CityBeat | October 5-18, 2022 by Chava Communications

2 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

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OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 5

Abortion Care Providers See Short-Term Success with Ohio Courts

Testimony from an ongoing lawsuit shows the terrible toll of Ohio’s “heartbeat bill.”

BY MADELINE FENING BY MADELINE FENING

AHamilton County judge has temporarily restored abortion care access in Ohio until Oct. 14.

Judge Christian Jenkins issued an order Sept. 14 that temporarily blocked enforcement of Ohio’s six-week abortion ban; he then extended that order by another two weeks on Sept. 27, according to court documents. Until Oct. 14, abortion access within the state has returned to the standards in place before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs. V. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June. Patients once again have the choice to terminate their pregnancy until 20 weeks’ gestation, or 22 weeks after the rst day of their last menstrual period.

e rule Jenkins had blocked was Senate Bill 23, or Ohio’s “heartbeat bill.”

e law banned abortion procedures upon the detection of a “fetal heartbeat” (medical experts say that this is not an actual heartbeat, but rather sporadic electrical utters) or around six weeks gestation, before most patients know they are pregnant.

Jenkins’ block was part of Preterm Cleveland vs. Dave Yost, a lawsuit brought by various abortion providers in the state, who were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. In the ACLU’s motion, the clinics argue the six-week ban on abortion care is unconstitutionally vague and violates protections in the state Constitution that guarantee individual liberty and equal protection.

“Since taking e ect on Jun 24, 2022, S.B. 23 has had devastating consequences on the health and well-being of Ohioans seeking fundamental reproductive health care,” the motion reads.

Testifying against S.B. 23

of Women’s Med Center of Dayton, testi es in the a davit that a 16-yearold patient in southwestern Ohio “had become pregnant after being sexually assaulted by a family member.”

“ e girl was unable to have an abortion in Ohio due to the presence of fetal heart tones, so she was forced to go to Indiana to have an abortion,” the a davit reads (Indiana’s abortion ban went into e ect Sept. 15, but a judge on Sept. 22 issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily halting the ban).

Trick goes on to warn that out-of-state abortions could pose problems for local law enforcement investigating cases of rape.

unimaginable harm to these young victims, but could also hamper law enforcement’s ability to investigate and prosecute these cases in the future.”

Dr. David Burkons runs the Preterm abortion clinic in Cleveland. In an a davit, he cites an example of a young patient who sought an abortion when a medical condition related to her preg nancy threatened her ability to nish high school.

Testifying against S.B. 23

A davits led in the lawsuit paint a painful picture of patients’ experiences seeking abortions on a near-impossible timeline, including evidence that at least one young victim of incest rape seeking an abortion was forced to ee the state under Ohio’s six-week ban.

Dr. Aeran Trick, operations manager

“ e local Ohio law enforcement agency — which was already involved at the time the clinic was contacted about the patient — had to drive to our Indianapolis clinic to retrieve the tissue for crime lab testing related to the sexual assault investigation,” Trick testi es. “I am concerned that Ohio’s ban and the need to travel increasingly far distances to obtain abortion care not only causes

“[O]ne young woman, who became pregnant near the end of her senior year of high school, su ered from hyperemesis (excessive vomiting) as a result of her pregnancy. None of the medication that she had been prescribed for her condition was working, and she was so ill that she could not sit in a classroom without throwing up. e pregnancy was therefore preventing the young woman from nishing her schooling. She was hoping to end her pregnancy and obtain her high school diploma, but we had to turn her away shortly after the ban went into e ect. We later learned that she ended up in

The Hamilton County Courthouse has become a main venue for a lawsuit against Ohio’s abortion ban. PHOTO: WARREN LEMAY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS The Hamilton County Courthouse has become a main venue for a lawsuit against Ohio’s abortion ban. PHOTO: WARREN LEMAY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

6 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

NEWS

the hospital on suicide watch,” Burkons testi es in the a davit.

“We have had at least three patients threaten to commit suicide,” Burkons continues.

Stories of patients threatening to end their pregnancies through dangerous and deadly methods are found throughout the a davit.

“A patient stated that she would attempt to terminate her pregnancy by drinking bleach. Another asked how much vitamin C she would need to terminate her pregnancy,” Dr. Sharon Liner, medical director for Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, says in the a davit.

Racing the clock

Report: Cincinnati in Top 10 U.S. Cities for Largest Year-Over-Year Rent Increase

BY ALLISON BABKA BY ALLISON BABKA

Policy found that Cincinnati had the ninth-most a ordable housing market as of the third quarter of 2021. at’s after comparing 92 major markets in eight countries.

Racing the clock

Liner says that in July, 60% of her patients were turned away after an initial ultrasound, and 16% of patients who returned for the required second visit were turned away for detection of a “fetal heartbeat.”

“Still, other patients who appear at their rst appointment to be eligible for an abortion in Ohio return to their second appointment after waiting the required 24 hours only to discover that fetal heart tones have appeared and that they cannot obtain care in-state,” Liner testi es.

Burkons tells CityBeat that because he is involved in the lawsuit, he was able to give some patients notice about the possibility of a temporary lift of the six-week ban to help them make scheduling decisions for abortions.

“People who were too far along when they called in, we said, ‘Hey, we think this [court decision] is going to happen,’ but we would also tell them about going to Michigan and Pennsylvania,” Burkons tells CityBeat. “Many of those people have come back in since the ban was lifted.”

He says it’s been “all hands on deck” at his clinics in Cleveland and Toledo since the state’s “heartbeat” laws went into e ect in June.

“We started staying open seven days a week when the ban went into place,” Burkons says. “ at extra day helps.”

Kersha Deibel, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio, says in a Sept. 19 news release that the courts within Ohio have a responsibility to fully restore abortion care access.

“Although we celebrate this temporary win, we know that true access to abortion care has not been fully restored,” Deibel says. “And while we welcome this important rst step, Planned Parenthood in Ohio will stop at nothing to ensure that Ohioans’ rights under their state constitution are upheld, including the ability to access reproductive health care.”

e temporary ban on S.B. 23 is set to expire Oct. 14.

The pandemic-fueled singlefamily housing frenzy may be cooling down a bit, but it seems Cincinnati rents haven’t reached their limits yet.

According to a recent report from Rent.com, Cincinnati is one of the top10 U.S. cities with the biggest year-overyear average rent increase for August. Moreover, that spike is being felt by renters of both one-bedroom and twobedroom units.

e average monthly rental cost of a one-bedroom unit in the Queen City is $1,283, an increase of 26.32% since August 2021, the report says. Meanwhile, monthly rent for a two-bedroom unit here is $1,537, a spike of 28.13%.

Ohio is experiencing its own statewide spike. Average rents throughout the Buckeye State increased by 49.69%, from $633 per month in August 2021 to $948 last month for a one-bedroom.

e jump for a two-bedroom in Ohio isn’t quite as large — 22.69%, or an average of $1,038 per month last year to $1,253 in August.

Nationally, the average onebedroom monthly rent is $1,721, an increase of 27.13%. Two-bedroom units average $2,052 per month, up by 23.43%. Cincinnati’s 28.13% year-overyear spike for two-bedrooms is larger than the national increase.

Rent.com says its ndings are based on data from its multi-family rental inventory.

A ordability in question

that people are paying a larger portion of rent from the same (or lower) paycheck. According to Realtor.com, the average monthly rent burden in Cincinnati in August for anything from a studio to a two-bedroom apartment is 21.3%. at’s up from a 20.2% rent burden at the same time last year.

For decades, nancial websites have suggested that most renters keep their rent burden to no more than 30% of their gross income. Financial resources website NerdWallet explains in a hypothetical, “If you earn $2,800 per month before taxes, you should spend about $840 per month on rent.” NerdWallet notes that major cities and hot markets may demand a higher rent burden or special considerations, plus renters may have additional needs that eat up their paycheck, such as student loans or car payments.

Ohio’s average two-bedroom monthly rent is $1,253, according to Rent.com. But a July 28 article from Bloomberg shows that a worker in Ohio would have to make $17.05 per hour to a ord that average. Bloomberg notes, “In every state in the U.S., the cost to rent a home exceeds their minimum wage.”

According to a calculator from MIT, a single Ohio resident with no children would need to be paid $15.61 per hour to earn a living wage (the minimum income to meet a person’s basic daily needs). However, Ohio’s minimum wage is just $9.30 per hour. Federal minimum wage is just $7.25 and has been the same since 2009.

e report considered housing to be “a ordable” only when its median multiple was at or below 3.0 (the median multiple is “a price-to-income ratio, which is the median house price divided by the gross median household income,” the report explains). Cincinnati’s median multiple in that report was 3.8, which was classi ed as “moderately una ordable.” e only reason Cincinnati ranked in the top 10 of a ordability was because other cities were much worse; Pittsburgh was the only city under the “a ordable” threshold of 3.0 for that time period.

Cincinnati’s median multiple in that report was 3.8, which was classi ed as “moderately una ordable.” e only reason Cincinnati ranked in the top 10 of a ordability was because other cities were much worse; Pittsburgh was the only city under the “a ordable” threshold of 3.0 for that time period.

“In a well-functioning market, the median priced house should be a ordable to a large portion of middle-income households, as was overwhelmingly the case a few decades ago,” the report asserted.

e index was ranked primarily on income in relation to housing prices, a situation that started becoming unsustainable several years back and has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. And the Urban Reform Institute and the Frontier Centre for Public Policy said in March that the crisis wasn’t over.

“ e number of severely una ordable markets rose 60% in 2021 compared to 2019, the last pre-pandemic year,” the report said.

In 2019, the United States had 14 severely una ordable housing markets; that number jumped to 27 in 2021. e report added that the combination of high-income shoppers buying larger houses further from urban cores due to working from home during the COVID years, plus supply-chain issues that slowed the construction of new housing, have contributed heavily to the disruption in a ordability.

In the June 19 episode of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, comedian and host John Oliver noted that Cincinnati experienced a rent hike of 30% during the previous month, leaving many residents priced out of their homes.

A ordability in question

Nationally and locally, rental rates have increased while wages haven’t kept pace with in ation, which means

In March, the 2022 Demographia International Housing A ordability Index from the Urban Reform Institute and the Frontier Centre for Public

“With rents being squeezed across the board, and protections few and far between, lower-income renters are, obviously, the most vulnerable,” Oliver said. “Even before the [COVID-19] pandemic struck, 23 million people lived in households that paid more than half their income on rent and utilities, which is just not sustainable for anyone.”

A new report claims that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Cincinnati is $1,283 – an increase of 26.32% over a year. PHOTO: EDOUARD BOSSE, UNSPLASH A new report claims that the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Cincinnati is $1,283 – an increase of 26.32% over a year. PHOTO: EDOUARD BOSSE, UNSPLASH

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 7

New Ad: Cincinnati Republican Steve Chabot Is Watching Your Bedroom Antics

BY ALLISON BABKA

Big Brother is always watching — including when you’re in the bedroom.

at’s the message behind ads target ing a handful of right-wing Republicans who have signaled an intent to prohibit contraceptives, including U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, who represents the 1st Congressional District that encom passes much of Cincinnati. Separate ads, also developed by the Democratsupporting Progress Action Fund, use the same script and actors but target Ken Calvert of California’s 42nd District and Mike Garcia of California’s 25th District (due to recent redistrict ing, Calvert and Garcia are running for the state’s 41st and 27th districts, respectively).

In the ad — which began circulat ing in September — a man and woman passionately kiss in bed, wearing only their underwear. “Do you have a condom?” the woman asks. e man a rms that he does and opens the drawer of a nearby nightstand, reaching for the condom.

Suddenly, a hand snatches away the rubber, causing the couple to yelp and cover up with a sheet. e camera cuts to a much older, white-haired man, who creepily says, “Sorry, you can’t use those.”

“What are you talking about? Who are you?” the woman demands.

“I’m your Republican Congressman. Now that we’re in charge, we’re ban ning birth control,” he replies calmly.

e woman is clearly confused and disgusted. “ is is our decision, not yours! Get out of our bedroom!” she tells him.

“I won the last election. I’m not going anywhere,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m just going to watch and make sure you don’t do anything [dramatic pause] illegal.”

In an emailed release, Progress Action Fund says its ads targeting Chabot, Calvert and Garcia are part of a “mid six- gure ad buy that will run on connected TVs, streaming services and online platforms.”

“Republicans are not the party of small government. ey want to invade the bedroom of every American and take away their birth control,” Joe Jacobson, founder and executive direc tor of the Progress Action Fund, says in the release. “ e GOP should really stand for ‘Grand Old Perverts.’”

e ad is available on YouTube.

Progress Action Fund has gone after

Chabot in the past. An August ad from the Super PAC highlights Chabot’s sup port for restrictions or bans on abortion care and says Chabot “supports putting women in prison for abortion.”

“But Republicans won’t stop there. ey support eliminating our right to contraceptives, our right to healthcare and our right to marry who we love,” the voiceover says.

On his government website, Chabot includes “protecting the unborn” as one of his key issues. According to Just Facts, a database of politicians’ votes, Chabot has voted multiple times against measures that would protect the right to contraception and to abor tion care. is year, he voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would prohibit federal, state and local restrictions and impediments to abortion care. He also voted against a similar measure that protects access to out-of-state abortions.

In the wake of the conservativeleaning U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 overturning of Roe v. Wade, abortion continues to be a big issue leading up to the Nov. 8 election. Some observers fear that other rights are seemingly being teed up for reversal, including the right to contraception, LGBTQ+ marriage and healthcare, among others.

Chabot is running against Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman, a Democrat, in the election.

CityBeat has reached out to both Chabot and Landsman with questions about the bedroom ad as well as their stances on contraception. We did not receive responses as of press time.

TQL Stadium Named Best Across the Globe at World Football Summit

BY ALLISON BABKA

TQL Stadium is less than two years old, but it already has had some impressive moments. e most recent? Being named the best venue in the entire world.

Bi-monthly sports venue publication Mondo|Stadia named TQL Stadium as “Best Venue” for 2022 at the World Football Summit on Sept. 28. In addition to being home to Major League Soccer team FC Cincinnati, the publication noted, the stadium is also a bridge between two of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods.

“ e design of TQL Stadium intentionally harnesses the energy of a dedicated fan base to bring a worldclass soccer experience to Cincinnati,” Mondo|Stadia said. “ e new, state-of-the-art venue boasts a striking presence, connecting two historic neighborhoods — Over-the-Rhine and the West End — and honoring the legacy of soccer in the Queen City through a progressive design and ambitious interpretation of a Cincinnati on the rise.”

A judging panel selected TQL Stadium as the winner based on fan experience, technological advances, match-day operations, personalized attention and catering, a release says.

“We built TQL Stadium to be a world-class MLS stadium which would proudly represent Cincinnati across the nation and on the world stage,” Je

Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati, said in the release. “It is an honor to receive this prestigious global recognition.”

FC Cincinnati became the 24th team to enter the MLS as a professional soc cer team in 2019. Before that, the team played in the second-division United Soccer League (USL) from 2016 to 2018.

TQL Stadium opened in the West End in 2021 after beginning construction in 2018 at a cost of more than $200 million and leveling neighborhood blocks near Central Avenue. e stadium has the capacity for about 26,000 fans and is named for Total Quality Logistics, a large freight brokerage rm based in Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati played Inter Miami FC during the rst match at TQL Stadium on May 16, 2021.

A growing soccer city

In 2021, WalletHub said Cincinnati was one of the best soccer cities in the United States, landing at No. 16 on the nancial website’s list.

Later that year, TQL Stadium played host to the United States Men’s National Soccer Team’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Mexico. e United States Women’s National Soccer Team (featuring Cincinnati’s own Olympian Rose Lavelle) also trounced Paraguay during an international friendly there.

TQL Stadium lights up before opening to the public in early 2021. PHOTO: FRANCISCO HUERTA JR.

This year, Chabot voted against the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would prohibit federal, state and local restrictions and impediments to abortion care. He also voted against a similar measure that protects access to out-of-state abortions.

8 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

e USMNT match was central to the region’s biggest tourism weekend since the onset of COVID19 in early 2020, regional o cials said shortly after the game.

Cincinnati was among many North American cities vying to host FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, a multi-year bid the region had launched back in 2017.

ough FIFA ultimately did not select the Queen City, the 2026 Cincy Local Organizing Committee has indicated that it will pursue future World Cup opportunities.

Winning ways

FC Cincinnati set the league’s longest unbeaten streak on Sept. 27 — 11 consecutive games without a loss at that point (the team fell to Chicago on Oct. 1).

Moreover, the team’s captain and attacking mid elder Luciano Acosta and forward Brandon Vasquez played in Major League Soccer’s 2022 All-Star Game in August — the rst time any member of Cincinnati’s club had been invited to the match in the league’s 26 installments.

FC Cincinnati (11-13-8) will hit the road for the season’s nal match against D.C. United in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 9.

Cincinnati Bengals Make History with White Helmets, Franchise Record Crowd

BY ALLISON BABKA

For years, Cincinnati Bengals fans have begged for white helmets. Now it’s nally happened.

When the Bengals took on the Miami Dolphins at Paycor Stadium on Sept. 29 as part of the nationally televised “ ursday Night Football,” they sported a new look that’s going straight into the history books: white helmet, white jerseys and white pants, all with black stripes.

e Bengals announced in July that the team would introduce a white tiger-style helmet into the mix for the 2022-2023 season as an option alongside its classic orange headgear. A short time later, o cials said that a new white “color rush” jersey would premiere, as well.

In January 2021, the NFL nally lifted a long-held rule that had

prohibited secondary helmets, with 2022 as the new gear’s rst season on the eld. e alternate helmets must be identical to primary helmets except for color and must be worn during practices before the games in which they’ll be used, the league says.

e “white Bengal” look seemed to help the team during the game against the Dolphins, with the Bengals winning 27-15 in front of 67,260 fans – the team’s largest crowd in history.

“Unbelievable. When [Bengals head coach] Zac [Taylor] told us it was the largest crowd ever, that speak volumes to the crowd,” middle linebacker Logan Wilson told reporters after the game. “We felt the crowd, especially in that rst quarter when they burned two timeouts because they couldn’t com municate with each other. at’s big

time for us on defense. We feed o of that.”

Until this game, the Dolphins had been undefeated. e Bengals now are 2-2 and the Dolphins are 3-1 on the regular season. is was the second consecutive win for the Bengals.

During halftime, the team inducted o ensive tackle Willie Anderson and wide receiver Isaac Curtis into the Bengals’ Ring of Honor. ey join Paul Brown, Ken Anderson, Anthony Muñoz and Ken Riley, who were inducted as the inaugural class in 2021. e Ring of Honor recognizes former players, coaches and individuals who have signi cantly a ected the franchise.

e Bengals’ next game will be on the road against the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 9. NBC will nationally broadcast the battle.

Bengals players celebrate a win. PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/BENGALS Paycor Stadium is decked out in white for the Cincinnati Bengals’ game against the Miami Dolphins. PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/BENGALS Joe Burrow sports the Bengals’ white helmet and jersey. PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/BENGALS

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 9

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

10 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 25 Greater Cincinnati spots to grab a meal for under $13

With inflation sending grocery costs soaring, high gas prices and a looming recession, the saying “a dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to” feels more apt than ever these days, especially when it comes to dining out. It may seem like you can’t even grab lunch anymore without shelling out at least $15, but CityBeat staffers have put together a list of 25 of their favorite spots for an affordable meal. While chili parlors and diners are always a great option — as are the Reader Pick winners of CityBeat’s 2022 Best Of Cincinnati “Cheap Eats” category: Skyline, Zip’s Cafe and Goodfellas — the following spots offer something beyond a 3-Way. Ringing up for $13 or less per diner, these are not multi-course, sitdown dinners, obviously, but they’re all super-satisfying options to fill you up without breaking the bank.

Al-Madina Market & Grill

6 W. Corry St., Corryville | al-madinacincinnati.com

e Lebanese-style Al-Madina Market & Grill has a great variety of halal lunch and dinner options, most notably their sandwich wraps made with housemade atbread straight from the tandoor oven. While CityBeat has raved time and time again about their chicken shawarma, the shish tawook ($8.99) is an even better wrap at the same price point. e main di erence is that the chicken in the shish tawook is charbroiled, making for a smokier and more aromatic protein (ask for extra toum if you like garlic aioli). While you wait for your order (it doesn’t take long), pick up some specialty grocery items for your home kitchen from the market shelves. (Sean M. Peters)

Allez Bakery

1208 Main St., Over-the-Rhine | allezbakery.com

If the saying “You’re only as good as the company you keep” was applied to the sandwich world, it would mean your lling is only as good as its enveloping bread. Not surprisingly, Allez Bakery, which has garnered national praise for its artisanal bread and pastries, makes spectacular sandwiches. Whether you’re looking for something meaty or veggie-heavy, you’ll nd good options when you step up to the counter (as long as they haven’t sold out). A particular favorite is the decadent Meatball Madness ($10), which is only available on Fridays and features u y ciabatta bread loaded with red sauce, pesto, provolone and some gratuitous meatballs. Stock up on napkins for this saucy stack. (SMP)

Anchor Grill

438 W Pike St., Covington | searchable on Facebook

Clockwise from top left: Allez Bakery (photo: Hailey Bollinger); shio ramen at Kiki College Hill (photo: Hailey Bollinger); Anchor Grill (photo: Emerson Swoger); outdoor seating at Carl’s Deli (photo: Hailey Bollinger); Pig Candy BBQ (photo: courtesy of Pig Candy BBQ); Tacoma Taquito at Unataza Coffee (photo: Hailey Bollinger).

Anchor Grill has one of the cheapest and best breakfasts in the city — and you can get it 24/7/365. Grab a breakfast sandwich or omelet with a side of biscuits and gravy (or pretty much anything else on the menu) for $10 or less. e Glier’s Goetta factory is located across the street, so you can’t go wrong with a goetta dish. In 2020, New Yorker food correspondent Helen Rosner even named the Anchor’s double-decker goetta, lettuce and tomato sandwich ($6.50) one of the best things she’d eaten that decade. e diner celebrated 75 years of o ering home-cooked, Southernstyle eats in 2021 and maintains its retro vibe. Woodpaneled walls and cozy booths are complemented by a 1940s coin-operated “Band Box,” which contains a miniature toy big band that mimes performances to jukebox tunes. (Brent Stroud)

Branch

1535 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills | eatatbranch.com

East Walnut Hills’ upscale eatery Branch is located in a beautiful former Art Deco bank building at the corner of Madison Road and Woodburn Avenue. With chef Alessandro Urbisci at the kitchen’s helm, the menu features an elegant focus on Italian eats, with a petite selection of pastas, shareables like the Polpette Di Olive or burrata and some sophisticated entrees. On Tuesdays, the restaurant o ers an additional menu item: oysters. And they aren’t just any oysters — they’re $1 oysters. As you might suspect, these little guys go fast, so plan on arriving early if you want to score some of these minimally priced mollusks. (Hailey Bollinger)

Brew House

1047 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills | brewhouse.com

Open since the 1970s, Brew House in Walnut Hills is an eclectic neighborhood bar o ering a slice of history, cheap drinks, and super good and fairly priced food. e avorful burgers ($8; $7 without cheese) are the perfect size: a 5.5-ounce 80/20-blend patty. ey come with chips, but you can make yours a platter with fries and coleslaw for a slight upcharge, or snag a

PHOTO: CATIE VIOX, COURTESY OF BRANCH Dollar oysters at Branch

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 11

side of onion rings for $4. Brew House also gets a little crazy with its weekly burger special, like the recent pizza or taco burger with fries ($9.95). It all pairs perfectly with a draft beer ($5) and some James Brown playing over the speakers. (BS)

Bridges Nepali Cuisine

4165 Hamilton Ave., Northside; 133 E. Court St., Downtown | bridgesnepalicuisine.com

Food from Nepal is smoky, spicy and packed with vegetables. It calls upon the avors found in Indian and Chinese cuisines, which makes sense because Nepal is nestled between the two countries. Bridges Nepali Cuisine, featuring the owner’s mother’s recipes, specializes in build-your-own meat or vegan rice bowls ($10.60), with toppings including grilled chicken tikka masala, aloo wala chilled potatoes and lentil-based curry gravy. Or try the chow mein noodles ($12.60), pan-fried with ginger, cabbage and scallion. Another specialty? Plump, multicolored dumplings called momos ($10.75), which are served steamed, sauteed or deep fried. (SMP)

Carl’s Deli

2836 Observatory Ave., Hyde Park | carlsdeli.com

Carl’s Deli has been a Hyde Park staple for over 80 years, with ownership that’s only changed hands a few times since 1938. Most recently, in April 2022, sisters Sydney Turnbull and Cameron Kurz purchased it from Anne McManus, whose family had run the business since 1968. Aiming to keep traditions alive, the sisters have kept the numbered sandwich menu unchanged. Walk up to the deli counter to order sandwiches, salads — like the signature Joanie’s Crabmeat and Artichoke Salad — quiches, pastas, soups and even dessert. Bonus: Everything is $11 and under. Ask for a No. 30 ($9), with creamy homemade red pepper hummus and fresh veggies. e No. 23 ($10.99) is also a hit: Carl’s Country Club features rotisserie turkey, swiss, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo. For the same price, you can also get half a

sandwich and a soup. (Mackenzie Manley)

Cincy Steak & Lemonade

2607 Vine St., Corryville | facebook.com/cincys

Fans of FX’s Chicago-based kitchen drama series e Bear can say “yes, chef” to Cincy Steak & Lemonade’s Italian beef sandwich ($11.99), a local replica of the Windy City staple. Topped with mozzarella and giardiniera peppers, it comes with a side of gravy (for dipping) and fries. e neon-lit joint also o ers other favorites in to-go Styrofoam containers, from Philly cheesesteaks and gyros to burgers, wings, tacos, nachos and even breakfast. Don’t miss the frozen lemonades ($2.99), with avors ranging from rainbow and watermelon to pina colada. (Maija Zummo)

Daylily

3751 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum | daylilydeli.com

Chef Jose Salazar’s restaurant group and Deeper Roots Co ee recently opened Daylily, a New York City-inspired bodega and deli in Columbia Tusculum. It o ers a taste of home for the Queens-born Salazar, as well as a full co ee program, groceries and beer and wine. e food menu features slightly elevated versions of iconic bodega eats, like egg and cheese on a roll ($5; $8.50 with breakfast meat) and a Chopped Cheese ($9.50), with ground beef, American cheese, sauteed onions, banana peppers and special sauce on a hoagie. Grab either to go or enjoy them on the big back patio. (MZ)

El Barril Mexican Sports Bar & Grill

940 Pavilion St., Mt. Adams elbarrilmexicansportsbarandgrill.com

Mount Adams welcomed this dining establishment to its quaint hilltop neighborhood last fall, taking over the space formerly occupied by Next Chapter. As its name suggests, the eatery is part restaurant

— boasting both Mexican street food and bar bites — and part sports bar. Across the board, menu prices are pretty reasonable, but if you’re looking for a real bang for your buck, opt for the burger and taco combo ($12.99). e meal comes with your choice of burger (options include the breakfast burger with goetta, bacon, cheese, fried egg and Sriracha mayo or the El Barril Burger with guacamole, sauteed mushrooms, onions and American cheese), two tacos and a side of fries. (HB)

Galactic Fried Chicken

624 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky | galacticfriedchicken.com

Dayton, Kentucky’s retro sci- -themed Galactic Fried Chicken serves up crispy delights for carnivores and herbivores alike, all made using gluten-free batter. Owned by husband-and-wife team Shane Co ey and Kathy McDonald, the menu features the titular fried chicken, plus salads, chicken tenders, sandwiches and classic sides like mac and cheese, deviled eggs, Texas toast and fried pickles. e vegetarian jackfruit nugget meal ($10) comes with eight nugs, a side of Galactic Sauce, coleslaw and housemade pickles. Add fries and a drink for $4. Galactic doesn’t skimp on servings — there’s enough to keep for leftovers or a midday snack. (MM)

Gulow Street

1614 Hoffner St., Northside | gulowstreet.com

Gulow Street is a cozy neighborhood bar that o ers craft cocktails, a homey interior and a streamlined menu of sophisticated eats. Covering all the bases in just a handful of dishes, the menu ranges from rigatoni Bolognese to a pimento cheese breakfast sandwich (a replica of the favorite from the co-owner’s now-defunct Cheapside Cafe) to a cheeseburger, all for less than $11. But go for the refreshingly delicious, umami-infused cold sesame noodles ($6 halfportion; $10.50 full), topped with shiitake, carrot, red pepper and ginger-soy dressing. Pair that with a drink from the happy hour menu — $4 Tito’s vodka, $2

Above left: a build-your-own bowl at Bridges Nepali Cuisine. Above right: the taco and burger deal at El Barril Mexican Sports Bar & Grill. PHOTOS: HAILEY

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BOLLINGER 940 Pavilion St., Mt. Adams | elbarrilmexicansportsbarandgrill.com

Miller High Life or $3 well drinks — or a $10 burgerand-draft deal on Tuesdays. (MZ)

Island Frydays

2826 Vine St., Corryville | islandfrydays.com

Island Frydays features authentic Caribbean cuisine made by former University of Cincinnati football captain Leo Morgan, a native of Jamaica. e dishes — a mix of curries, jerks and stews — pack a whole lot of avor and are o cially Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host Guy Fieri-approved. Try an Island Combo ($11), like a brown stew wrap or jerk chicken sandwich with choice of side (fries, yellow rice, cabbage, rice and peas, greens or jerk chicken pasta) and a juice, made in-house. (MZ)

Kiki College Hill

5932 Hamilton Ave., College Hill | kikicincinnati.com

Chefs and husband-and-wife duo Hideki and Yuko Harada met at the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, Japan. ey opened Kiki College Hill in 2019 with the goal of sharing Japanese dishes that can be hard to nd in America. With several gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, it’s the perfect place to accommodate multiple dietary needs without breaking the bank. Kiki’s kimchi ramen ($10) is a soul-nourishing delight, made with slurp-worthy noodles, housemade kimchi, tender tofu, green onion and a tea-marinated egg. e shio ramen ($10) is the meaty counterpart, with chicken broth and pork belly. Keep an eye out for their seasonal specials and desserts. (MM)

Lil’s Bagels

308 Greenup St., Covington | lilsbagels.com

If you’ve ever found yourself daydreaming about sinking your teeth into a chewy, crusty bagel sandwich packed with local ingredients, head to Covington and order the Good Judy ($8) at Lil’s Bagels. Every bagel at Lil’s is homemade, “hand-rolled, boiled

and baked with tradition,” according to the website, including the za’atar wheat upon which the Good Judy is served. e sandwich is loaded with arugula, pickled jicama and radish and smeared with spreads made from beets, veggies, garlic and herbs. It’s teeming with spicy, tangy avor (a vegan option is also available). Open until 2 p.m. all week, Lil’s is an ideal breakfast, brunch or lunch spot. All of Lil’s signature sandwich options are $13 and under and the egg sandwiches cost $5 to $9. (MM)

Pig Candy BBQ

5901 Kellogg Ave., California | pigcandybbq.com

Paul Montgomery and Christina Goehrig opened Pig Candy BBQ inside a historic former jail in California, Ohio, in 2021. e restaurant takes its name from its specialty dish: a gluten-free wa e pressed with pulled pork and topped with a maple peach glaze ($9). You obviously can’t go wrong with that — or their pulled pork, brisket or Alabama pulled chicken — but one of the best ways to sample their barbecue is in the Pig Mac Bowl ($10). It’s a comforting combo

of mac and cheese topped with pulled pork, red sauce and coleslaw. (MZ)

Saigon Subs & Rolls

151 W. Fourth St., Downtown | facebook.com/saigonsubsandrolls

Walk into Saigon Subs & Rolls and you’ll likely be hit with the smell of fresh cilantro. Located downtown, the Vietnamese restaurant is open 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, making it ideal for lunch break. Consider ordering their banh mi ($6.50), a classic version of the spicy-but-sweet sandwich with cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno and pickled carrots and daikon tucked inside a crunchy, buttery, toasted baguette. Add your choice of chicken, pork, beef or tofu. It’s a steal that will keep you coming back for more. (MM)

SushiNati

3501 Erie Ave., Hyde Park | sushinatihydepark.com

Hyde Park’s SushiNati boasts half-price sushi all day, every day, which basically means their entire sushi menu is super a ordable all the time. ere are insane rolls, like the Bengals ($10), with spicy fried tuna, spicy crab, cucumber and avocado topped with torched salmon, green onion, tobiko and ponzu sauce. But it’s their unique veggie rolls that really shine, such as the fried tofu ($4.50), steamed spinach ($4.50) and pickled radish ($3.50). e menu also features Asian soups and various stir-fried or grilled combinations served in stone bowls. (MZ)

Tortilleria Garcia

5917 Hamilton Ave., College Hill; 11774 Spring eld Pike, Springdale; 4200 Aero Drive, Mason | tortilleriagarcia.us

At Tortilleria Garcia, tacos are not just relegated to Tuesdays — although they do o er stellar $1 tacos that day. With llings ranging from carnitas to carne asada and shrimp to potato poblano ($2.89-$4.10), the tacos are served on corn tortillas, made from

Above: the Lil’s Bagels “windough.” Below: sesame noodles at Gulow Street. PHOTOS: HAILEY BOLLINGER

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scratch daily. You can also try some of the meaty options in the tamales ($2.89). If you’ve never tried horchata ($2.99), this is the spot to give the sweetened rice beverage a rst sip. e tortillas are also sold in bulk, perfect for making breakfast tacos, chilaquiles, tostadas, nachos or anything else you can dream up in the kitchen. (SMP)

Trotta’s Pizza & Drive-Thru

3501 Werk Road, Western Hills | trottaspizza.net

Frequently named one of the top 10 best pizza joints by CityBeat readers in the Best Of Cincinnati issue, Trotta’s Pizza & Drive- ru is a pony keg that slings superior slices. Known for its unique toppings — ranging from chili and goetta to meatballs and hot wing sauce — Trotta’s o ers several styles of crust: super thin, traditional, Sicilian (its specialty) and even cauli ower. e Lotta Trotta is a fan favorite for its size alone: 24 slices of Sicilian ‘za, which can feed 10-12 people for under $27. at’s a steal, but if you’re looking for something under $13, you can get a whole 12-inch cheese pizza ($12.20) or stock up on the daily specialty slice ($3 per slice). You never know what you’re going to get, unless it’s a ursday: on ursdays, they always serve sausage. (MZ)

Unataza Coffee

603 Sixth Ave., Dayton, Kentucky | unatazacoffee.square.site

Northern Kentucky Honduran cafe Unataza Co ee brings more to the table than just a piping-hot cup of (locally roasted) joe. e shop also serves a range of Honduran-inspired bites for appetites both big and small. Menu staples range from breakfast tacos to the popular vegetarian Jaded Cauli wrap ($9), but a favorite is the Tacoma Taquito ($9). Named after Dayton, Kentucky’s gone-but-not-forgotten Tacoma Pool, the wrap is made with scrambled eggs, refried beans, turkey bacon, grilled peppers and onions, cheddar cheese, diced onion and cilantro. e savory dish is served with a side of plantain chips and salsa or creamy jalapeno dressing. (HB)

The Whole Bowl

364 Ludlow Ave., Clifton | thewholebowl.com

“It’s like eating a hug.” Whole Bowl’s tagline is a bold claim, but they consistently deliver. is eco-conscious micro chain has three locations: two in Oregon and one right here in the Clifton neighborhood. Vegetar ian, nut- and gluten-free, the bowls come in three sizes — Bambino ($6.50), Big Bowl ($6.95) and Insatiabowl ($8.75) — and start with a base of freshly cooked brown rice. Mix and match toppings, including olives, black and red beans, salsa, avocado, shredded ched dar and cilantro. Everything comes together with the golden Tali sauce, a delectably creamy, lemony sauce that’s the true star of the show. (Leyla Shokoohe)

Wodka Bar

1200 Main St., Over-the-Rhine | wodkabarotr.com

Named one of the best bars in America by Esquire magazine, Wodka Bar slings a surprising selection of rare international and house-infused vodkas. But owner Sarah Dworak — the granddaughter of Ukrainian immigrants and the mastermind behind Babushka Pierogies — also supplies a menu of Eastern European eats. ere’s caviar, pickled vegetables, smoked meats, borscht, strogano and, of course,

pierogi. e specialty Four-Way Pierogi ($10) is a vegetarian o ering featuring meat-free-chili-stu ed pierogi topped with cheddar, sour cream, onions and Frank’s RedHot. Eat them at the bar or grab some from the walk-up takeout window. (MZ)

Wunderbar

1132 Lee St., Covington | facebook.com/wunderbar.covington.3

is decade-old bar and eatery o ers a taste of Deutschland without leaving the city. e menu, which is written in chalk and located behind the bar, ranges from doner kebabs and burgers to giant pretzels with beer cheese and pierogi. All of the options are reasonably priced, but the real deals are the rotating sausage-and-side combos ($10). e eatery boasts roughly 10 di erent sausages at any given time — most made in-house, with a few from local Glier’s Meats — including options like cheddarwurst, currywurst and even a veggie sausage. Sides run the gamut from roasted cauli ower to beet salad to sauerkraut.

In addition to great food and a killer beer selection, you can enjoy live entertainment most nights. (HB)

Wyoming Meat Market

513 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming | wyomingmeatmarket.org

Culinary entrepreneur and butcher Shelbi Nation recently purchased the historic Wyoming Meat Market from longtime owner Jim Gelhausen, who had operated it for 41 years. Nation has given the market a bit of a facelift, bringing in new display cases, a dryaging locker and some natural wines (a house bar is in the works), but the shop still specializes in wholeanimal butchery, speci cally of Ohio-raised Wagyu beef. e menu also o ers a rotating selection of sandwiches. e Italian ($12) comes with three types of cured meat, cheese and your choice of fresh-cut toppings on rosemary focaccia baked at the next-door Wyoming Pastry Shop. Round out your meal with a curated selection of chips, soda or alcohol from smaller, unique purveyors. (BS)

Above left: tacos at Tortilleria Garcia. Above right: Wodka Bar. Below: Trotta’s Pizza & Drive-Thru. PHOTO: PAIGE DEGLOW PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER PHOTO PHOTO

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(TROTTA’S): JESSE FOX

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ARTS & CULTURE

CULTURE

Cincinnati Author’s New Young-Adult Story

Cincinnati Author’s New Young-Adult Story Is Sweet But Spooky

Is Sweet But Spooky

Sara Bennett Wealer’s coming-of-age novel Grave Things Like Love hits bookstores Oct. 11 for a gentle Halloween delight.

BY MACKENZIE MANLEY BY MACKENZIE MANLEY

Elaine, the protagonist of Cincinnati-based young-adult author Sara Bennett Wealer’s latest release Grave ings Like Love, is known to her small town as “funeral girl.” e nickname isn’t a stretch — she lives above a funeral home that has been in her family since the 1800s. It’s assumed that she’ll one day take over her dad’s role as mortician, but Elaine isn’t so sure.

Grave ings Like Love is a sweet but spooky coming-of-age novel with a paranormal twist, and the Oct. 11 release date means you can add it to your reading list just in time for Halloween. Along with ghostly encounters, Elaine navigates numerous hallmarks of teenage life: evolving friendships, a love

triangle, looming college applications, family expectations, mental health and learning to set boundaries.

Grave ings Like Love marks Wealer’s fourth novel, but the idea for its funereal setting goes back to the beginning of her career as a transportation reporter work ing outside of Pittsburgh. By happen stance, Wealer explains, her reporting led her to a funeral home.

“I can see it very clearly in my head. It was a big yellow Victorian house on a corner in a small town outside of Pittsburgh near the river,” Wealer tells CityBeat. “I was fascinated because the family ran it, and they lived upstairs.

feature about the ins and outs of run ning — and living in — a funeral home. Before she was able to write the article, Wealer changed jobs, but the premise stayed with her. Wealer moved with her husband to Cincinnati, where she brie y worked for the Cincinnati Enquirer, and has remained in the Queen City ever since.

ey gave me a lot of rich ideas and an insight into what it’s like to live in a place like that.”

e idea of what it might be like to be a teenager living in a funeral home –– a place that people may be curious about or even afraid of –– especially interested Wealer.

ey had this whole funeral home busi ness down below.”

Wealer interviewed the owners for a

“I always kept that in my head and wanted to write a book about it,” Wealer says. “And it was fun to bring in all those things that I learned from hanging around with that really lovely family.

Wealer found that the funeral back drop o ered plenty of fun and unique scenarios. For example, she references a scene near the beginning of the novel in which Elaine reluctantly drives her family’s Victorian horse-drawn hearse for the town’s parade dressed like, as the book explains, an “old-timey Morticia Addams” from e Addams Family Other research included watching YouTube videos of morticians discussing their eld of work and going into granu lar detail about the funeral business, embalming process, preparing bodies, and more. Wealer says she also gave the rst draft to a friend who grew up across

Other research included watching YouTube videos of morticians discussing their eld of work and going into granu lar detail about the funeral business, embalming process, preparing bodies, and more. Wealer says she also gave the rst draft to a friend who grew up across

Sara Bennett Wealer PHOTO:VALERIE EIDSEN

26 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

ARTS &

“I love the idea of adding these little touches of weirdness,” Wealer says. “There’s something going on, but it’s not really explained. You have to work with and deal with it.”

“I love the idea of adding these little touches of weirdness,” Wealer says. “There’s something going on, but it’s not really explained. You have to work with and deal with it.”the street from her family’s funeral business.

limited to her personal experience and more universal due to seeing her chil dren grow up and begin managing their own mental health.

“I can see other people I care about who are needing to manage it, too,” Wealer says. “I think that’s why in this book, it became part of the story organi cally in a way that it might not have earlier.”

the street from her family’s funeral business.

“She read the rst draft and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we had a hearse like that, too!’ ings like that were gratifying to see that I was on the right track,” Wealer says.

From the get-go, the opening parade scene lays the groundwork for multiple con icts explored throughout Grave ings Like Love. Elaine’s parents often sideline what she wants — hanging out with friends, exploring di erent career paths –– for the business’ needs. Her sis ter, Astrid, is growing up and seemingly apart from Elaine.

Readers also meet Xander, a strongwilled new kid with dreams of being a paranormal investigator. Naturally, Xander, who shares his ghostly ndings online, has his mind set on investigat ing Elaine’s home. As their relationship deepens, he convinces no-nonsense Elaine to go ghost hunting. Despite being wary of the supernatural, she just may nd herself and uncover family history in the process. Also in the mix is longtime bestie Miles, who isn’t a fan of Xander but loves watching the ctional TV show Dragon y with Elaine every week.

Wealer’s rst draft of Grave ings Like Love didn’t include a paranormal piece. Her editors encouraged her to thread in fun elements to make the book more engaging. Wealer’s last novel, Now & When, also included a touch of the supernatural via a time-travel plot.

“I love the idea of adding these little touches of weirdness,” Wealer says. “ ere’s something going on, but it’s not really explained. You have to work with and deal with it. In Grave ings Like Love, it’s a ghost.”

Wealer’s editors also noticed in early drafts that Elaine had anxiety and encouraged Wealer to lean into that detail. Elaine became Wealer’s rst char acter written explicitly to have anxiety. Even so, mental health doesn’t de ne Elaine’s story arc or personality; anxiety is simply something she has.

Wealer drew upon personal experi ence while writing a character with anxiety, though she notes that mental health and coping strategies aren’t one-size- ts-all.

Even so, Wealer says Elaine is the most “her” character she’s written. In addi tion to their anxiety and being protec tive older sisters, they share another trait: both needed to embrace the fun of Halloween. e reader sees Elaine attempt to make peace with a holiday she dislikes. After all, talk of her home being haunted ramps up to an all-time high during spooky season. But this year, she’s determined to step outside her comfort zone.

“She is a bit overly serious about it,” Wealer says of Elaine’s reaction to Halloween. “It was fun writing that part because it was a message to myself to lighten up a bit. [Elaine] goes out for Hal loween and has fun. And so I think it’s going to be great to have the book come out around that time.” It’s tting that Grave ings Like Love, a book about a teenage girl who lives in a possiblyhaunted funeral home, includes a Halloween scene complete with trick-ortreating and an impromptu party.

While the book includes a love triangle between daredevil Xander and Elaine’s a able childhood best friend Miles, Wealer included multiple types of relationships. Readers see Elaine grapple with her parents’ expectations, tension with her little sister Astrid, and changing friendship dynamics.

“To me, friendships are maybe even a little more important,” Wealer says. “I’ve tried to portray strong friendships with my main characters. I’ve had some books where I’ve portrayed tense rela tionships, rivalries, because I think that’s important, too. And sometimes they can fall apart when you’re that age.”

Wealer says she wants readers to have fun with her book while taking away the message that it’s normal to still be guring your life out as a teenager. Even if your family has expectations that may not align with yours, or you feel tugged in di erent directions, it’s okay to not know what the future holds.

“I won’t spoil the end, but Elaine nds a compromise for something she can do for now that she likes,” Wealer says. “ e things you can nd for now can often be the stepping stones to the things that you really want to do forever.”

Wealer drew upon personal experi ence while writing a character with anxiety, though she notes that mental health and coping strategies aren’t one-size- ts-all.

e anxiety she depicted felt less

Sara Bennett Wealer will discuss Grave ings Like Love at 7 p.m. Oct. 11, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood. Info: josephbeth.com.

Sara Bennett Wealer will discuss Grave ings Like Love at 7 p.m. Oct. 11, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, 2692 Madison Road, Norwood.

Info: josephbeth.com.

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CULTURE

Murder on the Orient Express Pulls into Downtown Cincinnati for a Winning Whodunit

BY RICK PENDER BY RICK PENDER

If you’ve been paying attention to the Cincinnati theater scene, you probably know that the Playhouse is not “in the park” this fall while construction wraps up on its new mainstage (the Marx eatre, its longtime “big” theater, was recently demolished).

As a result, three Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park productions will be presented elsewhere this fall. e rst, a theatrical adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, has opened a three-week run at the Arono Center’s 437-seat Jarson-Kaplan eater.

It’s all aboard for playwright Ken Ludwig’s 2017 clever recreation of the proli c mystery writer’s 1934 novel, which depicts the famous detective Hercule Poirot solving a murder on a luxurious train traveling across eastern

Europe. e story was made into lms in 1974 and again in 2017, when Kenneth Branagh played Poirot.

Designer Rob Koharchik rst designed this production for Indiana Repertory eatre in early 2020 as a co-production with the Cincinnati Playhouse, which was set to stage it in March 2020. Of course, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic prevented that.

Two-and-a-half years later, the Orient Express has nally pulled into Cincinnati, with Koharchik’s ornate set redesigned for the somewhat close con nes of the Jarson-Kaplan eater. But how does one stage a story that takes place on a train?

Koharchik’s luxurious design, heavy on Art Deco details, looks great — dark wood paneling, brass ttings and golden ornamentation everywhere.

When the front wall opens, it reveals several train cars that can slide back and forth to reveal a swanky dining room or several deluxe passenger cabins.

Poirot, the fussy Belgian detective who became a star in Christie’s mystery novels, is heading back from Istanbul after a recently solved case. He’s expecting a relaxing break on a train designed for high-end service and demanding passengers. But within a few hours of the train’s departure, an overnight snowstorm stops progress and a man is murdered, stabbed eight times in his chest. Poirot is recruited to ferret out the perpetrator. Everyone he questions has an alibi, but in his inimitable, often irascible pursuit, he begins to piece together several possible solutions to the crime.

Actor Andrew May brings Poirot to life, right down to his manicured mustache and impeccable attire, which includes a tiny ower in his lapel. e playwright frames the story by immediately bringing Poirot to the front of the stage to address the audience directly:

“ e story you are about to witness is one of romance and tragedy, primal murder and the urge for revenge. What better way to spend a pleasant evening together?”

Ludwig’s script provides May with plenty of moments to ash some quick humor, capturing Poirot’s ickers of enthusiasm as he draws closer to a solu tion, exclaiming “Ooh-la-la, ooh-la-la, ooh-la-la!” May also delivers several moments of exasperation by Poirot when others mistakenly believe they have solved the mystery.

Andrew May’s Hercule Poirot is on the case in Murder on the Orient Express PHOTOS: MIKKI SCHAFFNER Andrew May’s Hercule Poirot is on the case in Murder on the Orient Express PHOTOS: MIKKI SCHAFFNER REVIEW BY RICK PENDER Andrew May’s Hercule Poirot is on the case in Murder on the Orient Express MIKKI

28 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

Murder on the Orient Express requires a sizeable cast of suspects with numer ous motives — some obvious, some hidden — to murder the reprehensible bully Samuel Ratchett, quickly revealed to be an even worse criminal. As the characters rush to board the train, Poirot observes them, absorbing seemingly random details. Colonel Arbuthnot (Nick Vannoy) is having a secretive romance with Mary Debenham (China Brickey). Helen Hubbard (Jennifer Joplin), a brassy American divorcée who is noisy and overly familiar, cozies up to several of the men. Hector MacQueen (Harry Davis) is Ratchett’s nervous busi ness assistant.

Monsieur Bouc (Taha Mandviwala), Poirot’s friend and a director of the rail line Compagnie Internationale des Wag ons-Lits, grants the detective last-minute

passage on the train. Russian Princess Dragomiro (Playhouse veteran Dale Hodges in a caftan and turban) imperi ously marches across the stage, followed by the anxious and zealously religious Greta Ohlsson (Lenne Klingaman). And nally, the exotic Countess Andrenyi (Katie Bradley) charms the elegant detective even as he is dubious about her story. Rob Johansen takes on the dual role of a doddering restaurant waiter and the train’s solicitous conductor.

In the show’s rst act, Poirot ques tions each passenger as he attempts to assemble what has happened. More and more evidence is unearthed, but much of it seems random, implausible or simply doesn’t t with any explanation. Bouc, eager to get to the bottom of things before the train’s reputation is sullied by the crime, keeps leaping to conclusions

that Poirot almost instantly de ates.

e rst act ends with the possibility of another victim, forcing the audience to wait through the intermission to learn what has happened.

that Poirot almost instantly de ates. e rst act ends with the possibility of another victim, forcing the audience to wait through the intermission to learn what has happened.

In the second act, Poirot begins to piece together various scenarios, much to the consternation of each character. Everyone, it turns out, has secrets to hide, which Poirot will eventually suss out and assemble into several possible explanations. How this all unfolds in time for the nale (just as the train is ready to move again after the snow storm) is one of those patented Christie solutions. As Poirot reveals the pieces and motives he has put together, director Risa Brainin has each character step forward into pools of light and repeat lines tossed o earlier — but Poirot has threaded them together for the ultimate

solution.

If you’ve never seen or read Murder on the Orient Express, you’ll be both surprised and satis ed. And if the tale is familiar to you, you’ll still admire how everything ts together, ticking into place like a ne Swiss watch.

e Playhouse’s talented technical team has assembled a polished, rstclass production at the Arono Center. In keeping with the professionalism Cin cinnati theatergoers have come to expect in Mount Adams, the Playhouse doesn’t miss a beat in this temporary venue.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s production of Murder on the Orient Express continues at the Arono Center’s Jarson-Kaplan eater through Oct. 23.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s production of Murder on the Orient Express continues at the Arono Center’s Jarson-Kaplan eater through Oct. 23. Info: cincyplay.com.

Info: cincyplay.com.

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 29

CULTURE

Local Comedy Troupe Empowers Women Through Creativity

BY SEAN M. PETERS BY SEAN M. PETERS

Just as we celebrate shopping local, we also should prioritize laughing local — that’s where the comedy troupe Alphas can help.

e all-women group performs an original variety show every month at Clifton Comedy eatre and say they’ve sold out every performance in their half-year together.

Alphas was founded by director Patricia Mullins and consists of 21 local writers and performers, all of whom identify as women. Each month’s shows center around speci c themes; August’s focused on spies, and the most recent performance concentrated on time travel. Generally, an Alphas show features improv comedy along with original sketches written by the group,

musical numbers, stand-up comedy and even the occasional choreographed dance.

“Doing Alphas is my joy bucket,” says writer/performer Mary O’Connell. “I look forward to it and I need it, because I need to create and write and perform. I write for a living, but nothing that I want to write about – grant-writing stu . is o ers me a great outlet to do it, and I love doing it with all women. It’s such a refreshing change.”

Clifton Comedy eatre is a hopping spot on Saturday nights when an Alphas show is about to start. Stepping into the subterranean performance space right o Ludlow Avenue in the Gaslight District, audience members enter a modest, intimate row of tiered seating

facing the stage, which is ground level and unseparated from the front row. A drink is on the house with a ticket purchase (tips/donations welcome), and the show is about an hour long.

During a recent performance, one of the most delightful sketches asked what you would do if you could travel through time if you’re, say, a bit narcissistic. Would you want to meet your former or future self? What would you do with the other self in that case? Minds can’t help but wander a bit perversely to see where this was going: when a woman meets herself, she likes what she sees.

at illustrates the kinds of humor achieved by Alphas: raunchy, subverted, yet not overly nihilistic.

Everything is meant to empower women, no matter how silly. At the end of the show, everybody in the audience laughed hard and could nd something to like.

e troupe’s intended goal, among others, is to make people feel joy. What they – as women who empower themselves through their creativity –say they get in exchange is an inclusive community of a diverse range. anks to the stage they’ve set, their voices are ampli ed and, at the same time, they’re able to collaborate with real professionals in the performing arts industry.

Alphas members say Mullins deserves much of the credit.

“Allow me to sing the praises of Patricia Mullins for a moment, who pretty much single-handedly produces, directs and gives us feedback on our sketches,” writer/performer Tatiana Godfrey says. “ e way that rehearsals are structured, it’s very easy entry for everybody who’s involved, so welcoming. Really, that’s all because of Patricia’s work.”

Godfrey has a master’s of ne arts in dramaturgy and works as literary manager at Playhouse in the Park. Even though she has a full-time job, as many of the performers do, she says she juggles her hours for projects that inspire the passion needed for these kinds of performances.

Empowerment is a big overall theme with Alphas, which even is re ected in the group’s name itself. e term “alpha” historically has referred to men in popular vernacular. An adjective whose meaning in this application is de ned as “socially dominant, especially in a group of animals,” has no speci c gender and can also be embraced by women is important.

“I was listening to NPR and heard a story where they referenced ‘alpha females,’ and it was like a lightning bolt to me that the show I was putting together should be called ‘Alphas,’” Mullins says. “It felt like a powerful name to give our show and ourselves, to jumpstart this new thing we were doing together – because it’s the name of the show, but it’s also each of us individually.”

“We call each other ‘alphas,’ and I can say that just from my own experience, it makes me more con dent in every situation I go into now, to think of myself as an ‘alpha,’” she adds.

Alphas perform regularly at Clifton Comedy eatre, with “Alphas in Hell” scheduled for Oct. 22.

Info: improvcincinnati.com

Alphas perform regularly at Clifton Comedy eatre, with “Alphas in Hell” scheduled for Oct. 22. Info: improvcincinnati.com

Alphas perform their “Secret Agent Wo-Man” (top) and “Femster Gadget” (bottom) sketch comedy routines. PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY ALPHAS Alphas perform their “Secret Agent Wo-Man” (top) and “Femster Gadget” (bottom) sketch comedy routines. PHOTOS: PROVIDED BY ALPHAS

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 31

MUSIC

Philadelphia Freedom

Kurt Vile has a Cincinnati tour date on the calendar but found a new groove in the City of Brotherly Love.

BY JASON GARGANO BY JASON GARGANO

Kurt Vile can be hard to pin down — a long-haired, skinny-jeaned 42-year-old with melodies for miles and a mind that moves in unexpected directions. e Philadelphiabred singer, songwriter and ace guitarist is a self-described musical obsessive, the kind of guy who immerses himself in every aspect of his chosen endeavor.

Speaking to CityBeat via a fuzzy cell phone connection from a recent tour stop in Germany, Vile is an easygoing but engaging conversationalist. Within a matter of minutes, he oats from one topic to the next in a way that feels almost like free association, touching on everything from the early-aughts production techniques of Jim O’Rourke to unorthodox song ideas likely to appear on future Vile records to the

merits of regional gures like Cincinnati’s own Brian Olive (whom he calls an “amazing musician and artist”).

Vile’s songs spring forth in a simi larly organic manner. His ninth album, (watch my moves), dropped in April and is another expansive exploration, 15 deceptively personal songs over more than 70 minutes. It’s an evolution of the approach he’s employed since at least 2015’s B’lieve I’m Going Down — spacey, folk-forti ed jams powered less by soar ing guitar leads than by hypnotic, often meditative vibrations.

Take “Like Exploding Stones,” which sounds like late-era, narcotically dosed Sonic Youth by way of Stereolab, its circular guitar and rhythmic patterns transporting listeners to an alternate universe punctuated by a sweet sax solo

from James Stewart of the Sun Ra Arkes tra. en there’s Vile’s distinctive drawl and evocative lyrics, which he enunci ates like Stephen Malkmus doing a John Prine impression.

Work on (watch my moves) began in 2019 at veteran producer Rob Schnapf’s studio in Los Angeles where Vile made his last two records. But the COVID-19 pandemic had other ideas, halting pro duction and forcing Vile to hunker down with his wife and two young daughters at his home in Philadelphia’s Mt. Airy neighborhood. e unexpected turn of events had an upside — it allowed him to complete a recording studio in the basement of his home.

“Rob is a friend,” Vile says when asked why he continues to collaborate with Schnapf. “He’s fun to hang around.

He’s also passionate. He’s also into gear, like the rest of us. He’s all about staying out of the way and having a good time until it’s time to go in there and tweak it.

“He’s been making records with people like Elliott Smith and Beck since the 1990s,” Vile continues. “He came to my home studio in Philly. He said, ‘I’m going to come to you.’ Believe it or not, no producer actually said that to me, so that kind of sealed the deal.”

Recording in his hometown for the rst time in more than a decade also couldn’t help but a ect the result. Vile woke up each day with a short walk from his bed to the studio, which he calls the “KV Zone.” Friends, family and local avors invariably made their way into the record and its resulting videos, all of which he shot near his

Kurt Vile will visit Cincinnati in October. PHOTO: ADAM WALLACAVAGE

32 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

backer of Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa and more.

house in Mt. Airy.

“I was obsessively thinking about the record anyway before the shutdown,” Vile says of the pandemic curveball. “I wasn’t just working from my home — I had to think about getting the studio nished and obsessively thinking about how I’m going to make this record stand out compared to the others, which I always do. Because I’m obsessive, whatever my latest in uences are, combined with whatever epiphanies I have about my own music, I want to get them into the record. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Vile says the solitude of his studio speaks to him.

“I like when I go down in the studio when nobody’s around and I don’t turn anything on. It’s like my temple. at was what was missing in Philly, and that’s what I have now,” he says.

Another change, Vile says, was switching record labels from his longtime home at indie staple Matador to Verve, founded in 1956 and known as a

I wanted to see what happened,” Vile says. “It wasn’t a decision I took lightly.

“I did it because the opportunity arose. Verve was interested, and I was attered. My contract was up with Matador, and I was intrigued by the fact that a non-indie rock, somewhat major label with a cool history and connected with Universal Records was interested. I wanted to see what happened,” Vile says. “It wasn’t a decision I took lightly. I’m grateful to Matador; they’re my family. ey were very supportive and we’re still friends, but I’m 42 years old now, and all the signs were pointing to, ‘Try this new opportunity out.’”

I’m grateful to Matador; they’re my family. ey were very supportive and we’re still friends, but I’m 42 years old now, and all the signs were pointing to, ‘Try this new opportunity out.’”

Likewise, there’s a curiously opportunistic vibe to (watch my moves) that belies the cultural darkness of recent years. It’s as if Vile’s Philly cocoon shields him from outside turbulence, which is akin to the way he approaches music — he creates the universe he wants to inhabit.

“I like the idea of music that puts you in a positive zone and just makes you want to dance,” Vile says. “Ideally, it could be like two minutes and feel like an eternity in a good way. Or it could go on forever and you’re going to keep dancing and in that positive zone until you either get distracted and lose interest or the song ends.”

Vile says that “Wakin on a Pretty Day” from the 2013 album Wakin on a Pretty Daze used a similar concept.

“Well, I like the kind of songs that are two minutes, a blissful pop song that you want to play over and over again, except with ‘Wakin on a Pretty Day’ you don’t have to hit play as much,” he says. “You have to wait 10 minutes before you start it over again instead of two.”

And, of course, Vile is grateful to be playing live shows again.

“It’s awesome,” Vile says. “I connect to the fans. I feel like even on the last record I was connecting more with the audi ence, but now that I’ve had some time to re ect on things, you don’t take anything for granted. If people are coming out to see me, chances are they’re like me, which is obsessed with music. And now I’m not shy to look out at the audience and know that everybody’s into it.”

Kurt Vile and the Violators will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Andrew J Brady Music Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Julia Shapiro of Chastity Belt will open the show. Info: bradymusiccenter.com.

“I like when I go down in the studio when nobody’s around and I don’t turn anything on. It’s like my temple.”

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 33

34 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

MUSIC

Artists Curate Music, Dance, Visual Art and Trusted Space in Warmth

BY KATRINA ERESMAN BY KATRINA ERESMAN

In early 2022, Cincinnati artists Alex Stallings and Cj Wooten brought a new music exploration series to the Queen City. WARMTH Culture is led by queer individuals and people of color and is named for the safe and welcoming energy each event strives to create. With a focus on hip hop, R&B, and house music, Warmth has thus far succeeded in bringing the good vibes to spaces like the Mockbee and 21c’s Gano Alley.

Warmth’s next activation again will ll Gano Alley with a live DJ showcase and dance performances during BLINK on Oct. 14.

Both Wooten and Stallings have backgrounds in the arts outside of the Midwest. Stallings — also known Stallitix and one half of Cincinnati rap duo Patterns of Chaos — was born here but raised in Sacramento. He was there during the Hyphy movement, a hip-hop culture that originated in Oakland in the late 1990s. Stallings describes it as “carefree music” and “carefree energy.”

“ ere’s always been something in the water in the Bay Area, especially in Oakland,” Stallings tells CityBeat. “See ing how people moved and how things were done, it was dope. When I came here I wanted to bring that here, that carefreeness.”

Stallings, who used to host a monthly hip-hop night at Revel OTR called “No Cool Kids Allowed,” says he has always valued spaces where people can let loose and be real.

“It’s a movement [of Hyphy]. People were dancing, just going to these functions, parties,” Stallings says. “Girls dancing, guys dancing. At parks, in the parking lot of [grocery stores] from 12 in the morning until 3 o’clock in the morning…”

“You really embody that,” Wooten tells Stallings. “Take your cool o and just have fun. at’s so distinctly special, and you embody that 100%.”

Wooten also is an Ohio native who has spent her share of time outside of the area, including years living abroad, with stints in Turkey and Eastern Europe. For her, living in di erent cities has been integral in developing a vision for Warmth

“It’s given us a lot of di erent perspectives on what we don’t have here, what we want to cultivate and what still remains,” Wooten says.

Wooten and Stallings say that when they started developing Warmth, they wanted to create spaces that could feel like home, regardless of who you know or where you’re from. Part of that vision

meant designing spaces where people can let their guard down. Both agree that such spaces are too hard to come by.

“[I heard] of friends going places and being attacked because of their color of skin, being harassed because they’re a woman, being, you know, attacked because they’re queer,” Stallings says. “I wanted to cry with them, [and] in that moment I wanted them to feel safe.”

For Wooten and Stallings, one of the most important things about Warmth is that it is a safe space — beyond a safe space, actually, because as Wooten and Stallings say, almost in unison, “Safe for who?” e duo prefers to label their events as “trusted spaces.”

“[When we] create spaces that are trusted, where people can feel like they trust that environment and have accountability to everyone there, then something really magical happens and people connect in levels and ways that you wouldn’t necessarily anticipate,” Wooten says.

e Warmth tagline reads “Bring Your Best Self,” and Wooten and Stallings hope that this simple statement helps set the tone for their events.

“Drop the ulterior motives, drop the drama,” Wooten says. “Just leave all the bags at the door.”

Another major priority within Warmth is supporting the artists. e duo say they work hard to nd the funding to pay them competitively and do what they can to develop support and respect from the audience. With so many shows happening at bar venues, Stallings says, it’s common for artists to play to noisy crowds just out for a drink.

“For the artists, we want something more,” Stallings says.

Wooten also emphasizes the importance of giving artists a welcoming space and nancial support.

“When they have resources they need, the possibilities for innovation and what it does for the community, what it does for the economy, what it does for culture in a city, is just exponential,” Wooten says.

For their BLINK activation, Warmth will highlight Black women artists in particular. e activation is titled “YEMAYÁ SISTA TO THE DISTANT YET RISING STAR,” which was taken from the 1997 lm Love Jones. In the movie, the character played by Larenz Tate reads a poem dedicated to the woman he’s in love with.

“Now do they call you daughter to the spinnin post,

Sista to the distant, yet rising star…”

“It’s an homage to Black women in a romantic sense, but also I think in a motherly, sister sense,” Stallings says. “Make them be seen, be heard and be respected. For this project, I want that to be resonating.”

e BLINK activation takes place from 7-11 p.m. on Oct. 14 in Gano Alley, where Michael Coppage’s “Black Box Women” mural will line the walls. e mural both inspires and elevates the activation’s mission, which is led by a lineup of Black creative women based in Cincinnati.

e showcase includes DJ Queen Celine and DJ Rah D, who will focus their sets on music created by Black women. e (CA)^2 dance crew will jump in with intervals of hip-hop choreography inspired by the mythology of Yemayá and created to engage the audience with the dance oor. All of this is scheduled to happen beneath a light show by Louisville-based Lapis Laser Display.

components coming into it, but really anchoring it into having that respect and love and representation for Black women.”

“YEMAYÁ SISTA TO THE DISTANT YET RISING STAR” is one of Warmth’s nal events for the year, but the series is just getting started. Stallings and Wooten say they believe in the power of these settings to build bridges between di erent cultures and regions. With each new activation, there’s an opportunity for warm connection and carefree fun.

“Black people are not a monolith. White people are not a monolith,” Wooten says. “Finding those bridges through music or through art is super powerful because I think it demysti es a lot of it. It really breaks [it] down, and I feel like people are actually able to connect as humans in those spaces.”

“Now do they call you daughter to the spinnin post,

Or maybe Queen of 2,000 moons

“I think it’s going to be a beautiful thing,” Wooten says. “All those di erent

WARMTH Culture takes place 7-11 p.m. Oct. 14, in Gano Alley at 21c Museum Hotel, 609 Walnut St., Downtown. Info and curated Spotify playlists: instagram.com/warmth.

Cj Wooten and Alex Stallings of Warmth Culture PHOTO: PRINCE LANG Cj Wooten and Alex Stallings of Warmth Culture PHOTO: PRINCE LANG

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 35

36 CITYBEAT.COM | OCTOBER 5-18, 2022

SOUND ADVICE

Cincinnati while touring with their former group, they found themselves drawn to Cincy’s people, atmosphere and local music scene, all of which eventually brought them to the decision to make Cincinnati their home.

Turtledoves play Motr Pub at 10 p.m. Oct. 16. Patzy will open the show. ere are no known COVID-19 protocols in place for the event. Info: motrpub.com.

VIAGRA BOYS

Oct. 14 • Woodward eater

One of the most exciting shows to come to town this year will be at the Woodward eater in Over-the-Rhine featuring two of the most signi cant punk bands to emerge in recent years: Stockholm, Sweden’s Viagra Boys and London’s shame (stylized with a lowercase S), along with Los Angeles band Kills Birds. All three bands have received plenty of critical acclaim and come with proper intensity and inventiveness.

Viagra Boys has developed somewhat of a cult following since its 2018 debut Street Worms. e band’s style features post-punk power with catchy danceable drums and synth lines along with e Stooges’ Fun House-eluding saxophone wails, while singer Sebastian Murphy delivers lines that are simultaneously intense and nonchalant. e band has since released two more well-received records: 2021’s Welfare Jazz and this year’s alt-right lampooning Cave World.

Nirvana’s Nevermind at Dave Grohl’s home studio.

e records feature appearances from Amyl and e Sni ers’ Amy Taylor and Sleaford Mods’ Jason Williamson respectively

shame’s rst album Songs of Praise also debuted in 2018 charting across Europe. 2021’s Drunk Tank Pink, named after a color used to calm aggressive behavior, charted at No. 8 on the United Kingdom’s O cial Albums Chart. Exploding with energy and a fresh take on punk ethos, shame seems to be expanding in scope and building on their momentum.

Kills Birds will kick things o . Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth is a fan, and the band’s new album Married was recorded on the same console as

Viagra Boys and Shame play Woodward eater at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 14. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Kills Birds opens the show. ere are no known COVID-19 protocols in place for the event. Info: woodwardtheater.com. (Brent Stroud)

TURTLEDOVES

Oct. 16 • MOTR Pub

Radiohead, Broadcast, Angel Olsen, traditional folk music from around the world and even the physical landscapes around them – from childhood homes to the city of Cincinnati – Turtledoves creates a truly unique sound that is both intellectual and entertaining.

Turtledoves play Motr Pub at 10 p.m. Oct. 16. Patzy will open the show. ere are no known COVID-19 protocols in place for the event. Info: motrpub.com. (Eric Bates)

(Eric Bates)

JAROBI

Oct. 21 • Woodward eater Jarobi, a founding member of the legendary and in uential hip-hip group A Tribe Called Quest, is set to make an appearance at the Woodward eater. e group came out of the Native Tongues collective of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s that also included hip-hop luminaries De La Soul. Jarobi is featured and acts as host on A Tribe Called Quest’s 1990 debut record People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

JAROBI

If you want to immerse yourself in songs bursting with lush harmonies and sweeping cinematic sounds, make your way to MOTR Pub. Turtledoves, a synth and guitar duo from Cincinnati comprised of Alex and Ashley McGrath, pride themselves on enveloping their live audience in musical colors and textures, taking the listener on a moody yet uplifting journey.

Oct. 16 • MOTR Pub

Turtledoves has recently completed its rst full-length album, with a release date to be determined. It will be the follow-up to the band’s six-song EP masterpiece, Pillars of the Earth, released in 2020. e duo also just wrapped up a live music video, lmed and recorded in a church in Michigan and featuring tracks from the forthcoming release. A tour supporting the record is also in the works.

Drawing inspiration from artists like

Hailing from Illinois and Michigan, the McGraths, now married for more than twelve years, met while performing with the band e Soil and the Sun. Having made several stops in

He left the group during recording for 1991’s e Low End eory to go to culinary school and pursue a career in culinary arts. Jarobi [born Jarobi White] built a career as an executive chef and restaurant manager while making a handful of appearances with Tribe over the years and was honored alongside the group at 2007’s VH1 Hip Hop Honors. He rejoined the group for its nal album, the critically acclaimed We Got It from Here... ank You 4 Your Service in 2016 before fellow founding member Phife Dawg’s passing that year. He made appearances promoting the record, including a powerful and memorable performance on Saturday Night Live paying tribute to Phife Dawg. Jarobi will bring a DJ set delivering “upbeat sounds and grooves — according to Woodward eater’s show description — from the ‘70’s though today and guiding the night much like he did on Tribe’s rst record. e event is presented by the Underworld Black Arts Festival in connection with visual and light art festival BLINK. e show will also feature visuals from celebrated London artist Vince Fraser. A handful of local hip-hop and R&B artists including P.o.C. (Patterns of Chaos), DJ Apryl Reign, Fortune the Queen and Brizzy the Activist plus dancers Camille Jones and Basko also will be part of the party.

Jarobi will bring a DJ set delivering “upbeat sounds and grooves — according to Woodward eater’s show description — from the ‘70’s though today and guiding the night much like he did on Tribe’s rst record. e event is presented by the Underworld Black Arts Festival in connection with visual and light art festival BLINK. e show will also feature visuals from celebrated London artist Vince Fraser. A handful of local hip-hop and R&B artists including P.o.C. (Patterns of Chaos), DJ Apryl Reign, Fortune the Queen and Brizzy the Activist plus dancers Camille Jones and Basko also will be part of the party.

Jarobi plays Woodward eater at 7 p.m. Oct. 21. ere are no known COVID-19 protocols in place for the event. Info: woodwardtheater.com. (BS)

Viagra Boys PHOTO: PROVIDED BY POWERLINE AGENCY Turtledoves PHOTO: DEVIN R. GLISTA Nirvana’s Nevermind at Dave Grohl’s home studio. Viagra Boys PHOTO: PROVIDED BY POWERLINE AGENCY Turtledoves PHOTO: DEVIN R. GLISTA

OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 37

SOUND ADVICE

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

from the

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OCTOBER 5-18, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM 39 CROSSWORD C-LIST CELEBRITIES

Across 1. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” director 6. King Minos’s island 11. Volleyball side 14. Quran religion 15. Anti-anxiety drug 16. Prefix with mature or determined 17. “Big Brother” host Julie tears it up? 19. Yours and mine 20. Like some symmetry 21. ___ Skool 22. Step on it! 23. Actor George’s Spotify playist? 26. “Yaaas, queen,” initially 29. Rule of crime fiction 30. Article in “Die Zeit” 31. Escape room utterances 33. Brief moments 36. Busan setting 39. Cuban president-turned-stargazer Raúl? 42. Ballet recital headpiece 43. Prepare, as potatoes 44. ___ buco 45. It has a prominent carburetor 47. Mangy dog 49. Swabbing need 50. Big Star singer Alex’s Monopoly property? 55. Cook’s company on NASDAQ 56. As well as 57. Think tank creations 60. Compete (for) 61. One who lends out Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy for a while? 64. “When RU coming over?” 65. Groucho prop 66. Split apart 67. Bridesmaid, maybe 68. Implanted tube 69. Very small Down 1. WWE icon Flair 2. “Brimful of ___” (1997 Cornershop hit) 3. Holly plant 4. Super frenzied 5. Leaping African antelope 6. Lifeguard’s skill, briefly 7. Sing to the Feds 8. An American in Paris, e.g. 9. Make a hippie’s t-shirt, say 10. Pillow’s center? 11. Packed lunch / lacked punch, e.g. 12. “Who’s your daddy!” 13. Spanish sherry 18. Prospero’s enemy in “The Tempest” 22. Chevron rival 24. Lunch time, for some 25. ___ torch 26. It might be checked by an editor 27. Panang chicken curry fare 28. Spicy green morsels 32. Casual walk 34. Chinese cuppa 35. Food distribution giant 37 Chevron rival, north of the border 38. Over 40. Long-winded angry missive 41. One who doesn’t get out very much 46. “Start working!” 48. Home for /r/explainlikeimfive and /r/ wallstreetbets_ 50. Falls under pressure 51. Its national currency is the gourde 52. Oslo’s land, in Oslo 53. Navajo dwelling 54. Sierra ___ 58. Chips for openers 59. Spread, as seeds 61. Includes in the emails 62. It “washes away

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CityBeat | October 5-18, 2022

Abortion Care Providers See Short-Term Success with Ohio Courts

Abortion Care Providers See Short-Term Success with Ohio Courts

Testimony from an ongoing lawsuit shows the terrible toll of Ohio’s “heartbeat bill.”

Testifying against S.B. 23

Testifying against S.B. 23

Racing the clock

Report: Cincinnati in Top 10 U.S. Cities for Largest Year-Over-Year Rent Increase

Report: Cincinnati in Top 10 U.S. Cities for Largest Year-Over-Year Rent Increase

Racing the clock

A ordability in question

A ordability in question

New Ad: Cincinnati Republican Steve Chabot Is Watching Your Bedroom Antics

TQL Stadium Named Best Across the Globe at World Football Summit

A growing soccer city

Winning ways

Cincinnati Bengals Make History with White Helmets, Franchise Record Crowd

Al-Madina Market & Grill

Allez Bakery

Anchor Grill

Branch

Brew House

Bridges Nepali Cuisine

Carl’s Deli

Cincy Steak & Lemonade

Daylily

El Barril Mexican Sports Bar & Grill

Galactic Fried Chicken

Gulow Street

Island Frydays

Kiki College Hill

Lil’s Bagels

Pig Candy BBQ

Saigon Subs & Rolls

SushiNati

Tortilleria Garcia

Trotta’s Pizza & Drive-Thru

Unataza Coffee

The Whole Bowl

Wodka Bar

Wunderbar

Wyoming Meat Market

ARTS & CULTURE

CULTURE

Cincinnati Author’s New Young-Adult Story

Cincinnati Author’s New Young-Adult Story Is Sweet But Spooky

Is Sweet But Spooky

Sara Bennett Wealer’s coming-of-age novel Grave Things Like Love hits bookstores Oct. 11 for a gentle Halloween delight.

CULTURE

CULTURE

Murder on the Orient Express Pulls into Downtown Cincinnati for a Winning Whodunit

Murder on the Orient Express Pulls into Downtown Cincinnati for a Winning Whodunit

CULTURE

CULTURE

Local Comedy Troupe Empowers Women Through Creativity

Local Comedy Troupe Empowers Women Through Creativity

MUSIC

MUSIC

Philadelphia Freedom

Philadelphia Freedom

Kurt Vile has a Cincinnati tour date on the calendar but found a new groove in the City of Brotherly Love.

Kurt Vile has a Cincinnati tour date on the calendar but found a new groove in the City of Brotherly Love.

MUSIC

MUSIC

Artists Curate Music, Dance, Visual Art and Trusted Space in Warmth

Artists Curate Music, Dance, Visual Art and Trusted Space in Warmth

SOUND ADVICE

VIAGRA BOYS

VIAGRA BOYS

TURTLEDOVES

TURTLEDOVES

Oct. 16 • MOTR Pub

JAROBI

JAROBI

Oct. 16 • MOTR Pub

DISSOLVE YOUR MARRIAGE

DISSOLVE YOUR MARRIAGE

Articles inside

COVER

MUSIC