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NEWS

Apartments (right) and a coming hotel in Mount Auburn P H OTO : N I C K S WA RT S E L L

Disinvestment or Displacement As development attention returns to Cincinnati’s first hilltop suburb, some long-term Mount Auburn residents find themselves facing the potential of a less-affordable future BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L

hen asked how long he has lived in his small basement apartment under the shadow of a coming Mount Auburn hotel, 66-yearold James Crawford produces an enormous brown accordion folder and begins pulling out pay stubs with the building’s address and his apartment number on them. 2000. 1999. 1998. He’s looking for one from 1989, the year he says he moved into the building. By his count, he’s been here for 30 years. But in a few days, he will have to leave. “I’m the oldest living tenant here,” Crawford says. “It was fantastic when I first moved in. Then things started going south in the community. It’s absolutely a good spot for me, though. Eden Park is right over here. It’s close to the bus line, I know people here. I’m working right down in Over-the-Rhine. Everyone wants to stay where they’re comfortable. “Leaving here is like leaving a part of yourself behind. Everything must go

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— including me.” LLCs affiliated with Kingsley + Co., the developers of the hotel across the street, purchased Crawford’s building and two others at the point where the road locals call “Short Burnet” narrows into little more than an alley. Crawford and several other residents CityBeat spoke with say they’re unsure what to do next. The 30-day notices to vacate the property they received at the end of December only list contact information for a property management company that residents say has not been responsive. Crawford is contemplating a stay in a shelter, if space is open in one, at least until an apartment that costs $500 a month or less opens up. Another resident, who asked that his name not be used, inquired about tent cities nearby he might stay in. Kingsley founder and president Chinedum Ndukwe says the investors involved in the property want to turn

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the Burnet Avenue building into workforce housing — that is, units affordable to middle-income workers. He did not answer follow up questions about the details or the timeline for that planned redevelopment. “We acquired the building in an ongoing effort to improve the available housing in Mt. Auburn,” Ndukwe wrote in a response to initial emailed questions. “My personal goal is to help provide safe and secure workforce housing in the building and other properties to combat the severe dearth of adequate, affordable housing in the area. Not one person was displaced in the building, and former tenants were provided the appropriate notice required by law that leases were not being renewed. For those facing challenges, there are non-profits that have capacity to help and are structured with resources for assistance.” Kingsley has pledged to fund a youth wellness effort in the neighborhood and to hire locally when possible with at least 10 permanent jobs paying at least $15 an hour. Ndukwe says the project will eventually create “130 direct and indirect jobs.” He also stressed that Kingsley is minority owned and involved in other affordable housing efforts, including a project to the north in Avondale currently seeking state tax credits and city funding. Measures like the workforce housing are generally priced for those making 80 to 120 percent of the area median

income — about $40,000-$60,000 a year. That’s well above the median household income in the Census tract containing the Burnet building and significantly more than the rents previously paid by the building’s residents. It is very challenging to build and maintain housing that rents for much less than that without hard-to-get subsidies, developers say. The workforce developments could help others in the future. But in the meantime, the low-income residents in the Burnet property have faced a mad scramble for a new place to live. In the building’s dim hallway, Crawford gives another resident named Clyde a copy of a list of places he has called in his search for housing. Down the list, next to each apartment, efficiency or “sleeping room” are handwritten notes — mostly the word “no.” One note reads “one year wait.” A couple of others say “call again” — not out of the question just yet, but dubious. “Everyone is like, ‘We don’t have anything,’ ” Crawford says. “‘Nothing available. We’ll get back to you when have something.’ But I need something ASAP.” One resident in the hospital with pneumonia did receive financial help from the new owners. Three others found housing via the building’s former owners, a company called Original Luster LLC that owns affordable and sober living housing in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. A few others found CONTINUES ON PAGE 08

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Praise Comes from Across Political Spectrum for Todd Portune BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L

Todd Portune, a Democratic former Cincinnati City Council member and Hamilton County Commissioner whose expansive vision helped shape the region, died at his Green Township home on Jan. 25 after a long battle with cancer. He was 61. Over his nearly three-decade career, Portune often focused on the big picture for the region. “Todd was surrounded by his entire family and passed with grace and peace,” a statement from the Portune family says. “Todd was a tireless champion for all people, and has left the world a better place through his long legacy of care and love for Hamilton County. Todd is survived by his greatest love of all, his children Ethan, Ellyse and Emma. The family would like to thank everyone who has expressed their support, and well wishes.” Portune’s successes during his time as commissioner came from a rare blend of profound tenacity, even stubbornness, foresight and the ability to disagree deeply without totally burning bridges. He was ahead of the curve regionally on many issues that are front-and-center today — LGBTQ rights, help for those experiencing poverty and housing insecurity, better transit and others. He had held his commission seat for almost exactly 20 years and was a city council member for seven years prior. He had also chaired or been president of a number of other governmental bodies, including the Hamilton County Transportation Improvement District, the Hamilton County Homeland Security Commission, the OhioKentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments and more. When Portune first won election to the commission in 2000, he was the first Democrat in 35 years to grab a seat on that body. Times have changed since then. The body is now all Democrats, including Commission President Denise Driehaus and Commissioners Stephanie Summerow Dumas and Victoria Parks, Portune’s former chief of staff. During his time on the board, he pushed to trim the county’s budget during lean years while at times dueling with the Cincinnati Bengals over the county’s stadium deal with the team. He also helped find funding for Cradle Cincinnati, an effort launched in 2012 to fight the county’s high infant mortality rate. When it came to the business of governing, Portune was nearly unstoppable. He once held a commission meeting in a hospital after surgery and, though he was quite ill, worked until just weeks before his death as commissioner before making sure his former chief-of-staff Parks would become his temporary replacement. “There’s no job that I love more than the job I have now,” he said upon announcing his retirement last year. “It’s what I am, it’s what I’ve been about.”

Portune pushed hard for visions others saw as overly ambitious, including a truly regional public transit system and shared services between the city and county. Those big plans sometimes put him at odds with other elected officials and, occasionally, some specific groups of county citizens. A move in 2018 to raise sales taxes to balance the county’s budget, for example, came under fire by antitax groups, who mounted a repeal campaign until commissioners backed off the tax increase. Portune showed he wasn’t afraid to engage those with different ideas. “He showed up at our signature gathering ‘party’ to face his political opposition,” Hamilton County GOP Chair Alex Triantafilou tweeted. “He was Former Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune bold and unafraid. P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R And of good humor. RIP Todd.” behind that effort. Again and again, that seemed to be Better Bus Coalition President Cam Portune’s way — vigorous, tenacious Hardy was one of the driving forces pursuit of his vision that somehow did behind that levy, and, as such, found not make lasting enemies among those himself at odds with Portune’s desire who disagreed with him. to delay a levy for something larger. Portune himself stressed as much, But Hardy also voiced deep respect for often highlighting the importance of Portune’s contributions and legacy. listening to other political viewpoints “Todd Portune is someone who dedieven as the county trended bluer. cated his life to people,” Hardy tweeted. At times, Portune also found “May he rest in peace. We will take the himself at odds with more progressive torch from here Todd. Watch over us.” segments of the county’s electorate. Portune racked up some big wins As transit activists began pushing during his last months as commissioner harder for a levy that would better fund — continued motion on a long-desired the region’s Metro bus service in 2017, new hotel and potential convention Portune — then county commission center expansion at the site of the nowpresident and a key vote for the levy — shuttered Millennium Hotel downtown, dug in his heels. the eventual passage of a .25 percent He had a bigger vision: a system sales tax to balance the county budget spanning three states, eight counties and the final handshakes on a onceand more than 200 local governments. fraught deal that made way for a music Levy supporters gritted their teeth: venue at The Banks. the sweeping plan sounded great but Like others, Cincinnati Mayor John would take too long to wrangle given Cranley found himself at times on the the lagging state of the region’s current other side of the negotiating table with transit system. Portune during the contentious weeks Three years later, activists prevailed when a deal for the music venue at The and voters will decide on a new Banks was being hashed out. The two countywide transit levy this year. finally worked out the city and county’s Portune eventually threw his support

differences during a Saturday meeting at Portune’s house shortly before he retired. “Tonight we mourn the loss of a giant in our community,” Cranley said in a statement following the news that Portune had passed. “Commissioner Portune was a force of nature, a visionary with a true servant’s heart. But most important, he was my friend and I viewed him as a mentor that taught me the importance of speaking up for the public interest. He said things that are true but most politicians were afraid to say. He had courage. May we all strive to live up to the legacy he leaves behind. Todd did not lose the battle, he persevered — as he did his whole life — to the other side. We will miss him terribly. Please join me in praying for the Portune family, may they find peace and comfort during this time of incredible grief.” Portune’s visitation and funeral services were held Feb. 3 at the Duke Energy Convention Center, after which he was buried in Spring Grove Cemetery.

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CITY DESK

Civil Rights Legend Nathaniel Jones Dies BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L

Internationally known civil rights advocate and Cincinnati-based former federal judge Nathaniel Jones died Jan. 26 at the age of 93. Jones sat on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals from 1979 to 2002. Prior to that, he served as the general counsel to the NAACP during the rocky height of the civil rights movement. Locally, Jones was a mentor to a number of Cincinnati political heavyweights, from Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper to Mayor John Cranley to former Cincinnati City Council member and current Democracy for America CEO Yvette Simpson. “I’m grateful to have worked with him after my first semester of law school in his chambers, to help prepare his archives, page after page of his global impact,” Simpson wrote in a Facebook post. “He mentored and advised me throughout my career, he was a father figure. I’m honored to have been shaped by him, to be a part of his legacy. The world is better because he served so selflessly to right wrongs and fight injustice whenever and wherever he could. He spoke truth to power, and he also got in the weeds and did the work.” Jones also lent his voice to local progressive causes, including opposition to the city’s Article 12, which forbade city ordinances protecting LGBTQ rights. Born in Youngstown, Jones left to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. He returned to his hometown after the war to attend Youngstown State University, where he

joined the local youth chapter of the NAACP and completed a bachelor’s and law degree. Afterward, he spent time in private practice before eventually being appointed the first AfricanAmerican assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in 1962. Jones’ career featured myriad highlights and acts of courage. During his stint with the NAACP starting in 1969, Jones worked to desegregate public schools across the nation, leading to some harrowing experiences with racial violence. Later, in 1993, Jones traveled to South Africa as an observer for the country’s first democratic elections. “Nathaniel Jones was one of the greatest civil rights leaders this nation has ever known, having worked with Thurgood Marshall during the Brown v. Board case, desegregating countless schools and institutions as head of the NAACP legal defense fund, to helping South Africa come out of apartheid, to ensuring individual rights as a federal judge,” Mayor Cranley wrote in a statement. “To be in his presence was to be in the presence of greatness. Knowing him has been one of the greatest honors of my life. In 2001, he helped me write my first major piece of legislation, the city’s racial profiling ban — that’s the equivalent of getting hitting lessons from Hank Aaron.” Visitations for Jones were held at Corinthian Baptist Church in Bond Hill on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30.

United Way of Greater Cincinnati Names First Female CEO BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L A Greater Cincinnati nonprofit serving 330,000 people in poverty across 10 counties in three states has a new leader, and she’s already making history for the organization.

Weir has served with HCJFS for 27 years and has led the organization for 12 years. The county department has a budget of $2.1 billion a year and employs 900 people.

On Jan. 29, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati announced that its executive board of directors had selected Moira Weir as the organization’s new president and CEO after a national search. Weir, currently the head of Hamilton County Job & Family Services, is the first woman to lead UWGC.

“This transition is an opportunity for me to continue my work around financial sustainability for families, but on a broader, more regional scale,” Weir said in a news release. “I look forward to leading an organization with more than 100 years of service to the community. I am passionate about this work and eager to start. You will soon see me out in the region listening, learning and engaging stakeholders, donors and community partners as we develop a pathway forward.”

“Moira’s commitment to community, diversity and servant leadership, paired with her ability to make a measurable impact, uniquely qualify her to lead United Way as we evolve our role and enhance our impact in the community,” said United Way Board Chair Elect Barbara Turner, who served on the search committee.

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Weir will start at United Way March 23. She replaces interim CEO Ross Meyer, who stepped in in October 2018 after the departure of thenCEO Michael Johnson.

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housing on their own. About eight other residents including Crawford, however, were still looking as of press time. If they are not out by Jan. 31, the building’s new owners could serve them with three-day eviction notices and call them into eviction court. It is unclear if the new owners were ready to take those steps at the time of publication. Michael Schiff’s Schiff Capital Group is an investor in the project at Burnet Avenue. He says the group is willing to help residents of the building. “We will never throw anyone out in the street,” he said in a voice message. “We’ll work with anyone who comes to us.” Residents, meanwhile, say they weren’t even aware the Kingsleyaffiliated LLC was the one who had purchased the building and say they haven’t had much luck contacting the property manager listed on their notices— a company called Live Cincy. The situation those residents find themselves in illustrates the complicated problems around housing affordability in Greater Cincinnati, especially in neighborhoods like Mount Auburn that have seen decades of disinvestment followed by a flow of new money into the community. In addition to Kingsley’s coming $14 million, 113-room hotel — which received a 60-percent, 15-year tax abatement worth roughly $2 million approved by Cincinnati City Council in 2018 — real estate interest in the Census tract where the hotel and apartments in question are located has heated up. Council member Tamaya Dennard called the tax deal “the right thing for Mount Auburn” when council approved it in October 2018. Mount Auburn was once the city’s first luxurious hilltop suburb and is dominated by a number of grand, historic mansions. But the neighborhood suffered from white flight and general disinvestment starting in the 1960s and absorbed many African-American families as they left the part of the West End leveled by urban renewal and highway construction. Many of those big houses on the hill were subdivided up into apartments. As in many urban neighborhoods, property values — and often building conditions — deteriorated. But as the neighborhood finds itself sandwiched between feverish redevelopment in hot spots like Overthe-Rhine, Walnut Hills and Uptown, things are beginning to change. In 2013, just 13 mortgages worth less than $2 million were approved in the Census tract where Crawford lives, which stretches along Reading Road, McMillan Avenue, Auburn Avenue and Dorchester Street in the northeastern part of Mount Auburn. By 2018, those numbers had doubled — 27 loans worth almost $4 million, according to federal mortgage data. Those loans went to applicants with a median income of $63,000, much higher than the neighborhood’s median income of $33,000. According to Census data cited by the city, 44 percent of the Census tract’s residents

are in poverty. Just down the road from the coming hotel, a house sold by its long-tenured residents for $42,000 in 2017 is now for sale for $210,000, and other houses nearby have gone for similar prices. All that investment and interest in the neighborhood is a good sign, many say. But it also comes with downsides for some of its lower-income residents. Just south of Crawford’s place, residents of two identical apartment buildings on Helen Street also purchased by Kingsley affiliates were given notice to leave over the summer. One of those residents, a man named Jerry, who asked that his last name not be used, had previously resided for years in a house a block away that had no running water and extensive water damage from a burst pipe. He was eventually told he had to move out two years ago. The house’s owner sold it last year and it is now undergoing renovation. Jerry, who has limited ability to work due to back injuries sustained after years of construction labor, struggled to find another affordable place to stay after he left the house. At the last minute, however, he secured a spot in the apartments on Helen Street. That unit wasn’t ideal, but it was a step up, he says. Except it didn’t last long. After receiving his notice to vacate over summer, he’s now on Beekman Street in North Fairmount, miles away from Mount Auburn, where he lived for years. Now some of his neighbors find themselves in a similar spot. Original Luster sold the building on Burnet Avenue where Crawford lives in December after a group called Burnet Investments LLC approached them. That’s the group of investors affiliated with Kingsley + Co. “Someone offered to buy the building, so we sold,” Original Luster representative Michelle Hart says. Hart says Original Luster has tried to help out as much as it can, but has a limited number of units. “As soon as we have new stuff on the board, we call the tenants we know are going to be displaced,” she says. “We had no idea they were going to be asked to leave.” Hart acknowledges the market is tough for low-income renters. That’s borne out by research, including a well-publicized 2017 study by Greater Cincinnati Local Initiatives Support Corporation, which found that there is a 27,000-unit gap in housing for those making $25,000 a year or less. “Our phone never stops,” Hart says. “There is a high demand for housing.” The conditions in the building on Burnet Avenue are variable — and, sometimes, alarming. During recent visits by a reporter, a side door to the building was off the hinges, allowing easy access to the building’s hallways, landings and laundry room. Crawford’s unit suffered occasional flooding, he says, and a square cut from drywall above his sink to repair a pipe hasn’t been patched in many months. Upstairs, large patches of mold fringed CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

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the windows of another unit on the building’s west side. Hart says the company stands behind the condition of the building at the time they sold it and that some tenants did not consent to the company’s biannual inspections. She says the door to the building had been replaced multiple times after it had been torn off the hinges, something residents confirmed. “I can’t tell you how many times we’ve replaced that door,” she says. “We tried every door you can think of.” Both Original Luster and residents there agreed that the damage done to the doorway wasn’t caused by tenants but by others who do not live in the complex. “They want to live there,” Hart says of residents. “They want a secure building. They aren’t doing this.” Not all the units are in bad shape. Whitney Bowden lives — for the next few days — in a unit on the east side of the building’s second floor. She says her oven has never worked, but her apartment is neat and clean, the walls a fresh white instead of the dim yellowgray as seen in some other units. Two friendly cats play on a climbing tree and plants hang out in various corners of the unit. Bowden sits on a mattress on the floor, surveying the last of her belongings still remaining in her soonto-be former home. Most of it — the artwork she makes, her furniture and most of her clothing — is already out.

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After receiving her 30-day notice, she began making time between her 10-hour shifts at her job at a manufacturing site to call around for new places. After several rounds of calls, Bowden ended up finding a somewhat more expensive apartment in Reading, outside the city limits. She says the process was difficult. The initial notice that the property was sold came only with a number for the property management company Live Cincy. “It was chaotic,” Bowden says. “Everything was short notice. They said they sold it and left us a number to call. It went to voicemail. I got the name of the company, Live Cincy. They left all these notes, but it was very hard to get in contact with a real person. I haven’t heard from them since January third.” Calls by CityBeat to the number on the notice went to a full voicemail box and were not returned. Emails to an email address in the voice message bounced back. It’s not the first move Bowden has undertaken recently. She moved into the Burnet Avenue building a year ago after rent on her former apartment in College Hill spiked by $200 a month over the course of a couple years. “They started building it up over there and our rent went from $500 or $600 to $800,” she says. “My goal with moving this time is to try to stay out of the path of all that, so I just moved out of the city entirely.”

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Census Efforts Kick Off in Hamilton County BY N I C K S WA RT S E L L Imagine if you were tasked with counting every single person in Hamilton County. That’s what the federal government — with the help of the city, county and a number of other organizations — does every 10 years during the U.S. Census. That once-a-decade effort launched formally Jan. 24 as officials push to count as many people as possible. Getting a less-than-complete count can impact a region in a number of ways. During the 2010 Census, Cincinnati saw a 70 percent response rate and Hamilton County saw a 77 percent rate. Those uncounted residents meant the region lost out on more than $3.4 billion. That money would have gone to everything from Community Development Block Grants that fund redevelopment efforts to safety net programs like food assistance. “From a moral point of view, there are people who need that (federal) assistance and who by the law are

entitled to that assistance who will only get it if we fill out the Census,” Mayor John Cranley said. Roughly 30 percent of Cincinnati’s population and 23 percent of Hamilton County’s falls into what the Census calls “hard to count” groups that include demographics from college students to immigrants. To that end, a coalition of municipalities, nonprofits and grassroots groups called the Complete Count Committee has come together to engage residents on the neighborhood level and make sure they’re counted. Chandra Yungbluth works with that committee here in Hamilton County. She says the way to a more accurate count is engaging those that have the trust of residents who fall into those hard-to-count groups. The committee has invited more than 250 organizations to participate in the “complete count” effort. The Census office here in Cincinnati will be going full-speed ahead on April 1, which the federal government calls “Census Day.”

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Queen City Bulldog Rescue Opens a Dog Food Pantry in Northern Kentucky By Mackenzie Manley

cross the river and into the heart of Bellevue is Queen City Bulldog Rescue. But don’t let the name fool you — they’re about more than the sweet, wrinkly dog breed. In December, the nonprofit ushered in a new initiative: a dog food pantry meant for anyone who might need help feeding their fourlegged family member. Following the closing of the Norwood-based Cincinnati Pet Food Pantry in the summer of 2018, it’s one of the only pantries of its kind in Greater Cincinnati. Housed in their headquarters at 707 Fairfield Ave. — where they also connect with fosters and volunteers; host meetand-greets, free lectures and various seminars; and keep storage and more — QCBR founder Chelsea Muenzer says the decision to add a pantry was an organic one. She estimates that they’ve served over 150 families thus far. With each passing week, she says the turnout grows both in terms of people actually utilizing the pantry and for incoming donations. It’s also drawn more awareness to their first-and-foremost mission. Founded in 2017, the foster-based rescue has placed over 300 English and French bulldogs in their forever homes and have over 200 volunteers in their ranks. “We have amazing followers (for our) rescue,” she says, “so once we (proposed) this notion of helping more than just bulldogs in this very

special way, everyone jumped on board.” Currently, the pantry is operating on a noquestions-asked honor system. For those who need help getting fido food, all they need to do is simply show up during open hours — the first and third Sunday of the month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — or reach out to make an appointment. If they have what you need, it’s yours. Muenzer says they have yet to run out of kibble, but they’re also hoping that they keep getting more food to keep supply up as word spreads. She adds that many of their dog food bags are larger, so they should last for a “good month.” Looking forward, they may implement a system where guests can get a free 30-pound bag every month by signing in. But for now, it’s first-come, first-served. When asked how it feels to be spearheading this kind of work, Muenzer gushes, “Talk about all the flipping feels!” They’ve received a warm welcome and outpouring of support for the pantry — so much so that Muenzer says it has taken the rescue on a “10-fold.” By that, she means that they’ve been able to connect with more people and bring more foot traffic to their physical headquarters space. In turn, that allows them to offer more classes, educate people about pet ownership and point them in the right direction, be it for training their canine or guiding them to other

local resources. For some, the pantry might just be the first step in the door. “We’re finding that we’re able now to keep dogs in their respective homes by offering that much-needed support that a lot of our neighbors need,” she says. “It’s just the most thrilling, rewarding (thing). Now that we’re doing it, it’s so hard to imagine the rescue without doing this.” The storefront itself reflects Muenzer’s emphasis on being a place that all dogs and humans feel welcome. Comfy dog beds lay about among chairs that appear equally as comfy. Their logo — a bulldog with its tongue lolling out as it wears a crown — fills one wall. Photographs of adorable pups hang on others. Muenzer says that they take a lot of pride in being a community-focused organization that keeps it local to the Greater Cincinnati area. “Obviously we’re all human and you can get sucked into a lot of the bad,” Muenzer says. “But this is a nice, friendly reminder that people are good, the dogs are good and we’re just so proud to have a really small footprint on people and their pets in our own neighborhoods.” Find more information about Queen City Bulldog Rescue and their pantry at queencitybulldogrescue.com.

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Affordable Care By Doctors Who Care!

Petscapes Resort & Spa is locally owned and operated by pet lovers. Located in the business district, Petscapes is super convenient for those who live and work downtown. We are a cage free establishment that allows your dog freedom while being groomed.

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Full Service Grooming & Full and Half-Day Doggy Daycare

Celebrating our 49th year working on behalf of animal welfare. Anderson Township Family Pet Center offers the largest selection of food, treats and toys in the tri-state area. We also have a complete offering of services for dog owners including: Nutrition counseling | Training | Grooming | Boarding & Daycare

119 Garfield Place (513) 421-PETS (7387)

Visit our store at 6666 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244 Monday - Friday : 7am - 7pm Saturday: 9am - 5pm Sundays: 12pm - 5pm

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Cincinnati, OH 45202

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(513) 231-7387

Feline Fanatics

The CatVideoFest screens the best viral videos and more at The Esquire Theatre to benefit Cincinnati’s nonprofit Scratching Post

By Mackenzie Manley

rom the dawn of online chat rooms to our ever-present social media feeds, humans have consumed millions of cat-related memes and videos. It makes sense, then, that there’s a whole festival dedicated to viewing such clips on the big screen. Described as a 70-minute “compilation reel of the latest, best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos and, of course, classic internet powerhouses,” CatVideoFest will have screenings across the country — including three February dates at Clifton’s Esquire Theatre. “We like to host it each year because we show so many films that (tell) really important stories that are on the heavier side,” says Diane Janicki, operations manager for Theatre Management Corp., which also oversees the Mariemont and Kenwood theaters. “It’s always nice to have a cinematic experience that’s also just for pure joy.” After a successful inaugural run at the Esquire last year, the theater hopes to make it an annual event, Janicki says. That popularity should come as no surprise. The virtual takeover of all things Felis catus stretches further than the initial cute factor. In 2015, an exhibit titled How Cats Took Over the Internet opened at New York’s Museum of the Moving Image. Curated by Jason Eppink, it attempted to understand the phenomenon of the lasting online popularity of cats. According to Wired, Eppink asked a central question: “If cats only make up a tiny percent of all online content… and are second to dogs in terms of online meme exposure (in the United States, at least), how do you explain the outsize amount of attention they receive?” The article points to Sianne Ngai’s book Our Aesthetic Categories, which links cuteness with capitalism. She suggests that when we witness something twee — like, for example, a frolicking pink-nosed kitten — we have an intrinsic desire to own it. This can explain the rise of celebrity felines — Grumpy Cat (RIP) as the premier example — who claw in their own hefty income. Dog owners have parks and trendy fido-friendly bar patios at which to gather, but cat owners don’t often have the same. The internet mimics that sense of community. Events like the CatVideoFest manifest it IRL. “There’s a real energy that takes place when a group of people are all experiencing something that they’re passionate about,” Janicki says. “A lot of patrons that come to this are clearly cat lovers

and they are people that watch cat videos at home.” Janicki likens the feeling to that of a sporting event — people gathered together through the bond of a common interest. And in this case, it’s also for a good cause. For every ticket purchased, 10 percent of sales will also be donated to The Scratching Post, a shelter located in Silverton, Ohio. (Every CatVideoFest screening donates a percentage of proceeds to a local animal shelter or welfare organization.) The Scratching Post has operated since 1990 with the mission of promoting the welfare of cats and kittens in the Greater Cincinnati area. Along with housing around 100 cats, Donna Bihn, the Scratching Post’s president of the board of directors, says they spay and neuter the animals, give them all of their vaccinations, test them for feline leukemia and FIV and place them for adoption. Fundraising events like the film fest help get their message out not only about spaying and neutering, but also their various initiatives — like CatSNIP, a low-cost spay/neuter incentive program that offers a voucher worth $40 for a male or female spay with the goal of reducing the stray population of local cats. “One female cat and her offspring left unspayed and neutered for seven years can generate a half a million more cats,” says Linda Rilea, shelter manager. “That figure is just outrageous.” They don’t have the capacity to take in every cat — nor, really, does any shelter. Still, from January to Nov. 1 of last year, the Scratching Post found homes for 256 cats. Accounting for the remaining months, Bihn says that number is “easily” 300. If you head to the Esquire for the event, keep an eye out for their table. Though not confirmed at the time of the interview, they plan to sell catnip bags, toys, etc. at the fest. And if you wander into the Scratching Post, expect to see kitties up to similar antics as the ones depicted at CatVideoFest. From pink-nosed babes scampering about to cats falling off tables and nailing the landing to all of ’em just being downright adorable, there’s a lot to love — both onscreen and off. The CatVideoFest screens at the Esquire Theatre 7 p.m. Feb. 22, 2 p.m. Feb. 23 and 7 p.m. Feb. 25. More info: esquiretheatre.com. If you’re interested in donating to or volunteering at The Scratching Post, visit thescratchingpost.org.

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Garrett Parsons Photo: Facebook.com/IHNGC 18

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A Helping Hand

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati’s Pet Support Program helps keep people experiencing homelessness and their companion animals together

By Lizzy Schmitt

ops wags his tail, itching with excitement to be let out of his kennel. But when he’s free in the play yard behind the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati, he doesn’t want to play — Pops wants to snuggle. The 7-year old brindle mixed-breed gives a little wiggle, indicating he wants some butt scratches. Garrett Parsons, IHNGC’s Pet Support Program (PSP) coordinator, obliges. IHNGC is an organization that provides emergency shelter and services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization offers hospitality at its center during the day and housing through interfaith communities at night. IHNGC’s team of dedicated social workers and volunteers also helps those in need find and retain affordable housing. For now, the center is Pops’ temporary home while his owner works to secure pet-friendly housing. Parsons and more than 60 volunteers keep him and their other animal guests happy and healthy during their stay. IHNGC’s mission is to keep families together, Parsons explains, and if that family includes a pet, they will shelter and care for the animal while their owners get back on their feet. Then, once the individual or family has secured pet-friendly housing, they will reunite them. “We take families as they are, and if that includes pets, we will take them,” Parsons says. “We are preventing families from suffering. And allowing owners to keep their pets is an important part of trauma reduction.” Parsons’s role as the program director of PSP goes beyond caring for the some 20 to 40 animals at the space — an assortment of cats, dogs and the occasional exotic pet, like turtles or snakes; it’s about the ethics of social work. PSP began in 2014 and started out modestly by caring for animals who were staying with families using IHNGC’s services. IHNGC’s executive director Stacey Burge pioneered the program but wanted to expand services. In 2016, she made the decision to bring Parsons on staff. He interned for IHNGC and has a degree in social work from the University of Cincinnati. Parsons used the foundation Burge built to convert PSP into a full-time shelter. They transformed the basement of IHNGC — which was already equipped as a day center for families — into an area with kennels for dogs, a cat room and pet supply storage with the support of PetSmart Charities. IHNGC also adapted part of the parking lot for use as an outdoor play area for dogs. However, the shelter is only meant to be

temporary; most of the animals stay for three months and then are reunited with their families. Over the past year, PSP has doubled the number of pets they are sheltering, Parsons says. He has worked to enact a foster program where he places pets in temporary homes to meet the demand. And in October 2019, PetSmart Charities again awarded IHNGC with a much-needed grant to expand their shelter. PSP hopes to go from caring for 110 pets per year to 250. Their approach to caring for families and their pets is something found at only a few nearby organizations. For example, Columbus’ Choices for Victims of Domestic Violence installed kennels for cats, dogs and other critters this past August; the national Pets of The Homeless focuses on feeding and providing veterinary care to animals whose owners are homeless; and the local Pets in Need is a nonprofit veterinary clinic. However, to Parsons’s knowledge, PSP is the first temporary pet shelter in the Cincinnati area. And the model is different. PSP temporarily shelters animals to help owners facing homelessness for any reason and also assigns owners a case worker to help them find pet-friendly housing. Parsons says many people might think that income determines whether or not people are pet owners, but research proves that is not the case. According to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association from 2019-2020, 67 percent, or 85 million American households, own pets. Parsons estimates people experiencing homelessness have pets at the same rates as the rest of the American population. “It is about redefining what it means to be a pet owner,” he says. The bond between humans and animals runs deep, which is why income is not a reliable way to judge who is likely to have a pet. “A lot of people will feed their animal before feeding themselves,” Parsons says. Oftentimes pet owners who utilize PSP are couch surfing or temporarily staying in a shelter. Most of the pet owners in the program had stable jobs and a home. However, some sort of circumstance, usually the loss of employment, caused them to become homeless, Parsons says. “When people think of homelessness, they think of people panhandling on the street,” he says. “That is just a portion of people experiencing homelessness.” Those are the circumstances Marine veteran James M. Cameron experienced last year. Cameron, a self-described jokester from Texas, had several apartments before he found himself at the

Volunteers of America (VOA) shelter. After 20 years of military service, Cameron struggles with a loss of hearing and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. To help him cope and function, he has two service dogs that he trained himself. Cameron, who is a first-generation American with family heritage from Scotland, comes from a line of dog trainers. He trained attack dogs for the Marine Corps and then rehabilitated retired dogs to be integrated into society. His service dogs, Raquel, named after Raquel Welch, and Rock, named after Sgt. Rock of D.C. Comics, have been both Cameron’s saving grace for survival and his Achilles heel. “Raquel, she usually knows when I’m going to have flashbacks before I do,” Cameron says. Raquel and Rock comfort Cameron through the worst of his symptoms while offering mobility assistance. Because of their breed — American pit bulls — many landlords and shelters will not accept them. Cameron lost two apartments because of altercations with people who tried to harm his dogs or landlords who wouldn’t allow them, despite their service dog status. “His story is unique,” Parsons says. “While we do not shelter his animals, we want to make sure they have what they need to help them through the transition.” PSP has helped Cameron fight for Raquel and Rock. Parsons helped get the dogs up to date on their vaccines and an attorney appointed to make sure shelters took them in. Now, Cameron and his service dogs reside in a spacious house with a fenced yard, a small victory for Parsons. Back at his office in IHNGC, Parsons calls a veterinarian to make an appointment for Rock before turning his attention to applying for grant funding for PSP. Parsons’s salary, veterinary services, pet food, pet toys and everything necessary for running the shelter is funded through grants. After Parsons finishes the application, he goes and checks on the animals, who are attended to by volunteers every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parsons finds Pops missing from his kennel. He looks out the window to find him in the play yard with a volunteer. “Each situation is different,” he says. “Some of their owners are elderly, some are family pets; it’s important to recognize that there are many different circumstances that surround each of these pets.” Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati, 990 Nassau St., Walnut Hills, ihncincinnati.org.

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12 Dog Parks By Morgan Zumbiel

Private Parks

ou love your dog. Your dog loves to play. A routine trot around the block will do on a regular day, but there’s nothing like ditching the leash for a good old romp through a grassy field, doing a doggie paddle through a pond or joining on an impromptu puppy party with new friends. Whether your local spot is just a w-a-l-k away or your pet could use a change of scenery, here are some Greater Cincinnati dog parks to check out with your best four-legged friend.

When your pampered pooch requires an experience a step above the rest, these private parks provide elevated amenities and fun for members and their doggos (for a fee).

Please note that general etiquette applies at all of these parks: clean up after your dog; do not bring an aggressive dog into the park; females in heat should avoid dog parks; your dog must be properly vaccinated. Most public parks are open dawn to dusk.

Otto Armleder Dog Park 5057 Wooster Pike, Linwood, greatparks.org Features: 10 acres, designated spaces for large and small breeds (less than 22 pounds), a canine shower, dog drinking fountain, benches and shade.

Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa 5081 Madison Road, Madisonville, reddogpetresort.com Red Dog’s Red Dog Park boasts three green acres of grassy play areas and rolling wooded hills for the ultimate outdoor doggy experience. With plenty of room to roam, the park also features walking trails, play tunnels and climbing structures and water fountains for worn-out pups and their two-legged companions alike. To enter, use a personal access code provided when your application is accepted.

Kellogg Park Dog Field 6701 Kellogg Ave., Anderson, andersonparks.com Features: Four acres, frost-free drinking fountain, an ArtWorks artist mural and entrance access system.

Doris Day Dog Park 3006 Westwood Northern Blvd., Westwood, facebook.com/dorisdaydogpark Features: Two acres, agility equipment, water hose and splash pools, picnic tables, shade and separate areas for small and large breeds.

Fido Field 630 Eggleston Ave., Downtown Features: Half-acre, shade, benches, provided plastic doggie bags, grass, turf and gravel areas.

Washington Park 1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, washingtonpark.org Features: Water creek, water fountain, benches, tunnel, granite boulders to pee on, astroturf, near the concessions stand and porch for alcohol and snacks (concessions are open in favorable weather).

Newport Dog Park E. Fourth Street and Providence Way, Newport, facebook.com/newportdogpark Features: A new location is coming this spring behind the Campbell County Library Newport Branch

with exercise elements, a separate small dog area, petfriendly benches and walking/jogging/strolling paths.

Wags Park 3810 Church St., Newtown, wagspark.com Energetic pups can play, run, roll and swim at the seasonal Wags Park (the season runs April to October). After tiring themselves out on the multi-level doggie playset (complete with ramps, decks and bridges), dogs can cool off under the Doggie Doge Dancing Fountain or in the spring-fed Lake Wags. The park is lit at night for extended hours and hosts Yappy Hour events and themed days. All dogs must pass a temperament test.

Highland Hills Dog Park 199 Mayfield Ave., Fort Thomas, ftthomas.org Features: Grass and mulch, wooded area, benches and a separate small dog area.

Summit Park 4335 Glendale Milford Road, Blue Ash, summitparkblueash.com Features: Grassy fenced area, dog-height water fountains, nearby observation tower, children’s play areas and restaurants.

Simmonds Family Dog Park 8715 Hamilton-Cleves Road, Cleves, greatparks.org Features: 11 acres, four separate fields including an all-season play field, shade, benches, agility equipment and a small dog area.

Kennel Resorts 5825 Meadowview Drive, Milford, kennelresorts.com Situated on a seven-acre wooded property, your adventurous furry companion doesn’t have to book a stay at doggie daycare to enjoy this dynamic play area/ waterpark duo. Cedar Grove features tunnels, a sand box and a play set. Dogs can take a dip in the curiously Caribbean-colored waters of Beagle Bay and get their paws wet under water cannons and a trickling waterfall. All dogs must pass a temperament test to join the park.

Wiggly Field Dog Park at Voice of America Park 7850 VOA Park Drive, West Chester, yourmetroparks.net Features: Separate areas for large and small dogs, benches, water fountains and drinking bowls, picnic tables and shade structures.

Schappacher Dog Park 4686 Old Irwin Simpson Road, Mason, deerfieldrec.com Features: 38,000-square-foot dog run and two separate areas for large and small dogs.

Symmes Township Bark Park 11600 Lebanon Road, Loveland Features: Fenced grassy area and nearby walking trails.

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A Tail of Two Cat Cafes Dayton, Ohio’s Gem City Catfé and Mason’s Kitty Brew Café blend fair-trade coffee, snacks and adoptable rescue kitties

og-friendly coffee shops aren’t an uncommon concept in Greater Cincinnati, but cat cafés — where you can both indulge in a cup of fair-trade brew and interact with free-roaming adoptable felines — are a completely different animal, so to speak. And we have two of these adorably caffeinated feline enterprises less than an hour’s drive from the city center: the Gem City Catfé in Dayton, Ohio, which opened in January 2018, and the Kitty Brew Café in Mason, which opened in April 2017. Cat cafés originated in Asia in the late ’90s and early 2000s as a sort of touristy respite for lonely and stressed urbanites; think pet therapy with refreshments. The concept then spread to Europe before landing in America, where the first café opened in California in 2014. But unlike the kitty petting zoos found in other parts of the world, American cat cafés focus on adopting out animals in need — and completely separate food/ drink areas. (Thanks, U.S. health departments!) “A cat café basically encompasses everything coffee and cats,” says Rachel Smith, general manager of Gem City Catfé. “We have a whole coffee side that the kitties are not on and then, through our nonprofit Gem City Kitties, it’s going to be a totally different cat lounge section. You can see the kitties through storefront glass, so if you’re allergic or if you want to hangout but not have

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the kitties crawl all over you and hang out on your laptop, you can just sit on the coffee side.” It’s a perfect mix for those looking to find a new pet in a low-stress environment — for themselves and the cats; for those interested in enjoying a cup of coffee while watching the antics of funny felines; and even for those who love cats but may not be able to own one for myriad reasons, even, as Smith says, allergies. And although they may have root similarities, each cat café has its own unique features.

Gem City Catfé The Café Gem City’s café not only serves coffee, tea and espresso beverages, they also have a menu of sweets and snacks, plus wine and seasonal cocktails — all of which you can take into the lounge. “You can bring any beverage into the cat lounge, you just have to promise not to share with any of the kitties,” Smith says. “They are very naughty and they will try to steal all of your food and drinks, so we actually put everything in catfriendly drink tumblers.”

The Cat Lounge “A lot of people come in thinking that they’re not really cat people — they’ve met cats before, they just haven’t met a very nice kitty maybe in the past, so this is a really good opportunity for them to come in and interact with the kitties almost in a home setting because the lounge is super comfortable and relaxing,” Smith says. “It’s kind of like a more one-on-one interaction with the kitties.” Gem City’s lounge houses 18 cats at a time (the amount allotted by the city of Dayton), two of whom are permanent residents and the rest

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of whom are up for adoption through Gem City Kitties. The lounge features “vertical enrichment,” a cat trapeze, a replica Wright Flyer (airplane), comfortable seating areas for humans and bar space.

Adoption “The coffee side is under Gem City Catfé; it’s our LLC. And the other side is Gem City Kitties; it’s our 501(c)(3) nonprofit we formed almost three years ago,” Smith says. “We work primarily with municipal shelters that have an open-intake policy, which means that any cat that comes to their door they have to take in. Unfortunately, if they don’t have a kennel spot for those kitties, those cats are euthanized because of space.” Gem City Kitties’s current goal aligns with the Best Friends Animal Society standards. “They are wanting the United States to be no-kill by 2025, so we are doing everything in our power to help them and help that be a reality,” Smith says. See currently adoptable cats and fill out your application online at gemcitykitties.org. After you fill out your application, you can meet with a Gem City Purrista to go over the app, adoption process and fees (there’s an $85 adoption fee to help cover the cost of caring for the cats). “We want the kitties to find forever homes quickly and easily,” Smith says. All cats are spayed, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before adoption. Full adoption details are online, as are kitty resources (including those for caring for community cats aka feral cats). Gem City also commits to a follow-up to help with any issues that arise within the first week of adoption. Gem City Kitties is in the process of expanding its mission of helping America go no-kill by 2025 by opening Gem City Vet, a low-cost spay/neuter and vet clinic for cats and dogs slated to open near West Dayton/Trotwood in summer 2020.

Reservations Regardless of whether you want to adopt or just interact with the cats, it’s best to make a reservation online. “The biggest thing is we always, always, always, always recommend is booking online before coming in,” Smith says. “We’re only allowed 12 people in the lounge per hour and operate on first of the hour reservations, so especially if you’re going to come during crazy busy weekends or evenings, which tend to be the busiest time for us, we hate turning people away because we don’t have space.” People can make reservations online and walk-ins are accepted if space is available. Cat

lounge entry is $10 or $5 for members (membership is $25 per year) and their guests. You must sign a waiver before entering the lounge for the first time. Minors must have a parent sign their waiver. Detailed information is available online. Gem City Catfé is located at 1513 E. Fifth St., Dayton, Ohio, gemcitycatfe.com, gemcitykitties.org.

Kitty Brew Café The Café “We have a wide variety of locally roasted, organic coffees and teas,” writes owner Jenni Barrett of the Kitty Brew Café in an email. The coffee comes from local Seven Hills Coffee and Kitty Brew also serves themed, creamy drinks like the Oh, Hello Kitty with strawberry and vanilla bean. The cat lounge is a completely separate space from the café — in fact, after you grab your latte or cat-shaped cookie, you have to walk back outside and in a separate door to enter the cat lounge.

The Cat Lounge “I saw a cat café pitched on Shark Tank and it sounded like a wonderful idea,” writes Barrett. “It took 18 months from idea to taking our first reservation.” Kitty Brew has 32 available cats in their 1,900-square-foot lounge, all of whom you can watch 24/7 on a live stream at kittybrew.com. “We get cats from Animal Friends Humane Society, Paws Cause, HART, His Hands Extended Sanctuary and Clermont County CARE,” Barrett writes. So far, she estimates Kitty Brew has adopted out 1,800 cats. “I love cats and dogs equally. Cats are much easier to house and a bit more predictable than dogs. Cats are also euthanized in shelters more frequently than dogs,” she says of why she chose to help the feline population.

Adoption If you’re interested in adopting from Kitty Brew, fill out a pre-adoption questionnaire online and bring it to the café or email it and it will be sent to the relevant rescue. Potential adopters will be contacted within 24 hours, unless the cat has another application. In that case, adopters will be contacted on a first-come, first-served basis. Fees are dependent on the different agencies ($10-$80). All cats are spayed, neutered, vaccinated, blood tested, treated for fleas and parasites and microchipped before adoption. More fine print is available online.

Reservations “We encourage reservations because we do get busy,” Barrett writes. It’s a $10 fee to visit the Kitty Brew lounge for one hour. Monthly membership starts at $40 and includes unlimited lounge visits and special café discounts. Walk-ins are always welcome and granted lounge access on a firstcome, first-served basis. Capacity is 20 people. Minors will need to have a parent or guardian sign off before they enter the cat lounge. Check out the online calendar for special theme events like cat yoga and discounted kids nights on Wednesdays. Kitty Brew Café is located at 6011 Tylersville Road, Suite 6-7, Mason, kittybrew.com.

Where to Drink with Your Dog By CityBeat Staff These drinking destinations allow pets in portions of or all of their establishments, as long as they are well behaved. Regardless, we always recommend calling the business in advance before you bring your furry friend with you. Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all dog-friendly Greater Cincinnati bars. 13 Below Brewery Named for its location 13 miles “below” Cincinnati, the space is right on the Ohio River and boasts 13 taps behind a 20-seater bar. 391 Forbes Road, Sayler Park, 13belowbrewery.com.

16-Bit Bar+Arcade 16-Bit has more than 50 free arcade games and a tasty selection of celeb-inspired cocktails. Dogs get drinks, too, with branded water bowls featuring sayings like, “Buzz, your girlfriend, woof.” 1331 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine, 16-bitbar.com.

The B List This friendly neighborhood public house represents a cross-section of the community. Dogs are welcome until 8 p.m., as long as it’s not crowded. 343 Division St., Bellevue, facebook.com/theblistbvue.

Braxton Brewing Co. Arguably one of the best reasons for Cincinnati beer drinkers to cross the Roebling Bridge into Covington, Braxton has made quite an impression on the local brewing scene. Dogs are welcome in the taproom, just make sure they’re out by 9 p.m. on weekends. 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, braxtonbrewing.com.

Brink Brewing Co. Feel free to bring your four-legged friend to this College Hill hot spot, named the Very Small Brewing Company of the Year at the Great American Beer Festival two years in a row. 5905 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, brinkbrewing.com.

the dark and unusual — like their Man on the Moo milk stout — served in a community-minded taproom. Man’s best friend is allowed indoors and out as long as they are on a leash and off the tables. 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, darknessbrewing.beer.

Mecca OTR

Fries Café

Milton’s The Prospect Hill Tavern

This hip OTR hideaway is a welcoming hangout for those interested in no-frills drinking and L.A. vibes. Dogs are always welcome, as long as it’s not too crowded. 1429 Walnut St., Overthe-Rhine, facebook.com/meccaotr.

At more than 90 years old, Fries is a laid-back dive-bar legend near the University of Cincinnati. Dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash (and you clean up after them). 3247 Jefferson Ave., Clifton, friescafeclifton.com.

Prospect Hill’s neighborhood joint is chatty, diverse and full of character. A great place to have a beer, relax and mix it up with the regulars. And many of those regulars include dogs, allowed inside any time before 8 p.m. 301 Milton St., Liberty Hill, facebook. com/miltonstheprospecthilltavern.

Growler House This craft beer destination is happy with their reputation as a dog-friendly hangout, so even if you don’t have a dog of your own, there’s a chance you can go there and meet (and pet) other people’s pooches. 1526 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, thegrowlerhouse.com.

Pins Mechanical Co. This multi-level bar has almost two dozen pinball machines and 10 duckpin bowling lanes, plus other “old school” entertainment. Dogs are welcome inside and out. 1124 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, pinsbar. com/cincy.

Higher Gravity Let their friendly “beeristas” pour you a flight, and don’t leave without visiting their growler and crawler station. Higher Gravity is kid- and dog-friendly. 4106 Hamilton Ave., Northside, highergravitycrafthaus.com.

Queen City Radio The historic Queen City Radio building has been turned into a well-manicured full-service bar and outdoor beer garden. Their expansive patio is the perfect place for a furry friend to keep you company. Or bring them inside. 222 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, qcrbar.com.

Hightail Mount Adams This hillside watering hole, inspired by mid-19th-century whaling clubs in New England, brings a warm welcome to everyone who walks in the door. But maybe the best thing about Hightail is that they encourage all tails — including dogs’. 941 Pavilion St., Mount Adams, hightailmtadams.com.

Streetside Brewery This brewery has developed a niche for having your cake and drinking it, too. Well-behaved dogs are allowed inside and on the patio. 4003 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum, streetsidebrewery.com.

Cobblestone OTR A no-frills establishment that feels like hanging out in a friend’s living room — if that living room had 15 different bourbons. Dogs welcome. 1132 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/cobblestoneotr.

Darkness Brewing This microbrewery focuses on

Liberty’s Bar & Bottle Offers the best of both the bar and the bottle with 20 rotating craft beers on tap and 15 wines available by the glass — including halfpours — along with retail. Dogs are welcome and you’ll frequently find several sleeping under their owners’ stools at the bar. 1427 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-429-2461.

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The Woodburn Brewery Armed with a lineup of clever brews, this bar frequently host fundraisers to benefit local pet rescues. Dogs are always welcome and will receive many pets. 2800 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills, woodburnbrewery.com.

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FIND YOUR NEW

BEST FRIEND AT OUR 9TH ANNUAL MEGA PET ADOPTION EVENT

FEB 15 & 16 SHARONVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

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Will you be that 1 in 10? Each year, 6.5 million animals enter shelters nationwide, patiently, hopefully, waiting to catch the eye of a potential adopter. But many Americans still get their pets from places other than rescues and shelters, and so an estimated 4,100 animals die in shelters every day. (Statistics reveal that there are over 10 times as many people looking to bring an animal into their home every year as there are animals being killed in shelters because they lack one.) If just 1 out of every 10 people bringing an animal into their family were to adopt from a shelter or rescue, not one single healthy dog or cat would lose his or her life in a shelter. Will you be that 1 in 10?

OUR STORY M

y Furry Valentine provides a forum for bringing together animals in need of a home with people willing to give them one. Since our inception in 2012, we have helped facilitate the adoption of more than 6,000 animals from reputable animal shelters and rescues, and our Cincinnati event has grown to become one of the largest animal adoption events in the country!

an animal rescue cause, we are one step closer to a day when there is no more shelter euthanasia, and no longer a need for a mega pet adoption. But until that day comes, we at My Furry Valentine are committed to our efforts to educate our community on the importance of animal adoption, provide resources to help adopters in their efforts to find their new furry family member, and to offer the opportunity in a fun, festive, family-friendly environment, for you to find your new best friend.

The need for pet adoption is great here in Cincinnati and nationwide. Every day, an average of 4,100 cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters across the United States. With every adoption, every foster, every spay and neuter, and every donation to

This year's event will be our largest one yet, with 25 participating organizations with more than 900 animals available for adoption.

When you make the decision to adopt an animal, you are saving two lives â€” the life of the animal you adopt and the life of the animal that takes its place at a shelter or rescue. Thatâ€™s pretty rewarding, and a goal everyone can support. Come join us February 15th & 16th!

To find out more about My Furry Valentine, please visit www.myfurryvalentine.com.

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MY FURRY VALENTINE

â„˘

9th Annual Mega Pet Adoption Event Saturday February 15th 10 a.m.-12 p.m. EARLY BIRD* 12 p.m.-5 p.m. (GENERAL ADMISSION

More than 25 shelters and rescue groups participating and over 900 adoptable animals under one roof.

Companion animals of all shapes, ages, sizes, breeds and dispositions. You're sure to find your perfect match at My Furry Valentine.

Sunday February 16 th, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Where Sharonville Convention Center Cost General Admission: $5/person, ages 5+

All animals spayed/ neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations!

Tickets available online at myfurryvalentine.ticketleap.com or at the door.

Early Bird Entry

allows access to animals in advance of the crowds. Vendor room open all day, both days.

Special cat & kitten subsidy program means that most cats will be available for same-day adoptions at a fee of

ONLY $10.

Saturday, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Early Bird Admission: $25/person $5/kids ages 5+ Admission Is Limited

Free swag bag for every adopted animal!

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ADOPTION 101 What is the difference between buying an animal and adopting?

If you’re considering getting a new pet, we urge you to adopt instead of buying a pet from an online retailer, pet store or backyard breeder. Note that many pet stores work with local shelters and rescue groups and have dogs and cats for adoption, while others still sell animals sourced through commercial breeding facilities, (aka: puppy mills). Please be sure you recognize the difference. By adopting from an animal shelter or rescue group, you are ensuring that you are not supporting and endorsing the inhumane puppy mills that supply pet stores and sell pets online. As an extra bonus, you are doing your part to fight pet overpopulation and save homeless animals from euthanasia. Buying a pet can easily cost $500 - $1,500, while adoption costs generally range from $50 - $250. At MFV, adopted pets have been fully vaccinated and their adoption fee includes spaying or neutering, and in many cases, microchipping.

Why do animals end up in shelters?

There is a common misperception there is something inherently wrong with shelter animals. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Animals in shelters lose their homes for a variety of reasons, usually having nothing to do with their behavior or temperament, but more due to the fact that their owners are unable to keep them for reasons including the novelty of owning a pet wears off, allergies, death of a guardian, a new baby, divorce, loss of a job, a move, change in work schedule, and other lifestyle changes.

How can I be sure to get the animal I want?

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the shelters and rescues that will be attending MFV, and determine which best fit your needs. Visit our online pet gallery at MyFurryValentine.com, (that already hosts dozens of adoptable pet profiles). If there are certain animals or groups that stand out to you, consider completing and submitting an application in advance for pre-approval. In some cases, you can even be pre-approved to adopt from a group without applying for a specific animal.

Is it hard to adopt? Why do they ask so many questions?

You’ll find that the application process and requirements for adoption vary from group to group. Please keep in mind that while shelters and rescues want to find homes for as many animals as possible, they also want to ensure that the animals find a lasting home. Maybe your future companion needs lots of space, requires a lot of exercise, prefers to share their home with other furry friends or needs to be an only pet. The only way to make the perfect match for you and the animal is to ask lots of questions.

What if I don't meet the application requirements?

At My Furry Valentine, we honor each individual groups’ standard adoption process as we believe they know what works best for their population of animals. If you find that you don’t or can’t meet a specific requirement (like a fencedin yard or a mandatory meet & greet with your existing pet), remember that there are many other groups there ready to help you. There will never be a better opportunity for you to find your new best friend!

What if I'm looking for something specific? You can find animals of all breeds, shapes, sizes and ages available for adoption. Nationwide, it is estimated that as many as 25% of dogs and many cats in animal shelters are purebreds.

Why would I adopt an older animal?

When you adopt an older pet, you avoid some of the challenges inherent in bringing home a puppy or kitten. Their appearance, behavior and health are already established so there are no surprises. Older animals at shelters need homes just as much as younger ones, and since many people are quick to adopt young animals, adopting an older animal may save its life.

Aren't there benefits to getting dogs from breeders because you know the animal's bloodline and family history? “First know that, as a result of their breeding, purebred dogs very often have genetic disorders and medical issue predispositions, certainly no less

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often than shelter dogs. Puppies born in puppy mills are usually removed from their mothers at just six weeks of age, denying them critical socialization, and housed in overcrowded and unsanitary wire-floored cages, without adequate veterinary care, food or water. Make no mistake: anything purchased at a pet store that sells animals—even supplies—is keeping this vicious industry in business.

Good breeders are focused not on profit, but on the health and welfare of the individual animals they handle, and we applaud that. But the plain truth is you’re helping to save and protect more lives if you make adoption your first option, so please match your open home and open heart with an open mind.” - ASPCA

Pets change our lives. So let’s change theirs. Six million pets adopted and counting. But we’re just getting started. Together, let’s do this! Learn more at petcofoundation.org

@petcofoundation

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Official checklist for new adopters Before the Event

Day of Event

Determine if you can afford and have time to take care of a pet and make sure that all family members are in agreement

Bring photo ID

Think through the kind of companion you want (small or large, active or couch potato, etc.)

Bring your veterinarian’s contact information if you’re already a pet parent

Browse our online pet gallery (myfurryvalentine.com) to begin your search

Bring proof that you can have a pet if you rent (e.g., copy of lease agreement or letter from landlord)

Read up on organizations you’re considering adopting from to understand their application process and requirements

Do NOT bring your own animals. Follow-up meet & greets will be arranged if necessary

Purchase basic supplies and ensure your home (and family!) is prepared for a pet

Have an open mind – the Valentine you take home might be different than the one you envisioned

Consider submitting an application in advance to help facilitate an adoption during the event

After the Event

Be prepared to cover adoption costs, which vary by group

Be careful when transporting your new animal home, paying particular attention when entering/exiting a vehicle and with open doors in their new surroundings Set your pet up with the shelter, food and toys it needs to be comfortable in your home Pet-proof the space your new pet will be spending his time Give your new companion time and training to adjust to their new surroundings

Be patient – finding the perfect match takes time!

Notes:

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MY FURRY VALENTINE

™

Thank you to our sponsors!

SPONSORS

PhoDOGrapher Pet Photography Petco Foundation

Clermont Animal CARE Humane Society Franklin County Humane Society

VENDORS

Cincinnati Reds

Furgotten Dog Rescue

Bath Fitter

United Dairy Farmers

HART

Bear Bones Bakery

BOBS from Skechers

Helping Animals Lost and Orphaned (HALO)

Best Friends Pet Hotel

Joseph’s Legacy

PARTNERS

League for Animal Welfare

CityBeat

Liberty Acres United Rescue Animal Sanctuary

Mix 94.9

SHELTERS & RESCUE GROUPS Adore-A-Bull Rescue

Animal Adoption Foundation Animal Care Alliance Animal Friends Humane Society Ashland Animal Rescue Fund

Off Leash K9 Training

Animal Ark Pet Resort

TEN

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

NatrixOne

All American Gutter Protection

Fred’s Mission Rescue and Sanctuary

Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders

Mud Pups Training

Pet Suites of America

Animal Care Center

Pet Valu PetPeople Pugalicious Pet Treats Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa

Bowsers Bandanas

State Farm Insurance

Camp Bow Wow

Tailwaggers Doggy Daycare

Champion Windows

The Dog Cave

Deb Marvin Art

Tulip Tree

Dog N Frog

Wags Park & Daycare

Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue

DogWatch Hidden Fences

Purrfect Friends Cat Rescue

Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Pet Foods

Racing to Retirement Greyhound Adoption

Earthwise Pet

Save the Animals Foundation

Invisible Fence Brand of Cincinnati

Scott County Humane Society SPCA Stray Haven The Paws Cause Rescue

Cincinnati Pit Crew

Evendale-Blue Ash Pet Hospital Kitchen Saver Lovin’ Tails MaiRo & Co. - Dog Treat Bakery MedVet Cincinnati Midwestern Pet Foods Milo’s Wish Mr. Roof

ADVOCATE GROUPS

Care Center Animal Blood Bank Cincinnati Chapter of the National Canine Cancer Foundation Ohio Police K9 Memorial TEN The Humane Society of the US United Pet Fund

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26th annual

february 22-23, 2020 sharonville convention center â€˘ exit #15 off I-75

70 vintage modern dealers from across the u.s.

show hours: sat & sun 11-5 $8 admission good both days

java preview saturday 9 am - 11 am $25 advance, $35 at the door

special exhibit: modernist mud â€“ ohio formed and fired

20thcenturycincinnati.com media partners:

20th Cincy_9.25x12_cb_2-5.indd 1

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2/1/20 10:23 AM

TO DO

From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead P H OTO : B E H R I N G E R C R AW F O R D M U S E U M

WEDNESDAY 05

ONSTAGE: Playhouse in the Park’s Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story tells the tale of the Rock & Roll sensation via mini concerts and vignettes. See review on page 45.

ART: From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead at the Behringer-Crawford Museum Covington’s Behringer-Crawford Museum has basically found a way to turn back time by displaying four of superstar singer/ actress Cher’s detailed and glittering beaded costumes from the 1960s and 1970s. Worn by the mononymous Goddess of Pop during concerts as well as appearances on the Sonny & Cher Show, the outfits were designed by the legendary Bob Mackie — the fashion icon who has created looks for seminal divas of stage, screen and song including Bette Midler, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, RuPaul and Elton John. The dazzling vintage numbers will be exhibited as part of the museum’s From Rituals to Runways: The Art of the Bead, which examines “the art and integral roles that beads have played in society over the centuries, from prayer and devotion, to art, fashion and décor.” It’s the perfect Mermaids-style appetizer to Cher’s Cincinnati stop of her “Here We Go Again Tour,” which comes to downtown’s Heritage Bank Center on April 7. Through May 10. $9 adults; $8 seniors; $5 kids; free for members. The Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Devou Park, Covington, bcmuseum.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

THURSDAY 06

ONSTAGE: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s All the Way is a political thriller set in 1964. See review on page 44.

ONSTAGE: The Moth Mainstage The Moth, a curated storytelling event that

originated “on a back porch in small-town Georgia” more than 20 years ago, has spent the past couple decades sharing more than 40,000 stories via its live events, podcast and Public Radio Exchange’s Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour. This week, The Moth Mainstage comes to Memorial Hall for an evening of riveting and true personal tales that play off of a specific theme. Five individuals — Phill Branch, Patience Carter, Ruby Cooper, Frimet Goldberger and Samuel James, according to The Moth’s website — will take the stage to spin stories that have evolved from the concept of “Ether: Mediators and make-believers, betwixt and between.” This event is currently sold-out, so hopefully you know someone with tickets. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday Feb. 7. $28-$48. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, memorialhallotr.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Friends of the Public Library Winter Used Book Sale The Friends of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is hosting its annual, gigantic winter sale in its used book warehouse to raise funds for the public library. And the affordable items aren’t limited to those of the luddite variety — shoppers can expect to find all types of media, from CDs and DVDs to games, puzzles and gifts. Staffed by volunteers, the stock is constantly changing and there are daily surprises, where different items will be discounted. Members day is Sunday, when current members get 50 percent off. 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday, Feb. 7; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9. Free admission. The Friends’ Used Book Store at the Warehouse, 8456 Vine St., Hartwell, cincylibraryfriends.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

FRIDAY 07

MUSIC: Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats

plays the Fairfield Community Arts Center. See Sound Advice on page 56. MUSIC: The Motels play “Totally 80’s Live” at Bogart’s. See Sound Advice on page 56. CLASSICAL: The CSO performs whimsical childhood opera L’enfant et les Sortilèges. See feature on page 43. EVENT: Bockfest Sausage Queen Prelims at Mecklenburg Gardens The 28th-annual Bockfest — an annual celebration of spring, bock beer and the city’s brewing heritage — takes over downtown and Over-the-Rhine Feb. 28-March 1 with a plethora of activities, starting with a parade that steps off from downtown’s Arnold’s Bar & Grill. Each year, the gender-neutral Bockfest Sausage Queen has the honor of leading the Bockfest parade — along with some guys dressed like monks walking with a goat pulling a keg of bock beer — carrying a symbolic tray of bockwurst. In the weeks leading up to the Bockfest festival, there is a series of Bockfest Sausage Queen preliminary competitions. And the third preliminary competition will be held at Mecklenburg Gardens Friday (get sign-up details online). There are three rounds — a Q&A, sausage tray modeling and a talent portion — during which potential Queens are judged on their personality, presence and talent. The winners of the Sausage Queen preliminary rounds will compete in the finals on Feb. 29 at Bockfest Hall to see who will be crowned the Sausage Queen (and Beard Baron — we have one of those, too; it’s a guy or gal with the best facial hair) to lead the 2021 parade. 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7. Free admission. Mecklenburg Gardens, 302 E. University Ave., Corryville, bockfest.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO

SATURDAY 08

COMEDY: Ben Bailey Comedian Ben Bailey is probably most recognized as the host of Cash Cab, the

popular game show that was resurrected this past year. However, he’s also had a solid career as a headlining stand-up comic and has started dabbling in music. In 2019, he released an album under an assumed name, which he refused to share with CityBeat. “I want the music to stand on its own,” he says. On the comedy front, he still writes about whatever strikes him as funny. “I’ve got a bit on people asking, ‘Hot enough for ya?’ I have section on why people are building houses for birds,” he says. “It’s just random stuff that I find funny.” With 65 new episodes of Cash Cab in the can and airing on Bravo, Bailey plans to be on the road roughly every other weekend this year, including a stop at Bogart’s. Locally-based Kelly Collette features. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets start at $35. Bogart’s, 2621 Vine St, Corryville, bogarts. com. — P.F. WILSON ART: An Ode to Bill Murray at Artifact Gallery Actor Bill Murray — a man enshrouded in his own mythos — will soon have a pop-up art show dedicated to his likeness in Cincinnati. Dubbed An Ode to Bill Murray, Newport’s Artifact Gallery will play host to a free one-night-only art show featuring works entirely inspired by The Murricane. The exhibit will feature art from 12 local artists and is produced by PopUp Gallery. The same group — Pop-Up Gallery — has been behind several other shows in Greater Cincinnati, including a weekend exhibit last summer at Overthe-Rhine’s Brick storefront. When asked why they chose Murray as their upcoming event’s sole subject, artist Sara Cole said it’s simply because “everyone loves” the guy. Bill Murray costumes are encouraged and there will even be a contest to decide whose is best. Pop-Up Gallery has partnered with local nonprofit Brighton Center, which works to create opportunities for

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sound is enhanced on the EP by newest member Tai Lee, BODEGA’s “stand-up percussionist” who was previously a performer in the long-running theatrical show STOMP. Artfully blending spiky Post Punk and sublime Indie Pop, Shiny New Model suggests BODEGA has the stuff to become an enduring, elite act in the Indie Rock world. 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9. Free. MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, motrpub.com. — MIKE BREEN

MONDAY 10

LIT: Hannah Pittard The University of Cincinnati’s creative writing program opens its annual Visiting Writers Series with a visit from Hannah Pittard, a Georgia native who is also the author of four novels and is the director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Kentucky. Pittard’s most recent work, 2018’s Visible Empire, is set during the height of the civil rights movement in 1962 and involves a plane crash that kills several members of Atlanta’s high society. Her previous novels include Listen to Me, Reunion and The Fates Will Find Their Way. Pittard will be joined at 4 p.m. on Feb. 11 by Maria Massie, co-founder of Massie & McQuilkin Literary Agents, for a discussion titled “The Role of the Literary Agent.” 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10. Free admission. Elliston Poetry Room, 646 Langsam Library, University of Cincinnati, Clifton Heights, 513-556-1424. — JASON GARGANO

TUESDAY 11 SATURDAY 08

EVENT: Garage Brewed Motorcycle Show The sixth-annual Garage Brewed Motorcycle Show returns to the Rhinegeist taproom for an afternoon of paying homage to unique bikes and unique builds. Hosted by the Cincinnati Café Racers, this is a curated invitational that showcases “custom, rare, antique, collectible and just plain odd bikes that are hidden away in garages and basements,” according to the event descriptor. The 50-plus rare bikes on display are whittled down from an ever-increasing pool of nominations and include everything from choppers and custom café racers to rat bikes and restored Indian motorcycles. In addition to the art on two wheels, local artists have handpainted Biltwell helmets, which will be auctioned off to benefit Operation Combat Bikesaver. Noon-midnight Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-theRhine, garagebrewed.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY R H I N E G E I S T

FROM PAGE 35

individuals and families to reach selfsufficiency by way of various services and programs, to take donations of clean, packaged socks. 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. Artifact, 114 E. Eighth St., Newport, facebook.com/popupgalleryart. — MACKENZIE MANLEY EVENT: Valentine’s Cabaret: Crazy Little Thing Called Love The Cincinnati Men’s Chorus joins the drag queens of The Cabaret for a Crazy Little Thing Called Love, a “fun and flirty” Valentine’s Day fundraiser. Each singer and performer will be selecting their own song as it applies to the theme of love and romance and belting out their own rendition. Hosted by Penny Tration, expect an evening of live music, cocktails and cabaret. 7:3010:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. $25; $75 VIP (includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, reserved seating and table service). The Cabaret at Below Zero Lounge, 1120 Walnut St., Overthe-Rhine, belowzerolounge.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Galentine’s Day: Beers & Brunch at Braxton Galentine’s Day began as a recurring event celebrated by Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope and friends on the hit show Parks and Recreation. It traditionally takes place on Feb. 13, but any day is a good day to hang

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out with your BFFs. And Braxton Brewing Company wants you and your girlfriends to party early with a Galentine’s Day Beers & Brunch event. Tickets include a Taste of Belgium waffle and crepe bar, bottomless mimosas and bloody marys and Braxton beer. As Leslie Knope would say, “Come and kick it, breakfast style.” 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. $50 per person. Braxton Brewing Company, 27 W. Seventh St., Covington, facebook.com/braxtonbrewingcompany. — SETH ROBINSON EVENT: Cincy Prohibition Party Ring in the roaring 2020s with the 10thannual Cincy Prohibition party to celebrate the failure of the Volstead Act and 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the U.S. Band the Cincy Brass will be bringing the speakeasy spirit to the Woodward Theater for an evening of dancing, drinking and dressing up. Head to Arnold’s Bar & Grill beforehand for a happy hour (5:30-7:30 p.m.) with the musical Queen City Sisters. The city’s longest running tavern will be the step-off site for an anti-Temperance Movement parade leading to the Woodward. Expect entertaining homemade protest signs and plenty of flappers. 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. $20 advance; $25 day of. The Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine,

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woodwardtheater.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: The O.F.F. Market The O.F.F. Market is hosting a frigidweather maker mart inside the balmy Barrel Warehouse at MadTree’s taproom. The winter shopping op will feature “artists, bakers, chefs, scavengers, mobile boutiques and everything in between,” which you can peruse and purchase from while sipping on a craft beer from MadTree. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8. Free admission. MadTree, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, theoffmarket.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

SUNDAY 09

MUSIC: BODEGA Dynamic Brooklyn Indie Rock band BODEGA broke through in 2018 thanks to their buzz-inducing appearances at the South By Southwest festival, which led to loads of glowing press and an opening slot on Franz Ferdinand’s North American tour. BODEGA last year followed up its acclaimed 2018 LP Endless Scroll with Shiny New Model, a wildly engaging EP that showcases a growth and maturity in songwriting and arrangements. The band is a self-sufficient unit — lead guitarist Madison Velding-VanDam also handles production duties, while singer Nikki Belfiglio develops the art and visual aesthetic. The group’s rhythmically creative

ONSTAGE: Les Misérables Inspired by the work of Victor Hugo, this tragic musical tale examines the lives of revolutionary peasants and young idealists in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean is released from prison after 19 years for the crime of stealing bread to feed his sister and her starving family and then attempts to find a job in regular society. Shunned and broken, he steals again but is then redeemed, assumes a new identity and watches the cycle of poverty and shame from a different vantage point. Basically, there is love, sadness, prostitution, consumption, revenge, revolution and plenty of big, hit numbers, including “I Dreamed a Dream,” “One Day More” and “On My Own.” Presented by Broadway in Cincinnati, this touring production features new staging and scenery inspired by the paintings of Hugo. Through Feb. 23. Tickets start at $31. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

WEDNESDAY 12

MUSIC: Rakim Iconic MC Rakim exploded onto the Hip Hop scene in the mid-’80s with his partner Eric B. The duo’s first single, “Eric B. is President,” dropped in 1986, followed by their 1987 debut album, Paid in Full, a cornerstone Hip Hop classic that was included in Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Eric B. & Rakim released three more albums — 1988’s Follow the Leader, 1990’s Let the Rhythm Hit ’Em and 1992’s Don’t Sweat the Technique — before splitting up. In 2016, the pair — who were on the shortlist of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees in 2011 — reunited for a run of live dates. Acclaimed for his lyricism and rhyming technique and cited by some all-time greats (including Tupac, Notorious B.I.G., Nas and Jay-Z) as a prime influence, Rakim has released only a handful of solo albums outside of EB&R — the most recent was 2009’s The Seventh Seal. Last year he published the

DON’T MISS THESE EVENTS AT CINCY’S ONLY SIGN MUSEUM Galentines Day: Featuring Heidelburg Distributing

THURSDAY 13

EVENT: Taft House Party Bring your lover or friend to the Taft Museum of Art for this after-hours House Party with a theme of Cincy Love. During this bash — which indeed falls on Galentine’s Day — attendees can indulge in cocktails, crafts and free Skyline Chili coneys (while supplies last). In addition to the complimentary chili, you can also grab some Graeter’s Ice Cream (for purchase) and screenprint your own T-shirt at a DIY printing station. It’s also a great chance to catch current museum exhibits N.C. Wyeth | New Perspectives and Journey to Freedom: Art Quilts by Cynthia Lockhart. 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. Free admission. Taft Musuem of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown, taftmuseum.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

at American Sign Museum | February 13 Signs & Suds with Rhinegeist Brewery | Ferbuary 19 ASM Maker Series: Screen Printing with Pull Club | February 27 ASM Maker Series: Acrylic Paint Pouring | March 12 Signs & Songs: The Hot Magnolias | March 20 1330 Monmouth Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45225 513-541-6366 · americansignmuseum.org

P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY TA F T M U S E U M O F A R T

book Sweat the Technique: Revelations on Creativity from the Lyrical Genius, which is described as “part memoir, part writing guide,” as he shares stories from his life while also exploring his own artistic approach in depth. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12. $20-$99. Riverfront Live, 4343 Kellogg Ave., East End, riverfrontlivecincy.com. — MIKE BREEN

THURSDAY 13

MUSIC: Ohio Garage Punk heroes New Bomb Turks bring a tornado of no-frills Rock to the Southgate House Revival. See interview on page 53.

MUSIC: Mike Doughty of Soul Coughing plays the 20th Century Theater. See Sound Advice on page 57. MUSIC: Highly Suspect plays Madison Live. See Sound Advice on page 58. EVENT: One Night One Craft Celebrate Galentine’s Day with your hands in some clay. Cincinnati ceramic artist Julia Lipovsky heads to the Contemporary Arts Center for an evening of crafting, plus wine and cheese. Make your own air-dry clay necklace while snacking on a cheeseboard from The Rhined and sipping on sparkling wine. 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. $35-$70. Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Galentine’s Day at the Righteous Room Leave your husbands and boyfriends at home: The Righteous Room is going full Parks and Rec for this party, which includes games like Pin the Mustache on Ron Swanson, a Pawnee-themed photo booth and a guest appearance by Li’l

Sebastian (Pawnee’s famous mini horse). There will also be $3 champagne flutes and rosé pours in the Snakehole Lounge (aka literally the Righteous Room) and a special raffle to win a waffle pack from Taste of Belgium, a $50 4EG Gift card, a Parks and Rec wine glass, a bottle of syrup and more silly Parks and Recthemed and friendship-themed prizes. 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. Free admission. The Righteous Room, 641 Walnut St., Downtown, facebook.com/therighteousroom. — SETH ROBINSON

Join Us for Opening Night February 7, 6-8 PM

In Pop Supernatural, Ohio native and New York City-based artist Todd Pavlisko presents a series of interconnected bodies of work that reflects on cultural change and critique.

MUSIC: The Infamous Stringdusters play Bogart’s. See Sound Advice on page 58.

MUSIC: A Night of Music and Conversation with Rodriguez Singer/songwriter Rodriguez — a cult favorite and subject of the 2012

FREE and open to the public!

Todd Pavlisko Pop Supernatural

FRIDAY 14

EVENT: Loveapalooza at Know Theatre If you’re looking for something non-traditional to do this Feb. 14, head to Know Theatre’s Valentine’s Day party where there will be “drag queens, speed-friending, lovethemed improv, cheeky craft cocktails, lite bites and so much more.” The admission fee enters you into the night’s raffle for a chance to win prizes and also gives you access to the theater’s silent auction. The night is full of chances for you to feel the love. Or not. Presented with The Cincinnati Sisters and OTRImprov. 7-10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. $15 per person. Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson St., Overthe-Rhine, facebook.com/knowtheatre. — MAIJA ZUMMO

Sponsored by Whole Foods and Covent Garden!

Exhibition Co-Sponsor Mu Sinclaire and the Sinclaire Family Foundation Exhibition Support Anonymous

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February 7 – April 5, 2020 Admission is

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FREE

2019-20 Season Sponsor: Dee and Tom Stegman The Alpaugh Foundation Florist, Inc.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 38

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FRIDAY 14

MUSIC: Little Big Town Country stars Little Big Town are in the midst of a tour of historic theaters this year. The Grammy-winning vocal quartet began the tour on Jan. 16 — the day before the release of their new album, Nightfall, which debuted at No. 1 on the Country album chart — at Carnegie Hall, which, according to a press release, is the first time a “mainstream Country” act has played the venue since Alan Jackson performed there in 2013. Among the other notable theaters — The Apollo in New York, The Chicago Theatre, Seattle’s Paramount Theatre — is Cincinnati’s own Taft Theatre, where the group will play a two-night stand just in time for Valentine’s Day. Singer/songwriter Caitlyn Smith opens both shows. Nightfall, Little Big Town’s ninth album, has been well received by critics, including the vintage Country Rock vibe of the title track and the LP’s first single, “The Daughters,” a song that examines gender inequality and earned the group a 2020 Grammy nomination. While many use “Pop” in a dismissive way when referring to a Country act, Little Big Town embraces the bridge their music creates for mainstream Pop audiences. “A lot of people tell us we’re kind of like a gateway drug to Country music,” LBT’s Phillip Sweet recently told the New York Post’s Chuck Arnold in an interview. “If you’ve never heard Country before, they’re like, ‘Oh, listen to Little Big Town! They’ll introduce you to Country.’ We take that as a badge of honor.” 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15. $29-$109. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org. — MIKE BREEN FROM PAGE 37

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Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man — is coming to town for a rare local appearance. Sixto Rodriguez was a Detroit-born Folk Rock artist who released a pair of albums in the early ’70s that garnered little attention. By the mid-’70s, he’d largely packed it in, went to college and settled down in Detroit doing construction work and other jobs. But his music took on a life of its own — as did rumors about his life — and Rodriguez became a cult hero in countries like Australia (he came out of “retirement” to tour there in the late ’70s and early ’80s) and South Africa, where his songs were embraced as anti-apartheid anthems. In the late ’90s, Rodriguez was reportedly able to retire from his construction job thanks to his belated success. Searching for Sugar Man told the story of two South African fans’ mission to track down the elusive singer. The acclaimed documentary revived Rodriguez’s career again — to say the least. According to Rolling Stone, in the span of about two years, Rodriguez — who is now 77 — went from playing the 190-seat capacity Joe’s Pub in New York to performing at the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn. A new Rodriguez studio album has been hinted at over the years since the film but has never materialized. The concert LP Rodriguez Rocks – Live In Australia was released in 2016 on Light in the Attic Records. Last year, Universal Music reissued his early ’70s albums on vinyl and CD. Searching for Sugar Man is streaming on Netflix. 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. $50-$85. Ludlow Garage, 342 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. — MIKE BREEN

P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY TA F T T H E AT R E

EVENT: Couples Open Wheel Make like Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in Ghost and get ya’ hands all up in some wet clay with someone you love, lust after or even hate this Valentine’s Day. Queen City Clay is hosting a special couples open wheel event where you can spin your own pottery while nibbling on some chocolate and sipping on some fine wine. It’s a sexy, slightly dirty evening for two. Ghost will of course be playing in the background. 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. $75 per couple. Queen City Clay, 3130 Wasson Road, Hyde Park, facebook.com/queencityclay. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Night Circus: Cabaret Prepare for a classical take on Valentine’s Day with a cabaret. Magical cirque performances, “lovely madames” and a full bar are waiting to make your Valentine’s night with your partner one you won’t forget. Your ticket includes full access to the bar, vendors, seating for the show and, if you’d like, stick around for the afterparty. 7-10:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. $25 online; $30 at door. 18+. The Woodward Theater, 1404 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/passionproductionscincy. — CAMERON BYERS

SATURDAY 15

MUSIC: Soul Asylum plays Riverfront Live with Local H. See Sound Advice on page 59.

COMEDY: Robert Kelly “I’ve definitely softened since I had a kid,” says comedian Robert Kelly. “Growing up in Boston and coming up as a comedian there in that era, it was a very blue-collar

SATURDAY 15

EVENT: MadTree Seventh Anniversary Bonanza MadTree is turning seven with a big-ass bash. The brewery and taproom is celebrating the seven-year-stretch with a family-friendly afternoon activity and rare and specialty draft tappings. Get your tastebuds ready for Sprye and Pilgrim releases plus a seven-year Cuvée specialty brew. Food trucks Empandas Aqui, Beerded Pig and Red Sesame Korean BBQ will be there to keep you satiated, along with in-house CatchA-Fire Café. Live music starts at 2:30 p.m. with bands including Hickory Robot and Soul Pocket. DJs begin at 10 p.m. Expect a crowd. Noon-1 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Free admission. MadTree Brewing, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, facebook.com/madtree. — MAIJA ZUMMO

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P H OTO : P H I L H E I D E N R E I C H

comedy school. It’s not a blue-collar thing now. It’s more nerdy dudes.” Kelly learned from some of the best. “When I was coming up it was Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney and Denis Leary. We were really aggressive. We were assholes.” In the early part of his career, his comedy was very instinctual, but then he realized he had to grow. “You learn to do comedy better,” he says, “and you can tell what stinks, what’s hack, how to tell a joke and put stuff together.” 8-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. $15 early bird; $20 general admission. Taft’s Brewpourium, 4831 Spring Grove Ave., Spring Grove Village, facebook.com/bombsawaycomedy. — P.F. WILSON EVENT: Cupid’s Undie Run Cupid’s Undie Run for charity returns to Cincinnati — and it’s exactly what it sounds like: Strip down to your skivvies to raise funds and awareness to fight neurofibromatosis. According to Cupid’s Charity (the nonprofit that hosts the run), “NF is a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. NF affects 1 in every 3,000 births across all populations, ethnicities, and genders equally.” The idea behind the pants-less and pantied run is because those with NF cannot hide their disease or tumors, so runners who want to support the mission of finding a cure can bare all, too. One hundred percent of the net proceeds go to NF research via the Children’s Tumor Foundation. There will be a pre-party at Galla Park starting at noon and the mile-long race starts at 2 p.m. Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. $40. Galla Park, 175 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks, cupids.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: My Furry Valentine My Furry Valentine, Cincinnati’s largest pet adoption event, will feature more than 1,000 adoptable pets — dogs, cats and other little critters of all ages — from

more than two dozen different rescue and shelter groups from around Greater Cincinnati. With everyone under one roof, it’s easier to find your perfect pet. Please note: Every group has a different adoption process and different fees. Every adopted animal will go home with some swag. 10 a.m.-noon early bird and noon-5 p.m. general admission Saturday, Feb. 15; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16. $25 early bird; $5 general admission; free children 5 and under. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, myfurryvalentine.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO ONSTAGE: The Office! A Musical Parody Imagine a paper salesman’s joy on pretzel day. Now take that joy and multiply it by keleven because The Office! A Musical Parody is coming to the Aronoff Center. Described as “the world’s most elaborate inside joke,” the Off-Broadway musical follows everybody’s favorite people person’s paper people at Dunder Mifflin Scranton. According to Mashable, the musical takes viewers back to the beginning of the series when a camera crew inexplicably arrives at the paper company to film a documentary. From there, references to classic scenes like Kevin’s famous chili and Sprinkles’ death are dispensed at rapid fire. Original songs such as “That’s What She Said” and “Marry Me, Beasley” add to the mix to make for a new yet nostalgic Scranton adventure. The musical comes from writers Bob and Tobly McSmith, who, after meeting at an unsuccessful Dippin’ Dots job application, began collaborating on a series of plays including FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, Full House The Musical and JonBenet Ramsey! Murder Mystery Theater. 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16. $25-$45. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts.org. — NICK SULLIVAN

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ARTS & CULTURE

Shark Girl at the CAC UnMuseum P H O T O : K A I T LY N HANDEL

Shark Girl’s Sweet Sixteen Casey Riordan Millard’s iconic creation — a young girl with a human body and the head of a great white shark — turns 16 this year BY N ATA L I E H A M R E N

hark Girl is growing up. The famous and quirky blue-dresswearing character created by local artist Casey Riordan Millard is now 16 years old. Shark Girl started off as a sketch in 2004 that Millard drew to cope with her anxiety and fears. Now a therapist at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, the character’s origins can be traced back to Millard’s youth: As a child, she began having panic attacks when she imagined that there was a shark in the pool. Shortly after she got married in 2001, a period in which she began reflecting on human mortality, the panic attacks resurfaced. Although her husband was only 30 at the time, Millard was afraid he was going to die. To help ease her anxiety, she started drawing a girl who has a shark’s head — a reflection of her younger self’s fear. “I started drawing this little girl character who was sort of this powerless person, and she had the

head of a shark,” Millard says. “She was this person who has no power who was also frantic and made up of the things she was afraid of.” Millard landed an art show in Chicago in 2005 and it was while looking through her sketchbooks to find an idea for the exhibition that she returned to the character. “I had these doodles of this little shark girl throughout the book. I thought, ‘OK, well, maybe I’ll try to make some work about her.’ That’s what I did,” Millard says. “I started making that and then literally, that was it.” Millard has been making art about Shark Girl ever since. Flash-forward to 2012 and she was asked to create a show for the UnMuseum — a gallery of interactive art geared toward children at the Contemporary Arts Center. She drew and animated a short film starring Shark Girl to accompany the show. One piece of the installation featured

a now-iconic sculpture of Shark Girl sitting on a bench with a storm cloud hovering nearby. The response to this piece was so positive that it remains at the CAC to this day and proves to be a popular photo-op among visitors. The following year, Millard made a fiberglass Shark Girl piece for Cincinnati that was installed at Sawyer Point Park near the riverbank. The installation was temporary and was only supposed to stay for roughly six months, Millard says. Millard wanted to keep Shark Girl there, but because the installation kept getting vandalized, the park didn’t want to deal with the finances of keeping it. She had to move her. Around the same time, the curator of public art at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York reached out to Millard and asked if she could make a sculpture similar to the one at the park. The gallery ended up buying the Sawyer Point sculpture instead and relocated Shark Girl to Buffalo, where she has since become a town mascot. Atlas Obscura has Shark Girl listed as a top destination in Buffalo, noting the sculpture as a “compulsory destination for selfies.” Millard says there are murals and T-shirts of Shark Girl in the city. Occasionally, Shark Girl will make the local news, end up on the jumbotron at a hockey game or have people propose in front of her. In 2014, Millard added on to her

creation’s mythos by way of the children’s book Shark Girl and Belly Button, which was published by Cincinnati’s Blue Manatee Press. The book follows Shark Girl and her friend Belly Button while they write letters, make paper dolls, appreciate their friendship and more. Currently, Millard is working with an art representative in Denver to make limited-edition prints of Shark Girl. She has hopes that the character will expand beyond the Eastern U.S. “I’ve always been like, ‘Buffalo’s not necessarily regional but not too far out of the region.’ I’m hoping she makes it to the West Coast and Miami,” she says. Although Shark Girl was created by Millard, she now exists on her own. “The things that happen in her world — because she’s a public sculpture now — happen without me and I have no knowledge of them,” Millard says. “Her life is separate so it’s almost like I draw these illustrations of her life that are also imaginative because I don’t know what’s really happening to her.” Millard didn’t anticipate an outpouring of positive feedback about Shark Girl when she first created her. In the past, some of Millard’s pieces had darker themes that reflected her mental state at the time. When her work was depressing, Millard says the sales followed suit — people weren’t buying her art. “It’s such a sweet and sour thing about her (that) I feel like people somehow

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relate to,” Millard says. “The sweetness left for a while, and then I don’t think as many people could identify.” In 2012, Millard stopped drinking and went to therapy. After that, her work became happier and sales started picking The exterior of the Contemporary Arts Center up. She says P H O T O : K A I T LY N H A N D E L she doesn’t think the sucher sadness, while also being visually cess had anyattractive. She says a large portion thing to do with Shark Girl, but rather of her fanbase is at the “transitional, the energy she put into her practice. angsty age,” which is how she describes Shark Girl was made to reflect Shark Girl. Fans have gotten tattoos of Millard’s mental state 16 years ago. the character, bought prints or taken Since then, the creation has grown selfies to show their love for the absurd and evolved with the creator. The creation. once timid, anxious character is now “I think her public life is so much mentally healthy, happy and worries better than anything I’ve made of her,” less, Millard says. Millard says. “I think the fact that the “It didn’t really matter what it was selfies and the tattoos exist is way more about because I made these pieces of powerful than anything I could ever work that were just really time- and make with her in it. I almost feel like her labor-intensive,” she says. “It was really life has become more of the work.” the activity of just keeping my brain busy and off of my own perceived Shark Girl is on display at the problems.” Contemporary Arts Center’s Millard says that Shark Girl can be UnMuseum (44 E. Sixth therapeutic for other people because St., Downtown). More info: the character allows them to relate to contemporaryartscenter.org.

Retro/ACTIVE Dayton Contemporary Dance Company February 21-22 ARONOFF CENTER JARSON-KAPLAN THEATER Tickets: CincinnatiArts.org, 513.621.2787, Aronoff Center Ticket Office

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CLASSICAL

A Whimsical Opera About Childhood at the CSO BY A N N E A R E N ST E I N

A child is punished by his mother with no dinner — a consequence of not doing his homework — so he throws a tantrum and destroys everything within reach, even the wallpaper. But when his victims return to recount their suffering, he’s overwhelmed by fear and guilt. It’s not Stephen King: This is Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortilèges (The Child and the Spells), a one-act lyric fantasy set to a libretto by French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. On Feb. 7, the production makes its Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra debut. Conducted by CSO Music Director Louis Langrée, Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 5 is paired with the show. “L’enfant is an invitation to a voyage,” says Langrée, citing the French poet Baudelaire. “It’s an opera about childhood, but I wouldn’t say that it’s for children.” Perhaps not, but the CSO is mounting a stunning show. Since its 2016 debut at Opéra National de Lyon, this interpretation of the classic opera has captivated audiences through utilizing vivid animation, lighting and staging. It’s a brilliant solution for a 45-minute work with formidable production challenges that include singing furniture. The video animation designed by Grégoire Pont is projected on transparent screens in front of the orchestra. Flames shoot up and dance, numbers fly in dizzying swirls, a teapot and cup shatter and fall to the floor. “We always knew that we wanted animation to be a part of the child’s imaginative and emotional response to what happens, rather than using video technology to provide scenery we couldn’t afford,” says director James Bonas, who staged the original production and directs the CSO’s performances. When asked how everything stays in sync, Bonas says, “It’s complicated.” The production team was keenly aware that the tempo would vary with different conductors and even within performances themselves; they had to balance precision and spontaneity. “What looks like continuous animation might be 10 separate sections, each triggered by the operator in response to a conductor reaching a certain note or a singer doing a certain action,” Bonas says. “Timing becomes both precise and flexible. And it takes a lot of skill on the part of the operator.” Timing is everything. The stage manager will call almost 280 lighting and video cues over 45 minutes. The singers are also in front of the orchestra, but will follow Langrée’s beat, thanks to a video camera on the podium projecting onto screens in the balcony. “I can’t say I’m looking forward to seeing it,” he says with a laugh. But he has seen the preview video and is more than impressed. “It’s absolutely magnificent — so evocative!” The youthful cast features American mezzo Isabel Leonard, who has worked with Langrée at the Metropolitan Opera.

Isabel Leonard stars in Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s production of L’enfant et les Sortilèges P H O T O : FAY F OX

In addition, there are 19 supporting roles, a chorus and dancers. Langrée collaborated with University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music’s opera and choral departments to select performers, a partnership that promises to strengthen in future seasons. (Langrée conducts CCM’s Philharmonia orchestra next weekend.) “There’s an extraordinary vibration between Cincinnati’s cultural institutions and it’s important to demonstrate that collaboration,” Langrée says. “I’m delighted because we have today’s stars — Isabel Leonard and the great pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet — and stars of the future.” Langrée acknowledges that L’enfant is a difficult work, even for experienced performers. The style, he says, is more “declamation than singing” and performers need to strike a perfect balance in articulating each phrase. “Each musician is very exposed and can show the richness and the strength of this opera,” Langrée says. “The CSO has this rare quality of being at ease with orchestral concerts and accompanying ballet and opera. What better way to show off their individual and collective talents?” Citing Ravel’s music as having an indefinable quality that evokes both atmosphere and emotion, Langrée adds that Music Hall’s acoustic renovations

allow audiences to hear the full palette of Ravel’s tonal colors. There’s also deeper resonance in this work, which started out as a ballet that was commissioned while Ravel was fighting in World War I. Colette agreed to revise her libretto, expanding it into an operetta, but poor health prevented the work’s completion until 1925. Colette, best known to American readers as the author of Gigi, originally titled the ballet Diversions for my Daughter. “She had a great understanding of childhood,” Langrée says. “Especially boredom.” In the early 1920s, Ravel fell in love with American Jazz and musical theater, both of which inspired him to finish L’enfant, which he billed as a lyric fantasy. “He was fascinated by Jazz,” Langrée says. “Ravel wrote that he didn’t understand why American musicians didn’t see Jazz as the future of American music.” Ravel’s score is indeed a journey, complete with long phrases that convey boredom, wild, raucous destruction and a final soothing lullaby. For Langrée, L’enfant is an opportunity to explore the facets of Ravel’s genius, which transport the audience to the world of childhood. The objects and animals deliver

damage reports more sorrowful than aggressive, although that’s not the case with the arithmetic teacher. The child escapes to his garden and gradually realizes a sense of responsibility. At the opera’s conclusion, the animal chorus sings that “he’s a good child; he is wise.” It’s clearly a fable but the moral doesn’t overwhelm. There are moments that resonate with everyone: Who wants to be stuck doing homework all day or listen to a pedantic teacher? And there are moments that are delightfully whimsical, like the dancing fire and the amorous cats. Langrée is revisiting a work he conducted 20 years ago for Opéra Lyon, the same company behind the reinterpreted production Cincinnati audiences will see Feb. 7 and 8. The enchanting 1999 Lyon production with Langrée conducting is up on YouTube. “I haven’t seen it yet,” he admits. Bonas is confident that this imaginative concept has an appeal beyond Classical music fans. “Audiences have really engaged with this approach,” he says. “It allows a direct and joyful experience of Ravel and Colette’s marvelous creation.”

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L’enfant et les Sortilèges unfolds at Music Hall (1241 Elm St., Overthe-Rhine) 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7 and Saturday, Feb. 8. Tickets/more info: cincinnatisymphony.org.

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ONSTAGE

Cincy Shakes Visits the Past to Influence Future R E V I E W BY J E N I F E R M O O R E

The cast of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s All the Way P H OTO : M I K K I S C H A F F N E R P H OTO G R A P H Y

Nearly 60 years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and on the heels of the country’s 34th observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of All the Way hones in on the fight for civil rights. Set in 1964, the cause is as relevant now as it was then. The company’s adaptation of Robert Schenkkan’s award-winning political thriller, under the direction of Brian Issac Phillips, chronicles one of the most turbulent times in American history in a profound and artistic way without sacrificing historical context. As the country was placed into the hands of Lyndon B. Johnson, a boisterous and insecure accidental president, the United States became embroiled in an unpopular foreign war — Vietnam — as civil unrest raged on at home. As LBJ, veteran ensemble member Jim Hopkins brings to life the 36th president’s bold, raspy voice and knack for colorful language with a Texas twang. Reflective monologues on the part of Hopkins reveal the internal turmoil of a man who wants to do what is right versus having to do what is required of him to be recognized as a legitimate commander in chief. As Martin Luther King Jr., Sylvester Little, Jr. effortlessly honors the memory of the civil rights leader by conveying his steadfast candor, fearless resolve and persistence to achieve equality. Overall, the CSC cast takes on the complicated task of representing multiple figures from recent American history with a sophisticated ease. As they attempt to relive this daunting time, each actor leans all the way in to their respective role. Shannon Moore’s brilliant set design includes a replica of the 1964 Oval Office; the large presidential seal acts as the stage’s backdrop, with historical photos and footage of pivotal moments projected on the screen. Midway through the production, there’s a declaration that gender has nothing to do with discrimination. This

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is interesting as there is little to no display of the strength of women during this time in the play. CSC’s choice to add All the Way to its Season of the Woman roster was at first ironic. Upon seeing the play, the move proved to be strategic, however, as it calls attention to how women were pushed to the background during one of the most notable periods of civic change in the country’s history. Mostly due to sexism, it was men who seemed to be at the forefront of the civil rights movement. But history proves that women were the architects of many key elements of the fight for equality. The tour de force of Candice Handy as Fannie Lou Hamer — co-founder and vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party — in the showdown for delegate selection during the 1964 Democratic National Convention is a profound example of how women exuded strength in the civil rights fight. Handy also plays the role of Coretta Scott King (King’s wife), while Katie Wilford portrays Lady Bird Johnson (President Johnson’s wife); both show the quiet strength of the women behind the men who hail them as their personal confidants. CSC’s All the Way accurately depicts the chaos of a nation in turmoil following the assassination of President Kennedy and the unease Americans felt under President Johnson’s leadership. The best and worst of the 1960s in comparison to the present day is a stark reminder that while some progress has been made, more is necessary to achieve and sustain equality for all. The struggle for civil rights has taken many forms over the years and has left a stain in the fabric of American history. CSC’s adaptation of All the Way is a signal that if you don’t remember the past, you are doomed to repeat it. All The Way is onstage at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (1195 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine) through Feb. 15. Advance ticket prices start at $28. Tickets/more info: cincyshakes.com.

ONSTAGE

Playhouse’s ‘Buddy Holly’ Is All-Ages Crowd Pleaser

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Andy Christopher as Buddy Holly (right) in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story P H OTO : M I K K I S C H A F F N E R P H OTO G R A P H Y

Audience participation is encouraged, indeed almost necessary, in the Playhouse in the Park’s jukebox biography Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. The wholesome, if cheesy, Buddy tells the story of seminal 1950s Rock & Roll sensation Buddy Holly in a series of mini concerts and vignettes showcasing the star’s most impactful hits during his 18-month meteoric rise to fame. Though Buddy Holly’s career was short-lived — he met his untimely death at the age of 22 in an infamous plane crash that also took the lives of fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, Jr., also known as “The Big Bopper” — his work became a major influence for later musicians like Elvis Costello, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and countless other renowned rockers. Actor and musician Andy Christopher brings an earnestness to Holly that is nerdy, adorable and downright contagious. Though his performance is upbeat, he doesn’t miss the opportunity to add the nuance of a musician who knows his craft well and is determined to use his superior work ethic to push for his vision to materialize into real success. Because the actors in this production play their own instruments live onstage, each song is like its own mini concert. Not only does the band demonstrate excellent technique and mastery of their instruments, but they also each bring a delightful stage presence to their performances — every song is lively and different from the rest. In particular, Spiff Wiegand as Joe B. Mauldin displays some impressive tricks with his upright bass that serve to pepper in extra flair. The Playhouse’s Buddy features a supremely cool Midcentury Modern set designed by Christian Boy in his Queen City debut. Though minimalistic in nature, it features strong lines and rounded edges on several tall pieces adorned with images that help set the scene for the late-’50s tale. In fact, the entire set is saturated with retro vibes. From the rich, red velvet curtain to the incredibly handsome Shure 55 microphones, the design

oozes vintage cool. Even the floor participates in the theme, displaying a pattern of guitar tablature. The show is narrated by a Radio DJ named Hipockets Duncan — played by the boisterous Jayson Elliott — and other characters throughout the story. One notably impressive part of the scenic design features Duncan’s seafoam green metal desk, which sits off to the left side of the stage and close to the audience. Outfitted with only a turntable, a handful of records and a microphone, each narrative moment that takes place at the desk is stunningly lit with a soft, warm spotlight. The atmospheric effect transforms the piece into a vignette of a lonely night-DJ of days gone by. The sound design, conceived by Matt Kraus, was clear and crisp throughout the performance. At times, though, the lead vocals felt a little too forward and emphasized. The choice was great for clarity, but the overall sound mix didn’t feel quite as Rock & Roll as it had the potential to. Tracy Christensen’s costume design was so spot on and thoroughly Midcentury that I found myself yearning for a trip to Northside’s Casablanca Vintage to hunt down a jacket (or two) similar to the effortlessly hip orange-and-blue Western jacket Christopher wears as Holly near the top of the first act. And, of course, Holly’s classic thick, black glasses get progressively more pronounced as he grows into his role throughout the show. Buddy is perfect for all ages. Though it does depict quite a sanitized — and mostly white — version of mid-’50s Rock & Roll, the lively performances and fun character work should captivate the young and old. Because Holly’s music is so catchy, and because the actors are so practiced and lively, it’s easy to catch yourself bobbing or clapping along to hit after hit. Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story is onstage at the Playhouse in the Park (962 Mt. Adams Circle, Mount Adams) through Feb. 16. Tickets/ more info: cincyplay.com.

CCM ON STAGE PLAYS

CLYBOURNE PARK BY BRUCE NORRIS

“[A] sharp-witted, sharp-toothed comedy of American uneasiness.” -New York Times

FEB. 12 (PREVIEW)-16, 2020 PATRICIA CORBETT THEATER

TICKETS: Prices start at $32.50; student discounts and group rates also available, Contains strong language

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The CCM Philharmonia performs under the esteemed direction of Louis Langrée in a program featuring Debussy’s Prélude à L’après-midi d’un faune, Ravel’s Piano Concerto and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Mark Gibson, music director

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Netflix’s ‘Cheer’ Features Athletes Worth Rooting For R E V I E W BY JAC K E R N

At one time, being a documentary buff others just don’t, but she’s not without used to signal a certain mustache-twisther own kind of baggage (read: her ing pretentiousness or hip penchant for cringeworthy stage-parents). quirky true storytelling. But now, amid Every day, these athletes put their what some are calling a golden age for bodies and future at risk for a sport that documentaries, the medium has never they love, a coach they respect and a been more accessible, abundant or mission to bring home another title at varied. If you have an interest — or, betthe National Cheerleading Champiter yet, a topic you know nothing about onship. For this widely diverse group — there’s a film or series devoted to its — particularly for such a conservative every minutia. What’s more, they’re at small town — this team is their family. a higher caliber of quality and content than ever before. This is all to say you should definitely be watching Cheer, the Netflix docu-series about an elite college cheer team, even if you’re not all about that cheer/dance/ Navarro College cheer team gymnast life. If P H OTO : C O U RT E SY O F N E T F L I X you picture pep rallies and pom poms when you think about cheerleadAnd the risks are troubling. Take ers, you’ve got a lot more coming. These for instance Morgan Simianer. With a are talented athletes with compelling heartbreaking background and serious personal journeys who ultimately enjoy abandonment issues, the pint-sized very little glory compared to their onhopeful is willing to step into the field counterparts. dangerous role of flyer, being repeatedly The series follows coach Monica tossed and (hopefully) caught, Aldama, who’s molded the cheer proreplacing another teammate who gram at Navarro College in Corsicana, injured herself in that very position, all Texas into a record-breaking gold stanto impress her beloved coach. dard for the sport. Since 2000, she’s led One by one, others succumb to the team to 14 national championships. injuries, too; their dreams of competing My first thought when watching — at nationals dashed. The leadership’s after being bombarded by the Cheer reaction to these falls and sprains buzz on social media — is how much it sometimes range from annoyance to reminded me of Last Chance U, another indifference, inviting criticism by some. Netflix sports doc. Turns out, it’s no How is this any different from football coincidence. Creator/director Greg or other sports? Perhaps some people Whiteley is the driving force behind take these injuries more seriously when both series. Similarities abound: Both the athletes don’t look like little girls. feature exceptional teams at unassumAnd with cheer, there is especially liting junior colleges in small Southern tle long-term payoff or career prospects. towns. Both teams draw athletes from There’s no way to earn a multimillionacross the country, often with complidollar contract like the players who cated pasts. And while Cheer’s “Queen” make it into the NFL. You might think Monica is nowhere near as bombastic at least they don’t have the same severe as the football coaches in Last Chance head injuries, that is until you watch a U, she certainly is a big personality. teen list how many concussions she’s But it’s the young men and women had on the mat. The series doesn’t who make up the Navarro College cheer shy away from the controversy — the team that stole my heart and compelled focus is definitely on the team’s path to me to blaze through six episodes in a defend their title no matter what, and single Sunday afternoon. Cheer exposes many of those costs. There’s La’Darius Marshall, who was Good documentaries can make any on track to be a football star, only to find subject fascinating and relatable, so himself more interested in the action I’m not sure why it’s surprising to some on the sidelines. And the utterly lovable viewers that a series about cheerleading Jerry Harris, who has overcome countis so captivating. Audiences are craving less challenges to compete, yet is the authentic storytelling, and Cheer gives team’s beacon of positivity. YouTube these incredible athletes a platform to star Gabi Butler comes with a built-in be real and raw — and get you rooting following from the cheer-related social for them. media content she’s been producing Contact Jac Kern: @jackern since she was a little kid. Butler has a lot of opportunities and advantages the

FILM

An Alternative to the Golden Inevitability BY T T ST E R N - E N Z I

Each year, awards season offers $500,000 (the John Cassavetes Award). the delicious promise of unfolding With budgetary limits, the fields look narratives, whether overtly political quite different. The Academy Award (#OscarsSoWhite, #MeToo) or more favorite — Phoenix — doesn’t make personally driven, but baked into the cut at the Spirit Awards, meaning these stories is the expectation that that Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems) and surprises can reveal even the surest Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse) are prognosticators to be little more than the likely duo duking it out for the tea leaf readers by the season’s end. prize, alongside Chris Galust (Give Me And in all honesty, that’s what we — Liberty), Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Luce) and industry professionals, film critics, writers and audiences — should hope for. Such doubts keep everyone plugged in throughout the process. Having watched the 2020 awards season progress from the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice presentations to the guild programs, audiences have probably started to recognize the grindJoaquin Phoenix in Joker ing certainty in several P H O T O : WA R N E R _ B R O S . categories. In the four performance categories, there’s little doubt that Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Renée Matthias Schoenaerts (The Mustang). Zellweger (Judy), Brad Pitt (Once Upon Both nominees had their names bana Time…In Hollywood) and Laura Dern died about as possible Oscar hopefuls, (Marriage Story) won’t end up with yet neither cracked the final top five. Academy Awards on Feb. 9. Another The same is true in the supportrace overshadowed by a cloud of ineviing categories. Willem Dafoe (The tability: Parasite has the Best Foreign Lighthouse) could be the presumptive Language Oscar firmly in hand. frontrunner here, against Noah Jupe To search for a teasing hint of debate and Shia LaBeouf (Honey Boy), Jonaat the Academy Awards requires focusthan Majors (The Last Black Man in San ing on the directing nominees, where Francisco) and Wendell Pierce (Burning it appears to be a three-person race Cane), while Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers) between Quentin Tarantino (Once might have the edge over Taylor Russell Upon a Time…In Hollywood), Sam (Waves), Zhao Shuzhen (The Farewell), Mendes (1917) and Bong Joon-ho Lauren Spencer (Give Me Liberty), and (Parasite). Each has laid claim to comOctavia Spencer (Luce). parable honors thus far or has a career On the Female Lead front, Zellwenarrative that makes a strong case for a ger is in the mix opposite Karen Allen win. Most recently, Mendes and Joon(Colewell), Hong Chau (Driveways), ho shared the Critics Choice Directing Elizabeth Moss (Her Smell), Mary Award, while Tarantino has a long list Kay Place (Diane) and Alfre Woodard of directing honors and respect as a (Clemency), but not the sure winner. legendary talent that has never won an Place and Woodard have much love for Oscar in the category. both their performances and their films. Best Picture also has a few question It would not be astonishing for either to marks, although, in the final analysis, it hear their names called. likely will boil down to either 1917 (the The Spirit Awards proves its ability to war film) or Parasite (the long-awaited sidestep one of the major issues plaguForeign Language favorite capable of ing the Academy Awards: representaearning the top honor). tion. Films like Waves, The Last Black For film enthusiasts eager for more Man in San Francisco, Luce and The wide-open races with wins that could Farewell counter the notion that there be more impactful long-term for the were no titles with diverse casts (and winners, look no further than the Film themes) worthy of awards recognition. Independent Spirit Awards. Celebrating The truest inevitability for awards its 35th year, the group will be held the seasons moving forward is the idea that day before the Academy Awards for a the Academy (and other nominating live broadcast on the IFC channel. groups) will have to widen their visions A hallmark of the Spirit Awards is to take in the fullest scope of the efforts their dedication to recognizing indeavailable. Only then will they escape pendent productions — the overall the narrow certainties that have handbudget of films eligible for considcuffed them up until now. eration is capped at $20 million and Contact tt stern-enzi: the group bestows special honors on request@citybeat.com films and filmmakers operating under

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FOOD & DRINK

(Clockwise from left): A selection of dishes including skirt steak with chimichurri, elote, crab-stuffed peppers and Baha snapper P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

Cool, Contemporary Mexican Mesa Loca serves creative Mexican cuisine in the freshly renovated former Cock & Bull space on Hyde Park Square R E V I E W BY PA M A M IT C H E L L

estaurants come and go, sometimes at dizzying speed. We’ve had several remarkable establishments open over the past few months in what promises to be a cornucopia of delights for the restaurant-going public. Meanwhile though, Hyde Park has been hit by a few high-profile closings since fall of last year — Teller’s, Dutch’s, Keystone Bar & Grill, to name a few — making the neighborhood ready for some good news on the dining front. Enter Columbus-based Peerless Management Group, which remodeled the former Cock & Bull on Hyde Park Square in late 2019 and opened something way cool: Mesa Loca. Peerless owns Galla Park, a meatand-potatoes-style American restaurant at The Banks, as well as a couple of nightclubs and restaurants in the state capital. For the company’s first

suburban restaurant, they went with what had been high on their wish list — creative Mexican cuisine served in a lively, convivial setting on that prominent corner. Mexican food ranks at or near the top of surveys asking Americans to name their favorite “ethnic” foods. If you take pizza out of consideration, that boosts tacos, burritos and other tortilla-based foods to the head of the class. A recent report by the meal delivery company Grubhub had bean burritos as the No. 1 most popular food among the service’s millions of users. So yeah, we love the stuff. But I’m no fan of commercial Mexican fare, which typically means mass-produced tortillas, bottled margaritas and plates loaded with plain rice, mushy beans and too much melted cheese. Fortunately, Mesa Loca doesn’t go there. You won’t find fajitas, burritos

or quesadillas on the menu, and the cocktails are all made from fresh juices. They have tacos, to be sure, but otherwise the menu holds a few surprises. Over the course of two dinners I had with six different companions within weeks of Mesa Loca’s opening, I don’t think we had any duplication of the dishes tried, with the possible exception of one of the tacos. While the “apertivos” (appetizers) menu section is minimal, beyond that you’ll find plenty to consider in sections describing soups and salads, ceviche, meats, veggies, seafood, tacos and a house specialty called molcajete. During my two visits we sampled almost all the appetizers and something from just about every other food category, although we didn’t spring for the elaborate molcajete, which is large enough for at least two people. Molcajete is named after the large, black stone bowl in which a meat- or seafood-based concoction is served. The bowl is similar to the mortar part of a mortar and pestle and Mexican cooks also use it for grinding raw ingredients. Mesa Loca’s version ($36) includes shrimp, brisket, chicken, chorizo, some vegetables and cotija cheese with either a red or green sauce. It sounds fantastic and I hope on a return visit to be able to convince my tablemates to give it a whirl.

When I was there with a party of six, we did order several appetizers — chips with various salsas, mostly. There’s also a plate of pickled vegetables ($6) — cauliflower, carrots, green beans and sweet peppers. I’m all about veggies and appreciated the option but wonder whether it will be popular with folks who expect typical chips-and-dips starters from Mexican restaurants. We all liked the guacamole and salsas but agreed that the chips were too salty. We asked for another basket, thinking maybe they had given us a batch from the bottom of a container and all the salt had leeched into them, but the new chips were only slightly less lip-burning. (My cynical self says restaurants oversalt on purpose to make diners buy more drinks, but that’s probably not the case...) And on the topic of drinks, I am impressed by the offerings here. Margaritas aren’t my favorite cocktail but friends who drink them say the Mesa Margarita ($10) is excellent. I like the way the bar accents the margarita glasses not with straight salt but with Tajin, a mild chili/lime/salt mix. My favorite cocktail, though, is their delicious Paloma ($11), a refreshing tequila drink with St-Germain liqueur, simple syrup and fresh red grapefruit juice. Or you can try the Smoked Old Fashioned ($11), served with some tableside theatrics, and a Pepino ($10),

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a vodka drink that has a subtle bit of heat. Among the food options, I highly recommend the skirt steak ($18), slices of tender meat displayed beautifully on a platter with a generous drizzle of chimichurri The interior of Mesa Loca sauce. One of P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R the notable features here as “soaked vanilla sponge cake.” We is the care that also tried the flan custard ($7). I was has gone into the presentation of the disappointed to find out that the third dishes, such as the glass plates used to listed dessert, a kind of tequila-laced serve the Baja snapper ($18) and for the ice cream parfait called afflagato, had incredibly good elote ($8), a charred been discontinued. sweet corn side dish. The restaurant is expansive, with a Another standout and probably the bustling front dining room that also favorite single thing placed on our contains a wraparound bar and a table is the Manchego rice side ($8) — smaller back dining room. Colorful wall creamy, savory and utterly scrumptious murals enhance the experience. The with the melted cheese, corn, black patio out front will seat dozens more beans and just a little bit of chili. That in finer weather and there’s a smaller bowl went back to the kitchen without a enclosed courtyard out back that looks bite left in it. promising. Until those outdoor spaces They’ve got only a couple of sweets open, you’ll have to sit inside in what is to end your meal, but they are made already the new “it” place in Hyde Park. for the house by renowned Cincinnati pastry chef Pam Sturkey, so you know Mesa Loca, 2645 Erie Ave., Hyde they’ll be worth trying. The standout Park, mesalocahydepark.com is a tres leche cake ($7), described

DRINK

La Ofrenda Brings the Spirit of Mexico to Over-the-Rhine BY J E S S I CA BA LT Z E RS E N

“Taking a trip down memory lane” is a fluttery idiom used to describe reminiscing about experiences past, typically happy ones. But reexamining those memories can also conjure up a deep regret of overlooking the best parts of what was right in front of you. It’s through this examination that Jacob Trevino, owner of La Ofrenda (Gorilla Cinema Presents’ newest concept bar), discovered a way to honor his own past — by bringing it to the present. La Ofrenda, Spanish for “offering,” provides an intimate glimpse into Trevino’s childhood, spent 20 miles north of the Mexican border in Harlingen, Texas. The dimly lit and cinematic tequila establishment near Findlay Market has a colorful altar at its center, inviting guests to experience Mexican heritage while celebrating their own story and where they came from. La Ofrenda serves unique margaritas — like the Zócalo Cafe, made with Cantera Negra Coffee tequila, cold-pressed coffee and orange-infused condensed milk, and the Grapefruit Basil, which incorporates a grapefruit foam through a molecular technique — but don’t chalk it up as a “margarita bar” and don’t call it a “Day of the Dead” bar either. It cheapens the authenticity and makes a kitschy spectacle of the real story behind the bar’s culture. The carefully curated drink selection has 130 varieties of tequila, mezcal and sotol. And if you’re looking for beer, bourbon or other liquor, you won’t find them here. “I have a tequila bar,” Trevino says. “Bars don’t have to be for everybody. We celebrate the spirit of tequila and selling anything else can water down the experience.” Most people have a “tequila story” and, usually, it ends badly. Typically, tequila is tied to shots that lead to forgetful nights and waking up on your neighbor’s lawn wondering where your phone went. La Ofrenda, however, encourages a different approach. “Tequila has a lot of nuances and a lot of characteristics,” Trevino says. “All of our pours are 2 ounces, because tequila is meant to be sipped and savored — we treat the spirit with respect.” The bar is influenced by The Golden Age of Mexican cinema (1933-1964) reaching the height of production and economic success during WWII. Trevino remembers these black-andwhite films playing at his grandparents’ house, where he spent time during his summers. But as these movies played in the background of his life, he was dreaming of being elsewhere — a bigger city with more opportunity. Something he now regrets. “Every creator is influenced by childhood, but for me, it was difficult to look back on,” he says. “It’s hard to judge a 10-year-old because you don’t understand at the time. I hate my younger self for ignoring my culture because, back then, I didn’t think it was relevant.”

The bar and altar (far wall) at La Ofrenda P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

It’s a common story for many firstgeneration Americans living with one foot in the U.S. and the other rooted in their own family’s heritage — a longing to live the American dream while also feeling the pull of where their family originates from. Trevino recalls asking himself: “Am I Mexican enough (to open this bar)? Am I honoring my grandparents in the right way?” Before opening La Ofrenda, Trevino and his team took a road trip from Houston to San Antonio to see and gather inspiration. “It’s hard to tell my story, so I wanted to show,” Trevino says. “I wanted (the staff ) to put their hands on something that didn’t come from Amazon. I wanted them to see places important to me.” The team ventured to flea markets and specialty stores to source the bar’s interior decor; from the tile floor to the mosaiced mirrors and movie-posterlined-walls, every detail is from Mexico and Texas and connects the guest to the experience. The most noticeable feature is the aforementioned white altar, illuminated by neon graphics from a state-ofthe-art projection system. It’s adorned with pictures of relatives, flowers and candles similar to what you’d find in Mexico on Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). During this time, family members honor those that have passed with ofrendas (offerings). Patrons are even encouraged to bring their own photos of family members or any offerings they’d like to honor their past.

The Zócalo Cafe cocktail, made with Cantera Negra Coffee tequila P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

Trevino, however, doesn’t want the bar to be a memorial. “It’s a bar — it should be fun,” he says. The altar is intended to be joyous; to awaken memories, while making new ones. If anything, the La Ofrenda is a

celebration of life, a reminder that we can’t rewrite our past, but we can honor it by offering our own story.

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La Ofrenda, 30 Findlay St., Overthe-Rhine, laofrendatequila.com

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

859.431.2201

111 E 6th St Newport, KY 41071

IN THE SANCTUARY February 8: The Tillers 2nd Annual Old Time Stringbreakers Ball with Joseph Huber, Mama Alvin Youngblood Hart

Said String Band, Comet Bluegrass All-Stars, Ma Crow & Company, Harlot and much more! WHOLE HOUSE SHOW February 9: Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory February 13: New Bomb Turks with 9 LB Hammer and DJ Brian Dilsizian February 27: Town Mountain and Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle February 28: Chicago Farmer Full Band Record Release Show with Darrin Bradbury

IN THE REVIVAL ROOM February 7: The Eskimo Brothers with Jerry King & The Rivertown Ramblers February 13: Parker Gispert (of The Whigs) New Bomb Turks

February 14: Love Plus One: An ‘80s Valentine’s Dance Extravaganza with Boombox and The Jericho Harlot February 15: NOIR: Classic Goth, 80s, Industrial, Punk & More (And Every Third Saturday) February 20: Whiskey Wolves of the West February 21: Motel Radio with Calumet and Juno Dunes February 22: Rowdyboyz Productions PResents Kyle Daniels with John Morgan February 23: Kulick February 28: Two Inch Winky

Chicago Farmer

February 29: The Nothing CD Release Show with Tiger Sex

FREE IN THE LOUNGE Mt. Pleasant String Band - Every 1st & 3rd Thursday *Spiderhand Artist in Residency - Every Wednesday in February with special guests February 7: Earle Diamond with Chalk Eye and Soul Group February 13: Barton Samuel Banta & Friends February 14: Bronte Fall February 15: Ricky Nye Inc

Parrker Gispert

LOOKING AHEAD March 12: Fea with Megahussy March 13: Motherfolk with Bad Bad Hats March 17: The Dollyrots; Make Me Hot Tour

LIVE MUSIC • CRAFT BEER • GREAT BOURBON SELECTION Tickets available at The Southgate House Revival Lounge Bar or ticketweb.com Newport, KY www.southgatehouse.com 52

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MUSIC

New Bomb Turks in the 2000s P H O T O : E P I TA P H R E C O R D S

Revved for Reignition Nearly three decades after first exploding onto the scene, Ohio Garage Punk heroes New Bomb Turks are back on the road BY B I L L F U R B E E

ew Bomb Turks first roared out of Ohio State University in Columbus in 1990, making their mark with an amped-up sonic storm — a tornado of loud, no-frills Rock & Roll served with an undeniable penchant for twisting bare-bones guitar riffs into a frantic and careless racket. It got burped out as brash Garage Punk and — not that they took time to notice — the Turks unwittingly drafted a fresh page of Punk Rock history in the process. They’d go on to release eight albums, a handful of EPs and numerous singles over the course of a decade. In doing so, the Turks paved the way for a litany of late-’90s Garage Punk outfits to find Rock radio success in their wake. But while mainstream fame on that level eluded the Turks themselves, they were (and still are) regarded as preeminent members of an underground garage-band society devoted to preserving Punk’s original primal flame and are staunch supporters of Rock’s early raw roots — the stuff that made the music seem so dangerous and carefree in the first place. In the cultural context of their primary years, the Turks’ brand of Punk was a no-brainer alternative to the prevailing Pop Punk winds of the

decade. But that didn’t keep them from occasionally being shuffled in the same deck. Singer Eric Davidson recalls the time Offspring singer Dexter Holland called them to discuss recording for his label. “After a nice chat for a bit, the topic of the Blues and Rockabilly came up,” Davidson says. Holland apparently dismissed both as irrelevant to Punk Rock’s past, a deal-breaker for the roots-reverent Turks. “That should tell you where our sound fell on the spectrum of that idiotic, early ’90s ‘neoPunk’ trend,” Davidson says, with more than a hint of cavalier cool. Cincinnati’s own Andy Slob — a notable ’90s Punk recording engineer also known for his time with sloppy, crash-pad commandeers The Slobs — spent plenty of time doing shows with the Turks and is quick to point out other ways the Turks stood out. “The one thing that I’ve always liked about New Bomb Turks was that the lyrics avoided the ‘typical’ Garage Rock BS…obviously (a reflection of ) having their toes in literature, art and other such things,” he says. As for their sound, the New Bomb Turks ramble was born of equal parts obsession with vintage Garage Rock

nuggets and the sleazy Hard Rock radio riffs its band members were raised on. It soon shot out of PAs around the world with a glorious blast, and the band had no problem following up on the promise and hype they generated right out of the gate. It was a tough act to follow. Matt Becher of Cincinnati Garage Punk greats The Mortals recalls a gig they shared with the Turks, in Columbus back in 1992. “(New Bomb Turks) went first and played to an enthusiastic home crowd, which emptied out before we went on. The stragglers looked bored to tears,” Becher says, which is saying a lot for a notoriously unhinged live act like The Mortals. “They packed the place,” Mortals guitarist Bill Grapes adds. “The room was jumping — (then) they finished and half the room left.” “Good times,” Grapes says with a laugh. “They were explosive live.” Gig after gig, the Turks set proverbial fire to a manic Stones-by-way-of-The Ramones take on rhythm-and-bruise being chucked around by a growing legion of like-minded libertines, including other underground Garage Punk acts like Lazy Cowgirls, Cheater Slicks and The Fluid. Thirty years on, glory be unto us, the Turks continue to launch belligerent, reckless and rambunctious musical blitzkriegs, one club or festival show at a time, to the giddy delight of Garage lunatics the world over. “The shows have been great!” Davidson enthusiastically reports from the road. “Better than expected from my end (because) you never know how the ankles/pipes/liver will hold up. And we

haven’t done consecutive shows in a long time — usually just a couple shows at a time, or a short Euro fest jaunt.” The last time Davidson and I spoke, the year was 1994, and he was fresh off the stage at Dayton’s Hara Arena. The Turks had performed a blistering set to kick off a lineup that included The Breeders, Afghan Whigs and Guided By Voices — a one-off show that became the stuff of legend for fans and supporters of Ohio’s ’90s Alternative Rock scene. The Turks had put out their debut LP the year before. !!Destroy-Oh-Boy!! was released by Garage Rock kingmakers Crypt Records in 1993 (regarded by many as their magnum opus, it received a 20th-anniversary deluxe reissue in 2013). Destroy’s collection of rapid-fire anthems for a bored and distressed Midwest is now regarded as a modern-day Punk classic, a gnarly dispatch comprising 20 tunes recorded as they were ground out in a New York studio over just half as many hours. After its release, national press took notice, quickly. Slob recalls the impact of his own first Turks experience. “(Punk rock bible-’zine) Maximum Rocknroll reviewed (Destroy), comparing it to Little Richard and/or Jerry Lee (Lewis),” he says. “I remember thinking, ‘This is biggest endorsement of an album that I’ve seen in this magazine.’ ” It was only a hint of the acclaim to come; today, some consider it the best Punk album of the ’90s. “Up until about six months after Destroy came out, our hopes and plans only went about three months into the future,” Davidson says. “I think we all sorta thought it was amazing that Crypt

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— (our) absolute favorite label ever — asked us to do an album. Then, nice reviews came in and the first real tour we did (54 shows in 60 days in Europe) went really well.” “Plus,” he continues, “we really did work it. We had already done lots of East Coast and Midwest weekend swings by then and, in 1993, were getting out to the West Coast and South, too. People said we seemed ‘ambitious’ — but, of course, ambition in the Columbus, Ohio music scene at that time meant waking up before noon and getting a few flyers up on telephone poles at least a day before the show.” After releasing Destroy’s flawless follow-up, Information Highway Revisited, Crypt gave the Turks encouragement to find a new home, one that could help them keep up with the demands of record stores and a rapidly growing fanbase. “Of course, we’d listen to any sucker who’d want to spend money on us,” Davidson says. And so the calls came ringing in. Eventually, Epitaph Records, high on the hog from its crossover success with acts like Rancid and The Offspring, flew the brazen Turks out to the West Coast to talk turkey. “We didn’t like 95 percent of what Epitaph put out,” Davidson says. “But they had a good rep as far as how they treated bands, worldwide distribution and (they) had some cash to expand the label a bit. And they’d signed the fucking Cramps. Not to mention Red Aunts, Gas Huffer and Zeke, bands we actually liked.

“Basically, Epitaph did what they said they’d do. Epitaph offered us about five years’ advance money, good distribution and better promotion.” In 2002, things came to an end for the band — for the time being, at least. Davidson cites typical band-breakup issues for the decision. “You kind of hit a wall, spin wheels,” he says, looking back. “I was feeling a need to move on.” And so the members of New Bomb Turks did just that. Davidson, now living in New York, even wrote a 2010 memoir of sorts, digging into the mostly ’90s Garage Punk scene. The excellent We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988-2001 reeks of stale beer, closed-down clubs and a subculture that was beginning to grow beyond its traditional boundaries. Requests to perform live are tough to turn down, when the mood strikes. “Invitations to European festivals are hard to say no to,” Davidson says, alluding to the benefits that go along with paid-for international travel. That brings us to the here and now, three decades since the gang of Ohio fiends first convened to try playing some Rock & Roll first-hand. Davidson sounds humbly proud of the Turks contribution to music. “I’d like to think we tossed some energetic Punk onto the pile,” Davidson says. New Bomb Turks play Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Southgate House Revival. Tickets/more info: southgatehouse.com.

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R.I.P. Cincinnati Singer/Songwriter Taylor Shannon (1989-2020) BY M I K E B R E E N

According to friends and family members, area singer/songwriter/ guitarist Taylor Shannon died on Jan. 29. He was 30 years old. Shannon — who was also a tattoo artist at Aces High Tattoo in Mount Orab — built his reputation as a talented Country musician with a gritty, soulful style, releasing albums like 2015’s Home & Tennessee which helped him score the 2016 Cincinnati Entertainment Award for top local Country artist. In the past few years, Shannon had been performing and recording with his band Smoke Parade, which boasted a Roots- and Punk-informed Modern Rock sound just as powerful as his more straight-ahead Country material. The band also featured Shannon’s lifelong friend Seth Bunton and drummer Zach Backus. Shannon had been bouncing between his solo and Smoke Parade work in the past couple of years. In September, he’d returned to his solo guise to release the single “Lazy,” which he told me via email he based on an unreleased demo by the band Brand New that he came across on Reddit. At the start of the year, Shannon released the solo single “Vampire Song.” He’d more recently released snippets of his track “Shine” in a post on Facebook in which he said a new solo EP would be released this spring, followed by a full-length album. He’d also recently appeared on an episode of the great local music web series Fret Buzz. On the show, released in early January, Shannon talked about, among many other things, Flying V guitars and working briefly with James Brown tribute artist Young James Brown. He also performed the unreleased song “Cold Sweat” on the show. After news of his untimely death surfaced on Jan. 29, friends and fans on social media — including a wide swath of local musicians from different generations and genres — have been remembering Taylor’s musical gifts as well as his kind and generous spirit. “The heartbreaking outpouring of shock and grief here online confirms something about him to me we all knew — among his many gifts, he had an uncommon ability to make a stranger feel like a friend,” wrote local musician Jim Pelz on Facebook. “When you talked to Taylor, you had his attention — he was 100% present. You walked away from that conversation feeling better for it, because you were.” “No Words... Only beautiful music and memories remain,” wrote fellow local Country artist Dallas Moore, who said Shannon was “like the son I never had.” Moore dedicated his sold-out Jan. 29 concert in Clinton, Wisconsin to Shannon. “All of our Love and Prayers are with (Taylor’s wife) Madeline Shannon and the legion of Family and Friends. Rest In Peace Taylor Shannon,” Moore

Taylor Shannon at the 2017 Porkopolis Pig & Whiskey Festival P H O T O : TAY L O R H A H N

posted. “Godspeed Son. Live Forever.”

R.I.P. Bob Nave (1944-2020) WVXU’s John Kiesewetter reported Jan. 28 that longtime Southwestern Ohio musician Bob Nave has died. He was 75. A Hammond organ specialist inspired by the likes of Ray Charles, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff and Groove Holmes, Nave began playing in R&B cover bands in the 1960s. In 1965, when he was a student at Miami University, he became a member of the Oxford, Ohio band Tony and the Bandits, which morphed into The Lemon Pipers. As part of a record contract, the group was instructed to record a “Bubblegum Pop” song outside of their usual rootsier Rock style. Written by Paul Leka and Shelley Pinz, that song — “Green Tambourine” — would go all the way to No. 1 on the Billboard and Cashbox charts in early 1968. The label pressured the Pipers to stick to the poppier sound, which Nave and the other musicians were not hip to. Nave would later say the band was “ruined by commercial success.” The Lemon Pipers broke up in 1969.

Nave continued to play with various bands (including Starstruck and The Crystal River Band) until largely retiring from music by the early ’80s. He dusted off his Hammond organ in the mid-’00s to help form the R&B/Blues group The Blues Merchants, which performed regularly in clubs around Greater Cincinnati and released a pair of albums, including Tattooed with the Blues in 2012, when local vocalist Amy McFarland fronted the band. That album included just one cover — the Merchants’ updated take on “Green Tambourine.” Nave took over on lead vocals for the album’s tracks “Why, Why, Why” and “Ode to Congress.” Nave had a longtime presence on local radio, most notably on WVXU, where he hosted a Jazz program for over 20 years (he’d earlier spun Jazz on WNOP). According to Kiesewetter, Nave’s “day job” was serving as an investment counselor at a local bank. Nave was also treasurer for the local nonprofit Play It Forward, which helps area musicians during times of medical and financial strife. “People all around Greater Cincinnati

knew Bob Nave, if not through his music career… then by the melodious sound of his voice as longtime host of (Jazz radio program) The Bop Connection and many voiceovers he provided for WVXU,” Boogie Woogie pianist Ricky Nye wrote on Facebook. “He was a die-hard Hammond organist and a prince of a guy — always happy to see him pop up at gigs, and glad to share time with him @ Cincinnati Guitar Festival last year. … Bob was loved by all. R.I.P. buddy.” “I’m so saddened by (Nave’s) passing,” local keyboardist Brian BatchelorGlader posted. “He was so kind and supportive. I wish I got to hear him more.” “The world has suffered a great loss. Bob Nave, a legendary Cincinnati Musician, Broadcaster and philanthropist,” posted singer/ saxophonist and former mayor of Amelia, Leroy Ellington. “While those are admirable traits, his best quality was that he was a great man. And a friend. RIP Bob.”

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Contact Mike Breen: mbreen@citybeat.com

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SOUND ADVICE Lee Rocker

Friday, Feb. 7 • Fairfield Community Arts Center If Lee Rocker had never done anything beyond slapping that badass upright bass for Stray Cats, his place in the Rock firmament would still have been assured. After all, the Cats, a scrappy New York trio of Carl Perkins and Eddie Cochran fans, singlehandedly dragged Rockabilly back onto the world stage by distilling that love of a bygone sound and filtering it through their ’70s Punk sensibilities to create a familiar yet wholly unique new music form. Stray Cats — bassist Rocker (born Leon Drucker), drummer Slim Jim Phantom (known to his parents as James McDonnell) and guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer (real name, unless you believe Homer, who referred to him as Brian Seltzer during the “How I Spent My Strummer Vacation” episode of The Simpsons) — were only initially active from 1979 to 1984 but in that time they ticked off some substantial accomplishments, including 10 million albums sold and a number of Top 10 hits, especially the influential “Rock This Town.” Rocker and Phantom began a side project in 1983 by hooking up with another hot shit guitarist, former David Bowie six stringer Earl Slick, to create the metallic Roots Rock tumult of Phantom, Rocker & Slick for two albums; their eponymous debut yielded the MTV hit “Men Without Shame,” which rose into the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Rock Tracks chart. Setzer broke up the Cats in 1984, but after the demise of Phantom, Rocker & Slick in 1986, the band reformed, then went on hiatus again. It’s a pattern they’ve stuck with for the past three and a half decades, regrouping for one-off appearances, opening slots and limited tours, particularly last year’s 40 album and tour marking the group’s 40th anniversary. Since the mid-’90s, Rocker has charted his own solo course, releasing 14 studio and live albums under his own name, including 1998’s No Cats, 2003’s Upright and Kicking and last year’s blistering The LOW Road. Blending his signature bass-thumping Rockabilly with Roots Rock verve and impassioned Blues, Rocker continues to explore his multi-faceted solo identity while maintaining the groundbreaking sound and standards that propelled the Stray Cats to stratospheric success. (Brian Baker)

The Motels, Bow Wow Wow and When In Rome II

Friday, Feb. 7 • Bogart’s Last year was a good one for music fans in Greater Cincinnati who are into ’80s Pop and want to see their heroes of yesteryear in a live setting. In just the past few months, we’ve been visited by everyone from Rick Springfield to Men Without Hats to Adam Ant. It looks like those good ’80s vibes

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Lee Rocker P H OTO : A L E X S O L K A

are continuing into the new decade as Bogart’s welcomes “The SiriusXM Presents: Totally 80’s Live” tour. But they’re not all exactly the bands you may remember from their prime MTV stardom years. The Motels visited Cincinnati way back in 1982 when they opened for the J. Geils Band at Riverfront Coliseum (aka U.S. Bank Arena aka Heritage Bank Center) on that band’s huge Freeze Frame tour. It was at the height of The Motels’ career. Formed in California in the mid-’70s (originally as The Warfield Foxes), the band was fronted by compelling singer/guitarist Martha Davis. Amid an initial majorlabel bidding war, the band broke up but was reformed soon after with a new lineup. The Motels The “new” Motels signed P H O T O : M A R S E I L L E & C O M PA N Y M A N A G E M E N T with Capitol Records and had some light success with American Music Award for “Best Perfortheir 1979 self-titled debut. mance in a Music Video” for the clip. But their 1982 follow-up, All Four One, The Motels’ 1983 album Little Robfound a much wider audience thanks to bers followed a similar pattern, producthe break-out hit “Only the Lonely.” The ing another MTV-assisted hit in “Sudsong and album benefited greatly from denly Last Summer.” In the aftermath, the rise of a new cable television chanthe band had more success, with nel called MTV, which in its infancy was high-profile appearances on various desperate for content and glommed movie soundtracks, but Davis dissolved on to the cinematic and contempothe group to go solo in 1987. Davis has rary “Lonely” music video, giving it a reformed versions of The Motels off and “radio-hit”-sized boost. Davis won the on ever since, becoming a mainstay on

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the ’80s package-tour circuit. Bow Wow Wow was legendary manager/clothing designer/musician/Punk pundit Malcolm McLaren’s follow-up to The Sex Pistols, which he famously put together in the mid-’70s. Following the Pistols’ break-up, he managed Adam Ant, early on essentially stealing members of Ant’s band at the time to create Bow Wow Wow. Fronted by singer Annabella Lwin, Bow Wow Wow released some seminal Post Punk

Mike Doughty P H OTO : R AC H E L H U R L E Y

recordings (including debut single “C·30 C·60 C·90 Go!”) before finding mainstream U.S. success in the early ’80s with the single and music video for their cover of “I Want Candy.” The new millennium has seen a few different Bow Wow Wows embark on tours, including a version fronted by Lwin and another put together by original bassist Leigh Gorman and featuring Chloe Demetria on vocals. (The Gorman/Demetria Bow Wow Wow is the one on the SiriusXM-sponsored tour.) Rounding out the Totally 80’s Live lineup for the Cincinnati tour stop (Ska band The Untouchables are also doing dates on the tour but aren’t listed as part of the Bogart’s show) is When In Rome II. As the “II” suggests, this is a variation of the Synth Pop group When In Rome, which had a rather enduring hit with their 1988 single “The Promise.” (Mike Breen)

Mike Doughty

20th Century Theater • Thursday, Feb. 13 Mike Doughty might have made his name as the frontman of Soul Coughing, but he’s now been solo for more than twice as long as that artfully anomalous quartet existed in the 1990s. But back to the beginning: Soul Coughing used off-kilter polyrhythmic grooves and Doughty’s spoken-word-by-way-ofHip Hop vocal delivery and acerbic wit to garner a sizable following over the course of three stellar albums, beginning with 1994’s Ruby Vroom. The band broke up for multiple reasons — the most obvious being

Doughty’s substance abuse issues — in 2000. A string of solo recordings followed, at least 20 in all, including full-length efforts like his most recent album, 2016’s The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns and 2013’s Circles, a reworking of Soul Coughing songs that surfaced after he finally came to terms with his first band’s legacy. The latter became a reality following the publication of Doughty’s memoir The Book of Drugs, an uncommonly perceptive look at what made Soul Coughing unique and, ultimately, toxic. In recent years, Doughty has immersed himself in a Patreon-aided project in which he writes a song a week. And then, yet again, there’s his tending to the legacy of Soul Coughing — last year he celebrated the 25th anniversary of Ruby Vroom with a tour featuring the album performed in full. His current tour, a quick two-week run, will include interaction with audiences at each stop; he’s encouraging attendees to submit song ideas via social media, which he will then unveil, specially crafted, in the live setting. “I have that thing where I wake up and the first sip of coffee is with a guitar in my hand,” Doughty said in an interview with The Marquee last year. “If you write this much you’re constantly thinking about what you can do differently than last week. So, I’ve done stuff like rapping, weird experimental pieces, a little chamber orchestra piece and acoustic songs. I don’t know what the next record is going to be, but it’s going to be very, very good.” (Jason Gargano)

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Upcoming shows Rumpke Mountain Boys Fan Appreciation Night Saturday, February 8 Rakim Wednesday, February 12 Another Lost Year Friday, February 21

Highly Suspect P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY 3 0 0 E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Mick Blankenship with Livid & Rootbound Saturday, February 22 Mack Lethal Friday, March 6 Jacob Bryant Saturday, March 7 Brother Ali Friday, March 27 Bimp Lizkit / Limp Bizkit Tribute Saturday, April 4 Upchurch Friday, April 10 Big Gigantic Tuesday, April 14 Combichrist & King 810 with A Killers Confession, Heartsick Friday, April 24

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Highly Suspect

Thursday and Friday, Feb. 13 and 14 • Madison Theater Alternative Rock band Highly Suspect was formed as a cover band in Cape Cod, Massachusetts a decade ago by twin brothers Rich and Ryan Meyer and singer/guitarist Johnny Stevens. Eventually moving to New York City, the musicians showed their talents as songwriters on several self-released EPs, which showcased their developing mix The Infamous Stringdusters of genres (which has P H O T O : A A R O N FA R R I N G T O N variously included elements of Hard band’s 2019 single “Canals” includes Rock, Blues, AltRock, Reggae, Pop and, lines like, “Like how can you stomach particularly of late, Hip Hop). the shit that they do/Just ask Pussy Riot The trio (now a quartet with the what those girls went through.” more recent addition of Matt Kofos on The new album also deals with more guitars and synths) was the first Rock personal subjects. band signed to the Atlantic Records“The album centers around themes of distributed label 300 Entertainment, self-loathing, substance abuse, image which was founded by a collective issues, addressing my past and changof industry vets and boasts a roster ing my future,” Stevens told Rolling that includes Migos, Megan Thee Stone, “with a sprinkle of anti-Trump, Stallion and Young Thug (with whom false social media worship, heartbreak the group has recently collaborated and hope.” (MB) on the single “Tokyo Ghoul”). Highly Suspect’s album debut, 2015’s Mister Asylum, netted them a Best Rock Album The Infamous Grammy nomination; the album’s hit Stringdusters single, “Lydia,” was also nominated for Friday, Feb. 14 • Bogart’s a Grammy. Last November, the band Like a lot of young contemporary released MCID, their highly anticipated Bluegrass bands, The Infamous Stringfollow-up to 2016’s The Boy Who Died. dusters has a dual allegiance. On one Highly Suspect has never shied hand, the Nashville-based quintet away from expressing their opinions is a traditionally inspired Bluegrass on social and political issues. When outfit, and on the other hand, they are they appeared on Conan O’Brien’s TBS similarly influenced and guided by show in early 2016, before they started their love of the broad spectrum of Jam their song, Stevens addressed the bands. Many bands that plant a flag in home viewers: “”What’s up America? the same territory wind up attracting Anybody but Trump, please.” And the

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fans from one side or the other, but the Stringdusters manage to appeal to both bases, drawing a traditional Bluegrass audience as well as the more eclectic Jam followers. The Infamous Stringdusters began a decade and a half ago in Boston when three Berklee College of Music students — banjoist Chris Pandolfi, dobroist Andy Hall and guitarist Chris Eldridge — decided to join forces in a Bluegrass format. Hall relocated to Nashville where he played with Ronnie Bowman and the Committee; Eldridge and Pandolfi soon followed which led to a meeting with two of Hall’s Committee bandmates, mandolinist Jesse Cobb and fiddler Jeremy Garrett. Auditions for a bassist turned up recent Colorado transplant Travis Book, and the Stringdusters were complete. Over the subsequent 14 years, the band has released eight studio albums, two official live recordings (they record nearly all of their shows to post on nugs.net) and a quartet of EPs. Last year saw the release of their latest studio set, Rise Sun, as well as their new concert album, Live From Covington, Kentucky, which was recorded last summer at the Paradise Music & Beer Festival. Eldridge actually left the band before the recording of the Stringdusters’ debut album, 2007’s Fork in the Road, which won Song and Album of the Year honors at the International Bluegrass Music Awards that year (they also won Emerging Artist of the Year); he was quickly replaced by Andy Falco. Cobb left the band in 2011 citing mental and physical exhaustion, and they carried on without a mandolinist. The Stringdusters’ first Grammy nomination came in 2011, when they were up for Best Country Instrumental Performance for “Magic No. 9.” They eventually won a Grammy in 2018 — their Laws of Gravity LP won the Bluegrass Album trophy. Though they’ve shown that they can tear it up in the controlled environment of the studio, the Infamous

Stringdusters reveal their collective/ connective talents in front of an audience, and that remains the definitive way to experience their gifts. (BB)

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THE VIMS W/ SPIRIT OF THE BEAR (YOUNGSTOWN) AND SAINT BERNARD

FRI 14

BLA’SZE, AUDLEY X CHASS BASS AND JAMEEL ZION

S AT 8

TRIIIBE AND A PLETHORA OF GUEST PERFORMERS

S AT 15

MARIA CARRELLI BAND, GOLDEN SHOALS AND JORDAN SMART

SUN 9

BODEGA (NYC), SLEEPCRAWLER AND THE WANTS (NYC)

SUN 16

EMILY WOLFE (AUSTIN) W/ MADQUEEN

MON 10

REXFORD STEVENS [RESIDENCY] W/ JBR

MON 17

REXFORD STEVENS [RESIDENCY], THE NEW MATERIALS AND HILLARY HAHN

TUE 11

9, WRITER’S NIGHT W/ ROB FEAT. SUNDAE DRIVES

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Soul Asylum with Local H

Saturday, Feb. 15 • Riverfront Live Has it really been 28 years since Soul Asylum first broke wide with “Runaway Train,” a sappy but effective Roots Rock ballad that transcended the band’s punkier beginnings? A lot has changed since the song and the breakthrough album it appeared on, 1992’s Grave Dancers Union, surfaced — the most obvious being that frontman and main songwriter Dave Pirner is the lone founding member still in the current incarnation of the band, which continues to tour on the clout of that breakthrough record that sold about as much as the rest of their discography combined. Pete Buttigieg wasn’t even born yet when Soul Asylum formed in the early 1980s as disciples of fellow Minneapolis rabble-rousers The Replacements and Hüsker Dü (Bob Mould produced the band’s first two albums). The quartet dropped a series of scrappy, guitardriven records in the run-up to Grave Dancers Union, all marked by Pirner’s distinctive rasp and a shambolic melodicism that would become more polished as the years went on. Case in point is the band’s most recent effort, 2016’s Change of Fortune, which sprinkles keyboards, peppy rhythms (courtesy of former Prince drummer Michael Bland) and highgloss production into a curious mix of styles and moods, from the 1970s Aerosmith pomp of “Can’t Help It” and the odd genre-jumping riffage and processed vocals of “Make It Real” to the contemporary Soul stylings of “Change of Fortune” and, perhaps best of all, The Hold Steady/Bruce Springsteen crossbreed that is “Moonshine.” (JG)

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MUSIC LISTINGS WEDNESDAY 05

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big Band Jazz. $10.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Josiah Wolf Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. MOTR PUB - Hher with Pete Fosco and Marisa Seremet. 10 p.m. Alt/Experimental. Free. NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Wristmeetrazor with Foreign Hands, Low End, Hangman and Apnea. 8 p.m. Metal. $10, $12 day of show.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Spiderhand. 8 p.m. Rock/Various. Free.

STANLEY’S PUB - Singer/ Songwriter Night with Jonathan Luck. 9 p.m. Various. Free. VINOKLET WINERY Bluegrass Wednesdays with Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. 6:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free.

THURSDAY 06

p.m. Funk/Rock/Various. BOGART’S - The Motels, Bow Wow Wow and When In Rome II. 8 p.m. Pop/Rock. $20.

BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - Steve Schmidt Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE - Phil DeGreg Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. COLLEGE HILL COFFEE CO. - Ricky Nye. 7:30 p.m. Blues/ Boogie Woogie. Free. FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER - Lee Rocker. 8 p.m. Rockabilly/ Roots. $25-$30.

FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - The Newbees. 8 p.m. Rock. Free. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - The Faux Frenchmen. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. KNOTTY PINE - Whiskey Daze. 10 p.m. Country. Cover. LUDLOW GARAGE - The Ark Band. 8:30 p.m. Reggae. $12, $15 day of show.

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

MOTR PUB - The Vims with Spirit of the Bear. 10 p.m. Alt/ Pop/Rock/Various. Free.

BIG ASH BREWING - Ben Levin Duo. 7:30 p.m. Blues

THE REDMOOR Mambo Madness with El Ritmo Del Mañana and Mambo Combo. 6 p.m. Latin Jazz. $10.

BOGART’S - Jordan Davis with Kassi Ashton. 8 p.m. Country. $23.

LUDLOW GARAGE John Sebastian. 8:30 p.m. Folk/Rock. $30-$65.

MADISON THEATER Tauk. 8 p.m. Progressive/ Rock/Jam/Various. $15, $18 day of show.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Little Lawnmowers and Willow Street Carriers. 9 p.m. Americana/Various. Free. STANLEY’S PUB - Surf Night with They Never Came Back and The AmpFibians. 9 p.m. Surf. $5.

URBAN ARTIFACT Roots of Creation performing Grateful Dub. 9 p.m. Reggae Grateful Dead tribute. $12, $15 day of show.

WESTSIDE VENUE - Bob Cushing. 9 p.m. Acoustic.

FRIDAY 07

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Ben Levin and the Heaters. 8 p.m. Blues. Free.

BIG ASH BREWING Freak Mythology with Anna and the Deeper Well. 8

- Misterman and the Mojo Band. 8 p.m. Blues. Free. BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - Steve Schmidt Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE - Kathy Wade and Mike Wade w the Phil DeGreg Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. THE COMET - Queen City Imperial Soundsystem. 10 p.m. Dance/Reggae. Free. FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - See You in the Funnies. 8 p.m. Pop/Rock. Free.

LUDLOW GARAGE Freekbass & The Bump Assembly Does P-Funk featuring members of Turkuaz, P-Funk and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. 8:30 p.m. Funk. $12, $15 day of show.

THE MAD FROG - Dieselboy. 3 p.m. EDM. $10. MCCAULY’S PUB - Diesel. 8 p.m. Rock. Free. MOTR PUB - Triiibe. 10 p.m. Hip Hop/Funk/Soul. Free.

AND TAPROOM - Jet Pack Academy. 8 p.m. Classic Rock. Free.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Mike Darrah. 10:30 a.m. Jazz. Free. MOTR PUB - BODEGA with Sleepcrawler and The Wants. 8 p.m. Indie Rock. Free.

STANLEY’S PUB - Blu Million. 10 p.m. Rock. $5. URBAN ARTIFACT Cincy For Australia: A Concert for Relief with Ben Idle, Drop The Sun, IN2ITIV3, Kaitlyn Peace & The Electric Generals and Brooklynn Rae. 8 p.m. Rock/Various. Cover.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Greg Chako & Organ-ized Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

SATURDAY 08

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Hot Magnolias. 8 p.m. New Orleans Jazz/Roots. Free. BIG ASH BREWING

SORG OPERA HOUSE - The Menus. 7 p.m. Rock/Pop/ Dance. $15, $20 day of show. THE SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL - The Tillers Second Annual Old Time Stringbreaker’s Ball with Joseph Huber, Mama Said String Band, Comet Bluegrass All-Stars, Ma Crow & Company, Harlot and Mystery String Band plus Rabbit Hash String Band. 6 p.m. Folk/Bluegrass/Americana. $15, $20 day of show.

MADISON THEATER - Highly Suspect with Electric Palace. 8 p.m. AltRock. $38, $40 day of show.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory. 7 p.m. Blues/ Rock/Various. $20, $25 day of show.

MOTR PUB - Witches Meadow and Van Echo. 10 p.m. Alt/Pop/Rock/Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN North 2nd Crew and The Whiskey Shambles. 9 p.m. Soul/Funk/Blues/Roots. Free.

MONDAY 10

BOGART’S - NGHTMRE with Kompany and more. 8 p.m. Electronic/Dance. $27.50.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT - PoJazz with Andrew Haug. 8:30 p.m. Jazz/Spoken word. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Parker Gispert with Alex Salcido. 8 p.m. Singer/ Songwriter. $10, $12 day of show.

MCCAULY’S PUB - Open Jam with Sonny Moorman. 7 p.m. Blues/Various. Free. STANLEY’S PUB - Jazz Jam with The Stanleyband. 9 p.m. Jazz/Improv. Free.

TUESDAY 11

BLIND LEMON - Nick Tuttle. 8:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

BREWRIVER CREOLE KITCHEN - The Twirlers. 7 p.m. R&B/Classic Pop/Standards. Free. CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL - Music Live@Lunch with Moyen Age. 12:10 p.m. Medieval. Free.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - New Bomb Turks with Nine Pound Hammer and DJ Bryan Dilsizian. 8 p.m. Garage Punk. $18, $20 day of show.

TOP CATS - The Blue Stones. 8 p.m. Blues Rock. $10.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Jazz at Dusk. 5:30 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

FRIDAY 14

BIG ASH BREWING Cincinnati Dancing Pigs. 8 p.m. Americana/Jug band.

MCCAULY’S PUB - Stagger Lee. 3 p.m. Country. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Mark Messerly and Amber Neff. 9 p.m. Singer/Songwriter. Free.

STANLEY’S PUB - Shiny Old Soul. 10 p.m. Rock/Roots/Various. $5.

STANLEY’S PUB - Trashgrass Troubadours. 9 p.m. Bluegrass. $5.

TRINITY GASTRO PUB - Bob Cushing. 7 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

WEDNESDAY 12

WIEDEMANN BREWERY

20TH CENTURY THEATER - Mike Doughty. 8 p.m. Alternative. $22, $25 day of show.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT - Paul Patterson Ensemble. 6 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

RICK’S TAVERN - Cassette Junkies. 9 p.m. Rock. $5.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT Rusty Burge with Dan Karlsberg and Dan Dorff. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

THURSDAY 13

THE REDMOOR - Greater Cincinnati Youth Jazz Collaborative. 6 p.m. Jazz. $10.

MANSION HILL TAVERN John Redell and Friends. 9 p.m. Open mic. Free.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - The Eskimo Brothers with Jerry King & the Rivertown Ramblers. 9 p.m. Rockabilly. $8, $10 day of show.

VINOKLET WINERY - Bluegrass Wednesdays with Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. 6:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Classical Revolution. 9 p.m. Classical/Chamber/Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - The Lippies with The Eradicator and The Raging Nathans. 9 p.m. Punk. $8, $10 day of show.

RIVERFRONT LIVE Rakim. 8 p.m. Hip Hop. $20-$99.

RIVERFRONT LIVE Rumpke Mountain Boys. 9 p.m. Progressive Bluegrass. $10.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Old Pictures/New Pictures, Shag Lab and Scarlett Street. 9 p.m. Indie Rock. Free.

BOGART’S - Badfish with Tropidelic and Little Stranger. 8 p.m. Alt/Pop/Ska/Various.

RIVERFRONT LIVE - LoCash and Drew Baldridge. 8 p.m. Country. $25.

MOTR PUB - Sovereign Being. 10 p.m. Rock/Funk/Pop/Psych. Free.

SUNDAY 09

NORTHSIDE TAVERN Reversels with Self-Similar, Self Surgery and Danbient. 9 p.m. Free.

Band Jazz. $10.

BOGART’S - The Infamous Stringdusters. 8 p.m. Bluegrass. $20.

BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - Steve Schmidt Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE - Eugene Goss Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz.

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big

F E B R U A RY 5 - 1 8 , 2 0 2 0

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Penny Express

PUZZLE Cover.

Rock.

FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER - Wild Carrot and Their Roots Band. 8 p.m. Americana. $18-$20.

FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Jess Lamb & the Factory. 8 p.m. Alt/ Pop/Soul/Various. Free.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Pam Mallory Quartet â€œSings Songs for Lovers.â€? 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. JAGâ€™S STEAK AND SEAFOOD - The Airwave Band. 9:30 p.m. R&B/Dance/Pop. Cover. LUDLOW GARAGE - A Night of Music and Conversation with Rodriguez. 8:30 p.m. Folk/Rock. $50-$85.

MADISON THEATER - Highly Suspect with Electric Palace. 8 p.m. AltRock. $38, $40 day of show.

MOTR PUB Blaâ€™sze with Audley, Chass Bass and Jameel Zion. 10 p.m. Hip Hop/R&B. Free.

THE REDMOOR - Soul Pocket. 8 p.m. R&B/ Dance/Soul/Pop. $10. RICKâ€™S TAVERN - The Menus. 9 p.m. Pop/Rock. Cover. RIVERFRONT LIVE Riff Raff. 8 p.m. Rap. $15-$65. SCHWARTZâ€™S POINT Valentineâ€™s Dinner Party with The Mandy Gaines Quartet. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Love Plus One: An â€˜80s Valentineâ€™s Dance Extravaganza with Boombox and The Jericho Harlot. 9:30 p.m. Alt/Rock/Dance/Various. $5. TAFT THEATRE Little Big Town with Caitlyn Smith. 8 p.m. Country. $49-$119.

URBAN ARTIFACT - Copper with The Pretty Birds. 8 p.m. Pop

WESTSIDE VENUE - Shawn Halloway Presents Valentines Day/Love & RnB with DJ R3:TRO. 9 p.m. R&B/ Dance. $5, $10 day of show.

SATURDAY 15

20TH CENTURY THEATER - Dudley Taft & Manu Lanvin. 8 p.m. Blues/Rock. $12, $15 day of show.

ARNOLDâ€™S BAR AND GRILL - Jess Lamb. 8 p.m. Alt/Pop/Soul/Various. Free. BLUE NOTE HARRISON - Annual Valentines Bash with DV8, Rusty Griswolds and Sullivan & Janszen Band. 7 p.m. Rock. $10. BOGARTâ€™S - No Remorse 3 with Lil Keed, YFL Kevin, DJ Fresh, Seezyn, Gaida Noriega, Insomniacs, Bodie, DJ Major Key, DJ Chunks and more. 8 p.m. Hip Hop.

LUDLOW GARAGE Alex Bugnon. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. $30-$60. MANOR HOUSE Cincy Winter Blues Experience II with Danielle Nicole, Stacy Mitchhart, Tempted Souls Band, Jay Jesse Johnson, Lilâ€™ Red & The Rooster, Chuck Brisbin & The Tuna Project, Ben Levin & The Heaters and more. 5 p.m. Blues. $20, $25 day of show.

MOTR PUB - Maria Carrelli with Golden Shoals and Jordan Smart. 10 p.m. Country. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Paper Airplane. 10 p.m. Indie Rock. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB Hide, Fotocrime and Felixx Moon. 9 p.m. Goth/Industrial/Post Punk. $8, $10 day of show.

PLAIN FOLK CAFE Hickory Robot. 7:30 p.m. Americana/Bluegrass. Free.

RIVERFRONT LIVE - Soul Asylum with Local H. 8:30 p.m. Rock. $28-$99.

TAFT THEATRE Little Big Town with Caitlyn Smith. 8 p.m. Country. $49-$119.

THOMPSON HOUSE - Tisoki + Minesweepa. 9 p.m. EDM. $20.

URBAN ARTIFACT - The Love Hangover featuring Billy Alletzhauser, Beth Harris, Rachel Mousie, Freedom Nicole Moore, Kelly Thomas, Zapruder Point, Venicia Kosien, Anna Applegate, Night Owl and St. Mary, St. Michael. 8 p.m. Duets/ Various

SUNDAY 16

BREWRIVER CREOLE KITCHEN - Ricky Nye. 11 a.m. Blues/Boogie Woogie. Free. MOTR PUB Emily Wolfe with Madqueen. 8 p.m. AltRock. Free.

SCHWARTZâ€™S POINT - Tangatang. 6 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

MONDAY 17

MANSION HILL TAVERN - John Redell and Friends. 9 p.m. Open mic. Free.

MOTR PUB - Rexford Stevens. 9 p.m. Rock. Free. STANLEYâ€™S PUB - Jazz Jam with The Stanleyband. 9 p.m. Jazz/ Improv. Free.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

1. Crime lord of the â€œStar Warsâ€? universe 6. Youâ€™re looking at one

15. Large slab 16. Fibberâ€™s creation 17. Argument for Buddhism? 19. Nabokovâ€™s most popular crossword-adjacent book 20. Go that-a-way

21. Go bananas 22. Caused 23. Banish a commie for eternal punishment? 27. Band that for some reason reissued â€œMonsterâ€? last year even though used CD bins are clogged with copies of it 28. Gulf south of Yemen 29. Rapper who started off in Digital Underground 32. Caveman cousins 35. â€œYou follow?â€? 38. Wussy Bohemian, formally? 42. Hamm with goals

Congressional VIPs on twomasted sailboats? 64. Wine valley 65. Tree dweller in the the â€œStar Warsâ€? universe 66. Eagleâ€™s grabber 67. Eyewear, jocularly 68. Sisters 69. Heart tube D OW N 1. Esperanza Spaldingâ€™s genre 2. To the back 3. Watch an entire season of a show in a sitting, e.g.

6. Mickey Mouse

BLIND LEMON - Nick Tuttle. 8:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

48. Speechwriter Favreau

F E B R U A RY 5 - 1 8 , 2 0 2 0

44. Oprahâ€™s friend King

BREWRIVER CREOLE KITCHEN - The Twirlers. 7 p.m. R&B/Classic Pop/ Standards. Free.

ARNOLDâ€™S BAR AND GRILL - Cheryl RenĂŠe. 7 p.m. Blues. Free.

BOGARTâ€™S - Tom Keifer with American Bombshell. 8 p.m. Rock.

4. Physique

TUESDAY 18

10. Game using 32 cards 14. Hilarious

43. Presidential candidate with a Gang

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

AC R O S S

BY B R EN DA N EM M E T T Q UIG LE Y

45. Edge

5. Polished off

8. Racer Al or his son 9. Scrape (by) 10. Tampa suburb

56. Skierâ€™s mecca

11. Russian abstract artist Wassily

58. Top number of some watches 60. Tag playerâ€™s cry 61.

46. State-levied fee

25. Electronic gizmos, e.g.

47. ID used on numerous govt. forms

26. Fun run 29. â€œ31 Days of Oscarâ€? cable channel

48. Kid 49. Good news from Nasdaq

30. Spraying weapon 31. Truce symbol

50. MA and PA are found here

32. â€œWhy didnâ€™t I think of that!â€?

51. Madison, N.J., campus

33. Check endorserâ€™s need

52. Squelch 53. Clock noises

34. Hosp. instrument

54. One without a country

36. Fish with electric organs

55. Nurse 59. â€œThat ___ funny!â€?

37. Chemical suffix

61. â€œJeopardy!â€? rival of Brad and James

39. Pound out an e-mail, say 40. 2020 Best Rap Album Grammy winner

62. Scale amts. 63. Melon topper

7. Yoga move

49. Made an estimation how tall a skyscraper is?

57. Ocho ___, Jamaica

41. Pleading words

24. Count who was bats, for short

12. Bush appointee to the Court 13. Carpenterâ€™s joint 18. Gift tag word 22. Tupperware piece

L AST WEEKâ€™S ANSWERS:

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CLASSIFIEDS INTERIOR CLASSIFIEDS

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