CityBeat | Feb. 9-22, 2022

WHO DEY! DEY! With Cincinnati’s Super Bowl berth, Bengal blood is running through every facet of Queen City life.

FEBUARY JANUARY 9, 12,2021 2022- -FEBRUARY JANUARY 25, 22, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM

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VOL. 27 | ISSUE 03

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ON THE COVER: BENGALS VS. RAMS SUPER BOWL ILLUSTRATION: TALON HAMPTON

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NEWS

A survey from Interact for Health shows 70% of respondents want businesses to require masks for employees.

P H O T O : J U L I A N WA N , UNSPLASH

Survey: Most Cincinnatians Want Mask Mandates Due to COVID-19

BY A L L I S O N BA B K A

T

hough the situation is slowly improving, COVID-19 continues to plague the Greater Cincinnati region, and many residents want to do something about it.

A new report from local nonprofit Interact for Health shares results from a survey about COVID-19 safety protocols. Results were released on Jan. 25, and the survey was conducted Oct.

29-Nov. 12 among 520 adults within Greater Cincinnati’s 20-county region (this includes parts of Kentucky and Indiana).

According to survey results, 70% of respondents want businesses to require masking for employees when working in person. In addition, respondents also want businesses to require masks at events, with 69% saying attendees should be obligated to wear them at large indoor gatherings and 54% wanting masks at large outdoor functions.

Virologists and other experts agree that the coronavirus spreads through the air via fine aerosol particles that can linger for hours, which is why scientists strongly recommend wearing masks — especially when indoors or among large groups — practicing physical distancing, enabling good ventilation and avoiding large gatherings.

Scientific studies have shown that public masking can block a high percentage of coronavirus particles from spreading to others and can protect the wearer, as well — even when not everyone does so. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends well-fitting masks such as the N95 or KN95 that a person will wear consistently.

Survey respondents are more split on issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccinations. About 52% say businesses should require COVID-19 vaccinations to be able conduct in-person work. As for large events, 55% of Cincinnatians want businesses to require proof of vaccination for entry indoors, while only 45% want to show proof outdoors.

Scientists have said that getting one of the three COVID-19 vaccination series available in the United States

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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(Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) greatly protects people from severe illness and likely hospitalization should they be exposed to the coronavirus, including its variants like Omicron and Delta. Adding a booster provides even more protection against serious health challenges or death, experts say. And though even vaccinated people can still contract COVID-19, they are much less likely to need hospitalization. Most hospitalized COVID patients are unvaccinated, medical staff say.

Of Interact for Health’s survey respondents who had already completed a regular COVID-19 vaccination series, 78% say they are very or somewhat likely to get a booster.

COVID-19 vaccinations are available to people ages 5 and older. Boosters are available to everyone 18 and up and to teens ages 12-17 years old who have completed the Pfizer vaccine series.

According to data from the Health Collaborative as of Feb. 4, only about 58% of regional residents have been vaccinated, while only 27% have been boosted.

Interact for Health conducted its survey shortly before the Omicron variant

of the coronavirus began spreading in earnest across the globe. Most of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States are now due to Omicron rather than to the original strain, the Delta variant or other iterations of the virus.

During a Jan. 12 briefing with reporters, Deborah Hayes, president and CEO of The Christ Hospital, said that Omicron is changing the “rules” of the ongoing pandemic.

“One of the things about Omicron that is very different from all of the other variants of this COVID virus is that its transmissibility efficiency is at least twice what any of the other strains of this COVID virus has been,” Hayes said. “It is a virus that spreads almost as, if not as, easily as measles.”

“It’s one of the most transmissible viruses in the history of the world,” Hayes added.

As it has for months, the CDC continues to label the entire state of Ohio red as of press time, meaning there is high community transmission for COVID-19.

Read the full survey results at interactforhealth.org.

NFL Says No to Super Bowl Watch Party at Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium

BY A L L I S O N BA B K A

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Cincinnati Bengals fans won't be cheering for a Super Bowl victory from Paul Brown Stadium after all.

Regional officials have been discussing logistics for hosting a Super Bowl LVI watch party at the stadium on Sunday, Feb. 13, when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams for this season's crown.

According to an email from Hamilton County Administrator Jeff Aluotto to the county's commissioners, stadium officials had requested permission from the NFL to broadcast the game — which will be played in California — on screens there.

Unfortunately, the NFL said no.

In a letter attached to Aluotto's Feb. 2 email, Eric Brown, the managing director at Paul Brown Stadium, told Aluotto that the NFL declined the request, saying that the league's decision is "consistent with the NFL's Rules and Policies applicable to similar events."

"The NFL, its 32 franchises, stadium operators, sponsors, broadcasters, and other involved parties, organize and broadcast over 500 games for millions of fans to attend and view each year,"

Brown wrote to Aluotto. "The legal and logistical barriers to holding a 'Watch' Party for Super Bowl LVI are too significant."

The NFL holds all broadcasting rights for the Super Bowl.

Aluotto said that Hamilton County will continue to seek other ways fans can share in the Super Bowl experience.

Officials had also attempted to coordinate a watch party at Paul Brown Stadium for the Bengals' appearance in the AFC Championship on Jan. 23 but couldn’t put the logistics into place in time.

The Bengals will battle the Rams during Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Feb. 13. The Rams won the Jan. 30 NFC Championship game to advance with the Bengals, who overcame the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime just hours earlier to become the AFC champs.

The Super Bowl will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Rams' home of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood (the Bengals will serve as the home team). NBC will broadcast the game, and fans also can watch on Peacock, Telemundo, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

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WHO DEY! DEY! With Cincinnati’s Super Bowl berth, Bengal blood is running through every facet of Queen City life.

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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JANUARY 12, 2022 - JANUARY 25, 2022 | CITYBEAT.COM

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Cinati Bengos creator Kyle Gasnik P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY K Y L E G A S N I K

The Rise of the Cinati Bengos

BY S E A N M . P E T E RS 10

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Back in 2015, Cincinnatian Kyle Gasnik drew a crude but lovable cartoon of the Bengals mascot (well, sort of ) and jokingly titled his creation the “Cinati Bengo.” As a lark, Gasnik — then working at a sign shop — made some stickers at his job and distributed them among friends. Someone posted a photo of the Bengo sticker, positioned

near a “RIP Harambe” bumper sticker on the back of a friend’s car, to the Bengals subreddit and the post gained traction.

The internet took it from there and now Gasnik’s absurdly funny designs are available through his website, concussionsports.net. He makes shirts, flags, stickers, hats and more donning

some iteration of the Bengo — a charming creation that looks sort of like an angry orange cat with three fangs — the phrase “Cinati Bengos” and his warped version of the Who Dey chant: “Who are they going to Bingo Bengo?

Nooooo, Buddy!”

And it’s not just the Bengals. Gasnik has created phonetic approximations of teams including the Pisberg Stellers, Leevlin Browns, LosAngis Wams and more. And he plans to launch additional local team designs for the Cinati Ress, Univercinati Burkits and Eff Cee Cinati.

While it’s too late to order Cinati Bengos merch to receive it in time for the Super Bowl game, Gasnik’s designs ensure that we’ll all still be Bengals fans no matter what happens at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.

Below, Gasnik shares his design evolution and what his new surge of popularity has been like.

spring and summer of 2021 came, and I may have gotten 10 orders total for seven months, which was a big blow to my self esteem.

But then October hit and things got crazy, and that was when I was like, “Oh wow... This is really happening.”

It’s been a steady flow ever since. I love seeing people tag me in posts on Instagram. It’s a lot of fun to play a part in the excitement flowing through the city right now.

CityBeat: The design itself — how and why did you make it?

Kyle Gasnik: I made it in a (pirated) version of Adobe Illustrator because I wanted to become more proficient with the program and couldn’t afford it at the time. I originally colored it in MS Paint because I didn’t know how to use Illustrator, like, at all. I’ve always doodled in the margins of my notes in school, so making a doodle on a computer screen came naturally.

But the main reason I do anything, including drawing something like a Cinati Bengo, is to make myself laugh.

Life’s more fun that way.

CB: How do you make the items?

KG: I initially had 70 shirts and 30 hoodies screen-printed locally. But then someone told me about drop shipping and I found a company that does it, but they’re not particularly local. It helped me focus on maintaining the website and customer service while having a full-time job (at GCI Digital Imaging).

Their turnaround time can sometimes take up to two or three weeks, though, which is a bummer.

My goal by the end of the year is to break away from drop shipping and do more stuff locally, at least for Cinati designs — more of which are to come, and not just Bengos.

CB: How did you settle on the phonetics on team names?

KG: Figuring out the names is my favorite part. I just try to find something that rolls off the tongue easily and is fun to say out loud. I’ve always been a halfway decent writer, and playing with words is something I’m constantly doing in everyday life. Alliteration, rhyming, absurd improv — all that stuff makes conversations a lot more interesting. It’s why the answer to “Who are they going to Bingo Bengo?” is grammatical nonsense. It’s just silly and makes me laugh.

CB: What’s your best seller? Your favorite?

KG: A lot of people buy hoodies and crewnecks. They’re pretty comfy, so I can’t blame them. My favorite was just released: the Bengo O’s T-shirt. (Editor’s note: the presale for the limited-edition print, featuring a Bengo pouring a bowl of Bengo cereal, ended Feb. 5, but Gasnik may re-release the design at some point).

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CB: Did you ever expect to see the Cincinnati Bengals make it to the Super Bowl?

KG: I’ve been alive for 32 years and I heard stories of when the Bengals were good but never witnessed it. And now this. I suppose I thought it was possible, but I guess it’s one of those things that happens when you least expect it.

Learn more about the Cinati Bengos and view and purchase merch at concussionsports.net.

CB: What has your rise in popularity been like?

KG: I knew when I made the Cinati Bengo I had something special. It was so bad that it was actually good. My close friends loved it, and I’ve valued their opinions for years, which helped solidify the belief that even more people would like it if I put it out into the world.

Once I did, the initial response was a pleasant surprise. I sold a decent amount of stickers in those first couple months and a small number of shirts and hoodies I had screen printed. Then NOVEMBER 10 - NOVEMBER 23, 2021 | CITYBEAT.COM

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Kickoff Time, Channels and Platforms for the Bengals’ First Super Bowl in 33 Years

BY A L L I S O N BA B K A

The Cincinnati Bengals have punched the team’s first ticket to the Super Bowl since 1989, and the matchup has fans buzzing.

The Bengals will take on the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Feb. 13. The game will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Rams’ home of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where the Bengals will serve as the home team.

Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Eminem will perform during halftime.

NBC will broadcast the game, and fans also can watch on Peacock, Telemundo, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Super Bowl coverage will begin at noon, with the pre-game show launching at 1 p.m.

The Rams went 12-5 during the season before ultimately beating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship on Jan. 30. Both the Bengals and the Rams were the No. 4 seeds going into the postseason, making the upcoming Super Bowl the lowestseeded matchup in history, Yahoo Sports says.

The Rams have appeared in four Super Bowl games (including when the team was not located in Los Angeles) and won one.

The Bengals have never won a Super Bowl and have gone to the big game only twice. During the Bengals’ most

recent appearance in 1989, the team lost 16-20 to the 49ers. Before that, the orange and black again challenged the 49ers in 1982 but lost 21-26.

The Bengals’ road to the Super Bowl has been thrilling, most recently during the tense AFC Championship game on Jan. 30. Cincinnati knocked off the highly-favored, two-time AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in overtime after overcoming an 18-point deficit.

The Bengals — 10-7 on the regular season — had trailed 21-10 at the half but later rallied to tie it up and then take the lead. At the end of the fourth quarter, the Chiefs deadlocked the score again, sending the game into overtime.

And then came Bengals kicker Evan McPherson to save the day, just as he had during the Jan. 21 win over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional round. McPherson gave Cincinnati a game-winning field goal against Kansas City — a 31-yard beauty that glided right through the posts and made the entire Queen City erupt with glee.

As of press time, professional oddsmakers largely predict that the Rams will enjoy a Super Bowl victory, putting the Bengals’ over/under at 48.5 points and making the Rams the 4.5-point favorite.

The Bengals AFC Championship game tailgate at The Banks on Jan. 30 P H OTO : A DA M D OT Y

Furry Bengals fan P H OTO : A DA M D OT Y

Celebrating the Bengals win after the AFC Championship game P H OTO : A DA M D OT Y

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

A six-pack of Hudepohl’s Hu-Dey beer from the 1988/1989 Bengals Super Bowl run P H O T O : S T U A R T M A C K E N Z I E / J E R RY ’ S J U G H O U S E

How Dey: The Origins of ‘Who Dey’

BY M A I JA Z U M M O “Who dey! Who dey! Who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals? Noooobody.”

It’s the iconic rallying cry that echoes through the bars, streets and stadium in Cincinnati during Bengals season. A chant to unite the die-hard fans of this football franchise, whether the team is winning or losing — and, since the late 1980s, it’s mostly been losing.

But the Bengals are no longer the butt of a joke and the Queen City is ready to claim its Super Bowl crown.

As the Bengals prepare to take on the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Feb. 13 for Super Bowl LVI — an honor more than three decades in the making — the nation is once again captivated by our Midwestern city’s battle call, with broad speculation about its origin. While the question previously has been who they think will beat the Bengals (generally, that’s been most teams), the question now is who they think made “Who Dey.” And, for all intents and purposes, it appears this beloved chant was spontaneously generated by Bengals fans, like a primal cheer rising up from the collective unconscious.

The Bengals first went to the Super Bowl in 1982. Historical accounts by local newspapers agree that while Who Dey fever overtook the city, with the phrase appearing on merch, memorabilia and beer cans, no one is sure about its exact genesis.

The Bengals former director of public relations, Al Heim, is quoted as saying the chant showed up in 1981/1982 when the team started winning. “We have no idea where it came from — it’s not ours. But I’ll tell you one thing, it has really been a great thing for us,” he said.

A Cincinnati Enquirer story from 1983 reports, “Some say (the chant) staggered out of the bars on Second Street. But others imbue it with even higher origins. It was hatched, they claim, by fermented fans in the red seats of Riverfront Stadium — a little high-level improvisation from some high, going-on-higher impresarios.”

The Enquirer piece then reports on the rumor that Who Dey is related to Hudepohl beer, or “Hudy,” as it’s colloquially known: “There are those who insist that long before it became

the maniacal mantra of frenzied fans, it was part of the rhythmic hawking of stadium beer vendors.”

The urban legend goes that drunk Bengals fans adopted the shout of Hudy beer salesmen — “Hu-dy” — walking the aisles of Riverfront Stadium (where the team played from 1970 to 1999, until the advent of Paul Brown Stadium in 2000).

Hudepohl even capitalized on that association, creating special orangeand-black Bengals-themed “Hu-Dey” cans in 1982 (and again for the team’s Super Bowl run in 1989).

WEBN-FM disputes that claim, telling the Enquirer that they heard the chant earlier when the Bengals were losing in 1980.

Some credit the radio station with popularizing the full Who Dey anthem after WEBN Program Director Denton Marr grabbed some employees and recorded a version of it.

WEBN started playing their recording “repeatedly throughout the day beginning sometime in October, 1981,” reads the 1983 Enquirer article. The station kept playing it on the Bengals’ run up to Super Bowl XVI, adds a Cincinnati Post article from 1982. The assumption is it caught fire after that.

Then there’s the completely incorrect claim that Cincinnati appropriated Who Dey from the New Orleans Saints’ “Who Dat” chant.

In January, The Advocate, Louisiana’s largest newspaper, posted an editorial with the headline, “Our Views: Cincinnati’s ‘Who Dey’ Chant Is Stupid.

Lets [sic] Loan Them Ours.” The paper writes, “’Who dey, who dey, who dey think gonna beat dem Bengals?’ sounds like a cheap knock-off of our more clever — and grammatically correct — Who Dat cheer.” The Advocate goes on to suggest that the New Orleans Saints could “loan” the Bengals “Who Dat” for the playoffs, implying that the Louisiana version is superior to Ohio’s. (Although we might not know where Who Dey comes from, there’s a whole convoluted and documented history of Who Dat and its origins in minstrel shows, so we’ll say no thanks to this offer.)

And while there’s no easy answer for how Cincinnati got its Who Dey, there’s one thing everyone seems to agree on: It is by and for the fans.

Who Dey was not born of some media blitz or contrived PR stunt. It rose up like a tidal wave, a call to arms sprung from the Cincy Jungle, crashing across the city and imbuing the populous with an indefatigable team spirit, no matter how many losing seasons they — and the Bengals — endured.

Who Dey is the heart and soul of Cincinnati fans, because every time, every game, who dey think gonna beat them Bengals?

The answer? Nobody.

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow Goes Fashion Forward, Brings Cincinnati Along

BY M AG G Y M C D O N E L

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow — aka Joe Shiesty, aka Joey B., aka Joe Cool, aka Joe Brrr — has become a local hero of sorts. Since the Bengals drafted him in 2020, Burrow has thrown for more than 8,000 yards, bounced back after a season-ending knee injury in 2020 and has been instrumental to the Bengals reaching the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati knew early on that Burrow would be good at football, but now he’s showing prowess in a completely different arena: fashion. The Heismanwinning quarterback has sported a series of drippy looks recently, each one demanding more and more attention.

Below, CityBeat ranks five of our favorites.

No 5: Crazy but Comfy This look made the list because we love to see Joe being cozy, but we know he can do better. Burrow wore the abstract, chevron-patterned lounge set from Michael Jordan’s Nike line when the team arrived in Denver for a Nov. 20 game against the Broncos.

He finished the look off with a Dunder Mifflin beanie, Nike sneakers, tinted shades and red leather duffle. The man is masked up and snug, but the pattern leaves a lot to be desired. But does it really matter since the Bengals won the game 15-10?

Joe Burrow sports Michael Jordan’s lounge set.

P H OTO : T W IT T E R . C O M / B E N GA LS

No. 4: Santa Swag The day after Christmas, Burrow took the field and threw for 525 yards, beating the Baltimore Ravens 41-21. But even better than that glorious win, our favorite quarterback showed up to the celebratory post-game press conference donning a red Santa hat and Krusty Krab shirt (not his first or last venture into SpongeBob fashion). Twitter predictably went nuts. Earlier that day Burrow was spotted in the same hat, a “Happy Holla Days” sweater and his now-famous pink shades. The Christmas motif reminded fans of Burrow’s celebrity look-alike, “the kid from Home Alone,” aka Macaulay Culkin.

No. 3: SpongeBob Haute Couture Burrow was born in 1996, and anyone born around that time knows that the greatest children’s television program was about a sponge who lived in a pineapple under the sea. Burrow has shown his affinity for SpongeBob SquarePants in plenty of outfits, none more memorable than his custom suits by Cincinnati men’s boutique Hellman Retail Group.

The clothiers have helped dress Burrow during his time with the Bengals, including crafting the custom navy suit with purple pinstripes he sported along with a purple-and-gold silk tie and SpongeBob pocket square before the

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Burrow brings Christmas to the NFL. P H O T O : T W I T T E R . C O M / K E L S E Y L C O N W AY

Cincinnati boutique Hellman Retail Group raises Burrow’s SpongeBob game.

P H OTO : T W IT T E R . C O M / B E N GA LS

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Nov. 22 game against the Washington Football Team (known as the Washington Commanders as of Feb. 2). The look was curated by Hellman Retail Group owner Chuck Hellman.

No. 2: Sexy Shades After the Bengals won the team’s first playoff game in 31 years against the Las Vegas Raiders on Jan. 15, Burrow broke Twitter (and, based on comments, made some users extremely horny) with his thin, pink Y2K glasses. The specs, which teammate and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase says were Cartier, elicited comparisons to everyone from Robert Downey Jr. to Lizzie McGuire and Elton John. Cincy Shirts even created a Warhol-esque T-shirt featuring the look to commemorate the country’s collective obsession.

No. 1: Pimp My Burrow Burrow showed up to the AFC Championship in Kansas City on Jan. 30 wearing a black turtleneck, fur coat and an icy Nike chain (which he confirmed in a press conference was made of real diamonds). The look divided Twitter, but ignore the haters — this was Burrow at his swaggiest. Complex Sports tweeted the now-famous picture of Burrow in his look-at-me gear, and somehow we all should have known that a Super Bowl berth would inevitably be ours. “It was over when Joe Burrow arrived to Kansas City like this,” Complex Sports said. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson even posted a side-byside on his own Twitter comparing Burrow’s look to Johnson’s meme-worthy black turtleneck, chain and fanny pack photo, writing “Just two bad ass dudes with a strong drip game and big football dreams. One is going to the Super Bowl and preparing to cement his gridiron legacy. The other is only famous for rocking a fanny pack and a fucked up haircut.”

Burrow models Bowl-worthy swag.

P H OTO : T W IT T E R . C O M / B E N GA LS

Burrow’s ‘70s glasses deserve their own Warhol-esque shirt.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / C I N C YS H I R T S

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Hudepohl released new Hu-Dey cans to commemorate the Bengals’ appearance in Super Bowl LVI. P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY C I N B E V

Hudepohl Resurrects Hu-Dey Commemorative Beer

BY M A I JA Z U M M O

There has always been a symbiotic relationship between Cincinnati’s Hudepohl Brewing Company, founded in 1885, and the Cincinnati Bengals, established in 1967.

And, yes, part of that is built on the rumor that the team’s “Who Dey” slogan is a derivative of fans shouting for “Hudy” beer at games. (See the Who Dey chant feature in this cover package for more info.)

The popular origin story even prompted the brewer to can a special commemorative Hu-Dey beer during the Bengals’ runs to the Super Bowl both in 1982 and 1989. You may have seen the orange-and-black cans popping up across social media as fans have broken out the decades-old brew to showcase and sometimes, unadvisedly, drink.

Now Hudepohl, acquired by Cincinnati Beverage Company (CinBev) in 2020, wants fans to keep those beers on the shelf and out of their stomachs as they release a special, limited-run new Hu-Dey brew.

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“We’ve been with the Bengals through thick and thin,” Jodi Woffington, chief marketing officer for CinBev and a born-and-raised Bengals fan, tells CityBeat. “Lifelong, die-hard Bengals fans have really waited for this moment to be on the national stage again, and we just felt like it was the right time to bring the commemorative can back to celebrate the city.”

The can, designed by local creative agency Borne Content, blends the old and the new and features orange and black stripes with a classic Hudepohl font.

“These brands are really iconic in Cincinnati and we wanted to make sure we gave a nod to that legacy, but at the same time, they need to be modernized,” Woffington says of the CinBev portfolio, which also includes Burger, Little Kings and Christian Moerlein. “You’ll see that the vintage comes through, but we really tried to bring them to life in a modern way as well. And that’s actually why we incorporated the phrase the city has

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

adopted, ‘It.Is.Us.,’ on the can itself because I think we are moving into a new era with the city, with the Bengals, and we wanted to bridge the gap between old and new with the can.”

The beer itself is unique, too.

“We created a special recipe for the commemorative edition,” Woffington says. “It’s going to be only a one-time run, and it’s going to be a light, easydrinking ale.”

Hudepohl is only making 3,000 sixpacks and “once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Woffington says.

The cans literally rolled off the distribution line on Monday morning, Feb. 7, before they went on sale to the public at 1 p.m. that same day.

Woffington says they didn’t want to jinx anything by starting production before the Bengals won the AFC Championship — “Plans started via text the moment Money McPherson’s field goal went through the uprights,” she says — and pulling off the entire project, especially with Winter Storm Landon, was a small miracle.

Some Hudy fans were able to preorder their six-packs before they went on sale. If you weren’t one of those, the cans could be purchased at the brewery at 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine. As of press time, CityBeat isn’t sure if there are any six-packs left, but Woffington

says if there are, they will be distributed to local retailers.

“It’s been so fun. These are the kind of projects, they’re passion projects,” she says. “We’re not going to make a bunch of money off this. We’re pricing it at 10 bucks a six-pack. This is for the city. We really wanted to give back and give people something to celebrate because Cincinnati has waited a long time for this.”

Hudepohl is anticipating that some fans will grab the cans and hang onto them as a commemorative piece, just like they did with the cans from the 1980s.

“We definitely created this can with that lens in mind,” she says.

And she hopes Cincinnatians won’t have to endure another 30 years to drink them.

“Beer is an agricultural product. It’s really not recommended to be consumed past its due date,” Woffington says with a laugh. “There’s not anything specific we can do to the recipe to change that, to make it last a long time.

Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait that long for the next Super Bowl.”

Learn more about Hudepohl at hudepohlbeer.com or follow the brand on social media at instagram.com/hudepohlbeers.

Hen of the Woods is offering a Super Bowl snack bundle for $43.99.

P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY H E N OF THE WOODS

Super Bowl Snacks Made with Cincinnati Classics

BY M EG B O LT E A N D C IT Y B E AT STA F F No Super Bowl watch party is complete without snacks. And since the Bengals haven’t been to the big game since 1989, Cincinnatians haven’t really had any reason to pull out all the stops.

Until now, that is.

Bengals fans can show their stripes by making appetizers that incorporate Queen City classics. Some of the recipes below come directly from local chains,

while others are riffs on popular snacks, made with Cincinnati ingredients.

Those who don’t feel like cooking can still prove their Cincy pride by grabbing a Super Bowl package from local artisan potato chip company Hen of the Woods.

Their “Big Game Bundle” comes with all six Hen of the Woods chip flavors and dip mix in buttermilk ranch, white cheddar jalapeno and buffalo ranch.

Visit henofthewoodsotr.com for details.

Skyline Chili Dip It’s a Cincinnati staple. Layers of cream cheese (and onions and mustard, if you’re feeling wild), chili and a heavy helping of shredded cheddar cheese make this a salty, savory, scoopable masterpiece. Your family may have their own variation, but this is Skyline’s official recipe. Serve it with tortilla chips.

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Skyline Chili dip is layered with chili, cream cheese and shredded cheese.

P H OTO : S K Y L I N E C H I L I V I M E O S C R E E N G R A B

Ingredients: • 12 ounces of cream cheese • 14-ounce pouch or a 15-ounce can of Skyline chili • 12-ounce bag of Skyline or another brand of shredded cheddar cheese Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the cream cheese into a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat the chili in the microwave or on the stove top until warm. Spread the chili on top of the cream cheese. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the cheese begins to melt.

Gold Star Mini Dogs Since Gold Star is the official chili of the Cincinnati Bengals, it only makes sense to include the brand in your game-day spread. These mini dogs are like pigs in a blanket surrounding a swimming pool of chili. Watch a recipe demo at goldstarchili.com/recipes.

Ingredients: • 2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls • 1 package of cocktail wieners (about 30 dogs total) • 10-ounce can of Gold Star chili • ½ diced white onion • 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese • 5 tablespoons of yellow mustard Instructions: Break open two cans of crescent rolls. Cut individual crescent triangles in half. Baste the inside of each dough triangle with a wash of yellow mustard. Wrap each triangle around a cocktail wiener. Place the wrapped wieners upright (like little fingers) two layers deep around the edge of a cast iron skillet (a baking dish or round cake pan also could work), leaving space in the center for the chili. Bake the wrapped wieners at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

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Take the skillet out of the oven and fill the center with chili, topping it with as much onion and cheese as you’d like.

Place the skillet back into the oven for 5 minutes or until chili is warmed through and the cheese is melted.

Glier’s Goetta Hanky Pankys Load up slices of pumpernickel with cheesy goetta for a portable party snack with very little prep time. This is the official recipe from Glier’s Goetta.

A how-to video is available on their Facebook page.

Ingredients: • 1 pound of Glier’s hot goetta • 1 pound of hamburger • 1 pound of Velveeta cheese • ½ teaspoon of garlic powder • 1 teaspoon of salt • 1 teaspoon of oregano • 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce • ½ cup of milk • Small slices of rye or pumpernickel bread Instructions: Brown the goetta and then the hamburger. Drain well and return to the pan. Add Velveeta to the meat, followed by garlic powder, oregano and Worcestershire sauce. Add the milk a bit at a time to reach the desired thickness. Spread the cheese and meat mixture onto the bread. Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until bread is toasted and the topping is bubbling and slightly browned.

Frisch’s Big Boy Pizza To bring Frisch’s to your Super Bowl party, make this pizza version of the chain’s classic Big Boy sandwich. By swapping Frisch’s Tartar sauce for pizza sauce and topping it with cheesy ground beef, you can transform a

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

regular pizza into a Cincinnati special.

Find this recipe and others at frischs.com.

Ingredients: • 1 pre-made pizza crust or homemade crust • 9-ounce jar of Frisch’s Tartar sauce (original or spicy) • ½ pound of ground beef • ½ cup of shredded cheddar or American cheese • Shredded lettuce as desired • Lawry’s seasoning salt • Salt and pepper Instructions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake the pizza crust according to the directions on the package, removing it from the oven when it’s browned but not done. Brown the ground beef, season it with salt and pepper, then drain. Spread a 9-ounce jar of Frisch’s Tartar sauce on top of the crust and add a layer of ground beef. Sprinkle shredded cheddar or American cheese over the entire pizza.

Bake until the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes). Top with shredded lettuce if desired.

Chicken Sliders with Montgomery Inn Barbecue Sauce Put a Cincinnati spin on any barbecue chicken slider recipe by using Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce. This one is from tasty.co, an offshoot of Buzzfeed.

Ingredients: • 12 dinner rolls or Hawaiian sweet rolls • 3 cups of shredded, cooked chicken • ⅓ cup of Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce • ½ red onion, thinly sliced • 6 slices of pepper jack cheese

• •

¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons of butter

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the rolls in half lengthwise. Place the bottom half of the rolls in a 9-inch-by-13-inch rimmed baking dish. Spread the chicken evenly over the rolls, followed by the barbecue sauce, red onion, pepper jack cheese and parsley. Top with the remaining rolls and brush the tops with melted butter.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown. Slice into individual sliders, then serve.

Pizza Bagel Bites with LaRosa’s Pizza Sauce No party food is more classic than a good-old pepperoni pizza. But when you want to save some room for other snack options, a bite-sized ‘za is a perfect solution. Throw some LaRosa’s pizza sauce on it, and you’ve got yourself a Queen City version of a favorite. LaRosa’s has also released a new “diablo” spicy version of its sauce, available in jars at Jungle Jim’s and LaRosa’s. This is an adaptation of a Betty Crocker recipe.

Ingredients: • 1 dozen mini bagels, split • 1 cup of pizza sauce • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese • Chopped toppings (pepperoni, ham, vegetables, etc.), as desired Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Split mini bagels in half and place on top of a lined baking sheet.

Spread a layer of LaRosa’s pizza sauce onto each bagel. Top with shredded mozzarella and other favorite pizza toppings. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted.

ALTON A LTON BROWN BROWN LLIVE: IVE: B BEYOND EYOND TTHE HE EEATS ATS

PRESENTED PRE RESEN NTED IN FUL FULL LL COL COLOR OR WIT WITH H OCC OC OCCASIONAL A ONA ASI AL ARO AROMAS ROMAS MAS / AUD AUDIENCE U IEN NCE PARTIC PARTICIPATION T IPA TIC I TIO ON UN UNDERT UNDERTAKEN ERTAKE AKEN N AT A OWN RIS RISK K

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2022 ARONOFF CENTER · PROCTER & GAMBLE HALL CincinnatiArts.org (513) 621-ARTS (2787)

February 15-27, 2022 Aronoff Center · Jarson-Kaplan Theater t

Aronoff Center Ticket Office Groups (10+): (513) 977-4157

CincinnatiArts.org (513) 621-ARTS (2787)

Aronoff Center Ticket Office Groups (10+): (513) 977-4157

MEDIA SPONSOR MEDIA SPONSOR

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february 26-27, 2022 sharonville convention center exit #15 off I-75 special exhibit: herstory: women designers in the modern age

show hours: sat & sun 11-5 $10 admission good both days

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9 am - 11 am $25 advance $35 at the door

media partners:

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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FIND YOUR NEW

BEST FRIEND

AT OUR 11

TH

ANNUAL

MEGA PET ADOPTION EVENT

FEB 12 & 13 SHARONVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

NEARLY

MyFurryValentine.com 20

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Will you be that 1 in 10?

Each year, 6.5 million animals enter shelters nationwide, patiently, hopefully, waiting to catch the eye of a potential adopter. But many Americans still get their pets from places other than rescues and shelters, and so an estimated 2,700 animals die in shelters every day. Statistics reveal that there are over 10 times as many people looking to bring an animal into their home every year as there are animals being killed in shelters because they lack one.

If just 1 out of every 10 people bringing an animal into their family were to adopt from a shelter or rescue, not one single healthy dog or cat would lose his or her life in a shelter.

Will you be that 1 in 10?

OUR STORY M

y Furry Valentine provides a forum for bringing together animals in need of a home with people willing to give them one.

Since our inception in 2012, we have helped facilitate the adoption of more than 7,000 animals from reputable animal shelters and rescues, and our Cincinnati event has grown to become one of the largest animal adoption events in the country!

The need for pet adoption is great here in Cincinnati and nationwide.

Every day, an average of 2,700 cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters across the United States. With every adoption, every foster, every spay and neuter, and every donation to an animal rescue cause, we are one step closer to a day when there is no more shelter euthanasia, and no longer a need for a mega pet adoption.

But until that day comes, we at My Furry Valentine are committed to our efforts to educate our community on the importance of animal adoption,

provide resources to help adopters in their efforts to find their new furry family member, and to offer the opportunity in a fun, festive, familyfriendly environment, for you to find your new best friend.

When you make the decision to adopt an animal, you are saving two lives — the life of the animal you adopt and the life of the animal that takes its place at a shelter or rescue. That’s pretty rewarding, and a goal everyone can support. With companion animals of all shapes, ages, sizes, breeds and dispositions, you’re sure to find your perfect match at My Furry Valentine. Come join us February 12th & 13th!

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

$5 General Admission: Saturday & Sunday 12-5 pm $25 Early Bird Admission: Saturday 10am - noon $5 Early Bird Admission for Children 5+

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

More than 20 shelters and rescue groups participating and nearly 1,000 adoptable animals under one roof.

Free swag bag for every adopted animal!

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

Special cat & kitten subsidy program means that most cats will be available for same-day adoptions at a fee of only $25.

FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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SPONSORS

Ashland Animal Rescue Fund

Purrfect Friends Cat Rescue

phoDOGrapher petco love TEN

Brown County Humane Society

SPCA Cincinnati

Cincinnati Animal CARE

Stray Animal Adoption Program

Clermont County Animal Shelter

Stray Haven

PARTNERS

Franklin County Humane Society

Three Sisters Pet Rescue/Ohio Hound Rescue

BOBS from Skechers Cincinnati Reds Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers VCA, Inc. CityBeat Mix 94.9 Scooter Media Q102

Friends of Franklin County Indiana

SHELTERS & RESCUE GROUPS

Liberty Acres United Rescue Animal Sanctuary

Deb Marvin Art

Louie’s Legacy Animal Rescue

Dog Watch Hidden Fence

2nd Chance Animal Rescue of Richmond Animal Friends Humane Society

Furgotten Dog Rescue, Inc. His Eye Is on the Sparrow Homeless Animal Rescue Team Humane Society of Adams Co. Joseph’s Legacy League for Animal Welfare

Myles Ahead Animal Sanctuary Purrfect Addition Inc.

VENDORS A1 Pet Sitting

All American Gutter Protection Animal Ark Pet Resort Animal Care Centers BathFitter

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Evendale Pet Hospital Just Fur Fun LLC

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Milo’s Wish Mr. Roof

Off Leash K9 Training

pawTree, Independent Pet Pro PetSuites

PetWants

Pugalicious

Red Dog Pet Resort Trendies

WagSwag

ADVOCATE GROUPS

Bailing out Benji Care Center Animal Blood Bank Ohio Police K9 Memorial Second Chance Dog Training

Official checklist for new adopters Before the Event

Day of Event

Determine if you can afford and have time to take care of a pet and that all family members are in agreement Consider the kind of pet you want (small or large, active or couch potato, etc.)

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Bring photo ID. Be prepared to cover adoption costs, which vary by group Bring your veterinarian’s contact information if you’re already a pet parent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

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

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

What if I don't meet the application requirements?

If you’re considering getting a new pet, we urge you to adopt instead of buying a pet from an online retailer, pet store or backyard breeder. Note that many pet stores work with local shelters and rescue groups and have dogs and cats for adoption, while others still sell animals sourced through commercial breeding facilities, (aka: puppy mills). Please be sure you recognize the difference.

By adopting from an animal shelter or rescue group, you are ensuring that you are not supporting and endorsing the inhumane puppy mills that supply pet stores and sell pets online. As an extra bonus, you are doing your part to fight pet overpopulation and save homeless animals from euthanasia. Buying a pet can easily cost $500 - $1,500, while adoption costs generally range from $50 - $250. At MFV, adopted pets have been fully vaccinated and their adoption fee includes spaying or neutering, and in many cases, microchipping.

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

Why do animals end up in shelters?

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

Is it hard to adopt?

Why do they ask so many questions?

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

Why would I adopt an older animal?

When you adopt an older pet, you avoid some of the challenges inherent in bringing home a puppy or kitten.

Their appearance, behavior and health are already established so there are no surprises. Older animals at shelters need homes just as much as younger ones, and since many people are quick to adopt young animals, adopting an older animal may save its life.

Aren't there benefits to getting dogs from breeders because you know the animal's bloodline and family history?

“First know that, as a result of their breeding, purebred dogs very often have genetic disorders and medical issue predispositions, certainly no less often than shelter dogs. Puppies born in puppy mills are usually removed from their mothers at just six weeks of age, denying them critical socialization, and housed in overcrowded and unsanitary wire-floored cages, without adequate veterinary care, food or water. Make no mistake: anything purchased at a pet store that sells animals—even supplies—is keeping this vicious industry in business.”

- ASPCA

See you there!

MyFurryValentine.com FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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ARTS & CULTURE

A digital collage of locally owned NFTs by Annie Burke P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY N F T XC I N C I N N AT I

Out of the Metaverse and into Reality NFTxCincinnati hosts the city’s first immersive NFT art exhibit to educate and debut digital art in public space

BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

C

incinnati is getting its first NFT (non-fungible token) digital art exhibit this month.

NFTxCincinnati — a group of digital artists, collectors and NFT enthusiasts — is hosting UNFIT on Feb. 25 and 26 at Sample Space at The Banks with a mission to educate, create an inviting space for the public to learn about this tech-heavy concept and provide the tools and knowledge to participate.

And, of course, collectors and artists will showcase their art.

But, how? Digital art and the trendy phenomenon of owning and trading it isn’t easily grasped by those who haven’t bought into the virtual communities, possibly because it all exists

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and thrives in virtual reality (or the metaverse) and comes with its own vocabulary, currencies, marketplace and culture. Consequently, most people literally can’t put their finger on it.

“A non-fungible token truly is a way of proving ownership for unique digital items, and the history of this ownership is all recorded on the blockchain,” says UNFIT co-curator Noah Beiting. “There are several blockchain technologies that exist, but buying and selling NFTs is all done with cryptocurrencies. There’s also a variety of those that exist, but the most popular one for the NFT space is Ethereum.”

There’s also an air of exclusivity, considering the spotlight shines mostly

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

on million-dollar sales. Arguably what initiated NFTs’ mainstream status was the $69 million sale of “Everydays: The First 5000 Days,” a collage by digital artist Mike Winkelmann, popularly known as Beeple. That was nearly a year ago and since then, mainstream companies like Taco Bell, the NFL and Coca-Cola have made their own NFTs. Now the global trend is catching on locally, a sign of longevity and an opportunity NFTxCincinnati seized to introduce it to our city, says Beiting.

Sample Space is a 7,000-square-foot “white box kind of experience,” Beiting says. It’s an event venue that hosts popups, weddings and galleries. The exhibit will cover wallspace with more than 20 televisions and digital screens from 47 to 65 inches. Each screen is capable of displaying multiple images, so every artist or owner can rotate as much or little of their collection desired. QR codes will accompany each screen, providing artist and work details, pricing and what platform to buy or bid from.

“We’re really trying to preach inclusivity here. We want everybody to feel welcome with some of the topics we’re sharing,” Beiting says. “We’re definitely

trying to promote and stand up local artists in the space. I think the other piece is that, you know, obviously the goal and some of the underlying tones around NFTs and cryptocurrency is the whole message of decentralization, which is kind of excluding a central or authoritative party. So with that, I think it’s up to people who are personally very vested in the space to kind of grab education by the reins.”

Annie Burke, UNFIT co-curator and featured digital artist, says there will be some tactile installments as well, including a real-life mural of a digital work (the artist and specific piece were not disclosed). She says for her, the metaverse is an extension of where we are now, and the mutual and necessary trust in all things crypto certifies that NFT communities and discords are full of like-minded people. With a background in architecture and design, Burke’s work is usually a mashup of something culturally or visually significant.

“When you put two things together, you get the best of both,” she says.

“I typically take a photograph of something that is real and I spatially

reimagine it or draw something into the space.”

She couldn’t say exactly how many works she’ll put on rotation for the exhibit but confirmed one of her notable pieces, “Ice Cream Paint Job,” will appear. The piece presents a Chicago skyline where clouds morph into drips of ice cream, seeping down the cityscape in an array of blue and pink hues that represent the tonal aura of a sunset.

“We are lucky that we have the space,” Burke says. “The biggest obstacle was displaying. Do we have enough screens? How fast are the things on the screens going to move? Are the words going to be on the screen or next to the screen? That, and if people want to actively participate, are they educated? Because you have to have a digital wallet, a Coinbase, a MetaMask, whatever, in order to get involved. And we don’t want anyone to feel like, ‘Oh I don’t have one so I’m behind.’”

The NFTxCincinnati team created a glossary for terms like MetaMask, blockchain and Web 3.0, just a few examples of metaverse jargon one must adopt and understand to participate.

According to UNFIT’s website, MetaMask is a software cryptocurrency wallet used to interact with the Ethereum

blockchain. Blockchain is an encrypted, decentralized, public ledger of transactions (public proof of ownership).

Clearly, the vernacular is co-dependent but scannables around the gallery will provide definitions on demand.

Still confused? UNFIT will offer hours of panel discussions and help desks led by industry professionals like Andrew VanSickle and Nick Fontova, with topics exploring NFT 101, buying and selling, managing collections, how to set up a digital wallet and more. VanSickle is a local Pop artist who has been collecting physical art for 35 years, and he began collecting NFTs in July. Fontova has been collecting NFTs since May; he will touch on sharing and interacting globally. Together, their discussion, “Giving Up Physical,” concerns buying, selling and displaying NFTs and the “art community” in general.

Panels and discussion will be held from 12:15-6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25.

Buying or bidding should be easier after hearing from the experts. Both Burke and Beiting say that prices are at the discretion of the artist, but there will be approachable options.

Before NFTs, digital artists were burdened with verifying credit, authenticating work and collecting royalties. In its mission to amplify local

artists, UNFIT affords these new, virtual practices to locals like Thomas Osorio, who is hoping for a breakthrough moment of grand success. Once a digital piece is minted (becomes a part of the blockchain), it is unalterable and the artist can sell it at any price and continue to benefit from sales after initial purchases.

Osorio hasn’t found the virtual market for his work yet, as he is fairly new to the NFT game, he says, but he likens it to the traditional world of art in which you cultivate a community of support and begin making sales there.

Osorio has been creating digital art since 2013, but his foundation is drawing and painting. Sometimes he scans hand-painted works and alters them digitally, and other times he downloads images and toys with lighting, glitch filters or colors. The result is a manifestation of his idea of the subjectivity of reality and the sometimes abstract, collage-like, outcome is retained in a signature style.

“I feel like digital art in many ways is the future,” Osorio says.

“The possibilities of technology and computer-generated imagery, we can do so much with it. So it’s here to stay, and I feel like as with any kind of medium through history — some

people didn’t like Rock & Roll when it first started or Pop Art or Abstract Expressionism — you can name so many things that people didn’t like at first that ended up having such an influence on everything in a good way.

I feel like that’s just culture in general.

People will initially be withdrawn from it because they don’t like change but there’s a lot of positives of digital art.”

As for the future of NFTxCincinnati, Burke and Beiting concur that a successful exhibit means the majority of people will leave without questions, anticipating the next event. And yes, in case you were wondering, there are Bored Apes (a popular NFT collection with 10,000 unique collectables) owned locally, and they will be on display. The UNFIT website says work by Damien Hirst, Dalek, Ian Murray and Shepard Fairy will also be on view.

UNFIT runs Feb. 25 and 26 at Sample Space (140 Marian Spencer Way, The Banks, Downtown). More info: unfit-art.com.

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Target Picks Up Skincare Line Created by Cincinnati Entrepreneur

CULTURE

BY K A R A D R I S C O L L

When Cincinnatian Sylvia Brownlee was laid off from her corporate job in the cosmetic industry in 2015, she didn’t know what her next move was.

As an esthetician and skincare expert with decades of experience, she knew she was passionate about helping clients feel comfortable in their skin, but she wasn’t sure what would come next in her career.

“Getting laid off actually kind of forced me into entrepreneurship,” she tells CityBeat. “I had to ask hard questions. What do I love the most?

Where do I want to focus? I realized I wanted to focus on acne and hyperpigmentation.”

Almost immediately, Brownlee founded her Silverton-based company, Skin by Brownlee & Co., a skincare clinic that specializes in the prevention and treatment of acne and hyperpigmentation.

Now, seven years later, some of her most popular products are offered through Target via target.com.

Starting Jan. 23, target.com began stocking four of Brownlee’s products: the Cryotherapy Ball Facial Roller, the Blemish Chaser, the HydraBalance Moisturizer and the Balancing Face Cleanser.

When the major retail chain reached out to Brownlee on Instagram last March about selling some of her products, she thought the message was spam and ignored it. But the message included an email, so she decided to give it a shot and contact them anyway.

Now, people across the country can order her products online. All of Brownlee’s products that Target stocks sell for under $26, and Brownlee says the most popular product is the Cryotherapy Ball. The cold facial roller can help stimulate nerves to exercise facial tissue, tighten skin and reduce pore size and puffiness.

“It helps to reduce skin inflammation, and my clients rave about it,” she says. “It’s great for using under the eyes or over the eyelids.”

She also sells additional products on her website, including serums, scrubs and masks. Brownlee works with a chemist to create each product herself, using natural ingredients that are “good for the skin and body,” she says.

Friends and family gathered recently at a party in Over-the-Rhine to celebrate the Target launch, but they say Brownlee’s success isn’t a surprise to anyone.

Her sister, Courtnee Barnes, says Brownlee works hard and cares deeply about each client she works with.

“It was always her dream to own a skincare line,” Barnes says. “This is a long time coming. She’s so knowledgeable about skincare, and she really gives each client individualized care and boosts their confidence.”

In addition to the target.com line, Brownlee offers services to her clients at her business location at 7337

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Montgomery Road.

Whether in person or online, Brownlee begins by assessing the many different aspects of a client’s lifestyle and diet, making recommendations to get them clear from the inside-out as quickly as possible, according to her website. Services include detox facials for acne, a brightening treatment facial, a rejuvenation facial and a custom-glow facial.

She also offers an “Away With Acne” program, which takes a personalized, guided approach toward helping clients achieve clearer, more radiant-looking skin.

“Clearing acne is about a lifestyle change,” Brownlee says. “I take a holistic approach. It’s about using the right skincare routine, but also it’s about being consistent.”

Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Approximately 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24 experience at least minor acne.

Brownlee’s basic advice for starting a new skincare routine? “Everyone should have four things in their skincare regimen: a good cleanser, a moisturizer, sunscreen and a toner. If you start there, you can always add to that.”

As a Black female entrepreneur, Brownlee has spent the past seven years building her business by herself.

She says that at times, she doubted that she could develop a thriving business.

But with support from her friends and family, she now has a waitlist for clients and is reaching thousands with her Target line.

“My advice to women who are branching into entrepreneurship is to just stay focused,” she says. “Nothing happens overnight. I’ve worked every day to keep getting better and to keep growing the brand. You have to have a different mindset to stay motivated.

You have to have an amazing work ethic. Even when you don’t feel like doing something, you still have to do it.

Because in the end, it’s your name on your brand.”

Skin by Brownlee & Co. founder Sylvia Brownlee P H O T O : TA S H A P I N E L O P H O T O G R A P H Y

Skin by Brownlee & Co. is located at 7337 Montgomery Road.

Learn more and shop at target.com or skinbybrownleeandco.com.

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Skin by Brownlee & Co. products P H O T O : TA S H A P I N E L O P H O T O G R A P H Y

Season presented by SCHUELER GROUP and HEIDELBERG DISTRIBUTING CO.

Season Sponsor of New Work: THE ROSENTHAL FAMILY FOUNDATION

Visuals by Tony Arrasmith/Arrasmith & Associates.

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TO DO

My Furry Valentine P H O T O : K A I T LY N H A N D E L

*Remember to check with each venue regarding their current COVID protocols.

THURSDAY 10

ONSTAGE: MY FAIR LADY AT THE ARONOFF CENTER

Broadway in Cincinnati brings this classic tale of transformation to the Aronoff stage. Eliza Doolittle, a working-class London flower-seller with a cockney accent and big personality, is taken in by professor Henry Higgins as he attempts to make her over and pass her off as a member of high society. Expect favorite songs including “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” Through Feb. 20.

Tickets start at $34. Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, cincinnatiarts. org.

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ONSTAGE: INCIDENT AT OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP AT PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK A comic Catholic tale, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help follows a day in the life of Linda O’Shea, a teenager in 1973 who outlines one of the worst days of her life — at least in her eyes — and the impact it may have on her family and their reputation in the parish.

Told with humor and heart. Through Feb. 27. Tickets start at $35. Playhouse in the Park, 962 Mt. Adams Circle, Mount Adams, cincyplay.com.

SATURDAY 12

EVENT: FINDLAY FLAVOR ZONE

Findlay Market transforms into the Cincy Jungle this weekend. There will be Bengals-themed fun for adults and

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kids, including an inflatable football toss, a photobooth with a Joe Burrow cut-out, live music, themed food and drinks and lots of orange-and-black merch. “We’re going to kill the kegs and we’re going to chant Who Dey all weekend long,” reads a release. Jane’s at Findlay Market will also have orange Jell-O shots and a special “WhoDey” cocktail on Sunday. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Feb. 12; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 13. Free admission. Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, findlaymarket.org.

the Sharonville Convention Center for the weekend. Adoption fees and rules vary for each participating agency, so visit the My Furry Valentine website in advance to see their adoptable animals and various processes. Noon-5 p.m. Feb. 12 and Feb. 13; early bird admission 10 a.m.-noon Feb. 12. $5 general admission; free for children 5 and under; $25 early bird ($5 children).

Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, myfurryvalentine.com.

EVENT: MY FURRY VALENTINE

EVENT: LOVE ON THE LEVEE

My Furry Valentine is the area’s largest pet adoption event, bringing together hundreds of animals from rescues and shelters across Greater Cincinnati.

Adoptable dogs, cats, kittens, puppies and other small creatures will be at

Bars, restaurants and vendors across Newport on the Levee are ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day. There will be live music, discounts and themed food and drink specials. For example, Rotolo

is offering heart-shaped pizza, Kon Tiki on the Levee will be serving up strawberry daiquiris and The Native Brand will have two-for-$50 his and hers hats. 2-6 p.m. Feb. 12. Free admission. Newport on the Levee, Newport, newportonthelevee.com.

EVENT: CUPID’S UNDIE RUN Cupid’s Undie Run is a fundraising pants-less party in the streets. The event, which encourages participants to strip down to their skivvies, takes place in 37 other U.S. cities as well as Cincinnati. Each run donates 100% of the proceeds to neurofibromatosis research through the Children’s Tumor Foundation. After a brief mile-ish run around The Banks, things continue with drinks and dancing at Galla Park cocktail bar. Noon-4 p.m. Feb. 12. $50 registration. The Banks, Downtown, cupids.org.

SUNDAY 13

EVENT: GAME DEY PARTY ON FOUNTAIN SQUARE

Fountain Square will be hosting a series of events leading up to the Super Bowl, and then this big Game Dey Party. Pre-gaming starts at 1 p.m. with DJs and live music, plus drink specials and free face painting. The plaza will have heaters and seating, and the ice rink will be open for those who want to skate and watch the game (reservations required for the rink). Watch the Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams on the giant Fifth Third LED board. Fountain Square promises “celebratory music from DJ Etrayn and pyrotechnics throughout the game.” 1-11 p.m. Feb. 13. Free admission. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown, myfoutainsquare.com.

TUESDAY 15

LECTURE: BUILDING AN EQUITABLE CITY

The Urban Consulate — a project which opens up dialogue to develop just and equitable communities — hosts a screening of the latest episode of its CET program “Urban Consulate Presents” with a panel of guests. Naimah Bilal will be joined at the Mercantile Library by Reggie Harris, Cincinnati City Councilman; Kathryne Gardette, described as a civic leader and cultural innovator; and Robert Sanders, of the Sanders Development Group. The episode and group will be discussing “how Black city-builders are rethinking development, from prioritizing affordable housing, to expanding access to capital, to confronting the legacy of redlining and displacement,” according to a description. If you can’t make the live event, it will air on CET at 8 p.m. Feb. 17. 7-9 p.m. Feb. 15. Free, but registration is available online.

Mercantile Library, 414 Walnut St., 11th Floor, facebook.com/urbanconsulate.

THURSDAY 17

DANCE: CINCINNATI BALLET’S CINDERELLA

Based on the enchanting 1697 fairy tale by Charles Perrault, Cinderella weaves together romance, magic and beautiful costuming on the Music Hall stage. With elaborate sets and a pumpkin that transforms into a carriage, Cincinnati Ballet dancers tell the story of a young woman with big dreams, her prince charming and a couple of evil stepsisters. Thank goodness for Fairy Godmothers. The ballet says audiences should expect to become part of the story. Through Feb. 27. Tickets start at $29. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Overthe-Rhine, cballet.org.

SATURDAY 19

EVENT: MITTENFEST

Combat the February winter blues with some 2022 Mittenfest brews. The second-annual Mittenfest outdoor drinking festival includes craft beers, a DJ, food trucks and more. This event takes place rain, snow or shine, and attendees are directed to dress for the cold and sport their best mittens.

Washington Park will provide seating areas with propane heaters for guests. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20. $25 admission includes four beers.

Washington Park, 1230 Elm St., Overthe-Rhine, washingtonpark.org.

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SUNDAY 20

EVENT: ART ON VINE

A craft market mingles with craft beer at Art on Vine’s indoor winter market beneath the vaulted ceiling of Rhinegeist’s Over-the-Rhine taproom.

Once a small college project, shoppers can now browse the wares of up to 80 local artists, crafters and creators peddling fine arts and handmade goods while sipping on something sudsy. Noon-7 p.m. Feb. 20. Free admission. Rhinegeist, 1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, artonvinecincy.com.

EVENT: TEA DANCE AT GALLA PARK Tea Dance Cincinnati hosts monthly Sunday afternoon dances created for the LGBTQ community and allies.

DJs Jay Downs and Identity will be spinning the tunes, and bartenders will be slinging cocktails. There will be dancing and drinking and then an official afterparty at e19 bar and club next to Findlay Market. 4-7 p.m. Feb. 20. Free admission. Galla Park, 175 Joe Nuxhall Way, The Banks, facebook. com/teadancecinci.

NEW EPISODES

EVERY WEDNESDAY

Listen now at Junglejims.com/WJJI FEBUARY 9, 2021 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022 |

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MUSIC

Foxy Shazam P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY M E M I

The Foxy Shazam Variant After a nearly eight-year break and the pandemic’s interference, Foxy Shazam returns with two new albums and three new members

BY B R I A N BA K E R

A

s Amber Ruffin occasionally notes on Late Night with Seth Meyers, “You guys, things have been crazy,” a phrase that can be directly applied to the past eight years for Cincinnati rockers Foxy Shazam.

The band went on hiatus in 2014 before reuniting in 2019 and releasing new music. With that came hopes of

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touring, but COVID-19 had other ideas.

After nearly two start/stop years of foiled plans, Foxy Shazam finally is back with double-barrelled fury. Their Feb. 12 show at the Andrew J. Brady Music Center appears to be pandemic-proof, and they’re on track for the Valentine’s Day release of their new album, the cryptically titled The Heart Behead You.

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

“It actually does have a meaning,” says Foxy frontman Eric Nally with a laugh. “I’d call it my poetry. It’s a Rock & Roll way of saying, ‘Let your heart be your guide.’ Take your head out of the equation, don’t overthink anything.”

But it took a second to get to this point.

In April 2014, Foxy Shazam selfreleased the Steve Albini-produced album Gonzo and embarked on a national tour. Six months later, the band announced via Facebook that they were going on indefinite hiatus.

The next few years found Foxy’s membership vying for the side project diversity prize. Nally did a cameo on the Macklemore/Ryan Lewis single and video for “Downtown,” which turned into a global touring gig, plus he launched his solo career. Trumpeter Alex Nauth founded the lauded Pop/ Punk trio Skulx. Bassist Daisy Caplan

opened with and folded Babe Rage then formed the much-acclaimed Lung with electric/eclectic cellist Kate Wakefield.

Guitarist Loren Turner did a stint with TrxlleyDxdgers. And keyboardist Sky White started the Wendigo Tea Company and threw his lot in with the J. Dorsey Band and Freekbass.

“If you don’t go your separate ways for a little bit, you don’t have anything left to give that you haven’t seen or been a part of,” Nally says. “When Foxy wanted to take that break — and there were no hard feelings — we had a significant amount of time to refresh and recharge.”

The band joined back up in 2019.

With Foxy’s retooled resurrection, productive weekly rehearsals suddenly turned into productive writing sessions, and the stage was set for more than just a simple reunion. Foxy Nation nearly lost its collective mind when

an April 2020 show at the Taft Theatre was announced; the show sold out within four hours. But the pandemic quickly cooled those heels. The concert was rescheduled for July, and then canceled.

In December of 2020, Foxy selfreleased Burn, their first new album in seven years, and announced another Taft show for late January 2021. That was followed by yet another cancellation due to COVID. This was all extremely frustrating for the members of the newly configured Foxy, who were anxious to show off the line-up. Caplan and drummer Aaron McVeigh opted out of the reunion and were replaced by drummer Teddy Aitkins and mysterious bassist Trigger Warning (who always appears donning some type of mask). Guitarist Turner left just before the release of Burn, and local Automagik guitarist Devin Williams tagged in.

There is a sense of destiny at work here. Nally met Aitkins a decade and a half ago at a truck stop in bad weather on the way to New York. Nally noticed the drum key on Aitkins’ keychain and mentioned they needed a drummer in a subsequent conversation. Aitkins relocated to Cincinnati and had a brief run with Foxy, but something didn’t quite click; he eventually played in an early iteration of Automagik. And Warning had been the band’s early touring bass backup before Caplan was fully committed to Foxy and was available when the current need arose.

“Teddy’s style of playing is very unique and that might have been why it didn’t work out then, but where we’re at now, he’s the exact thing we need,” Nally says. “Trigger has been around a long time and he knows us from an early point. And Devin is so passionate about what he does. I never see him without a guitar in his hand. We’ll be outside at a lunch place and I’m like, ‘Why do you have your guitar?’ It’s just natural to him.”

Both new albums, Burn and The Heart Behead You, bear the marks of Foxy’s extracurricular evolution and the fresh-blood contributions of Aitkins, Warning and Williams, the latter on a busman’s holiday from Automagik.

And both — though distinctly different — are fantastic additions to Foxy’s impressive catalog.

“Burn was getting everybody back together and seeing how we could transition from what we’d been doing, and The Heart Behead You is more in that groove of it’s not a new thing now,” Nally says.

Nally relied on unusual sources of songwriting inspiration for The Heart Behead You. He cites both Alice in Wonderland and the board game Candyland as influences.

“I was telling people, ‘It’s this whole

lush Wonderland/Candyland thing. The whole album’s about love,’ and everybody was like, OK, yeah, whatever,’” Nally says. “Everybody tries to write a good love song, whether or not you use the word ‘love.’ I don’t want to sound cheesy, I still want to feel dangerous, I still want to feel like a Punk band or a Rock band. At the same time, let’s embrace love. I think we did that in a way that’s our own and isn’t too cheesy or huggy-kissy.”

The newly recharged Foxy is definitely on a roll, with two new albums recorded and released in just over two years and a new video for the song “Dancing with My Demons” from The Heart Behead You, which was filmed in the haunted surroundings of Bobby Mackey’s (at press time, Nally was attempting to get horror director Eli Roth to post the video because he feels it’s in the director/actor’s wheelhouse).

But the stage is where Foxy has always shone the brightest, and Nally is ready for the world to see the new lineup’s considerable chops, particularly with the catalog material.

“I have to be careful. (Former bassist) Caplan’s going to be reading this,” Nally says with a laugh. “For me, the technicality is a little more refined. Early on, I sought out members for the band. We were there because we were supposed to be there and we haphazardly figured out a way to make it all work. With this group, the parts are already written, there’s hardly any room for interpretation yet they’re still unique players and any musician understands they can bring themselves to something that’s already written. I think we picked the right guys. What they bring naturally works with what we’ve done in the past and what we’re making now. The way to play good is to feel good, and I think that’s what it sounds like.”

The first scheduled Foxy Shazam show at the Taft Theatre in 2020 had the air of a one-off reunion, but the band’s tenacity to get back onstage coupled with the releases of 2020’s Burn and 2022’s The Heart Behead You exhibit all the earmarks of a semiretired champion ready to take on all challengers. Again.

“Yeah, there’s a lot more to come without having to wait because of how much time we’ve had to fill our reservoirs,” Nally says. “I’m excited that things can start being easier for us to be on the road. This is definitely Foxy back in full force.”

Foxy Shazam plays the Andrew J. Brady Music Center (25 Race St., Downtown) on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Attendees must be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID test from the past 72 hours. Info and tickets: bradymusiccenter.com.

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SOUND ADVICE Clem Snide

Tuesday, Feb. 15 • Southgate House Revival “Roger Ebert,” the first song on Clem Snide’s most recent record, 2020’s Forever Just Beyond, opens with a modest beat and twinkling piano before ringleader Eef Barzelay’s plaintive, everemotive voice delivers the following: “Did you know these were Roger Ebert’s dying words: It’s all an elaborate hoax.”

The very next song, “Don’t Bring No Ladder,” is another melancholic tune about death featuring this lyrical request/observation: “And if you could bury me naked/And if you could bury me deep/Believe that from the darkness something will emerge/We are forever on the verge of some hard truth.”

Yet Barzelay, as usual, lifts the heady proceedings with his wry sense of humor, distinctive vocal delivery and textured, easygoing musical arrangements that rarely rise above the practical. Forever Just Beyond, which was produced by and co-written with Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers, was the culmination of a challenging previous decade for Clem Snide. Barzelay founded the band as a trio out of Boston in the early 1990, and together they found success behind a playful, often rollicking songwriting style that pulled equally from Folk, Pop, Rock and Country, cresting with 2005’s excellent End of Love.

But by 2010, following a series of band-member defections and label and management issues, Barzelay was the last man standing. In an effort to support his wife and two small children, he became a songwriter for hire, eventually landing a gig as the voice of Chobani Greek yogurt. Then, in 2016, he noticed that The Avett Brothers covered a Clem Snide song, which eventually led to the collaboration with Scott Avett and the resulting new material. And now, after COVID-related delays, we finally have a solo tour featuring Barzelay armed with only his guitar and voice.

“I look up to Eef with total respect and admiration, and I hope to survive like he survives: with total love for the new and the unknown,” Avett said in press materials when Forever Just Beyond dropped. “Eef’s a crooner and an indie darling by sound and a mystic sage by depth. That’s not common, but it’s beautiful.”

Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 advance and $18 day-of show. Masks are recommended, but not required.

(Jason Gargano)

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Ghost and Volbeat

Saturday, Feb. 19 • Heritage Bank Center Recently, Volbeat’s longtime drummer Jon Larsen tested positive for COVID-19. While that could have meant the end of the tour, Volbeat took things in stride and brought in a pretty impressive replacement, ex-Slayer drummer Jon Dette. As of press time, we don’t know which amazingly talented drummer will grace the stage at the Heritage Bank Center, but we know that fans will be extremely lucky to witness either drummer in action.

Volbeat is touring in support of the band’s most recent album, 2021’s Servant of the Mind, which frontman Michael Poulsen said he wrote over about three months during the pandemic. In a way, you might look at Servant of the Mind as Volbeat’s version of a sourdough starter. The band has matured and developed across their eight studio albums. This new one, though, still clearly showcases Volbeat’s signature ingredients found all the way back on its debut album, 2005’s The Strength/The Sound/The Strongs.

Volbeat’s newest single, “Heaven’s Descent,” speeds through the entire birth of an undead revolution. It’s driving and wild… and exactly what you’d expect from Volbeat.

Tourmates Ghost will bring their own smart, Dark Rock with a side of sarcasm and spooky makeup to the Heritage Bank Center.

Ghost frontman Tobias Forge has said the band’s new album, Impera, dives back into the 19th century and the Victorian Age, but that the devastation and the destruction of all the progress will no doubt seem like he’s holding up a mirror to what our country has been through in the last few years. In an interview with Kerrang!, Forge said, “I believe in the fall of the shitty empires and the rise of the good ones — you can decide yourself which you think I’m talking about.” Oh, we know.

Ghost’s albums over the years have dealt with everything from the biblical story of how the world began to the Dark Ages and more. Forge (playing the part of a costumed “Papa Emeritus” pope-like figure) and his band the Nameless Ghouls bring to stage not only precise and powerful Rock but nothing short of wild theatrics. Don’t let the costume makeup and dark robes fool you, though. Ghost has a lot to get off its chest, and this new tour, featuring “just bangers,” is exactly where we want to be as our world falls apart.

And if you want to commemorate

FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Clem Snide P H O T O : C R A C K E R FA R M

Volbeat P H O T O : V O L B E AT. D K

seeing Volbeat and Ghost’s Cincinnati tour stop? The bands have put out a double-sided 7-inch that is only available on tour. Make sure you get there on time so you can nab the limited-run single and to see Twin Temple, the satanic Doo-Wop group that will open

the show.

Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $39.50-$99.50. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test from the past 72 hours is required for entry. (Deirdre Kaye)

Superwolves P H OTO : J O N A H F R E E M A N A N D J U ST I N LOW E

Superwolves with Emmett Kelly

Thursday, Feb. 24 • Southgate House Revival Will Oldham (aka Bonnie “Prince” Billy) is something of a rapscallion.

The Louisville native has been on the scene for more than three decades now, yielding an artistic legacy both voluminous and committed (some might say mannered). His work as a singer-songwriter — initially through the 1990s outfit Palace Music, followed by multifarious projects since — leans toward the gothic.

Oldham plays up his would-be Appalachian credentials by conjuring elemental themes via lyrics that can be direct one minute, obtuse the next. His fragile, ennui-riddled voice certainly sets a mood, and his sporadic work as a movie actor in sideways indies like Julien Donkey-Boy, Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy and A Ghost Story have only added to his prickly, rough-hewn presence.

Matt Sweeney is the opposite. The New Jersey native is an easygoing magpie, an ace guitarist who is as happy delving into mathy riffage (via his 1990s outfit Chavez) as he is the moody atmospherics of his collaborations with Oldham, which include a 2005 self-titled album called Superwolf and its long-simmering follow-up, 2021’s Superwolves.

“It’s a given collaborator’s uniqueness that makes joining forces feel necessary in the first place,” Oldham said in an interview with Stereogum last April. “There are ways

that Sweeney thinks and works, music that he loves and audiences that he reaches, that I could never grasp on my own. And that’s the same for all of the successful collaborations I’ve been a part of. The other party must be similarly needy and drawn to the idea of co-owning the task.”

The duo’s songwriting process starts with Oldham’s lyrics, which he sends to Sweeney for musical treatment.

Sixteen years in the making, the results on Superwolves are beautiful and haunting – 14 songs over 45 minutes that delve into the realities of parenthood (Oldham became a dad for the first time in 2018) and the perils and glories of aging (both guys have now passed age 50).

The galloping “Hall of Death,” which features mesmerizing arpeggio work from Sweeney, is about as upbeat as they get. The sparse and evocative “My Popsicle” brings to mind early Cat Power. Perhaps best of all is album closer “Not Fooling,” a spooky and poetic ode to the apocalypse as Oldham’s world-weary croon and mystical lyrics intertwine with Sweeney’s intricate guitar work to moving effect.

Doors are 7 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Masks are recommended, but not required. (JG)

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FEBRUARY 9, 2022 - FEBRUARY 22, 2022

INITIAL REACTIONS CROSSWORD

BY B R EN DA N E M M E T T Q U I G L E Y W W W. B R E N DA N E M M E T TQ U I G L E Y.C O M

ACROSS 1. Cry from a Fortnite player 6. Not needing a scrip 9. Side salads 14. Smooth and sophisticated 15. Grumpy outburst 16. Wordworking tool that creates symmetrical cuts 17. Painting of someone’s digitally made pickup line?

19. Microscope lens 20. Arson investigating org.

21. Champagne brand with an umlaut in its name 22. Help out 23. Printer’s color 25. Fabric pattern that you shouldn’t wear at the office?

27. Tao, literally 29. Loaded with beef fat 30. Georgetown is part of it 33. Corp. takeover 34. Egg in 4-Down

38. Comedian without a clue?

40. “AFK, dog”?

42. Kits for survivalists 43. Cream on the table?

45. Edible garlic stems 46. ___ Downs (English racetrack) 48. An NCO 49. Really funny album cover?

54. Its quarter says “Foundation in Education” 57. Brought home 58. NYC mayor Adams 60. Line in an address 61. “Julius Caesar” outfit 62. Two awe-inspiring French handles?

64. Put in place, as laws 65. Melancholy 66. ___ Graecia (ancient Greek seaport colonies) 67. Sidewalk paths after shoveling out a blizzard, say 68. Conclusion 69. Mournful poem

LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

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3 + 2 $ 1 1 ( ' < 6 ( 1 7 / 2 $ 5 & , ( '

+ 2 % 2 4 ( ' 8 6 2 3 ( 1

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+ 8 7 8

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Bertha G. Helmick

your mom, maybe 32. Scribbler’s tablet 34. Giraffe’s cousin 35. Space behind the velvet rope at a club 36. “___ Semaine de Bonté” (Max Ernst novel) 37. Booker T. & the ___ 39. What the middle letter in 31-Down stands for 41. Include without anyone else knowing 44. Game played with gym buddies?

46. Kicks out 47. Formed a superteam 49. “They can do what they wanna” 50. ___ Kea 51. Bardem’s “Being the Ricardos” role 52. Ready to serve, as champagne 53. Cookie container 55. Lkie evrey wrod ni thsi cleu 56. Cosmetic brand 59. Invitation word 62. Be shy?

63. Evans in “The Beatles: Get Back”

DOWN 1. Israel’s president Herzog 2. Needing to be aired out 3. Still sleepy, say 4. See 34-Across 5. Social studies word 6. Become fixated 7. Full of grace 8. Stand-up conic Margaret 9. Excessively sentimental 10. Temporary brain fart 11. What the top unit in a three family triplex likely once was 12. Stir together in the kitchen 13. Religious groups 18. Humongous timespan 22. Stage crew?

24. Drug busters 26. James ___ Space Telescope 28. Approving word 30. Kind of dark 31. Mixtape your dad might have given

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