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36 staff-selected places to eat a MID-morning meal in Cincinnati by citybeat staff

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NEWS Federal Judge Temporarily Halts Part of Ohio Ban on Abortion Method BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

federal judge April 18 temporarily blocked a portion of a ban on the most common method of secondtrimester abortions passed last December by the Ohio legislature and signed by thenGov. John Kasich. U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett has prohibited Ohio from seeking legal action against doctors who perform dilation and evacuation procedures while a lawsuit against the ban brought by Planned Parenthood works its way through federal courts. Other provisions in the law, however, stand for now. House Bill 145 banned so-called “dilation and evacuation” procedures, which are used in roughly 95 percent of secondtrimester abortions — those taking place 15-20 weeks after conception. The procedures are sometimes also undertaken after a woman has a miscarriage. Under the law, doctors performing the procedures could be charged with fourth-degree felonies and sentenced to a year and a half in prison. The law makes limited exceptions when a pregnancy presents a risk of death or serious injury. The procedure accounted for roughly 3,400 of Ohio’s more than 20,000 abortions in 2017. During the second trimester, the only alternative to the outlawed procedure is inducing labor, an expensive and more arduous option.

Pro-life groups applauded the passage of the bill, while advocates for abortion access have called it unconstitutional and cited opposition from physician groups like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Barrett argued that without the procedure, many women will not have an option for abortions they may seek before a fetus is viable but after the first trimester of pregnancy. That, he argues, suggests Planned Parenthood may have a good chance of arguing the law is unconstitutional in federal court. Opponents of the law say that it will close off an option for abortion that is most often used when there are potential health complications for the mother. The bill’s supporters, however, point to the exception for cases in which the mother’s life is in danger due to her pregnancy. Barrett, however, called that exemption “narrowly drafted at best, and unconstitutionally vague at worst.” “D&E is the only pre-viability second trimester abortion method available in the outpatient setting in Ohio,” Barrett wrote in his decision. “Without the option of selecting a different method, or the ability to rely on a sufficiently broad medical exception, physicians who perform D&E are presented with a series of demise options that layer risks on top of existing risks.”

Planned Parenthood’s Mt. Auburn Health Center PH OTO: NIC K SWARTSELL

Also at issue in the case is whether a fetus in the second trimester of pregnancy can feel pain. Barrett wrote that he did not believe science shows this to be the case, though he did acknowledge that the state has a legitimate interest in trying to prevent fetal pain. Nine other states have passed similar laws, some of which have been rejected by federal courts in Alabama, Arkansas, Texas and elsewhere after legal challenges. “Planned Parenthood is pleased that the court ruled on the side of our patients,” Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio President and CEO Iris E. Harvey said in an April 19 statement. “While we rejoice in this temporary win, we know that there is more work to do to ensure that Ohioans’ right to health care is not further eroded. Planned Parenthood is prepared to relentlessly fight for all Ohioans to access the

full spectrum of reproductive health care, including safe, legal abortion.” Both pro-life and pro-choice advocates have identified recent legal restrictions on abortion — 20 of which Ohio has passed under Kasich and now DeWine — as attempts to trigger a court battle that could topple Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that affirmed women’s rights to abortion access. Pro-life groups blasted Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit when it was filed in February. “It’s hard to imagine how Planned Parenthood could be in support of a procedure which allows living unborn babies to be ripped limb from limb,” Ohio Right to Life said in a statement. “At what point will the court reject Planned Parenthood’s frivolous lawsuits?”

Housing Authority CEO Resigns

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BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

The head of Greater Cincinnati’s public housing agency will leave the organization June 30, according to a news release from the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. CMHA CEO Gregory Johnson has resigned to take the helm of the Atlanta Housing Authority as its president and CEO. CMHA administers federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide 5,279 units of subsidized affordable public housing and another 11,000 housing choice vouchers commonly known as Section 8.

Johnson has led the authority for seven years — a time in which the region’s affordable housing needs have come starkly into contrast. A recent study by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati suggest Hamilton County faces a 40,000 unit shortage of housing affordable to its lowest income residents. “Mr. Johnson joined CMHA at a critical time in the organization’s history,” CMHA Board of Commissioners Chair William Myles said in a statement. “He has been a dedicated leader, reinvigorating the regional commitment to sustaining quality

affordable housing.”

Development called Rental Assistance Demonstration. That program seeks to open up public housing complexes to private investment in order to meet looming maintenance needs. CMHA says RAD will bring new capital to fix old buildings and construct new ones.

Even as CMHA has provided badly needed subsidized housing, however, it has struggled with more than $100 million in deferred maintenance needs, reductions in federal funding and complaints about conditions in some of its aging complexes. The authority has begun upgrades on three of those sites and has picked contractors to begin work on seven others.

Some residents and affordable housing activists, however, worry that it could mean a reduction of units and the privatization of public housing.

Johnson’s tenure with CMHA has also coincided with the authority’s first steps in adopting a program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

The CMHA Board of Commissioners will conduct a national search for Johnson’s replacement, though it has not yet set a time frame for that search.

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CITY DESK

Hamilton County’s Population is Up, Buoyed by Immigrants BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

Hamilton County gained more than 14,000 residents between 2010 and 2018, data released April 18 by the U.S. Census Bureau shows. But without immigrants, the county’s population would have dropped by almost 3,000. The county’s overall population in 2018 was 816,684. The county added 25,000 people by what the Census calls “natural change,” or births minus deaths. But almost 28,000 people left Hamilton County in the last eight years — movement the Census calls “domestic migration.” At the same time, more than 17,000 immigrants came to Hamilton County from other countries. Other counties in Greater Cincinnati saw less impact on their population due to immigration. Warren County gained more than 19,000 new residents, but only about 3,600 were immigrants. More than 9,000 others came via domestic migration. About 2,800 people moved out of Butler County between 2010 and 2018, but the county saw almost 11,000 more births than deaths and also added more than 6,000 immigrants for a total population gain of more than 14,000. Greater Cincinnati is home to a wide array of immigrants from Central and South America as well as a

number of African, European and Asian nations. The Census data does not differentiate between documented and undocumented immigrants. Nationwide, about 10 percent of counties saw their populations buoyed by immigrants, including the nine fastest-growing counties in the country. Ohio gained more than 157,000 new residents between 2010 and 2018, fueled by about 192,000 more births than deaths and 169,000 new immigrants replacing more than 204,000 people who left the state. Without those immigrants, the state’s population would have dipped by about 12,000 people. Other counties in Ohio also saw their populations boosted by immigration. Franklin County saw almost 51,000 immigrants settle there between 2010 and 2018, adding to strong gains from domestic migration and natural change. All told, the county gained almost 147,000 people in that time period. Immigrants cut the population drain for Cuyahoga County — which lost more than

Father Jim Schutte of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church baptises the child of Guatemalan immigrants as Burundian parishioners look on. PH OTO: NIC K SWARTSELL

36,000 people — almost in half. More than 74,000 people left the county, but 29,000 immigrants moved in. Roughly half — 43 of 88 — counties in

Ohio lost population between 2010 and 2018, including a vast swath of counties in the largely rural southern and eastern part of the state.

Will Central Parkway Be Closed on FCC Game Days? BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L When FC Cincinnati settles into its new home in the West End beginning in March 2021, the city could decide to close portions of Central Parkway around the stadium for up to six hours a day.

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But some council members want to get more input from those living in the neighborhoods around the stadium before any decisions are made about blocking traffic on a short section of the major artery running from uptown to downtown.

Cincinnati Department of Transportation and Engineering’s Bryan Williams told council that the city is mulling shutting down Central Parkway for four hours before FC Cincinnati’s Major League Soccer games and for up to two hours afterward. That’s to help protect the estimated 12,000 people who will cross that street on game days to make their way to and from parking and nightlife options that mostly exist in Over-the-Rhine right now. But that time frame is not set in stone and could change as the city receives more information about what game days will look like in terms of parking and traffic. Cincinnati Police Sergeant Timothy Fritz said that other safety concerns about possible violent acts would require

closures. “I can’t allow a vehicle-borne IED (improvised explosive device) to pull up on Central Parkway and detonate when there are 26,000 people in the stadium,” Fritz said, noting that canine units that sniff out explosives would need to sweep cars parking in parking garages on city streets. “That’s just fact. That’s the society we live in.” Fritz said that’s common practice for other major league sporting events, including Bengals games. While some of those game days do involve canine explosive sweeps, they don’t trigger the closure of Second and Third streets downtown, which pedestrians often cross on their way to the stadium. Some side streets around the stadium do close on game days, however. Council member Chris Seelbach questioned whether the closure of the major street would be fair to residents of the West End and Over-the-Rhine. “Central Parkway is the main thoroughfare for the neighborhood,” Seelbach said, noting the coming stadium is already shaping up to have big negative impact on the predominantly low-income African American community. “This is going to be a big

change for them — closing their main thoroughfare six hours a day 25 times a year… Rendering of the coming FC that would Cincinnati stadium have a big P H O T O : M E I S / F C C I N C I N N AT I impact on our lives. We need to engage the community councils on this, because it is their lives that will be impacted the most.” Fritz argued that safety should come first. “The police department did not put this stadium where it was put,” he said. “We are stuck with dealing with the fallout of where it was put. Taking everyone into consideration, whether it’s the residents, the businesses or the people coming to the games, our stance is we want to make it as safe as possible.” Assistant City Manager John Juech stressed that the city hasn’t reached any definitive conclusions yet.

“I want to be very clear that no final decisions have been made at this time,” he said. “Nothing has been decided as to how the traffic patterns will work when the stadium is open.” Council member Greg Landsman says he supports community input about the street closures and pointed out that the stadium’s projected opening day is almost two years away. “We’ll want to do as much community engagement around this as possible, and the sooner the better.” Landsman said. “The good thing is, there’s time.”

CITY DESK

Long-Awaited Northside Transit Center Moving Forward BY N I C K SWA R T S EL L

After a long delay, a new transit center serving one of Cincinnati’s busiest locations for Metro bus riders looks ready to take another step forward. Cincinnati City Council voted April 17 to approve zoning changes that will clear the way for the construction of a transit hub in Northside. Neighborhood groups in Northside have been asking for a bus transfer hub near Knowlton’s Corner for almost two decades. The area near the bustling intersection is the second-busiest transfer location in the city behind downtown’s Government Square, according to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, with routes 15X, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23X, 27 and 51 all flowing through the area. “This is something that the Northside community has been very supportive of and very interested in coming to their community for quite some time,” said City of Cincinnati Planning Director Katherine Keough-Jurs. Currently, the bus stops near the intersection don’t have shelters, and many don’t even have bus benches. SORTA wants to oblige the neighborhood’s long-standing requests by building eight platforms with open-air shelters, a small rest station for

Metro drivers and nine parking spaces for park-and-ride bus riders to serve Metro riders waiting on those buses. The transit center would have another benefit: taking stops off busy Hamilton Avenue and moving them to nearby parcels of land on the corner of Spring Grove Avenue and Blue Rock Street, easing traffic congestion and perhaps pedestrian safety concerns on a street that has seen a number of pedestrians hit by cars. SORTA acquired some of the needed parcels several years ago. Another is occupied by a parking lot owned by the Northside Business Association. The transit authority and Cincinnatibased MSA Design first presented plans and renderings for the transit center in 2016. SORTA said the hub, which will cost about $320,000 to construct, would be finished by late 2017. Progress has been slow since. But the plan — which will include moving the Business Association parking lot to SORTA-owned land just to the west of the coming transit station, creating four more spots in the process — is moving forward again. “SORTA and the Business Association traded land so that there are two suitable

sites,” Cincinnati Planning Department’s Samantha McQueen said, “one for the transit center and one for the parking lot.” The parcels also include an additional 2,500 square feet of space at the northwest end of the site that could be developed into a two-story building in the future. The shuffle will require a change in zoning to a planned development zoning allowing for the construction of the transit center and commercial community pedestrian zoning for the parking lot. The planning department held a hearing about the zoning change in February and says there was no opposition voiced to the plan. The Northside Business Association has

A rendering of the coming Northside Transit Center PHOTO: MSA DESIGN

drafted a letter in support of the project. The planning department approved the zoning changes March 15, which will also require a vote by full Cincinnati City Council. Should council approve the change, SORTA says construction would begin in early summer this year and conclude early in 2020.

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crown republic gastropub buttermilk pancakes photo by hailey bollinger

36 staff-selected places to eat a Mid-morning meal in Cincinnati by citybeat staff

hese days, the phrase “Let’s get brunch” is basically a euphemism for “Let’s get drunk before noon.” It’s a Bacchanalian breakfast celebration that doubles as an excuse to mainline mimosas and stuff bacon into foods where it does not belong. Why do Americans love a meal that doubles as breakfast and lunch and basically turns into an ongoing commitment to day drinking? Is it part of the self-care movement? A genius marketing campaign by egg companies or the avocado illuminati? A ploy to get people to repeatedly use the word “benedict?” Whatever the reason, our country is literally obsessed with brunch (CityBeat even has an entire event devoted to it: Brunched, June 22 at The Phoenix). And in this issue CityBeat dining writers have made a list of their favorite places to drink and dine on the weekends for all types of moods. Whether you want to get cocktails in your fashion sweatpants, have a cozy family outing or dip into some dim sum, we’ve got you covered.

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*Common sense note: Please check brunch times with the restaurant before you go; menu items are subject to change.

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arepa de huevo at the Arepa Place photo by hailey bollinger

THE BIRCH

The Arepa Place

Breakfast/Brunch: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday; 10 a.m.-noon Sunday

Never had an arepa? This is the place to learn why the rest of the world is catching on to these Latin American delights in a hurry. Originally launched as a Findlay Market pop-up tent by native Colombian Isis Arrieta-Dennis, The Arepa Place now has a brick-and-mortar market spot from which to serve its traditional corn flour street food specialty. Each arepa is grilled then sliced and stuffed with fillings ranging from mozzarella cheese and chorizo to fried plantains and black beans. The space might prove unassuming for a brunch spot due to its relatively small dining area, but the eatery offers top-notch breakfast food, with alcohol, which makes this a quirky off-the-radar (until now) brunch destination. Must Try: The arepa de huevo — a deep-fried cornmeal sandwich stuffed with egg and ground beef — along with a beer; Presidente, a Dominican pilsner, is worth a try. They also serve aguapanela, which is sugarcane water with lemon. Each dish comes with one salsa, but extra sides of the condiment are only $1 if you want to try a variety. 131 W. Elder St., Over-the-Rhine, arepaplace.com. — SEAN M. PETERS

ANCHOR GRILL

THE COMET Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday This vintage-styled neon-lit Northside Garage Rock bar has a daily menu of big-ass burritos, strong booze, live music and coffee, so you never have to leave. And more than a few loyal customers come to The Comet’s Sunday brunch to feast off the hangover they earned in the same bar on Saturday night. Bring an appetite along with some quarters for the jukebox, which is legendary in the city. The brunch menu is streamlined, with less than a dozen options, but check their Facebook page each week for updates; recent specials have included a shrimp and mango ceviche, spicy buttermilk fried chicken with blueberry cornbread waffles and a monte cristo. Must Try: The menu-staple Hot Mess is an aptly named plate of food comprised of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potato, melted jack cheese and sour cream spiced up with Sriracha. Get a tall lager to wash that monstrous entrée down before you embark on the grapefruit brûlée, a halved fruit topped with sugar, brûléed to glassy perfection and garnished with pistachio. 4579 Hamilton Ave., Northside, cometbar.com. — SMP

COPPIN’S AT HOTEL COVINGTON

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Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday A Tri-State native, chef Mitch Arens worked at New Orleans’ Cochon Butcher before returning home last year to take the helm of Northern Kentucky eatery Coppin’s and brought with him that former restaurant’s focus on local and low-impact food — along with some Cajun and Creole flair, which is readily available on the hotel’s brunch menu. Find breakfast basics like buttermilk pancakes and avocado toast or kick things up a notch with NOLA-styled bites like Oreilles De Cochon fritters with goetta, pie dough and powdered sugar or shrimp and grits done right, with Midway, Kentucky’s Weisenberger Mill grits, Gulf shrimp, andouille sausage, tasso Louisiana-style pork and Cajun gravy. Must Try: People love the very photogenic Roebling Benedict, a rich and hearty serving of Glier’s goetta on a housemade English muffin, topped with wilted spinach and hollandaise with Crystal hot sauce. 638 Madison Ave., Covington, hotelcovington.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO

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Breakfast/Brunch: 24/7 While we typically seem to eat brunch after 11 a.m., the Anchor Grill is open 24/7, so you can chow down literally any time at this Covington greasy spoon, which has been serving up diner fare for decades. It’s a throwback dive with wood paneling, retro fixtures and black leather booths. As an added bonus, a tiny animatronic Big Band orchestra — led by a swingin’ Barbie doll — plays and moves along to jukebox selections in a vintage Chicago Coin’s BandBox by the ceiling. The Anchor doesn't serve booze, so opt for diner-style coffee and a slice of their famous chocolatecovered peanut butter pie. It’s cash only, so come prepared. Must Try: Located only about a block away from the headquarters of Glier's Goetta, you'd be stupid not to order a slab of this sausage-and-oat breakfast meat. Go for the goetta omelet with a side of onion rings, because brunch is really just chaos thinly disguised as late breakfast. 438 W. Pike St., Covington, 859-431-9498. — SMP

Brunch: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday Located in Terrace Park and owned and operated by a Terrace Park family, The Birch is smartly charming and sweetly nice in its style and menu. But to assume that the restaurant is just for those in the surrounding ’burbs would be selling both it and yourself short. Their newly introduced Sunday brunch is a prime (and tasty) example of what they set out to do — serve quality dishes in a sharp yet inviting environment, one that is fit for both young and old alike. Brunch offerings include steel-cut oats with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar; baked French toast with orange butter; and even steak and eggs with grilled ciabatta and mixed greens or roasted breakfast potatoes. Everything about the menu is inviting and familiar, indulgent and worthwhile, making the visit feel as fresh and fun as The Birch’s bright green front door. Must Try: The crab cake benedict. This dish comes with two pan-seared crab cakes topped with avocado relish, poached egg and chipotle hollandaise. There is an option to just order half, but don’t. 702 Indian Hill Road, Terrace Park, thebirchtp.com. — KATIE HOLOCHER

The baker’s table

Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Walking into the living-room-like waiting area of The Baker’s Table feels like visiting your friend who has an impeccable design sense but who is also constantly trying to get you to eat another homemade orange-glazed cinnamon roll. Even during a bustling brunch, the well-designed space feels calm and relaxed. The dishes are rustic, homey and made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients, from the cheddar scallion biscuit breakfast sandwich to the cornmeal pancakes with Chantilly cream. The staff sticks with the mantra “Serve People With Love” and given that every piece of sourdough, brioche and biscuit is made in-house, you can always order some to go. Must Try: The lemon ricotta donuts are little balls of fluffy, creamy joy with a thinly fried exterior and a generous sugar dusting. They come with a seasonal fruit butter — mine was pear ginger — and are a perfect appetizer before your eggs or pancakes arrive. The last time I was there, I also heard multiple people comment that the single-origin coffee they served was “the best cup they’d ever had.” 1004 Monmouth St., Newport, bakerstablenewport.com. — LAURA LEAVITT

COZY’S CAFE & PUB

ricotta donuts at the Baker’s Table photo by hailey bollinger

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COURT STREET LOBSTER BAR

Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday Get a taste of the East Coast on Court Street. The Court Street Lobster Bar’s brunch menu switches things up by offering seafood specialties with a breakfast-y twist, like lobster gouda biscuits, blackened shrimp toast and a crab, egg and cheese sandwich. The sustainably fished finds at this eatery also just won Best Seafood in CityBeat’s most recent Best Of Cincinnati issue. Must Try: Order a bottomless mimosa ($25) to accompany your French toast BLT roll and it’s like taking a mini seaside Saturday staycation. 28 W. Court St., Downtown, courtstreetlobsterbar.com. — MZ

Brunch: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday Anyone who has wandered up to Liberty Township to this adorable little house of a bistro knows that the decor alone is worth it, but the food is also magical. You’d be set with just the bacon-filled apple cinnamon roll, but why stop there? Chow down on a short rib skillet full of crispy potatoes, onions and peppers, or munch on the acaí Nutella bowl, a celebration of fruit, granola and chocolate-hazelnut spread. Even the accompaniments are served with care: the option of tasty Cozy Tots (loaded with chives and bacon) and a tall glass of nitro cold brew coffee will have your mouth watering. Settle in and stay a while — their back patio has lawn games and occasionally hosts live music, so there’s no need to leave. Must Try: Go big with the crab cake benedict, with hollandaise sauce, poached eggs and Canadian bacon layered on tasty housemade crab cakes. No matter how stuffed you feel, a side of buttermilk biscuits with whipped butter and jelly are worth it. 6440 Cincinnati Dayton Road, Liberty Township, cozyscafeandpub.com. — LL

THE ECHO Breakfast/Brunch: 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday The Echo has been serving the hungover, the sleepy and the hungry since 1945 when founder Louise Schwartz opened up shop in Hyde Park. Now owned by Stephanie Surgeon, the laid-back diner is still a neighborhood fixture. For brunch, anything is fair game. Too tired to branch out? Their menu is loaded with classics — eggs the way you like ’em, toast, a side of home fries and meat; omelets; hotcakes, waffles or French toast; oatmeal or grits; and combos of everything above. Hungover? They’ve squared off a whole section of their menu to sop up last night’s alcohol. They’ve even got rise-and-shine cocktails, including mimosas, bloody marys, screwdrivers and Irish coffee. Want lunch? They’re known for the sandwiches, soups and salads, too. Feeling adventurous? The Echo also has a rotating seasonal menu that usually features more trendy brunch takes. Must Try: You can add goetta to almost anything here, be it on the side or nestled inside an egg sammie. Personally, I’m a fan of their Florentine eggs benedict — two poached eggs atop a crisped English muffin and spinach, all covered in creamy hollandaise sauce with a side of your choice (I go for their grits or home fries). Wash it down with a mimosa or sea breeze (a cranberry and orange juice concoction spiked with vodka). 3510 Edwards Road, Hyde Park, echo-hydepark.com. — MACKENZIE MANLEY

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blue jayrestaurant the blue jay breakfast at blue jay restaurant photo by Paige Deglow

THE GRILLE AT PALM COURT Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday For sheer elegance, this is the place to spend a few wonderful hours on Sunday morning. The surroundings — in the classic Art Deco Hilton Netherland Plaza — dazzle the eye and soothe the soul, and the array of food stations cater to any whim you might have. The eats are buffet-style but you’ll still get the full Orchids/Palm Court service experience for your bloody mary or mimosa, not to mention should you order a glass of exceptional champagne or a signature old fashioned from the beautiful bar. Must Try: Food items vary from week to week, but you can count on carved prime rib, eggs benedict and a savory stuffed pasta of some sort. On my last visit, the desserts didn’t wow me, but that might have been because I stuffed myself before ever getting to the sweets. 35 W. Fifth St., Downtown, orchidsatpalmcourt.com. — PAMA MITCHELL

Breakfast/Brunch: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday Since the Blue Jay first opened in Northside in 1967 not much has changed. And that’s a good thing. The nostalgic diner is known for their soups; Cincinnati-style chili in bowls and atop coneys and 3-ways; all-day breakfast; double-decker sandwiches; and homemade pie. They’re closed on Sunday, but walk in on any given Saturday morning (or weekday!) and there’s hardly a seat to spare. From old folks to college kids to punks to business professionals and families — anyone and everyone seemingly flocks to this homey hot spot. Must Try: I always opt for their classic breakfast: two eggs, buttered toast and your choice of meat (or, if you’re a vegetarian, no meat). The grub is very well-priced, so go ahead and add a side of home fries. They never disappoint. Also, their coffee may be no-frills but it is fresh and hot. What more do you need? 4154 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-541-0847 and searchable on Facebook. — MM

THE GRUFF HALF DAY CAFE

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Brunch: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday A great spot to take the whole family, Half Day Cafe has been a breakfast and lunch destination (only open half the day, get it?) for Wyoming locals looking for simple, elevated diner staples. Must Try: Prepare to meet the challenge of their Bowl O’ Goodness, made with carnitas and a savory red-eye gravy flowing over cheesy grits, topped with two sunny side up eggs. Complete the meal with a mango smoothie and draft that email explaining why you can’t come into work Monday because of a wellearned food coma. Get a few refills on your coffee if going into a vegetative state for the rest of the day isn’t an option. 1 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, halfdaycafe.org. — SMP

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Brunch: 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sunday Nestled almost under the Roebling Bridge, The Gruff specializes in pizza (plus deli sandwiches and salads). But on Sundays they’re dedicated to a boozy brunch by offering $20 mimosa pitchers. If a pitcher seems like too much — it’s like four to five drinks — then get a mimosa or bloody mary by the glass ($5). And while you could just sit on their dog-friendly patio and sip mimosas, you could also try one of their Southern-inspired brunch dishes, like the burger topped with pickled green tomatoes, a sunny side up egg and bacon; chicken sausage gumbo with jalapeño rice; or banana bread French toast. Must Try: Something open-faced like the fried chicken sandwich on a biscuit with white gravy, bacon and egg or the housemade sausage with two eggs and cilantro-lime sauce on Sixteen Bricks sourdough bread smeared with cream cheese. After brunch, purchase a bottle of wine or six-pack from their market and take a stroll to the riverfront a block away. 129 E. Second St., Covington, atthegruff.com. — GARIN PIRNIA

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top to bottom: challah french toast, shrimp & Grits, harissa Frittata at branch photo by hailey bollinger

branch

Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday This new restaurant at DeSales Corner has a beautiful interior and the brunch plates are just as pleasing to the eye. Located in a former Art Deco-style bank, the Littlefield Restaurant Group rehabbed this historic building over a twoyear period and opened the restaurant, Branch, and adjacent downstairs bar called Night Drop in December. Helmed by chef Shoshannah Anderson, brunch portions are more than generous; I went with seven friends to celebrate birthdays and nobody sent back an empty dish. Eyeopener cocktails go beyond — but include — the basics. There’s the standard bloody mary for $8 or a Bloody Sunday for $10, with vodka, gin, tequila, bourbon, lemon, Dr. Pepper syrup and housemade bloody mary mix. Must Try: The whole-milk yogurt on housemade granola with fresh berries sounds too simple but sometimes simple can be magnificent. If you’re looking for a lighter option, I say order this. I loved the bits of candied ginger in the mix. Heartier appetites should consider the shrimp and grits, a classic preparation featuring Weisenberger Mill grits, Gulf shrimp and mushrooms spiced up with smoked green tomato marmalade. 1535 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills, eatatbranch.com. — PAMA MITCHELL

LIBBY’S SOUTHERN COMFORT

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Brunch (aka burrito hours): 8-11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday Welcome to my favorite weekend tradition: Enjoy yourself to the point of almost excess the night before, wake up, bundle up the family and take a walk to Milford’s Harvest Market (like a mini mom-and-pop Whole Foods) for their weekend-only breakfast burritos. Once there, we’ll ask how many burritos are left, generally grabbing some of the last few, with two lattes to go, digging in before we even make it out the door. But the burritos — and the market — are that good. Everything about it, from the staff to the grocery selection to the local craft beer, makes it such a good staple. Must Try: Obviously the breakfast burritos. They vary in their fillings, but there will always be egg and cheese, and then either sausage or bacon, sweet potato or plain and spinach or some other vegetable to round it all out. I never ask what the daily bake is because I never care; I’ll take whatever they’re making. And you should, too. But also get anything off their coffee menu, or opt for a smoothie or grab yourself a loaf of Blue Oven Bakery bread from the shelf by the door on your way out. 308 Main St., Milford, facebook.com/harvestmarketmilford. — KH

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HARVEST MARKET

Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday Libby’s owner Brad Wainscott knows his way around a kitchen — his father owns longstanding Kentucky mainstays The Greyhound Tavern and Tousey House Tavern — and he describes his menu as “casual Southern cuisine with a touch of Charleston.” The brunch and dinner menus share dishes like oysters on the half shell, fried green tomatoes and a shrimp roll, but the morning menu gets eggy with options like a Kentucky breakfast brown — an English muffin topped with goetta, bacon, scrambled eggs, grilled tomato and cheddar cheese, covered in sausage gravy — and the bourbon pecan French toast. Must Try: Libby’s has come up with an ingenious new and delicious way to serve goetta: in goetta hush puppies, which are basically deep-fried cornmeal balls infused with goetta and served with a side of remoulade and citrus honey cream. I’d also opt for a Cheerwine bourbon slush, garnished with a Bada Bing cherry and topped with a bourbon floater for an extra dollar. 35 W. Eighth St., Covington, libbyssoutherncomfort.com. — MZ

breakfast ramen at commonwealth bistro photo by hailey bollinger

commonwealth bistro

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MAZUNTE TAQUERIA

Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday On a recent Sunday trip to Mazunte Taqueria, the line trickled nearly out the door. But that was to be expected. Inspired by Mexican street food — specifically from the state of Oaxaca — this Madisonville joint is always packed. But don’t let that dissuade you; the hype is as real as the grub is fresh. Warm, vibrant and, honestly, just full of really good food, don’t sleep on their Sunday brunch menu. For this visit, I ordered huevos divorciados, a cup of horchata and chips for the table. My friend went for a classic: breakfast tacos. In mine, crispy fried eggs laid atop corn tortillas; salsa verde and salsa guajillo collided, each evoking different notes of flavor. Like most of their dishes, the huevos divorciados is served with a side of fluffy rice and beans. Other brunch fare includes chilaquiles and enfrijoladas. Drink-wise, specialties include coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and Mexico’s take on the bloody mary, a michelada, with tomato juice, beer, lime and a bit of spice. Must Try: The huevos rancheros are my go-to — the same premise of the “divorciados” but with one salsa instead of two — but I’d also recommend just adding an order of eggs to their veggie tacos. Either way, get a horchata — and not just because of that Vampire Weekend song. 5207 Madison Road, Madisonville, mazuntetacos.com. — MM

MOKKA AND THE SUNSET BAR & GRILL Brunch: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday and Monday Mokka is a Northern Kentucky favorite at any time of the day or night, popular with families and bar-hopping singles alike. Mokka serves casual American fare like burgers — there are 13 gourmet versions on the menu — salads and wraps. Full bar service includes cold beer on tap and a cocktail menu, including brunch bloody marys or mimosas. Mokka has been in business for more than 10 years and, in the early days, specialized in breakfast and lunch, so you know their brunch game is strong. They also take strides to go local whenever possible: Mokka’s website reminds patrons that their eggs and veggies come from Breezy Acres Farm in

Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday This Southern-inspired MainStrasse bistro generally offers a taste of familiar and farmy homestyle cooking at dinner with a touch of culinary flair — think Kentucky fried rabbit with a Somali-inspired biz baz sauce, roasted heirloom carrots with blue rice grits and a Commonwealth Highball cocktail with bourbon, Ale-8-One and housemade bitters. But things go much more eclectic on the brunch menu, with a global grab bag of flavors ranging from German schnecken to shakshuka naan and chilaquiles verde. It’s a fun and odd mix that makes brunch a bit of an adventure if you’re willing to push your taste buds beyond biscuits and gravy — although they have that, too. Must Try: Breakfast ramen upends the morning eggs-and-bacon combo and tosses it in a bowl of broth; it sounds weird, but honestly all ramen is breakfast ramen if you eat it before noon. A poached egg is nestled atop a bed of noodles, bacon-brined pork cheek, kimchi carrots, mushrooms and the menu-described “fermented brassicas” for a satisfying and attractive bowl of brunch soup. 621 Main St., Covington, commonwealthbistro.com. — MZ

Morning View, Kentucky. Must Try: Get your sweet tooth ready: the signature Mokka French Toast is made with oversized Texas toast and a battered coating of Frosted Flakes, delivered with crème brûlée pastry crème and fresh bananas on top. If you’re looking for a sweet wake-up call, their specialty brunch drink is the Mokkacino — half coffee, half French vanilla cappuccino, with a heaping mound of whipped cream on top. 500 Monmouth St., Newport, mokkasunset.com. — BILL FURBEE

NATION KITCHEN & BAR Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday If you go to Nation during peak brunch hours, it can feel like an extension of the night before — the restaurant is packed to the brim and music blares at a decibel higher than your typical breakfast/lunch stop. Their Boozy Brunch deal ($30) lets you choose one food item from the brunch menu along with bottomless mimosas, screwdrivers or “bloody carries” until 2 p.m. on the weekend. And if cocktails aren’t up your alley, they also have an extensive selection of craft beers. It’s a high-spirited atmosphere coupled with inventive takes on brunch classics, making it the ideal destination for nursing away the night before or starting your day delightfully buzzed. Must Try: The Brunch Wrap Supreme. This pressed-tortilla dish is filled with smoked sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, queso, tater tots and jalapeño relish. Opt for extra loaded tater tots on the side. 1200 Broadway St., Pendleton, nationkitchenandbar.com. — LAUREN MORETTO

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Ché Brunch

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4381 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45229 eatsugarnspice.com 513-242-3521

crown republic gastropub

Brunch: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday The bottomless mimosas deal ($15) at Crown Republic Gastropub is pretty much like bottle service accompanied by eggs and pancakes. They give you two glasses, a jug of orange juice and an entire bottle of champagne in an ice bucket. Diners can concoct their own drink, whether that means a few healthy glugs of OJ on top of their bubbly, or just a splash. The waitstaff won’t rush you out the door either, so you can get through a few bottles while enjoying the industrial-meets-farmhouse decor. Their menu features classics like omelets and breakfast sandwiches, but with distinguished, well-thought-out ingredients (their French toast comes with vanilla gelato). And with most dishes in the $9-$12 range, you’ll feel less guilty about abandoning your goal of dining out less. Must Try: The beet toast. For those of you who don’t grimace at the thought of beets, this dish is delicious. Two hefty slices of ciabatta bread are topped with roasted beets, a walnut tapenade, arugula and honey goat cheese. While messy to eat, the combination of carbs and fresh veggies will leave you feeling energized. 720 Sycamore St., Downtown, crgcincy.com. — LM

PEPPER POD

the belly buster sandwich at crown republic gastropub photo by hailey bollinger

OTTO’S

PLEASANTRY

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Brunch: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday Pleasantry has one of the best patios for brunch. Whether you choose to eat outside or in their chic and streamlined dining room, the restaurant is sunny and welcoming — and that’s before we even get to what’s on the menu. Chef Evan Hartman has a knack for taking simple ingredients and finding a new way to express their natural flavors. Must Try: Their ham and buttermilk biscuit (made in house), served with ramp butter and fermented Thai chili honey, a transcendental Southern staple like you’ve never had. Follow it up with the housemade ricotta on toast, drizzled with honey, sea salt and bee pollen (it’s good for you!). Thirsty? Their housemade bloody mary mix reaches exciting flavor depths, or pop a bottle off their diverse and incredibly well curated natural wine list. 118 W. 15th St., Over-the-Rhine, pleasantryotr.com. — SMP

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Brunch: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday I love sitting in the window of this MainStrasse gem, looking out on the everchanging street and digging into my favorite Southern-tinged brunch. The service is heartfelt and sweet even during the busiest of brunch rushes, and the tasty custom cocktail menu always eases you into a comfortable place at the table. Otto’s offers carefully crafted sandwiches, like their chicken salad and club, alongside a more unusual turkey sandwich with cranberry and smoked gouda on top — Thanksgiving in a mouthful. These are perfect when you are past pancakes-o’-clock. There are eggs benedicts with a tasty cake of bacon and grits instead of the customary English muffin, as well as casseroles and quiches to suit the season. If you have a sweet tooth, they’ll abundantly satisfy it with lemon-blueberry pancakes and a classic brioche French toast. The patio seating makes for a particularly beautiful day out in the front. Must Try: B.L.F.G.T. may be a mouthful when ordering, but it is a tasty mouthful when it arrives: crisp bacon, egg and cheese on a toasted croissant with the most delectable fried green tomato you’ll find in the Tri-State. 521 Main St., Covington, ottosonmain.com. — LL

Breakfast/Brunch: 24/7 The Pepper Pod is one of the area’s most renowned greasy spoons. Centrally located on Newport’s Monmouth Street, the Barton family has overseen the restaurant’s daily operations since it opened in 1970. When it comes to menu trends that other establishments might embrace, the Pepper Pod, thankfully, keeps it simple. If comfort food is on your mind, classic breakfast and brunch options are served around the clock here, along with standard American fare like burgers, melts and pork chops. There’s no official website, and Pepper Pod’s Facebook page is updated about once a year with direct and to-the-point messages. A “recent” post from 2015 simply reminds, “You might die soon, so eat at Pepper Pod.” Another says “Please stop stealing our coffee cups. Thank you.” The Pepper Pod is so old-school that it does still allow smoking, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to secondhand smoke. But for most, the throwback charm of this neighborhood joint more than makes up for it. In fact, after visiting a couple years back before his show at the Southgate House Revival, legendary English songwriter Billy Bragg made note of the vintage jukeboxes installed at each table. “Small details like this made Newport the most American place that we’ve been to,” he told fans online. Must Try: This is the spot for omelets, biscuits and gravy and hash browns, but feel free to order from handwritten menu updates on colorful posterboard tacked to the wall including great stuff like deep-fried pickles served with ranch. If you’re leaning toward the lunch side of brunch, order the signature Big Eddie deluxe burger with two patties on a doubledecker bun. 703 Monmouth St., Newport, 859-431-7455. — BF

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the littlefield The VGLT at the littlefield photo by hailey bollinger

RED FEATHER Brunch: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday The first time I brunched at Red Feather, I went right back the following weekend. And since that back-to-back visit, I have been more times than I can count. Red Feather’s brunch is my absolute gold-standard, constant first choice and the place I go when looking for a treat or to celebrate. Why? Because it is just so nice. For one, the space and atmosphere are excellent. It’s comfortably cozy and tastefully bright. And for two, the food is just killer. Everything is done right. Must Try: The one thing I order every time, no matter what, is the pancake. It is the kind of pancake that isn’t really sweet or sugary or dessert-ish; there is something almost savory about it, something that makes it noticeably artisan, showing off real skill in its scratch-ness. I don’t care what else looks good on the menu (and there’s a lot, including the lobster benedict and breakfast croissant), you’ve got to get the pancake. 3200 Madison Road, Oakley, redfeatherkitchen.com. — KH

RICH’S PROPER FOOD AND DRINK

SALAZAR

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Brunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday One of the city’s hippest fine dining spots, chef Jose Salazar’s eponymous eatery’s brunch reinforces its popularity. Try the Little Fried Oyster Sandwich, a cute amuse bouche slider containing a crispy breaded oyster slathered with garlic mayo and garnished with kimchi and radish sprouts. You’ll want to inhale a few of these flavorful bite-size appetizers. Must Try: Once your appetite is whetted, hit it home with a grilled sirloin steak and two fried eggs, topped with their incredibly satisfying chimichurri sauce. Wash it down with a tequila-based bloody maria. 1401 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine, salazarcincinnati.com. — SMP

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Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday If Rich’s whiskey Mondays and $1 oyster Wednesdays weren’t enough, they also have a “Proper” Sunday brunch. The Kentucky-meets-New Orleans menu features some items from their daily offerings — deviled eggs, banana pudding, the Turnpike burger and mac and cheese eggrolls — but you’re here for “Proper” surf and turf (fried oysters and country ham), Old Sober (a vegetarian-friendly dish comprised of a bowl of spaghetti, hard-boiled egg, veggie broth and hominy; add cured salmon or ham), shrimp and grits and spoon bread topped with andouille or mushroom gravy. Get a mimosa for $4 and a bloody for $5 (pair it with a Little Kings draft) or choose from a list of cocktails. Must Try: Continue Sunday Funday by hitting up moonshine bar Sugar Whiskey Sis’s, Braxton Brewing, The Hannaford and/or Hotel Covington — all are within a quick walk. 701 Madison Ave., Covington, richsproper.com. — GP

Brunch: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays When considering brunch spots in Northside, Littlefield is an obvious choice for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are that the kitchen puts out incredibly creative and delicious plates of food and the bar concocts mature, balanced cocktails named after different streets in the neighborhood (Mad Anthony and The Chase are especially tasty bourbon-based recipes, the bar’s specialty spirit). Must Try: Their VGLT, the vegan goetta, lettuce and tomato sandwich. While they do offer a meaty option, the vegan goetta achieves an even crispier texture and the spice profile is more alluring. To drink, try their Fleur de Bee, made with prosecco, creme de violette and elderflower liqueur and garnished with a beautiful, edible hibiscus flower. The whole menu is worth a try, so bring a few hungry friends who like to share. 3934 Spring Grove Ave., Northside, littlefieldns.com. — SMP

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R BU

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FRY BIRD!

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AT 580 MARKET GOURMET • AMERICANO BURGER BAR • ANDERSON PUB & GRILL • ARNOLD’S • B + A STREET KITCHEN • BARD’S BURGERS • BARLEYCORNS • BAR LOUIE • BROWN DOG CAFE • BRU BURGER BAR • BUCKETHEADS • BUFFALO WINGS & RINGS • BURGER BROTHERS • BURGERFI • BURGERS & CRAFTS • CHANDLER’S • CHAPTER MT. ADAMS • CHART HOUSE • CITY GOAT • COPPINS • DRAKE’S • DUNLAP CAFE • FLIPDADDY’S • FLIPSIDE • FREDDY’S • FRENCHIE FRESH • GABBY’S • GAME ON! • GRANDVIEW TAVERN • HANG OVER EASY • HOUSE OF ORANGE • J TAPS • KEYSTONE BAR & GRILL • KITCHEN 1883 • LADDER 19 • LOCAL POST • LONGNECK’S SPORTS GRILL • LUCKY DOG GRILLE • MAC SHACK • MACARON BAR • MACKENZIE RIVER • MARTINO’S ON VINE • MECKLENBURG GARDENS • MITA’S • MOTR • MURRAY’S WINGS • NATION KITCHEN & BAR • NATIONAL EXEMPLAR • NICHOLSON’S TAVERN & PUB • OAKLEY PUB & GRILL • OVERLOOK KITCHEN + BAR • PARKERS BLUE ASH • PAVILION • PAXTON’S GRILL • PRICE HILL CHILI • PRIME • PUBLIC HOUSE • QUEEN CITY WHIP • RAMSEY’S TRAILSIDE • SALAZAR • SALEM GARDENS • SAMMY’S CRAFT BURGERS & BEERS • SANDBAR • SILVERTON CAFE • SLATTS • SMOKE JUSTIS • STREET CITY PUB • TASTE OF BELGIUM • TAVERN ON THE BEND • TELA • THE BIRCH TERRACE PARK • THE PUB • TICKLE PICKLE • TRES BELLE CAKES • TRIO • WAHLBURGERS • WASHINGTON PLATFORM

northside yacht club Brunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday Aside from offering live music and evening bar revelry, the Northside Yacht Club is known for one of the most creative brunch (and dinner) menus in the area. The kitchen is open all week, crafting traditional and curious gastro fare like smoked wings, veggie burgers, “boneless” cauliflower wings, smoked brisket, lentil chili fries and pop-up specialty ramen and hot chicken nights. Local music scene vets Stuart MacKenzie and Jon Weiner launched the Northside Yacht Club about four years ago, with nautically themed drinks and food specialties as a nod to a 1937 flood. Before they took over, it was already an established neighborhood spot for music and drinks as Mayday and, before that, Gypsy Hut. Wandering toward the jukebox from the dining tables, patrons will note vintage images of folks back in 1937 paddling past the future NSYC. Local breweries and tiki classics are at the core of their bar service, with brunch exclusives that are hard to compare. Must Try: Signature brunch dishes include Breakfast Poutine, Hawt Mess, Killer Tofu and Freedom Toast; wash it all down with specialty adult drinks like Capri Sun of Anarchy, the NSYC mimosa or the must-have Yacht Club Bloody — it’s practically a meal in itself, made with Weiner’s secret housemade mix and garnished with a Boston butt pulled-pork slider, American hickory bacon and a house-smoked Amish jumbo wing. There’s a monthly brunch special, too. 4231 Spring Grove Ave., Northside, northsideyachtclub.com. — BF

SLEEPY BEE

the Yacht Club bloody at northside yacht club photo by catie viox

STATION FAMILY + BBQ

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Brunch: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday The team behind Wyoming’s CWC the Restaurant — chef Caitlin Steininger, her sister and front of house Kelly Trush and their business partner Karen Klaus — expanded their empire with a second neighborhood eatery: Station Family + BBQ. It’s a family-friendly spot with a barbecue-forward menu created by Steininger that features proteins smoked on-site, plus seasonal sides, desserts and rotating cocktails. Housed in the former Sturkey’s space, the casual eatery features everything from table service to fast-casual communal eating and a games room and patio. The brunch menu is streamlined with four categories: Simple, Sweet, Savory and Sides. Get chicken and waffles, eggs and toast with homemade Cincinnati sausage or applesauce and bourbon butter pancakes, then wash it down with La Terza coffee or a Girl Crush cocktail — Kahlua, vodka and cereal milk. Must Try: Every Saturday, the restaurant hosts a special hour-long yoga class before brunch. Head to the restaurant’s upstairs space for an instructor-led 8:30 a.m. class ($10), followed by brunch at 10 a.m. 400 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, cincystation.com. — MZ

Brunch: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Next door to the Esquire Theatre, Clifton’s longtime BoHo café got a welcome reboot this past year when a young couple freshened up both the menu and the ambiance. The pair — Florencia Garayoa and Alex Barden — hung works by local artists, placed Rock & Roll memorabilia on shelves and walls and worked with a former Hyde Park chef to create a simple but delicious vegetarian and vegan menu. Garayoa’s Argentinian birthplace influences the cooking, and the mismatched furniture and atmospheric lighting add a decidedly Clifton feel to the room. Must Try: If your early-day cravings tend toward sweet tastes, go for the bananas foster French toast: brioche toast layered with hazelnut fudge and topped with banana rum caramel and whipped cream. But the dish that I can’t get past is called Tuscan eggs — poached eggs on creamy polenta with eggplant and squash ratatouille and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. 324 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, sitwellsact2.com. — PM

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SITWELL’S ACT II

Brunch: 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday At Sleepy Bee, everything from their sammies to their scrambles are top-notch and delightfully tasty even when you yourself are a bit of a sleepy weekend bruncher. The options for vegan and vegetarian breakfast are delicious, from veggie sausages to the best brunch potatoes and sweet potatoes, and I always feel confident that they are getting as much local food as they can, prioritizing pesticide-free and nonGMO options. Much of the menu has substitutions available so you can compile all your favorites without frustration at limited options. Standouts include the specialty pancakes, like the blue cakes full of blueberries with a maple-blueberry sauce, as well as the light and lovely Bumblebee’s breakfast, a yogurt granola bowl with tasty apricot coulis and tahini. Must Try: Bee Cakes. These gluten-free beauties marry almond milk, buckwheat and quinoa to make a tasty and healthy pancake on which to layer your favorite toppings. They’re packed with protein, so you won’t immediately be hungry again. Feeling good about pancakes is always a feeling I can get behind. 3098 Madison Road, Oakley; 8 E. Fourth St., Downtown; 9514 Kenwood Road, Blue Ash, sleepybeecafe.com. — LL

Schneider’s Schneider’s Sweet Shop Sweet Shop Home Made Candies & ICE CREAM Home Made Candies & ICE CREAM

“Since “Since 1939” 1939”

Try our delicious Opera Creams, Trymost our delicious Opera aCreams, our popular candy, Greater our most popular candy, Greater Cincinnati specialty! Madeawith pure Cincinnati specialty! Made with pure rich cream to tantalize the tastebuds rich cream to tantalize the tastebuds and to create the ultimate of creams. and to create the ultimate creams. Other specialties includeofFudges, Other specialties include Fudges, Caramels, Cordial Cherries, Pecan Caramels, Cordial Pecan Caramelettes, and Cherries, so much more. Caramelettes, and so much more. phone - 859.431.3545 phone - 859.431.3545 www.schneiderscandies.com www.schneiderscandies.com 420 FairFIeld ave. bellevue, ky 41073

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420 FairFIeld ave. bellevue, ky 41073

the mexican omelet at sugar n’ spice photo by hailey bollinger

UNCLE YIP’S Brunch: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Uncle Yip’s is strip-mall Chinese food at its finest, with authentic (yes, that word gets tossed around a lot, but this is the real deal) Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine. At dinner, the clientele is made up of families and friends gathered around tables sharing dishes like ginger and green onion lobster, rock salt squid and Peking duck. It’s like being transported to Hong Kong’s Temple Street Night Market in the Cincy suburbs. Must Try: The weekend dim sum service, complete with rolling carts featuring baskets full of different little steamed or fried delights. These bite-sized creations are $3.95 each — except for special options like the pork congee or baked cassava cake, which are $5.95 — and feature tasty treats like mochi with peanuts, baked mini egg custard pies, pineapple buns, chicken sui mai and sweet crispy sesame balls with red bean filling. 10736 Reading Road, Evendale, uncleyips.com. — MZ

WILD EGGS

Breakfast/Brunch: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily As the name implies, this restaurant has everything nice. The campy, colorful decor is a good indicator that Sugar n’ Spice likes to turn on its nostalgic charm both in and out of the kitchen. While it’s likely you can find about anything you like to typically order at American diners, you should give their Wispy Thin pancakes a try, bonus points if you go for blueberry. Pair that with a ham steak, two eggs over easy and a big glass of chocolate milk and you’re sure to feel like a kid again, so go ahead and blow some bubbles in your milk. Must Try: One of their jumbo-sized fluffy omelets. Not sure how many eggs they use to make these monstrous breakfast creations, but they’re big enough to share — if you’re feeling generous. The Mexican omelet comes stuffed with chorizo, cheddar cheese, sour cream and homemade sauce and takes up almost the entire plate, with just enough space left over for a toasted English muffin. 4381 Reading Road, Paddock Hills, sugar-n-spice-restaurant.com. — SMP A P R . 2 4 - 3 0 , 2 0 19

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Breakfast/Brunch: 6:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday From the outside, the downtown location of the Wild Eggs breakfast and brunch chain doesn’t seem like anything special (aside from a Plexiglas wall stuffed with colorful eggs by the hostess station, it gives off sort of an uninspired IHOP vibe). But this unassuming restaurant is home to satisfying eats — standard fare like biscuits and gravy and Tex-Mex creations like breakfast nachos are crafted from fresh, wholesome ingredients. Even better, they have a gluten-free menu. Wash it all down with a glass of their fresh-squeezed orange juice or a cup of house-blend coffee. Must Try: Breakfast burrito. The carbs are plentiful in this generously portioned meal: black beans and skillet potatoes on the side, and a flour tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, cheddar cheese, poblano peppers and onion. Pico de gallo, avocado and onion add much needed freshness as toppings. Prepare to bring home leftovers or leave with your pants unbuttoned. Multiple locations including 301 E. Fourth St., Downtown; 3240 Vandercar Way, Oakley; 7677 Montgomery Road, Kenwood, wildeggs.com. — LM

Sugar n’ spice

JULY 12-14, 2019 • LOUISVILLE, KY

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wunderbar Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Serving up “Wunderful Food & Beer,” Covington’s Wunderbar is a quaint, simple and usually-packed corner spot with a great beer selection, frequent free performances by many of our region’s best Folk outfits and a menu of handcrafted German staples which attracts a following of its own. Afternoon and evening patrons endlessly debate which selections go best with a cold beer — you’ve got to try their pretzels as big as your head, served with beer cheese. A number of housemade sausages (flavors include garlic pepper and curry) and sandwiches (including doner kabob and pork schnitzel) listed on a chalkboard behind the bar can accompany sides like braised cabbage, sauerkraut, bacon slaw and beet salad. Most swear by the Brussels sprouts. Must Try: Landjunge Fruhstuck is Wunderbar’s signature brunch dish of bacon, sausage, goetta, two eggs, biscuit with gravy and home fries. Other breakfast favorites include the goetta feta and French toast. A classic bloody mary is recommended for the brunch cocktail crowd. 1132 Lee St., Covington, facebook. com/wunderbar.covington.3. — BF

Landjunge Fruhstuck photo by hailey bollinger

1. Sleepy Bee Café

6. Hang Over Easy

1. Taste of Belgium

6. Grand Finale

2. First Watch

7. The Echo Restaurant

2. First Watch

7. The Greyhound Tavern

3. Taste of Belgium

8. The Main Cup

3. Sleepy Bee Café

8. Hang Over Easy

4. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar

9. The Original Pancake House

4. Maplewood Kitchen and Bar

9. Cozy’s Café & Pub

5. Sugar n’ Spice Restaurant

10. Wild Eggs

5. Orchids at Palm Court

10. Nation Kitchen and Bar

*As selected by readers from the 2019 citybeat best of cincinnati issue

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Best Brunch

Best Breakfast

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Best of Cincinnati Top 10

MAY 23 , 2019 RD

PURPLE PEOPLE BRIDGE

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5:30 - 8:30

ALOFT HOTEL CACTUS PEAR CHART HOUSE CONDADO TACOS KEYSTONE BAR AND GRILL LALO MCCORMICK AND SCHMICKS QUEEN CITY HEMP REVEL OTR URBAN WINERY ROSEDALE MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

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PRE SE NTE D B Y

STUFF TO DO Ongoing Shows ONSTAGE: Macbeth Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Over-theRhine (through May 4) VISUAL ARTS: Paris 1900: City of Entertainment Cincinnati Art Museum, Mount Adams (through May 12)

WEDNESDAY 24

MUSIC: Slacker trio Pink Mexico brings Brooklyn Indie to MOTR Pub. See Sound Advice on page 44.

ONSTAGE: Set in a Detroit auto stamping plant, Ensemble Theatre’s Skeleton Crew is gritty and deeply human. See review on page 36.

Patton Oswalt

ART: Hanging Figures at the Skirball Museum was created in response to the Holocaust. See review on page 38.

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

THURSDAY 25

MUSIC: Cincinnati native Andy Black supports his sophomore solo album at Bogart’s. See interview on page 42.

see their bikes, bring your own bike to show off, join the raffle and compete in contests including bike limbo, a tire change tournament and a slow bike race to win some prizes. Best in show bike voting categories include best vintage, fastest looking, best name, best paint job, most jealous of, most hipster, most flair and best commuter. Register your bike in person at the event. 4-7 p.m. Thursday. Free admission. McMicken Commons, 2600 Clifton Ave., Clifton, facebook.com/ ucsustainability. — BEN REES

EVENT: Cincinnati Bike Show The University of Cincinnati’s UC Sustainability is hosting a free event for all bike lovers to celebrate this two-wheeled vehicle’s influence as a form of sustainable, healthy and fun transportation. Meet other cycling enthusiasts and

ART: Taylor James: Impressions A Cincinnati-native and now Brooklyn, New Yorker, artist Taylor James is returning to his old stomping grounds via an installation/bar takeover at Revel OTR Urban Winery. A collection of mixed-media pieces, the exhibit — dubbed Impressions — will

feature James’ photography and New York phone booth advertisements. The pieces will be supported by buildouts depicting scenes from James’ Brooklyn neighborhood — like a bodega storefront — which promises to create an immersive environment. The show asks: “Are we a product of our consumption?” and “How does advertising shape our consciousness?” Its opening reception will feature live music, a storytelling session from Lauren Eylise and sets by Brooklyn Rae and Allen4President. Opening 7:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Thursday. Closing noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Revel OTR Urban Winery, 111 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, facebook.com/RevelOTR. — MACKENZIE MANLEY

EVENT: Brewing Heritage Trail Opening Weekend Cincinnati has had a craft brewing resurgence in the CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

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LIT: Chelsea Clinton Book Signing The Cincinnati Zoo has a long track record of carrying out ambitious conservation efforts across the globe so it only makes sense that the former first daughter, Chelsea Clinton, will sign copies of her new children’s book, Don’t Let Them Disappear — about 12 endangered species and the affects humanity has had on them — at the zoo just after Earth Day. To get Clinton’s John Hancock, you’ll have

to buy a copy of her book ($17.99) from the zoo’s website and provide your proof-of-purchase the day of signing. Admission into the zoo is free after 5 p.m. for a Tunes & Blooms concert with Louisville-based Bluegrass group Mama Said String Band performing and the zoo’s annual Party for the Planet Celebration. We assume this usually packed event will be particularly crowded tonight. 5-7 p.m. Thursday. Free admission. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org. — TOMMY MCDONALD

COMEDY: Doug Stanhope “I’m so removed from it and I love it,” says Doug Stanhope, which sounds odd coming from one of the country’s most celebrated comedians. However, there’s a good reason he’s not dialed in — he’s recording a special in June. “I have a whole list of other people’s specials I need to watch, but I don’t want to be influenced by any of them.” The up-ramp also means a run of shows at Go Bananas this week, as opposed to his usual one-nighter. In Paul Provenza’s book years ago, he predicted that someday we’d elect a celebrity as president because the country had become

obsessed with reality TV shows. Someone recently reminded him of that via Twitter. “I was so prescient,” he says. Onstage, though, he talks about his life. “Every other comedian is political, but I don’t care.” 8 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. $30. Go Bananas, 8410 Market Place Lane, Montgomery. gobananascomedy.com. — P.F. WILSON

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DANCE: Bold Moves with the Cincinnati Ballet The Cincinnati Ballet closes its season with Bold Moves, three works featuring whimsical, precise and powerful choreography. Dancing to Oz is the world premiere of artistic director Victoria Morgan’s take on the Wizard of Oz. A ballerina named Dottie visits the magical land on a personal journey, complete with original set design, an original score and big costumes. Bold Moves will also feature the local debut of choreographer Jirí Kylián’s Sechs Tänze, a romp set to dances by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with powdered wigs and 18thcentury costumes. Rounding out the bill is choreographer Ma Cong’s Near Light, which uses movement and a rose to “demonstrate a variety of

emotions which can inspire great change and progress.” 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $40. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cballet.org. — MAIJA ZUMMO

FROM PAGE 31

ON SALE now!

JUNE 14 15 & 15 16

past decade or so with a new brewery seemingly popping up every year. But before this new wave of breweries, the Queen City was the king of beer with a booming brewing industry. To honor that legacy, the new Brewing Heritage Trail — a two-mile hike through Over-the-Rhine past historic buildings, brewing sites, public art and more — introduces locals and tourists alike to Cincinnati’s brewing history via guided tours, signage and an app with an audio tour, additional info, photos and “augmented reality” experiences. Spearheaded by the Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, the first phase of the trail opens this weekend with a celebration featuring three events: a Toast to the Trail dinner on Thursday, a ribbon cutting on Friday and a free immersive tour on Saturday. The tour runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features costumed reenactors, beer brewing demonstrations, breweriana displays, kids’ activities and more. VIP tickets are $25 and offer bonus features like access to a historic saloon, the historic Hudepohl brewery and a bar deep inside the Schmidt Brothers/ Crown Brewery cellars. For more info on all the opening events, visit brewingheritagetrail.org. — BEN REES

provided by the Skeleton Root, Dewey’s Pizza and Graeter’s. 5-10 p.m. Friday. Free admission. Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams, cincinnatiartmuseum.org. — TOMMY MCDONALD

SATURDAY 27

COMEDY: Patton Oswalt Patton Oswalt has become a fixture in the world of comedy over the past two decades, not only because of his stand-up, but also thanks to recognizable acting roles ranging from 179 episodes as Kevin James’ hapless pal on King of Queens to voicing everybody’s favorite cuisinecrafting rodent in Ratatouille. Since 2003, Oswalt has recorded eight comedy specials showcasing an endless stream of aggravated political opinions, self-deprecation and dynamic struggles with fatherhood. His 2016 Netflix special, Talking for Clapping, earned him both a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing

in a Variety Special and a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. 8 p.m. Saturday. $45-$75. Taft Theatre 317 E. Fifth St., Downtown, tafttheatre.org. — TOMMY MCDONALD EVENT: Adult Prom Cincy Prom: a time in our young lives where we experience our first kiss or maybe our first dance. Well, it’s time to create that magic again. Adult Prom Cincy and The MIC DROP Experience will be hosting their fourth annual Adult Prom at the American Sign Museum. Setting the nostalgic tone, the theme this year will be “A World Party” featuring music from all over including Soca, Salsa, Afrobeats and Reggaeton. There will be a cash bar and formal attire is recommended; break out those awfully colored tuxedos and bedazzled dressed. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $55; $95 VIP. American Sign Museum, 1330 Monmouth Ave., Camp Washington, adultpromcincy. com. — KIARA REECE P H O T O : M E T R O P O L E AT 2 1 C

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FRIDAY 26

EVENT: Art After Dark: Spark Your Inner Fire Burning Man, a mystical arts and culture festival promoting self-expression and communal reliance, has cropped up in a Nevada desert for precisely one week per year since 1990. This month’s Art After Dark at the Cincinnati Art Museum gives you the first opportunity to see No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man after it arrives in the Queen City by way of Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian. The vast collection of festival artwork features roomsized installations, jewelry, vehicles, costumes and more. Appreciate bohemian aesthetics alongside live DJ sets, a performance by Covington dance collective Pones Inc. and refreshments

SUNDAY 28

EVENT: Drag Brunch: Spring Queening The queens will be in the spring spirit during this brunch at Metropole. Chef David Kelsey and his team will prepare a family-style brunch to be enjoyed while a gang of local drag queens throw open the shades and dust off the sequins for a tableside show. Tickets include food, a welcome mimosa and entertainment. “Daring and divine” costumes are encouraged. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday. $35. Metropole at 21c, 609 Walnut St., Downtown, metropoleonwalnut.com. — MAIJA ZUMMO

P H O T O : R Y O TA M O R I

SUNDAY 28

MUSIC: Peelander-Z Colorful Japanese art punks Peelander-Z formed in New York City 21 years ago, inspired by Japanese animation (the founding members are all natives of Japan), sci-fi and wrestling as much as The Ramones or any other melodic Punk band. Now based in Austin, Texas, the band has released eight albums in the current millennium, including 2013’s Metal effort, Metalander-Z (of course), and last year’s Go PZ Go. But it’s on stage where the full context of Peelander-Z’s greatness emerges most vividly. The band’s immersive live show — a whirlwind of costumes, audience participation and ping-ponging energy — has been widely praised by the press, with Rolling Stone calling them “insanely entertaining,” and, more recently, San Antonio’s Current writing, “Seriously, if you haven’t experienced one of the band’s energetic performances, you can’t leave the planet without rectifying that situation.” 8 p.m. Tuesday. $10; $12 day of show. Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport, southgatehouse.com. — MIKE BREEN

Info & tickets: cincinnatirollergirls.com

Square, 2980 Madison Road, Oakley, cincypupcrawl.com. — KIARA REECE

TUESDAY 30

MUSIC: Sean Lennon and Les Claypool team up for The Claypool Lennon Delirium at Madison Theater. See Sound Advice on page 44. MUSIC: Todd Snider brings his standout Folks ramblings, rhymes and rants to the 20th Century Theater. See Sound Advice on page 45.

YOUR WEEKEND TO DO LIST: LOCAL.CITYBEAT.COM

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map at the registration tent and make your way around Oakley’s many pubs and restaurants, stopping by assorted vendors, the puppy kissing booth, photo booth and doggie tattoo station on the way. There will be more than 10 stops with live music, contests, giveaways, drink specials and more, all accessible with your official Pup Crawl pink bracelet. Registration tent opens at 11 a.m. Sunday. $30 in advance; $35 day of while T-shirts last; $20 when T-shirts are gone; $5 per dog; 2 dog max. Oakley

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 SCHMIDT MEMORIAL FIELDHOUSE AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY

EVENT: Oakley Pup Crawl The seventh-annual Oakley Pup Crawl is the largest bar crawl in Cincinnati with a twist: You can bring your dog. Actually, dogs are encouraged to come on the crawl. The day-drinking party is a fundraiser for canine cancer research and education through the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Canine Cancer Foundation. Pick up a crawl

TUESDAY 30

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EVENT: Kitten Shower It’s raining kittens! Well, not literally, but there will be a boatload of feline friends at Ohio Alleycat Resource & Spay/Neuter Clinic’s biggest open house of the year. Guests are encouraged to bring the nonprofit organization a “baby shower gift” aka supplies from their wish list, which is easily found on their website. Items include dry or wet cat food and non-scoopable kitty litter. It’s also purrrfectly fine to come empty-handed and simply admire OAR’s four-legged fur babies. Throughout the shower, silly games like baby bottle bowling will yield guests small prizes and a raffle will dispense larger prizes like a Pies & Pints gift basket. 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Ohio Alleycat Resource & Spay/Neuter Clinic, 5619 Orlando Place, Madisonville, ohioalleycat.org. — TOMMY MCDONALD

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ARTS & CULTURE Cincinnati Edges into the Esports Arena From a new esports lounge in Newport to an upcoming festival at Kings Island and FC Cincinnati adding their first eMLS player, the global phenomenon is finding its niche here

Gordon “Fiddle” Thornsberry P H O T O : PA I G E D E G L O W

BY C O L E G R EC C O

Miami, Florida where the contract was the prize. “I always knew that I was good enough, but that solidified it. You can’t call yourself a pro until you sign to a team or you win a tournament,” he says. Fiddle says he anticipated FC Cincinnati would join the eMLS; when they made the announcement that they were moving to the MLS, he reached out to a contact to further that conversation. “It was perfect from the beginning,” he says. “We had the same expectation; we had the same ideas going forward.” On a collegiate level, Miami University boasts an accomplished esports résumé and they are also the nation’s first Division 1 esports teams. In 2017, their team won the National Association of College Esports Overwatch tournament and reached the finals in League of Legends. Miami also hosts an esports summer camp, clubs and a “Games + Simulation” minor (and soon, a major). Later this year, Ohio State University is projected to unveil a 4,000-square-foot arena and academic classes dedicated to esports. “It amazes me when you think about how many people play video games, have consoles and have yet to get into this,” Donabedian says. “When they do — and it will happen — it’s going to be massive.” The PiviP tournament and video game conference will take place May 18 at Kings Island. More info: pivip.com.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Since the first PiviP is a preview event, qualifying tournaments were already held in March and early April. The finalists from those tournaments will compete to win a total share of $20,000. Each game will take place in Kings Island’s Festhaus and be streamed live on the video platform Twitch. Next year, Donabedian says the goal is to hold all the competitions at Kings Island and to take over a larger section of the park. The next step for Cincinnati’s overall esports scene? Donabedian says one of Cincinnati’s professional sports teams needs to recruit their own pro esports players. But FC Cincinnati has already taken that leap: They signed Cincinnati-native Gordon Thornsberry, better known as “Fiddle,” in FIFA — a soccer simulation game created by EA Sports — to compete for them as part of the eMLS. With 2019 being FCC’s first season in the MLS, it also marks their first opportunity to have an eMLS presence. Fiddle previously had a contract with French soccer juggernauts Paris SaintGermain FC (PSG) to play FIFA. “It’s pretty surreal to be honest. It happened so fast, with FC Cincinnati becoming a USL team and then an MLS and then me joining them,” Fiddle says. “It just all seemed like a dream, because I was signed to a big team. But it wasn’t the same because I’m not from France.” Fiddle snatched the PSG contract after winning a FIFA tournament in 2017 in

something that’s not being done elsewhere. “I think that’s how Ohio and the Midwest, in general, is able to shine,” he says. Co-founded by Bill Donabedian, founder of the Bunbury Music Festival and co-founder of the MidPoint Music Festival, PiviP will be held May 18 at Kings Island. It’s free with the cost of park admission and will feature Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Fortnite, League of Legends and Overwatch tournaments in addition to cosplay and keynote speakers, including gaming YouTuber “Markiplier,” who has 23 million followers on the platform. Donabedian says he noticed that though there are a few similar festivals elsewhere, there were none locally. “I kept researching (esports) and looking at the numbers and I was like, ‘Wow, this is the biggest underground thing ever,’ ” he says. “(The market) is massive, but it’s amazing how the mainstream doesn’t know about it. “I got to the point where I was like if I don’t do this, someone else will and they’ll do it quickly.” Donabedian says this year’s event is a one-day preview with bigger plans coming in 2020. “Our event is unique because it’s in such a public place that you can experience it without necessarily being a participant, initially. And if you like it, then hopefully you do more next time,” he says. “If you decide it’s not for you, you can ride roller coasters all day.”

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cross the globe, esports — aka electronic sports — have been on the rise. Comcast announced plans last month for a $50 million gaming arena in Philadelphia, prize pools for tournaments break records year after year (in 2018, a single-event prize pool for multiplayer battle game Dota 2 was $25.5 million) and in 2019, professional esports are predicted to generate over $1 billion in revenue, according to gaming research agency Newzoo. And Cincinnati is following suit. Esports function much like their reallife counterparts, with video game competitions taking place in the professional, collegiate and amateur spheres. But at one time, attending a major esports event meant you had to drive to the coasts, says Nick Tsirlis, the owner of Cincinnati-based esports event organizer AllMid. Tsirlis recognized this geographical imbalance and began running regional tournaments through AllMid in 2015, starting with a collegiate invitational, which drew players from 16 schools across 15 states. Since 2016, AllMid has hosted events at Newport’s GameWorks, which unveiled a new fully-stocked esports lounge this March — a move that will provide a space for the local scene to host more tournaments and events. In January of this year, AllMid ran multiple tournaments at Columbus’ Ohayocon anime convention and, come May, they’ll run competitions at Kings Island’s inaugural PiviP, the first esports tournament and gaming conference of its kind in Greater Cincinnati. Tsirlis calls PiviP “a very fresh idea” and

ONSTAGE

‘Skeleton Crew’ is Deeply Human R E V I E W BY R I C K PEN D ER

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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CRITIC’S PICK

It’s been a fine spring in Cincinnati for likable in her softening as she gets a better plays by noteworthy African-American understanding of his issues. playwrights: Cincinnati Shakespeare At first, Marable’s Reggie seems wholly Company gave us a quality staging of focused on upward mobility and doing August Wilson’s Fences, the Playhouse things by the book. But Marable reveals produced Wilson’s lyrical Two Trains RunReggie’s depth and concern as he tries to ning and now Ensemble Theatre Cincindo the right thing by each of the workers he nati is presenting Dominique Morisseau’s manages. Skeleton Crew. As Faye, Byrd is Skeleton Crew’s solid, Morisseau is, in many ways, the heir admirable anchor, a deeply caring woman apparent to Wilson’s storytelling legacy. struggling to hang on and who makes Her work offers naturalistic, sometimes sure others are treated fairly. Byrd adeptly gritty stories of African-Americans in conveys Faye’s humorous, down-toenlightening, often poetic, ways that tranearth nature, but she also slowly reveals scend everyday circumstances to portray tremendous vulnerability and willingness dignity, resolve and commitment. for self-sacrifice. Skeleton Crew is set entirely in the breakroom of an automotive stamping plant in Detroit. It’s late 2008 and the economy is cascading into the Great Recession. We meet three employees: Faye (Burgess Byrd), a respected veteran of 29 years who is the shop foreman for the UAW; Dez (Amari Cheatom), a rough-and-tumble guy; and Shanita (Ernaisja Curry), a young woman, pregnant and unmarried, but she’s admired for her intelligence and commitment to good work. The The cast of Skeleton Crew fourth character is Reggie (Brian P H O T O : R YA N K U R T Z Marable), their supervisor, who has a connection to Faye that is slowly revealed. It’s also the source of Brian c. Mehring’s scenic and lighting dramatic conflict. design — the grungy break room, complete Faye and Reggie’s late mother had a leswith lockers, bulletin boards, linoleum bian relationship, and Faye helped him on floor, a fridge festooned with stickers and his upwardly mobile path. He has confided a couch long enough to sleep on — is lit to her that the company’s situation is perilvariously from a harsh fluorescent glare ously close to layoffs, but he asks her to sit to moody scene-ending black-outs that on the news — despite rumors swirling on underscore emotional moments. the work floor — so he can do his best to Enhancing the transitions between help everyone weather the changes. scenes is video content choreographed That’s especially challenging for Faye, by Darnell Pierre Benjamin, where who follows her own strong-willed ways silhouetted figures of hard-hatted workers (especially with prohibited smoking and sometimes engage industrially and other flaunting the signs Reggie keeps posting), times in celebration or desperation. and for Dez, who is insubordinate and susWhile Skeleton Crew is set in a very pected of possibly stealing parts. Shanita specific time and place, it’s also a deeply is faithful and hardworking, even turning human show that portrays desires down an opportunity for a better job elseand conflicts that will move audiences where because she’s loyal to the company. regardless of their experience. It should Reggie’s insistence that Faye remain come as no surprise that this play is one of silent presents a moral quandary for her the 10 most-produced works on American own existence, as she nears retirement and stages this season. It’s hard to imagine a lives in precarious circumstances after a better production than the one currently battle with cancer. She also frets about her onstage at ETC’s Over-the-Rhine facility. younger friends’ futures. Early in 2020 Ensemble will produce Director Stori Ayers has drawn out Pipeline, another script by Morisseau. It’s individual and ensemble performances good news that this excellent playwright that are both memorable and evocative. has found a Cincinnati theater committed Cheatom’s Dez is not a one-dimensional to presenting her work. bad boy; he softens enough to reveal his Skeleton Crew, presented by Ensemble pride and desire to make something of Theatre, continues through May 11. More himself, even if his stubbornness often info/tickets: ensemblecincinnati.org. trips him up. As Shanita, Curry is amusing in her haughty treatment of Dez and

ONSTAGE

‘Evan Hansen’ Writer Talks Musical BY R I C K PEN D ER

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Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen has an A-team of creators: composers and lyric writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote the Academy Award-winning song “City of Stars” for La La Land; Alex Lacamoire was music director and conductor for Hamilton; and director Michael Greif has numerous Broadway credits including Rent, Grey Gardens and next to normal. Steven Levenson, the Steven Levenson (second from left) and Dear Evan Hansen’s team Tony Award-winning PHOTO: CHAD KR AUS bookwriter, crafted the show’s spoken words. And although he’s the least known, he has an off on social media. Teenagers, they impressive string of accomplishments realized, were having a very personal for TV and theater — he wrote scripts for experience with the show. In December Showtime’s Masters of Sex and he’s on the 2016, it opened on Broadway and won six team behind the new Fosse/Verdon series 2017 Tony Awards. It’s still onstage at the for FX; he’s written award-winning offMusic Box Theatre, on the brink of 1,000 Broadway plays; and he’s working with Linperformances. Manuel Miranda on a screen adaptation of What’s Dear Evan Hansen’s appeal? Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick… BOOM!. We Levenson says, “For me, it’s about a group recently had a conversation about Dear of people, including Evan, who feel incredEvan Hansen, which marked Levenson’s ibly alone and isolated. Only through first experience with a musical team. this sequence of events do they find one The show’s idea came from an incident another. We’re all so interconnected, and at composer Pasek’s high school, where yet we feel so alone. That’s the heart of the a tragic teen suicide had some people show. Evan is eager to find a family. He’s exaggerating their connections to the not a hero, and he finds himself in a situvictim. Pasek and Paul thought that might ation of his own doing, but it quickly goes be the core of a powerful tale, but they beyond his control. We don’t want to emuneeded a bookwriter who could turn it into late him, but we can relate to the situation.” a bonafide story. Producer Stacey Mindich, Dear Evan Hansen’s success still seems who landed a commission for the show, startling to Levenson, including the besthelped them consider several playwrights. selling novelization by writer and singerThey responded particularly to Levenson’s songwriter Val Emmich published last fall. voice as a writer. A movie could be in the works; Levenson “I was so inexperienced that I didn’t would write the screenplay, which fits right know I was inexperienced,” says Levenson, into his multi-faceted career. Despite all who was living in Los Angeles and busy the opportunities, theater remains his first writing Masters of Sex at the time. “So I love. jumped in without really knowing how “There’s nothing quite like it,” he hard it would be. We all kind of learned says, “It’s so immediate. No other form of together.” collaboration is quite so intense.” For Dear Evan Hansen, he returned to Levenson has high praise for the tour L.A. and wrote the story of a teenager who stopping at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center. invents a role for himself in a tragedy that Actors come and go from the Broadway he did not earn — and then sees it take off production, but the touring cast started virally on social media. from scratch like an original production, As Levenson, Pasek and Paul spent time which Levenson says lends this company building the story and wrapping their a “palpable sense of togetherness.” Ben heads around the characters, Levenson Levi Ross plays Evan; on Broadway, he was says they were able to “speak in one lanthe understudy for several roles, including guage and merge (their) sensibilities.” the lead. They were surprised by Dear Evan “He is so well prepared, it’s amazing,” Hansen’s success, having imagined it as Levenson says. a small-scale chamber piece. “We never Levenson told another interviewer he conceived the show as a commercially likes new challenges. He certainly rose to exciting idea that would go to Broadway,” one with Dear Evan Hansen. Levenson says. Dear Evan Hansen, presented by BroadBut during its tryout in Washington, way in Cincinnati at the Aronoff Center, D.C., Levenson saw kids lining up for opens April 30 and continues through May tickets: The show’s buzz, not unlike 12. More info/tickets: cincinnatiarts.org. Evan’s unintended consequence, took

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‘Hanging Figures’ Reacts to Genocide BY M AC K EN ZI E M A N L E Y

Torn from a phone book, Whitepages containing hundreds of names from Cincinnatians and Northern Kentuckians line a wall of the Skirball Museum in Clifton. Each page is framed in black. Worn and browned, their edges curl forward. On top, black paint is interspersed with red, forming abstract bodies. The exhibition — titled Hanging Figures — was created in response to the Holocaust by local artist Stewart Goldman. Despite making the series in the 1990s, Goldman’s works (12 in total) are just now getting their gallery debut. As explained in his artist statement, Goldman recalls visiting Munich in the 1990s to see a friend. There, he passed by the Akademie der Bildenden Künste — Munich’s Academy of Fine Arts — and saw the names of several German artists painted on large windows. He only remembers two: “Max Liebermann, a Jewish artist and former president of the Prussian Academy of Arts (1920-1933) who campaigned for the separation of art and politics; and Käthe Kollwitz, head of the Master Studio for Graphic Arts (1928-1933), a printmaker and sculptor whose imagery described significant humanitarian issues on war and poverty.” By 1933, the Nazis had forced both to resign from the academy. Later he would return to visit the 1998 exhibition, War of Extermination: Crimes of the Wehrmacht, which had just opened; it referenced crimes committed by the German Army, the Wehrmacht, on the Eastern Front, and sought to dispel myths that the army fought with honor. When Goldman visited on its opening day, protests fronted by neo-Nazi groups had unfolded; the exhibition itself was criticized as “a moral campaign of destruction against the German Volk (people),” according to Skirball’s press release. It revealed photographs and documents that tied the Wehrmacht to having active participation in atrocities against Jews, civilians in Serbia and the Soviet Union and prisoners of war. Hanging Figures aligns with Genocide Awareness and Prevention Month in April; it also lines up with Holocaust Remembrance Day on May 1-2 and closes June 2. “They indirectly coincide with other images I’ve done in the sense that these are on phone book pages and it came with, essentially, the belief that something like this can happen in another time, another place,” Goldman says of this series. “The public sphere is open for these things to happen.” In partnership with the Holocaust & Humanity Center at Union Terminal, the center’s director of education, Jodi Elowitz, spoke at the exhibit’s opening in response to the Holocaust as it relates to different perspectives: those who survived it and those who empathize. (The exhibit is also supported by the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile/U.S. Bank Foundation.)

“Stewart didn’t experience the Holocaust,” says Abby Schwartz, the Skirball’s director. “We have very few people left in the world who did. In the next decade, there won’t be any because even the youngest children who survived are now in their 80s and 90s. And — with very few exceptions — they’ll be passing away.” But artists are still addressing the topic, she says, in terms of their own personal relationship to it. Whether they have a family connection — like Goldman, whose grandmother was a survivor — or no apparent ties.

Stewart Goldman’s Hanging Figures PH OTO: PROVIDED // STE WART GO LD M AN

“We are at a place in our society where everything is falling into the places where we were with Germany, where this could happen again,” she says. “So art is one of the ways of expressing that. That fear, that concern, that trepidation.” In part, the work of the Skirball Museum and the Holocaust & Humanity Center seeks to educate the greater community about the atrocities of the Holocaust, as well as other genocides. Schwartz notes that, as these events stretch farther away in history, the more important it is for the stories to be told “so that it doesn’t happen again,” she says. “That experience has to be communicated,” artist Goldman says. “And made understood to young people.” Seen as a whole — standing from afar — the shapes of the figures feel abstract and overwhelming. Come closer and their bodies become more distinct, as do the names in the background. It’s a compelling and moving series that tells a greater story that should be heard, time and time again. Hanging Figures at the Skirball Museum (3101 Clifton Ave., Clifton) runs through June 1. More info: facebook.com/cinci.skirball.

‘Killing Eve’ is a Delicious, Deadly Dance BY JAC K ER N

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

Based on Luke Jennings’ Codename Villanelle novellas, Killing Eve (8 p.m. Sundays, AMC and BBC America) was a surprise hit in its debut last year. The wildly entertaining drama centers on Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a security operative for British intelligence, and Russian serial assassin Oksana Astankova (Jodie Comer), who prefers the chic moniker Villanelle. Eve’s international hunt for Villanelle evolves into a mutual obsession, bringing viewers along Jodie Comer as Villanelle in Killing Eve on a sexy cat-and-mouse P H O T O : P A R I S A TA G H I Z A D E H / / B B C A M E R I C A game packed with twists and humor. Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge has purpose for her. We only occasionally see handed off head writing duties to Emerald her in a fancy dress. Perhaps that just adds Fennell this season, but the smart, witty to the attraction to Villanelle. Opposites dialogue endures, and we’re left with an attract, right? utterly feminist take on the well-worn and It’s particularly interesting to see male-dominated spy genre. Villanelle’s costume choices this season, Season two picks up right after Eve and when we find her on the run and often Villanelle’s brief but turbulent reunion in times in desperate situations. She doesn’t the first season’s finale. With Villanelle have the luxury of an armoire packed making a mysterious escape, Eve fears with enviable ensembles. She doesn’t she may be dead. She’s in a complicated even have a practical uniform like Eve. position — she’s infatuated with Villanelle She must cobble together an outfit from and doesn’t truly want this hunt to end, ordinary stolen items here and there. The certainly not in death. But if Villanelle is juxtaposition of her frumpy finds and alive, Eve and those close to her could be in swanky statement pieces is a visual delight serious danger. Their relationship reminds that just adds to the story. me of Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham’s While Villanelle heals and regains her in the excellent NBC series Hannibal — a footing, Eve begins to investigate another love that could kill. A tumultuous tango. serial killer — one that’s completely oppoOf course, a little stab wound isn’t going site of Villanelle’s give-no-fucks, showboatto take down our Villanelle. It’s fascinating ing style. Dubbed The Ghost, this assassin to watch her not be in complete control of flies under the radar and makes her mark her situation. Last season, even while in a with incredible discretion. As Eve points Russian prison, she managed to seem like out, Villanelle would hate her. Do the two a total boss. So to see any sign of weakness killers share a boss? Is Villanelle willing to is something totally new for this character. share Eve’s attention with another? This is Villanelle without immunity, Sandra Oh is perfection as the sharp, without a handler and without her typical sassy workaholic spy, having already wardrobe. accumulated a number of awards for Fashion plays a crucial and delightful her role. Jodie Comer is the breakout for role in Killing Eve. Villanelle is a wolf in being able to work opposite such a stellar couture clothes. From a cotton candy actor and truly embody an otherworldly pink tulle gown to child’s size superhero character like Villanelle. At times a pajamas, Villanelle’s clothing pops off the psychosexual thriller, at times a romantic screen and works as both a suit of armor comedy, Killing Eve is always anchored by and a symbolic middle-finger to anyone committed performances. It’s refreshing who might try to control her. to see a series that lets women shine, from One might expect a pro-assassin to sport its impeccable stars to the creative forces something subtle, so as not to stand out. To behind the camera. that, Villanelle essentially says, “It’s called Recently renewed for a third season, fashion, look it up.” It’s always been her Killing Eve tramples the tropes and thing. She’s not going to let a kill prevent stereotypes of spy stories and femininity her from serving looks — and she’s profiwith bankable style and flair. cient enough at both to get away with it. Contact Jac Kern: @jackern Contrastingly, Eve’s wardrobe is muted and functional. She always looks pulled together, but clothing serves a practical

Phase One of the Brewing Heritage Trail Set to Open

FOOD & DRINK

Plus new brews, beer news, Derby parties and other events BY G A R I N PI R N I A

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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pring has arrived, which means lighter beers, the return of outdoor festivals, the Kentucky Derby, May the Fourth (…be with you) and the longawaited launch of the Brewing Heritage Trail, which preserves and celebrates Cincinnati’s vast brewery history. After years in the making, the first phase of Over-the-Rhine’s Brewing Heritage Trail will open this weekend with a series of events. The two-mile walking trail aims to bring the city’s brewing history to life via signage, public art, installations and an app that provides stories, photos and augmented reality experiences. On April 25, the Woodward Theater hosts a Toast to the Trail gala dinner with food, drinks, a silent auction and a program featuring speakers discussing how and why the nonprofit Brewery District Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation built the trail. Tickets are $100. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the trail takes place on April 26 at Grant Park (73 E. McMicken Ave.), followed by a reception in the next door Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom. And on April 27, a free immersive tour brings the trail to life with costumed reenactors and beer brewing demonstrations. A $25 VIP ticket gets you additional access to a historic saloon, the Hudepohl brewery and a bar in the old subterranean Schmidt Brothers/Crown Brewery cellars. For more info, visit brewingheritagetrail.org. May 4 is not only May the Fourth Be With You Day (go to Swine City Brewing in Fairfield for a Star Wars-themed party; cosplay encouraged) but it’s also the Kentucky Derby. Starting at noon, Braxton will throw its annual Derby party. They’ll have their mint julep-style beer on tap and prizes will be awarded to dapper dressers for Best Hat, Best Tie and Best Couple. Get a program stamped at three of five participating Covington bars — the Hannaford, Braxton, Hotel Covington, Sapphire Room and Rich’s Proper Food and Drink — and be entered to win some cool prizes. Expansion news: Taft’s Brewing Co. will expand into Columbus, its first venture outside of Cincy. In the fall, they plan to open a brewery and pizzeria inside a new Franklinton development. And Fifty West will expand to Chillicothe, which is also located on Route 50. It will be their first taproom outside of Cincinnati.

New Beers

• A couple of weeks ago, Rhinegeist released their first canned nitro beer, Cobbstopper, a peach cobbler ale. All you have to do is shake it up and pour it vertically into a glass. Purchase cans and try it on draft at the taproom. • At the beginning of April, MadTree released Brunch So Hard in cans and draft. It’s a fruity and floral brut rosé IPA. • Fifty West released Highway Americano in cans and on draft. The helles lager is brewed with A sign from the Brewing coffee from Deeper Roots. Heritage Trail • Urban Artifact and PHOTO: STEVE HAMPTON/ Moerlein have both released B R E W I N G H E R I TA G E T R A I L pineapple upside down cake beers. On April 19, Moerlein released a Pineapple Upside Down Gose in cans and on draft with flavors of pineapple and • On April 27, help 3 Points Urban cherry. As part of its Epicurean Brewery, ArtWorks, Spring In Our Steps series, Urban Artifact released a Pineapple and Keep Cincinnati Beautiful maintain Upside Down Cake sour beer with notes Bolivar Alley in Pendleton during Alley of maraschino cherries, pineapple, Jam. All you have to do is bring gloves and cinnamon and vanilla. They also released work for an hour (10 a.m.-11 a.m.) in the Kaleidoscope Midwest Fruit Tart with alley, which features multiple ArtWorks pineapple, orange and guava, on draft and murals, then you’ll receive a free beer from in cans. the brewery. • A couple of weeks ago, Taft’s released • On April 28, Rhinegeist will host a Fresh Buds Red IPA, which is a dark ruby five-course Beer Feast dinner at the shade and hoppy and malty in flavor. It’s taproom with Sartre OTR. Dishes include available on tap at both the Ale House and cucumber-melon gazpacho paired with Brewpourium locations. Kalmer, a lemon and cucumber kölsch; snap pea salad paired with Hugh, a Events hefeweizen; and roast pork loin paired • On April 26, head to Crossroads Church with Slow Jam IPA. Tickets cost $60. in Mason for Brews in the Burbs, a festival • April 30 marks the 15th anniversary that includes more than 30 regional of Mean Girls, so at 7:30 p.m. Taft’s breweries. For $30 (or a $10 designated Brewpourium will be screening the fetch driver ticket), you get 10 samples of fivefilm for free and offering popcorn and $1 ounce pours and a souvenir mug. Proceeds off pints. benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital • On May 1, Streetside hosts a cupcake Camp NJoyItAll, a fun camp designed for and beer pairing night. 3 Sweet Girls kids with cancer. Cakery provides the mini cupcakes. • On April 27, March First will host Tickets are $15. Ciderpalooza. More than a dozen brewer• On May 11, relive prom at Fretboard’s ies and cideries will offer eight-ounce and Pretty In Pink-inspired dance. From 7 p.m.10-ounce pours for $5 each. Besides ciders midnight, dance to ’80s music provided from March First, other producers include by the Whammies (they better play “If You Michigan’s B. Nektar Meadery and Starcut Leave”). The theme is “Can’t Fight This Ciders, MadTree, Portland’s Reverend Feeling,” and promgoers are encouraged Nat’s Hard Cider and Swine City. to wear a black and pink dress code.

• May 18 is the day before the Game of Thrones series finale, so Pleasant Ridge businesses are throwing A Crawl of Ice and Fire starting at 3 p.m. Take a photo with a replica of the Iron Throne and get drink and food discounts at businesses like Casa Figueroa, Nine Giant and Share: Cheesebar. Participate in the seven kingdoms scavenger hunt. Ticket proceeds benefit the Pleasant Ridge Business Association, so drink up. Revolution Rotisserie will offer a $5 Red Wedding Punch and Overlook Lodge will have a Red Weddingthemed bar. Nine Giant will provide four beers named after Game of Thrones kingdoms and $1 off drafts. Tickets cost $10-$20. • May 18 is Chickow! Day at Listermann. They’ll celebrate Triple Digit’s famous double brown ale that over the years has been barrel-aged and brewed with different flavors. They will have variations TBD on draft and bottles for sale. • On May 19, Taft’s Ale House will team up with The Bagelry for a beer flight and bagel pairing. For $15, you get a flight of five beers paired with quarter-sized bagels. Contact Garin Pirnia: request@citybeat.com

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

CLASSES & EVENTS WEDNESDAY 24

Savor Cincinnati — This five-night dinner series, hosted by Cincinnati Magazine, features onetime-only menus by local chefs. Each dinner kicks off with a cocktail hour, live music and docent-led tours of the venue: the Pinecroft mansion at Crosley Estate. Then head to the dining room for a multi-course meal prepared by Brad Bernstein of Red Feather and Chris Burns of Commonwealth Bistro on Wednesday; David Kelsey of Metropole and George Zappas of Orchids on Thursday; and Nick Ellison of Jeff Ruby’s and Jennifer Kempin of Social OTR on Friday. 6-9 p.m. $125. Pinecroft at Crosley Estate, 2366 Kipling Ave., Mount Airy, facebook.com/ CincinnatiMag. CORV Release Party — The Central Ohio River Valley Local Foods Initiative celebrates the release of its local food guide. This party features tastings, live music, door prizes, a raffle and more at the Northside Farmers Market. 4-7 p.m. Free. Northside Farmers Market, 4222 Hamilton Ave., Northside, eatlocalcorv.org.

FRIDAY 26

Brewing Heritage Trail Grand Opening — The first stage of the Cincinnati Brewing Heritage Trail opens with a ribbon cutting and party. Celebrate at the Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom after. 3 p.m. Free admission. Grant Park OTR, 73 E. McMicken Ave., Over-the-Rhine, facebook. com/otrbrewerydistrict.

includes two drinks, three soup tastings and unlimited appetizers, bread and dessert. VIP includes open bar. 6-9 p.m. $50; $75 VIP. Union Hall, 1311 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, santamariacincy.org.

SATURDAY 27

Ciderpalooza — This craft cider festival features beverages from March First Brewing, B. Nektar, MadTree Brewing, Rhinegeist, Starcut Ciders, Swine City Brewing and Wyndridge Farm. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Free admission. March First Brewing, 7885 E. Kemper Road, Blue Ash, facebook.com/ marchfirstbrewing. Mimosas for Memories — The fourth-annual Mimosas for Memories raises funds for the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Cincinnati. The event features a free mimosa bar, light bites, live music, a photo booth, a silent auction, a magician, gelato and more. There will also be a raffle to win a 23-year Pappy van Winkle bourbon. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $39; $50 door. Greenwich House Gallery, 2124 Madison Road, O’Bryonville, mimosasformemories.com. Spring Fest in the Woods — Head to Burnet Woods to celebrate the bounty of spring. There will be wild edible cooking demonstrations, animal encounters, arts and crafts, children’s activities, vendors and live music from the Dancing Pigs Band and Jay Swanson. Experts will be onsite to answers questions about native plants and habitat restoration. Visitors may also take a guided tour of Burnet Woods. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Trailside Nature Center, 3251 Brookline Drive, Clifton, cincinnatiparks.com.

Rhinegeist Beer Feast — This multi-course feast features pairings of some of Rhinegeist’s most unique brews. Sartre OTR will prepare a beer-focused, family-style menu that “melds seasonal flavors and rich textures” to celebrate the coming spring. Courses include options like cucumber-melon gazpacho paired with Kalmer; a snap pea salad paired with Hugh Hefeweizen; and sour sangria sorbet paired with Cobbstopper peach cobbler ale. 6-9 p.m. $60. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, rhinegeist. com. Drag Brunch: Spring Queening — Head to Metropole for a drag show spectacular. Ring in spring with performances from the likes of Amaya Sexton, paired with cocktails and a family-style meal prepared by chef David Kelsey. Tickets include brunch, a mimosa and show. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. $35. Metropole, 609 Walnut St., Downtown, 513-578-6660 to RSVP.

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C I T Y B E AT. C O M

1 Night, 12 Kitchens — This event at the Midwest Culinary Institute raises funds for scholarships. Originally held in the MCI’s 12 teaching kitchens, the event is bigger than ever with the chance to mingle

Oakley Pup Crawl — The seventh-annual Oakley Pup Crawl features 10-plus stops featuring food and drink specials and live music. Participants get a Pup Crawl shirt, koozie, bandana and a doggy bag. The square will feature a kissing booth, dog tattoos, photo booth and dogs available for adoption. The event raises funds for the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Canine Cancer Foundation. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $25-$35 plus $5 per dog; max of 2 dogs per person; $35 day of crawl. Oakley Square, cincypupcrawl.com.

SUNDAY 28

with top chefs, taste gourmet fare from more than 35 participating restaurants, sample beer and wine, explore the kitchens and listen to live entertainment from Philip Paul, King Records drummer. 5-9 p.m. $125$200. Midwest Culinary Institute at Cincinnati State, 3520 Central Parkway, Clifton, rsvpbook.com/event. php?494482.

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The Sharing Table — This fundraiser celebrates community and raises awareness for childhood poverty. Santa Maria presents The Sharing Table to bring together 150 attendees to share a meal: drinks, appetizers, soups and dessert from local vendors. There will also be live music, a chance to win raffle prizes and bowls for purchase from Cincinnati Clay Alliance. Each ticket

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

MUSIC

A Blacker Shade of Pale Black Veil Brides’ Andy Biersack returns to solo form as Andy Black with his sophomore album/debut graphic novel The Ghost of Ohio BY B R I A N B A K ER

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

A P R . 2 4 - 3 0 , 2 0 19

ndy Biersack has been musically ambitious from the start. The Delhi native posted classified ads in CityBeat when he was 16 to assemble the original version of his Gothic Metal outfit Black Veil Brides. After two years of local gigging — and just months from graduation at the School for Creative and Performing Arts — Biersack relocated to Los Angeles. There he lived in his car and worked relentlessly to revive Black Veil Brides, resulting in a new band, a record contract and a 2010 debut, We Stitch These Wounds, which topped Billboard’s Independent album chart. Since then, Black Veil Brides has released four more albums, including last year’s Vale on Universal’s Republic Records, and promoted them with grueling tour schedules. A few years ago Biersack created his solo persona, Andy Black, and released 2016’s The Shadow Side, an homage to the darker Synth Pop of the 1980s. “I try not to do anything half-assed,” says Biersack, freshly recovered from emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix. “I really wanted to take it seriously. To do that, you have to perceive it as something legitimate. The reception that the (solo) record and tour got laid the groundwork for me to go, ‘This is sustainable as a supplementary piece in my career, something I can do on a consistent basis.’ ” True to his nothing-half-assed philosophy, Biersack has gone to epic lengths for his sophomore solo set, the semi-autobiographical The Ghost of Ohio. The story’s original lead character was obsessed with the past and largely based on Biersack’s experiences of being told his Rock star ambitions were unrealistic. But the tale then veered heavily into supernatural territory. The songs on The Ghost of Ohio detail a young man at the dawn of the 20th century, in love with a girl whose father belongs to, as Biersack describes it, “an ancient order of terrible people.” The father kills the young man, forcing his spirit to roam the earth searching for vengeance and release. Biersack researched haunted locations in his old West Side neighborhood, including the Dunham Recreation Center (which had been the site of a tuberculosis hospital), its attendant cemetery and an old church on U.S. Route 50 — the scene of a murder/suicide involving a priest and a young boy that is identified as one of the country’s most haunted locales. All of this became grist for Biersack’s

chilling ghost story, set in a fictional version of Cincinnati. “He finds he can be an assistance to people who are being mistreated,” Biersack says of his lead character. “He goes through this 100-year journey, involved in the civil rights movement, women’s suffrage and he’s there in Cincinnati’s great flood. He’s not able to physically effect change, but he can inspire or help in ways. So it’s really about someone who wants to do good but can’t connect with people, which I think people like myself, who have social anxiety, feel all the time.” To expand the album’s narrative, Biersack, renowned comic artist Eryk Donovan and writer Scott Tuft collaborated on a graphic novel version of The Ghost of Ohio; the album was released on April 12 and the graphic novel streeted five days later. Biersack had been vaguely developing his character’s graphic representation from his initial songs when he received an interesting opportunity. “You know when you get home security and they give you those signs that say, ‘We’ve got home security. Don’t fuck around in here?’ ” Biersack asks. “We had (extra signs) in the kitchen and I turned one over and drew a picture of this Horror Punk character, and wrote ‘Ghost of Ohio’ over it and was like, ‘This is it.’” Serendipitously, his friend Josh Bernstein, who works for online music magazine Loudwire, emailed Biersack two days later to tell him that graphic novel company Z2 Comics had expressed interest in collaborating with him. “I said, ‘It’s funny you contacted me, because not only do I have some ideas, I have the idea I want to pursue,’ ” Biersack says. “The record was probably three or four songs at that time and I had a theme, but not the overarching idea. That’s when I started to focus my writing.” The delineation between Black Veil Brides and Andy Black is obvious. Both entities are Biersack’s creative brainchildren, so their common root ensures that fans of one should theoretically be fans of both. But Biersack clarifies the stylistic differences separating his twin pursuits. “Black Veil is a Hard Rock/Metal band, it’s aggressive and meant to be larger than life,” he says. “Andy Black shows are intentionally more intimate. Between songs, I’m not yelling, ‘How the fuck are you doing?’ It’s a conversation, I talk to the audience, I make jokes. I try to be as much of my true self as possible. That’s not to say

Andy Black P H O T O : J O N AT H A N W E I N E R

the big, verbose version isn’t me — I’m just tapping into a different part of myself.” The Ghost of Ohio’s current tour, featuring multi-instrumentalist Lonny Eagleton and Point North drummer Sage Weeber, offers intriguing production possibilities for the material, which will also include songs from The Shadow Side and covers that date back to Biersack’s earliest musical endeavors. The album/ graphic novel’s themes are echoed in the stage atmosphere, which includes projection imagery from Biersack’s childhood (and Cincinnati in general), spectral lighting and, as Biersack notes, the “accouterment of the graveyard.” With Black Veil Brides’ momentary hiatus and the interest surrounding Biersack’s solo venture, he’s fielded questions about BVB’s next steps — even its very existence. He dismisses speculation about the band’s nebulous future with a familiar conviction. “People ask if the band is done. It’s kind of a ridiculous question,” Biersack says. “Black Veil Brides has been part of my life since I was a child, it’s almost like oxygen to me. My name’s Andy — I know those sounds (in the name) represent me, but if a character on a television show is named Andy, I don’t get confused about who they’re talking about. It’s a series of sounds that indicate me. Similarly speaking, from the time I got into music, the noises that

sounded like Black Veil Brides were a second name for me. I don’t see a world where that wouldn’t be a part of me.” Likewise, the message that Biersack is imparting with The Ghost of Ohio is not substantially different from the message that he’s been projecting through Black Veil Brides, from its earliest incarnations to the immediate present. “I am living proof you don’t need to be shat down from the sky by God to be a Rock star,” he says. “I like to entertain and inspire, but I struggle with the same things as anyone else and that’s a message often missed culturally. A lot of times, when people find success they pick themselves up to the point where they are greater than human, and that’s not my position. I present my music and dress in crazy outfits and makeup, but at the end of the day, I am one of the people who comes to my shows. I have terrible social anxieties, bad social skills, not many friends and I’m a nerd about my hobbies and collecting. That’s who I am. “I spent a great deal of my career trying to escape the fact that I’m not cool, and I’m OK with that. The message is be who you are, you can achieve great things, but don’t lose yourself in the process.” Andy Black performs April 25 at Bogart’s. Tickets/more show info: bogarts.com.

SPILL IT

Jimmy McGary Documentary Premieres BY M I K E B R EEN

Woodstock Woes?

Woodstock is perhaps the most iconic name in the music festival biz, but it’s not particularly renowned for its organizational legacy. The 1969 event was run very on-the-fly and promoters were caught off guard when more people showed up than anticipated. And before Fyre Festival, Woodstock ’99 was the synonym for “shit show.” Whether the curse will continue with the 50th-anniversary Woodstock concerts in August (featuring Jay-Z, The Killers, Imagine Dragons and other heavyweight headliners) remains to be seen, but things haven’t launched smoothly. First, there was reportedly a delay in payments to the major acts performing and now the April 22 on-sale date for tickets has been pushed back. Promoter Michael Lang (also a co-founder of the first Woodstock) told Billboard that murmurs that it will be canceled are “just more rumors.”

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Ingraham Angles for Boycott

Outrage has been boiling over after Fox News host Laura Ingraham made rude-as-fuck remarks about rapper Nipsey Hussle. Ingraham seemed to take umbrage with the tributes to Hussle that praised his artistry and philanthropic work. Ingraham didn’t think the MC deserved any respect because he was on a song by YG called “FDT,” which featured the refrain, “Fuck Donald Trump.” Ingraham parroted Republican talking points to defend Trump, mockingly saying, “The chorus (of ‘FDT’)… is that related to lowest unemployment ever, basically, for African-Americans?” Several artists have called for a boycott and for Ingraham to be fired. Last year, after Ingraham mocked a survivor of the Parkland school shooting, advertisers pulled ads from her show, after which the host apologized.

PINK MEXICO (BROOKLYN/BURGER RECORDS) W/ SORRY ERIC

1404 MAIN ST (513) 345-7981

DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS WITH DIVINO NIÑO

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FILM SCHOOL WITH MINT FIELD AND SOFTEN

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THE MOUNTAIN GOATS WITH SHANA CLEVELAND

The Big Take Back

Drummer Jason Bonham, son of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, issued a very lawyerly statement on his website that walked back claims he made on The Howard Stern Show about Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Bonham had said Page gave him cocaine when he was 16, but now he says he “unconditionally retract(s) all derogatory and defamatory comments relating to Mr. J Page” and that “it is wholly untrue that Mr. J Page offered me any illegal substances either when I was a minor or at all.”

BUY TICKETS AT MOTR OR WOODWARDTHEATER.COM

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

4 /24

mbreen@citybeat.com.

BY M I K E B R EE N

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Tenor saxophonist Jimmy McGary was a major presence in the Cincinnati music scene from the 1950s until his death in the early ’90s. With music rooted in Bebop with a progressive slant, the Jazz legend was a session player for King Records and released his first album as a bandleader — The First Time (with a quartet that included pianist Pat Kelly) — in 1979. McGary later released Palindrome, an album recorded with Queen City native and accomplished Grammy nominee Fred Hersch that was released Jimmy McGary through Cincinnati-based MoPro Records in 1987. P H O T O : A R C H I VA L McGary’s spirit and legacy More Local Notes have lived on well after his • This Saturday’s Cincinnati Guitar passing and well beyond Cincinnati, as Festival will feature a slew of guitar evidenced in the new documentary film players, not just from Cincinnati but also Jimmy McGary: The Best Jazz You Never from around the country. The event begins Heard. at 8 p.m. at Madison Theater (730 Madison The hour-long film was made by Ave., Covington, madisontheateronline. Cincinnati native Christopher Braig, an com). Tickets are $15 in advance or experienced saxophonist/flutist/composer $25 at the door, with proceeds going to whose most recent album, Free Jazz Dance Play It Forward (pifcincy.org), the local Party Vol. 1: Cosmological Boogaloo (with organization that assists musicians in the the group 4=ONE), was released last year. area with health and financial resources. Braig also tours regularly and is a part of Local players participating in the CGF the New York City-based experimental include Jay Jesse Johnson and Noah project Breathe-Live. The Best Jazz You Wotherspoon, as well as Danny Frazier, Never Heard is his first stab at filmmaking. Marcos Sastre and Brian Wallen, plus For the film, Braig interviewed several various non-guitar-playing musicians and of McGary’s musical cohorts, friends singers. Portland, Oregon’s Ben Rice (with and family, from Cincinnati to New York, singer Karen Lovely) is another headliner, including local Jazz greats like Kelly, Steve as is Stacy Mitchhart, who cut his teeth in Schmidt, Wayne Yeager, Lou Lausche and Cincinnati’s Blues scene and now tends to Rick VanMatre. The movie — which was his successful career from his home base recently selected to screen at the 2019 New in Tennessee. York Jazz Film Festival — also contains a • Cincinnati Synth Pop duo Moonbeau lot of McGary’s music and a very rare video is hosting a special concert this Friday that of the saxophonist performing. showcases various facets of Electronic“Growing up in Cincinnati I heard Jimmy tinged music. The Synthcinnati Festival McGary play dozens of times between at The Woodward Theater (1404 Main St., 1985 and 1991,” Braig says in his director’s Over-the-Rhine, woodwardtheater.com) statement. “He has inspired and informed begins at 8 p.m. with local trio Flocks, who my career ever since. I was driven to make create a compelling sound with elements this film with no experience because the of Jazz and Hip Hop. Also performing story was likely to be lost to the icy silence is Cincinnati duo Skeleton Hands, who of time.” conjure a moody and atmospheric mix of On April 25, there will be a special Dark Wave and Post Punk. The lineup is premiere of The Best Jazz You Never Heard rounded out by Toledo, Ohio Chillwave at Caffè Vivace (975 E. McMillan St., twosome Bliss Nova and Cleveland, Ohio Walnut Hills, caffevivace.com). The event singer/songwriter Josh Wilson’s Synth Pop begins at 8:30 p.m. and, along with the act, Summer School. screening, a band featuring Braig, Yeager, Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 day Lausche, drummer Matt McAllister and of show. Synthcinnati will also feature saxophonist Brent Gallaher will play some several area clothing and art vendors. Visit of McGary’s music. Admission is $10. For facebook.com/synthcinnati for complete reserved seating/advanced tickets, visit details. Caffè Vivace’s website. Find more info on the film (and a Contact Mike Breen: companion book) at ancientaction.com.

MINIMUM GAUGE

SOUND ADVICE Pink Mexico

Pink Mexico’s Robert Preston Collum

Wednesday • MOTR Pub

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May 2 - 5

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The temperatures are pushing 80. Layers of black denim have been shed in lieu of shorts. Reverb and distortion drip from power chords like trickling sweat. Slacker Szn is nearly upon us. Consider Pink Mexico’s upcoming show at MOTR Pub its Opening Day. Since 2013, the Brooklyn trio has faithfully kept the dream of a perfect Indie summer alive, channeling the blownout tunefulness of early WAVVES, DIIV’s weightless soundscapes and even No Age’s avant-garde scuzz. Pink Mexico’s latest LP, Dump, finds a solid middle ground between grimy textures and polished songcraft. Pressed by Burger Records and the (unfortunately named) Little Dickman Records, the album is worthy mood music for pizzas and PBRs — crusty guitars melt seamlessly into Garage Pop landscapes like the underside of a grill soaked in dish soap. There’s plenty of distortion in the mix, but Pink Mexico manages it with little abrasion. Dump also marks Pink Mexico’s first in-studio effort as a proper band. The project was initially founded as the solo vehicle for drummer Robert Preston Collum, whose self-released debut record (pnik mxeico) landed him a spot on Austinbased Fleeting Youth Records. Since then, he’s recruited fellow Brooklynites Ian Everall and Grady Walker to handle bass and drums, respectively. It was the trio’s shared slackerdom that brought them together, Everall told BeatRoute last year. “Because we were already best buds,” he said, “and we all dress the same.” Though often billed as a Garage Rock outfit, Collum’s taken to describing his work as the product of a “Grunge Kenny Loggins,” which works in a weird, freeassociative way. While Loggins’ work leans more on garish synth stabs and studio shimmer, both Loggins and Collum seem to exist in an alternate universe in which summer break never ends and the vocal harmonies stretch on for eternity. The yacht-deck is populated with flannel-clad burnouts and the sunset is Capri Sun pink — kick off your Sunday shoes and lace up your Doc Martens. (Jude Noel)

PHOTO: PINKMEXICO. B A N D C A M P. C O M

The Lennon Claypool Delirium P H O T O : AT O R E C O R D S

The Claypool Lennon Delirium Tuesday • Madison Theater

With its sophomore effort South of Reality, The Claypool Lennon Delirium once again dives fearlessly and fruitfully into the deep end of the Psychedelia and Prog Rock pond, leaving no acid-soaked stone unturned in an endless search for mind-bending bliss. And, to the delight of fans new and old, they’ve come back up for air with an ambitious set of new material that’s a great trip for fans of explorative Art Rock and pedestrian Pop alike. For the uninitiated, head-scratching reader — and if the project name didn’t give it away — The Claypool Lennon Delirium is a relatively new collaboration between Sean Lennon and Les Claypool of Primus. The duo met up over wine at

T I C K E T S O N S A L E N OW beautiful, odd places that have been untouched by many in the music community for far too long. It’s a welcome new chapter in the ongoing career of both artists. (Bill Furbee)

MORRISSEY

Todd Snider

WITH SPECIAL GUEST INTERPOL

Tuesday • 20th Century Theater

Todd Snider P H O T O : S TA C I E H U C K E B A

September 11 | 7:30 PM $69 - $119

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Claypool’s place as a year off approached, and that meet-up led to their 2016 debut, Monolith of Phobos. That album (appropriately enough, named after an actual space rock on the surface of Mars’ moon Phobos) was received well by fans and critics alike, peaking at 84 on the Billboard albums chart. Rolling Stone admired its “creepy prog-funk” and American Songwriter praised its “heavily hallucinogenic style.” Claypool himself has likened the project to a “freak stew,” admiring collaborator Lennon’s natural inclination to reflect not just his father’s artistic flourishes, but also his mother Yoko Ono’s avant-garde leanings, as well. Backstory and pedigrees aside, the music itself is an adventurous marvel sure to delight many beyond just the cult of Primus devotees. Sure, you’ve got the overly accomplished bass-lines Claypool is known for and his characteristic, nasally carnival barker vocals (which are both a bit restrained here). But you’ve also got Lennon’s tendency to compose and deliver tracks with an unmistakable flair. At its most jaw-dropping moments, it’s quite an odyssey. The tunes ebb and flow like notes upon a Möbius strip blotter sheet, with twists and turns just around each bend; varying blankets of Psychedelic Pop clouds float overhead with synths, sitars and simulated string sections in the midst of placid vocal harmonies and blissful ripples below. You’ll hear nods to many of the new and old-guard arms of Psychedelia: Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, King Crimson and even The Melvins. But most notably, and perhaps appropriately, the project prominently touches on a rediscovered thrill of The Beatles at their playful, Psychedelic peak. The depths that The Claypool Lennon Delirium plunges are a treat for Prog/ Psych fanatics, but they don’t sacrifice the project’s appeal to casual Rock fans in the process. The collaboration reaches

If anybody deserves the chance to see Johnny Cash’s ghost, Todd Snider might be the man. The veteran East Nashville-based singer/songwriter just released Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3, another standout collection of his Folk ramblings, rhymes, rants and nonpareil comic timing. He recorded the new batch of songs at Johnny Cash’s log cabin/sound studio in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with the support of John Carter Cash, Johnny’s son, who lives up the hill. Snider originally visited this studio a few years ago to watch Loretta Lynn record two songs they co-wrote together. Within days, he says he had repeated dreams of an older Johnny Cash, dressed in black (of course) and standing over him. Freaked out and inspired, he booked studio time immediately — for good mojo’s sake, to make music and maybe meet a certain phantom. Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3 is the result (the first two volumes are still missing). Snider, at 52 years old, has always been a road scamp, plying his one-man show at almost every other club in America for decades. If you’ve never seen him live, he’s one of the funniest, most wry Folk singers this side of John Prine. His rambling, comic stories in between songs often entertain as much as his sung material — stoner hobo-wit with an absurdist edge and a hint of paranoia. The new album begins with a strippeddown acoustic lament, “Working on a Song,” where Snider goes meta on his muse and writes about the curious struggles of working on that particular song. “Talking Reality Television Blues” echoes his 1994 song “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues” with its potent, Dylanesque satire. This time around, Snider sings about something more important (and ludicrous) than any musical trend, connecting reality TV to our current political climate: “Then a show called The Apprentice came on and pretty soon/An old man with a comb-over sold us the moon/And we stayed tuned in, now here we are/Reality killed by a reality star.” Snider’s friends Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires join him on Cash Cabin’s raw finale, “A Timeless Response to Current Events.” With its chorus refrain of “Ain’t that some bullshit,” the song makes it pretty clear where the three singers stand, in case there was ever any doubt. (Gregory Gaston)

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 24

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

THE GREENWICH - NKU Senior Recital: Charlie Suits. 7 p.m. Jazz. Free.

H H

MOTR PUB - Pink Mexico with Sorry Eric. 10 p.m. Rock. Free. NORTHSIDE TAVERN - Lara Hope & The ArkTones. 9 p.m. Roots Rock/ Rockabilly. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Molly Morris. 9 p.m. Folk/Americana. Free.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Jeremy Enigk. 8:30 p.m. Indie Rock. $18.

STANLEY’S PUB - Benny Bassett. 9 p.m. Acoustic/ Rock. Cover.

URBAN ARTIFACT Abiyah with The Perfect Children and Static Falls. 9 p.m. Indie/Rock/Various. Free.

WOODWARD THEATER - Durand Jones & The Indications. 8 p.m. Soul. $15, $18 day of show.

THURSDAY 25

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

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

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BOGART’S - Andy Black with The Faim and Kulick. 7:30 p.m. Alt/ Synth Pop/Rock. $25.50.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Indoor Creature, Season Ten and Doughty Family. 8 p.m. Rock/Various.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Faux Frenchmen. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

KNOTTY PINE - Wayward Son. 10 p.m. Rock. Cover.

RIVERFRONT LIVE Perpetual Groove with CBDB. 8:30 p.m. Rock/Funk/ Jam. $17.50.

SCHWARTZ’S POINT Society Jazz Orchestra. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. $10.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Kayla Ray, Jonathan Parker and Grayson Jenkins. 8 p.m. Country. $10.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Walter Trout with Leroy Ellington Band. 9 p.m. Blues. $25-$35. STANLEY’S PUB - Swimmer with The Inturns. 10 p.m. Jam/Funk/Rock/Various. Cover.

URBAN ARTIFACT - Carnage The Executioner with Vibe-One, WeirDose with DJ Baezer, Devin Burgess, Haskell and ADDVantz. 9 p.m. Hip Hop. $5.

FRIDAY 26

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - True Believers. 8 p.m. Reggae. Free.

BOGART’S - San Holo with Taska Black, Eastghost and Robotaki. 7 p.m. EDM. $27.50. BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - Five Little Bears. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

BREWRIVER - Ricky Nye. 9 p.m. Blues. Free.

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Patsy Meyer Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz.

CAFFÈ VIVACE Jimmy McGary Film and Tribute. 8 p.m. Jazz. $10.

H H

FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Baghdad Jones. 8 p.m. Rock. Free.

FIBONACCI BREWING COMPANY - Vernon McIntyre’s Appalachian Grass. 7 p.m. Bluegrass. Free.

THE GREENWICH Now Hear This. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. $5. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Brian Cashwell Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free.

MOTR PUB - Noah Smith’s Crooner Circus. 8 p.m. Singer/Songwriter. Free.

THE COMET - The Daddy Sisters. 10 p.m. Garage Rock. Free.

FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Jess Lamb and Triiibe. 8 p.m. Soul/Pop/Hip Hop/Various. Free.

THE GREENWICH - Sonny Moorman’s “Final Friday Blues.” 8 p.m. Blues. $5.

LUDLOW GARAGE Book of Love. 8:30 p.m. Synth Pop. $15-$50.

MANSION HILL TAVERN The Heaters featuring Ben Levin. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES - Just Two Howlers. 9 p.m. Classic Rock. Free.

MOTR PUB - Mister Moon with Joesph and GRLwood. 10 p.m. Indie Rock. Free. PIRATES COVE BAR & GRILLE - Basic Truth. 7 p.m. R&B/Soul/Funk. Free.

THE REDMOOR - Soul Pocket. 9 p.m. R&B/Soul/ Dance/Pop. $10. SCHWARTZ’S POINT Greg Dudzienski. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Cash O’Riley with Ned Hill. 9:30 p.m. Americana. Free.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Sunny Sweeney with Ben Danaher. 9 p.m. Country. $20-$25.

STANLEY’S PUB Blueprint and Jojo Stella. 10 p.m. Rock/Jam. Cover.

THOMPSON HOUSE - Holy Diver: A Celebration of Dio and Carnival of Chaos. 8 p.m. Dio tribute/Mötley Crüe tribute. $10-$25. U.S. BANK ARENA MercyMe with Crowder and Micah Tyler. 7:30 p.m. Christian Rock. $24-$79. WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Jim Connerly Quintet. 9 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum). WEST SIDE BREWING Pandora Project. 7 p.m. Rock.

WIEDEMANN BREWERY AND TAPROOM - Warsaw Falcons. 6 p.m. Roots/Rock/Various. Free.

WOODWARD THEATER - Synthcinnati with Moonbeau, Skeleton Hands, Bliss Nova, Summer School and Flocks. 8 p.m. Electronic/Synth/Pop/Various. $10, $12 day of show.

SATURDAY 27

ARNOLD’S BAR AND GRILL - Warrick and Lowell. 8 p.m. Americana. Free.

.BROMWELL’S HÄRTH LOUNGE - The Burning Caravan. 9 p.m. Gypsy Jazz. Free.

Wires and Ball of Light. 10 p.m. Indie Rock. Free. PLAIN FOLK CAFE - Vernon McIntyre and Appalachian Grass. 7:30 p.m. Bluegrass. Free. SCHWARTZ’S POINT - Pat Kelly Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz. Cover. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (LOUNGE) - Mack McKenzie with KW Utley. 9:30 p.m. AltCountry/Roots Rock. Free.

CAFFÈ VIVACE - Kathy Wade with Keigo Harakawa Trio. 8:30 p.m. Jazz.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Paul Cauthen. 8 p.m. Country. $12, $15 day of show.

THE COMET - Blessed. 10 p.m. Post Punk. Free.

COMMON ROOTS - Ben Turner and Bo Honebrink. 8 p.m. Acoustic. Free. FRETBOARD BREWING COMPANY - Dangerous Jim And The Slims. 8 p.m. Rock. Free.

THE GREENWICH Carla Cook. 8 p.m. Jazz. $15. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Gary Gorrell-Jim Connerley Quartet. 9 p.m. Jazz. Free.

JAG’S STEAK AND SEAFOOD - Gee Your Band Smells Terrific. 9:30 p.m. ’70s Pop/Rock/Dance. Cover. KNOTTY PINE - 90 Proof Twang. 10 p.m. Country. Cover.

MADISON THEATER - Cincinnati Guitar Festival with Stacy Mitchart, Jay Jesse Johnson, Brian Wallen, Travis Bowlin, Ben Rice, Karen Lovely, Ricky Nye and Johnny Fink. 8 p.m. Blues. $15, $25 day of show.

MANSION HILL TAVERN - Dudley Taft. 9 p.m. Blues. Cover. MARTY’S HOPS & VINES - The Aftertones. 9 p.m. Various. Free.

MOTR PUB - Passeport with Rego & The Trainmen. 10 p.m. Indie/Pop/ Rock/Roots. Free.

NORTHSIDE YACHT CLUB - Old City, Bad

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Rock on the James Benefit Concert For Parkinson’s 2019 with Heather Roush Band, White Liger, Pheve and Counting Stars. 6 p.m. Rock/Country. $15. STANLEY’S PUB - Chad Applegate. 10 p.m. Acoustic Rock. Free.

URBAN ARTIFACT - Jon Worthy & the Bends, The Last Troubadour and The Peaks. 9 p.m. Rock.

WASHINGTON PLATFORM - Emily Jordan with The Jordan Pollard Trio. 9 p.m. Jazz. $10 (food/drink minimum).

SUNDAY 28

BLIND LEMON - Jeff Henry. 7:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free. THE GREENWICH - Spear Shakers. 9 p.m. Acoustic Blues. $10. LATITUDES BAR & BISTRO - BlueBirds. 8 p.m. Rock/R&B. Free.

MOTR PUB - Kate Wakefield with Susan Asher. 8 p.m. Indie. Free. SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Ray Bonneville. 7 p.m. Americana/Blues. $12, $15 day of show.

THOMPSON HOUSE - Spring Fest with Sovereign Being, Campus Rex, Origami Handguns, Falling Through Time, Dad Jokes, JETTER, Retrograde and more. 5 p.m. Rock/Various. $10, $12 day of show.

MONDAY 29

BLIND LEMON - Ben Armstrong. 7:30 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

BOGART’S - Elle King with Barns Courtney. 9 p.m. Pop/Rock

THE GREENWICH - Flying Circus Big Band. 8 p.m. Jazz. $5 or two canned goods. HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Peter Gemus Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free. MANSION HILL TAVERN - Open Acoustic Jam with John Redell & Friends. 8 p.m. Acoustic. Free.

TUESDAY 30

20TH CENTURY THEATER - Todd Snider with Will Kimbrough. 8 p.m. Folk/Various. $25, $28 day of show.

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL - Music Live@Lunch with Wild Carrot. 12:10 p.m. Folk. Free.

HILTON NETHERLAND PALM COURT - Pat Kelly Trio. 6 p.m. Jazz. Free.

MADISON LIVE - Mascots and Detour North. 7:30 p.m. Pop Punk. $8, $10 day of show. THE MAD FROG Arcadian Bliss, End of Inertia, Hillary Hahn & The Ugly Step Sisters, Pipeline Central, Roadkill Dewey and Static Res. 6 p.m. Rock/Various. $10.

THE MONKEY BAR & GRILLE - Pandora Project. 6:30 p.m. Rock

MADISON THEATER - The Claypool Lennon Delirium. 8 p.m. Psych/Pop/ Rock. $31, $36 day of show.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (REVIVAL ROOM) - Peelander-Z. 8 p.m. Rock/Punk/Pop. $10, $12 day of show.

SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL (SANCTUARY) - Tommy Castro & The Painkillers. 8 p.m. Blues. $20-$30.

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60. Space between teeth

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