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Texts, Checks and Context The City of Cincinnati and conservative activists reached a $101,000 settlement in a case that brought the release of 26,000 text messages between five city council members. Here is what is in those messages — and what it all means for the city. BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

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amilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Ruehlman March 7 signed off on a settlement in which the City of Cincinnati will pay $101,000 to conservative activist Mark Miller and his attorney over text messages sent among five members of Cincinnati City Council in violation of Ohio’s open meetings laws. Media, the council members, city attorneys and attorneys with the Finney Law Firm, which represented Miller, packed into the courtroom where Ruehlman railed against the actions of council members Wendell Young, P.G. Sittenfeld, Chris Seelbach, Greg Landsman and Tamaya Dennard. In a series of intense statements from the bench, Ruehlman, a Republican, invoked the memory of good-governance crusader Murray Seasongood and said the Democratic council members, nicknamed the “gang of five,” should resign from their offices and pay the settlement money back to the city. “First of all, you essentially lied to the people of this city,” Ruehlman said, saying the council members conducted secret meetings via text message. “The real business of the city was handled through these emails and texts.” Ruehlman said his admonitions of the council members had nothing to do with political ideology. But he has made some rulings in the past that higher courts have called “brazen” and “shaky, and in 2016, The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Editorial Board wrote that Ruehlman should retire due to his performance. Meanwhile, council members at the center of the drama say that, while they made a mistake texting between themselves, the lawsuit by Miller — a member of Republican-aligned Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes — and the attendant uproar over their actions, is overblown and politically-motivated. There are some political implications to the controversy. Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman, a conservative-leaning independent who has announced he is running for mayor in 2021, has been vocally critical of the five Democrats and has long enjoyed the support of COAST. Sittenfeld is seen as Smitherman’s most likely and viable

challenger in the mayoral race. The text message uproar broke out after the five members of council issued a statement this spring about embattled Cincinnati City Manager Harry Black, whom Mayor John Cranley wanted removed from his position because Black had fired a high-ranking Cincinnati Police official. Council was reluctant to fire Black, however, triggering a weeks-long, threeway standoff that resulted in a $600,000 settlement paid to Black when he resigned. Miller says he brought the lawsuit because the five had been texting among themselves about city business. “They purposely and intentionally violated the open meetings act with what they did on their own, out of public view,” Miller said after the hearing. “They need to conduct the public’s business in public. It took a judge and a lot of legal horsepower to bring them around to what they should have been doing all along.” The city will pay $1,000 to Miller for the violation around the group texts, $10,000 because council member Wendell Young deleted some of his texts and $90,000 in legal fees to the Finney Law Firm for work that attorney Brian Shrive did on Miller’s behalf in the case. In addition, the city spent more than $70,000 on outside representation — partly on independent counsel to mitigate conflicts of interest when activists launched another public records lawsuit regarding texts sent by Vice Mayor Smitherman, and partly to pay outside tech consultants who retrieved the texts from council members’ phones. According to officials, city attorneys spent more than 400 hours on the case. Some council members say the uproar has a distinct political element and say they will not be resigning. Others have refused comment so far. Council member Dennard responded to the controversy via a thread on Twitter. “Once we understood that the five of us texting was a violation, those texts were immediately turned over to the law department,” she tweeted. “What you have seen unfold in the media is not about an open and transparent government. This ordeal is a vehicle to avenge political vendettas.” “If this was truly about transparency,

Conservative activist Mark Miller (front row, second from left) and council member P.G. Sittenfeld (second row, center) sit in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. PH OTO: NIC K SWARTSELL

EVERY City of Cincinnati elected officials’ text messages would have been requested,” she continued in another tweet. “The truth became lost in the sensationalism of the story. I want you, my supporters and constituents to know the truth.” Dennard indicated March 8 that she will pay her $200 portion of the fine for the public meetings violation. Landsman, Seelbach and Sittenfeld have indicated they have or will as well. Council member Sittenfeld initially called a news conference at City Hall but released a written statement instead. In it, he called the texts between a majority of council “an honest mistake,” but also characterized the legal proceedings as politically motivated. “Recently the important business of the City has been hijacked by politically motivated actions of a local right-wing group and their affiliated law firm, whose goals, put simply, are to cause chaos and enrich themselves,” he said in the statement, accusing Miller’s attorney Shrive of attempting to invade his privacy by seeking personal correspondence. “I am proud of the work that my team and I have undertaken since first being elected in 2011. During the past eight years, I have never once lost sight of the reason why I first ran for office — and that is to make positive change and get things done for the people of our community, and that’s exactly what I will continue to do.” Council member Landsman struck a similar tone outside the courtroom. “The only thing you can do is take responsibility for your actions,” he said. “I’ve said they were a mistake from the beginning. You have to move on and work harder.” Hamilton County Democratic Party Chair Gwen McFarlin issued a statement

March 7 blasting Ruehlman and COAST. “I remember when the name Ruehlman stood for good government in Cincinnati,” she wrote. “The exploitation of this issue by far-right members of the Republican Party — from Councilman Christopher Smitherman to prominent members of COAST — is divisive politics at its worst.” Council member Young declined to comment, though his attorney Scott Croswell says that Young deleted some of the texts in question “well before” an October court order from Ruehlman requiring them to be turned over, and that he did so only to make room on his phone. Croswell says that the investigation conducted by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters’ office into the texts confirmed that timeline. “The scientific analysis of his telephone, which he voluntarily gave to the prosecutor to analyze, has shown that there were no text messages deleted in response to the order from Judge Ruehlman,” Croswell said. So, why did the city pay $10,000? “You’ll have to ask the city and Mr. Miller and his attorneys about that,” Croswell said. City attorneys at the courthouse did not comment on the settlement or why the city will pay $10,000 if Young did not violate Ruehlman’s order. After the hearing, Shrive argued that Young destroyed evidence whether he deleted the texts before or after Ruehlman’s order to turn them over. Young will be back in court April 1 for a hearing on the allegations he destroyed evidence and could face contempt of court charges. Ruehlman, however, said that if CONTINUES ON PAGE 07

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Cincinnati Streetcar Gets CEO BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

The Cincinnati Bell Connector is finally getting a CEO as the city works to improve headway times, performance issues and ridership. Travis Jeric, formerly in the city’s law department, will take the role starting March 10, city administration said during a presentation about the streetcar before Cincinnati City Council’s Major Projects and Smart Government Committee. Previously, city officials, including streetcar supporters on Cincinnati City Council, have complained about the 3.6-mile rail loop’s tangled management structure. The city owns the streetcar and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority oversees it, but SORTA contracts its daily operations out to a company called Transdev. Jeric’s appointment comes as the streetcar continues struggling with lagging ridership numbers, blockages in certain high-traffic areas like Government Square and near Rhinegeist Brewery, missed headways and cold-weather performance issues. Assistant City Manager John Juech told council that those issues are getting better, at least in some cases. Blockages are down from an average of 300 a month last summer to 128 in January, Juech pointed out, and are also

briefer — less than three minutes on average. Blockages caused by Metro buses have decreased from about 60 a month to roughly 30 a month, Juech said. Some of the streetcar’s cold weather issues have also gotten better — though new challenges have also sprung up. While an issue with air compressors on the cars that caused 18 service interruptions last year has been largely mitigated — those same compressors only failed twice this winter, and those failures were due to faulty parts — other problems caused more than 60 outages in January. That’s the most ever since the streetcar launched. Most of those outages involved coldweather fogging of rear-facing cameras that feed data to the streetcar’s onboard computers, Juech said. He noted that Spain-based streetcar manufacturer CAF has fixes for those problems. “The streetcars themselves are like rolling supercomputers,” he said. “There are a lot of computing devices in there and we’ve had some issues there.” The streetcar still isn’t hitting its contractually-required 12- to 15-minute headway times, Juech admitted, clocking in at 13 minutes and 28 seconds on average during peak operating times and 15 minutes and 39 seconds for non-peak hours. Ridership has continued to lag, but

has improved somewhat since this time last year, according to the presentation. January’s ridership hit 22,362 — more than the budgeted 19,190 rides for this month and above ridership for January 2018. For this fiscal year, the streetcar so far has provided 284,987 rides — 12 percent below the budgeted 311,000 for this point in the year. Juech said the numbers could use improvement. “We’ve stabilized a little, but especially in the cold weather months, it is down,” he said of ridership. “We’re not knocking it out of the park there.” Streetcar supporters and city officials hope the incoming CEO can help reverse some of the issues. But some on council questioned whether Jeric will have the power to make big changes to the transit project’s operations, including potentially making the streetcar fare-free or introducing signal priority so the streetcar gets better headway at traffic lights. Council members Greg Landsman and Chris Seelbach both brought up concerns about Jeric’s leeway to initiate those kinds of changes. “He needs to be fully empowered to present a new vision for this project,” Landsman said.

Ohio House Cuts DeWine’s Gas Tax Hike, But Boosts Transit Funding BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

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By a vote of 71-27, lawmakers in the Ohio House of Representatives passed a bill that cuts Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed gas tax boost almost in half, generating a third less revenue per year.

But the amount of that revenue going to public transit — an area in which Ohio lags behind nearly every other state in terms of spending per capita — would more than double over DeWine’s proposed expenditure. Lawmakers say they’d like the governor to approve the smaller gas tax increase — 10.7 cents above the state’s current 28-cent tax — along with a 20-cent hike on diesel fuel, a $200 registration fee for electric cars and a $100 fee for hybrids to eventually raise $872 million a year for maintenance on Ohio’s deteriorating roads, bridges and highways. The tax hike would be phased in starting in October, rising 5

cents in the first year, 3 cents in the second year and 2.7 cents in the final year. The boost on diesel fuel would also be phased in over three years. It would be Ohio’s first gas tax increase since 2005. Spending priorities would also be shifted under the House legislation, with $100 million a year going to public transportation. DeWine wanted to spend $40 million a year on transit — more than the state’s current $33 million a year, but a paltry amount compared to many other states. But even the boost by Republicans in the General Assembly falls short of what many transit supporters say is needed. The Central Ohio Transit Authority, for example, has said the state needs to chip in at least $125 million a year to help transit authorities that have for years shouldered the financial responsibility for providing public transportation without

much state help. “The $100 million annual appropriation is the most Ohio has ever invested in public transit,” said the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority in a statement March 8. “While this in no way addresses all the financial challenges facing our region as it relates to transit and transportation, it is an important step in the right direction.” GOP lawmakers’ plan would generate less than the $1.2 billion annual receipts DeWine’s proposal was projected to generate — an amount DeWine described as the bare minimum needed to pay off hundreds of millions of dollars in debt incurred by the Ohio Department of Transportation over the last few years and pay for routine maintenance and needed new projects. DeWine said that he was willing to work with lawmakers on the roughly $8 billion, two-year

transportation budget, but insisted the state needs all the money it can get for transportation. “I am very open to dialogue with the legislature on this issue, but I continue to believe that our proposal as introduced provides the money it takes to do the job right,” he said. Ohio House Speaker Householder acknowledged the state’s roads need help, but said lawmakers want to take a different approach. “We do know that there needs to be an investment in Ohio’s highways, bridges and roads,” he said. “We’re trying to take care of our immediate needs, look forward to the future and make sure the legislature still has a place for oversight.” Ohio’s transportation budget must be signed into law by March 31. The legislation next goes to the Ohio Senate.

BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L The eight-state commission that oversees water quality standards for the Ohio River will hold three public meetings to take more public comment on proposed changes to its regulatory role. Last summer, the Ohio River Sanitation Commission’s board announced it was mulling options for rolling back its regulatory role, including stepping back entirely from standards it sets for emissions into the river by roughly 600 permitted companies and other bodies. But last month, the board said it has shelved past proposals for changes to the ways it regulates the river and this month voted to take public input on a new plan. The board’s new plan would keep the commission’s current pollution standards, more or less, but would allow states to deviate from them if they chose to do so. Some members of the board have said that with federal and state guidelines, ORSANCO’s standards are redundant. But a minority of commissioners and many environmental advocates say that isn’t true, especially in an era where the Trump administration is rolling back pollution regulations. They say the commission shouldn’t walk away from the power it has to set pollution controls, especially in 188 instances the board minority has identified in which ORSANCO regulations go above and beyond state restrictions on pollution. Many attendees at a Feb. 14 meeting in Covington stressed how important they feel pollution controls — and ORSANCO — are for the river, which supplies drinking water for more than 5 million people along a 1,000-mile stretch through Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and New York. ORSANCO has scheduled three public hearings on the rule changes: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 1 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Pittsburgh, 500 Mansfield Ave., Pittsburgh. Evansville, Indiana: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at the Tropicana Evansville, 421 N.W. Riverside Drive, Evansville. Cincinnati: 6-8 p.m. Monday, April 8 at the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport, 1717 Airport Exchange Blvd., Erlanger, Kentucky.

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the evidence Croswell spoke about is true, he could dismiss that hearing. Beyond the tumultuous hearing, the text message shakeup could have big political implications. Already, the ongoing saga has caused plenty of drama — accusations that council members were hiding from law enforcement, speculation from Smitherman on conservative talk shows that the unreleased texts contained racial slurs (which has turned out to be untrue) and a tweet by COAST that Dennard, a black woman, was being “hunted” by sheriff’s deputies, despite the fact she was cooperating with the investigation into the texting scandal. That post drew widespread condemnation. Last year the city released the texts among all five members, some of which discuss city business or refer to colleagues negatively. As part of the settlement, roughly 26,000 additional texts between those individual council members were released. The texts contain back-and-forth personal conversations between the various members of council about legislation and upcoming votes; unfiltered commentary on social media beefs; disparaging remarks about Cranley, fellow council

members and members of the public; and speculations on the public actions and personal lives of other council members. There are plenty of interesting tidbits about various City Hall business sprinkled in the texts, including commentary on FC Cincinnati’s coming West End stadium. Sittenfeld ended up engineering a key public infrastructure deal worth $35 million that made that stadium a reality. But others in the group of five council members were much more skeptical of the stadium going into the West End. In April of last year, as city leaders and the team were hustling to make a deal for the stadium, Sittenfeld texted Landsman to gauge his enthusiasm for the facility going into the West End. “If 1 is a hard no and 10 is a hard yes — any sense where you are on the stadium stuff?” Sittenfeld texted. “Probably a 1 on the West End,” Landsman replied. “Happy to talk Oakley and all in for Nippert. He (FCC President Jeff Berding) had so many chances to get WE on board, and they’re not there. But would feel better if he came to Council or submit something. After I thought about it a bit, and with folks looking at our calendar, I don’t like the idea of meeting with him. Especially if Jeff wants to cut some sort of deal. I trust you. Not him.” “I totally understand, and don’t blame you one bit,” Sittenfeld replied. “The

process has been abysmal, no doubt.” That isn’t the only development talk in the texts. A few of the exchanges between Seelbach and Sittenfeld speculate about allegations made by outgoing City Manager Black that Cranley and associates were improperly controlling economic development deals in Cincinnati. “Wouldn’t say it’s proof without a reasonable doubt,” Seelbach wrote to Sittenfeld about one accusation by Black that a lobbyist for a developer who held a 2016 fundraiser for Cranley told the city manager that Cranley had promised the company air rights on the city garage on Central Parkway. “But there’s definitely something there if witnesses corroborate.” Other texts some have implications for the race to replace Cranley in 2021. In mid-January, Sittenfeld posted a series of tweets about a news conference he attended advocating for a city administration study of systemic racism. Later that day, council member Smitherman was on a conservative radio show on WLW, where he told host Bill Cunningham that Sittenfeld had singled him out and was “playing politics” while he cared for his ailing wife, who later passed away after a fight with breast cancer. “Here I am, bedside with my wife, who you know is fighting for her life,” he said. “And what P.G. Sittenfeld does is he sends out a tweet, he implies to the public that

I’m not present at a press conference that he just did in the last 30 minutes knowing that he’s never had a conversation with me about the legislation at all as I’m sitting bedside with my African-American wife and five children.” Sittenfeld’s tweets did not mention Smitherman. But texts between Seelbach and Sittenfeld sent later that night discuss Smitherman’s accusations, speculate that Smitherman and Cranley suffer from “mental illness,” and call Smitherman’s statements a “grotesque” attempt to politicize his wife’s illness. “The fact that he is using his wife, saying ‘While I’m home taking care of my dying wife…’ is disgusting,” Seelbach texted in reply to a Sittenfeld text calling Smitherman “unhinged” and “desperate.” “You think worth my doing anything?” Sittenfeld asks Seelbach. “Or just let it be for now, since Smitherman attacking me on right wing radio is so predictable.” Smitherman released a statement March 8 railing against the texts. “There are cancer patients all over this region fighting for life with caregivers who love them dearly,” he wrote. “No person can ever understand the magnitude of a loss of this kind unless you have walked in these shoes. ...As a family we do not wish this crisis on our worst enemy. There is nothing political about death. Nothing!”

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THE KENTUCKY ALE TRAIL

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Concrete structures and urban spaces transform into accessible â€” and iconic â€” local skate spots

BY JUDE NOEL

THE

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Newport DIY skatepark PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

your perception of skateboarding has been shaped by Hollywood or ESPN, you might associate the pastime with massive wooden half pipes, deliberately designed concrete theme parks and conspicuous energy drink sponsorships. According to the X Games or An Extremely Goofy Movie, skating is an activity that takes place in a controlled environment primed to push physics to its limits — pop culture’s conception of a skatepark is as accessible to the masses as the International Space Station. Take a peek into the subculture, though, and you’ll discover that skating is almost synonymous with accessibility. On the city streets, it can take the form of the nearest handrail, loading dock or flight of stairs — a single heelflip or smith grind can turn these common urban structures into artwork. Architectural historian Iain Borden describes this phenomenon as a “space in which body, skateboard and terrain were brought together and recomposed in an extraordinary encounter.” In layman’s terms, this means that skaters can extract beauty from their urban landscape just by interacting with it: street skaters might not achieve the big air or pirouettes you’d see on ESPN, but they do achieve a greater philosophical end. “Every city has unlimited skate spots,” says Gary

Collins, owner of Newport, Kentucky’s Galaxie Skateshop. “If they have concrete and it’s a big city, they have skate spots everywhere.” If you’ve spent any time walking downtown or driving aimlessly, it’s likely you recognize many of them — you just may not have realized it. “Skate photographers really love it here,” says Joe Castrucci, who owns the Cincinnati-based Habitat skateboard company. “People will come into town and be like, ‘Wow, this place is so photogenic.’ I think the hills surprise people, too — I think people don’t expect to see them in the Midwest.” The spots even have a unifying effect among folks living on either side of the Ohio river, according to Collins. “People over here are like, ‘We’re not going to Cincinnati.’ People over there are like, ‘We’re not going over to Kentucky.’ Skaters never had that barrier. If there’s some cool shit on either side of the river, we’re skating it,” he says. In the next few pages, local skaters and skate OGs have helped create a roadmap of the city’s most iconic skate spots: a collection of vacant lots and hangouts bound not by geography or purpose, but by their conduciveness to skateboarding and the lore they’ve inspired.

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Newport DIY skatepark PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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Newport DIY skatepark PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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NEWPORT DIY It’s a slow Monday afternoon at Galaxie Skateshop — Gary Collins and I have the storefront to ourselves until the mayor of Newport drops in. “Hey, Jerry, what’s the story with the window sill out in the yard?” asks Collins. “The sandstone? There’s about five of them,” says Jerry Peluso, his back to a display full of skateboard decks. “Can I buy one of them off of you?” If Collins and Peluso appear to be a pair of unlikely pals, that’s because they are. Two of the driving forces behind Newport’s DIY skatepark — hand-crafted beneath the I-471 bridge — the duo’s work is a testament to collaboration. “The idea (for the park) was conceived by the previous owner of Galaxie, my friend Andrew Martin,” says Collins. “He just started building under the bridge, like, renegade, with a box, and then a quarter pipe. When I bought the shop, I reached out to the city a little bit more about letting us push it. That gave me more resources and more pull to bring in a bigger crew to do big work.” CONTINUES ON PAGE 15

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Newport DIY skatepark P H O T O : PA I G E D E G L O W

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Gary Collins and his Galaxie Skateshop PHOTOS: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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It was thanks to Martin that the spot was officially recognized by the city. In 2008, he approached Peluso about clearing the area of mud and debris in exchange for creative control beneath the overpass. Peluso, who also happens to be Galaxie’s landlord, was enthusiastic about the idea — the city had long considered building a park, and the DIY spot’s remote location would provide a space for skaters to ride without being chased off by cops. When Collins bought Galaxie in 2009, he made it his mission to further expand the park with Peluso’s approval. “Usually city governments can be the worst when it comes to skating, but here it’s different,” Collins says. “Without Jerry, the DIY would never be what it is today — that’s because we created a personal relationship with city government and didn’t fucking blow it. For all these years, we’ve done things for the city. Even the cops asked us to set up ramps and come skate at their National Night Out event. They need us to scratch their back, and we do it.” He particularly remembers corralling a group of skaters to help Peluso decorate the city for Thanksgiving — one of Galaxie’s earliest efforts to establish connections with Newport’s municipal government. What was originally a few parking blocks and wooden ramps has now

Chris Fenton-Wells at Newport DIY skatepark PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

“Skating is almost synonymous with accessibility... Skaters can extract beauty from their urban landscape just by interacting with it.”

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FROM PAGE 15

become an urban oasis. A former pro skater and founder of the Instrument skate brand, Collins used his vast network to raise funds for the project. Thanks to a $1,000 grant from Citigroup, $14,000 donated by local nonprofit Newport Foundations and contributions from regular customers, the park now boasts an empty pool and an impressive array of ramps — all designed and built by skaters. Even the concrete was hand-mixed. “You can’t even measure the impact it’s had on the skateboarding scene out here,” Collins says. “It’s created a cohesive place for everyone who skates in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Anywhere in the Midwest.” One of just a few fully-fledged DIY parks in the country, the spot under the bridge brings in a steady stream of pros and road-trippers. “Now, every time a pro crew comes through, they want to go to the bridge,” Collins says. “You’ll be down there, and you never know who you’ll see. The most mind-blowing person I’ve seen come through there is (former Thrasher Skater of the Year) Grant Taylor. But the local guys who skate there, they’re fucking ridiculous, too.” That said, Collins’ favorite spot to take visitors from out of town isn’t even a spot at all — it’s Cincinnati’s surplus bounty of hills. “When visiting pros used to come through, they’d want to go to the popular spots they’d seen in videos,” he says. “We’d be like, ‘Cool, but we’re gonna go bomb these hills for a little bit and then we’ll go.’ They’d be shook.” Collins’ DIY doesn’t just end with the park under the bridge. Galaxie will relocate to the site of a former corner store in West Newport on May 1, and with the move comes more space to build. Starting with a wooden ramp plucked from the DIY, the store will begin housing a new spot in its own backyard. “A new larger space will allow us to continue our legacy of pushing things forward for the greater Cincinnati skateboarding scene,” reads a recent post on the Galaxie Facebook page. “Rest assured the new space will be next level.” CONTINUES ON PAGE 19

MAY 23 , 2019 RD

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Shapes PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

FROM PAGE 16

D.O.

“This place had to be made to skate,” says Fenton-Wells. “What other reason could there be for it to look like this? Besides looking cool, that is.” It’s hard to disagree with him. Across from the Duke Energy Convention Center, we stop by the “Shapes,” a cubist heap of concrete ramps and curbs that adds a surreal touch to its landscape. Its patriotic paint job has been weathered by elements and years of skating, lending to its Chernobyl-like appearance. It’s so unbelievably skateable that it wouldn’t feel out of place in a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater video game cityscape. Shapes’ flatter portions act as large manual pads, and its abundance of ledges provides plenty of opportunities to grind and boardslide. There’s even a formidable flight of steps leading to the adjacent building’s employee entrance, which has served as the site of many locals’ first time skating stairs. A small, rusted nub filled with ice — the ghost of a former handrail — juts from the bottom step. The Steve Miller Band’s “Space Cowboy,” soundtracking Fountain Square’s ice rink, thumps faintly in the background, lending the space an even eerier aura. Collins’ memories of the spot extend further than skating. When he was growing up, the spot was billed as a playground and an outdoor workout device. Many paint jobs ago, Shapes was surrounded by signs that demonstrated exercises that could be performed on the concrete structures. Though he remembers frequently being kicked out of the spot for skating in the late ’80s, Shapes has gradually become much more skate-friendly — perhaps due to confusion over what it actually is. “Sometimes even the cops don’t know what it is! They think it’s a skatepark,” Collins says. “It’s a weird-ass place that just happens to be cool for skating.”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 20

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Plastic thermos of coffee in hand, local skater and Northern Kentucky University student Chris Fenton-Wells scrolls through a VICE article in the passenger seat of my old Honda CR-V. Though the February rain has kept most folks indoors, it hasn’t stopped our spot check as we drive through Clifton. This first stop on the tour is the D.O. banks: a parking lot sandwiched between the offices of Gaslight Property and a Bruegger’s Bagels. “People have always told me this, but I’d never really looked it up before,” he says. “Garry Scott Davis invented the boneless here in 1980.” Ask any local and they’ll tell you the same. Davis, better known as GSD, was a seminal figure in skate culture’s formative years. In addition to inventing one of the earliest street tricks, the Cincinnati native also founded the world’s first skate ’zine (Skate Fate), fronted a band that toured with Drive Like Jehu (Custom Floor) and became the first pro skater to sell a deck designed for street skating (Tracker’s Banks/Curbs model). D.O. — nicknamed while an adjacent building was still a doctor’s office — might just be comprised of a couple banks and ledges in a paved lot, but it’s a historical landmark to members of Cincinnati’s skate scene. Nick Accurso, web designer and owner of Cincinnati sneaker boutique UNheardof, says he remembers catching bus rides to the banks from the West Side in the early ’80s. “We’d ride downtown, then up to Clifton,” he says. “We’d hang out there and catch the last bus downtown at 10, then skate there until midnight before taking the last bus back home. You really can’t do that these days.” “Back in the day you could go there on the weekends and it would be a massive mess of different crews there,” Galaxie’s Collins says. “Cops would come in, and everybody would dip in all directions. That’s pretty much my first memory of it.”

SHAPES

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P&G & BAM RAIL

Black scuff marks from a pointillist stormcloud against a decaying concrete wall. Backdropped by a chain link fence, the structure could be mistaken for a piece of industrial modern art if it weren’t for the metal sign nailed to it. “No Trespassing: Bicycle Riding, Skateboarding, & Loitering are…” reads the sign. The word “prohibited” is concealed by a sticker advertising Lawrenceburg, Indiana’s Blacklist skateshop. Efforts to scare skaters away from the parking lot behind the P&G Towers seem to have been fruitless — the evidence of countless wallrides is left in plain view. It’s the spot that former pro Duane Pitre, who rode for G&S and Alien Workshop in the ’90s, most clearly associates with the city — you can see him and the G&S team skating the banks and setting off fireworks there in a 1990 video starring Neil Blender. “There used to be an electrical box there with a bump up to it,” says Habitat’s Castrucci. “That was pretty iconic.” According to Fenton-Wells, the lot is a last stop of the night for many locals. “It takes so much energy to push your way to the bank that you get exhausted after a while,” he says. Just a mile east is another Cincinnati skate video staple — a wide concrete slope hidden behind the Gateway West Office Park on Linn Street. “That bank’s the main part, but it’s called the bam rail because of the flight of steps over there,” says Fenton-Wells. “The handrail’s made of aluminum, so when your trucks hit it, you’ll either grind or immediately wreck.” Despite the name, the slope is the bigger draw — skaters who clear the rail at its peak can use the bank as a medium for manuals. “It’s definitely been on Thrasher a lot,” he says. “Random videos where people come through Cincinnati, and pretty much every local video.” It’s Cincinnati’s rugged charm that lends itself to street skating so well, suggests UNheardof’s Accurso. “When I was skating, the West Coast started to get boring,” he says. “They had all the schoolyards and incredible, perfected skaters. In the mid-’90s, you started to have all these East Coast skaters making street skating cool. Raw stuff, cruising through the streets. Here, we had all those rawer spots.” Though a less-pristine finish can make spots harder to skate, the challenge only supplements street skating’s ethos — breathing new life into the obscure or overlooked portions of the cityscape. It’s difficult to describe this relationship between skater and city without dipping into a vocabulary of Zen-like aphorisms like “becoming one with one’s environment.” Perhaps there’s a greater, spiritual element to skateboarding that transcends tricks. Borden, the aforementioned architect, seems to think so. In his book Skateboarding, Space and the City, he suggests that the pastime is an early stage of humankind’s evolution into Homo Urbanus — a species wholly suited to city life. “The skateboarder’s highly developed integrated sense of balance, speed, hearing, sight, touch and responsivity is then a product of the modern metropolis,” he writes. “The aim is not only to receive the city but to return it to itself, to change through movement and physical energy the nature of the experience of the urban realm.” Watch a skater take a stroll downtown or drive around in search of parking and you’ll believe it: the way they scan their environment in search of rails or banks is akin to a sixth sense. That flight of stairs you take en route to the office; your favorite parking spot; the park bench in front of the corner store — add a skater to the equation, and all of these can become art.

Shapes PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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ACHIEVE GOALS: Your child will build confidence, discover strengths and learn new skills swimming, running, playing and exploring nature in an encouraging environment. BUILD FRIENDSHIPS: Campers create amazing memories and develop friendships that will last a lifetime, through team-building activities, field trips and challenges. FIND A PLACE TO BELONG: Your child will feel safe to step outside his/her comfort zone and thrive in a place where they are connected and accepted.

CAMP GUIDES ONLINE MyY.org/camp

CAMPGUIDE PHOTO: R AWPIXEL .CO M

here’s a camp to fit every kid in Greater Cincinnati. Whether T you’re looking for a traditional, overnight camp that includes cabins, canoes and horseback riding or a specialty music or arts camp, it’s here.

DAY CAMPS ANDERSON TOWNSHIP PARK DISTRICT

CAMP AT THE J

GREENACRES SUMMER CAMP

Good, old-fashioned fun at the Mayerson JCC of Cincinnati. Kids will enjoy swim lessons, archery, arts and crafts, presentations of Hebrew culture and more. The camps welcome children of all faiths, abilities and age groups. Camps are offered in one-week, two-week or three-week sessions. Mayerson JCC of Cincinnati, 8485 Ridge Road, Amberley Village, mayersonjcc. org. GREAT PARKS

From fishing, farming and kayaking to horseback riding, painting and storytelling, Great Parks Summer Day Camps offer a little bit of everything for children and teenagers alike. Options include camps focused on adventure,

“Edutainment” is key in Greenacres’ various summer camps, which incorporate aspects of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) into activities like hiking, fishing and art. With so many options, there’s something for everyone, whether it’s horseback riding, water activities, drawing and painting, music, care of livestock and more. Greenacres, 8255 Spooky Hollow Road, Indian Hill, green-acres.org. IRISH HERITAGE CENTER OF GREATER CINCINNATI

The Irish Heritage Center is hosting its first Celtic Camp, where children in first through eighth grades can learn about Celtic theater, music, dancing, sports,

TRIHEALTH FITNESS & HEALTH PAVILION

TriHealth offers all kinds of sports to keep kids ages 4 and older active and having fun. Choose from Jr. Ninja Warrior, Camp Build It!, Anime and Manga Camp, Basketball Camp, Land of Dinosaurs Camp, Camp Crazyfood and more. TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion, 6200 Pfeiffer Road, Blue Ash, trihealth.com. YMCA OF GREATER CINCINNATI

Campers will develop confidence, build friendships and find a sense of belonging through new skill-building activities and old camp traditions that encourage experience through achievement as well as the forming of healthy relationships. Preschool camps (ages 2-5), with full- and half-day options, including traditional camp activities like swimming, singing and crafts; sports camps (ages 3-15) have

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A 10-week co-ed camp for ages 5-12 that aims to enhance creativity, self-esteem and social skills while celebrating culture and diversity. The program features traditional camp activities like sports, swimming, field trips and arts and crafts in addition to weekly off-campus field

horseback riding, farming, fishing, ecology and conservation and more. Various Great Parks locations, greatparks.org.

CAMP-I-CAN

trips. The Children’s Home of Cincinnati, 5050 Madison Road, Madisonville, thechildrenshomecinti.org.

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Daily swimming at Coney Island’s Sunlite Pool, games and crafts are just some of the activities campers will participate in, plus weekly field trips. Also offers separate options for mini camp (ages 3½ -6) and a travel camp (ages 10½ -12) that includes daily field trips to local recreation spots including Kings Island and a skating rink. Anderson Parks RecPlex, 6915 Beechmont Ave., Anderson, andersonparks.com.

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arts, crafts and more. At the end of each week, kids will give presentations and take home a Gaelic football, tin whistle, age-appropriate Irish history book and arts and crafts projects. There are one-, two- and three-week packages available. Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati, 3905 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum, irishcenterofcincinnati.com.

campers learning the fundamentals of a new sport each week; specialty camps (ages 6-12) focus on particular programs like arts, cooking, sports specialties and enrichment; and teen camps (ages 13-15) include challenging camp activities tailored to older age groups. Various YMCA locations, myy.org/programs/camp.

OVERNIGHT CAMPS CAMP KERN

Every day, kids choose which activities they participate in; options include swimming, rock climbing, digital photography, drama, arts and crafts and more. Teen programs feature canoe trips and field trips to Lazer Kraze and Ozone Zipline Adventures. Ranch Camp provides horseback-riding lessons and trail rides for riders of all experiences. For young firsttime campers, Camp Kern offers Taste of Kern and First Camp programs, with day camps followed by overnight experiences. Camp Kern, 5291 OH-350, Oregonia, campkern.org. CAMP LIVINGSTON

Nestled deep in the rolling, wooded hills of beautiful southeastern Indiana, Camp Livingston has offered an unmatched summer experience for Jewish children and teens for over 90 years. Camp Livingston has always provided a safe

and nurturing environment where campers gain self-esteem and confidence, and form lasting friendships with their cabin and unit friends, in a fun and exciting atmosphere. Within this unique environment, campers come to know and love themselves, their community and their place in the greater world. Camp Livingston, 4998 Nell Lee Road, Bennington, Ind., camplivingston.com. FALCON CAMP

Recognized throughout the Midwest as Ohio’s premier private camp, Falcon has been chosen as a “Top Ten Camp in the USA” and selected as the “Coolest Camp in Ohio.” Falcon offers a beautiful lakefront setting, a talented staff and a wide variety of activities. Program includes horseback riding, sailing, mountain biking, canoeing, drama, video arts, crafts, riflery, archery, nature, tennis and more. Boys and girls ages 6-16 are separate with planned co-ed events in 2-8 week sessions. Special oneweek intro programs for ages 6-10. Falcon Camp, 4251 Delta Road SW, Carrollton, falconcamp.com. YMCA CAMP CAMPBELL GARD

Mountain biking, horseback riding, rope courses, sports and crafts are just some of the many activities campers participate in during Camp Campbell Gard, which has given kids unforgettable experiences since 1926 with the mission to “put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body

for all.” Choose from Traditional Overnight Camp and Overnight Horse Camp, during which campers care for and ride their own horses. Day camps are also available. Camp Campbell Gard, 4803 Augspurger Road, Hamilton, ccgymca.org. YMCA CAMP ERNST

During this weeklong camp, the backyard becomes 365 acres of woods, fields, creeks and a lake. Built upon the YMCA values of caring, honesty, responsibility and respect, camp activities include ziplining, banana boating, horseback riding, a giant swing and a 100-foot-long waterslide. Camp Ernst, 7615 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, myycamp.org.

ART & MUSIC CAMP ART ACADEMY

This award-winning camp balances technical instruction with the freedom of self-expression. Each weeklong session has a different theme, including The AACs of Art and Rock Me Amadeus. The curriculum includes fundamental visual art skillbuilding activities, 2- and 3-D hands-on experiences and creative problem solving. Guest artists will also stop by for visits. Choose from half- and full-day options. Art Academy Cincinnati, 1212 Jackson St., Over-the-Rhine, artacademy.edu.

CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM SUMMER CAMP

The Cincinnati Art Museum hosts eight weeks of summer camp, with a different theme each week. Topics include Storytellers, Paint Party, On the Runway, Play with Clay, and more. Led by highly skilled educators and museum staff, kids will create art projects and participate in gallery games. Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Eden Park, cincinnatiartmuseum.org/summercamp. CINCINNATI BOYCHOIR PASSPORT TO MUSIC CAMP

This camp sends boys on a musical journey around the world. This year campers will learn about the musical and cultural traditions of Africa through song, dance, drum and play. There will be a final presentation at the end for parents and friends to attend. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiboychoir.org/camp. MCHARPER MANOR

Offers themed arts and craft camps and classes for ages 4 through teen. Preschool, big kid and advanced camps with morning and afternoon sessions make programing suitable for everyone. Themes include Dollhouse Camp, Science and Art, Fashion Week, Brand & Makers Camp, Puppy Camp, Cartooning, Fairies, Dinos, Unicorns and more. Voted Hulafrog’s “Most Loved” Visual Arts Studio 2019.

Get creative at the Taft this summer! — For Grades 1-12 — Experienced Instructors — Hands-on Projects — Weekly Field Trip — Aftercare Available Charles H. Dater Foundation

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— Individual Attention

Joy and W.G. (Pete) Alpaugh Trust

REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION AT

taftmuseum.org

www.artacademy.edu/camp

McHarper Manor, 990 State Route 28, Milford, mcharpermanor.com. SCHOOL OF ROCK MASON

School of Rock Mason — “where students learn to rock their worlds” — offers several music-centric summer camps for kids and teens. Camps offered in 2019 include Hard Rock Performance Camp, Rock 101 Camp, and Pop Punk Performance Camp. School of Rock Mason, 755 Reading Road, Mason, mason.schoolofrock.com. TAFT MUSEUM OF ART SUMMER ART DAY CAMP

Themed workshops for kids and teens at the Taft Museum of Art. Youngest campers (grades 3-5) will learn all about cameras from film to phones and experiment with photography. Students grades 6-8 will learn about and discuss artistic expression through the use of traditional photography, modern photography, stop motion and more. The Taft’s High School Art Workshop (grades 9-12) will examine the work of Ansel Adams and create projects in the areas of 3-D topography, hand embellishment on photos transferred to fabric, surrealist photo collages and pinhole photography. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown, taftmuseum.org. WOMEN WRITING FOR (A) CHANGE

Summer camps for young women are open to girls in grades 4-12. Classes and camps use the art of writing and other arts to enhance self-esteem and build skills

in creative self-expression. Programs are designed to help strengthen girls’ authentic voices, develop their ability to speak out through writing and direct interaction and deepen their belief in their own creative intelligence. Women Writing for (a) Change, 6906 Plainfield Road, Silverton, womenwriting.org.

THEATER & DANCE CAMP CCM

The UC College-Conservatory of Music’s Preparatory Department will offer musical theater camp that teaches children the skills to be a triple threat with classes for acting, dancing and singing. Professionals will prepare students for a concluding performance to showcase their talent. Camp CCM, ccm.uc.edu/prep.html. CINCINNATI BALLET KIDS DANCE CAMP

Young dancers will venture through the classic fantasy worlds of Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland and Snow White. Each week will focus on a different story as students participate in age-appropriate ballet classes led by the company’s professional faculty. No ballet would be complete without costumes, but not to fear: daily crafts allow dancers to create their own outfits and accessories. Cincinnati Ballet, 1555 Central Parkway, Downtown, cballet.org.

CINCINNATI CIRCUS SUMMER CAMP

on registration numbers. For students who have completed grades 1-12, there are introductory camps to learn new skills, from stage combat and makeup. Themes include Time Travel Adventure; Goosebumps, Gholes & Goblins; and Make ‘em Laugh, for those seeking the silly side of the stage. For kids who have completed grades 6-12, the Shakespeare Camp gives students the chance to work with members of the CSC’s professional ensemble to stage scenes from Shakespeare’s canon. The Otto M. Budig Theater, 1195 Elm St., Downtown, cincyshakes.com/summercamp.

Kids will learn skills like hand-eye coordination, balance and teamwork while working alongside professional performers and camp counselors. They’ll try their hands at being tightrope walkers, balloon makers, aerial acrobats, and jugglers. A new Toy Building workshop and escape room have been added this year. Cincinnati Circus Company, 6433 Wiehe Road, Bond Hill, cincinnaticircus.com. CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK

This summer’s theme is “Summer at the Movies.” Each week, students participate in acting and improvisation; additional classes focus on topics like physical comedy, puppetry, stage combat, sound effects, playwriting, theatre design and more. The classes are divided into Summer Theatre Day Camp, weeklong courses that are influenced by a movie — from a Monster Movies to Dragon Training — and culminate in a performance. The Performance Academy is for theater enthusiasts who want to be involved in the production of a play from beginning to end. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, 962 Mount Adams Circle, Mount Adams, cincyplay.com.

THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE OF CINCINNATI

Weeklong themed summer day camps — no audition required! Sessions are available for different ages with multiple topics. Camps range from Can’t Wait to be King (ages 6-7), where kids create their own instruments and sing songs from The Lion King,, to This is the Greatest Camp (ages 8-10), where they’ll learn about entertainment through the eyes of P.T. Barnum, to Showtime (different sessions for ages 6-7, 8-10, 11-14), where kids learn and perform popular musical numbers and choreography from Broadway shows. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, 4015 Red Bank Road, Madisonville, thechildrenstheatre.com.

CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE SUMMER CAMP

Cincy Shakes offers six different weeklong camps, all with a different theme. Camps are open to all ages, and weeks will be further sub-divided based

Theater, Music, Dancing,

Theater, Music, Dancing, Sports,Theater, Arts & Crafts and Music, Dancing, Music, Dancing, Sports, Arts &Theater, Crafts and Theater, Music, Dancing, Sports, Arts & Crafts more!!! Sports, Arts & Crafts and and more!!! Sports, Arts & Crafts and more!!!

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Monday-Friday 9am-4pm Monday-Friday 9am-4pm grades! 9am-4pm Monday-Friday Monday-Friday 9am-4pm ──── ──── 9am-4pm Monday-Friday ────

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Options are 1, 2 or 3- per week. $300 Options are 1, are 2 or1,3-2 or 3Options week packages!$300 per week. week packages! week Options are 1,packages! 2 or 3-

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Deduct $25 if paid by ──── JUNE 10-28, 2019 Deduct paid by $25 if $25 paidifby 10-28, & $25 off JUNEJUNE 10-28, 20192019 April 15, 2019 Deduct April ──── 15, 2019 & $25 off

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Enrollby before April 1 and 15%Discount. discount Enroll April 1, 2017 andreceive get a 15%

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Call now to reserve your for additional children! Call──── now to reserve your Call now child/grandchild’s spot!to reserve your The Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati is hosting our child/grandchild’s spot! $50 required toto──── child/grandchild’s spot! The Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati is deposit hosting our Call now reserve your to first Celtic Camp in June 2019 for all children in grades 1-8. is hosting our $50 deposit required The Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati reserve! first Celtic Camp in June 2019 for all children in grades 1-8. $50 deposit required to child/grandchild’s spot! Under the direction of professional staff, children will learn reserve! first Camp in June 2019 for all children in grades 1-8. Call now to reserve your The Celtic Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati is hosting our Under the direction of professional staff, children will learn reserve! about and take partthe in Celtic theater, music, dancing, sports, $50 deposit required to Under direction of professional staff, children will dancing, learn aboutin and take part for in Celtic theater, first Celtic Camp June 2019 all children inmusic, grades 1-8. sports, child/grandchild’s spot! arts and crafts more! At the Center end of each week, Cincinnati is hosting our Theand Irish Heritage oftheater, Greater reserve! about and take Celtic music, dancing, artspart andin crafts and more!staff, At thechildren end of each week, $50 deposit required to Under the direction of professional willsports, learn presentations will be will presented by the children. Children first Celtic Camp inmore! June 2019 for all children in grades 1-8. arts and crafts and At ofmusic, each week, presentations willthe be end will presented by the IRISH children. Children CENTER OF about and take part in Celtic theater, dancing, sports, reserve! HERITAGE will also take homethe a Gaelic football, Tin Whistle, age Under direction of professional staff, children will learn IRISH HERITAGE CENTER OF presentations will be will presented by children. Children will also take home a Gaelic football, Tin Whistle, age GREATER CINCINNATI crafts and more! the end ofthe each week, appropriatearts Irishand History book and artsAt & craft projects. GREATER CINCINNATI about and take partain Celtic theater, music, dancing, sports, appropriate Irish History book and arts & craft projects. IRISH HERITAGE CENTER OF will also take home Gaelic football, Tin Whistle, age presentations will be will presented by the children. Children GREATER CINCINNATI arts and crafts and more!book At the end of each 3905 Eastern AveHERITAGE appropriate History and arts craftweek, projects. IRISH CENTER OF will also takeIrish home a Gaelic football, Tin&Whistle, age 3905 Eastern Ave Cincinnati, OHGREATER 45226 presentations will be will presented by the children. Children CINCINNATI Cincinnati, OH 45226 appropriate Irish History book and arts & craft projects. 3905 Eastern Ave IRISH HERITAGE CENTER OF will also take home a Gaelic football, Tin Whistle, age 513-533-0100 Cincinnati, OH 45226 GREATER CINCINNATI 513-533-0100 3905 Eastern Ave appropriate Irish History book and arts & craft projects. www.irishcenterofcincinnati.com Cincinnati, OH 45226 513-533-0100 www.irishcenterofcincinnati.com 3905 Eastern Ave 513-533-0100 www.irishcenterofcincinnati.com Cincinnati, OH 45226

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

755 Reading Road • Mason, OH 45040 513.770.1257 • MASON.SCHOOLOFROCK.COM

CELTIC CAMP CELTIC CAMP

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PHOTO: PHIL MCDONALD/SHUT TERSTOCK.COM

LACHEY ARTS CAMP

A faculty of working performers lead students in customized training in vocal music, dance and dramatic arts, with a focus on current and classic musical theater. Camp culminates in a main stage showcase. School for Creative and Performing Arts, 108 W. Central Parkway, Downtown, lacheyarts.com/camp.

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STUDIO DEE

Museum Camps for all ages. Register for Spring and Summer 2019. Sign up for you learning adventure today! cincymuseum.org/museum-camps

from a wide variety of science-themed fullday and half-day camps divided by age. Themes include Young Engineers, Junior Architects, Mars Mission, Waterbotics, Crazy Contraptions, battle bots and more. Drake Planetarium, 2020 Sherman Ave., Norwood, drakeplanetarium.org/ summer-camps. ISPACE SUMMER DAY CAMPS

INSTRUCTIONAL

This camp transforms participants into rocket scientists and robotic engineers, placing a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Camps are for grades K-12 and combine fun and learning in one unforgettable experience that teaches students how to think and work like real engineers, scientists, designers and developers. Students get to work on cool projects and engage in fun, hands-on activities. Themes include RoboBlast, Java Boot Camp, Cool Chemistry and Forensic Fun. Scarlet Oaks, 100 Scarlet Oaks Drive, Sharonville, ispacescience.org.

CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER MUSEUM CAMPS

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Northern Kentucky’s top-rated studio. Summer dance classes include programs to help improve dance technique or tumbling skills. There are four levels of dance classes: Tiny Dancers, Creative Movement, KinderCombo and Hip Hop. Summer tumbling classes feature programs for: Tiny Tumblers, Tumbling Tots, Tumbling Rollers and Tumbling Flippers. Studio Dee, 3420 Valley Plaza Parkway, Fort Wright, studiodeenky.com.

From science and technology to hands-on activities and games, there’s something for every camper to get excited about at the Cincinnati Museum Center. There are dozens of topics to choose from, including Crazy Chemistry, Harry Potter, LEGO Master Builder, Dinosaurs, Amusement Park Science and more. Camps take place at a variety of locations, including Union Terminal, Cincinnati Observatory and Vila Madonna Academy. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, 1301 Western Ave., Queensgate, cincymuseum.org. DRAKE PLANETARIUM SUMMER CAMP

Enjoy a summer under the stars. Choose

Camps for ages 5-7 and 8-15 geared toward learning how to cook. Younger chefs will learn basic cooking terms, gadgets, measuring, mixing and how to follow a recipe. For older chefs, it transforms into a skills-based highly creative camp with a chance to develop technique. Focus on mother sauces, knife cuts, flavor profiles, micro greens vs herbs, and incorporate all of those learned skills to create a signature dish. They’ll practice making vinaigrette, pastas and a variety of cooking techniques – baking, sautéing, poaching, braising and grilling. Lunch or a snack is included. The Art of Entertaining, 2019 Madison Road, O’Bryonville, cincyartofentertaining.com.

SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM

From space exploration and trips to King’s Island to cool chemistry and secret agent spy adventures, this program has more than enough to keep the fun flowing. Children and teens of all ages are invited to explore their interests with Seven Hills’ seasoned staff, which provides individual attention and support. Seven Hills, 5400 Red Bank Road, Madisonville, 7hills.org/ summerprogram.

SPORTS & OUTDOORS BEAR PADDLE SWIM SCHOOL

Bear Paddle offers swim camps for beginners all the way to competitive swimmers all year. Bear Paddle Swim School, 9376 Mason Montgomery Road, Mason; 3099 Disney St., Oakley; 4012 Seligman Drive, Florence; bearpaddle.com. CAMP WAVE

This Newport Aquarium day camp includes up-close animal encounters, behind-the-scenes glimpses and activities tailored to specific themes, including ancient oceans and animal ecosystems. Campers will touch sharks and penguins, make crafts, play games and more. Newport Aquarium, 1 Aquarium Way, Newport, wavefoundation.org. CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN

Hikes, animal encounters, wild crafts, train rides, keeper talks and much more await campers during full- and halfday zoo camps. Kids also attend animal feedings and shows. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org. CINCINNATI RECREATION COMMISSION SUMMER DAY CAMPS

Campers enjoy fun weekly themes in a safe, friendly environment all summer long. Themed activities include trips and outings, arts and crafts, swim lessons and pool time, outdoor play and sports, and so much more. Various recreation center locations, cincinnati-oh.gov. GORMAN HERITAGE FARM

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These programs create a safe place for undeserved youth and families to learn new skills and enhance self-esteem. Campers will experience healthy challenges like tackling high ropes and living in cabins. Specialty theme camps are offered for children with diseases, from cancer and HIV to diabetes and heart disease, children of military personnel, amputees, bereavement camps and more. Camp Joy, 10117 Old 3 C Highway, Clarksville, camp-joy.org. CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Camps for children with specific healthcare needs. Cincinnati Children’s sponsors camps for children with conditions including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hemophilia, juvenile arthritis, sickle cell and tuberous sclerosis. They also have camps for kids in sports, arts, swim lessons, equine therapy and other recreational activities. Cincinnati Children’s, cincinnatichildrens.org. STEPPING STONES

Stepping Stones’ camps have supported teens with disabilities since 1963 with the goal of helping them form pathways to independence and making lifelong friends. Highly trained staff members will work alongside campers with moderate to severe disabilities as they swim, fish, boat and more. Session themes include Travel Through the Decades, Around the World in 6 Days, Fine Arts and more. Locations vary per camp, steppingstonesohio.org. YMCA CAMP CAMPBELL GARD DAY AND OVERNIGHT CAMPS

The YMCA hosts overnight and day camps for children and teens with and without physical and cognitive disabilities. Campers with and without disabilities participate in events and stay in cabins together. Campers choose their own schedules, participating in activities like horseback riding, swimming and zipline. Camp Campbell Gard, 4803 Augspurger Road, Hamilton, ccgymca.org.

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Barnyard animals abound at Gorman Heritage Farm. Campers will interact with animals, explore onsite woods, hike, craft and more. Themed camps are offered for topics including cooking, science and veterinary work. Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Road, Evendale, gormanfarm.org.

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Participate in themed camps including trailrompers camp, nature explorers camp, and adventure camp. Each week, campers will learn new skills as they hike, explore, play games and do arts and crafts. Imago Earth Center, 700 Enright Ave., E. Price Hill, imagoearth.org/camps.

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STUFF TO DO

Ongoing Shows VISUAL ART: Paris 1900: City of Entertainment Cincinnati Art Museum, Mount Adams (through May 12) ATTRACTIONS: Egypt: The Time of Pharaohs Cincinnati Museum Center, Queensgate (through Aug. 18)

WEDNESDAY 13

MUSIC: Cat Power supports her latest album Wanderer at Bogart’s. See Sound Advice on page 44.

Cincinnati Saint Patrick’s Day Parade P H O T O : C I N C Y S T P AT S P A R A D E . C O M

VISUAL ART: The interactive Archive as Action at the Contemporary Arts Center exhibits the work of three local women. See feature on page 33.

THURSDAY 14

TV: Local designer Tessa Clark appears on Season 17 of Project Runway. See interview on page 34. ONSTAGE: August Wilson’s Two Trains Running is an epic exploration of loss, death and love at the Playhouse in the Park. See review on page 36.

FRIDAY 15

MUSIC: Anvil brings Heavy Metal to the Southgate House Revival. See Sound Advice on page 44.

canceled. The original opener Juvenile is not on the rescheduled date this week; Aaron Carter is opening instead. 7:30 p.m. Friday. $40-$103. BB&T Arena, 500 Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, thebbtarena.com. — MIKE BREEN

SATURDAY 16

COMEDY: Paula Poundstone If you’re not reading the print edition of this, Paula Poundstone has some concerns. The veteran stand-up, in recent years, has become an advocate for eliminating screen time for children. “There’s no question it’s had a negative effect on or society as a whole,” she says, “and I know people can drudge around and find one or two things that were

helpful. But, let’s be honest, in a clear-eyed evaluation of pros and cons, the cons kick the pros asses.” At first, she thought it was a great idea to have more screens and digital devices in schools. Then she didn’t. “The evidence is overwhelming: There’s very little positive impact. The only positives I have read about is kids who use screen devices can recognize patterns. Great, they won’t be confused by wallpaper.” Onstage, Poundstone keeps it much lighter, discussing her day-to-day life as well as the goings on of various audience members. 8 p.m. Saturday. $40-$45. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org. — P.F. WILSON EVENT: Saint Patrick’s Day on Fountain Square Surprise: Saint Patrick’s Day on Fountain Square lasts an entire weekend. There will be live Celtic Rock music on Saturday and Sunday, with face painting, Irish food, CONTINUES ON PAGE 30

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EVENT: Sankofa: East Coast vs. West Coast Sankofa is back to transport you through time to the peak of Hip Hop. This immersive art project uses performance, curation and cosplay to transform the People’s Liberty Globefront Gallery into a time-warp portal, hosted by grant recipient Jennie Wright. The first part of the Sankofa installation took guests to The Cotton Club in Harlem in the 1920s. Now, the museum is traveling to the 1970s through the 1990s to revive elements of Hip Hop’s golden age — graffiti, poetry and freestyle Rap. For this night, things go East Coast vs. West Coast to capture one of

the most important feuds in Hip Hop history. Explore the roots of the rivalry and learn about the lyrical and physical battles that resulted. Remember to come dressed to impress with your best gear and maybe prepare some sick rhymes for the cypher. This is an experience like no other, to make you feel as if you freshly stepped into (and out of) a time machine. 7-10 p.m. Saturday. $15. 1805 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook. com/experiencesankofa. — KIARA REECE

MUSIC: Nelly with Aaron Carter A member of the St. Louis Hip Hop collective St. Lunatics, Nelly found huge success with his first solo album, Country Grammar, which went to No. 1, fueled by the success of the title

track. His 2002 follow-up, Nellyville, produced the huge hits “Hot in Herre” and the Kelly Rowland-featuring “Dilemma.” Both singles spent several weeks at No. 1 and cemented his status as a bonafide Pop superstar. Nelly won Grammys in the ensuing years and did some film and TV work, while also being involved with business ventures like clothing lines and his controversiallynamed energy drink Pimp Juice. He has also been involved in various charity endeavors over the years. Nelly made headlines for less positive reasons last year when he was accused of rape. He denied the charge and the case was dropped because the accuser refused to cooperate. More assault accusations surfaced earlier this year after his first accuser filed a lawsuit for defamation (due to the rapper’s denials) and assault. Nelly has maintained his innocence. Nelly’s original stop at BB&T in November last year was

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EVENTS: HorrorHound Weekend Spooky season doesn’t have to stay relegated to October as HorrorHound Weekend celebrates its 10th anniversary in Cincinnati. This wide-ranging convention features selfie and autograph opportunities with the likes of Elvira, The Shape of Water’s romantic fish-man Doug Jones, and, of course, Meatloaf. Various Q&A and live event panels featuring cultural icons like pro-wrestling hall-of-famer Jake “the Snake” Roberts, Back to the Future’s Christopher Lloyd and the beloved

cast members of American Horror Story and X-Files will take place throughout the weekend. Other big names include Christina Ricci, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Garret Dillahunt, Devon Sawa and Pauly Shore. An accompanying film festival also lasts through the weekend presenting advanced screenings and premieres of independent short and feature films like Straight Edge Kegger, CarousHELL and Bath Bomb. 5-10 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $30 single tickets; $60 weekend pass. Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, horrorhoundweekend.com. — TOMMY MCDONALD

FROM PAGE 29

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green beer and Guinness. The Drowsy Lads, FinTan and Dulahan play Saturday and then The Drowsy Lads (again), 9 Castle Close and The Prodigals play Sunday. Noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free admission. Fountain Square, Fifth and Vine streets, Downtown, myfountainsquare.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO EVENT: Saint Patrick’s Day at Humble Monk Humble Monk Brewing Co.

THURSDAY 14

EVENT: Cincinnati Saint Patrick’s Day Parade It’s (one day before) Saint Patrick’s Day, the only day of the year you can shamelessly pour Baileys into your morning coffee. That means it’s time to don the tackiest green attire in your closet and brush up on the lyrics of that one Pogues song to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint with Cincinnati’s 53rd annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Grab a green beer or distastefully named boilermaker to observe the Catholic cavalcade beginning just outside Paul Brown Stadium. The parade proceeds through Smale Riverfront Park before ending at Freedom Way and Rosa Parks

Street. This year’s honorary grand marshal will be FC Cincinnati’s General Manager, Jeff Berding. Parade steps off at noon Saturday. Free. The Banks, 120 E. Freedom Way, Downtown, cincystpatsparade.com. — TOMMY MCDONALD EVENT: Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Watch Party If you don’t feel like standing outside to watch the parade, look at it pass by from the warmth of the Moerlein Lager House. The restaurant is hosting a watch party and celebration full of Irish flair. Head to the Hops Garden for a view of the procession while enjoying Irish stew, bangers and mash and other Irish eats, plus a special Tullamore D.E.W. flight and Moerlein’s Irish Red Lager, Irish Coffee Porter, Guinness on nitro, Platform’s Shamrock Shakedown and more. There will also be boilermakers with Little Kings and the whiskey of your choice. 10 a.m. doors Saturday. Free admission. Moerlein Lager House, 115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown, facebook.com/ moerleinlagerhouse. — MAIJA ZUMMO VISUAL ART: The Shift: An Evolution of Grace For one night, Grace Episcopal Church will house a popup gallery featuring the work of acclaimed local artists, including Cedric Michael Cox and Mary Barr Rhodes,

April 13, 6-9 pm

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eastgate’s exclusive wine affair

EVENT: Science On Tap — Pi Day Celebration Only a square would neglect to honor Pi Day; which is why Science on Tap is hosting their second annual celebration of the mathematical constant in Urban Artifact’s upstairs sanctuary space. The night features several presentations highlighting the importance of numbers within everyday life and not quite infinite amounts of wood-fired “neoNeapolitan” pizza Pi from the in-house Wildfire Pizza Kitchen. Of course, the brewery will be supplying their deliciously sour (and boozy) fruit beers like the banana and raspberry heavy Landline (8.2 percent ABV) and the sour cherry infused beer-champagne hybrid Victory Garden (10.5 percent ABV) on tap. Get your geek on, because having no parties on Pi Day would be truly irrational. 6 p.m. Thursday. Free admission. Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., Northside, facebook.com/ urbanartifactbrewing. — TOMMY MCDONALD

is officially open for business in Northside and is celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day in style with beer, bagpipers and a taco truck. Things kick off in the morning with a beer blessing at 10:30 a.m., followed by a live bagpiper, food from Taco Oso food truck and two special beer releases. 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Humble Monk Brewing Co., 1641 Blue Rock St., Northside, facebook.com/ humblemonkbc. — MAIJA ZUMMO

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SUNDAY 17

EVENT: Floral Arranging Class Roses and rosé converge at Oakley Wines for an exclusive floral arranging class hosted by Una Floral’s Patricia Duque Campos. She will be teaching prospective florists, gardeners and just green-thumbed hobbyists how to expertly craft a beautiful bouquet of springtime flowers (provided by her) small enough to fit in a wine glass. All participants are supplied with floral clippers. Bite-sized catering courtesy of Findlay Market’s first-class cheese shop The Rhined (also owners of Oakley Wines) is sure to fuel your plant-design passion — or at least pair well with your favorite wine. 2 p.m. Sunday. $50. Oakley Wines, 4011 Allston St., Oakley, facebook. com/freedrinkinglessons. — TOMMY MCDONALD

SUNDAY 17

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SPORTS: FC Cincinnati vs. Portland Timbers FC Cincinnati has made a splash in American soccer in the last few years. On March 17, our hometown team will play their first ever home game in the MLS. FC Cincinnati will host the 2017 MLS Champion Portland Timbers team. This historic game will be played at UC’s Nippert stadium as the new West End stadium will not be EVENT: Saint Patrick’s ready until 2021. Wear Day at Molly Malone’s your orange and blue This corner of Covington and get loud because turns into Dublin on Sunday FCC’s premiere home MASON DEERFIELD LIFESTYLE READER’S when Molly Malone’s goes game in the MLS is not big for Saint Patrick’s Day. CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST BREWERY something any fan will to reduce the number of Everything kicks off with want to miss. 5 p.m. Sunday. homeless dogs and cats in kegs and eggs at 7 a.m. If $38-$128. Nippert Stadium, Greater Cincinnati. 2-4 p.m. you’re one of the first 100 2700 Bearcat Way, Clifton Sunday. Free admission. people through the door, you Heights, fccincinnati.com. get a souvenir shirt. Then Fifty West Production Works, — BEN REES spend the rest of the day on 7605 Wooster Pike, Columall three floors of the space, bia Township, fiftywestbrew. EVENT: Saint Puptrick’s and in an outdoor tent, drinkcom. — MAIJA ZUMMO Day at Fifty West ing Irish beers, eating Irish Bring your best furry friend food, watching Irish dancers to Fifty West Production and listening to Irish bands. Works for a Saint Puptrick’s ONSTAGE: Last Podcast A new law in Covington Day party featuring Tail Ale on the Left comes to the allows bars to sell alcohol as doggy beer and a pup chug Taft Theatre. See feature on early as 6 a.m. on Sundays contest, a dog and human page 35. during special events, with photobooth (with props), MUSIC: Multipermission. Great news for Pugalicious Pet Treats instrumentalist and this Sunday Saint Patrick’s and more to benefit the songwriter Jerry Paper Day. 7 a.m.-midnight SunLeague for Animal Welfare, heads to MOTR Pub. See day. Free admission. Molly a nonprofit that provides a Malone’s, 112 E. Fourth St., no-kill shelter and programs Sound Advice on page 45. Covington, facebook.com/ mollymalonescincinnati. YOUR WEEKEND TO DO LIST: LOCAL.CITYBEAT.COM — MAIJA ZUMMO

among others. In the mix will be Napoleon Maddox’s “The Mobilization of Congo Square,” a project backed by People’s Liberty that seeks to provide free Jazz concerts in neighborhoods across Cincinnati in an effort to expose new audiences to the genre. 6-10 p.m. Saturday. Free admission. Grace Episcopal Church, 5501 Hamilton Ave., College Hill, facebook.com/urbanicity. — MACKENZIE MANLEY

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ARTS & CULTURE

Stronger Together The CAC’s current exhibit Archive as Action features the work of three Cincinnati-based women artists and asks visitors to be a part of the conversation BY M AC K EN ZI E M A N L E Y

Lindsey Whittle’s “Welded Shape” PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Amanda Curreri and members of the “RopeWalk” crew PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

the show’s run, starting with Same Beginning, Different Ending on March 13, a collab between Chicago-based artist Sky Cubacub, DuVal, Whittle and dance group Pones, Inc. When Archive as Action closes, Whittle and Basinger will reenact their wedding reception (which was held at the CAC in 2014) via #spikeow2. Like they did in 2014, they’ve asked their friends to gift them with performances. Zoom out: As a whole, the gallery space is divided into three distinct aesthetics. Despite this, the messages presented within are symbiotic; the body of work asks to be heard, but it also reaches outward, searching for a connection source. “It’s definitely a situation where we’re stronger together. I feel like Steven had such an insight into how our work and our practices work together that I don’t think any of us realized,” Cullen says. “Like, I’ve known Amanda and Lindsey forever and love their work, but I didn’t realize the thread that goes between all of our practices, so it’s been really great. Especially three local women artists. It’s just nice to have this show here.” Archive as Action runs through June 16 at the Contemporary Arts Center (44 E. Sixth St., Downtown). More info: contemporaryartscenter.org.

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Tidbits’ Director Sheryl Rajbhandari that helps empower immigrants and refugees, specifically women, via job and skills training. Whittle’s work fills the back nook of the gallery space. Colors bounce along the wall, twisting and colliding into each other. Look up: There are images on the ceiling, photographed by Grace DuVal, whom Whittle says she often works with. “When you ask me to do a solo show, it’s really me doing a group show in a lot of ways,” she says, adding that her medium as an artist is collaboration. An adjunct instructor at the Art Academy of Cincinnati, fashion and performance are central to her body of work — and life. She’s been using her body as a canvas since 2004 to bring art into her daily routine. And in 2013, she made the decision to wear paper every day for a year, adding or subtracting to the “compositions” she created. The remnants of these wearable pieces — she also has pieces made of material like Tyvek and Neoprene — are displayed. But it’s Whittle’s concept of a “shape language,” which she formed with fellow artist and husband Clint Basinger, that grounds her work. Together they create collaborative drawings from which she mines and isolates shapes. Whittle echoes what her other two peers have noted: Her work asks to be contributed to. Visitors are encouraged to compose their own art from a large welded shape made up of 12 smaller pieces, which she created with fellow local artist Adam Schmidt. Though it has a “final” shape, the piece can be broken apart to create something new. “My work is always an open-ended sentence,” Whittle says. “It’s never really finished. A lot of my work are pieces that come together to make something interesting, and sometimes when we put the pieces together, it doesn’t look interesting. In fact, sometimes it looks more like a hot mess. It’s funny how a lot of my work exists in documentation.” Whittle’s slice of the exhibition includes four performances throughout

full success at the start. You can’t know it. And isn’t that cool — that I get to learn through the process of creating art?” That idea of evolving, communitycentered work is echoed in both Cullen and Whittle’s practices. Cullen, who also serves as the co-director of Camp Washington’s Wave Pool gallery, has created a space anchored by a long, rectangular makeshift table. Made from donated furniture, she says that she and her husband Skip worked for months to arrange the pieces into one functional table. “This table was built as a gathering space,” she says. “The whole premise of bringing people’s discarded furniture together to create something that is functional and beautiful is, I think, very symbolic of the entire premise of my part of the exhibition. So, it needs to be used as much as possible.” There are multiple ways to interact with Cullen and her art. On Thursdays from noon to 5 p.m., you can join Cullen for “Coworking with Cal.” Bring a laptop, a book, a notebook, whatever, and grab a cup of coffee from the downstairs lobby; Cullen’s unconventional office is also yours. You can also add to her growing collection of information via one of her interactive displays, like by writing a letter to New York or filling out a “Happiness Calculator” form. “When I was in grad school I started out as a painter, still dealing with my own trauma, and my own story quickly became boring for me,” she says. “And I started making work with other people. Ever since, that’s how I want to work. I’m very interested in other people’s thoughts. I feel like I’d much rather celebrate humanity rather than myself.” Everything in the space is engineered to spark a connection. From “Desiderate” — two typewriters with one roll of paper that asks visitors to answer a question — to “So Where Do We Go? Dreams That Are Unlikely But Possible,” a landline telephone painted like a breezy spring sky. It poses the question: What do you think the collective “we” should do next? Pitch in your own thoughts or listen to others. Among other events, Cincinnati’s Table will unfold on March 24; Cullen’s space will be open for a round-table dinner discussion with local civic leaders as part of The Welcome Project, a social enterprise spearheaded by Cullen and Heartfelt

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oused on the Contemporary Arts Center’s second-floor gallery, Archive as Action meets three seemingly disparate Cincinnati-based artists — Amanda Curreri, Lindsey Whittle and Calcagno Cullen — at their intersection. The gallery space is wholly utilized through pieces like a mapwork of blown-up sketches — akin to the kind that might fill the margins of a journal — and a kaleidoscopic, glowing cloud made of hook and loop tape that floats dreamily on a hallway ceiling. Curated by Steven Matijcio, Archive as Action acts as an ongoing conversation steeped in the histories of the three artists’ works. It is on display through June 16. When visitors first stroll in, they’re likely to be greeted by large patchwork flags made of various fabrics; each carry symbols that speak to different histories, identities and social movements. On some days you may even hear the hum of a sewing machine. Let it lure you to the work table in the far-right corner; there’s another artist at play here: you. Braided strands of colorful rope are strewn across the wall in an act of organized mayhem. On the adjacent wall, bobbins of every color are arranged in a precise, orderly fashion on sumi-inkstained shelves. It’s all a part of RopeWalk, a participatory artwork inspired by American labor and immigration histories. With the help of a crew that consists of University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning students and alumni, from noon-4 p.m. on weekdays, the public can help repurpose recycled flag material into strands of rope that will be used during a performance art event in April. As part of the This Time Tomorrow festival, participants will gather to carry a rope that spans the Purple People Bridge — a site connected to the history of slavery that divides the North and South; the walk is meant to represent public healing. And though Curreri is the project’s facilitator, she’s quick to note that the art itself isn’t really her own. An assistant professor at DAAP, she says she challenges her students with the idea that something isn’t art “until it leaves you.” “It’s scary. And I hope that people engage with it,” she says. “And you build it so that you ensure that there is some engagement. But with a piece like that, I won’t know its

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Cincy Designer Competes on ‘Project Runway’ BY L E Y L A S H O KO O H E

Cincinnatian Tessa Clark is a cast member on the upcoming Season 17 of Project Runway, which begins airing on Bravo March 14. A 2016 graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, she earned a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and later interned for Marchesa and VPL in New York City. The 17th season of the fashion competition show Tessa Clark features some new faces, including host and superP H O T O : P R O V I D E D B Y P R O J E C T R U N W AY model Karlie Kloss, judges Brandon Maxwell (fashion designer) and Elaine Welteroth (former shapes of the garments.” editor of Teen Vogue), plus longtime judge Clark’s espoused inspiration, both Nina Garcia (editor of ELLE). Project Runbusiness and creative, comes from her way Season Four winner Christian Siriano mother’s career as a ceramicist and her will mentor the 16 designers. The winner of father’s career as a miller. this season will go home with $250,000. “My parents are entrepreneurs, and I “I obviously have heard of Project always knew I wanted to own my own Runway and watched for years. I always business,” she says. “If I were to move to thought it would be really fun,” says Clark New York, I would have to work for a larger in a phone interview during a New York brand and I didn’t want to sacrifice my City buying trip for Idlewild, the women’s values and morals.” clothing boutique in Over-the-Rhine Many garment lines are produced in owned by her mother and cousin, for factories overseas by vastly underpaid which she acts as manager/assistant buyer. individuals. The deadly Rana Plaza “One of my draws to applying for Project building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013 Runway was to sort of show that, hey, there (where companies including Walmart and are cool things happening in Cincinnati,” Benetton produced clothing) served as a she says. “There are people staying here cautionary tale for Clark, who vowed to who are reputable designers who are actube an advocate for the sustainable side of ally doing something really cool.” fashion. For Clark, weekdays are spent at “I think sustainability shouldn’t just Idlewild, and weekends at Sew Valley, a be a movement; I think it should be the local manufacturing nonprofit where she standard for every fashion business and was one of the first designer-members. The label,” she says. organization gives members the access Clark walks that talk; she recently to resources and tools integral to creating released a limited-time offering of smaller, sustainable brands and business models. lower-priced items made from the scraps Rosie Kovacs, Sew Valley’s co-owner, of her full collection. forwarded Clark an email last year from 21c Museum Hotel will host a public Project Runway seeking applicants for viewing party of the Project Runway the upcoming season. Clark applied and premiere on March 14, starting at 6:30 p.m. went to a casting call in Chicago before The event includes a cocktail hour and being selected as a contestant. While fashion show, featuring Grind and Glaze competing, a new line of clothes for Clark’s and Philippe Haas Bespoke Tailoring. brand — named Grind and Glaze — was in Though Clark can’t say how far she goes in production at Sew Valley. the competition, she looks to the future. Clark’s design ethos is centered on the “I’m working on a few one-off designs quality of being timeless and sustainable. right now for spring. I have no idea what to Grind and Glaze’s small but robust anticipate being on Bravo in terms of sales,” collection — two skirts, two pants, a top, she says. “I’m just going to work with the a coat, a dress and a bodysuit — speaks small amount of stuff I have right now. to that notion. It’s an aesthetic that she’s Throughout the summer, I’ll introduce a been developing since her time at DAAP, couple new styles. My next big collection according to Ann Firestone, an adjunct release will be for the fall season, so I can professor who taught Clark patternwork out all the details and get on Sew making her sophomore year. Valley’s production schedule.” “Her taste was simple shapes, spectacular For more on Tessa Clark’s Grind and fabrics — and she still does that,” Firestone Glaze line, visit grindandglaze.com. says. “She’s worked on really elevating the

CULTURE

‘Last Podcast on the Left’ Veers into Cincy BY G A R I N PI R N I A

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In 2011, Henry Zebrowski, Marcus Parks Aronoff. Even though the guys beat My and Ben Kissel — three friends who met Favorite Murder to the true crime punch, more than a decade ago in the comedy they consider co-hosts Karen Kilgariff world — formed The Last Podcast on the and Georgia Hardstark to be friends, not Left (named after the 1972 Wes Craven competitors. rape-revenge film The Last House on the “If you really are competitive in this Left) back when hardly anybody had a world, you’re very dumb,” Zebrowski says. podcast. “It’s much stronger to have allies.” Originally, it started as a means for the Pop culture is currently experiencing a friends to drink together and “fanboy true crime boom, and Kissel theorizes it’s out” about horror films — the first episode because crime is at an all-time low. discusses Friday the 13th — but it quickly “It used to be a much more dangerous evolved into heavily researched episodes world and a much more dangerous on serial killers, Josef Mengele, sexy ghosts, 9/11, UFOs, MK-Ultra, JonBenét Ramsey and other weird phenomena, all with a comedic imprint. “I had a manager at the time and I was telling him that I wanted to do podcasts, and he looked at me like I had eight heads and was like, ‘What? What do you mean? How can you just make a living off of that?’ ” Kissel says. “And I was like, ‘I think it’s going to be big because you can go all around the world, The team behind The Last Podcast on the Left but you can sit down in a PHOTO: STEVE CHRIS chair in Queens when you do it.’ ” Almost 400 episodes later, The Last country,” he says. “The feeling of fear is Podcast on the Left has not only found really energizing. It makes you feel alive, I its niche in a now-saturated world of think. So, people just go from their house podcasts, but in 2017 it also finally became to their car, to their job to their car, to their a lucrative move for the trio. Patreon, a house. It’s a strange thrill in a way. True membership service, states they have crime breaks up the monotony of a lot of 10,106 patrons who pay the podcast people’s jobs.” $53,400 per month — proof that you can However, Kissel wants to make it clear make money from podcasts. they aren’t glamorizing serial killers like “People say the show was a hobby, but Ted Bundy. we were already performers,” Zebrowski “When it comes to The Ted Bundy Tapes, says. “Every single thing was featured into they make that necrophiliac piece of our life already. Doing The Last Podcast on human garbage seem cool and that really the Left is an extension of us saying, ‘Here’s bothers us,” he says. “That was one of the another viewpoint of the world.’ ” complaints that we had about true crime Since 2016, the guys have done a live media in general when we were doing the tour with the show (Parks and Kissel live in show. We’re like, ‘Let’s not make these guys New York City, but Zebrowski lives in Los seem like they’re good or cool or someone Angeles). On March 20, they’ll come to the to emulate. These people are losers.’ ” Taft Theatre, their first time in Cincinnati. Which makes Bundy et al. rife for Kissel describes it as “a three-person roasting. stand-up show.” Zebrowski’s background In reflecting upon the past eight years is in sketch comedy (Murderfist) and as an of recording The Last Podcast on the Left, actor on the HBO comedy series Crashing, Zebrowski feels he and the guys are where and Parks has worked in radio since he they need to be. was 18. Before forming The Last Podcast on “I really love doing our show,” he says. the Left, Kissel and Parks worked together “We’re making money doing the podcast on the podcast Round Table of Gentlemen. and we’re having a really good time. Our And all three of them run The Last Podcast audiences, we get to go out there and see Network, which features 11 shows, people. I don’t know what else to ask for.” including Kissel and Parks’ political show The Taft Theatre will host The Last Abe Lincoln’s Top Hat. Podcast on the Left on Wednesday, A few days before they hit Cincy, March 20. Tickets/more info: tafttheatre.org. fellow true crime podcast My Favorite Murder will perform a sold-out show at

ONSTAGE

‘Two Trains’ Rings With Love and Loss R E V I E WS BY H A R PER L EE

CRITIC’S PICK

Playhouse in the Park’s production of Two Trains Running, the seventh installment of August Wilson’s masterful 10-part Pittsburgh Cycle, is an epic exploration of loss, death and love. Set in the late 1960s, Pittsburgh’s once thriving Hill District is gutted, a feeble rendering of its former glorious self. Inside a dilapidated diner, a small group of regulars gather daily to “play the numbers” as they talk, argue, flirt, drink coffee and The cast of Two Trains Running eat whatever is cooking that day. PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY The city has declared eminent domain over the building and the diner’s owner, Memphis, insists the city its luster. Michael Gilliam effortlessly must meet his price for the property — a moves the play through time by bringing staggering $25,000. Meanwhile, newly the lights in the diner down low during the released from prison, Sterling looks for evening. work, and gambler Wolf takes bets for that Within this well-crafted world, the day’s lottery. Retired house painter Holperformances glow. Raymond Anthony loway advises everyone in the group to visit Thomas’ Memphis is the play’s strong neighborhood mystic Aunt Ester about backbone. He’s proud, resilient and their troubles; prosperous undertaker strangely blind to way he mistreats Risa, West eats pie and waitress Risa mourns who patiently manages Memphis’ diner the recent death of a prophet and quietly with little help from him. endures Memphis’ petty tirades. PeriodiRisa, played by Malkia Stampley, hardly cally, the group is joined by a Hambone, a ever leaves the stage, but has fewer lines local vagrant, who is still fuming over a than the rest of the ensemble. Still, Stamraw deal he got nearly 10 years ago: He pley plays Risa with a forceful and gentle painted a fence for businessman who presence, which allows her silence and the promised him a ham for the job — but scars on her legs to speak for themselves. shortchanged him with a chicken. Michael Anthony Williams as Holloway In the set’s corner, a broken jukebox and Jefferson A. Russell as Wolf bring sits silently as the days come and go. The humor and liveliness to the production, future is upon them all, but remains heavy delivering laughter and wisdom in with the past. West has offered Memphis tandem. Chiké Johnson’s youthful Sterling a good price for the building — $15,000 — embodies the next generation with his that he will then turnaround and sell to the optimism and wide smile. And Frank city. But Memphis doesn’t want to settle. Britton’s Hambone is a poignant reminder He was brutally cheated out of his farm in of what it means to struggle daily toward Jackson, Mississippi decades before. And something that you want — and earned. so he went to Pittsburgh, where he spent a Wilson’s characters cannot look away lifetime building his business. He dreams from tragedy; everything around them is aloud about taking one of the two trains dying, but they still must plan for tomorrunning to Jackson to settle the score with row. This cast captures the everyday the thugs who robbed him years ago. compassion these characters feel for one Within the Pittsburgh Cycle, Two Trains another despite their bickering, disagreeRunning precedes Wilson’s Jitney, which ments, differences and slights. The play the Playhouse produced in 2016. Both requires a familiar yet special connection under the direction of Timothy Douglas, among the diner’s regulars; the entire cast Two Trains and Jitney feel very much like understands and delivers that, giving the members of the same family. Both plays audience the full, rich experience of the grapple with themes of injustice and remarkable people on the stage. oppression and in Two Trains’ darkly Wilson has been described as Shakepragmatic character of West, death is spearean and watching his plays can feel physically present on the stage. like opera. Douglas has a steady, patient Two Trains is not mired in stage business hand, and — like in Jitney — he allows and blocking; Douglas and a team of gifted Wilson’s gift for dramatizing the ordinary designers chose to make a gorgeous home days of ordinary people to ring with sorrow, for the diner and then let the language and longing, and even breathtaking bursts of the performances do the rest. Matthew joy and friendship. Nielson’s Motown soundtrack is toe Playhouse in the Park’s Two Trains tapping and evocative. Kara Harmon’s Running runs through March 30. More rich costuming and Tony Cisek’s husk of a info/tickets: cincyplay.com. formerly bustling diner are both colorful, yet muted, as though everything has lost

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FILM

Dev Patel Is a Welcome ‘Guest’ R E V I E W BY T T S T ER N - EN ZI

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Writer-director Michael Winterbottom understanding that he’s still defying them. (A Mighty Heart, The Killer Inside Me) He’s balancing on a delicate tightrope as embraces the unknown. He must, because he layers a stern, intense façade over the his latest feature The Wedding Guest places good-guy decency he’s known for. What we audiences in the company of true blank see of Patel in The Wedding Guest should slate named Jay (Dev Patel). But we don’t draw comparisons to Matt Damon’s work find out the man’s name early on — or, in the Bourne franchise or John Krasinski really, anything about him at all. in Amazon’s Jack Ryan series. We’re left with a vague sense of pretense Truth be told, Jay bears a stronger and menace. He’s quiet and calculating resemblance to some of Kevin Costner’s as he makes his way on a journey into roles — like No Way Out or, better yet, The and through Pakistan. Like Jason Bourne Bodyguard — where he’s either duplicitous from the espionage series based on Robert or conflicted; despite this, we sense that Ludlum’s books, he’s equipped with several passports, which allow him to switch identities like rental cars (which he also cycles through routinely). By the time he reaches what we assume to be his final destination, he purchases two guns. Winterbottom teases us into stereotyping Jay as we watch these events unfold. We assume he’s a terrorist, enacting his specific piece of some larger plot. Or, maybe, we pin him as a zealot with his own agenda. Dev Patel in The Wedding Guest But, eventually, we piece together that he’s PHOTO: COURTESY IFC FILMS headed to a wedding; that revelation comes as he cons his way past armed guards, who his romantic code won’t let him to do less secure the blessed event’s venue. For all than the right thing. Honor runs deep the steps involved, everything has an through these still waters. ingenious simplicity. Jay creates a sense of Which is why, when it veers toward its clockwork precision, ticking each phase off expected noirish potential — full of cheathis doubtlessly long mental checklist. ing and divided loyalties — WinterbotHis mission? To kidnap the bride, tom’s film pulls off a twist of its own. The Samira (Radhika Apte), who is wide-eyed Wedding Guest is not a purely plot-driven with fear when Jay roughly covers her thriller with stock characters awaiting mouth, zip-ties her hands behind her back their pre-ordained comeuppance. This is and drags her away. During the abduction, ultimately a story about people caught up he’s forced to kill a guard at the main gate in sadly probable scenarios, who are sim— which appears to be the only deviation ply seeking the best way out they can find. from Jay’s plan, and an unwelcome one at How often does a noir thriller spend time that. with anything verging on real drama? But nothing is as it seems. It helps, I suppose, that the narrative is For the film to work, The Wedding Guest set in a different part of the world where — which transplants neo-noir elements the stakes are higher and escape seems into a cacophonous desert world — needs futile enough that it could inspire people a strong focal point, which it has in Patel. to attempt an elaborate ruse, like someThe boyishly handsome actor broke out thing straight out of a crime noir movie. in the Academy Award-winning film The Wedding Guest is able to sufficiently Slumdog Millionaire, where he played the blur the lines between art and life. older version of the lead character. With In the end, I keep coming back to Patel, his fresh face, he was perfectly cast as a whose performance I enjoyed more than goodhearted romantic, willing to go to anything so far in this very new year. extreme lengths for the love of his life. Winterbottom may give us little to go on, Since that role, he’s operated within but Patel shows us the heart and soul of Jay, a similar vein, both eager and pleasing, which makes up for all the dirty deeds he as if fighting against the stereotypical may have done leading up to the moment conventions the industry might otherwise we first meet him. (Opens Friday) Rated R want to place on him. Here, Patel leans Grade: B+ into those stereotypes, but with a clear

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FOOD & DRINK

Fire and Smoke Helmed by an expert team, Karrikin Spirits Co. has created a popular distillery/brewery/ restaurant destination in an offbeat part of Fairfax BY PA M A M I TC H E L L

The bar and stills at Karrikin PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Karrikin Spirits Co. 3717 Jonlen Drive, Fairfax, 513-561-5000, karrikinspirits.com.

Clockwise from top: vinegared fries, Watch Ya Step, Kid cocktail, mustard pickled eggs, gimlet and whipped quark with sourdough PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

FIND MORE RESTAURANT NEWS AND REVIEWS AT CITYBEAT.COM/ FOOD-DRINK

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group of plant growth regulators found in the smoke of burning plant material.” It seems like a stretch, but as I interpret it, the ownership team makes a connection between this process and the distillation of grains to make liquor, and also the alchemy involved when humans cook food. Or as a promotional blurb from Karrikin explained, “the same fire that stimulates new growth and renewal is the vision and passion we have for Karrikin Spirits Co.” “The original idea was to be a brewery that does cocktails, and then it just took off,” Bennett said. Judging from the East Side multitudes making their way to an obscure corner of the ’burb of Fairfax, I’d have to agree that Karrikin definitely has taken off.

ambiance was very energetic. Once we settled in, the first order of business at a distillery and brewery — quite naturally — was to decide what to drink. The three-page beverage menu starts with a description of the eight spirits made in-house: two gins, vodka, rum and agave/ tequila along with a rice-based liquor called Shifu, apple brandy and apricot brandy. Below that are 10 house cocktails and a few mocktails featuring housemade non-alcoholic sodas and shrubs. If none of that suits your mood or taste, page two covers Karrikin’s own draft beers and hard pop, and after that a short list of wine offerings. As it happened, we all started with one of the house cocktails ($8-$9). The one that stood out for me combined Karrikin white rum, dry vermouth and orange bitters. Our server helped us navigate the food menu, which contained a fair number of unfamiliar terms. He discouraged us from ordering our eats in courses. “Each dish will come out when it’s ready,” he said, and we agreed to that plan. Bad idea. Among four of us we chose at least eight items, and every one of them showed up at our table within five minutes of each other. Unless you want to have some of your food get cold and the table to get so overloaded that you’re rushing to finish a dish so the

server can clear off the plates, order a few items at a time. As it happened, dish after dish kept arriving while we gamely tried to keep up with all the food. We tried items from up and down the menu — everything from beef heart pastrami with sauerkraut fritters ($8) to shaved Brussels sprouts and apple salad ($9) and sliced pork shoulder with polenta and kohlrabi ($12). A chilled dish I enjoyed was jicama and cucumber salad with crabmeat and sesame seeds ($12). The Brussels sprouts were served cold, surprising us, but we were pleased with the flavors and counted it among the winners. My hands-down favorite combined creamy, roasted cauliflower with crunchy grains — not sure if it was rice or quinoa — in a savory sauce ($8). (The menu lists wild rice.) Butternut squash spaetzle ($12) had both richness and delicacy and it, too, was enhanced by a sprinkling of crisp pecans. I’m all about texture contrasts and appreciate something crunchy in almost any dish, sweet or savory. We encountered a few misses along with the hits. A couple of the cocktails were lackluster, and the scallops ($16) had been over-salted to the point of being almost inedible. We found the baked cheese curds ($10) rather puzzling, as they didn’t look like the little nuggets we are used to. The cheese board ($12) would have been nice with drinks as a true appetizer but piled on the table along with salads and hot dishes, it became extraneous. And what’s with the name, Karrikin, you might ask? Wikipedia says karrikins are “a

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arrikin combines a distillery, brewery, bar and restaurant in a gigantic former warehouse located in what feels like a no-man’s land of industrial buildings between Mariemont and Mount Lookout. As obscure as the location seemed when we arrived on a stormy night, we nevertheless had trouble finding a parking space in either of the two large lots. A whole bunch of people quite obviously weren’t put off by the incongruous setting for what has become one of the “it” spots in Greater Cincinnati. We finally found a space in the gravel lot behind a loading dock and crunched through a muddy path to the front door, where we stepped into the raucous main bar and found a host station. To our left, we could see the dining room — as cavernous as the bar and distillery areas in front of us, but which we hoped would feel noticeably less boisterous than the bar. The Karrikin project — and the scale of this enterprise definitely has the feel of a project — is the brainchild of an impressive group of men with expertise ranging from interior design to brewing, sales and marketing, and yes, culinary arts. The executive chef, Jared Bennett, served for six years as sous chef and then chef de cuisine at Metropole, one of my absolute favorite restaurants in town. Even inside a warehouse — or distillery, industrial building, whatever it is — you can safely expect delicious food to come out of Bennett’s kitchen. And the restaurant staff is bolstered with a team of Bennett’s fellow alums from Metropole. They include chef de cuisine Christopher Davis, sous chef Meagan White and beverage manager Chris Brown. We did have a reservation for our dinner, which was a lucky thing since the wait can run up to an hour or two if you show up on a Friday or Saturday without planning ahead. The host staff seated us promptly at a table near the back of the dining room, which alternates tabletops with a couple areas of sofas and lounge chairs for more casual eaters. And while the noise level did diminish compared to the front room, the

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220 W. 12th St., Over-theRhine, zundootr.com Zundo, which means “big pot” in Japanese, has a small but fierce menu comprised of four ramens with different broths, 10 donburis (including katsu curry), a thoughtful smattering of appetizers and a few desserts. Donburi is essentially a Japanese stew, with meats and veggies served over rice. The pièce de résistance of the ramen menu is the insider’s version: order the vegetarian miso ramen, request it spicy and add an egg and pork belly. It’s a Frankenstein’s monster of all the other ramens, dragging in each of the best bits of the others and leaving your stomach in a state of near-bliss. Before slurping, you want to give all the delicious ingredients floating in the deep bowl a good mix. You want the doily-like slices of lotus root to mingle with the strips of pork belly, the rim of red miso paste, the jammy-centered softboiled egg and sprinkling of chopped green onions to take a bath in the bottom of the broth. (Fun fact: Zundo has a machine dedicated solely to chopping green onions because they go through so many.) Slurp as instructed. Repeat until done. On Fridays and Saturdays, Zundo brings in two specialty cannoli from Covington baker Steve Del Gardo. And expect a sake float come warmer days and a sake mimosa. (Leyla Shokoohe)

Branch & Night Drop

1535 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, eatatbranch. com We had such a good time at Branch in East Walnut Hills recently. Littlefield Restaurant Group rehabbed a historic building over a twoyear period and in December opened the restaurant and adjacent downstairs bar called Night Drop. For much of the last century, the building housed a bank, thus the name of both the restaurant and bar. The dining room graces a relatively long, narrow space that seats 72, including 20 at the bar. Above the bar sits an imposing mural commissioned for the restaurant that fits so beautifully with the original design of the room that it could be vintage 1935 instead of 2018. Executive chef Shoshannah Anderson most recently worked her culinary magic at Littlefield, but in a tiny kitchen. They say that one goal of Branch was to give Anderson “a proper kitchen, where she

can do even more interesting food” than she produced at Littlefield. Dinner choices are presented in two columns, “Shares” and “Stocks,” a play on the building’s history. It was the shares — or smaller plates — that knocked me out. Our favorites included a pork belly and vegetable dumpling ($13) — a few tender but chewy crescent-shaped pasta pillows covered lightly in an umami-rich miso broth. Two other hits were roasted sunchokes ($11) and curry roasted cauliflower ($10). Other “Share” dishes I tried were a chilled Israeli chickpea salad ($10) and satisfyingly meaty chili-smoked wings ($12). Anderson loves to use a smoker on a variety of meats and sometimes even cheeses, so look for occasional specials with a smoky flair. Branch offers three specials each weekend night, including a dessert special most nights. In addition to dinner seven nights a week, Branch serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday with a menu that looks terrific. (Pama Mitchell)

Main Street Tavern

701 Main St., Covington, mainsttaverncov.com Main Street Tavern is in the building that once held Mulligan’s Pub and still rocks some of the gritty bar vibes. The comfy bar aesthetic continues inside. Co-owner Bill Lynch (with Trent Riley) is also the chef and menu creator. Our server didn’t hesitate to tell us how much Lynch loves food, and happily declared that the only store-bought items Lynch allows on the premises are ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. The restaurant has an excellent dinner menu, but in a smart move, it also serves brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays We started off with the biscuit and baloney sliders ($7). These come with housemade baloney glazed with either sweet or spicy sauce and a hefty scoop of chow-chow (a sort of pickled vegetable relish). Our first entrée was a house special called The Rev’s Fried Chicken ($14). With a name as Southern as that we had high expectations for the bird and weren’t disappointed. The crispy skin was crunchy until the last bite, and the meat was literally falling off the bone. The second entrée we ordered was the Cowboy Bill Watts Burger ($12), made with local beef and topped with pimento cheese, crispy fried onions, barbecue sauce, lettuce and tomato. The surprise star of this meal was the buttery, golden bun with a Wonder Bread-soft interior, and the french fries doused with everyone’s favorite: Grippo’s barbecue spice. (McKenzie Graham)

CLASSES & EVENTS WEDNESDAY 13

Eat Like an Animal Day Presented by Cincinnati Children’s — Kids will learn how to eat healthy foods at this interactive event. Visitors to the zoo will be able to sample each different animal’s diet to learn about healthy eating. Learn what elephants, manatees, gorillas, polar bears, red pandas and parrots eat and get your passport stamped at each stop. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free with zoo admission. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org. Maker’s Mark Bourbon Dinner — Fear not: there’s food to pair with the bourbon; it’s not just booze. Coppin’s at Hotel Covington is presenting a four-course meal with Maker’s Mark bourbon concoctions to complement the fare. 6-9 p.m. $99. Coppin’s at Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Ave., Covington, hotelcovington.com. Sierra Cantabria Wine Dinner — Mita’s is hosting a five-course meal to pair with seven wines from Spain’s Sierra Cantabria region, famous for its rioja tempranillo wines, among others. There are only 100 tickets available. 6-9 p.m. $150. Mita’s, 501 Race St., Downtown, mitas.co.

THURSDAY 14

FRIDAY 15

St. Puppy’s Day Weekend — Food and drink specials all weekend on the patio with Fido’s Freezzys, brews and food. Oakley Pub & Grill, 3924 Isabella Ave., Oakley, oakleypubandgrill.com. Friday Night Fish Fry — It’s Lent, which means the West Side gets real fishy this time of year. West Side Brewing is featuring fried fish from local parishes each week. This week is St. Martin of Tours Church and Parish School. 5-10 p.m. Free admission. West Side Brewing, 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood, westsidebrewing.com.

SATURDAY 16

Bake Your Own Bagels — Give a someone a bagel and they’ll eat for a day, but teach them how to bake their own bagels and ... well, you get it. The owner of Crackling Crust Microbakery will lead a two-hour class that demonstrates how to mix, boil and bake your own bagels. Take home a half dozen. Via the University of Cincinnati’s Communiversity. 1-3 p.m. $65. 2220, Victory Parkway, Walnut Hills, facebook.com/ cracklingcrust. Kegs and Eggs at The President’s Room — An all-you-can-eat “shamrockin’” buffet with live entertainment. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $15. The Presidents Room at The Phoenix, 812 Race St., Downtown, facebook. com/PresidentsRoom.

SUNDAY 17

EST. 1933

NIVERSARY

Kegs and Eggs Saint Patrick’s Brunch at Revolution — Revolution Rotisserie in OTR and Pleasant Ridge are hosting a themed brunch with green beer, car bombs, corned beef hash, fish and chips, best-dressed prizes and more. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free admission. Revolution Rotisserie, 6063 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge; 1106 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, revolutionrotisserie.com. Kegs and Eggs Brunch at Boswell’s — Enjoy a special limited Irish-themed brunch menu with green beer and Saint Patrick’s Day cocktails, plus Irish music. 8 a.m. Free admission. Boswell’s, 1686 Blue Rock St., Northside, facebook. com/BoswellsCincinnati. Saint Patrick’s Day Brunch with Mike Oberst — Arnold’s hosts a special brunch with $5 pints of Guinness and $4 Jameson with live music from Mike Oberst. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Arnold’s Bar & Grill, 210 E. Eighth St., Downtown, facebook.com/arnoldsbar. Saint Patrick’s Day Brunch and FCC Watch Party — Django Western Taco will be serving an Irish brunch at the bar, while Higher Gravity serves $4 pints of Green Ricky from Jackie O’s with Breckenridge Nitro Irish Stout on tap. They will also have Irish car bombs and breakfast shot specials. 10 a.m. Free admission. Higher Gravity, 4106 Hamilton Ave., Northside, facebook.com/ HigherGravity. Pancakes in the Woods — Celebrate maple syrup season with a pancake breakfast. Learn the process of maple sugaring with demos, hands-on activities and a short hike in the woods. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. $7 suggested donation. California Woods Nature Preserve, 5400 Kellogg Ave., California, cincinnatiparks.com.

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Kegs and Eggs at Darkness Brewing — A keg of ale and a few fried eggs — what more could a reasonable Irishman want on St. Patty’s day? Darkness Brewing teams up with SEA Cuisine Foodtruck to reward the luck of the Irish with Sunday morning drinks and dining that could drive all the hunger out of Ireland. Be sure to try their Red Ale, the Scarlett P. O’tato, made with Idaho spuds. 9 a.m.-noon.

Free admission. Darkness Brewing, 224 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, darknessbrewing. beer.

Bourbon and Girl Scout Cookie Pairing — The Mercer hosts an adult evening of pairing Girl Scout cookies with assorted bourbons. Tickets include bourbons and cookies. 5-9 p.m. $27. The Mercer OTR, 1324 Vine St.,

Over-the-Rhine, facebook. com/TheMercerOTR.

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Slow Wine, Cheese and Chocolate — Slow Food Cincinnati and the Skeleton Root present an evening of eats and sips (and wine flights) from Snail of Approval winners Maverick Chocolate, My Artisano Cheeses, Chocolates Latour and Capriole Goat Cheese. 6-8 p.m. $30. The Skeleton Root, 38 W. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine, facebook. com/SlowFoodCincy.

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

MUSIC

Blessed Beginnings After making a big splash with its live debut, Cincinnati Metal group Blessed Black gears up for its imminent Beyond the Crimson Throne album release BY N I C K G R E V ER

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

M A R . 1 3 -19 , 2 0 19

ringing a new band into a local music scene and being successful can rely on many “lightning in a bottle” moments. A surprise radio hit or a lucky write-up in a favorite local altweekly newspaper. Perhaps a few small gigs gain the group some traction through homegrown word of mouth? Maybe there’s a friendly callout from another band a bit higher on the totem pole? If you’re local Doom Metal masters Blessed Black, all it took was one massive debut and a truckload of riffs — plus a massive amount of preparation. Blessed Black’s debut in November 2018 at the popular Ironfest event at Newport’s Southgate House Revival was in front of a packed room and caused a large percentage of the night’s bangovers the next day. For many, the band came out of nowhere, but, in reality, vocalist/guitarist Joshua Murphy, guitarist Chris Emerson, drummer Ray Bates and bassist Jens Nielson had been preparing for a year, ever since Murphy’s tour with his other band — Thrash Metal titans War Curse — was wrapping up. “Chris and I have been friends since 2010,” Murphy says. “We met through (a mutual friend) and we all played in a Post Punk band and it didn’t really go anywhere. But we always kept in contact, always hung out, played in little projects. I was on tour with War Curse on the West Coast and we had all talked about how, when we got back, we weren’t going to do the typical ‘band practice twice a week’ thing.” Murphy was looking for different creative outlets and immediately thought of Emerson. “My favorite band is High on Fire and they have been for I can’t even tell you how long,” he says. “And I’ve always wanted to do a doomier (project). I think I was in the van on the way home (and called Emerson): ‘When I get back, I’ve got some stuff. Do you want to jam?’ ”

Blessed Black P H O T O : B L E S S E D B L A C K . B A N D C A M P. C O M

Bates, a longtime friend and former bandmate of Murphy’s, joined shortly thereafter, with Nielson being the final piece of the Blessed Black puzzle. Nielson’s enlistment was fairly serendipitous. “We found Jens, believe it or not, on Craigslist — even though we all knew him,” Murphy says. “We had a Craigslist ad out and (Emerson) hit me up saying, ‘Some dude name Jens answered.’ ” “And I was like, ‘There’s only one Jens,’ ” he says with a laugh. With the lineup finalized, the quartet hopped into the writing process. What started as a traditional Doom project quickly morphed into something with more depth, rooted in traditional Heavy Metal. Blessed Black has been compared to Mastodon, Baroness, Khemmis, early The Sword and many others. But the band comparison that all four members can agree on doesn’t exactly fit into that sludgy mold: With a finely tuned mix of riffs and melody, Alice in Chains is the common thread and really characterizes exactly where Blessed Black’s songwriting takes them. The crux of a Blessed Black song is undeniably the riff. They snake through the entirety of each track and do what all Doom riffs do — get stuck in your brain meat and stick around for the foreseeable future. But there’s an uncharacteristic sense of urgency beneath the guitar work. The riffs and the songs as a whole are always driving forward. Murphy, Emerson and Nielson rarely sit on a riff; at most, they’ll give it a quick breather before charging forward to the next part of the

song. Pair this with Bates’ crisp and energetic drumming and you have a recipe that goes beyond the low-and-slow Doom trappings that many bands can fall into. They are songs that you can lose yourself in, but not in a meditative way. Blessed Black’s trip is a bumpy one. Flying over the riff-laden bombast are Murphy’s vocals, which are delivered at a higher register than one would expect for the genre. But that only helps further differentiate Blessed Black from their contemporaries. The vocals are clean, polished and powerful; not bad for a guy who’d never been lead singer before. “I’ve always been the guy that backed other people up,” Murphy says. “I never felt like I was the frontman.” Due to his inexperience, much of Murphy’s vocal style was nailed down in the studio as he tried out different deliveries, with Emerson giving notes after each take. It was a do-or-die situation that worked out in the band’s favor. But Murphy didn’t make it easy on himself. Not only was he writing lyrics during his vocal-identity discovery period, he also chose to write them based solely on a 1970s fantasy novel: Michael Moorcock’s Elric of Melniboné. “It was hard. It was really fucking hard,” he says. “Moving forward, there’s not going to be any more concept shit; it’s just going to be me writing lyrics. “When you’re stuck writing about once specific character and book, it really limits where you can go with things. It was a challenge but I’m really glad I finished it.” The musicians overcame the trials

put before them and are set to finish the recording of their anticipated debut album, Beyond the Crimson Throne, in late March, with a digital release tentatively slated for April. But back in November, they were an untested band with a couple singles on Bandcamp. Murphy sent Ironfest head honcho John Gerhardt one of the tracks and that was enough to secure the quartet a prime slot at the two-day festival. The room was filled from the first note to the last (a rarity at an event defined by constantly rotating bands on three stages). Blessed Black’s debut live appearance announced the band to Cincinnati metalheads in a major way, but its rookie status wasn’t completely smoothed over. Bates was testing his in-ear monitors and rode his hi-hat cymbal a bit to make sure all was well with his gear. Murphy misinterpreted this as a count-in to the first song, causing Blessed Black to introduce themselves to their soon-to-be fans a bit earlier than planned. Still, the band recovered swiftly and the show was, by all accounts, a success. Blessed Black went one calendar year from formation to that Ironfest debut and have since been working to keep earning new fans and further cement the love of early adopters. Now, with a full album on the horizon, more live shows in the works and new riffs being brought to every practice, just imagine what they can do with the rest of 2019. For more on Blessed Black, visit blessedblack.bandcamp.com.

SPILL IT

Hickory Robot Returns with a New Album BY M I K E B R EEN

BY M I K E B R EE N

Pop Goes the Government

Hickory Robot’s new self-titled album PHOTO: MICHAEL WILSON

hook in younger fans who may have only discovered Americana music in the past few years, but also building everything off of a flawless foundation for which even the most stubborn purist has to give it up. For more on Hickory Robot, visit hickoryrobot.com.

Herzog Celebrates Hank Sessions

MELODK EYE W/ VENICIA & THE SHADOW PEOPLE & ERIN WARD

THU 14

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FRI 15

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FREE LIVE MUSIC OPEN FOR LUNCH

Debating Hating Nickelback

Meanwhile, poor Nickelback was dragged back through the mud and into the public record due to a playful debate in the U.S. House of Representatives in which Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan tried to make a point about an issue that had low public support by saying the percentage was akin to “the percent of people who think Nickelback is their favorite band.” Republican Rep. Rodney Davis’ later rebuttal asked, “Why would you criticize one of the greatest bands of the ’90s?” to which Pocan joked, “Wow. One more reason why there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans, clearly, found on the floor of Congress today.”

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Flying Out of the Running?

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio found himself in an awkward position during a visit to South Carolina, where he was reportedly testing the waters for a 2020 presidential run. De Blasio was attending a church service where, for some reason, a choir was singing R. Kelly’s hit “I Believe I Can Fly.” The pastor encouraged everyone to flap their arms along to the song by the singer facing accusations of grotesque sexual abuse and video showed De Blasio clumsily obliging. Of course, we are in a post-“grab them by the pussy” world now, so De Blasio will probably be our next president, with Kelly as VP.

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Contact Mike Breen: mbreen@citybeat.com

WED 13

In late 1948 and the summer of 1949, Country music icon Hank Williams traveled to Cincinnati’s Herzog studio to record a handful of songs that would become a part of American music’s DNA, including “Lovesick Blues” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Dedicated to promoting the important people, places and moments of the Queen City’s musical legacy, for the past 10 years, Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation has occupied the spot where Williams laid down those historic tracks, in the downtown building at 811 Race Street (where CityBeat is also located). Since CMHF moved into the hallowed space, it has hosted numerous events and recording sessions. In 2017, Herzog Music opened a storefront on the building’s ground floor, offering lessons and repairs, selling musical instruments, gear and albums, hosting live music and more. This Sunday, CMHF will honor its 10th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of Williams’ Cincinnati sessions with a special celebration at Herzog Music. Music begins at 2 p.m. and includes Cincinnati Honky Tonk crew Slick Willie and the Kentucky Jellies and Wilmington, Ohio’s Blowin’ The Damn Fuses. The event will also feature local Country hero Dallas Moore, whose fittingly-titled album Hank to Thank was recorded at the site in 2010. Tickets for the March 17 celebration are $10 and available in advance through cincyticket.com.

Two very different arguments involving popular music have been playing out in the upper echelons of the U.S. government. Ahead of a First Amendment battle headed for the Supreme Court involving aspiring rapper Jamal Knox, who was sentenced to prison for “terroristic threats” and witness intimidation based solely on his song lyrics, a group of music heavyweights including Killer Mike, Chance the Rapper, 21 Savage and Meek Mill filed a brief with the court that offers an overview of Hip Hop’s lyrical traditions. To provide context, the brief explains how Hip Hop artists use “a full range of literary devices” and “rappers famously rely on exaggeration and hyperbole.” The brief also says the artists often “lace their lyrics with dense slang and coded references that defy easy interpretation, especially among listeners unfamiliar with the genre.”

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M A R . 1 3 -19 , 2 0 19

Adventurous Bluegrass/Americana quartet Hickory Robot celebrates its new self-titled album this weekend with a pair of release parties. On Friday (March 15), the band performs at Fretboard Brewing Company (5800 Creek Road, Blue Ash, fretboardbrewing.com) at 8 p.m. The group then performs on Saturday (March 16) at Plain Folk Café (10177 State Route 132, Pleasant Plain, plainfolkcafe.com) at 7:30 p.m. Both shows are free. Hickory Robot — featuring Scott Carnder (mandolin/vocals), Lauren Schloemer (fiddle/vocals), Jim Pelz (guitar and vocals) and newest member Aaron Jacobs (bass) — formed just over a decade ago, releasing its debut album, Firefly, in 2010 and its follow-up, Sawyer, in 2012. The new eponymous album is the first featuring Jacobs, who joined in 2015 after the group experimented with lineup/ instrumentation changes before returning to its mandolin/bass/fiddle/guitar roots. Likewise, Hickory Robot carries forward the sound the group honed on its first two albums, crafting a deft mélange of stylistic approaches rooted in traditional American Roots music atop a strong songwriting base. The band elegantly walks the line between sturdy fundamentals (compositionally and instrumentally) and a more progressive nature that untethers the musicians from any strict rules or boundaries. The new album opens with the rumbling Bluegrass rave-up “Barn Burnin’ Down,” which, to the uninitiated, sets certain expectations. But Hickory Robot shifts gears consistently throughout the album’s 15 tracks, borrowing from a variety of genres and rotating lead vocalists (with the others layering pitch-perfect harmonies). The clever fusion is evident within the songs, rather than on a track-by-track basis (like, “This is our Country tune,” “Here’s a rocker,” etc.). On an album highlight like “John,” for example, the foursome struts on a bluesy groove that gives way to harmony-laden Folk Pop choruses and breakdowns that have a sprinkling of Celtic flavoring (a common ingredient that also pops up in the endearing instrumental “Molly and Mabel”). The blending is always graceful — there’s no risk of whiplash from sudden shifts, which can be the case with some Newgrass or jammier Roots acts. Hickory Robot’s variety is more subtle and ingrained, dependent more on technique and versatility than whirlwind flashiness or musical diversity for diversity’s sake. Other highlights on the album are relatively straightforward and stand out purely on the strength of the writing. Wonderfully sung by Schloemer, “Change” and “You” are both sky-high, heart-swelling ballads that bring to mind genius troubadours like Emmylou Harris or Neil Young. Hickory Robot works on multiple levels, exuding a contemporary verve that will

MINIMUM GAUGE

SOUND ADVICE Cat Power

Wednesday • Bogart’s

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Chan Marshall may not have required any highprofile stardust to help her achieve her Rock dreams as the infinitely talented Cat Power, but it hasn’t much mattered. Adopting her stage name from her first band, Marshall was spotted by Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Two Dollar Guitar guitarist Tim Foljahn opening for Liz Phair in 1993, which led to the pair accompanying her on her first recording sessions in 1994, yielding two albums, 1995’s Dear Sir and 1996’s Myra Lee. The critical buzz led to a deal with major indie Matador in 1996 for her third album, What Would the Community Think. By 1997, Marshall was ready to shutter her Folk/ Blues/Soul/Rock career when, according to the legend, she had a wild hallucinatory vision of dark spirits attempting to seize her soul, which she tried to repel by playing her guitar. Afraid that no one would understand what had happened if she died, she taped her nightmareinspired performance; that tape morphed into the songs that comprised 1998’s Moon Pix, widely considered to be Marshall’s masterpiece and artistic breakthrough. Marshall continued her streak of critically-fawned-over albums with 2003’s You Are Free (featuring Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder) and 2006’s The Greatest, a Soul-infused set that featured some of the best session players in Memphis. Around this time, Marshall’s alcohol dependence hit critical mass and she became suicidal after a self-described psychotic breakdown. She climbed back, and over the next few years recorded and collaborated with artists like Vedder, Beck and Marianne Faithfull. In 2012, she released Sun, an Electronica-tinted set that became her highest charting album, hitting Billboard’s Top 10. Last year, Marshall submitted a new album to Matador, which refused to release it due to its perceived weaknesses and ordered her to start over. She told The New York Times that the label wanted “hits” and feels they wanted her to be more like Adele. Playing every instrument herself, Marshall saw the new album as a culmination of her work as an itinerant troubadour. So rather than caving into Matador’s demands, she ended her relationship with the label and

Cat Power PHOTO: ELIOT LEE HAZEL

Anvil PHOTO: PROVIDED

took the new record to respected indie Domino. She also wrote a new song for the album, “Woman,” a fantastic duet with Lana Del Rey that served as a scathing rebuke of her former label. The subsequent album, Wanderer, was released last fall. Marshall has been through the personal and professional wringer a number of times, but Cat Power always seems to prevail. (Brian Baker)

Anvil with Don Jamieson, Archer Nation and Smoke Healer

Friday • Southgate House Revival

Anvil’s profile in the Metal community has risen immeasurably over the past 10 years thanks to a film documentary and subsequent book about their history. But

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solidified its cult classic status. Over the past decade, Anvil has released four albums, including Pounding the Pavement, its 18th studio album which was released in January 2018. The fact that the band is not only still together but thriving is a testament to Kudlow and Reiner’s tenacity, perseverance and belief in themselves regardless of the outcome. (BB)

Jerry Paper

Wednesday (March 20) • MOTR Pub

Jerry Paper PHOTO: MONIK A MOGI

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3/15 Nelson Rangell w/ Adam Hawley 3/16 "Watch What Crappens" Podcast 3/23 Abbarama Best Dressed Contest 3/28 Jazz is Phish featuring members of Snarky Puppy 3/29 Kenny Lattimore 3/30 Huntertones

April

Al Stewart

9/6

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October

10/4 Adrian Belew w/Special Guest Saul Zonana 10/17 Brand X 11/22 Spyro Gyra

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5/3 Susan Wernerr

June

6/1

4/4 Louis York and The Shindellas 4/9 Stacy Mitchhart 4/12 The Association 4/13 Jah9 Jamaican Reggae 4/19 Albert Cummings 4/20 Gerald Albright 4/26 Book of love 4/27 Rockapella

May

5/4 Tapestry, The Carole King Songbook 5/9 California Guitar Trio w/ Montreal Guitar Trio 5/10 Candice Guardino's Italian Bred 5/16 Gangstagrass 5/17 Arturo Sandoval 5/18 Broken Arrow The Music of Neil Young 5/25 Live at the Fillmore Allman Brothers Tribute Band

M A R . 1 3 -19 , 2 0 19

the Canadian band was actually forged (Get it? Anvil? Forged?) when vocalist/ guitarist Steve Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner met in their Toronto high school in 1973 and decided to form their first band together. The group was dubbed Lips (also Kudlow’s nickname) and released Hard ‘N’ Heavy, its 1978 independent debut album, under that name; after signing to Attic Records in 1981, they became Anvil and Attic reissued their album under the new banner. The first album put Anvil in a bright spotlight. Lemmy offered Kudlow Motörhead’s guitar position after the departure of Fast Eddie Clarke, which he turned down, while Aerosmith manager David Krebs signed the band to a management deal that ultimately didn’t help them in any tangible way. After three albums with Attic, the band brokered is own deal with Metal Blade Records and recorded three more albums, but eventually the group’s fortunes began to wane with a declining interest in Metal as a whole. Anvil moved around to various labels, including some in Europe, where Metal still had a thriving community. Those overseas connections kept the band alive. After years of recording and playing to nearly (and occasionally completely) empty rooms, despite being an avowed influence on music titans like Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer, Anvil was unable to secure a label for its 2007 album, This is Thirteen, so they self-released it. The following year, former Anvil roadieturned-filmmaker Sacha Gervasi wrote and crafted the band documentary Anvil! The Story of Anvil, which was a hit at the Sundance Film Festival and upon its theatrical release. VH1 Classics reissued This is Thirteen, which then led to the 2009 publication of a Kudlow/Reiner memoir, opening slots for AC/DC and Saxon, U.S. network TV exposure and the release of the documentary on DVD, which has

Last we heard from Jerry Paper, the L.A.-based singer/songwriter had logged an appearance on Tyler, the Creator’s Grinchinspired Christmas EP, crooning about hot chocolate and jigsaw puzzles over orchestral production. Novelty tracks like this would usually be an outlier in an artist’s discography, but not in Paper’s case. His latest LP, Like a Baby, is an intricately layered effort that weaves black comedy into a woolen sweater of Funk and Soft Rock. The record is equally a sleep aid and a wake-up call, drawing you in with drowsy chord progressions while whispering its thesis on consumerist malaise as you drift off. Prepare for unpleasant dreams. Paper’s lyricism is delivered with syrupy detachment but reads like that cloud of anxious thoughts that builds up while waiting in line at the supermarket. On “Did I Buy It?,” he sings, “Money, fame, misery and those kinds of things/Did I buy it, or was it sold to me?” “Lyrically, I was very focused on creating images that would convey meaning more than just me saying what I am trying to say,” he told Ad Hoc in a 2018 interview. “It’s been a gradual process of me moving from raw emotion to constructing interpretive worlds — places you can go and make your own meaning from.” Like a Baby was conceptualized and recorded over the course of two years with the help of Canadian Free Jazz/NeoFusion outfit BadBadNotGood. Though some of the fuzzy, lavishly-arranged charm of previous efforts has been culled back, it’s undoubtedly Paper’s most realized effort to date. Thanks to the tighter production quality, Paper fits surprisingly well into the Stones Throw Records catalog, bumping elbows with aesthetically likeminded instrumentalists like Madlib and Washed Out. As cozy and crushing as his work can be, one can’t help but feel that even Paper’s non-Yuletide material would pair well with a mug of hot chocolate — with extra whip, of course, to restore the state of a soul wracked by corporate emptiness. (Jude Noel)

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LISTINGS

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

WEDNESDAY 13

20TH CENTURY THEATER – Yonder Mountain String Band. 8 p.m. Bluegrass/Jam. $29.50.

BOGART’S - Cat Power. 8 p.m. Indie Rock. $35.

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Blue Wisp Big Band. 8 p.m. Big Band Jazz. $10. HILTON CINCINNATI NETHERLAND PLAZA – Jim Connerley Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. KNOTTY PINE - Dallas Moore and Lucky Chucky. 10 p.m. Country. Free. MOTR PUB – Melodk EyE with Venicia and the Shadow People and Erin Ward. 10 p.m. Rock/Reggae/Psych/ Various. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Ky Myle with Zach Mckinley. 9 p.m. Roots/Americana. Free. STANLEY’S PUB – Yonder Mountain After-Party with Restless Leg String Band. 10 p.m. Bluegrass. Cover. URBAN ARTIFACT – Drop The Sun with The Electric Indigo and The Katawicks. 9 p.m. Alt/Rock/Various. Free. VINOKLET WINERY - Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. 6:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

M A R . 1 3 -19 , 2 0 19

THURSDAY 14

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - The Supersuckers with Nine Pound Hammer. 8 p.m. Rock/Roots/Various. $18, $20 day of show. STANLEY’S PUB – The Qtet. 10 p.m. Jazz Fusion/ Funk. Free. THOMPSON HOUSE Damn Jackals, Resonator and The Ape Tones. 8 p.m. Rock/Various. Cover. TOP CATS - R.A. The Rugged Man. 8 p.m. Hip Hop. $15.

FRIDAY 15

ARNOLD’S – Queen City Silver Stars. 8 p.m. Reggae/ World/Various. Free.

BB&T ARENA - Nelly with Aaron Carter. 7:30 p.m. Hip Hop/Pop. $40-$103.

BLIND LEMON – Jamonn Zeiler. 9:00 p.m. Acoustic. Free. BLUE NOTE HARRISON - Mushroomhead with Hellzapoppin Circus Sideshow, Ventana and Worldwide Panic. 6 p.m. Hard Rock/ Metal. $20. BOGART’S - Next from Nashville with Bailey Bryan, Smithfield, Teddy Robb and Josh Melton. 7 p.m. Country. $15. BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE – Steve Schmidt Electro-Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

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

CAFFÈ VIVACE – Randy Villars Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz.

CAFFÈ VIVACE – John Lake & Steve Kortyka Quartet. 7:30 p.m. Jazz.

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

THE GREENWICH – Phil DeGreg & Friends. 8:30 p.m. Brazilian Jazz. $5.

HILTON CINCINNATI NETHERLAND PLAZA – Faux Frenchmen. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

MOTR PUB – Sohio with Dusty Bryant. 10 p.m. Rock/ Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Pentagram with Casteless, Dirty Streets, Flesh Mother and Fuckin Bastard. 8 p.m. Metal. $18, $25 day of show.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT – Commusications. 8 p.m. Jazz. Cover.

COMMON ROOTS – Twig&Leaf. 8 p.m. Roots. $5.

FRETBOARD BREWING – Hickory Robot (album release show). 8 p.m. Newgrass/Americana. Free.

JAG’S – Two for Flinching. 9:30 p.m. Rock/Pop/R&B/ Various. $5. KNOTTY PINE – Southern Saviour. 10 p.m. Country.

Cover. LUDLOW GARAGE – Nelson Rangell with Adam Hawley. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. $24-$45.

MADISON THEATER - Papadosio with Funk You and Cycles. 8 p.m. Rock/Jazz/Funk/Electronic/ Jam. $17-$30.

MANSION HILL TAVERN – Jamie Carr Band. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES – The Mood Rings. 9 p.m. Various. Free.

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MOTR PUB – The Right Now. 10 p.m. R&B/Soul/ Various. Free. MVP BAR & GRILLE - Hanoi’s Lost Child Benefit featuring Brandon Gibbs, Lift the Medium, One Degree From Mandee, Billy Carri and Cody Houston. 6 p.m. Rock/Various. $5.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN – Slow Glows, Ethnic Friends and Bank Suckers. 10 p.m. Indie Rock/Various. Free. PIRATE’S DEN – Saving Stimpy. 9 p.m. Rock. Free. REDMOOR – Sound Body Jazz Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Jazz. $10. RIVERFRONT LIVE - Mr. Speed. 8:30 p.m. KISS tribute. $10, $15 day of show. SCHWARTZ’S POINT – Phil DeGreg Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Ben Levin & The Heaters. 9:30 p.m. Blues. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - The Exit Strategy, Feral Friends and MADQUEEN. 8 p.m. $7.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Anvil with Don Jamieson, Archer Nation and Smoke Healer. 7 p.m. Metal. $15, $18 day of show.

STANLEY’S PUB – Trashgrass Honky Tonk All-Stars. 8:30 p.m. Roots/ Bluegrass/Various. $10. SYMPHONY HOTEL

– Ricky Nye and Bekah WIlliams. 8 p.m. Blues/Jazz. Free.

THOMPSON HOUSE – Born of Osiris, Chelsea Grin and Make Them Suffer. 8 p.m. Rock/Metal. Cover.

TOP CATS - Infinity Spree, Current Events, Trey and Bright Kid. 8 p.m. Rock/Various. $5. URBAN ARTIFACT – HolyWood. 10 p.m. Marilyn Manson tribute.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM – George Simon and Eric Lechliter. 9 p.m. Jazz. $10 food/drink minimum.

SATURDAY 16

12 MILE CREEK WINERY – Encore Duo. 5:30 p.m. Acoustic Classic Rock. ARNOLD’S – The Roving Rogues. 8 p.m. Irish. Free. BLIND LEMON – Sal & Joya. 9:00 p.m. Acoustic. Free. BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE – Randy Villars with the Steve Schmidt Electro-Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. CAFFÈ VIVACE – Mambo Combo. 8:30 p.m. Latin Jazz.

CAMP SPRINGS TAVERN – Third Anniversary Bash with Old Souls String Band (9 p.m.); Mike Oberst and Jake Book (5 p.m.). Roots/Folk/Bluegrass.

THE COMET – Blue Rock Boys. 10 p.m. Roots/Celtic. Free.

COMMON ROOTS – Allen Talbot. 8 p.m. Roots/Blues. $5. THE GREENWICH – The Turned Up Band. 9 p.m. R&B. $8.

MADISON THEATER - Papadosio with After Funk and Near Earth Objects. 8 p.m. Rock/Jazz/ Electronic/Funk/Jam/Various. $17-$30.

MANSION HILL TAVERN – Mistermann & the Mojo Band. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES – Bob Ross. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free. MAURY’S TINY COVE

– Ricky Nye. 7 p.m. Blues/ Boogie Woogie. Free. MCCAULY’S PUB – Off the Record. 8 p.m. Rock. Free.

MOTR PUB – Ben Pirani with Audley. 10 p.m. R&B/Soul/Funk/Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN – Sundae Drives, Smoke Parade, Jon Worthy and the Bends and Beloved Youth. 10 p.m. Rock/Pop/Various. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB – Subtype Zero with FAITHXTRACTOR, Flesh Warfare, Coelacanth and Bloodgate. 8 p.m. Metal. $10.

PLAIN FOLK CAFE – Hickory Robot (album release show). 7:30 p.m. Newgrass/Americana. Free. RICK’S TAVERN – 3 Day Rule. 10 p.m. Rock. Cover.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT – Erwin Stuckey Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Daniel Mason Band with Polly Punkneck. 11 p.m. Roots/ Country/R&B. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) – “Cincinnati Noir.” 10 p.m. Alt/Goth/New Wave/ Punk/Dance/DJ/Various. $5.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Scott Miller & The Commonwealth. 8 p.m. Roots/Rock/Various. $20, $22 day of show. STANLEY’S PUB – Bronzi Blonde and Baccano. 10 p.m. Funk/Jam. Cover.

URBAN ARTIFACT – Roevy with SquareSyntax. 10 p.m. Electronic/ Various. Free.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM – Brandon Coleman Quartet. 9 p.m. Jazz. $10 food/drink minimum.

SUNDAY 17

ARNOLD’S – The Cincy Brass. 7 p.m. Funk/Dance/Pop/Rock/R&B/ Various. Free.

HERZOG MUSIC - 70th Anniversary of Hank Williams at Herzog with Dallas Moore, Slick Willie and the Kentucky Jellies, Shawn Bell and Blowin’ The Damn Fuses and more. Noon. Roots/Country/Various. $10.

LATITUDES – BlueBirds. 8 p.m. Rock/R&B. Free.

MOTR PUB – DBUK with Norman Westberg. 8 p.m. Indie/Roots/Post Punk. Free.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN – Queen City Silver Stars. 8 p.m. Reggae/Various. Free.

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REDWINE & CO. – FinTan. 7 p.m. Irish. Free.

TAFT THEATRE Experience Hendrix with Billy Cox, Joe Satriani, Dave Mustaine, Jonny Lang, Dweezil Zappa and more. 7 p.m. Jimi Hendrix tribute. $47-$82.

URBAN ARTIFACT – Strange Creature and Harlot. 8 p.m. Blues/Jazz/ Roots/Various.

MONDAY 18

CAFFÈ VIVACE – Joel Frahm with the Brandon Coleman Trio. 8 p.m. Jazz.

THE GREENWICH - The Flying Circus Big Band. 8 p.m. Jazz. $5 or two canned goods. MOTR PUB – Black Mountain Throwdown with Sleepy Gaucho. 9 p.m. Roots/Folk/ Rock/Various. Free. NORTHSIDE TAVERN – Luke Smith and the Foundation. 8:30 p.m. Blues/Jazz/ Soul/Various. Free.

TUESDAY 19

CAFFÈ VIVACE – Joel Frahm, Chris Berg & Art Gore. 8 p.m. Jazz.

THE COMET – Marc Governanti. 10 p.m. Experimental Pop. Free.

STANLEY’S PUB – Trashgrass Troubadours with The Traveling Jam. 8 p.m. Bluegrass. Cover.

TOP CATS - The Dirty Nil. 8 p.m. AltRock. $5.

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