VOL. 28 | ISSUE 41
PUBLISHER
TONY FRANK
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ASHLEY MOOR-MAHONEY
DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR
KATHERINE BARRIER
STAFF WRITER
MADELINE FENING
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
HAIMANTI GERMAIN
GRAPHIC DESIGNER ASPEN SMIT
CONTRIBUTING CRITICS
THEATER CRITIC: RICK PENDER
DINING CRITIC: PAMA MITCHELL
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
ANNE ARENSTEIN, BRIAN BAKER, JULIE CARPENTER, JASON GARGANO, BRESLIN SAND
CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
HAILEY BOLLINGER RON VALLE CATIE VIOX
PHOTOGRAPHY INTERN LUCAS GRIFFITH
SENIOR DIGITAL MARKETING CONSULTANT MARK COLEMAN
PROMOTIONS MANAGER MK MCGUIRE
DISTRIBUTION TEAM
TOM SAND, STEVE FERGUSON
BIG LOU HOLDINGS
DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR ELIZABETH KNAPP
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER GUILLERMO RODRIGUEZ
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHRIS KEATING
NEWS
Wife of Deputy Henderson Files Lawsuit Against Rodney Hinton Jr.’s Family
Lorena Henderson claims Rodney Hinton Jr. and his family profited from “notoriety” when he allegedly killed her husband in May.
BY MADELINE FENING AND AVERY PADGETT
The wife of fallen Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson is suing the family of his alleged killer, according to new court documents.
Lorena Henderson has filed a lawsuit against the family of Rodney Hinton Jr., claiming the family broke Ohio public policy by raising money through crowdfunding after Hinton Jr. was arrested for the death of her husband. Prosecutors charged Hinton Jr. with aggravated murder for Deputy Henderson’s death in May, saying he intentionally drove into the uniformed deputy outside the University of Cincinnati. If convicted, Hinton Jr. could face the death penalty.
Fundraising post-arrest
After Hinton Jr.’s arrest, his wife, Anna Booker-Hinton, created a fundraiser on GiveSendGo that raised over $50,000 to help support his legal fees and their two children.
“I am now trying to provide a stable, secure environment for our children as we navigate this nightmare,” wrote Booker-Hinton in the fundraiser description.
The main fundraisers associated with helping Hinton Jr.’s legal fees have raised approximately $100,000. However, Zachary Gottesman, the attorney representing Henderson’s family, expressed doubt that the money was being used for criminal defense during a May 20
Ohio Legislature to ban crowdfunding for criminal defense funds in response to fundraisers for Hinton Jr.
“We shouldn’t be crowdfunding an evil-doer,” Yost said. “I think it should be the policy of Ohio that crowdfunding platforms are not permitted to raise money on the backs of a notorious, disgusting crime.”
GiveSendGo previously told CityBeat that the company would address the state’s concerns with “responsibility and with compassion,” adding that fundraising falls under free-speech protections.
“Our prayers are with the family of Deputy Henderson,” GiveSendGo said in May. “This is an incredibly tragic situation, and we do not take the weight of it lightly. At the same time, we continue to follow our legal obligations and platform policies.”
“We believe these campaigns fall under First Amendment protections, which include freedom of speech, expression, and association,” GiveSendGo added. “These rights exist to protect all people, especially in difficult and divisive moments. Protecting those freedoms ensures that justice can be pursued without silencing the voices of individuals or communities.”
Ryan Hinton
Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said Rodney Hinton Jr. intentionally drove his car into Henderson hours after viewing footage of his oldest son, Ryan Hinton, being fatally shot by a Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) officer. Ryan Hinton was killed on May 1 while fleeing CPD officers during a stolen car investigation. Pillich conducted an investigation into the shooting death of Ryan Hinton, opting not to bring the case to a grand jury. On June 17, Pillich said the unnamed CPD officer wouldn’t face criminal charges and was “legally justified” when he fired five rounds at Ryan Hinton, who was armed.
press conference, but cited no evidence. According to court documents, the lawsuit claims the funds raised through GiveSendGo used Rodney Hinton Jr.’s “public status and notoriety gained solely through his criminal act of killing Deputy Henderson.” The lawsuit characterizes the fundraising effort as a “malicious civil conspiracy in violation of Ohio’s well-established public policy.”
The act of a person profiting off their own violent crime story is illegal in Ohio, as directed by “Son of Sam” laws. So far, this kind of law does not prohibit raising money for legal funds, but Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced May 20 that he wants the
“I thought, I better get my gun out and shoot him before he shoots me,” Pillich quoted the officer as saying during the investigation. “I fired before he could fire on me.”
Pillich said her office was equipped to decide on the officer’s case, rather than involving the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which is standard among some Ohio jurisdictions when an officer kills someone.
“BCI does not always get involved in things like this,” she said. “They help jurisdictions that don’t have the resources to have a full-fledged investigation, so we can do that on our own.”
The Hinton family’s attorney, Fanon Rucker with Cochran Law Firm, criticized Pillich’s decision and said he plans to file a civil suit on behalf of the family.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Rodney Hinton Jr., who is accused of intentionally driving into and killing retired Hamilton County Deputy Larry Henderson.
PHOTO: PROVIDED
Former Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Chaplain Jailed by ICE Granted Temporary Restraining Order
BY MADELINE FENING
Imam Ayman Soliman, the former Cincinnati Children’s Hospital chaplain detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), can remain in Ohio while his case plays out.
A judge granted Soliman a temporary restraining order on July 16, allowing him to remain in Ohio until his immigration hearing on July 22.
Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH) said in a July 10 Instagram story that his office has been advocating for Soliman to remain in the U.S. “for months.”
“We spoke at length today with ICE officials — making the case for why Ayman deserves to remain in our community,” Landsman wrote. “We have been working on Ayman’s case for months — well before this became public. We expect this to be a long process that he and his attorneys will be navigating. At every step of the way — before he was detained, afterward, and going forward — we have been and will continue working hand in hand with his legal team.”
Soliman immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt more than a decade ago and was granted asylum status, according to immigration advocates at Ignite Peace Cincinnati. While in the U.S., Soliman became a board member for the Clifton Mosque, the Islamic Association of Cincinnati and the Initiative on Islam and Medicine. According to his bio on the Clifton Mosque’s website, Soliman holds undergraduate degrees in Islamic studies, Qura’n and Islamic Da’wah. He holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Studies and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Divinity in Islamic Studies and Muslim Chaplaincy, as well as a PhD in Islamic Studies. He has also served as a chaplain at Northwestern University and in the prison system before becoming the imam and chaplain at Cincinnati Children’s.
Soliman has no criminal record. However, federal authorities raised questions about his asylum status as early as December 2024, and his status was officially revoked in June. Soliman was detained by ICE during a mandatory check-in at the Department of Homeland Security office in Blue Ash on July 9. He was taken to the Butler County Jail’s ICE detention facility where he currently remains. Before his arrest, advocates said he was questioned by immigration and other federal authorities for hours about his political affiliations. Soliman has said he was “escaping death” when he left his family in Egypt to come to the U.S. more than a decade ago. His family was recently in the process of working to secure a legal path to join him in the U.S., according to advocates. Tala Ali, chairperson of the Clifton Mosque and the Islamic Association of
Imam Ayman Soliman immigrated to the U.S. more than a decade ago from Egypt and was granted asylum status, according to immigration advocates at Ignite Peace Cincinnati.
PHOTO: IGNITE PEACE
Cincinnati, addressed reporters alongside several community advocates just hours after Soliman’s arrest. She said Soliman serves families of all faiths in the Cincinnati community.
“He not only serves Muslim families, but families of all backgrounds and faiths,” she said. “He holds presence and pastoral care for all people.”
As a chaplain for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Soliman served patients and their parents as a member of their healthcare team, according to the hospital’s website. Also referred to as spiritual care providers, chaplains at Cincinnati Children’s can help families by performing prayers upon request, offer emotional support, help doctors understand how a patient’s beliefs affect their healthcare decisions, and more.
“When parents with sick children come to the hospital, they found comfort with Ayman Soliman,” said Khalid Turaani, executive director of the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR) in Ohio. “He was comforting people who might have been on their last day on earth.”
State Rep. Rachel Baker (D-27) also spoke to reporters about Soliman’s work as a chaplain for Cincinnati Children’s.
“Being a healthcare provider, I know
firsthand how important our clergy in the hospital system is,” Baker said. “They’re there for the moment of need for our most vulnerable, for their families when they need empathy and kindness and compassion and understanding. That is what Imam gave to our youngest Ohioans.”
Background
On June 3, ICE set an arrest record of more than 2,200 arrests in a single day, according to the agency. Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has been pushing for an even higher daily quota, looking to set a minimum goal of 3,000 ICE arrests per day. To this end, senior ICE officials have urged officers to “turn the creative knob up to 11” by arresting “collaterals” — noncitizen immigrants encountered by agents while serving arrest warrants for others — according to internal agency emails viewed by The Guardian. Trump’s pursuit of mass deportations got a boost with the passage of Trump’s sweeping “Big Beautiful Bill” on July 4. The tax cut and spending bill significantly increases funding for ICE. The agency is set to receive an infusion of more than $100 billion through 2029, including $29.9 billion in additional funding to hire 10,000 new ICE agents.
Planned Parenthood to Close 2 Southwest Ohio Clinics Amid Federal Medicaid Changes
BY MADELINE FENING
Planned Parenthood will be forced to close two of its local health centers due to federal changes to Medicaid.
Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region (PPSWO) announced on July 17 that health centers in Springfield and Hamilton will close in a matter of weeks as a “direct result” of the federal reconciliation bill, which President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4.
What’s happening?
The bill, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, bars health care providers that offer abortion services from participating in the Medicaid program, stripping health centers across the country of millions in Medicaid reimbursement funding.
Ohio Medicaid has never allowed recipients to use Medicaid coverage to pay for abortions, but patients using the health plan have been allowed to pay for other reproductive health services at clinics like Planned Parenthood until the federal changes. Thousands of lowincome Ohioans use the Springfield and
Hamilton clinics for basic preventive health care services, like STI testing and treatment, birth control, cancer screenings and more. The Springfield and Hamilton clinics don’t provide abortion services, according to PPSWO’s website.
“Make no mistake: this was not a decision made by Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region,” said Nan Whaley, president of PPSWO. “We took every possible step to keep these centers open, but the devastating impact of state and federal political attacks has forced us into this very difficult position.”
Following the announcement, Whaley told reporters that closing the Springfield and Hamilton health centers would preserve abortion care and genderaffirming care access at their other clinics in the state. Planned Parenthood’s Cincinnati and Kettering clinics still provide abortions through 22 weeks into pregnancy.
Ohio’s recently passed two-year state budget also factored into the decision to close the health centers, Whaley said. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine kept a trigger in the budget that would automatically end Medicaid expansion coverage for
about 770,000 low-income adults (most of whom are employed) if the federal government reduced its funding share below 90%.
“Planned Parenthood was often the only trusted provider for comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care in these communities,” Whaley added. “This decision — driven by politics, not public health — harms real people who already face barriers to care.”
What’s next?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that states were immune from lawsuits if they excluded Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program, but Planned Parenthood filed a federal lawsuit on July 7 arguing that the defunding provision in the reconciliation bill violates multiple constitutional protections. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani agreed to temporarily block the provision, directing the Trump administration to “take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes” to Planned Parenthood for two weeks while
the case proceeds. Oral arguments on the case are scheduled for July 18 and could determine whether the provision violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
In the meantime, PPSWO said the closures to the Springfield and Hamilton health centers will take effect on Aug. 1. Patients were given notice of the closure via mail and in MyChart, along with information to find alternative providers in their communities. PPSWO said patients should still be able to access secure health records via MyChart or by request.
Some staff members at the closing health centers may be laid off, but the organization said its HR team is supporting all employees through the transition. No additional health center closures are expected as of now, with the organization saying it will continue to “steward private funding” to support patients who rely on services they can’t access elsewhere.
“We’ve served Ohio for 96 years, and we aren’t going anywhere,” Whaley said. “As access to basic health care becomes more politicized, our mission becomes more critical.”
Planned Parenthood health center in Springfield, Ohio.
PHOTO: GOOGLE MAPS
The Drinking Issue
20 of the Friendliest Neighborhood Bars in Greater Cincinnati
BY CITYBEAT STAFF
Community and “third spaces,” those spots between home and work and/or school, are more important than ever. The third spaces in Greater Cincinnati’s neighborhoods are where we all go to disconnect from busy, everyday life things and reconnect with loved ones and neighbors or just to relax solo in a friendly, laid-back atmosphere. Neighborhood bars make excellent third spaces. These are the bars — and they can include dive bars, sports bars, pubs, etc. — that place value and emphasis on being together as a community and relaxing over good, cheap drinks; live music; or games like pool, darts and even board games. Keep reading for 20 of the friendliest neighborhood bars in Greater Cincinnati.
Monk’s Cove
1104 St Gregory St., Mt. Adams Mt. Adams is about 700 miles from the nearest ocean beach, but Monk’s Cove offers a little island oasis in the middle of the city. This beachy pub offers a brandnew patio, daily happy hour specials (including their Jello syringe) from 4-7 p.m. and unlimited popcorn. And if you’re the kind of person who always finds the dog to hang out with at parties, you’ll love the furry bar staff member, Schnookums the golden retriever, who’s usually at the front door to greet guests.
Uncle Leo’s
1709 Race St., Over-the-Rhine Formerly BarBar, Uncle Leo’s opened near Findlay Market under new ownership in late 2022. The name is both a Seinfeld reference and a nod to co-owner Leroy Ansley’s nieces and nephews’ name for him. Uncle Leo’s retains much of the character and decor that made BarBar unique: the antique Art Deco mirrored bar with pink built-in lights, the full-sized canoe above the bar and the mounted moose head. But it also took on a new identity with a plethora of vintage signage, some sports memorabilia and a cast-iron pot belly stove among other
personal touches that have patrons toasting to its quirky, yet inviting atmosphere. The drink menu revolves around classic craft cocktails like gimlets, margaritas and martinis, and the Cousin Jeffrey special is a staple and consists of a bottle of Coors Banquet and a shot of bourbon or tequila.
Big Chill
5912 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Big Chill is your one-stop destination for adult beverages, soft-serve ice cream and good company. Despite the name, Big Chill’s atmosphere is anything but icy, and you’ll feel warmly welcomed by the friendly bartenders and patrons as soon as you step inside. Wife-husband duo Hannah Wheatley and Evan Wallis opened this “chill” bar in the heart of College Hill in late 2022 after moving to the neighborhood and falling in love with the community. While they both wanted
to use their combined bartending experience to craft delicious cocktails, like the slushies with rotating flavors or their Kentucky Buck (bourbon, lemon, strawberry, bitters and ginger beer), they noticed the number of families in the area and decided to include a walk-up ice cream window as well. Enjoy your time here in the cozy bar area or in the sunshine out on the big patio.
C & D Northside
1714 Hanfield St., Northside
All are welcome at C & D. This Northside dive offers pool, Friday night Euchre, happy hour specials, Dungeons & Dragons nights, vinyl nights and more. The drinks are cheap, the bartenders are friendly, the bar is no-frills and there’s a chill back patio — everything you want out of a good neighborhood dive. And if you enjoy a good meme, follow them on Facebook.
The Belle and the Bear
8512 Market Place Lane, Montgomery
This neighborhood dive bar is known for its live music and affordable drinks, but the space itself is electric, with a poster-lined ceiling and neon-glowing stage, plus helpful bartenders and friendly crowds. Come for the live music or karaoke nights, or earlier for the generous happy hours. Beers on tap include classics like Bud Light and Blue Moon, but you’ll also find some local brews like Truth from Rhinegeist and Reba from Fretboard.
The Crow’s Nest
4544 W. Eighth St., West Price Hill
Opened in 1895 by husband and wife Mike and Mary Crow, The Crow’s Nest is one of the oldest drinking establishments in Cincinnati. And like any good Irish pub, their claims to fame are their
Uncle Leo’s PHOTO: BRIAN CROSS
delicious fish sandwich, affordable beer and patrons and bartenders who have never known a stranger. Come on Friday and Saturday nights for live music or Tuesdays for open mic night. Outside, you can gather around the fire pit with a strong drink or play a game of cornhole.
Binski’s Bar
2872 Colerain Ave., Camp Washington When Binski’s Bar opened in 2023, it did so with the goal of being Camp Washington’s communal watering hole. The bar sits in a bright green building from the early 1900s that was originally a saloon and boarding house (wink wink). An Old Style sign hangs outside — “a signal to anyone in Chicago you’re about to walk into a great bar,” says owner Kiel Erdelac. Inside, visitors will find some classic bar staples like a CD jukebox, darts, rotating drink specials and a community that makes you feel welcome.
Joey’s Roadhouse
10308 Burlington Road, Springfield Township
A classic roadhouse and motorcycle bar, Joey’s is off the beaten path, but it’s worth the trip. The bar is a classic dive, with friendly bartenders and regulars who all seem to know each other, but are happy to talk with newcomers, too. You’ll often find someone playing music out back or at the back of the bar, or a group of friends playing a game of pool. The space is snug, but all the better for catching up over a drink or making small talk with your barstool neighbor.
Arlin’s Bar & Garden
307 Ludlow Ave., Clifton
This is Clifton’s Gaslight District’s neighborhood pub for the thinking man or woman. Have a beer on the big back patio and beer garden or enjoy live music and bar food. The no-frills atmosphere includes a pool room, plus tons of beer taps, sports on TV and a jukebox. Though the bar has changed names, there’s been a drinking spot at this location since the 1890s.
Rosie’s Tavern
643 Bakewell St., Covington
For more than a century, there’s been a bar with a pressed-tin ceiling and stained glass windows at W. Seventh and Bakewell streets in Covington’s Mainstrasse Village. For the past two of those decades, Rosie’s Tavern has been a dive bar that welcomes everyone, gay or straight — that intersection even has rainbow crosswalks now. Inside, a dozen barstools face the fully stocked bar — six taps and shelves of liquor and spirits. No food (just chips and nuts), but friendly bartenders will point you to good dining
nearby. The pool table is ready and waiting, and drinks are very affordable, especially on Mondays.
Stanley’s Pub
323 Stanley Ave., Columbia Tusculum
This low-key dive is a favorite spot for live, eclectic tunes. They feature live music throughout the week, with stages both inside and outside, that draw both regulars and those hoping to rock out to some local, Grateful Dead-style jam bands.
Bramble Patch
6768 Bramble Ave., Madisonville
The Bramble Patch is where you want to go when you just want a cheap drink in a laid-back space that’s more like a friend’s basement than a dive bar. Grab a beer, put your favorite classic rock song on the jukebox and shoot a few games of pool with your buddies, or head outside when the weather’s nice to enjoy the patio.
Fries Cafe
3247 Jefferson Ave., Corryville
Fries Cafe is a legendary dive bar that’s been slinging drinks to University of Cincinnati students, Clifton residents and more for almost 100 years. The bar is laidback and offers an uncharacteristically large outdoor space (at least for Clifton). Hang out on deck, enjoy some live music or play cornhole while enjoying a local craft beer — Fries’ specialty. The bar also offers daily deals, including happy hour drinks and after-9 p.m. shot specials.
Free Parking
6200 Hamilton Ave., College Hill
Go straight to Free Parking; do not pass “Go.” This board game and neighborhood bar, where you can turn your friends
into enemies over an intense game of Monopoly, aims to be a welcoming space where guests of all ages can enjoy a wide variety of board games, along with drinks and bites, in a relaxed atmosphere. The menu features specialty cocktails named after Monopoly spaces along with a selection of pub-style food, including sharables like pretzels and beer cheese, wings and a brisket flatbread, as well as handhelds like burgers and chicken sandwiches. They also offer a weekend brunch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with offerings like breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, platters and more. While Free Parking is familyfriendly, it’s still a bar and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult, and not all the games in its game library are kid-appropriate.
Coaches Corner
317 E. Sixth St., Newport
This Newport sports bar boasts a friendly crowd and menu featuring burgers, stadium fries and, of course, craft beers on tap. Head out back to the spacious patio for some fresh air.
Keller’s Cheviot Cafe
3737 Glenmore Ave., Cheviot
If you just want a casual place to hang out and grab a beer, Keller’s is the spot. This convivial watering hole in Cheviot is your quintessential West Side bar: No fuss, good drinks, pool, darts and the Bengals game on TV.
Gas Light Cafe
6104 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge
This Pleasant Ridge eatery and drinkery has been a neighborhood staple for generations. Behind the bar, there’s a large list of local, domestic and craft drafts on tap, and what goes well with a cold draft
of your favorite beer? The half-pound Gas Light Burger, the cod tail fish sandwich with tartar sauce and lettuce or the Homemade Chili with cheese and onions.
Augie’s Tavern
201 Walnut St., Reading
“Good people, good service and cheap beer,” as one review of Augie’s Tavern reads, is the best way to describe this small dive bar in downtown Reading. Boasting the best selection of ice-cold beer in town, Augie’s also has wine, cocktails and bar games, including two Keno machines. Stop in to watch a Reds game, or take part in their daily card drawing game for the chance to win big.
Hap’s Irish Pub
3510 Erie Ave., Hyde Park
Named after its former owner’s nickname, “Happy,” Hap’s calls itself “the most authentic Irish pub you will find outside of the Green Isle,” boasting itself as the biggest Guinness distributor in the area. The bar is no-frills, and the company is top-notch. Whether you want to pick up a casual game of darts, play a song on the jukebox or enjoy the dogfriendly outdoor patio, a visit to Hap’s is bound to be a great craic (a good time).
Dew Drop Inn
8956 Harrison Pike, Blue Jay
Located on the edge of Hamilton County, between Harrison and Miamitown, you’ll find the quiet neighborhood of Blue Jay and its neighborhood gem, Dew Drop Inn. A full-service bar, Dew Drop Inn also serves up fantastic hand-tossed pizzas, hoagies and appetizers. Play a game of darts, a round of pool or sit out on the covered patio and watch a sand volleyball match while enjoying your drink and pie.
Rosie’s Tavern PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/ROSIESTAVERN
ARTS & CULTURE
The Bard in Your Backyard
Cincy
Shakes takes A Midsummer Night’s Dream to nearly 40 parks with a summer of free, family-friendly theater.
BY JULIE CARPENTER
Summer starts when the cicadas swarm, but the official “summer is here” moment is when Cincinnati Shakespeare Company starts its Shakespeare in the Park tour. Now that the cicadas are gone, it’s time to grab a picnic blanket and some friends and head out to one of nearly forty regional parks to enjoy A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the bard himself, William Shakespeare.
“There’s something in it for everyone,” said director Candice Handy in an interview with CityBeat. “It is truly the perfect comedy and play. There’s romance, trickery, magic and drama. There’s fighting, Shakespearian clowns and a play within the play.”
Midsummer follows three stories: a love triangle, fairies fighting in the woods and a rehearsal for a play. The various plots come together for [spoiler alert] … a happy ending.
Shakespeare in the Park productions differ from Cincy Shakes’ mainstage shows. The script is edited to keep the runtime to a manageable two hours, including an intermission; much shorter than the latest summer blockbuster. “It’s a very grassroots, guerilla way to do theater,” said Handy. “It stretches and strengthens my directing muscle because I have to think of creative ways to tell the story without all the bells and whistles.”
Each actor takes on multiple roles in Midsummer — some taking on as many as four characters. “At the beginning of each show, everyone introduces themselves, their name and their roles,” said Handy. “As they say the role, they do a gesture so you know every time you see it that they’re in that character.” The cast — Eva Olivia Catanzariti, Imani Derden, Cameron Nalley, Jason Pavlovich, Cassandra C. Reeves and Colin Waters – hails from Chicago, North Carolina and Cincinnati, with experience on the Cincy Shakes mainstage, Fringe Festival and other regional theaters. The outdoor setting limits the technical resources available for performances. There are some audio
effects, but sunshine and lightning bugs provide the lighting, until late summer when dusk starts earlier, requiring artificial lights so audiences can see the cast and stage. “Things that you do with tech on the mainstage, here you do with the actors’ bodies and voices,” said Handy. “But we have nature. It’s nice to be out in the elements. There’s a magical thing about that because you have a lot less control, an airplane flying over or a bird landing in the middle of a scene, actors don’t ignore nature when it happens. Traditionally, Shakespeare’s troupe would improvise, being outside opens doors for improv and magic to happen.”
The cast travels with a stage manager who runs the show and also manages the company. Everyone on the team has a responsibility, from dealing with laundry to coordinating props. They arrive, assemble the set, making adjustments as needed to fit the space, put on the show, then dismantle the set and get ready to do it all again the next day. Everything is designed for this marathon of 38 performances over 51 days.
“We want the costumes to look beautiful, but it has to be practical,” said Handy. “It can be really hot when they’re performing. This Midsummer is ancient Athens meets the summer of love, so there’s flowy togas and a 1960s music type of vibe.” With actors playing multiple roles, and most of the scenes requiring all of the actors on stage, costumes are also designed for a quick change with plenty of Velcro and fast snaps. “I have to create a framing device to get the audience to look at something else when there’s a quick change,” said Handy. “I have fun transition ideas to cover, once the actors are together, we’ll figure it out. It’s a lot about personalities and discovering who is a good dancer, singer or has other skills.”
Shakespeare’s language may feel too challenging for the season of beach reads, relaxing and ice cream, but the words come alive with actors on stage. “Shakespeare is no different than acting
a modern text,” said Handy. “When an actor can make the language their friend, the audience experience is great. And it’s my job to give a visual context for what is going on, so even if the audience doesn’t get everything that’s said they can follow it visually. Gestures indicate how a character is feeling. I use a lot of that when directing.”
Shakespeare in the Park is intended to be accessible and eliminate as many barriers to participation as possible.
With performances in ten counties in three states, Cincy Shakes is bringing live theater to dozens of communities, and it’s free. There are no reservations, tickets or assigned seats. So, an evening out can be a spontaneous decision.
“That’s what I love about the park tour,” said Handy. “The audience may not have been to the mainstage shows. It’s a picnic. They bring the kids and the dog. At some venues, like Washington Park, there might be a bar — others
have food trucks. People just passing by who’ve never seen Shakespeare or even a play before, stop and watch, and will really respond to it. Actors love when people get responsive. There’s something about being outside where people are more willing to engage with it.”
Each location does have its own policies about parking, dogs, outside food and drinks. So, before heading out, it’s advised to check the venue website. Some performances are ASL interpreted and all performances are familyfriendly. Since the performances are outside, weather may require a delayed start time or performance cancellation; Cincy Shakes provides updates on their social media.
For additional information on the Shakespeare in the Park tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream performances from July 11-Aug. 31, visit cincyshakes.com.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream PHOTO: PROVIDED
Summermusik’s 10th Season Blends World Travel, Time Travel and Classical Firepower
BY ANNE ARENSTEIN CULTURE
Summer may be the off-season for most orchestras, but not for Summermusik. They’re turning up the heat — and the tempo.
The Summermusik season runs July 30 through Aug. 23, and the festival’s lineup is the most exciting and diverse in its tenyear history. There are more of the popular and frequently sold-out Chamber Crawls, as well as the Sunday afternoon series at venues that include the Cincinnati Museum Center and Covington’s Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption.
Renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine makes her long-awaited Cincinnati debut this season, joining an exciting lineup of featured artists that includes the acclaimed Kronos Quartet, Cincinnati favorite pianist Terrence Wilson, Tuvan throat singer SoRIAH and Irish musicians Liz Knowles and Kieran O’Hare.
Programs include world premieres, classical favorites and locally-sourced world music. That’s the goal for Summermusik’s music director Eckart Preu. “We try to provide a narrative that links together music you’d ordinarily never hear back-to-back with a familiar piece from Beethoven or Gershwin or Mozart,” he says, speaking from his home in Spokane. “I’m addicted travel,” he adds, “So world music is always part of our programs. Our programs combine world travel and time travel.”
The journey begins on July 30 with a Chamber Crawl at Rhinegeist’s Clubhouse featuring Turkish music followed by a weekend on the Silk Road with works by Italian, Syrian, Israeli, Turkish, Chinese and Mongolian composers, including a world premiere. Even more exciting are the featured soloists, Barton Pine and SoRIAH.
Barton Pine has performed with major orchestras around the world and is a passionate advocate for new music — through her foundation, she’s commissioned or collected over 900 works by Black composers. She and the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra will present the world premiere of Malek Jandali’s Violin Concerto in Cincinnati, after recording it in 2022 with Marin Alsop leading the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Jandali was born in Germany, raised in Syria and now makes his home in the U.S. He dedicated this concerto to “all women who thrive with courage.”
SoRIAH is the stage persona of Enrique Ugalde, an acknowledged master of the ancient style of throat singing practiced in Tuva, a region in southern Siberia.
“He’s working with arranger Alba Torremocha on that piece that brings
the technique into our own time,” Preu explains.
The next day, on Aug. 3, travel to Venice by way of the Cathedral Basilica in Covington for a concert of works by Vivaldi and Barbara Strozzi, with Barton Pine and the Summermusik chorus led by Daniel Parsley.
The following weekend, the legendary Kronos Quartet arrives for two concerts featuring world and Midwest premieres and a performance with CCM Preparatory Department students.
The Aug. 9 concert opens with I Have Seen the Future by Matt Browne, the first winner of the Kreitler Commission Competition. On his website, Browne writes that the title comes from a 1939 World’s Fair souvenir badge, with further inspiration from 1950s and ‘60s film scores.
“Structurally, this piece is designed like a 1960s science fiction short story anthology,” Preu says. “Each movement is inspired by historical writings on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics – topics more relevant now than ever.”
Kronos joins the CCO to perform a segment of The Sands, a brooding meditation on war by Terry Riley, composer of many of Kronos’s most iconic works, and the Midwest premiere of Jungyoon Wie’s Starlings, a CCO co-commission.
On Sunday, Aug. 10, Kronos moves to CCM’s Corbett Auditorium, joining members of CCM’s Preparatory Department and the Summermusik string quartet. It’s an extraordinary opportunity for the young musicians, part of Kronos’s commitment to education.
The weekend also marks a farewell to Cincinnati for Kronos violist and CCM faculty member Ayane Kozasa and cellist Paul Wiancko, who are relocating to Kronos’s home base in San Francisco.
On Aug. 16, pianist Terrence Wilson returns for a centennial celebration of art deco, the classy, sleek style that originated in Paris and is visible in buildings like the Cincinnati Museum Center and Netherland Plaza.
Preu says the weekend is time travel in both directions.
“We’re performing music from the 1920s and ‘30s and giving a world premiere,” he says. “You can hear American jazz and its influence on European music, especially from American composers Duke Ellington and John Alden Carpenter.”
Wilson has appeared with the CSO, the Xavier Piano Series and Chamber Music Cincinnati. He performs Ravel’s piano concerto, followed by Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in its original orchestration for jazz band.
Fast forward to the present with the world premiere of Marina López’s Moño. Her website’s biography describes López as “interested in deconstructing and reconfiguring Western classical musical forms in unexpected ways.”
She’ll be in town for the premiere and will lead a free class on graphic notation
The show on Aug. 17 offers the ultimate art deco experience with Wilson and CCO musicians at the Cincinnati Museum Center, the epitome of art deco elegance (and the world’s largest
self-supporting half-dome structure) for a program of Ellington, Price, Poulenc, Debussy and more.
Summermusik’s concluding weekend celebrates the Emerald Isle with acclaimed masters of Irish music, Knowles and O’Hare, on uilleann pipes and featuring Cincinnati’s great Irish music and dance resources.
“This is more of a Pops concert,” Preu explains. “We have an arrangement of Irish folk songs and music from Riverdance and popular Irish films.”
The Sunday afternoon series will consist of Irish music workshops at the Irish Heritage Center.
Summermusik executive director Evan Gidley notes that many of the Chamber Crawls are close to being sold out, especially those at the Irish Heritage Center. Additional crawls are hosted at Rhinegeist, Covington’s Grand Ballroom and The Redmoor.
Gidley says that overall attendance has doubled since the first Summermusik series in 2015. He credits that to innovative programming and the CCO itself, whose membership includes several new members.
Preu adds, “I hope that more people will find out that if they love Beethoven and Mozart and they’re curious about new music and want new experiences, they know this is the place to go.”
The Summermusik Festival takes place from July 30-Aug. 23. For more information about Summermusik, visit summermusik.org.
A Chamber Crawl in 2024
PHOTO: MARK LYONS
FOOD & DRINK
Where Cincinnati’s Bartenders Go to Drink
We asked local industry pros where they unwind after a shift — and what they’re ordering. Spoiler: It’s not a craft cocktail.
BY BRESLIN SAND
What are the top bars in the city, and who determines that? Is it CityBeat? Your next-door neighbor? How about those who work at the very bars and restaurants that we love to go to? After long shifts of slinging cocktails for others, bartenders need that drink more than we do. However, when they’re getting off past midnight or 1 a.m., dancing isn’t the first thing on their mind — it’s the friends they want to see. So, where are their favorite places to drink?
Longfellow’s bartender, Ferris Silva, loves the Cincinnati bar scene because it’s a small enough city that after bartending since 2021, they feel as if wherever they go, they can walk into a bar and know someone. It’s what makes Longfellow so special to them. “[It’s] people gathering as a community, postshifts and just relaxing together,” Silva states while taking a quick break on the side of the building. “It’s people who all understand the day that you just had. It’s nice to relax and be like, ‘I don’t have to perform here.’”
Longfellow (1233 Clay St. in
Over-the-Rhine) opened in February of 2017, and despite only being a block from Pins Mechanical Co., it feels like its own hidden pocket of Downtown Cincinnati. Nestled in the shadow of Old St. Mary’s Catholic Church, this apothecary-style bar meets all of your sake and pierogi needs until 2 a.m. It’s home to many classic cocktails, such as a Manhattan, Painkiller or even a Spruce Goose. If you don’t know what that is, the recipe is inside their matchbooks. However, if you want to drink with the local service industry workers just getting off work, you’d best stick to a Miller High Life and a shot of fernet.
Joelle Portelinha, who has been in the industry for well over a decade and has worked at places like Pepp & Dolores, Colette and, most recently, Wildweed, says that a Miller High Life and a shot of whiskey is her go-to drink when coming to Longfellow, often after long shifts.
“It’s just a vibe,” she says with a big smile. “You can say ‘what’s up’ to your homies. And there’s really fucking good cocktails. It’s a community. People show up. We drink, and we walk home.”
and coming back for more.”
When comparing regular bars to an industry bar like Liberty’s, Alsip has this to say, “I’d say at a regular bar, you get people of all jobs, all walks of life. You have some regulars, you’ve got some first-timers, things like that. But I’d say our regulars, nine times out of 10, are service industry workers. And I see them nearly every single day.”
He says that he can typically spot a service industry worker by their appearance, “just because it’s the typical OTR server/bartender: they’re tatted, they’re wearing black. It’s almost easy to spot them. By the order, the order is typically like beer and a shot. The shot’s usually fernet.”
Another key industry bar to note is Uncle Leo’s (1709 Race St. in Over-theRhine). While it doesn’t cater to the fine dining employees of OTR’s heart, it is mixing up a myriad of Spaghetti cocktails with Miller High Life for the Findlay crowd. These cocktails come in all liquors and juices, such as combining High Life with pineapple juice, Malort and more. This zany bar has dollar bills haphazardly hanging at odd angles, tap names spelled wrong (2 Farted), Jesus Christ over the toilet and feels perpetually like Christmas with ornaments dangling from the ceiling and a tree at the front of the bar. They also leave the National Park Service on TV for all patrons to enjoy watching bears while enjoying their High Life mixtures. It is oddly alluring while exciting.
When not at Longfellow, Portelinha finds her way to Liberty’s Bar and Bottle Shop (1427 Main St. in Over-the-Rhine). Ever since their opening in September of 2014, Liberty’s can be spotted easily due to their pig statues running wild outside. They’re known for wine by the glass, homemade ginger beer for Moscow Mules and their espresso martini, which uses a nitro cold brew from Deeper Roots. With timeless movies playing on the TV, throwback music and a wooden barback, this bar feels as full-bodied and classic as the wine they pour. What makes Liberty’s even more special is the cooler in the back that allows you to take bottles of wine and the classic industry go-to of Miller High Life home with you.
Ray Alsip, who has worked all over the city, from Lytle Park to Nada to Righteous Room and now Liberty’s, has always loved what he has done. “I love the human interaction,” he says. “Just getting to meet all different kinds of people that I typically wouldn’t meet day to day. I love crafting a drink and giving it to a guest, and them enjoying it
Uncle Leo’s bartender, Cole DeRose, pulls double duty while working both at Leo’s and Sotto simultaneously — but he’s a pro, having been in the industry since he was 15. Having helped open the bar in October of 2022, he has loved working there, claiming the staff has grown to be tight-knit over the years. While his favorite industry bar is Longfellow after a long night at Sotto, he says, “[Industry bars] are where people go after their shifts to wind down, referring to both Longfellow and Uncle Leo’s. “That means it’s a laternight crowd. Probably not as centered around dancing, but more so just being able to relax, get a good drink, ideally a cheaper drink. But it comes in many shapes and sizes. When I get off work and want to hang out with friends, bars are pretty much the only gathering place available.”
The next time you’re looking to cram four hours’ worth of drinking into 45 minutes while meeting interesting people, check out an industry bar. Usually tucked away from all the action, their chill vibes are full of community and friends ready to have a conversation with whoever walks through the door and orders a High Life and a shot of fernet.
Inside Longfellow
PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER
Mini Umbrellas and Island Energy: 10th Island Tiki Bar Brings Tropical Escapism to Over-the-Rhine
BY NADYA ELLERHORST EATS
While I have no stats to back it up, there’s something about tiki glasses that just makes drinks taste better.
When I found out that the team behind Onolicious was opening 10th Island Tiki Bar and Grill right next to Ziegler Pool, my interest was instantly piqued. A deep, dark part of me gets weak in the knees for mini cocktail umbrellas. I needed to see this establishment billing itself as a mini island escape for myself.
It’s a sluggish, post-Fourth of July weekend Monday, with storms on the horizon and no forthcoming vacation days marked on my calendar. I decided to treat myself to a getaway. Maybe with a tiki drink in my system, the holiday doesn’t have to be over.
When I walk in, I’m greeted with the promised island theme. The space is filled with netting, floral curtains and lanterns. The ukulele-heavy playlist is complemented by the sounds of kiddos splashing and lifeguard whistles in the pool right outside.
At my table, I’m prompted to order via QR code. Scrolling through the menu, I have to individually click on each food or drink item in order to see exactly what it is. With a pretty robust drink menu — my tiki drink fervor that made me want to look at everything — I find it a little annoying to have to keep toggling between menu options on my phone.
What’s more, the online platform has a message stating that QR code ordering isn’t currently available at the time, despite signs posted around the restaurant saying otherwise. However, the bartender/server doesn’t leave me hanging, and as soon as I let them know, they promptly take care of my order and check in consistently throughout my visit.
I opt for a Painkiller ($13), one of my favorite cocktails that just so happens to come in a tiki glass (plus it’s a Monday, so there is much pain to kill). And not only does it arrive in a tiki glass – it also comes topped off with a small umbrella (swoon). I love the cocktail’s housemade coconut cream, yet it manages to lean more into the citrusy side with the pineapple and orange juice, which I gladly welcome.
For starters, I opt for the Wahine Salad ($8) (the ciabatta croutons caught my eye) and Kahalu’u Calamari ($14). The salad is pretty straightforward content-wise, but the miso sesame vinaigrette actually ended up sort of stealing my heart. It has a subtle miso flavor with the slightest kick. I also love the extra bite from the salad’s sweet chili cucumber slices.
While the calamari came out lukewarm, I love the light, airy mochiko flour batter – and the little mound of fried sesame noodles that accompany the dish. The calamari comes tossed in a delicious “secret sauce” that I’d be
very interested in learning more about. But the bowl of strong garlic sauce it’s served with sort of neutralizes all of the flavors of the calamari, and I prefer it without it.
As I perused the menu for entrees, I noted vegetarian alternatives for the Kanaka BBQ Burger and the Local Guido sandwich, as well as a la carte meats. I went for the Kahuku Shrimp Sando ($19 for a full sandwich and side of fries), a hearty merging of mochiko flour-battered shrimp, garlic butter, smoked gouda, miso sesame slaw and sriracha mayo on a Sixteen Bricks ciabatta bun.
I think my jaw drops slightly when I’m brought the massive sandwich, whose fresh bread is soaking up the small pool of garlic butter forming on the plate. To make a little room on the platter, I start by nibbling at the house fries and spicy ketchup — both delicious.
The flavor combination of the sandwich is excellent — a little smokiness from the cheese, a little bite from the slaw, a little kick from the mayo. While the shrimp could have used a little more seasoning love, the delicious mochiko flour helps the sandwich steer clear of being too heavy.
Though thoroughly stuffed to the gills, tiki drink drained, and starting to undergo the drowsy effects of having consumed so much butter, I’m somehow still feeling up to demolishing a
shaved ice. Based on the bartender’s recommendation, I get half-mango syrup, half-strawberry syrup topped with a “snow cap” (ie, drizzled with condensed milk) ($7).
Maybe it’s illogical to get more fatty foods when I’m already full with all that glorious butter, but the die has been cast, and my shaved ice is melting. I dig in, and the first thing I notice is how “real” the syrup tastes. The strawberry syrup, in particular, is a deep, blood red instead of the ubiquitous stoplight color you see in your average snow cone, and it isn’t sickly sweet — it’s a great, refreshing ending to the meal, made just a little richer with the creamy condensed milk.
Had it not been a Monday, I definitely would have opted for more tiki drinks, and before the summer ends, I can see myself coming back to 10th Island to try a few others that caught my eye (tiki glass-based or otherwise).
Is it a true getaway? Not necessarily — while it has thematic decor and a curated menu, you won’t forget the city waiting right outside the door. But 10th Island is something new and different from the more pub grub-y offerings on the streets adjacent, and it owns its theme. Perhaps that’s a getaway enough in these Cincinnati summer months.
10th Island Tiki Bar and Grill, 213 Woodward St., Over-the-Rhine. More info: 10thislandtiki.com.
A Painkiller cocktail from 10th Island Tiki Bar and Grill
PHOTO: NADYA ELLERHORST
MUSIC
Electric Citizen Go Classic and Classical on EC4
The local psych/metal quartet shares a member with the CSO and changes their approach for their career-defining fourth album.
BY BRIAN BAKER
Change and love may well be the overarching themes in the current career cycle of Electric Citizen. The two concepts are ironically dichotomous; both are malleable and potentially capricious, and yet they represent life’s most reliable constants.
In the wake of the aptly titled EC4, Electric Citizen’s fourth album and first new material in seven years, lead vocalist/lyricist Laura Dolan has considered the impact of those elements on her psych/metal band’s journey.
“This genre, this music, what we do, we’re probably never going to make a real living at this,” she says over coffee at Sitwell’s. “We’ll get free tickets to amazing experiences across the U.S. and Europe and connect with all these like minds, our fans and other fans that are right there with us. When you strip all that away, you have to enjoy this, and we do. We started it for fun, and we’re still having fun.”
EC4 represents significant band changes. Although the original quartet remains intact — Dolan on lead vocals, husband/primary songwriter Ross Dolan on guitar and the exquisitely thunderous rhythm section of bassist Nick Vogelpohl and drummer Nate Wagner — the new album introduces Owen Lee as a contributing member. Lee became a utility keyboardist in 2019,
playing local and out-of-town gigs that accommodated his day job as principal bassist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
“It’s funny where life takes you,” says Lee. “I never imagined I’d be in a real rock band. I never imagined I’d be friends with them, much less playing in the band, helping write songs and playing on an album.”
Lee discovered Electric Citizen through CityBeat and became a constant presence at their shows. He eventually developed a friendship with the band, particularly with Vogelpohl because of the obvious bass connection. Accordingly, Vogelpohl asked Lee to play at his wedding.
“Nick asked me to play background music as people were coming in,” Lee recalls. “When I saw Ross and Laura, I started playing Electric Citizen.”
“We’re like, ‘Is that “Shallow Water”?’ It was beautifully transcribed,” says Laura Dolan. “Suddenly, our song could become a classical song. That’s why we wanted Owen’s double bass on (EC4’s) ‘Tuning Tree.’”
Even with Lee’s brilliant “Shallow Water” rendition, he still had to audition to join the Electric Citizen clubhouse.
“That’s Ross,” Laura Dolan says, laughing.
“He’s a very good gatekeeper, in the
most elevated, complimentary way,” Lee notes. “He’s keeping the standards. I respect that.”
The band had booked a weekend Wisconsin show and just lost their keyboardist. They’d already invited Lee to accompany them to man the merch table, and he took the opportunity to throw his hat in the ring.
“I said, ‘Would you want me to play keyboards?’ Ross said, ‘Yeah, okay, come to practice,’” says Lee. “I busted my butt. I worked as hard as I’ve worked for anything in my life, and I only had 48 hours to get it together. I played through the songs until I knew them cold. That first practice, they were like, ‘Wow, killing it!’”
EC4 is also Electric Citizen’s debut for Heavy Psych Sounds, the California label with a formidable metal roster. With the band’s three-album RidingEasy deal concluded, the Dolans began the new label search.
“Ross and I make these decisions together. We considered other labels but Heavy Psych Sounds was perfectly aligned with what we’re doing,” says Laura Dolan. “They’re the perfect medium of not needing too much from us.”
“I kind of lost it when I found out,” says Lee of the HPS contract. “I was like, ‘Pinch me!’ Bands I’ve loved for years are on there: Dead Meadow, Pentagram, Kylesa. We’re on the label with all my heroes.”
Electric Citizen intended to alter their sound and their approach to achieving it, which they did to spectacular effect. EC4 displays the band’s patented range of delicacy and density with a newfound sense of depth and integration as their two extremes are woven into a single blistering tapestry. Case in point: the aforementioned “Tuning Tree,” which began as a simple jam between Lee and Ross Dolan.
“Ross had the skeleton of the song and I played around with it. We were recording the whole thing,” says Lee. “We kind of forgot about it until it was time to record. I didn’t even remember what I did that he liked. It had been years earlier. I was playing like 5% of what I’d played in the moment, and Ross was like, ‘No, no, it was this,’ and he played it back.”
“Ross’ iPhone recording ended up being the final version,” adds Laura Dolan. “I said, ‘Don’t change a thing. I’ll find a way to write around it.’ Owen said it was the first time he’d composed anything on the double bass.”
“Because a symphony orchestra is really just a giant cover band,” says Lee.
The key to Electric Citizen’s new sonic direction was ultimately a shift away from the analog mastery of local genius
Electric Citizen
PHOTO: PROVIDED
Brian Olive, who produced the band’s first three albums, 2014’s Sateen, 2016’s Higher Time and 2018’s Helltown. Early on, the Dolans said they’d be happy to have Olive produce their entire catalog, but their desire to find another gear for EC4 inspired them to enlist the assistance of equally gifted studio magicians Mike Montgomery and John Hoffman.
“Ross consciously went into this saying, ‘I want something a little more mellow and a lot more layered,’” says Laura Dolan. “We love Brian and we always will. The shift was literally the analog-todigital decision and wanting to explore those options. We wanted the freedom to layer, and to edit those layers back if they were competing. The patience to layer as much as we needed, that was Mike. For the first time since Sateen, we have acoustic guitar and bass layers, and the revelation with EC4 is that those sit in the mix in a way that fills the space without competing. It’s a really beautiful thing.”
Dolan and Lee’s most potent point while discussing EC4’s success is the clear vision and relentless pursuit of quality embodied by Ross Dolan’s talent and work ethic. Lee notes that with the album essentially wrapped, the guitarist and chief songwriter scrapped three songs that he felt didn’t quite measure up.
“I admire that in Ross. I try to use that practice myself,” says Laura Dolan. “I’ll
go through a few sets of lyrics and melodies that don’t quite click. There’s such a gift in standing back from your own art and saying, ‘That’s not it.’ If you’re obsessed with everything you do, you’ll never have the perspective to elevate it. Ross does that very well. He writes and plays guitar on everything, and has since he was 15 years old. He doesn’t want to replicate.”
Time also looms large in EC4’s creation. The band wasn’t compelled to produce an album in a proscribed period, which allowed them the luxury of doing exactly what they wanted, regardless of a clock or calendar.
“The only pressure to create music that you put out into the world is that it will remain forever,” says Laura Dolan.
“If it’s not what you want it to be, keep working until it is. That’s the approach we took. We feel pretty well embraced with the news of this album and tour. It’s always been a project of friends writing music they love, taking sounds of the past and pushing them into the future. Seven years went by in the blink of an eye.”
The long gap between albums was clearly not intentional. Covid erased Electric Citizen’s European touring cycle, while EC4’s subsequent delays were expanded by the band’s collective full-time job responsibilities, the birth of Vogelpohl’s first child and, most
seriously, Laura Dolan’s melanoma diagnosis.
“I dealt with that on the heels of Covid,” Laura Dolan recalls. “I caught it early and I’m completely fine, so if there’s a message to get out to the world, it’s to get your skin checked. That’s what saved my life.”
That observation leads inexorably to Electric Citizen’s very existence. Diligence saves your life, and love makes that life worth living. Love kept the band together through dark, troubling times, so when Laura Dolan says she loves the people they’ve worked with, the labels that released their music, the fans that support them and the day jobs that pay the bills, it’s an authentic expression of real emotion.
“We’re friends first. We love each other,” says Laura Dolan. “Between my delays, production delays and Covid, we never stopped getting together as a band. In fact, we made a side project (Siss) through it all. There’s something about being able to divide this from the necessities that almost makes it more enjoyable, then we get to toe-dip into these amazing experiences. If I designed this in some conscious way, maybe that would be exactly how I would.”
To learn more about Electric Citizen and to listen to EC4, visit electriccitizenband.com.
SOUND ADVICE
MACY GRAY
Aug. 3 • Ludlow Garage
Macy Gray has the kind of voice that sticks upon first exposure, a dichotomous curiosity that’s both gritty and plush, as if Billie Holiday employed a softened, higher-pitched delivery. That goes double for Gray’s lyrical interests — where Holiday was known for tackling societal issues through visceral personal storytelling, Gray uses her eccentric worldview to reveal often unorthodox romantic predilections.
The Ohio native’s distinctive vocal emissions first surfaced via 1999’s On How Life Is, an uncommonly accomplished debut that mixed contemporary pop stylings with old-school soul and R&B. With song titles like “Sex-o-matic Venus Freak,” “Caligula” and “Why Didn’t You Call Me,” it’s not hard to imagine what was on Gray’s mind. In fact, “Caligula” opens with this scene setter: “Hush, the neighbors hear you moaning and groaning/But I just can’t help it, ’specially when we be boning.”
But it’s not all horny. “I Try,” still her best-known song a quarter-century later, turns on the tender: “I try to say goodbye and I choke/Try to walk and I stumble/Though I try to hide it, it’s clear/My world crumbles when you are not near.”
Gray embarked last summer on a worldwide tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of On How Life Is, and it continues this year with stops across America before culminating with an Aug. 29 show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. If previous set lists hold true, Gray plays the album in its entirety
— sometimes in sequential order, sometimes not — and sprinkles in a cover or two (the most interesting being Radiohead’s “Creep”).
It’s been seven years since Gray last released a studio album, but a new effort seems to be in the works.
“We’re in the middle of it and we want to drop some songs to see what everybody thinks,” Gray told the British newspaper The Sun back in April. “Then I will probably be able to put out an album by September. I like raw music with less production to show my voice, so everything is kind of stripped down. It’s really cool. I’m having fun.”
Macy Gray plays the Ludlow Garage on Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. More info: ludlowgaragecincinnati.com. (Jason Gargano)
TOTO WITH MEN AT WORK AND CHRISTOPHER CROSS
Aug. 3 • Riverbend Music Center
This straightforward press release hit inboxes across the land last December: “Toto, Christopher Cross and Men at Work have announced plans to tour North America Summer, 2025, produced by Live Nation.” Was this missive, odd punctuation and all, lost in the mail in 1982, only to be repurposed 43 years later? For those who weren’t yet born or have forgotten: 1982 is the year USA Today debuted; Knoxville, Tennessee, hosted the World’s Fair; Jane Fonda released her first exercise video; and Steven Spielberg’s E.T. dominated both the box office and the imaginations of
at Work’s “Who Can It Be Now?” and “Down Under.”
Well, as you’ve likely discerned, it’s no longer 1982, yet these Top 40 juggernauts are still around, delighting lovers of well-crafted pop songs and reconstituted bands with at least one original member in their midst. Or, as Men at Work frontman Colin Hay said in the aforementioned press release: “The mix of Christopher (Cross), Steve (Lukather) with Toto and Men at Work rings true to me. I think it will make for an exciting night of music for old and new fans alike. Let’s go!”
fascinated youngsters everywhere. It’s also back when radio was king and a cable channel called MTV started making waves with the help of videos like Toto’s “Rosanna” and “Africa” and Men
Toto is the headliner. If their recent set lists are any indication, expect not only their biggest hits — including “Africa,” which, with its Caribbean rhythms and soaring chorus, has proven more durable than anyone could have imagined in 1982 — but also a drum solo and not one but two keyboard solos. And while Men at Work and Christopher Cross don’t have anything as enduring as “Africa” (though Cross’ “Sailing” comes close), they each have plenty of recognizable tunes to have nostalgists everywhere nodding their heads in appreciation. If only we could get Casey Kasem to emcee this thing.
Toto with Men at Work and Christopher Cross play Riverbend Music Center on Aug. 3 at 6:45 p.m. More info: riverbend.org. (JG)
Men at Work in 1983
PHOTO: PUBLIC DOMAIN
Macy Gray
PHOTO: GIULIANO BEKOR
BRENDAN
1. Tamago sushi ingredient
4. Like those who might think things are cap or cheugy
Find
39. Some ride share rides
41. They’re worn by those who go undercover
42. German city on the Ruhr
44. ___ chi chuan
45. Jamaican dialect
48. Benny’s home
49. Virginia area whose county seat is Leesburg
52. Ancient Greek poet
53. Neither rep. nor dem.
54. Thing baked in a Dutch oven
55. Lieut’s inferior
58. Smallest non-trivial cube
62. One in a 43-Down
65. “Whatever suits!” ... and a phonetic hint to this puzzles’ theme
67. Capture, via fishing
68. Painter Bonheur
69. Unwieldy group
70. Express forcefully
71. No great shakes
72. Lines on a map: Abbr.
Down
1. “Boo’d Up” singer ___ Mai
2. Satisfactory
3. Moody
4. Encode with metadata, as a digital photo
5. Part of Bradley’s address
6. Time in some ads
7. Spiciness
8. Doo-wop syllable
9. Fish in the River Thames
10. Language spoken in India
11. “They’re onto us!”
12. Nigerian capital
13. Bleating females
18. Childish denial
22. Encloses
25. TikTokker’s prop
27. Commotion
28. Off the shelf?
29. Leave at the altar
30. “A Day Without Rain” singer
31. Business branches
32. 2019 NBA champs
33. Pear type
37. Hit hard, as with water balloons
38. Without siblings
40. Tater
43. Location of many busts?
46. Toothpaste tube letters 47. Poli ___ 50. Kept for reference
51. At some point 52. Minute openings
54. Eric Trump’s wife 56. Sandwich with tzatziki 57. Grabbed
Places where
