare and/or advise council on direction.” Motions don’t always have the desired impact, however — a series of motions by council progressives calling for a narrowing of Liberty Street between northern and southern Over-the-Rhine is a good example. After more than five years of public input and multiple votes by council directing the city to move forward with the proposal, it is still in limbo due to logistical questions and competing proposals from the mayor. And motions can also be overdone, some in City Hall say, noting that some could be accomplished by simply asking questions of city departments. “If you look at the calendar today, some of the motions seem like a simple phone call to a department,” Pastor’s chief of staff Beth Rabenold says. “But some people want to put it in a motion so that it requires a report… I guess if it’s something that is your baby or your passion, then you feel like they need to put a motion out there so that people see they’re publicly requesting it.”

MEETINGS (AND MORE MEETINGS)

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banning questions about a job applicant’s salary history, which required a year of meeting with the region’s various chambers of commerce, women’s advocacy groups, the city’s law department and others. That ordinance could help ease the wage gap women and people of color face, Dennard says. But it has some opposition from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce and some other business groups, who argue that it will make hiring unnecessarily difficult for employers. Dennard's calendar is full of meetings with those groups — whether or not they supported her ordinance. “Whether you agree with something or not, we want to have input on it,” Dennard says. “We’re going to engage people who we know are going to be fans of it, and those who may not be.” Of course, not all meetings are tied to ordinances. Pastor says his busiest hours in the past year came out of the battle over FC Cincinnati’s West End stadium. Pastor was one of the council members who helped broker a deal — the so-called Community Benefits Agreement — between the team and a few representatives of the neighborhood. “I think that was a proud moment,” he says. “You’re sitting down for hours trying to figure out what people want for the neighborhood — not people outside the West End. What are some financial things you want to see for this community that can be reasonably done from a private company? What do you want from the city and this $34.9 million in infrastructure? That took weeks. And that was just my chip at the nut.”

Meetings Per Week in 2018 Listed on Council Members’ Calendars (Excludes regular council and committee meetings, personal appointments and party political events)

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As Mann and chief of staff Paraskevopoulos note, spending months on a piece of legislation begets another layer of work — meeting with all the people interested or affected by that legislation. Murray also knows this well. A glance at her 2018 calendar shows meeting after meeting labeled “safe stations,” referring to legislation she introduced recently that will allow those seeking drug addiction help to walk into City of Cincinnati clinics and get free-of-charge Uber rides to area drug treatment clinics participating in the program, now called "Safe Places." The day of the mayor’s State of the City Address in October, for example, Murray took eight meetings about the initiative before attending the mayoral address. “We’ve been working for 10 months, looking at examples from other cities,” she says. “It’s been a big project.” Most council members have similar long-term projects — for Seelbach, they’re streetcar performance and parking issues, among others. For Vice Mayor Smitherman, it has been fixing problems with the city’s Emergency Call Center. For Landsman, work on preventing evictions in Cincinnati has become a keystone issue. Sittenfeld has focused often on issues affecting senior citizens. For Dennard, one of those big issues has been an ordinance

Tamaya Dennard: 13 Greg Landsman: 15 David Mann: 13

Amy Murray: 8 Jeff Pastor: 7 Chris Seelbach: 3

P.G. Sittenfeld: 16 Christopher Smitherman: 2 Wendell Young: 3

Council member Jeff Pastor in his office Photo: Nick Swartsell

ALL THIS, PLUS POLITICS As the recent release of five council members’ texts and emails reveals, there is also all the political work that goes on within City Hall — the negotiations between council and their staff along with the mayor, city manager and city administration to gain support for a piece of legislation or initiative. Those texts and emails, released after a lawsuit by conservative activist Mark Miller, show that the tone within City Hall can go from collegial to sharp-elbowed to downright nasty. Sometimes, members overstep their bounds — as shown by the text message chain between Young, Sittenfeld, Seelbach, Landsman and Dennard that broke Open Meetings laws. But most of what the texts and emails show is the mundane political work of trying to get another council member or the mayor to buy a particular idea. Those efforts don’t always work out. There are plenty of interesting tidbits about various City Hall business sprinkled in the texts, including commentary on FC Cincinnati's coming West End stadium. Sittenfeld ended up engineering a key public infrastructure deal worth $35 million that made that stadium a reality. But others in the group of five council members were much more skeptical of the stadium going into the West End. In April of last year, as city leaders and the team were hustling to make a deal for the stadium, Sittenfeld texted Landsman to gauge his enthusiasm for the facility going into the West End. "If 1 is a hard no and 10 is a hard yes — any sense where you

are on the stadium stuff?" Sittenfeld texted. "Probably a 1 on the West End," Landsman replied. "Happy to talk Oakley and all in for Nippert. He (FCC President Jeff Berding) had so many chances to get WE on board, and they're not there. But would feel better if he came to Council or submit something. After I thought about it a bit, and with folks looking at our calendar, I don't like the idea of meeting with him. Especially if Jeff wants to cut some sort of deal. I trust you. Not him." A few months later, it was Landsman’s turn to get a chilly reply about an initiative he was working on, this time from Mayor Cranley about a pause Landsman was advocating for the city administration’s efforts to clear tent cities that had popped up downtown. Landsman said that the pause would give the city more time to draw up long-term solutions for addressing those experiencing homelessness. The mayor didn't share his enthusiasm. In late July, Landsman sent an email to Cranley asking if he would support his efforts. “First, don’t allow illegal and unhealthy and unsafe tents in public right ways,” Cranley shot back. “Second, don’t impede law enforcement from doing their job and third, don’t treat illegal camps like a ‘neighborhood’ that should receive city services. “Sometimes people don’t know what’s good for them,” Cranley continued in the email, “but either way, they don’t have a right to infringe on the public good.”

A PART-TIME JOB W ITH FULL-TIME DUTIES?

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would get this out-of-touch aura to it — but it can’t be done any way but full time." And those full-time duties are complex, Niven says, and go beyond a simple metric like attendance or the number of motions a member files. “This gets at the heart of representation,” he adds. “What they do isn’t just use their best judgment in line items on the budget. They respond to the needs of the city, and you can’t do that sitting in council chambers all the time.” How active an elected official is when it comes to filing and passing legislation or taking meetings can be measured in a useful way, but how well those add up to the larger point — responding to the needs of Cincinnati — is ultimately up to voters to decide.

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All of this — the legislating, the meetings, the constituent work, the wrangling — takes place in what is regarded as a part-time job. That’s not realistic, many say. “It’s not an 8-to-5,” Dennard says. “I work Saturdays, Sundays, evenings. The cool thing about doing it is that no two days are alike. Technically it’s a part-time job, but if you spend 20 hours a week doing this job, that’s a problem.” Niven, the University of Cincinnati political science professor, agrees. “This is the great irony of the situation,” he says. “We want this to be called a part-time job because we want these to be regular people just like us. But regular people just like us don’t have time to listen to people like us all day. If we called it a full-time job, it

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STUFF TO DO

Ongoing Shows VISUAL ART: No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man Cincinnati Art Museum, Mount Adams (through Sept. 2)

WEDNESDAY 01

MUSIC: Valerie June brings a blend of Soul, Blues and Folk to the Southgate House Revival. See Sound Advice on page 42.

ART: Pique’s James Billiter: Selected Works 2004-2009 features the designer’s architectural and cityscape prints. See feature on page 29. ONSTAGE: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a musical fantasia about the joys and frustrations of childhood at the Playhouse in the Park. See review on page 30. ONSTAGE: Know Theatre’s season-ending Mercury is upbeat, offbeat and bloody funny with more than a few surprises. See review on page 31.

PHOTO: LISA HUBBARD

between December and March — with names like Pierogi, Linguini, Toast and Jam. May 1-31. Free with zoo admission: $15 adult; $9 child/senior (online). Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org. — TOMMY MCDONALD

THURSDAY 02

EVENT: Rom Com Prom LARPing — live-action role playing — is a term generally reserved for those interested in donning chainmail, Steampunk bustles or any variety of anthropomorphic accessories while engaging in various military or mythological campaigns. But The Video Archive is bringing the cosplay off the battlefield and into the bar with this live-action Rom

Com Prom. Dress in your best themed attire and bring your favorite teen films — like 10 Things I Hate About You, Mean Girls and Pretty In Pink — to life via reenactments, singalongs and more. Awards will be given to the prom king and queen. 7-10 p.m. Thursday. Free admission. The Video Archive, 965 E. McMillan, Walnut Hills, facebook.com/ videoarchivecincinnati. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Salsa on the Square Kick-Off Fountain Square’s weekly Salsa on the Square event, featuring live local, regional and national Latin bands playing everything from Cumbia and Samba to Merengue, is back. Things kick off this week with music from Salsa band Son Del Caribe and food from Mazunte, plus beer, wine and limited liquor for purchase. Dance the night away downtown. And if you can’t dance yet, take a class from on-site instructors Salsannati. 7-10 p.m. Thursdays. Free admission. Fountain

Square, 520 Vine St., Dowtown, salsaonthesquare.com. — KIARA REECE

FRIDAY 03

COMEDY: Bobby Lee As a comedian, Bobby Lee has to travel a lot and he’s getting a little annoyed with airport security. “They have a big sign that says, ‘Weapons prohibited,’ ” he tells an audience. “Now they have pictures of weapons, like we don’t know what weapons look like. There was picture of a gun, a knife, then nunchucks and a Chinese star. I’m thinking, ‘Are there a lot of ninjas that fly Southwest?’” Lee is probably best-known for his stint on MADtv where he spent eight seasons as a cast member playing characters Johnny Gan, Bae Sung and “Average Asian,” as well as doing various impressions like Connie Chung and Kim Jong-il. 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday; 7 and 10 p.m. Saturday. $22-$52. Funny Bone, 7518 Bales St., Liberty Township, liberty.funnybone. com. — P.F. WILSON CONTINUES ON PAGE 20

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MUSIC: New Kids on the Block Boy band supergroup New Kids on the Block are bringing their MixTape Tour to the U.S. Bank Arena with special guests/iconic ’80s/ early ’90s chart-toppers SaltN-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature for what a press release is correctly calling “the ultimate lineup for a once-in-a-lifetime live show experience.” NKOTB even released a new single, “80s Baby,” featuring all four touring partners. Yes. All four. The boys are also marketing the MixTape Tour

as the 30th anniversary of their break-out album Hangin’ Tough, which spawned such classics as: “Please Don’t Go Girl,” “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever),” “Cover Girl” and the titular track “Hangin’ Tough.” So, if you happen to be a Cincinnatian of a certain age who wants to hear such hits, sing very loudly and do your “Right Stuff” leg dance in a place where you will not be judged, this is probably the tour for you. 6 p.m. doors; 7:30 p.m. show Thursday. $29.95-$159.95. U.S. Bank Arena, 100 Broadway St., Downtown, usbankarena.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO

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MUSIC: Lucius Pop band Lucius’ latest leg of its Live Nudes tour, an all-acoustic run in support of the stripped-back 2018 album Nudes, is kicking off at Cincinnati’s Memorial Hall. The roots of Lucius began when singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig met while attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston more than a decade ago. The group has since built up binders full of critical acclaim and a hardcore following (including fans who copy the co-lead singers’ distinct look when attending shows). The latest Lucius tour comes after Wolfe and Laessig completed a twoyear stint as back-up singers on Roger Waters’ extensive world tour, which wrapped

in December. Lucius follows up its headlining run with a support slot for Lord Huron at a sold-out Red Rocks Amphitheatre show in Colorado, as well as four shows opening for Jackson Browne in New York City this June. Pure Bathing Culture is the opener on Lucius’ current tour. 8 p.m. Wednesday. $31-$46. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-theRhine, memorialhallotr.com. — MIKE BREEN

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ATTRACTIONS: Zoo Babies Everyone knows Fiona, America’s favorite hippopotamus and Cincinnati’s adorable unofficial mascot, but our beloved premature miracle hippo is just one of many babies the Cincinnati Zoo will promote throughout the month of May. For May’s duration, the zoo is fixing six-foot-tall stork statues outside of habitats featuring their newest and cutest bambinos and hatchlings during Zoo Babies. Featured cuties include: Maximus, the just-over 6-months old colobus monkey; a quiver of spitting cobras hatched last June; Mani, the 6-month-old tamandua; and Daphne, a not-quite 2-year-old orphaned manatee rescued by the zoo last April. The newest and cutest little dumplings, however, are seven penguin chicks — all hatched

Mani, the Cincinnati Zoo’s baby tamandua

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EVENT: Art Academy 150 Block Party Our prestigious Art Academy has churned out successful boundary-pushing artists for 150 years now, and they’re celebrating with a blockbuster block party. The primary attraction is Cincinnati’s first installment of modular art pods — an immersive experience with 30 uniquely designed and decorated pods connecting across 8,000 square feet. Camp Washington’s Wave Pool will also be hosting immersive experiences at the parking lot on the corner of 12th and Jackson streets durings its third annual 9x18: The Parking Lot Experiment, a self-described “alternative, performative

(and) experimental” art show named after the typical dimensions of a parking space. Live music will play throughout the night as well, with performers including Diane Coffee and Aziza Love, and for those interested in more experimental artistic showcases, there will be a fashion show from Lindsey Whittle, a live ASMR performance and music from DJ Coco. OTR shops and AAC students will be vending their handiwork on the street, 3 Points Urban Brewery will debut a commemorative AAC 150 beer and food will be available from Che and Red Sesame. 6-11 p.m. Friday. Free admission. Art Academy of Cincinnati, 1212 Jackson St., Over-theRhine, artacademy. edu. — TOMMY MCDONALD

SATURDAY 04

EVENT: Cincy Cinco 2019 Surround yourself in Latin culture at the 16th-annual Cincy Cinco celebration on Fountain Square. The family-friendly weekend event features music from Tropicoso and Orquesta Kandela; traditional dances from Mexico, Colombia and Panama; and plenty of food, including the return of Tacopolis, featuring restaurants like Che, Emapandas Aqui, Mashed Roots, The Arepa Place and more. Activities for children include crafts, games, a piñata smash and a parade. Noon11 p.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown, cincy-cinco.com. — BEN REES

SATURDAY 04

EVENT: Muttstache Dash 5K Dog owners and mustache owners — and especially owners of dogs with mustaches — are invited to Summit Park for this 2019 race/walk. Hosted by United Pet Fund, this one-mile walk/ run and a 5K walk/

run raises funds for regional animal shelters and rescues. Fretboard Brewing will be serving cold beer for people and Fido’s Freezzys will serve dog-friendly frozen treats for any hungry hounds. Even if you don’t have a dog, you can show a shelter dog a great day by donating $25 and “test driving” a pooch. 8:30 a.m. packet pick-up and registration; 9:30 a.m. race Saturday. $30-$45; $15 children 5-12. Summit Park, 4335 Glendale Milford Road, Blue Ash, muttstachedash. org. — BEN REES ART: May the Fourth Be With You Episode IV: A New Hope - An Art Tribute Show to a Galaxy Far, Far Away at Brew House In celebration of May the Fourth — aka Star Wars Day — an art show in honor of George Lucas’ iconic franchise will take over the Brew House in Walnut Hills. May the Fourth Be With You Episode IV: A New Hope An Art Tribute Show to a Galaxy Far, Far Away will showcase over a dozen local artists’ Star Warsthemed art, which can also be bought. This year marks the show’s fourth annual run. “It is bigger every year,” says Christina Wald, a local artist on the planning committee. “We are so excited by the quality of art we get each year and I think we all like to play in the Star

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SUNDAY 05

Wars playground.” On opening night, that ‘playground’ includes live art, with artists creating original pieces in front of guests. Plus, cosplayers in various costumes will be available for photo-ops. Art included in the show ranges in medium, style and depictions from Princess Leia, Rey and Kylo Ren to Darth Vader slaying with his lightsaber and a very cute Poe hugging BB-8. Opening reception 5-11 p.m. Saturday. Through May 31. Free admission. Brew House, 1047 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills, facebook.com/ maythefourthcincy. — MACKENZIE MANLEY

MUSIC: Seattle-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Valley Maker heads to MOTR Pub. See Sound Advice on page 43. MUSIC: Western and Electric Dream Pop duo In the Valley Below brings a film/ music collab to The Video Archive. See Sound Advice on page 43.

YOUR WEEKEND TO DO LIST: LOCAL.CITYBEAT.COM

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Brunch requires an RSVP; details at facebook.com/ belowzerolounge. 4-7 p.m. Sunday. Free. 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown, facebook.com/ teadancecinci. — MAIJA ZUMMO

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EVENT: May Tea Dance Head to the 21c Museum Hotel for May’s Tea Dance, the monthly Sunday Funday LGBTQ dance party that features House music and fun cocktails. And if you want to make a day of it, Below Zero Lounge is hosting a Big Gay Brunch beforehand. Head to the bar starting at noon for a buffet, cocktails and VJ Fuel playing music video and comedy clips.

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EVENT: Elementz Notorious 2019 Urban Derby Celebrate all of “the fashion, food and fun of the Kentucky Derby with an urban twist.” With drink specials from Revel OTR, Rhinegeist and Jack Daniel’s, this Derby party-turned-fundraiser helps support Elementz Hip Hop Youth Center’s mission to help kids foster creativity and community ties through the power of Hip Hop, dance, art and poetry. In addition to a viewing of the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby, the party will also feature a “flyest kicks” and “freshest hat” contest and a silent auction. 4-8 p.m. Saturday. $85; $100 at the door. Union Hall, 1311 Vine St., Overthe-Rhine, elementz.org. — MORGAN ZUMBIEL

SUNDAY 05

EVENT: The Flying Pig Marathon In the 1800s, Cincinnati had an interesting nickname: Porkopolis. In fact, it was rumored that pigs would run the streets due to the booming meat-packing industry. Fast forward to the 1980s: the riverfront was being developed and just to remember the history of the city, a flying pig sculpture was made. This symbol has been an inspiration for The Flying Pig, a world-class marathon and Boston-qualifier, now in its 21st year. A weekend’s worth of events — including a health expo, fun runs and pasta pig-outs — culminates with Sunday’s 26.2-mile race that takes participants from the starting line at Elm Street and Freedom Way through Cincinnati, Covington, Newport, Mariemont, Fairfax and Columbia Township. The marathon itself starts at 6:30 a.m., and if you aren’t running, the Moerlein Lager House is opening its doors at 6 a.m. for a viewing party. The Michelob Ultra Victory Party kicks off at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. near the finish line along the riverfront with live music, awards ceremonies, food and more. The Flying Pig Marathon is a fundraiser for more than 300 charities. 6:30 a.m. marathon start Sunday. $125 full marathon registration (closes May 2). For full weekend details, visit flyingpigmarathon.com. — KIARA REECE

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Caring For Our Watersheds is a program that empowers students to imagine, develop, and create solutions in their local watersheds. The program promotes watershed awareness and stewardship, values student ideas, and offers support when turning theoretical ideas into action. Judges in the environmental field score student entries and ten projects are selected to compete in the final competition which was held on April 27th. $10,000 in implementation funding (up to $1,000 per project) is available to all participants, allowing each and every idea to be turned into a reality. At the final event, students presented their projects and finalists received cash awards and matching grants for their schools.

Caring For Our Watersheds is a joint program of the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District and Nutrien Ltd.

CARING FOR OUR WATERSHEDS FINALISTS

1st

First Place: Wyoming High School Olivia Dick Sophia Dick

2nd

OUT OF OVER 80 ENTRIES submitted this year, these ten teams advanced to the Final Competition where students competed for $12,000 in awards for themselves and their schools.

community to learn to construct and install rain barrels. They hope to expand upon their project in the future by opening up the workshop to a greater number of participants.

Project: WHEAT STRAW PLATES Student: Clare Hall School: Mount Notre Dame High School Description: In her school’s cafeteria, Clare replaced conventional Styrofoam plates with biodegradable plates made from wheat straw. Styrofoam cannot be easily recycled and it is estimated that several centuries will be needed for it to break down. Clare hopes to have initiated a positive change that will be compounded as the school continues to purchase wheat straw plates.

Project: RETHINK RECYCLING Students: Allison Zwelling, Megan Glass, Isabella Richardson, Trisha Leyda School: Ursuline Academy Description: In witnessing their peers soiling their school’s recycling bins with food and liquid waste, these students have paved the way for more effective recycling practices. By displaying signs which depict recyclable items in their respective bins and hosting a week of education activities, they strived to create a systematic ripple effect on recycling in their school.

Project: STOP IDLING CAMPAIGN Students: Bella Saba, Kiernan Cinque, Chris Murtaugh School: The Summit Country Day School Description: With urban areas becoming increasingly more vigilant about air quality, one overlooked action which contributes to the problem of smog is vehicle idling. Students from SCDS have challenged their community to ditch pointless idling by posting “no-idle” signs on driveways that experience heavy traffic. Project: (RAIN) BARRELS OF FUN Students: Julia Breckenridge, Jenna Murdock, Sarah Slabe, Olivia Core School: Ursuline Academy Description: After becoming aware of storm-water runoff and its effect on local water quality, students from Ursuline Academy have sparked action by hosting a workshop that allowed families in their

Project: PREVENTING LITTER AND DOG WASTE IN THE MILL CREEK Student: Abby Shores School: Wyoming High School Description: Once she recognized the problems posed by litter in her local stream, Abby Shores of Wyoming High School made an impact by placing trash and pet waste bins around her community. Because her community’s stream connects to the Mill Creek and therefore, the Ohio River, Abby hopes the bins will help address regional water pollution by encouraging her neighbors not to litter. Project: GROW, DON’T THROW Students: Stella Dionysiou, Jenny Lewis, Carla Unzueta School: Wyoming High School Description: Composting is the process in which leaves, yard trimmings, food waste and other organic materials are broken down to create

Second Place: Ursuline Academy

Allison Zwelling Megan Glass Isabella Richardson Trisha Leyda

3rd

Third Place: Wyoming High School AJ Washienko Jack Williams Evan Prater

nutrient-rich soil. With over a third of the waste produced in the US being made up of organic matter, students from Wyoming High School have attempted to curb their school’s footprint by constructing compost bins, allowing their peers to dispose of leftover food.

Description: Over the past two decades, research has indicated a widespread decline in honey bee populations. To address this growing issue, students from Wyoming High School have educated their community and distributed pollinator-friendly seed packets to residents in their community.

Project: SAFE FISHING PRACTICES Students: AJ Washienko, Jack Williams, Evan Prater School: Wyoming High School Description: With modern fishing equipment designed to be as durable as possible, the Mill Creek’s bird and fish species are being greatly affected by unused fishing lines, hooks, and leadcontaining weights. With this in mind, these students have distributed environmentally-friendly fishing alternatives among people who frequent their local park. They hope to properly educate community members to be mindful of their local aquatic ecosystem.

Project: THE RUNOFF SOLUTION Student: Brendon Lowry School: Winton Woods High School Description: Oil runoff resulting from faulty vehicle maintenance contributes to the pollution of land and waterways each year. With his talent for cinematic production, Brendon has created his own video project to educate members of his community to maintain their personal vehicles as a preemptive strategy to prevent harmful oil runoff.

Project: BIODEGRADABLE ICE MELT ALTERNATIVE Students: Olivia Dick, Sophia Dick School: Wyoming High School Description: Every year, millions of tons of salt are used on roadways worldwide to melt snow and ice for vehicle use. As much of this road salt contains other hazardous chemicals, Olivia and Sophia Dick hope to mitigate environmental pollution by educating their community on an alternative to salt; they have created a recipe of alfalfa and coffee grounds which can be used to melt ice in the same way conventional road salt is used. Project: BUZZING WITH BIODIVERSITY Students: Lucas Plante, Sam Mota School: Wyoming High School

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Music in the River Aria (Wyoming High School) Water Bottle Refill Station Campaign Sam, Sam (Wyoming High School)

Special Recognition: Caring For Our Watersheds One Bottle at a Time Isaiah, Gabriel (Archbishop McNicholas High School)

The Mill Creek Watershed

Carly, Malik, Mickeal, Louis (James N. Gamble Montessori High School)

(RAIN) BARRELS OF FUN Classified as one of the most endangered urban rivers in North America, the Mill Creek and its subsequent watershed has consistently needed support from the community. As part of the Caring For Our Watersheds program, students from Ursuline Academy decided to educate school families on rain barrels and how they can positively impact our community. Julia Breckenridge, Sarah Slabe, Olivia Core and Jenna Murdock worked with their mentor, Lauren Gottschalk (pictured with the students), to host a workshop addressing the lack of knowledge residents have about runoff and an easy potential solution - rain barrels. In suburban areas, runoff is a large concern due to the overwhelming amount of impermeable surfaces (roads, building roofs and parking lots) and is visible to anyone after it rains as it can cause urban flooding and sewer back-ups. Julia, Sarah, Olivia and Jenna wanted to make people aware of the effect they are having on the quality

of water around them and how they could change their impact on the Mill Creek Watershed. They hosted a twohour rain barrel workshop at their school and over 50 people attended! Local professionals, including Christopher Hall, Assistant Treatment Superintendent from Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District (pictured with the students), spoke about runoff issues and solutions homeowners can take to help alleviate the problem, including installing a rain barrel. Ten families were able to actually take home a rain barrel and all the supplies necessary to assemble and connect it to their downspouts. This project started out as a relatively small-scale project, focusing only on the ten families that signed up for the workshop. However, over 50 people ended up attending. By informing the student body and families of the environmental issue of runoff, more residents in the Mill Creek watershed will become aware and act to help improve this problem.

STOP IDLING CAMPAIGN With urban areas becoming increasingly more concerned about air quality, one action that greatly contributes to the problem of air pollution is vehicle idling. Cars and trucks are the main source of air pollution in the Greater Cincinnati area. Idling cars can release harmful emissions into the air that can contain particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and many other harmful elements. When mixed with heat and sunlight they can create smog. Studies show that particulate matter in exhaust can travel deep into the lungs and the blood stream – aggravate asthma, cause difficulty breathing, decrease lung function, exacerbate cardiovascular problems and lead to chronic bronchitis. Particulates released from exhaust are also a cause of cancer, heart disease and visual impairment. Children are especially sensitive to air pollution because they breathe faster, taking in more air than adults. Students from The Summit Country Day School had noticed that cars line up in the carpool lines,

sometimes as much as an hour before the school day ends, endlessly idling while waiting to pick up students. Bella Saba, Kiernan Cinque and Chris Murtaugh wanted to stop the idling on their campus in hopes of cleaning up the air quality around school and helping everyone breathe a little easier. Working with their administration, their teacher and local mentors, Bella, Kiernan and Chris installed six signs throughout campus to discourage drivers from idling from 2-3:15 p.m. on school days in hopes of reducing air pollution. They also included an article in the weekly email memo sent to parents alerting them of the new signs and educating them about the dangerous effects of idling cars. By completing their project, Bella, Kiernan and Chris hope all members of the Summit Country Day School community and surrounding areas cooperate with this initiative and turn off their engine while waiting, helping people to save money and breathe better.

THE RUNOFF SOLUTION As part of the Caring For Our Watersheds contest, students were asked the question, “What can I do to help my watershed?” Winton Woods High School student, Brendon Lowry had a different answer than most. This talented filmmaker decided to create an ad/PSA on oil runoff from motor vehicles. Brendon felt this was an important issue that needed more awareness. Automotive fluids, such as antifreeze, transmission fluid and engine oil, from our cars and motorcycles can leak onto parking lots, driveways and streets and wash into the storm drains, which lead to local creeks and streams. The film Brendon created was divided into two sections: The first section is a video about oil runoff, how it happens and where the oil ends up; the second section of the film is a series of interviews. Brendon conducted interviews with several people in the community discussing the importance of oil runoff education to determine how

many individuals considered this to be a topic that needs attention in our community. Brendon thought it was very important for consumers to understand the issues with oil runoff. Motor oil spills and leaks are one of the largest single sources of oil pollution in our watershed. Oil is toxic to people, wildlife and plants. One quart of motor oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of water and Americans spill over a million gallons of used motor oil into our nation’s waterways each year. Brendon, a Junior at Winton Woods High School, used his talents and passion for filmmaking to help his watershed. It was an innovative, educational take on the Caring For Our Watersheds competition and he hopes to spread the word to help clean up our local creeks and streams. To see Brendon’s work and the interviews on YouTube, find him at Official Brendon Lowry.

CARING FOR OUR WATERSHEDS

PARTNERS PARTICIPATING TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS Deborah Brookbank - Winton Woods High School Mary Dennemann - Archbishop McNicholas High School Mary Dudley - James N. Gamble Montessori High School

PARTNERS IN EDUCATION Organizations dedicated to creating the next generation of land stewards in Hamilton County Nutrien and The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District understand the importance of protecting our watersheds and conserving natural resources. But it’s equally important to cultivate future land stewards and tomorrow’s advocates for the environment. That’s why the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District has partnered with Nutrien to establish Caring For Our Watersheds, a unique program that enhances classroom learning through the practice of environmental research, writing skills, public speaking and hands-on stewardship. The program, which is funded by Nutrien and run by Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, asks high school students to propose ideas on how to improve local watersheds. Students with strong proposals will then have the opportunity to put those ideas into action. As projects are planned and implemented, students develop strong leadership skills, learn sustainable practices, and contribute to creating a healthier ecosystem. Students also have opportunities to connect with environmental professionals who volunteer and mentor the students as they learn new skills and develop deeper connections with the community in which they live. Caring For Our Watersheds is open to all high school students who live in or go to school in Hamilton County.

Tracy Majors - Wyoming High School Monika Nuñez - Ursuline Academy Kira Schall - Winton Woods High School Michelle Shafer - Mount Notre Dame High School Kathryn Sickinger - Summit Country Day School JUDGES AND VOLUNTEERS Pat Bruns - (former) OH State Board of Education Liz Congleton - City of Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability Rachel Cranmer - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Lori Dorn - Greenacres Foundation Sara Fehring - HC Soil & Water Conservation District Sandra Frank - Volunteer Lauren Gottschalk - Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Todd Long - Hamilton County Engineer’s Office Maribeth Hassett - Greenacres Foundation Scott Huber - HC Soil & Water Conservation District Brad Johnson - Hamilton County Environmental Services Sharon Johnson - Volunteer Kylie Johnson - Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati Sarah Kitsinis - TRC Solutions Adam Lehmann - HC Soil & Water Conservation District

Caring For Our Watersheds is sponsored by Nutrien, a worldwide producer and retailer of fertilizers and other agricultural products and services. As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, Nutrien plays a critical role in Feeding the Future by helping growers increase food production in a sustainable manner. With nearly 20,000 employees, operations, and investments in 14 countries, Nutrien’s crop inputs and services reach every major growing region of the world.

Christen Lubbers - Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati Kara Luggen - Keep Cincinnati Beautiful Brittany Lynn - Gorman Heritage Farm Sue Magness - City of Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability Marissa Maltry - Volunteer Lauren McClure - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Colleen O’Connor - Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati Jennifer Phillips - Celanese

The Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District (HCSWCD) is responsible for the conservation of natural resources within Hamilton County, Ohio. They have a special emphasis on soil and water with a focus on assisting landowners in planning and applying conservation practices on the land. HCSWCD is dedicated to the sustainable use of our natural resources and to encouraging positive behavioral changes that produce a higher quality of life for our citizens. The District assists all Hamilton County residents, schools, and jurisdictions through their services and dynamic partnerships that continually provide innovative solutions for the challenges of our region.

Janet Schoenbachler - Volunteer Dorothy Smith - Robert Bosch Automotive Steering Eric Tanner - Melink Corporation Fia Turczynewycz - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden Holly Utrata-Halcomb - HC Soil & Water Conservation District Glen Vonderembse - OEPA, Division of Surface Water Bryn Weller - Photographer Barb Wriston-Ruddy - Volunteer Claudia Zaher - Volunteer

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ARTS & CULTURE Skyline Time James Billiter’s cityscape prints blend Art Deco and Victorian ethos at Pique gallery BY J U D E N O EL

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James Billiter in his studio PHOTO: MELISSA DOSS PHOTOGRAPHY

latter cutout — a paper piece made to simulate looking out at OTR from inside. His bas-relief woodcut of the skyline is the room’s best offering — smoky and multi-layered, it’s a sculpture you can’t help but imagine climbing into and permanently occupying. Budget-conscious art fans who’d like to take Billiter’s work home with them can take solace in the gallery’s prices. A large portion of the prints can be purchased for $10 to $30, which Billiter says helps make his work more accessible. “I couldn’t afford artwork when I was starting out,” he says. “It was intimidating. By being a printmaker, I could create an original piece that’s affordable in different sizes. If I can make a piece that’s $15, that’s something that a college or high school student can afford. And to break down the intimidation of owning artwork, I’ve made my artwork standard frame sizes so someone could go to a store and buy a frame the same day.” James Billiter: Selected Works 20042009 will be on display at Pique (210 W. Pike St., Covington,) through May 31. More info: piquewebsite.com.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

“Once we get into a groove, we’re almost obsessed. We can keep going.” You can trace Billiter’s meticulous style back to 2004, when he animated a TV spot for CityBeat’s Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. The camera floats through a shadowy cityscape, sneaking through apartment windows to reveal an actor rehearsing his monologue and a band mid-practice. For a short, goofy ad, there’s an impressive amount of detail taken to flesh out the short flashes of metropolitan backdrop that appear between cuts. This early work doesn’t just hint at Billiter’s penchant for condensing as much digestible information as possible into the canvas — it also may have subconsciously sparked his preference for black and gold. “I made the whole cityscape just for about one second of the actual commercial,” he says. “I had to get that overall ‘wow’ factor. But once I got into it, I really loved that escape. The passion kind of leaves a mark on your soul — even down to a color palette.” In Pique’s back room — just outside the bedroom that guests can rent — Billiter displays his laser-cut pieces. A cream-colored replica of Music Hall’s Rose Window sits above the fireplace, while its miniature twin hangs on the opposite wall. A tiny cityscape spans the

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for sale, pairs round, iconic images with fun facts about each. Kewpee Burgers’ cherubic mascot towers over Lima, a giant buckeye sprouts from Columbus and an almost obligatory cheese coney bridges the gap between Cincinnati and Covington. You could picture it hanging in a classroom, radiating childlike curiosity and ’70s nostalgia. “It’s like when you were young, there were moments in school that could really strike a passion in you. This one’s inspired by that,” he says. “And I went back, and I did all these labels around things that were in Cincinnati. From far away, you see Ohio and these colorful emblems, but down below you can live with the print and learn new things about your state.” Billiter’s not just a native to Cincinnati — he’s also a native to design. Growing up in the ’80s, he’d watch his mother work on commercial art of her own. She worked in the age of paste-up design: Photoshop’s craftier predecessor that required artists to arrange vinyl letters and shapes on a sheet, rubbing them down to paste the work together. The sheet would be photographed, duplicated and then distributed. “I’m not sure if it’s nature or nurture, but my mom and I have this thing where we both go into tons of detail,” says Billiter.

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ictorian typography. Sleek Art Deco architecture. Millennial vibrancy. Where the Cincinnati cityscape tends to be a pastiche of industrial and post-industrial aesthetics, designer James Billiter has an eye for capturing the historical moments that comprise the whole. His current exhibition at Covington’s Pique gallery — which moonlights as an Airbnb — focuses on the architectural makeup of the Greater Cincinnati region. Of the prints you’ll find hanging in the lobby, many distill a neighborhood or landmark to a typeface and a head-on illustration of the building against a solid black backdrop. The defunct-but-beloved Marianne Theatre represents Bellevue, the city’s name inked in the same boxy letters that top the marquee. Carew Tower’s city block seems to jut out of the frame as Gatsby-esque fonts display the structure’s specs: “completed 1930, 49 floors, 574 ft.” Each of these prints is uniformly inked in shades of black and gold. “I think the colors unite the Victorian and the Deco era,” says Billiter, pacing the gallery in a pair of custom-made Vans that feature his own drawing of the Cincinnati skyline. “I try to use interesting inks because I love the process of printmaking. Sometimes in everyday graphic design, it’s all about digital printing, where you’d just have this interaction with the office printer, but they print 11 x 17. I love going larger and getting really experimental with the ink choices.” That experimentation often goes beyond color and texture — many of Billiter’s prints are directly connected with their real-life counterparts. The ink used in his Fountain Square print was mixed with water scooped straight from the fountain itself. And each print of “Cincy Beer City,” a boozy tribute to the Roebling suspension bridge, contains the remnants of a flight of beer. Warning: Licking the print is ill-advised. “That’s the interesting thing with printmaking,” Billiter says. “Each one you receive is both a duplicate and an original.” Billiter’s larger pieces almost resemble infographics, supplementing images with educational text. A map of Ohio, which isn’t hanging on the wall but is included

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ONSTAGE

‘Charlie Brown’ is a Musical Fantasia R E V I E W BY JAC K I E M U L AY

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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CRITIC’S PICK

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s new But every actor is so stunningly talented production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie and performs so effortlessly that the Brown is unlike anything you’ve ever seen production feels like watching a group of before. And that’s a good thing. friends jam and fool around together. Conceived by Nick Cearley and As Snoopy, Armando Gutierrez has Lauren Molina, who play Linus and Lucy, several show-stopping moments as respectively, Charlie Brown is a musical well, turning the most routine concepts fantasia that features beloved “Peanuts” into scenes that bring the house down. characters in a series of vignettes about the Gutierrez is, perhaps, the final ingredient joys and frustrations of childhood. necessary to bring out the show’s From the first seamless lighting cue cartoonish hijinks. to the very last, shiversdown-your-spine blackout, Charlie Brown plunges into the timeless space of Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip “Peanuts.” Hosting the familiar favorites — Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Snoopy and Patty — this production doesn’t shy away from the innocence of childhood. At the same time, it doesn’t ignore the astute nature with which children form their values, The cast of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown either. Because of this PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY concept, formed by director Bill Fennelly, Charlie Brown never feels like an insincere take on As Linus, Cearley adds vital insight childhood but rather a celebration of it. to his adorable character, a child who is Many short sketches and eccentric wise beyond his years but, at the same musical interludes comprise this time, clings to his faithful blanket for the production, which feels like a “Peanuts” security it brings as he navigates life with variety hour. But it’s the moments of an overbearing sister and ragtag group of introspection, offered mainly by the titular rambunctious personalities. Charlie Brown (Rob Morrison), that bring Brett Ryback, as Schroeder, is the most substance to the production. “grown up” of the group. Yet even as he This show doesn’t work without tenderly plays unappreciated Beethoven, exceptional commitment to the characters, Ryback highlights a dynamic sassiness in and each performer brings an essential the prepster. truth to their portrayal that never feels Morrison’s soft undercurrent of strength forced or disingenuous. ties this production together. Charlie Morrison brings a familiar melancholy Brown is a character that makes room for to Charlie Brown that is both heartbreakothers to shine alongside him, and that ingly forlorn and enthusiastically encourtrait is no more clearly apparent than in aging. This stands in stark, and hilarious, the Playhouse’s production. contrast with his arguable foil, Lucy. Throughout the symphony of acoustic Molina brings an exceptional intensity to guitar, cellos and a never-ending supply Lucy that works because of her steadfast of kazoos, the set, designed by Michael commitment to the character’s bombastic Schweikardt, provides a detailed reminder nature. But her intensity is balanced out of the history of these characters. With wonderfully by the low-key and sweet sinsubtle zigzags that mimic Charlie cerity that Stephanie Ann Johnson brings Brown’s iconic yellow and black T-shirt, to sidekick Patty. an impossibly smooth rotating stage This balance among characters is and a whimsical cluster of music-room essential in Charlie Brown. And though instruments, the set becomes as important each has a breakout moment, Charlie as the actors onstage. Brown is ultimately an ensemble show. The Playhouse’s You’re a Good Man, Each actor/musician marches around Charlie Brown is a tour-de-force, not only the stage, playing a variety of both for the co-conceivers and musical arranger, conventional and quirky instruments so Michael Holland, but also for each and expertly that it can be easy to forget that every actor and musician that graces the the music is being made in real time. And stage. each brings such a fierce gusto to their You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown runs characters that it truly feels like watching through May 18 at the Playhouse in the cartoon characters spring to life onstage. Park (962 Mt. Adam Circle, Mount Adams). The standout of the group is the More info/tickets: cincyplay.com. rambunctious and delightfully shrill Lucy.

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ONSTAGE

Know’s ‘Mercury’ is Bloody Funny, Bizarre R E V I E W BY H A R PER L EE

The Lindner Family Café

CRITIC’S PICK

Perhaps these are familiar thoughts: What is wrong with me? Why am I struggling to get my point across? Why do I feel so on edge? Could it be that I’m hungry? Or, could it be that Mercury — the smallest planet in our solar system named for the Roman messenger god — is in retrograde, meaning that it appears to be sliding backward across the sky instead of following its usual course across the heavens. For those who put their faith in astrology, this occurrence James Creque and Eileen Earnest in Mercury throws everything out of PHOTO: DAN R. WINTERS whack. Currently onstage as in Yockey’s Mercury, they call on demonic the final installment of Know Theatre’s pixie dream girl Alicia (portrayed by a season-long exploration of fear, Steve charming Tess Talbot) and Sam (a truly Yockey’s Mercury marks the second in his shocking Patrick Earl Phillips) to dole out planetary series, acting as a companion to justice. When Olive and Heather’s plans for his play Pluto, which Know produced in nuclear-grade vengeance go awry, they are 2013. A grisly and outrageous dark comedy, forced to face the fine print of their deciMercury was made for anyone who has ever sions — the hidden “costs and penalties” woken up on the wrong side of reality. of wreaking havoc on the lives of people Three couples are making unhappy who are really no more despicable than homes just outside of Portland, Oregon. themselves. Nick and Brian are crammed together in I’ll leave it at that. No spoilers. Nick’s mom’s duplex while she recovers Mercury plays out as a series of vignettes from a mysterious illness in the hospital. with two-hander scenes that gradually cliNearby, former lovers Heather and Pamela max to a truly bizarre and surprising conavoid their husbands, search for lost pets clusion. The play’s entire cast is delightful and guzzle scotch. And in a local curiosity to watch as they bicker and brutalize each shop, a supremely cheerful Alicia gripes other. It’s fun to hate Yockey’s characters. about her commitment-phobic boyfriend Though Mercury is absurd, it has Sam as she sells oddball Olive a special moments of humanity that stand out remedy for her insufferable neighbors. against its grimy backdrop. It’s hard not The atmosphere feels combustible, which to sympathize with Pamela, who feels prompts Alicia to wonder if Mercury is in deceived; or Olive, who feels cheated; or retrograde. Nick, who feels frustrated. Yockey wants While watching these stories unfold, you you to laugh — not analyze — but you can’t wonder: How are these people connected? ignore the uncomfortable questions at the Where could all of this possibly be going? play’s core: What would drive someone And to Yockey’s credit, you’d be hardcrazy? Rejection? Incessant noise? A stolen pressed to guess. Though Mercury begins parking spot? Or Mercury in retrograde? quirky and slightly soapy, it does a drastic, As Yockey poses these questions, he unapologetic nosedive straight into gleeful makes it nearly impossible not to laugh slasher-flick airspace. And it’s a fun ride. about them. The play’s entertaining When Heather (Elizabeth Chinn dialogue and director/designer Andrew Molloy) ruptures their under-the-radar J. Hungerford’s rotating set beckons the romance, her unstable neighbor Pamela audience to lean forward into the story (Robyn Novak) takes appalling revenge. and wonder what the hell is happening. Jaded and caustic Pamela versus a pert, Noelle Wedig Johnston’s clothing conjures Stepford-wife-esque Heather devolves into desperate housewives and total maniacs a boozy, venomous psychological cage disguised as earthy granola hippies. And match. Meanwhile, Olive — a wide-eyed it all plays out to Douglas Borntrager’s and seemingly harmless eccentric played grinding soundscape that is at once by Eileen Earnest in a sun hat and pigtails ominous and ridiculous. — can’t abide her darling neighbor Nick’s Upbeat, offbeat and bloody funny, malcontent boyfriend, Brian. Nick (James Mercury is a dark-horse crowd pleaser Creque) is gentle and courteous whereas featuring an engaging cast and more than Brian (Andrew Ian Adams) is chronically a few surprises. dyspeptic and dissatisfied. Mercury runs through May 11 at Know In these situations, more well-adjusted Theatre (1120 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine). types might call the cops on an unruly More info/tickets: knowtheatre.com. neighbor of a former lover gone too far. But

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CULTURE

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Rad OTR Vintage Shop Keeps Growing BY M A R L E N A TO E B B E N

Stroll into Rad OTR and you’ll find owners Billy Luther and Jake Courtney, both 20-somethings, chatting with customers, striking deals and making trades. Since it opened in November 2017, Rad OTR has become a hub in Cincinnati’s vintage scene. Their store’s collection — made up of 1980s and ’90s vintage clothing and accessories, from Nike sweatshirts and Mickey Mouse tees to Coogi Billy Luther (left) and Jake Courtney, co-owners of Rad OTR sweaters and Air Jordans — reflects the community PHOTO: MARLENA TOEBBEN they’ve built. Both Luther and on YouTube, only has two episodes so far, Courtney graduated from the University of but they have guests slotted for a whole Cincinnati in 2016. And both were selling season of 10 to 12 episodes. In episode two, items via Etsy or Instagram before the they spoke with 19-year-old local Brock storefront even opened, which they say Penn, who owns Sole Revival sneaker shop, helped develop local connections. about the business of selling shoes and “Some things in here, very limited things, the pop culture surrounding the footwear have been given as gifts,” Luther says. “But industry. those gifts have been from people who are “It’s two guys, a couple of beers and a friends of ours, who are artists or business guest,” Luther says. Their YouTube channel owners.” includes these podcast episodes focusing Last year, for example, they were gifted on different aspects of vintage culture and a limited-edition New York Post newspaper other videos showing items from both their designed in collaboration with Supreme, a personal collections as well as from the well-known vintage skate brand. store. Between Rad OTR’s hardwood floors “It’s something that I wanted to do for and the 15-foot-high ceilings are blasts of quite a while,” Luther says. “But I think we color telling stories that vary from Rock & needed some more time to get established Roll memorabilia to nostalgic childhood as a store and more time to get established TV shows. Clothing hangs on thin black as our own personas within the store.” piping, which was made by the pair with There’s a third owner, too, whom Luther the help of Courtney’s dad. Courtney’s met four years ago while on vacation in girlfriend, Lindsay Shroyer, hand-painted Chicago. At the time, he was selling items the logo mural behind the counter and on his Etsy and heard about a store called Courtney himself drew Bart Simpson Rad Vintage, owned by RJ Geyman, who saying “Welcome to Rad, man” on a happens to be from Cincinnati. small chalkboard in the store. Aside from “I spent eight hours in his store that personal touches, all their items have been first day and just picked his brain about carefully picked by the two. everything,” Luther says. “We’ve seen every single thing in here,” And in late 2016, plans for the Rad OTR Courtney says. “We are a hand-picked, storefront started to come to fruition. curated shop.” “I met Billy when he came in the store Most of their customers are regulars, and we talked for the day. We grew our like Ethan Anost, who has frequented friendship over time and I realized he was the store for over a year, both buying and a good guy,” Geyman says. selling items. Geyman warned Luther that opening “There’s so much love for Rad in the city,” his own shop wasn’t a feat he should take Anost says. “There’s been parties, there’s on alone. Enter Courtney. (Geyman still been shows, there’s been collaborations. lives in Chicago but serves as a mentor for They have grown and done so much in Luther and Courtney’s business.) one year that I haven’t seen other brands Of opening a second storefront in the or start-ups do in five years in this city. It’s future, Courtney says that “it’s the same amazing.” thing as getting a tattoo. Like, I don’t know, Nearly three years into opening it’s hard to have just one. It’s addicting.” their first location, the duo are already We’ll see if the love continues in spearheading new projects, including a Columbus. podcast dubbed RADCAST and hatching Rad OTR is located at 1315 Main St., plans to open a second shop in Columbus Over-the-Rhine. More info: either this year or next. facebook.com/RadOTR.OHIO. The podcast, which can be streamed

FILM

‘Stockholm’ Doesn’t Hold Audiences Hostage R E V I E W BY T T S T ER N - EN ZI

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The term “Stockholm Syndrome” occupies such a curious space in our lexicon. We all know and understand the interdependent co-enabling relationship it defines, but I, for one, have never questioned when and how the term was birthed onto the cultural landscape. In Stockholm, we’re given an answer. Based on writer-director Robert Budreau’s interpretation of a story from The New Yorker about a 1973 bank heist and hostage situation in Stockholm, Sweden, the term’s origin flounders L to R: Mark Strong, Noomi Rapace and Ethan Hawke in Stockholm in absurdity and crosscultural stereotypes that P H O T O : J A N T H I J S / S M I T H G L O B A L M E D I A / D A R K S TA R P I C T U R E S should have sunk any hopes of ever achieving social and psychological relevance. Bianca Lind (Noomi Rapace), a bank This is not to take away from Budreau’s employee with a level head and a deeply storytelling. As a fan of his 2015 festival buried romantic spirit. From the moment feature Born to Be Blue, about a period he brandishes his weapon, Lind expertly in the life iconic Jazz man Chet Baker, I makes all the right moves. She trips the certainly went into Stockholm open to his alarm, refuses to back down despite exploration of this signature syndrome. obvious fear, and becomes the focal point And it doesn’t hurt that Stockholm allows of The Outlaw’s attention, which allows him to extend a creative partnership with the bank customers and most of the other Ethan Hawke (who wonderfully embodied employees to flee. The Outlaw has little the rich and wounded grace of Baker in need for a large contingent of hostages; Born to Be Blue). he’s barely able to keep himself in check. Hawke has entered a noteworthy phase When he demands the release of in his long career where the roles he’s Gunnar Sorensson (Mark Strong) — a choosing are in synchronicity with this master bank robber and his partner-inparticular point in his life. He has moved crime — it soon becomes clear that he has into a full-on adult moment, just shy of plans for more than a bank heist. In every what might be considered middle age, exchange with the police, The Outlaw which means he hasn’t quite left behind seems to wing it, asking for things as they the possibility of portraying a character pop into his scatterbrained head. He wants suffering from arrested development. a getaway car like the one Steve McQueen But he can do so and show us just how drives, money ($1 million U.S. dollars, not ludicrous the person is while still hanging easy to get and spend during a getaway in onto a sense of humanity. Sweden) and a constantly fluctuating array This is, in fact, what he does in of supplies. It’s obvious the guy walked in Stockholm. His character — who initially without much of a plan, but he definitely dubs himself “The Outlaw” when he enters has lady luck on his side. into negotiations with the police after Lind is his charm. Rapace aids and taking over a bank in the titular city — has abets Hawke and Budreau as best she can. a long-haired wig plastered on his head There’s a lovely and quite erotic exchange held in place with a cowboy hat, cowboy between Rapace and Hawke as he explains boots and a leather jacket with Texas flag a plan and helps her slide into a bulletproof on the back. His duffel bag of equipment vest. That delineates what occurs between for the job includes an automatic weapon captors and hostages once lines are and a radio, so he can listen to tunes that blurred, and Rapace shows how hostages calm the less than savage beast lurking can usurp control with nothing more than within him. an unwavering gaze. The Outlaw fashions himself as a If only the rest of Stockholm had risen to poet — he loves Bob Dylan songs —and this level. The narrative mimics the ragtag a man living in a world losing touch with approach of its central figure, and while its principles. Set in the early 1970s, he’s a Hawke does his best to keep him engaging, cartoonish wannabe hippie with a gun and we don’t truly get the sense that he’s worth a grin playing games that aren’t as fun or spending time with or saving. Ironically, funny as he hopes they are. Stockholm fails to live up to the syndrome His (and the film’s) saving grace is it inspired. (In theaters) Grade: C-

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FOOD & DRINK

OTR Pizza Party Columbus-based Mikey’s Late Night Slice and Oddfellows Liquor Bar combine forces on Elm Street BY SA M I S T E WA R T

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Mikey’s Late Night Slice PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Mikey’s Late Night Slice, Oddfellows Liquor Bar, 2014 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, latenightslice.com, oddfellowsliquorbar.com.

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cheese sandwiches with pizza instead of bread; the Baby Cheezus is slightly less overwhelming in size but “every bit as blasphemalicious.” Late Night Slice strives to serve all people: vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diners are welcome here. Mikey’s carries wheat-free pizza crust, vegan cheese and a number of meatless pies that don’t skip a beat as far as flavor goes. And both bars in the establishment — on Mikey’s side and on Oddfellows — carry gluten-free beer and prioritize freshness in their cocktails. “Fresh-squeezed citrus changes the cocktails,” Jill says. She’s been bartending for well over a decade and has helped build the bar program at both Late Night Slice and Oddfellows to create classic and quirky cocktails that have quality ingredients at their base. Plans are currently in the works to get a slushie machine to serve frozen versions of everything from margaritas to negronis. The team at Late Night Slice and Oddfellows have been expanding their empire for a decade and aren’t looking to stop soon. More shops are on the horizon for 2020.

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week or two and buy a fridge,” he says. “And suddenly we had this little pizza shack setup.” Once his first shop took off, Mikey started expanding his business until his pizza places were peppered all over the Columbus area, from Short North and Clintonville to downtown. The business has expanded over the past decade thanks to a dedicated team of friends and family who’ve been working as a well-oiled machine since day one, according to Jill, who has helped open each shop. She’s worn many hats throughout the years and picks up the slack when Mikey is traveling or putting out fires at any of his other locations, which all serve a blend of Ohio/New York-style pizza and “unpretentious classic cocktails.” Late Night Slice married Ohio’s love of toppings, crispy edges and a good mozzarella-provolone blend with New York’s iconic adult-human-face-sized triangle-shaped slices, thinner crust and tangy, slightly spicy tomato sauce. “This

pizza begs to be folded,” Mikey says. “If you’re cutting this thing with a fork, get out.” A slice costs $4.50 and is served on a pizza pan if you’re eating in. If you’re doing take-out, each slice is bookended with a paper plate and placed single-file in a paper bag. A whole pie costs $22-$26 and comes with assorted toppings ranging from a basic pepperoni to the Kumana Wana Laya, with ham, pineapple and cinnamon to the Wedgie, which “grabs you by the onions, green peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes….and pulls.” Beyond the pizza, Mikey’s offers a menu heading called “Rabbit Food,” aka two salads. One, appropriately named the “Basic Ass Salad,” has romaine, roma tomatoes, red onion and croutons. A slight variation on the first, the “Spicy Ass Salad” swaps out the tomatoes for pepperoni, onions for banana peppers and croutons for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. And with the “late night” nod in the name, Mikey’s also has classic “drunk food.” Order one of the Sacraments — a list of outrageous pizza bastardizations that “you pretty much have to be hammered to eat,” Mikey says. The Pizza Dawg is a butterflied hot dog stuffed with pepperoni and cheese and served with a pizza as the bun. The Cheezus Crust and the Baby Cheezus are grilled

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n his 10th year in business, Mikey Sorboro and his business partners have opened their fifth Mikey’s Late Night Slice pizza shop and second Oddfellows Liquor Bar just a block north of Rhinegeist in Over-the-Rhine. It’s the first hybrid destination for the Columbus-based chains. One side of the shared space at 2014 Elm St. offers glowing neon signs, ’80s music videos and pizza by the slice while the other side houses an old-school bar, classic cocktails and walls full of antique finds, all perfectly curated for guests’ Instagram feeds. Connecting the two is what Mikey refers to as the “grotto” — a fountain, pink neon signs and ceiling mirrors to direct you to the bathrooms, which are purposefully impossible to miss. Both sides (and the bathrooms) are open until 3 a.m. on the weekdays and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. “Mikey hand-picked every single piece of decor you see in every single shop,” says Jill Sorboro, Mikey’s sister and the operations manager for Late Night Slice and Oddfellows. Each leather upholstered bar seat, chandelier, Jesus statue holding a neon pizza slice and pretty much every other trinket and fixture you’ll find at the shop has been thrifted or reclaimed from an antique store. Every time Mikey travels, he comes back with a piece he found along the way, Jill says. Mikey doesn’t have a long-running history in the culinary field. Before he was a pizza entrepreneur, he was a traveling DJ, booking gigs across the country, occasionally planting his feet for longer than just a few night’s worth of shows. While he was posted up in San Francisco, he encountered his first pedicab — a bicycle-driven rickshaw. And when he headed home to Columbus, he swapped his DJ setup for a pedicab that he drove on weekends. It was then that he noticed a lack of late-night, by-the-slice pizza joints. So, while he was toting people around the city on his bike taxi, he started incrementally saving up to open his first pizza shop. “I’d finally make enough money to get an oven. Then I’d ride my pedicab for another

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Metropole at 21c

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609 Walnut St., Downtown, metropoleonwalnut.com Metropole is Cincinnati’s edition of the 21c Museum Hotel’s food approach, and it has been one of my favorites in town since its opening. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but most of my experiences here have been at dinner. The restaurant has gone through some upheaval recently after executive chef Jared Bennett left to help open Karrikin Spirits Co. in Fairfax, taking a few Metropole staffers with him. I’ll have to admit that I was a little worried that the quality might decline after Bennett’s departure. On board since early this year, new executive chef David Kelsey has been with the 21c company for several years and brings continuity rather than change, which is a good thing when what you’ve got is mighty fine to start with. A few signature items remain prominent on the dinner menu, such as the charcuterie option and the burnt carrot salad (our server said that one would never go away). And you still finish your meal with a complimentary bowl of lemony cotton candy, even if you’ve already scarfed down the famous house dessert, the Metropole candy bar. The dinner menu has just a few sections. Along with the charcuterie bar listings, your choices include six starters, seven or eight entrées and three vegetables and grains. We didn’t try one of the most interesting-sounding new items on the dinner menu: wild mushroom toast with mushroom gravy. But we all liked our entrées — pan seared monkfish with a mélange of unusual veggies, duck breast with crispy wild rice and rapini, and grilled salmon with lentils and snap peas. All told, Metropole remains one of the best — if not the best — hotel restaurants and bars in Cincinnati. (Pama Mitchell)

Joe’s Pizza Napoli

507 Chamber Drive, Milford, joespizzanapoli.com Tucked away in the Cincinnati suburbs, Joe’s Pizza Napoli is a worththe-drive dining destination no matter where you live in the city. The restaurant is 1,500 square feet, seats 39 diners and has a patio just begging for some nice spring weather. When you walk into the eatery your eyes are immediately drawn to the massive tiled pizza oven. The oven reaches around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit in the dome, and the floor of the chamber maintains a temperature of around 750 degrees. It uses ash and oak for fuel, both dense hardwoods that burn hot

and steady. A pizza is perfectly cooked in around five minutes. The oven was built in Naples, which is where owner Joe Nunner strives to source as many of his ingredients as possible. The characteristics of Neapolitan pizza include hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes; mozzarella cheese; a dough comprised of water, fresh yeast, flour; and salt. One 12-inch pizza yields eight slices. On our table was a Roma pizza with sausage and pepperoni from Columbus-based Ezzo Sausage Co. The pepperoni cup and char perfectly on Joe’s pizza after their time in the oven. The dough was thin, but not overly crisp despite the beautiful coloration from the fire, and the cheese was flavorful and held a wonderful texture. Along with the pizza, we ordered a caprese salad: the cherry tomatoes were perfectly dressed in olive oil and sliced basil and the kitchen was generous with the mozzarella balls. Along with his masterful pizzas (both red and white varieties), there are green salads, calzones, meatballs and cannelloni. No pasta yet, though Nunner’s been asked for it countless times. (Sean Peters)

Money Chicken

300 E. Seventh St., Downtown, moneychicken.co Money Chicken is the most recent addition to the proliferation of fastcasual chicken-centric restaurants in Cincinnati. Separating it from the easy assignation of “hot chicken” joint is their signature spice rub they employ on all of their chicken dishes, which include The Money Chicken sandwich, tenders and wings. I stopped by the large, airy and minimalistic space on Seventh Street one afternoon to give it a go, and ordered the Money Chicken sandwich — you can select either the regular, full-size portion of chicken, which the very helpful cashier described as being larger than the bun (which I went with), or the small, which fits neatly in the bun — the fries (either regular size or basket) and a side of the cabbage slaw. The sandwich is served with large, crisp pickle rounds (made in house, as is the brine in which they are pickled) and a dollop of mayo hiding underneath a sturdy potato bun. The crisp cabbage slaw nixes mayonnaise and instead uses a springy, housemade miso vinaigrette with honey, salt and pepper so it has a “tangy umami” bite. Their chicken comes from Joyce Farms in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and is hormone, steroid and antibiotic-free, and definitely tasted juicier than any fastchicken I’ve had to date. Also available on the menu are two salads, a vegetarian sandwich and two kids’ meals. (Leyla Shokoohe)

CLASSES & EVENTS WEDNESDAY 01

Cupcake and Beer Pairing at Streetside — 3 Sweet Girls Cakery heads to Streetside for an evening of mini cupcakes and beer pairings. 6-8 p.m. $15. Streetside Brewery, 4003 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum, facebook.com/ streetsidebrewery. Game of Thrones Discussion at The Mercer OTR — Head to the Mercer to discuss the most recent episode of Game of Thrones over a menu inspired by Dorne. Dorne has a Mediterranean-like climate, so expect charcuterie with ripe cheese, dried fruit and olives, plus plenty of wine. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $20. The Mercer OTR, 1324 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook. com/themercerotr.

THURSDAY 02

Garten Grill Out — Every Thursday, head to Findlay Market’s Biergarten for access to a free grill and basic equipment. Grab your own meat, veggies and more from the market and then cook it yourself. Beer is available. The Market House closes at 6 p.m. and grills are available until 8 p.m. 4-8 p.m. Free admission. Findlay Market Biergarten, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/findlaymarket. Cincinnati Cocktail + Spirits Tour — Riverside Food Tours hosts this pub crawl to different downtown gems, from the Bar at Palm Court to the 21c Museum Hotel to Mita’s. Each tour includes cocktails, wine, beer and tastings. 4:30-7 p.m. $79. Book a tour at riversidefoodtours.com.

SATURDAY 04

Derby Day at Laurel Court — The College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation is celebrating Derby Day with themed catering, live and silent auctions, a hat contest and other Derby games and a complimentary cocktail hour featuring beer, wine and mint juleps. 5 p.m. $75-$85. Laurel Court, 5870 Belmont Ave., College Hill, chcurc.com. Cincy-Cinco — Head to Fountain Square for this Latinx cultural fest featuring children’s games and activities, Salsa bands, traditional dancing and the return of Tacopolis, a collection of authentic Latinx restaurants like The Arepa Place, Mashed Roots, Che, Empanadas Aqui and more. Noon-11 p.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown, cincy-cinco.com. Rouladen Dinner at Mecklenburg Gardens — Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann will be giving a presentation about Cincinnati’s German heritage followed by a traditional rouladen dinner (bacon, onion, mustard and pickles wrapped in sliced beef) with sides and dessert. 6-8:30 p.m. $25. Mecklenburg Gardens, 302 E. University Ave., Corryville, facebook.com/mecklenburg. gardens.

SUNDAY 05

Brink Beer & Yoga — Head to Brink for Cinco de Mayo yoga and beer. The cost of the hour-long yoga session

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May Tea Dance — Head to the 21c Museum Hotel for May’s Tea Dance, the monthly Sunday Funday LGBTQ dance party that features House music and fun cocktails. 4-7 p.m. Free. 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown, facebook. com/teadancecinci. Cinco de Gato — Tokyo Kitty hosts this benefit for the Texas Ocelots at Viva the Ocelot. The Cincinnati Zoo’s Cat Ambassador Program will be at the bar from 5-5:30 p.m. with an ocelot from the zoo, and merch will be available for purchase. 5-9 p.m. Free admission. Tokyo Kitty, 575 Race St., Downtown, facebook.com/ thattokyobar. Flying Pig Roast at Streetside — Streetside Brewery is hosting a Flying Pig roast to celebrate the completion of the marathon on Sunday. Runners with medals will get private seating. Tickets get you pork and two sides. 1-6 p.m. $12. Streetside Brewery, 4003 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum, facebook.com/streetsidebrewery.

TUESDAY 07

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LouVino Wine Class: Race for the Rosés — Celebrate National Rose Month by tasting different rosés. Learn how different rosés are made and which grapes are used while enjoying light snacks. If you stay for dinner, get 10 percent off your meal. 6:30-8 p.m. $30. LouVino OTR, 1142 Main St., Overthe-Rhine, facebook.com/ LouVinoOTR.

Sundry and Vice Fourth Anniversary — The bar celebrates their fourth birthday with a fundraiser for Planned Parenthood and Living With Change. Every single dime from the evening will go to the orgs. 4 p.m. Sundry and Vice, 18 W. 13th St., Overthe-Rhine, facebook.com/ sundryandvice.

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Cinco de Mayo Dinner Party at Schwartz’s Point — Head to the Jazz club for spicy margaritas, live music and a buffet with meat and veggie tacos, enchiladas, salad and more. 6:30-10:30 p.m. $25 advance; $30 May 3-5. Schwartz’s Point, 1901 Vine St., Over-theRhine, facebook.com/ schwartzspoint.

also includes a pint of beer. Bring your own mat and water. 11 a.m.-noon. $20. Brink Brewing Co., 5905 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, facebook.com/brinkbrewing.

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Exploring the Outer Reaches at Rhinegeist — The Cincinnati Observatory will be at Rhinegeist with meteorites and a functional telescope for rooftop stargazing. You can also discover your beer zodiac at the Alestrology installation while sipping on Outer Reaches sour beers and an “ethereal” cocktail. 7-11 p.m.

Free admission. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-theRhine, rhinegeist.com.

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FRIDAY 03

Most classes and events require registration and classes frequently sell out.

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JUNE 13–16, 2019

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MANCHESTER, TN

MUSIC Mutation Eternal Shape-shifting Electronic music project Black Signal returns with hot sauce, a new EP and a few more trademark curveballs BY N I C K G R E V ER

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final step reflected Black Signal’s dichotomous nature. The band plans on releasing Parallels with one final left-of-center idea. Rather than drop a physical release that will quickly land on a shelf to collect dust, a download code is being attached to a bottle of hot sauce handmade by Ogden and Thompson. Available in a habañero or ghost pepper variety — and each accompanied by an image of Ogden’s helmet or Thompson’s visor, part of the longtime futuristic uniform staple of Black Signal’s image and live performances — the unique marketing concept rounds out the theme of the unexpectedness running through the entire Parallels release. And why shouldn’t the EP be released on some hot sauce? Black Signal is a band defined by carefully calculated instability. They are constantly evolving and shifting to fit a mold that they alone can craft. They do things the Black Signal way and that way shows no signs of being locked in anytime soon. As Ogden put it, “Download codes on hot sauce, man… fuck it.” Black Signal hosts a release-party concert for Parallels May 31 at the Southgate House Revival. Visit southgatehouse.com for tickets and facebook.com/blcksgnl for more info on the band.

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are happy with for each individual section of a track. This odd writing style is made even odder by the fact that Ogden sometimes can’t even be fully present during a session. A realtor by trade, there is no such thing as a 9-to-5 schedule, something evidenced by the track “WINDBRKR 83.” “When my phone rings, I have to answer (it). I got a call in, someone put an offer in on a house, and I was like, ‘Shit, I’m not going to be able to have practice today, Joe. So just keep going through this,’ ” Ogden says of the song’s creation. “(As Joe jams) I’m up here thinking, ‘This is great, this is great!’ Every once in a while I’d yell down (to the rehearsal space), ‘Yeah, Joe, that!’ ” When Black Signal was ready to enter the studio, they yet again made an unexpected choice, deciding to work with local recording legend Mike Montgomery, who’s known primarily for his Rock sessions. “We’re a pretty complicated band and being in that studio I don’t think Mike Montgomery knew what to do with us,” Thompson says. “We were his first guinea pig into going into the Electronic realm, so it was a learning curve for both of us.” Once Montgomery was finished recording and mixing the EP, it was passed over to local Electronic musician and producer Daitek for the final mastering, ensuring that even the record production’s

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deconstruct them and make room for new drum riffs and new guitars.” That approach is where the EP title came from. The musicians tasked themselves with taking older tracks and reworking them to incorporate Thompson’s guitars as well as the voices of Von Claire and Eugenius. The group took Black Signal favorites Black Signal like “BLONDE DOG,” PHOTO: CHRIS KROMER “Control” and “Wax Heart” and rebuilt them into something that, while still familiar to fans, is more in line with the contemporary vision for the project. This led to some clever solutions, stitching old and new together by doing things like using Eugenius’ new verses in “BLONDE DOG” while still incorporating B-Rad’s original chorus. But the biggest shift was the amalgamation of Thompson’s guitars; though fans of Mala In Se may be expecting spastic, discordant riffs, Thompson actually had to learn what and when he could play in Black Signal and, more importantly, when to let the other elements breathe. “It’s a lot of me trying to sound like a synthesizer while playing guitar,” Thompson says. Even how the songs were written was nontraditional. With the many sonic layers involved with a typical Black Signal song, a jam session just isn’t feasible. More often than not the band members had to build upon each other’s work and understand when to back off if another member had a stronger contribution. Usually Ogden sits down at a computer and puts together the skeleton of a song, then brings it to Thompson to stitch together a Frankenstein’s monster of a track, a process punctuated by a lot of trial and error. Thompson will take Ogden’s initial output and keep “hitting the space bar” (i.e. restarting the recording software) until he lands upon something that he and Ogden

M A Y 1 -7, 2 0 19

alking into a man’s home is one of the best ways to learn about who he truly is: What he has hanging on the walls, what liquor is in his cabinets, what movies and books are on his shelves — all of these tell a tale. In the case of Matt Ogden of Cincinnati Electronic group Black Signal, the fact that he’s linked every conceivable piece of home technology into an Amazon Alexa hive-mind shows visitors that he’s really, really into forcing machines to do his bidding. It’s probably a good thing the machines are complicit in this subjugation, as it allows him to turn YouTube on with a few words. It has also allowed him and his bandmates to craft Parallels, a masterful five-track Synthwave EP that builds on their already diverse output. With Ogden as the only constant presence, Black Signal has been around in some form or another for almost a decade but has gone through multiple mutations throughout its lifespan. It first hit Cincinnati’s local music scene properly with the release of 2013’s single Lions and 2014’s demo Naudem. At the time the group was a two-man operation featuring various guests, with vocalists like Jess Lamb and B-Rad from the Breeze lending their talents to recordings. But in July 2016, change was yet again afoot and Joe Thompson of Cincinnati Noise Rock crew Mala In Se stepped in full time on guitar, a first for the heretofore all-electronic act. Longtime contributors Von Claire and Eugenius also joined the lineup along the way, although they may not even know — Ogden and Thompson hastily confirmed their membership during a recent interview. For a band like Black Signal, nothing has ever truly been set in stone. From the beginning, Ogden had always envisioned the band having live instruments to accompany his synths and other Electronic staples, so having Thompson involved in the creation of Parallels was a dream come true. But it came with some unexpected nightmares, as well. “At this point I consider the computer to be the unofficial fifth member so to have live drums and guitar and transition into this live element is super awesome,” Ogden says. “But then to take these songs that we have and love, we completely had to

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40 C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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SPILL IT

R.I.P. Ashley Peacock (1978–2019) BY M I K E B R EEN

BY M I K E B R EE N

Moby Thinks He “KnobTouched” Trump

In an extremely odd brag, Dance music legend Moby says that in 2001 he pulled his “flaccid penis” out at a party (“mainly full of businessmen and real-estate developers”) and covertly attempted to rub it on now-President Donald Trump. Moby’s story — which, technically, sounds like sexual assault — is apparently part of his new memoir that was excerpted in the UK’s The Sunday Times and is full of tawdry tales of excess from his past. To be fair, he said he only thinks he “knob-touched” the future prez — though it was his intent, he’s unsure if his, uh, knob actually grazed Trump’s jacket.

Kate Smith Backlash

A statue outside of pro hockey team the Philadelphia Flyers’ arena of 1930s superstar singer Kate Smith has been removed over allegations of racism. The accusations recently began after some pointed out Smith songs like “That’s Why the Darkies Were Born,” as well as a 1939 ad she appeared in featuring a “mammy” character. The Flyers (and baseball’s New York Yankees) had earlier removed Smith’s version of “God Bless America” (the most well-known rendition of the classic song) from its game playlists due to the allegations.

Chris Brown: Still Scummy

| C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Indie/Electronic group Chvrches recently issued a statement critical of marshmallow-headed DJ/producer Marshmello (with whom they’ve worked) for recording the single “Light It Up” with Chris Brown and Tyga, who they called “predators and abusers.” In response to the band expressing its disappointment, Tyga commented on Chvrches’ Instagram post about the matter by admitting to making mistakes. Brown, on the other hand, responded randomly to a “#FBF” post on the group’s Instagram account, calling the musicians “BUNCH OF LOSERS” and wishing death by a “speeding bus full of mental patients” upon them. The group also says it has been receiving death threats since posting the statement.

M A Y 1 -7, 2 0 19

The devastating news that onetime Cincinnati musician Ashley Peacock died spread across social media last week as friends, fans and fellow artists expressed their disbelief, grief and deep appreciation for the singer/ songwriter. Peacock died April 23 at the age of 40. A native of Flint, Michigan, where he’d been living again since 2013, Peacock had a big presence in the Cincinnati music scene when he lived here, beginning in the early 2000s. In the Ashley Peacock mid-’00s he fronted the P H O T O : A S H L E Y P E A C O C K . B A N D C A M P. C O M band The Times, which garnered some national attention. his creative talent. He loved marketing While continuing to perform, Peacock and helping other artists in their musical also worked to help other artists in the careers. He loved spending time with industry with Soul Foundry Studios, a family, taco nights, funny dances, and “creative development collective” based chocolate galore. He adored and spent the in Flint that Peacock established earlier end of his life with his fiancé Jaime Lynn this decade. Peacock often participated and her children. Ashley was a wonderful in lectures and panel discussions related father, and he loved his children more than to the music business; earlier this year, anything.” he appeared on the podcast Antipreneur A GoFundMe page has been set up in in an episode called “The Myth of Ashley’s memory, with the proceeds going Professionalism,” which offers an example to his children. Visit gofundme.com and of Peacock’s no-nonsense approach to the search “Memorial for Ashley Peacock” to biz. He never seemed to put money and donate. marketing matters over artistry. On May 2 there will be a “Celebration of Peacock had what is best described as Life for Ashley Peacock” event at Northern an “angelic” voice, riveting in its power Kentucky’s The Vineyard (7101 Pleasant and vulnerability. It had the same ethereal, Valley Road, Florence, vineyardchristian. haunting soulfulness heard in the late Jeff org) beginning at 7 p.m. Buckley’s voice. Buckley was an avowed influence of Peacock’s; late last year, he Local Music at Art Academy’s performed at the 21st-annual Buckley Birthday Shindig tribute at Chicago’s Uncommon Ground, The musical lineup for Friday’s outdoor delivering captivating performances of block party celebrating the 150th anniver“All Flowers In Time Bend Toward The Sun” sary of the Art Academy of Cincinnati is and “Everybody Here Wants You.” topped by nationally-acclaimed Indie Pop The video from the Buckley appearance artist Diane Coffee, but some of the Queen and many of the tributes on social media City’s finest local acts make the shindig give a good sense of Peacock’s endearing even more of a must-attend event. personality. He was kind, sensitive, honest Alongside a variety of compelling art and unafraid of showing genuine emotion. displays, a fashion show, an ASMR perforPeacock was also very funny, as can be mance by Crystal Tubes and other unique seen on his social media pages and in his offerings will be sets by Triiibe vocalist joke in the video from the Buckley tribute Aziza Love, Hip Hop artist Ronin Halloabout how he, as a Flint native, brought his way (whose anticipated six-track recording own water to the event out of habit. project Pressure will be released in June) In 2006, C.A. MacConnell interviewed and a pair of acts who performed at the Peacock for a CityBeat story about The 2018 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards — Times. In the piece he talked about the PHYSCO and Knotts (reigning “New Artist healing power of music and the sense of the Year” CEA winners). of responsibility he felt about sharing Friday’s 150 OTR Block Party is free and it: “Music is not to be toyed with. It’s very runs 6-11 p.m. at the 1200 block of Overpowerful. If we can keep some kid from the-Rhine’s Jackson Street, which will be cutting his wrists, then sign me up.” blocked off to traffic for the event. For more Peacock’s obituary in the Flint Journal info, visit artacademy.edu/150. says, “His musical talent and his wonderful Contact Mike Breen: voice healed thousands of people that had mbreen@citybeat.com the honor of knowing him and hearing

MINIMUM GAUGE

41

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Valerie June

Wednesday • Southgate House Revival

As Bette Midler so eloquently sang back in the early ’70s, you gotta have friends, and Valerie June certainly has plenty of the true blue variety. But the Brooklyn-based Soul/ Roots/Blues/Folk singer/songwriter is also a prime example of the importance of hard work and perseverance in pursuit of a career in music. As a teenager in Jackson, Tennessee, June helped her father — a construction company owner who also worked as a part-time Gospel/Soul/R&B promoter — by hanging posters for his events. At 18, June moved to Memphis and joined the city’s thriving music scene with Bella Sun, her duo with then-husband Michael Joyner; they recorded a single album, 2004’s No Crystal Stair, before breaking up professionally and personally. After Bella Sun’s dissolution, June shifted into her new role as a solo artist, learning a variety of instruments, recording two self-released albums and living the hardscrabble life of an independent musician. She caught a break in 2009 when MTV featured her in their online series $5 Cover, depicting the career struggles of Memphis artists, and that exposure led to the recording of her EP, Valerie June and the Tennessee Express, created in association with Old Crow Medicine Show. After June moved Brooklyn, New York, she was introduced to Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach by producer Kevin Augunas and the pair co-produced June’s major label breakthrough, 2013’s Pushin’ Against a Stone. The almost universal acclaim that greeted the album helped secure her Best New Artist Debut nomination at the Blues Music Awards in 2014, and her 2012 appearance on Later... with Jools Holland

Valley Maker P H O T O : V A L L E Y M A K E R . B A N D C A M P. C O M

helped push her singles “Workin’ Woman Blues” and “You Can’t Be Told” up the UK and European charts. In 2016, June began recording The Order of Time, for which she had written close to 100 songs before whittling them down to the dozen that she took into the studio with producer Matt Marinelli. The album’s first two singles, “Shakedown” and “Astral Plane,” featured vocals provided by June’s father, Emerson Hockett, who sadly passed away before the album’s release. June performed a triumphant set at SXSW a week after the 2017 release of The Order of Time, which garnered even greater accolades than its predecessor. June recently posted a spectral and shiver-inducing cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” on her website, hopefully the harbinger of more new music on the horizon of an artist that has not only proven her greatness but may well have just begun to explore its possibilities. (Brian Baker)

In the Valley Below

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Sunday • MOTR Pub

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SUN 5

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M A Y 1 -7, 2 0 19

| C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Valley Maker, the name of Seattle-based singer/songwriter/guitarist Austin Crane’s musical endeavor, brings to mind grandiose acts of nature, which probably shouldn’t come as a surprise for a guy who is also a Ph.D. student in Human Geography. Crane’s second and latest album as Valley Maker, 2018’s excellent Rhododendron, overflows with nature imagery, as song titles like “Planted in the Tall Weeds” and “River Bend My Mind” would suggest. Crane expands his Folk-based sonic palette this time out, no doubt aided by his longtime friend and first-time collaborator, Toro y Moi’s Chaz Bear, who produced and engineered several of the new songs. “Light on the Ground,” backed by programmed drums, horn swells and synth atmospherics, brings to mind The War on Drugs minus the guitar heroics. And the pensive “Be Born Today,” with its haunting backing vocals and reverb guitars, wouldn’t be out of place on a Black Angels album. The expanded textural elements enhance the mood conjured by Crane’s typically evocative lyrics. Take “Beautiful Birds Flying,” which opens with this scene setter: “Cutting off light/Like I would an engine/Walking through the night/Like I’ve gone missing/Missing from the place I live/Missing from my brain, I guess.” “I think how Chaz approached the rhythm section and auxiliary/synth textures in relation to my guitar and vocal parts really brought the songs into different sonic territories and created an atmosphere around them,” Crane said in a 2018 interview with New Commute. “I feel proud of what we did, really grateful to him, and excited to play the new songs live in this respect.” (Jason Gargano)

Western- and Electronictinged Dream Pop duo In the Valley Below formed eight years ago in Los Angeles and their latest album project has a decidedly cinematic flair, not only sonically but also in the very essence of the bold new multimedia work. Singer/keyboardist Angela Gail and guitarist Jeffrey Jacob released their first ITVB album, The Belt, in 2014, which was just a part of their gradual climb into the consciousness of the Alternative music world. The album’s single “Peaches,” which was actually first released in 2013, inched its way up Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart, peaking at No. 18 nearly three years after its first release thanks in part to remixes by Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and Passion Pit. After parting ways with Capitol Records, the duo signed with independent label Bright Antenna, released the Elephant EP and then set out to create their most ambitious project yet. As a companion piece to the pair’s just-released sophomore album, The Pink Chateau, Gail and Jacob crafted a unique feature-length film that explores stigmadefying sexual exploration. The duo’s tour for the movie/album (during which they play the music live alongside the projected film) has included a string of movie theater dates and visits to film-friendly venues like The Video Archive. Gail describes the film in a press release as “a fantasy of an inviting place where female sexuality is a beautiful curiosity and not a shameful secret. Free from the story of the woman being a slut or victim if she is sexual. I was inspired by the beauty of vintage French erotica and cinematic colors from the ’70s and ’80s, and pulled ideas from my own sexual fantasies and experience.” Crafting an artsy film to complement her music is fitting for Gail, bringing her full circle from her early days as a video store clerk. As she told Michigan’s Revue Arts in 2015, eccentric filmmaker David Lynch facilitated her early artistic awakening. “I used to work at Blockbuster Video in Muskegon and I got a copy of Fire Walk With Me, which was the Twin Peaks movie, and that was one of the first experiences that I had with something that wasn’t completely mainstream or commercial and it just completely blew my mind,” she said. “I watched it over and over. That was a moment that changed me creatively.” (Mike Breen)

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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SIMPLE. SPIKED. SPARKLING.

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LISTINGS

CityBeat’s music listings are free. Send info to Mike Breen at mbreen@citybeat.com. Listings are subject to change. See CityBeat.com for full music listings and all club locations. H is CityBeat staff’s stamp of approval.

WEDNESDAY 01

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big Band Jazz. $10. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Mike Darrah Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. MANSION HILL TAVERN Losing Lucky. 8 p.m. Roots. Free.

MARTY’S HOPS & VINES - Dave Hawkins and Peg Buchanan. 7 p.m. Celtic/ Folk. Free.

H

MEMORIAL HALL Lucius with Pure Bathing Culture. 8 p.m. AltPop. $31-$46.

MOTR PUB - Hillary Hahn with Anna Applegate. 10 p.m. Singer/Songwriter. Free.

H

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Enterprise Earth, Lorna Shore, Bodysnatcher and Within Destruction. 7 p.m. Metal. $12, $15 day of show.

H

PLAIN FOLK CAFE - Town Mountain with Cull Hollow. 6 p.m. Roots. $20.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - St. Stevns Choir. 9 p.m. Pop/ Rock/Various. Free.

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SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Valerie June with Parker Gispert. 8 p.m. Americana/Various. $30-$35. STANLEY’S PUB - Haunted Like Human, Peaceful Sorrow and Anna Applegate. 9 p.m. Folk/Americana. Cover.

THURSDAY 02

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ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Philip Paul Trio. 7:30 p.m. Jazz. Free.

H

FOUNTAIN SQUARE - Son Del Caribe with

BB&T ARENA - Justin Moore. 7 p.m. Country. $30.75-$59.75.

THE GREENWICH - Mambo Combo. 8:30 p.m. Latin Jazz. $5.

BLUE NOTE HARRISON Rehab. 8 p.m. Country Rap. $18-$23.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Phil DeGreg and Bruno Mangueira Quartet. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free.

BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - The Steve Schmidt Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

KNOTTY PINE - Kenny Cowden. 9 p.m. Acoustic. Free. LATITUDES BAR & BISTRO - Ricky Nye and Bekah Williams. 6 p.m. Blues/Jazz. Free. THE MAD FROG HUMORME. 9 p.m. Electronic/Dance. Cover.

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MOLLY MALONE’S IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT - Missy Werner Band. 7:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free. MOTR PUB - Ttotals with IdleAires. 10 p.m. Indie Rock. Free. PLAIN FOLK CAFE - Open Mic. 7 p.m. Various. Free. SCHWARTZ’S POINT Brandon & Carlos Double Jazz Guitar Experience. 8 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - The Go Rounds. 8 p.m. Psychedelic Americana Pop. $8, $10 day of show.

H

STANLEY’S PUB Loudhaus, Mockery and Maxwell Hedron. 10 p.m. Rock/Pop/Indie. Cover.

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TOP CATS - Satsang. 9 p.m. Neo Folk/Various. $12.

URBAN ARTIFACT Endless Chaos, Hot Diggity Daffodil and Smoke & Mirrors. 8 p.m. Rock/ Various.

H

U.S. BANK ARENA New Kids on the Block with Salt N Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Naughty By Nature. 7:30 p.m. Pop. $29.95-$159.95.

FRIDAY 03

ARNOLD’S BAR AND

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Lee Stolar Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

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COMMON ROOTS - Black Mountain Throwdown. 8 p.m. Roots. $5. FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Matt Waters. 8 p.m. Pop. Free.

THE GREENWICH - Rollins Davis Band. 9 p.m. Jazz/R&B. $5.

Diverse local Indie Pop quartet up+dn plays MOTR Pub this Friday to celebrate their new single release. PHOTO: PROVIDED

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Palm Court Serenaders. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

RADISSON CINCINNATI RIVERFRONT - Basic Truth. 8 p.m. R&B/Soul/Funk. Free.

JAG’S STEAK AND SEAFOOD - 3 Piece Revival. 9:30 p.m. Rock/Various. Cover.

THE REDMOOR - Mickey James and the Queen City Crew. 8 p.m. Swing/Jazz/ R&B/Blues. $10.

JIM AND JACK’S - Deuces Wild. 9 p.m. Country. Free.

RICK’S TAVERN - Blackbone Cat. 10 p.m. Rock. Cover.

KNOTTY PINE - Bad Habit. 10 p.m. Rock. Cover. LUDLOW GARAGE - Susan Werner. 8:30 p.m. Singer/ Songwriter. $20-$40. THE MAD FROG - Thelem, Onhell, BRWN BEAR, Ariosa, PHVNTMofficial, $quwa and more. 9 p.m. Electronic/ Dance. Cover. MANSION HILL TAVERN - Chuck Brisbin & the Tuna Project. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES - Wild Mountain Berries. 9 p.m. Americana. Free.

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MOTR PUB - Up+dn with Young Colt. 10 p.m. Indie/Alt/Pop/Rock/Various. Free.

H

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Fycus, POC, Inzitiv3 and B. Katz. 10 p.m. Rock/ Hip Hop/Electronic/Various. Free. PLAIN FOLK CAFE - LoopManDan. 7:30 p.m. Various. Free.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT Down Home Collective. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

H

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Yellow Paper Planes, Calumet and Adam Lee. 9:30 p.m. Indie Rock. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Lost Henry, Vermont and When Autumn Calls. 7 p.m. Punk/Pop. $10, $12 day of show.

H

STANLEY’S PUB Grass is Dead and Pluck Yeah. 10 p.m. Bluegrass/Grateful Dead tribute. Cover.

H

TOP CATS - The Score with Lostboycrow and Overstreet. 8 p.m. Indie Pop. $15.

H

URBAN ARTIFACT ElectroCult Circus, Vampire Weekend at Bernies and Dead Humor. 9 p.m. Rock/Various.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Rusty Burge and George Simon. 9 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

SATURDAY 04

Soul/R&B. $10. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Mambo Combo. 9 p.m. Latin Jazz. Free.

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Cincinnati Dancing Pigs. 8 p.m. Americana/Jug band. Free.

JAG’S STEAK AND SEAFOOD - The Good Hooks. 9:30 p.m. Rock/Various. Cover.

THE AVENUE EVENT CENTER - King Von. 10 p.m. Hip Hop. $25-$40.

KNOTTY PINE - Bad Habit. 10 p.m. Rock. Cover.

BLUE NOTE HARRISON - Stairway To Zeppelin. 7:30 p.m. Zeppelin tribute. $10-$15. BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - Garin Webb with The Steve Schmidt Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE - Bruno Mangueira with Phil DeGreg Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. COMMON ROOTS - Peaceful Sorrow. 8 p.m. Roots. $5.

H

FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER - Gina Chavez. 8 p.m. Folk/ Soul/Pop. $18. FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Dat Band. 8 p.m. Funk/Soul/R&B/Various GANO TAVERN - The Pandora Project. 8 p.m. Rock THE GREENWICH - Radio Black. 9 p.m. Hip Hop/

LUDLOW GARAGE Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook. 8:30 p.m. Carole King tribute. $20-$45.

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MADISON LIVE - Nekromantix with Rezurex and Brainiax. 8 p.m. Psychobilly. $20, $22 day of show.

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MADTREE BREWING - 500 Miles to Memphis with Sammy Kay and Current Events. 7 p.m. Rock/ Roots. Free. MANHATTAN HARBOUR MARINA - Corey Moore. 8 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

MANSION HILL TAVERN - Doug Hart Band. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES New Brew. 9 p.m. Acoustic Rock. Free.

H

MOTR PUB - Mardou with Science Man. 10 p.m. Post Punk. Free.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

CAFFÈ VIVACE - The Original Farm League Big Band. 7:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Tracy Walker. 5 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

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H H

BOGART’S - Welshly Arms with Castlecomer. 8 p.m. Blues/Rock. $15.

GRILL - Brother Hill. 8 p.m. Americana. Free.

M A Y 1 -7, 2 0 19

20TH CENTURY THEATER - BoomBox. 9 p.m. Electronic/Dance/Pop/ Jam. $22, $25 day of show.

Salsannati. 7 p.m. Salsa/ Latin/Dance. Free.

45

PUZZLE

H

MVP BAR & GRILLE Lift The Medium (video release show). 8 p.m. Rock. $10.

H

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Sexy Time Live Band Karaoke. 9 p.m. Rock/Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Kublai Khan with Left Behind, Vatican, Treason and Outcast. 8 p.m. Metal. $13, $15 day of show. PLAIN FOLK CAFE - China Catz. 7 p.m. Grateful Dead tribute. Free. RICK’S TAVERN - Top This Band. 10 p.m. R&B/Soul/ Dance. $5. RIVERSIDE MARINA BAR & GRILL - Trailer Park Floosies. 9 p.m. Rock/Pop/ Dance/Country/Hip Hop/ Various. Free. SCHWARTZ’S POINT - JJ Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

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SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Los Honchos. 9:30 p.m. Rock/Soul/Dance/Various. Free.

H

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Smoke Out 2 with Smoke Parade, Camper Clark, Dead Man String Band, Camper Clark and Tommy Grit & The Pricks. 9 p.m. Rock/Various. $5, $10 day of show.

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M A Y 1 -7, 2 0 19

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) You vs Yesterday, Starless, Pilot Around The Stars, Into The Skies, The World I Knew, Big Smile and Airways. 7 p.m. Rock/Various. $8, $10 day of show.

46

STANLEY’S PUB - Fox Soxx and Stratoscope. 10 p.m. Funk/Rock. Cover.

H

THOMPSON HOUSE Combichrist with Silver Snakes. 6 p.m. Industrial Metal. Cover.

TOP CATS - Cal Scruby. 9 p.m. Hip Hop. Sold out.

H

URBAN ARTIFACT Wolftooth, Blind Scryer, Cult of Sorrow and Blessed

Black. 8 p.m. Metal. $5. WASHINGTON PLATFORM - 33rd Anniversary Oyster Roast with Buffalo Ridge Jazz Band and Pat Kelly Quartet. 4 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

H

WOODWARD THEATER - Film School with Mint Field and Soften. 9 p.m. Indie Rock. $10, $12 day of show.

SUNDAY 05

BOGART’S - Granger Smith. 8 p.m. Country. $25.

THE COMET - The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars. 7:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free.

H

THE GREENWICH - PsychoAcoustic Orchestra. 7 p.m. Jazz. $13.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Jazz Brunch with Rob Allgeyer. 10:30 a.m. Jazz. Free. LATITUDES BAR & BISTRO - BlueBirds. 8 p.m. Rock/R&B. Free.

WESTSIDE VENUE - Blues Jam with Jimmy D. Rodgers and Lil Al Thomas. 7 p.m. Blues. Free.

1. Stories with too many characters to keep track of

MONDAY 06

10. Mobil stuff

BOGART’S - LANY. 8 p.m. AltPop. $38. CAFFĂˆ VIVACE - Matt Tolentino. 7:30 p.m. Jazz HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Peter Gemus Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. MANSION HILL TAVERN Open Acoustic Jam. 8 p.m. Acoustic. Free. MCCAULY’S PUB - Open Jam with Sonny Moorman. 7 p.m. Blues/Various. Free.

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Jon Redell. 8 p.m. Blues. Free. BLIND LEMON - Nick Tuttle. 8:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

H H

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL - Music Live@Lunch with Red Cedars. 12:10 p.m. Americana. Free.

H H

THE VIDEO ARCHIVE In the Valley Below (film screening/live performance). 7 p.m. Dream Pop. Free.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Traditional New Orleans Jazz Brunch with 2nd Line Jazz Trio. 11:30 a.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

15. Labour party’s symbol 16. CX-9 maker 17. Where one’s buds hang? 18. “Frozen� cosplayer’s choice 19. Cheap thriller about tubular pasta? 22. AKA in an LLC 24. Young miss

26. Some mythical birds

CAFFĂˆ VIVACE - Lynne Scott, Lee Stolar and Lou Lausche. 7:30 p.m. Jazz

TOP CATS - Cal Scruby. 9 p.m. Hip Hop. $15.

14. Australia’s national gemstone

TUESDAY 07

MANSION HILL TAVERN - Open Jam with Deb Ohlinger. 6 p.m. Blues

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - The Small Glories. 7:30 p.m. Folk/Roots. $12, $15 day of show.

13. To no ___

25. 1972 Bill Withers hit

H

SCHWARTZ’S POINT - Cinco de Mayo Dinner Party with CinciSon Latin Band. 6:30 p.m. Latin/Jazz. $25.

6. Be in sync (with)

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - The Qtet. 9 p.m. Rock/Funk/ Jazz/Various. Free.

MANHATTAN HARBOUR MARINA - Dr. Hue. 1 p.m. Rock. Free.

MOTR PUB - Valley Maker with Turtledoves. 8 p.m. Indie Folk. Free.

AC R O S S

BOGART’S - JOHNNYSWIM. 8 p.m. $27.50.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Pat Kelly Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. LUDLOW GARAGE - Marcus Rezak featuring Jeff Franca. 8:30 p.m. Rock. $12-$20.

H

SITWELL’S - Izzy Heltai. 7:30 p.m. Singer/ Songwriter. Free.

STANLEY’S PUB - Trashgrass Troubadours with Tough Old Bird. 8 p.m. Bluegrass. Cover.

H

TOP CATS - Epic Beard Men with Raised X Wolves. 8 p.m. Hip Hop. Cover.

SEE CITYBEAT.COM FOR FULL MUSIC LISTINGS AND ALL CLUB LOCATIONS.

Fusilli Questions BY B R EN DA N E M M E T T Q U I G L E Y

28. Coniferous tree 30. Was unconsciously loud

66. Senator’s evasive move

31. Proof of burning

67. Pluckiness

33. City due south of Stillwater, OK) 35. Modern-day car message that alerts when near pasta? 40. Cup name 41. Slalom Olympian Phil

DOWN

1. Esmail who directed “Homecoming� and “Mr. Robot� 2. DuVernay who directed “Selma� and “Queen Sugar�

42. Gets darker

3. Spanish cold soup

45. Busch Stadium insignia

4. Campaign assistant

47. “Narcos: Mexico� star Michael

5. urbandictionary. com fodder

48. Valuable string name 49. Testing spot 51. Conservative firebrand Shapiro 52. Down-at-theheel type who loves pasta? 57. Preposition made of two prepositions 58. Norwegian king name 59. Wear down 62. Lunchtime 63. Central positions 64. Latin lamb 65. Miracle-___ (amateur planter’s purchase)

6. Sinatra’s role in “The Joker Is Wild� 7. Device that comes in Pro, Air, and Mini versions 8. Sessions successor 9. Other word? 10. Green party advocate? 11. Take at face value 12. Closed up 15. Sports gear with a “B� on it 20. Negative vote 21. Dorothy Gale’s relative 22. Make an hour feel like a week, say

23. Cap’n’s mate

scale

27. Saliva or spit, e.g.

44. Leg band? 46. Fond du ___, Wisconsin.

29. Stands in shallow water 30. Alkie

50. Scrubs on the bench

32. Like some Sunday drives

53. Request to a librarian

34. “That’s life!�

54. Skin care ingredient

36. Dudes

55. Pool hall tool

37. Birthplace of rap

56. Logician’s word

38. Coastal bird

60. Swerver’s problem: Abbr.

39. Duke’s overseer?

61. Des Moines-toPeoria dir.

42. Enjoying a staycation 43. All-white key

L AST WEEK’S ANSWERS:

* & / ( ) $ 6 $ 0 , / , 7 7 / ( 7 5 $ / / 7 + ( 7 ( $ 5 < % $ , 2 6 $ 6 7 8 ' < ( 6 7 + < 7 $ & / 2 5 ' 2 3 2 1 < $ < ( ' ( $ / * $ 3 ( / 0 0 ,

6 : $ .

1 $ 2 0 ,

< 8 . 8 7 ( 0 ( 1

1 7 3 5 ( , 1 6 7 $ 7 2 ) 7 + 5 $ / , 9 , . ( 1 (

* 5 $ & ( ( 9 (

% / $ $ 0 6 0 ( 2 < ' $ $ 5 / 2 , $ / % ) / , , 5 $ 1 6 . , 7 $ ;

5 , 3 ( 1

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6 7 < ( 6

& ( / / ( 6

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DELIVERY CONTRACTORS NEEDED

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