NEWS
Sen. J.D. Vance Could be Trump’s Pick for Vice President
e push and pull between Vance’s venture capital background and his rustbelt roots was central in his 2022 Senate race – voters could see more of the same in 2024.
BY MADELINE FENING AND LILY OGBURN
The nation is inching closer to knowing whether or not Ohio Senator (and Middletown native) J.D. Vance will win former President Donald Trump’s veepstakes.
Vance, who won his rst Senate race against Democrat Rep. Tim Ryan in 2022, is rumored to be Trump’s VP frontrunner to take on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris this November, but others are still in the running. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is considered a close contender and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is also being considered.
All three VP hopefuls gathered in Atlanta for CNN’s Biden-Trump debate on June 27, but viewers did not see the potential “veep” candidates during the broadcast – the rst in-person debate of the 2024 election cycle was held without a studio audience. While Trump was criticized for wielding dozens of outright lies and repeatedly going otopic, it was Biden’s performance that drew immediate concern from Republicans and Democrats alike. His raspy voice and slow answers made his state of mind appear foggy. Commentators were quick with honest concerns he might not last as the party’s nominee ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August.
“ at was painful,” said CNN’s Van Jones after the debate. “I love Joe Biden, I worked for Joe Biden. He didn’t do well at all. [...] He had a test to meet tonight to restore con dence of the country and
of the base and he failed to do that.”
Vance put it plainly on X, now Twitter, after the debate.
“Trump has so much more energy and clarity than Biden, it’s just an insane contrast. One guy can do the job and the other can’t,” Vance tweeted.
On July 2, Biden’s press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered questions from reporters about Biden’s stumbles.
“I know that he had a cold,” JeanPierre said. “Look, we all have bad nights or bad moments. It is not unusual.”
When asked if Biden has been diagnosed with dementia, she answered point-blank.
“It’s a no,” Jean-Pierre said. “And I hope you’re asking the other guy the same question.”
Still, many media outlets, including CNN, Al Jazeera and e New York Times, are reporting widespread panic among Democrats as the party looks ahead to the General Election in November, while Trump’s support among Republicans appears stronger than ever.
CBS News released a poll on July 2 with market research company YouGov, showing Trump is leading President Biden nationally with 50% of support among likely voters compared to Biden’s 48%. In battleground states, the poll found Trump is starting to edge out Biden with 51% of support compared to the President’s 48%.
e veepstakes
Amid the polling numbers, Trump’s impending running mate announcement could make for a meteoric shift in the former President’s campaign.
Vance, Burgum and Rubio have all been campaigning for Trump in recent months, with Vance and Burgum standing out as the most active of the three, and that matters.
Republican sources tell Axios that fundraising ability will be a key factor in Trump’s VP choice. An understandable requisite considering Trump’s nancial woes following his numerous civil and criminal trials. Trump has spent more than $100 million on legal costs since leaving o ce in January 2021, according to the New York Times. ough his campaign has seen a surge in donations after he was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records about a hush payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels, allowing Trump to catch up to Biden’s previous fundraising advantage.
Vance has already raised millions for Trump’s campaign across two fundraisers hosted in Ohio alone. On June 20, a Cleveland fundraiser co-organized by Vance reportedly brought in $5.5 million, and a $50,000-a-plate fundraiser in Cincinnati brought in an untold amount on May 15.
Vance has also been courting some of the biggest names (and deepest pockets) in Silicon Valley to back Trump, including tech investor David Sacks,
who hosted a June 6 fundraiser for Trump that Vance reportedly helped set up. But Sacks didn’t always have love for Trump – he nancially backed Ron DeSantis early in the campaign, soured on his lackluster success, then went on to throw fundraisers for Vivek Ramaswamy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Even tech mogul Peter iel, who’s ip- opped in his support of Trump, has reportedly returned with his pocketbook.
Vance’s 2022 Senate victory was fueled by $15 million in campaign funds from iel, a point his then-challenger repeatedly called out.
“He can’t be trusted,” Ryan said.
Vance's talking point elegy
e push and pull between Vance’s venture capital background and his rustbelt roots was central in the 2022 Senate race, his rst political election after releasing his memoir about Middletown, Ohio that would propel his career.
Vance rst reached the public’s consciousness after the release of his critically acclaimed 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir Of A Family And Culture In Crisis. Critical reception for Vance’s memoir about growing up poor in Middletown was mixed; some thought the story was inspiring, others exploitative. During interviews about his book, Vance would discuss his views about declining rustbelt cities while also saying he’d never support Trump.
“I’m a Never Trump guy,” Vance said in a 2016 interview with Charlie Rose. “I never liked him.”
Vance also took digs at Trump on Twitter in 2016, saying, “My god what an idiot,” in reference to Trump. e tweets were later deleted. He’s said he regrets his previous criticisms, and Trump’s publicly forgiven him, but just how deep their evolving bond has become will soon prove itself.
Vance’s o ce did not respond to CityBeat’s request for comment on this story.
So, when will we know?
Trump is expected to announce his voice for VP at the start of the Republican National Convention on July 15 in Milwaukee, if not sooner.
Chris LaCivita, a senior advisor on Trump’s campaign, tweeted on June 25 that the VP pick could be announced “as soon as today …or …sometime in mid july !!”
On the VP rumors, Vance has said he’d be disappointed if Trump chooses a di erent running mate, but that he’d still be happy in the U.S. Senate if the former President chooses someone else.
“And so, when you know this thing’s a possibility, if it doesn’t happen, there’s certainly going to be a little bit of disappointment,” Vance told Fox News in June. “But I think the bigger this is, it’s such a cool thing to get that job that I do.”
J.D. Vance is one of the frontrunners for former President Donald Trump's 2024 VP choice.
PHOTO: MADELINE FENING AND NICK SWARTSELL
Baristas at Anderson Township Starbucks File for Union Election
BY MADELINE FENING
Union activity is steaming up at a Starbucks in Anderson Township.
According to a July 2 press release, Starbucks baristas (referred to as “partners” by the company) at the Beechmont & Five Mile Starbucks location have led a petition for a union election.
“Unionizing is our stand for fair treatment and respect. e Starbucks I once admired has changed, and not for the better. Returning has been a whole new experience, revealing a company that no longer embodies the principles it once stood for,” said Steven Applegate, a Starbucks partner for over two years. “By coming together, we aim to restore the values we believed in, ensuring that every worker is heard, respected and treated fairly.”
Workers at the Beechmont & Five Mile location have signed onto a letter with eight other Starbucks locations across the country, explaining their complaints for the company’s CEO, Laxman Narasimhan. Demands include better pay, appropriate staing, consistent scheduling and more.
“Consistently, schedules are not meeting partners’ nancial needs or availability needs. When we don’t get enough hours, we have to work
multiple jobs which causes further scheduling issues and puts signicant stress on partners. ‘World class bene ts’ don’t matter if you don’t get scheduled enough hours to qualify for them,” the letter reads. “At the same time, we are seeing more and more promotional days, and we are not seeing the increased sta ng to match it. Partners are doing the work of multiple people and not being compensated for it. is causes burnout which leads to partners quitting and higher turnover which in turn causes more burnout.”
Starbucks Workers United is a worker-led unionizing e ort run by Starbucks partners who also work regular shifts. e union e ort originated in Bu alo, New York where the rst U.S. Starbucks unionized in 2021.
Starbucks Workers United represents more than 460 Starbucks locations, covering more than 10,500 workers, according to the union.
“ e historic organizing campaign hinges on peer-to-peer organizing led by workers, for workers – and has won election after election in stores nationwide,” the release reads.
is would be the second local Starbucks location to unionize after the Downtown location at 401 Vine St. became the rst in June 2022.
Over 170 Jewish Graves Vandalized in Covedale, Police Investigating
BY MADELINE FENING
Cincinnati Police are investigating after gravestones were vandalized at two prominent Jewish cemeteries on Cincinnati’s west side.
According to a press release from the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, 176 gravestones at the Tifereth Israel Cemetery and the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Cemetery, both at the Covedale Cemetery complex, were found damaged on July 1.
“ is act of antisemitic vandalism was uncovered early this morning and has left our community heartbroken,” reads a press release from the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati (JCGC).
According to the press release, the cemetery groundskeeper told the JCGC that there was no signs of vandalism when they last mowed on June 25. Once they returned, the a ected tombstones, some of which date back to the late 1800s, were either knocked over or cracked in half.
Most of the vandalized gravestones were pushed face down, which JCGC said makes it challenging to identify the a ected families.
“Our hearts go out to the families
a ected by this senseless vandalism,” the release reads. “ e Jewish community in Cincinnati is resilient, and we are committed to repairing the damage and restoring the sanctity of these sacred spaces.”
JCGC has reached out to SAFE Cincinnati, the security arm of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, who is working with law enforcement to investigate the vandalism, including the Cincinnati Police Department, the FBI and authorities out of Green Township.
“Law enforcement has advised us not to touch the gravestones to preserve the integrity of their investigation. Once we receive clearance, we will carefully turn over the gravestones to identify the names and contact any living relatives,” the release reads. “We will inform the families as soon as we have more information.” ere are no suspects so far, but investigators are urging anyone with information about the incident to reach out to Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.
ose who want to donate to JCGC can give direct donations to the organization’s monument repair fund by visiting their website.
Starbucks Workers United represents more than 460 Starbucks locations, covering more than 10,500 workers, according to the union.
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY STARBUCKS MEDIA SITE
At least 176 gravestones at the Tifereth Israel Cemetery and the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Cemetery in Cincinnati's Covedale neighborhood were found damaged on July 1.
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI
Father and Son Among the 3 Men Killed in Shooting Near UC Campus
BY MADELINE FENING
Cincinnati Police have identi ed the three men who were shot and killed in Corryville on July 1, just blocks away from the University of Cincinnati’s main campus.
e Hamilton County Coroner’s o ce has listed Shawn McDaniel Sr., 44, Shawn McDaniel Jr., 22, and Laurenz Nixon, 21, as the three men killed in the shooting at E. University Avenue. A fourth unidenti ed person was also injured in the shooting; they are listed in stable condition.
Police have con rmed the McDaniels are father and son.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with ALL who have been impacted by this tragic incident, this is simply heartbreaking,” CPD said in their initial media release.
In their initial statement on the shooting, CPD said a fth person who self-transported to a nearby hospital for a gunshot wound was involved, but the department later clari ed this
513-352-3040.
SIMA GHAFFARZADEH, PEXELS
fth victim was shot in an unrelated incident; their condition is also listed as stable.
What happened?
Around 2:45 a.m on July 1, o cers were dispatched to 306 E. University Ave. for a report of four people shot,
according to CPD. O cers arrived to nd four people with gunshot wounds. First responders with the Cincinnati Fire Department began life-saving measures, but Shawn McDaniel Sr., the father of Shawn McDaniel Jr., was pronounced dead at scene. His son and Nixon were
transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where they also died from their injuries.
An investigation is ongoing. Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has any information is being asked to call Crime Stoppers, CPD’s anonymous tip line, at 513-352-3040.
Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has any information is being asked to call Crime Stoppers, CPD's anonymous tip line, at
PHOTO:
25 burgers in Greater Cincinnati that are named after someone
By Katherine Barrier
Ever wondered what it takes to get something on the menu named after you? ese Greater Cincinnati restaurants have made that call, with delicious burgers on their menu featuring the names of friends, family and famous people. From current and former Cincinnati Bengals greats to YouTubers with a penchant for heat and Silver Screen stars, here are 25 burgers that you can nd in Greater Cincinnati named after someone else.
Sammy’s Craft Burgers & Beer: Anthony Muñoz Legendary Burger
4767 Creek Road, Blue Ash
Who it’s named after: Former Cincinnati Bengals o ensive tackle Anthony Muñoz
The burger: e patty is made with a 50/50 blend of beef and chorizo and served on a Challah bun. It’s also topped with guacamole, bacon, pepper jack and Mexican street corn fritters and served with Mexican street corn on the cob. A portion of the proceeds from the sales go toward the Anthony Muñoz Foundation.
Arnold’s Bar and Grill:
The Arnold’s Burger
210 E. Eighth St., Downtown
Who it’s named after: Arnold’s Bar and Grill founder Simon Arnold, who opened the tavern in 1861
The burger: e patty is made from Avril-Bleh beef and comes with pickles, sauteed onion, American cheese and Arnold’s house-made burger sauce.
Arnold’s Bar and Grill:
Sean Evans Hot Ones Burger
210 E. Eighth St., Downtown
Who it’s named after: YouTuber Sean Evans, who’s best known for cocreating and hosting the Hot Ones series, which features celebrities eating wings that get spicier and spicier
The burger: Features an Avril-Bleh beef patty with ghost pepper cheese, habanero and jalapeño peppers,
“Hot Ones” aioli and Grippos BBQ chips. Can also request it “lunatic style.”
Bard’s Burgers & Chili:
The Craig
3620 Decoursey Ave., Covington
Who it’s named after: A regular customer and the designer of Bard’s logo
The burger: A plain cheeseburger you can add any toppings you’d like to. Also can come with chili on top, a.k.a. “ e Chili Craig.”
City View Tavern:
Big Ted Deluxe
403 Oregon St., Mt. Adams
Who it’s named after: Ted Lagemann, the former owner of City View Tavern who legend says banned tequila from the bar after stopping Charles Manson (yep, that Charles Manson) from leaping o the establishment’s deck one night in a tequila-fueled craze.
The burger: Topped with American cheese, brown mustard, ketchup, mayo, onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle.
The Audrey Hepburn Burger from Tavern on the Bend PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE
Bones’ Burgers:
The Annie Oakley Burger
9721 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
Who it’s named after: e Ohio-born sharpshooter and folk heroine who starred in Bu alo Bill’s Wild West show
The burger: Comes with Granny Smith apples, applewood-smoked bacon, sauteed onions, extra sharp cheddar and spicy BBQ sauce.
Bones’ Burgers:
The Suki Jane Burger
9721 Montgomery Road, Montgomery
Who it’s named after: e mother of Bones’ Burgers’ owner, Curtis Bonekemper
The burger: Features fried green tomato and house-made pimento cheese.
Brew House: Cameron Burger
1047 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills
Who it’s named after: Jack Cameron, the restaurant and bar’s original owner
The burger: A double cheeseburger, with extra cheese.
Tickle Pickle: Nom Petty
4176 Hamilton Ave., Northside; 915 N. Ft. omas Ave., Ft. omas
Who it’s named after: Rock musician
Tom Petty
The burger: Swiss cheese, mayo and sauteed mushrooms on a golden hamburger bun.
Tickle Pickle: Rob Zomich
4176 Hamilton Ave., Northside; 915 N. Ft. omas Ave., Ft. omas
Who it’s named after: Industrial metal/ shock rock musician Rob Zombie
The burger: Cheddar, spicy ketchup, hot sauce, grilled onions and peppers, plus banana peppers and a jalapeño popper atop a pretzel bun.
Coaches Corner: Beeb Burger
317 E. Sixth St., Newport
Who it’s named after: Edward “Beeb” Nare, owner Midge Brewer’s late brother
The burger: Topped with Swiss Cheese; grilled onions; mushrooms; jalapeño poppers; and crispy, thick-sliced bacon and served on a toasted Kaiser roll.
Bucketheads:
The Godfather Burger
6507 Harrison Ave., Green Township
Who it’s named after: Dontay Corleone, defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bearcats
The burger: Topped with BBQ beef brisket, American cheese and an onion ring.
Ollie’s Trolley: Marvin Burger
1607 Central Ave., West End
Who it’s named after: e Cincinnati
Ollie’s Trolley’s current owner, Marvin Smith
The burger: Features a patty seasoned with Ollie’s special blend, topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, grilled onions and peppers, Swiss cheese and jalapeños. Served on a grilled Kaiser bun.
Ollie’s Trolley: Ollie Burger
1607 Central Ave., West End
Who it’s named after: Ollie Gleichenhaus, the owner of a popular Miami burger stand who sold the Ollie Burger recipe to Ollie’s Trolley founder John Y. Brown
The burger: e patty is seasoned with special Ollie Seasoning and is placed on a grilled Kaiser bun before being topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, Swiss cheese and Ollie Sauce.
Gordo’s Pub & Grill:
Jean-Robert
4328 Montgomery Road, Norwood
Who it’s named after: Late Cincinnati chef Jean-Robert de Cavel, who was friends with Gordo’s owner, Raymond Gordo
The burger: Features lettuce, grape compote, mayo and bleu and goat cheese.
Chandler’s Burger Bistro:
The Joey B
6135 Cleves Warsaw Pike, Delhi Township; 10533 Harrison Ave, Harrison
Who it’s named after: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow
The burger: A Cajun-inspired burger in honor of Burrow’s time at Lousiana State University. It features bacon, pepper jack, lettuce, pickles and cajun mayo.
Rusk Kitchen + Bar: Peebles
Seasonal Burger
2724 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills
Who it’s named after: Brothers William Sharp and Joseph Rusk Peebles, who established Cincinnati’s rst mercantile house, located at the corner of Madison Road and Woodburn Avenue, in 1840
The burger: Currently an 8-oz. patty topped with mushrooms, caramelized onions, smoked mozzarella and roasted garlic aioli atop a toasted brioche bun. You can also make it vegetarian by substituting the burger with a lentil patty.
Boom Box Sliders: Rick Roll
9960 Crescent Park Drive, West Chester
Who it’s named after: “Never Gonna Give Up” singer Rick Astley and the internet prank and meme named after him.
(Rickrolling is when you trick someone into clicking on a link, with them thinking it’s one thing, but it actually leads them to the music video of “Never Gonna Give You Up.”)
The burger: e restaurant’s craft burger topped with American cheese, grilled onion, pickle and Boom Box Sauce.
By Golly’s Bar & Grill: The Mike Burger
714 Lila Ave., Milford
Who it’s named after: Mike Mills, the chief of police in Clermont County’s Miami Township
The burger: Served with cheddar, queso, bacon and sweet BBQ sauce.
By Golly’s Bar & Grill: The Jamey Burger 714 Lila Ave., Milford
Who it’s named after: Donald “Jamey” Mills, the chief of police in Milford
The burger: A black-and-bleu-style burger topped with an onion ring and chipotle ranch.
Lori’s American Grille: Burtle’s BLT Burger
1711 OH-28, Goshen
Who it’s named after: Owner Lori Ellen’s father, Burtle Morgan
The burger: Comes with bacon, tomato and lettuce, as well as a fried egg and mayo.
Lori’s American Grille: Dennis Johnson 6562 Burger 1711 OH-28, Goshen
Who it’s named after: e VFW post named for Lance Cpl. Dennis G. Johnson, a former Milford resident and U.S. Marine Corps member who was killed in action in Vietnam on March 28, 1969 and awarded a Silver Star
The burger: Features onion straws, bourbon-BBQ sauce, white cheddar and sauteed onions.
Lori’s American Grille: The Big Lou Burger 1711 OH-28, Goshen
Who it’s named after: Lou Pappas, who owned Goshen’s Family Deli for over 30 years
The burger: A burger topped with pulled pork BBQ, queso, fried egg and three fries.
Tavern on the Bend: Chuck Norris Burger
5471 North Bend Road, White Oak
Who it’s named after: e actor, martial artist and famed badass best known for playing Cordell Walker in Walker, Texas Ranger
The burger: Served with jalapeño bacon, pepper jack, lettuce and tomato and topped with Tavern on the Bend’s secret sauce.
Tavern on the Bend: Audrey Hepburn Burger
5471 North Bend Road, White Oak
Who it’s named after: The actress best known for her roles in lms like Breakfast at Ti any’s, Sabrina, Roman Holiday and My Fair Lady
The burger: Comes with goat cheese, bacon and artisan lettuce and drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.
The Sean Evans Hot Ones Burger from Arnold’s Bar and Grill PHOTO: AIDAN MAHONEY WITH PHOTO ASSISTANCE FROM LYDIA SCHEMBRE
ARTS & CULTURE
A Musical Celebration
e Summermusik festival celebrates Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s 50th anniversary with several musical events this summer
BY ANNE ARENSTEIN
In 2015, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra launched Summermusik, an annual music festival featuring concerts and events throughout August, traditionally a downtime for most music series.
Nine years later, Summermusik is an anticipated part of the summer music schedule, and this tenth season celebrates the CCO’s 50th anniversary with a spectrum of music ranging from world premieres to earworms, performed at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, bars and new venues throughout the city.
e celebration begins on July 31 with “Notes on Neon” at the American Sign Museum, curated by CCO violinist David Goist, the rst of Summermusik’s wildly popular Chamber Crawl series with music inspired by the low hums neon signs emit.
e legendary Canadian Brass takes over opening weekend with their newest member, CCO’s principal trumpeter Ashley Hall-Tighe. With 138 recordings, three Grammys and countless international appearances, Canadian Brass plays it all, from Baroque to contemporary. e Summermusik program is exactly that, going from a Bach-Vivaldi arrangement to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and ending with W.C. Handy’s rousing “Beale Street Blues.”
CCO music director Eckart Preu says the Canadian Brass has always been on his bucket list.
“ ey’re a perfect t for us! ey have such an enormous range of repertory and so do we.”
On Sunday, Aug. 3, Canadian Brass kicks o A Little Afternoon Music at Crestview Presbyterian Church in West Chester. No program is listed but expect the unexpected and a boost from the Cincinnati Brass Band for the nale.
e next weekend, Shakespeare rules with actors from the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company contributing their talents. CCO’s concertmaster Celeste Golden Andrews is the featured soloist in Bernstein’s West Side Story Suite for Violin and Strings
Other selections include Erich Korngold’s rollicking incidental music for Much Ado About Nothing and a suite of incidental music for Hamlet by Shostakovich.
e concert includes the world premiere of John Henry Kreitler’s Symphony No. 2 e Voices of God, which will serve as a poignant tribute to the composer, who died earlier this year.
Kreitler attended CCM and went on to score several television series, racking up ten Emmy awards. He moved to Northern Kentucky several years ago and began attending Summermusik.
“John approached me about establishing a concerto competition for young composers,” recalls Evan Gidley, Summermusik’s executive director. “He joined the board and helped raise money to get it started.
“And then he o ered to write a symphony for us for free! Shortly after he began work on it, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and completed the symphony just a few weeks before he died.”
e ve-part symphony is based on poetry by Elaine Hewes, a poet and Lutheran minister from Maine.
e concerto competition is now named for Kreitler and drew 237 applicants from 18 countries. Colorado-based Matt Browne is the rst recipient of the commission prize. His concerto will have its world premiere during Summermusik’s 2025 season.
Music inspired by poetry continues on Sunday, Aug. 11 at Westwood Presbyterian Church with music by Schubert, Debussy, Vaughan Williams and Walton. Poet Kimberly “DuWaup” Bolden hosts a poetry showcase prior to the concert and omas Dreeze joins the musical ensemble in selections from “Façade,” Walton’s quirky settings of Dame Edith Sitwell’s equally quirky poems.
e following weekend, dive into the “Many Colors of India,” with music from India and Indian music
in uenced by Western European composers, like Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor. When asked why they chose that symphony, Preu explains the rst movement’s famous theme was adapted into the score for Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1961 lm Chhaya and was an immediate hit.
“It’s become a classic song in India,” Preu says. “Everyone knows it!
“Our goal was to explore the fascinating connections between Western European music and Indian music, Bach and Mozart especially,” he continues. “And fortunately, we have an expert on Indian music embedded here in Cincinnati.”
Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran — who goes by his rst name — is a composer, conductor and educator based in Cincinnati. Kanniks founded the Greater Cincinnati Indian Community Choir in 1996 and created similar ensembles throughout the U.S. His compositions for chorus and orchestra are performed internationally.
Kanniks’ overture for the Tamil lm Tirai-Isai and selections from his massive choral work Shanti are on the program, featuring the Greater Cincinnati Indian Community Choir and classical Indian dancers.
Other works are Reena Esmail’s Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz (My Sister’s Voice) with Hindustani vocalist Vidita Kannicks and soprano Jackie Stevens. Tenor Jason Vest sings Evening Song from Philip Glass’s opera Satyagraha and works by Edward Elgar and Muthuswami Dikshitar.
Kannicks returns the next day with more lm music at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, including
selections from Slumdog Millionaire, Bombay Wedding, Maine Pyar Kiya and a closer look at India’s music connections with Bach and Beethoven.
Beethoven provides the tting celebratory nale to Summermusik’s golden anniversary season with Symphony No. 9 in D. e CCO will use the standard arrangement “but with a smaller string section, a smaller choir and additions to our winds and brass,” Preu explained.
“It will be more transparent with more details than you’d hear from a larger orchestra. It will be a more intimate experience but just as powerful.” e 32-voice choir is being prepared by CCO’s associate conductor Daniel Parsley and soloists are soprano Kala Maxym, mezzo-soprano Lauren McAllister, tenor Jason Francisco and baritone-bass Musa Ngqungwana.
“It’s so important to start and end with a bang,” Preu chuckled.
Two of the Chamber Crawls are sold out and others are close to capacity. Check online for availability.
Summermusik is now the o cial name of the organization with the CCO as its resident ensemble. “It’s in keeping with major music festivals and we will maintain our commitment to the ‘We Are One’ series we began in 2022,” Preu said. “Partnerships will always be at the heart of what we do. It’s what makes us unique.”
e Summermusik festival runs from July 31-Aug. 24 in various locations throughout Cincinnati. More info: summermusik.org.
Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra Music Director Eckart Preu
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY CINCINNATI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Ohio Light Opera Has a Knack for Classic Musicals
REVIEW BY RICK PENDER
Fans of musical theater with slightly old-fashioned tastes have visited Ohio Light Opera for 45 seasons. Just three hours northeast of Cincinnati, OLO is in its 45th professional season at the College of Wooster. Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas were its initial impetus, but today its repertoire has expanded to traditional Golden Age musicals in a JuneJuly summer season. OLO’s reputation for consistently and faithfully restaging historical operettas and musicals makes it unique. In general, operettas contain spoken dialogue and songs, often spinning comic, satirical and witty stories.
OLO’s current season o ers three operettas and three classic musicals: Gilbert and Sullivan’s e Gondoliers (1889), Lehar’s e Count of Luxembourg (1909), Monckton and Talbot’s e Arcadians (1909), Gay’s Me and My Girl (1937, 1984), Loesser’s Guys & Dolls (1950) and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Sound of Music (1959). In late June, I was there for four productions, all staged in the 394-seat Freedlander eatre on the college campus, a comfortable 1974 venue with more legroom than most theaters. Each performance delivered authentic productions of these classic titles by energetic performers from its nearly 50-person acting company. Across 45 seasons, OLO has staged 151 titles for more than 750,000 patrons.
The Gondoliers: e 1999 lm TopsyTurvy, a biographical lm about Gilbert and Sullivan, portrayed their oftencontentious working relationship. Its title is a perfect summary of the stories Gilbert wrote for Sullivan’s melodic scores, with absurd tales pushed to ridiculous conclusions. In e Gondoliers, the comedy spins around a pair of young Venetian gondoliers raised as brothers who learn that one of them is actually the King of Barataria — but which one is which is a mystery. Casilda, a young woman of royal descent, comes forward, engaged to one of these boys as a baby, meaning she’d become the Queen of
Barataria. Of course, she’s in love with someone else. Meanwhile, the gondoliers have married two farm girls. ey decide to rule Barataria together, doing away with royal protocols, until their identities can be sorted out. However, women will not be admitted to the kingdom until one king is revealed, so the wives are left behind. is leads to a great deal of comic silliness performed with elaborate choreography (Spencer Reese is OLO’s season choreographer) and scenes of very tongue-in-cheek humor, including poking fun at the illogic of royal rules.
OLO double-casts many leading roles for alternating performances, including Marco and Giuseppe as the young gondoliers. Davian Raggio (Marco) and Connor Burns (Giuseppe) earned lots of laughs with their arm-in-arm e orts to rule jointly. As the farm girls Gianetta and Tessa, Laura McKenna and Julia Fedor (also double-cast), have amusing vocal moments as they try to reconnect with their husbands. Holly omas plays Casilda (double-cast).
Comic highlights include Vincent Gover as the Duke of Plaza-Toro, Casilda’s dithering father, and Andrea McGaugh, as the imperious Duchess, who barely su ers her husband’s ridiculous behavior. Tall and powerfully voiced Zachary Elmassian is the meddling, conservative Grand Inquisitor.
OLO productions are supported by a 24-piece orchestra, led by Michael Borowitz. For the Gondoliers’ sprightly overture, the entire ensemble was elevated from the orchestra pit to highlight their brilliant musical accompaniment.
Gondoliers has two sets designed by Daniel Hobbs: a simple Venetian country square for Act 1 and, for Act II, a pavilion, initially a littered scene caused by the undisciplined management of the Palace of Barataria. Ornate costumes, including several amazing powdered wigs, are by Rachel Aho.
Guys & Dolls: Frank Loesser’s 1950
Broadway Tony Award-winner about gamblers in New York and missionaries has many scenes, staged uidly by OLO with own-in scenery (from Hobbs). e production jumps swiftly from a campy nightclub to a crap game in a sewer tunnel, from the drab Save-A-Soul Mission to an ornate Havana nightclub.
Jack Murphy, with lots of natural charisma and a strong voice, plays Sky Masterson, a notorious gambler, who sets out on a bet to win over Sarah Brown, a straitlaced urban missionary, played by Madeline Co ey (double-cast), with a gorgeous vocal range.
e comic spotlight shines particularly on cabaret singer Miss Adelaide (Ori Marcu, double-cast), engaged for 14 years to a shifty but loveable bookie Nathan Detroit (James Mitchell). Marcu’s rendering of “Adelaide’s Lament,” chronicling a ictions to her eyes, ears, nose and throat caused by romantic disappointments, is a highlight.
Reese, whose ensemble numbers for the gamblers, the Hot Box and Cuban club dancers, are spectacular, is also onstage playing Nicely-Nicely Johnson, including the infectious “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” Guys & Dolls has a rollicking, hummable score, and the young OLO cast nails just about every number.
Me and My Girl: is show evolved from a 1937 revue to a more full- edged 1984 musical. It resembles My Fair Lady in its tale about a Cockney guy, unschooled in the ways of the aristocracy, who unexpectedly falls heir to Hareford house and an earldom. He’s not inclined to be civilized, and he already has “his girl,” who’s at rst charmed by the opportunity but soon sees how they don’t really t in.
Bill Snibson (Reese, also the choreographer) has a lot of lower-class ways that appall snooty family members, especially starchy Sir John Tremayne (R. Porter Hiatt) and the persistent Duchess of Dene (Yvonne Trobe) who badgers Billy — including resurrecting a half-dozen
ancestors for an amusing chase around the stage. A blonde bombshell, Lady Jacqueline Carston (Madison Barrett, doublecast), pursues Billy, but he’s only interested in his girl, a Cockney commoner named Sally Smith (Kate Bilenko).
Me and My Girl is as much about dancing as it is about singing, and Reese and Bilenko could pass as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in several of their romantic numbers, ballroom dancing and tapping. Reese puts everyone from the royals to the downstairs servants into delirious dance routines, and the exuberant “Lambeth Walk” before intermission has the entire cast surrounding the audience. Jack Murphy (Guys & Dolls’ Sky) does a dazzling comic tap turn in the Act II opener, “ e Sun Has Got His Hat On.”
The Sound of Music: Who doesn’t know this classic musical about a singing nun who lovingly turns some ornery children into a show choir and falls in love with their stern father in the process? OLO gives it a gorgeously sung staging accompanied by the big orchestra, a large cast, including seven charming kids (all double-cast) and a Mother Superior (Sara Nealley, doublecast) with operatic pipes for “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” Several performers from other shows are onstage again, including Gover ( e Gondoliers) as bottled-up Capt. Von Trapp, Fedor (Gondoliers) as the irrepressible Maria and Marcu (Guys & Dolls) as sweet Liesl, 16 going on 17.
OLO’s talent depth means each production features excellent actors, singers and dancers in its cast. With the bountiful orchestra and professional quality stagecraft, this festival is a ne destination for a weekend of classical musical theater.
e Ohio Light Opera’s 45th season productions are performed in the College of Wooster’s Freedlander eatre in Wooster, Ohio. Six productions presented
The Gondoliers is a comedy centered around a pair of young Venetian gondoliers.
PHOTO: MATT DILYARD
FOOD & DRINK
A Foodie Destination
Madisonville’s Alara o ers an unforgettable ne dining experience
REVIEW BY PAMA
MITCHELL
Over the past six months or so, more than a few new restaurants have opened in the city and nearby suburbs. Some have been instant hits. Try getting a table at Colette near Washington Park on less than two weeks’ notice, or nding seats at Sa , Jose Salazar’s wine bar-style lounge, where they don’t take reservations. Aperture in Walnut Hills and Over-the-Rhine’s Atwood dish out wonderful meals, with creative Mediterranean fare at Aperture and surprisingly varied approaches to seafood at Atwood. Despite the ongoing challenges of the postCovid restaurant business, I can’t help but regard this year as a boon to Cincinnati diners.
It’s an embarrassment of riches, made even more astonishing by the fantastic quality of meals coming from my favorite newbie, Madisonville’s Alara. When I heard the name Mark Bodenstein attached to this restaurant, my mouth immediately started to water. Ten years ago or so, he was chef at an out-of-the-way place in Newport called NuVo. It went through various transformations, including an interval when there wasn’t really a menu. Instead, small, inventive courses appeared on your table throughout the evening. I loved it, although it was clear to me that there probably wasn’t a sustainable market for the place in Greater Cincinnati.
Bodenstein says as much today, calling NuVo “ahead of its time.” I never forgot it even as I lost track of the chef in ensuing years, only to see his name associated with Alara. Only then did I learn that he has been employed since 2017 as the corporate development chef for the restaurant group Looking Glass Hospitality (LGH). LGH owns restaurants in near and far suburban locations, from Mariemont and Blue Ash to Hamilton and Mason. Bodenstein helped open many of them, including Emery (Mariemont) and Clyborne’s (Mason). During those years, he developed menus, hired executive chefs and focused on “the nuts and bolts of kitchen operations,” Bodenstein says.
en LGH upped the ante when they
moved into Madison Square in Madisonville, their nearest location to the city center and their rst foray into truly ne dining.
Situated on the ground oor of a multistory, brand-new o ce building, Alara has a distinctly suburban vibe. e bar and dining areas seem vast compared to the other newly opened restaurants I referred to above, most of them in historic buildings on city blocks where space is at a premium. As a host led our party of four to a table at Alara, I couldn’t help but notice that it had the familiar feel of a standard steakhouse.
It is nothing of the sort.
at’s not to say you won’t nd topnotch meats on this menu, including ribeye, New York strip and let mignon, as well as exceptional lamb chops and even a rack of pork. But Alara has a wider array of delights for those who don’t necessarily want big pieces of animal proteins.
Bodenstein, 43, told me later that when he and the LGH team started planning Alara in 2019, they imagined it as a ri on an upscale steakhouse, but with a lot more exibility. A group of LGH sta ers dined at top spots in Los Angeles and Las Vegas to nd inspiration and came up with a menu for their most upscale restaurant that is seasonal, the dishes sharable and the ambitions sky-high. “I want this to be a destination restaurant drawing from the region and beyond,” he said. “I hope people will y in to eat here.”
If that sounds a little unreasonable, I think you should have a meal at Alara before you pass judgment.
After we had ordered drinks and a round of starters, Bodenstein came by our table, and we questioned him about what he especially liked on the menu. Naturally, we took those comments to heart and adjusted our choices accordingly. Among many wonderful dishes, we ordered one of his recommendations and it became a consensus favorite: Chicken Milanese.
With all the fancy meat and seafood, who would have guessed we’d go gaga over a chicken prep? Perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked, a generous portion to satisfy four of us, thin slices of breast meat breaded and ash-fried were dressed with a light, lemon-tru e vinaigrette and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano. Add to that roasted shiitake mushrooms, spring asparagus and charred lemon. Lick-theplate deliciousness.
I could go into minute detail about most of the savory dishes we sampled, but that would take up too much of our time. Highlights included a couple of shareable appetizers, including spicy smoked carrot hummus and a refreshing tuna crudo. If it’s still on the menu, don’t miss the hearts of palm salad dotted with orange and grapefruit morsels and toasted sun ower seeds. Based on advice from Bodenstein, we shared two pasta preps: you-won’tbelieve-it’s meatless Vegetarian Bolognese on gnocchi and deliriously rich Lobster and Pea Carbonara. ose dishes plus the Chicken Milanese and a couple of veggie sides brought us to dessert.
You don’t want to skip dessert here. ey brought in a pastry chef most
recently from Disney in Orlando, Lisa Hood, whose fanciful, eye-catching preparations somehow manage to be both indulgent and relatively light. From among the four o erings that evening, we shared Midnight Chocolate Pro teroles and Creamsicle Cloud, the latter made with passionfruit curd, orange and vanilla mousse and something called “colorshifting glaze.”
If you want to check out this place before committing to the whole nine yards, drop in on Happy Hour every Monday-Friday from 4-6 p.m. in the roomy bar. It’s not elaborate, and I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m willing to bet they’ll make the experience a good one. e menu consists of four snacks — not items from the dinner menu, but beef or crispy chicken sliders and a couple of other items — and some drink specials. You might decide to get a table and dive into a few of Bodenstein’s (or Hood’s) creations.
And tell your out-of-town friends and relatives to book a ight.
Alara, 5410 Medpace Way, Madisonville. More info: alaracincinnati.com.
Alara is situated on the ground oor of a multi-story office building.
PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE
Mark Bodenstein is Alara’s executive chef.
PHOTO: LYDIA SCHEMBRE
Hollywood Bar The 513 Returns Home to Hamilton
BY LOGAN TURNER EATS
The city of Cincinnati has seen its fair share of highs over the past couple of years. A high that will forever be ingrained in the minds of its citizens is when the Cincinnati Bengals made it to the Super Bowl in 2022.
e Bengals going to the Super Bowl was memorable because the adventure became so much more than just a football team heading to the big game. Many stories of community and camaraderie emerged as fans across the city came together to show their support for the team. However, one of these tales of community and camaraderie interestingly enough comes from the Super Bowl’s host city of Los Angeles.
Amongst the madness of the NFL’s marquee event and the backdrop of Hollywood arose a place where Cincinnati’s faithful could congregate. Hamilton native Jay Davis, while living in Los Angeles at the time, decided to open up e 513. e 513 was a bar located in northern Hollywood that paid tribute to the Queen City with its name, decor and menu items. It opened amid the jungle fever that took over the City of Angels in 2022 and ultimately propelled the bar to great success.
Despite this, Davis realized that something was missing. at something couldn’t be found on Hollywood Boulevard. It was then that Davis and his family decided to come back home. Now, the city of Hamilton showcases the new and improved e 513 bar on the corner of Main and N. D streets.
With such an interesting start, how did Davis and his business wind up back in Hamilton? It was no easy feat, according to the man himself. Davis spoke with CityBeat about some of the challenges he faced while trying to coordinate a bar opening from across the country.
“I had to go back and forth,” Davis said. “I was still running the bar out there [Los Angeles], but I was looking for properties here [Cincinnati] and buying the properties here. Even after we bought it, I was going through the design process while going back to L.A. for the weekends while we were busy out there with the bar. It was tough. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it certainly was worth it.”
Davis also spoke about how now that the operations have fully been moved to Hamilton he can now fully focus his e orts on the new bar.
“Now I’m able to focus all of my time on this bar, which it needs. It’s a big, big operation here: three patios, two bars and six di erent drinking and eating areas. It needs a lot of sta and a lot of supervision.
at’s what I’m focusing on now.”
Although the journey may have been chaotic, it’s also come with success. Ever since e 513 opened its doors on May 20, the reception from the community has been overwhelming. With so much hype surrounding the bar’s opening, the community waited in anticipation for months.
“ is is our sixth week and things are going well,” Davis said. “It started o with a bang the rst few weeks, and we haven’t let o the gas pedal much.
e feedback we’re getting is fantastic.
e sta is coming into its own. ey’re getting better every day. e food is improving every day. Halfway through our second month, we’re happy with how it’s going.”
e 513 has its lore to thank for a good amount of its current success. However, the bar at 244 Main St. also brings plenty of unique character to Hamilton’s growing downtown area.
e 513 currently operates out of two di erent buildings. e buildings are back-to-back from one another with
a patio space that adjoins them. e building facing Main Street o ers a more quaint and homey feeling. Davis had the idea of preserving the original brick and wood oors, creating a rustic yet cozy aesthetic.
e patio area is one of the better outdoor dining and drinking options in Hamilton. e space features ample room between a traditional patio area that bridges together the two buildings. It also features a side picnic area that sits just next to the sidewalk along Main Street. If that wasn’t enough, they also have a rooftop dining area that overlooks the main patio between the buildings.
e second building that runs along N. D Street is much larger in size and scale. e open-area concept feels more like the bar Davis and his family originally opened in Los Angeles. e grand ceilings, upstairs loft area and sizable indoor stage are nothing like anything else in Hamilton. It feels trendy in a way that still feels in touch with history.
e property itself truly is one of a
kind. Davis spoke with CityBeat about what he thought of the property and what it meant for e 513 to lay its roots there.
“You can’t get a better location than this. ese buildings are so cool,” Davis said. “It’s 190 years old. When we came in, I looked in these buildings and they were in rough shape. ey had been vacant for 12 or 13 years and they needed a lot of work. What we did was just strip them down to the brick and the wood.”
Davis added that they even used some of the original wood to create things like the bartops and liquor shelves.
e 513 has also partnered with another Cincinnati company favorite to bring good eats to the people of Hamilton. Currently, the bar o ers Montogomery Inn food items like pulled pork and chicken, along with a larger-than-average beer selection.
e 513, 244 Main St., Hamilton. More info: the513bars.com.
The 513 recently opened its doors in Hamilton.
PHOTO: LOGAN TURNER
MUSIC
A Past Alive
Hurray for the Ri Ra ’s Alynda Segarra discusses their musical evolution ahead of the band’s show in Cincinnati.
BY JASON GARGANO
Hurray for the Ri Ra ’s latest album, the aptly titled e Past Is Still Alive, is among the most enthralling statements to surface in this complicated year of 2024 — the creative apex of its fearless leader and only constant Alynda Segarra’s journey from street-informed rabble-rouser to a songwriter and performer of uncommon power and insight. Segarra’s deft lyrical tales and striking voice, which recall a melding of Lucinda Williams and Patti Smith, have powered a string of recordings since 2007, each a melting pot of folk, blues, roots, rock and Cajun music.
But it wasn’t until 2017’s e Navigator — a fascinating concept album about Segarra’s full-circle return to their Bronx/ Puerto Rican roots — that a wider audience began to take notice. e follow-up, 2022’s Life on Earth, was just as stellar if slightly less conceptual. And now, e Past Is Still Alive proves to be an impressively textured, cinematic travelogue through the life and times of an artist unafraid to tap into elemental themes both timeless and personal.
CityBeat recently connected with Segarra — who was taking a break from rehearsing for an upcoming appearance on Austin City Limits — by phone to discuss a creative evolution as fertile as any in recent memory.
CityBeat: It seems like the reception for e Past Is Still Alive is more enthusiastic than anything you’ve done to this point. Do you feel that way?
Alynda Segarra: For sure,
especially live. I’ve felt such a di erence in the emotion coming from the crowd singing along. I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a lot of singing along, which is something I’ve obviously wanted. It feels incredible to be like, “Wow, these songs are touching people in this way.” e reaction has been really amazing.
I’m de nitely the biggest critic of myself. I love the songs that I’ve written but I’m also kind of obsessed with the craft of it, and these songs are de nitely the best songs I’ve written. ere are (older) songs that I love, like “Pa’lante” (from e Navigator) for example, but these songs are just really catching people because they’re well crafted. I also feel like the subject matter is very relatable. So many people have dealt with loss and addiction and grief and just changes in their lives that feel really overwhelming. ere is a lot about this record that’s touching people right now.
CB: You’ve talked about the fact that you wrote this record from more of a rst-person perspective than you have in the past. Why were you interested in writing in that way this time?
AS: With enough time and space from my late-teenage, early-twenties years, I’ve been able to have a di erent perspective on it. I also was a little bit afraid to focus on it too much because it was so much of what people loved to focus on during interviews. I spent a lot of my late twenties worried that I was a novelty because I rode (freight) trains and ran away (from the Bronx at age 17
forward?” en when I lost him it all just struck home in a deeper way.
CB: ere’s a cohesive and particular aesthetic to this album beyond just the music and lyrics. e album packaging, promotional photos and videos complement the music, allowing the listener a more immersive experience. Did you pay special attention to that aspect?
AS: Totally. I obsessed over it. It’s also one of my favorite things (in the process). I really love lm. I started making a mood board pretty early on, and that helped me in the writing as well. I was watching My Own Private Idaho, I was watching Paris, Texas, I was watching Badlands and just turning on these lms on the Criterion channel that are really spacious and also really mysterious. I was thinking a lot about these American archetypes or icons like River Phoenix. I was really trying to hone into that. And, of course, I always have Patti Smith oating around in my psyche.
to the eventual longtime home of New Orleans) as opposed (to interviewers) focusing on the art. So now I think with a little bit of time and just feeling like I’m proud of the work I’ve done, and I’ve proven whatever I felt I needed to prove, it was just enough space for me to be like, “ is is the life I’ve lived, these are the people I knew.” I felt like I wanted to preserve them somehow. ere is so much a theme of loss with this record and being like, “What do I do with all these people that are not around anymore?” So, it felt very natural to create like a photo album with this record.
CB: I didn’t realize this until I started doing research; the songs on the album were already written before and then recorded two weeks after your father passed. What was it like to have that happen just before recording these songs?
AS: When he passed, I felt this big wave of, “Wow, it all makes sense.” It was a surreal feeling of, “Wow, this is the moment.” I also felt so grateful to have an album to record because it was what really got me through, something to focus on, something to keep busy with, but I also was rethinking my life and taking inventory. I think a lot of that initially was about coming out of COVID. We had this big period where we were like, “Is this the end of everything?” So, coming out of that it was, “Let’s look back. What do we do with all these memories and what do we do with all this time that has passed, and then how do we move
CB: Speaking of Patti, I came across a live performance on YouTube you did of “Pa’lante” in Toronto earlier this year. I had never seen Patti live until last year, and it was more powerful emotionally than I expected. What you did with “Pa’lante” evokes similar vibes.
AS: She’s incredible, right? She’s like a shaman. When I watch music documentaries about e Beatles or about (Bob) Dylan, something that comes up a lot is people saying when they saw Elvis on TV, a doorway opened in their mind. ey’re like, “Whoa, I think I could do that.” Of course, then it leads them to becoming themselves. But that moment for me was when I was lucky enough to go to Electric Lady Studios for the 40th anniversary of Horses. She played it live, the whole record with the original band members in the studio where she recorded it 40 years earlier. at was right before I nished e Navigator, and when I walked out of there, I felt like something opening up in me and saying, “ is is a possibility, this is the type of energy and lineage that I’d like to be a part of, that I feel like is in me somewhere.” She means so much to me in that way. When I read (Smith’s memoir) Just Kids, that was the rst time I was able to be like, “I’m a fucking artist,” and really claim it and walk that walk with more con dence. I’m always thinking about her.
Hurray for the Ri Ra plays Woodward eater on July 15 at 7:30 p.m. More info: woodwardtheater.com.
Hurray for the Riff Raff
PHOTO: TOMMY KHA
MUSIC
Icons of the ‘80s Discuss New Wave Origins Ahead of Totally Tubular Festival
BY BRENT STROUD
The Totally Tubular Festival is coming to Riverbend on Saturday, July 27, and some of the biggest acts of the ‘80s will be transporting you back in time on an excellent adventure. e festival is like a time-traveling pop music DeLorean to the beginning of big hair, bright colors, MTV and a new era for pop music and pop culture.
e creators and voices behind some of the biggest hits of the ‘80s featured at the festival, including omas Dolby, behind otherworldly hits like “She Blinded Me with Science;” Tom Bailey of ompson Twins and Ivan Doroschuk from Men Without Hats, spoke with CityBeat ahead of the tour kicko . ese ‘80s heavy hitters discuss ushering in something altogether new, the decade’s distinct style, the origin of new wave, the signi cance of MTV, camaraderie between the groups, staying creative and much more.
In addition to those three pillars of ‘80s pop, the tour features Modern English, Wang Chung, Tommy Tutone, Bow Wow Wow and e Plimsouls to round out a bill worthy of any ‘80s mixtape.
Fans can immerse themselves in an era that represents a new generation with a new sound.
e decade’s new sound was labeled “new wave” and lived up to its name, but it didn’t come out of nowhere — before new wave, there was punk.
“My feeling was that punk opened the door for so many of us; it was suddenly saying you didn’t have to be some kind of distant and amazingly wealthy musician to be able to connect with an audience,” Bailey told CityBeat
Doroschuk agrees that punk music helped create the new wave genre.
“We shared the same bin in the back of the record stores back then,” he said. “New wave bands and punk bands shared stages because nobody else in town would have us. It was a lot of the DIY philosophy that connected us and a lot of philosophy and politics were the same.”
“I think when the bands with the energy of punk started doing more sophisticated music, it was more stimulating,” Dolby said. “It broadened out so it wasn’t that sort of three chords thrash and scream vocals; it became more musical, but it was, really, very di erent than the corporate rock in the ‘70s.”
Punk music made its impact and musicians took cues from the movement and branched out to form a new sound.
e growing use of electronic instruments in the late ‘70s and into the beginning of the ‘80s created new sounds and textures and, in turn, a new style of music that built o what came before. e dancing drive of disco and the accessibility of traditional pop music mixed with the freedom and attitude of punk helped create a new sound for a new decade.
“ e other thing that was happening at the same time was a move, instead of just guitar and drums being the sound of it, I think electronics were starting to play their part,” Dolby said. “I was of the generation that were in uenced by socalled krautrock, Tangerine Dream and Kraftwerk and so on, but certainly when (David) Bowie and (Brian) Eno went to Berlin and Bowie started making chart pop records, which were all electronics,
were male, female, Black and white and using synthesizers. It kind of broke the assumed stereotype of what a pop group could be.”
Image became as potent a message as ever with the help of the new cultural landmark, MTV, which rst aired in 1981 and featured a rotation of music videos driving musical taste and cultural trends.
“I think music starts to get quite formulaic,” Dolby said. “So when that happens, it’s sort of ripe for an upset and I think that MTV was really that upset because MTV had such a potent e ect on viewers and listeners that it actually a ected their buying and consuming habits and the record companies and radio stations had to sit up and take notice of that.”
Another possibility for the changing styles may be the still-new MTV’s lack of structure. “It didn’t really have a programming formula, so that meant that quirky musicians were able to get ahold of this music video format and make it their own,” Dolby said. Much like Dolby himself did. “So, the range of music and ideas available on MTV was very wide and people were staying home on Saturday night to watch MTV instead of going out to the club or a gig.”
that was very inspiring.”
ompson Twins shrank from a sevenpiece band to three members quickly after Bailey’s initial success experimenting with a synth and drum machine during production for the band’s second album (1982’s Set). Doroschuk quit his Cramps-inspired guitar-based band and started Men Without Hats with synthesizer and disco beats as the central sound in 1980.
Dolby says the new technology available made making music a ordable and achievable. “Machines, drum machines and synthesizers and stu , you could turn them up in your back room or your garage and make records and they sounded great, and they sounded new and fresh and di erent.”
In addition to a new attitude in pop music and textures from electronic instruments, the image of the new decade was just as distinctive and impactful.
“ ere was kind of a new creative period in the late ‘70s, beginning of the ‘80s,” Doroschuk said. “ e video was new; MTV was there. So, there were new hairdos, new clothes; everything was kind of new. It was a new creative moment in the arts, in general.”
Bailey says the ompson Twins’ diverse lineup led to a new freedom of expression. “ ere was a change in fashion for music because suddenly pop music sounded di erent from before. Visually also, it’s amazing, this is the kind of stu that’s never planned — it’s just a question of one thing leading to another but the fact that we weren’t four white guys with guitars, suddenly we
Doroschuk says he compared being in a band to being on a hockey team competing for venues, press and the charts. “It was a competition but now, it’s like the people who are out there are out there because they love to do it. It’s super relaxed; there’s no pressure; the work’s been done; the work was done 40 years ago (laughs), so it’s time to enjoy ourselves and just bring it to the fans.”
Bailey, who was working on music just before our interview, tells CityBeat about his return to ompson Twins music after a long break to focus on other projects like the new electronic music of his International Observer project. “I enjoyed it so much that I wondered what I’ve been doing wasting my time not doing this (laughs), but I’m being facetious because I did lots of interesting things in that intervening period but I’m very happy doing this again.”
ere seems to be a real camaraderie between the musicians involved in the tour and even talk of collaboration. Dolby played on Set, the second ompson Twins record, but Dolby and Bailey have never played on stage together. Both seem open to the idea for these shows. Additionally, all three mention there has been talk amongst the other bands about the possibility of mixing things up and doing guest spots throughout the tour.
Fans can get out to Riverbend on Saturday, July 27 to see for themselves and revisit favorite songs and memories of an era, while reconnecting with the artists who made it all possible.
e Totally Tubular Festival comes to Riverbend Music Center on July 27. More info: riverbend.org.
Men Without Hats vocalist Ivan Doroschuk PHOTO: TABERCIL, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Tate McRae
July 24 • Andrew J Brady Music Center
Canadian triple threat Tate McRae – singer, songwriter and dancer – will be stopping in Cincinnati on her “ ink Later World Tour” on July 24.
Tate McRae started her rise to fame at only 13 years old, becoming the rst Canadian nalist on “So You ink You Can Dance” in 2016. e rise of her singer-songwriter career would come later in 2017 with her self-released single, “One Day,” which gained over 40 million views on her YouTube channel as the rst song in her video series, “Create With Tate.” Her growing YouTube channel caught the attention of many record labels, and McRae signed with RCA Records in August 2019. She released her debut EP, “all the things i never said,” in January 2020, followed by her rst European and North American concert tour. Years later, she would release her debut studio album, i used to think i could y, in May 2022.
McRae’s melodic blend of dance-pop and R&B reverberates through her sophomore studio album, THINK LATER, released in December 2023. Following this release, McRae kicked o her world tour in Dublin on April 17. e tour’s set list features some of the biggest hits of the artist’s career, including “exes” and “greedy,” which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January.
Tate McRae plays Andrew J Brady Music Center at 7 p.m. on July 24. More info: bradymusiccenter.com. (Alanna Marshall)
SOUND ADVICE
TORRES
July 19 • Woodward eater TORRES (aka Mackenzie Scott) continues to move in curious directions on her sixth full-length studio album, What an enormous room, jumping from bombastic electro dirges to acoustic-driven atmospherics with equal dexterity.
Album opener “Happy man’s shoes” sounds like English doomsday out t Clinic fronted by Alison Goldfrapp, an e ortless melding highlighted by an oddly spooky spoken-word section in which TORRES reveals, “I’ve got a way of not seeing the dead.”
ere’s an operatic quality to TORRES’ approach no matter the tone or theme of a song. Take “Life as we don’t know it,” a terse, driving tune fueled by its dense bass and drums as TORRES ruminates on what seems like a troubled relationship with a certain entity: “Each time I looked for God, I drank a wave down every time,” which is immediately followed by, “Don’t think I could have been forgiven/If the ocean took us both/ Yes, it’s true we’re drowning together/ But we’re so alone.” It recalls an unholy union of PJ Harvey and Garbage’s Shirley Manson.
Such subject matter shouldn’t be a surprise coming from a self-described “Baptist girl” from Macon, Ga., who more than a decade ago jumped from studying musical composition at Belmont University in Nashville to accomplished songwriter and performer with more ease than is typical.
Album closer “Songbird forever” oats by via twinkling piano and literal birds chirping in the background as TORRES gently delivers what could be seen as her artistic credo: “I am your king/I am your queen/I am everything in between.”
“As a person, I’m changing all the time,” TORRES said in a recent interview with Alternative Press. “I think we all are. I feel like a di erent person every day, in a way. I would say for me, the music that I make is a re ection of those kinds of constant changes. In the past, I used music as a tool to feel less alone, and now I use it more as a tool to try and help other people feel less alone.”
TORRES plays Woodward eater at 8 p.m. on July 19. More info: woodwardtheater.com. (Jason Gargano)
TATE MCRAE
July 24 • Andrew J Brady Music Center Canadian triple threat Tate McRae –singer, songwriter and dancer – will be stopping in Cincinnati on her “ ink
Later World Tour” on July 24.
Tate McRae started her rise to fame at only 13 years old, becoming the rst Canadian nalist on “So You ink You Can Dance” in 2016. e rise of her singer-songwriter career would come later in 2017 with her self-released single, “One Day,” which gained over 40 million views on her YouTube channel as the rst song in her video series, “Create With Tate.” Her growing YouTube channel caught the attention of many record labels, and McRae signed with RCA Records in August 2019. She released her debut EP, “all the things i never said,” in January 2020, followed by her rst European and North American concert tour. Years later, she would release her debut studio album, i used to think i could y, in May 2022.
McRae’s melodic blend of dance-pop and R&B reverberates through her sophomore studio album, THINK LATER, released in December 2023. Following this release, McRae kicked o her world tour in Dublin on April 17. e tour’s set list features some of the biggest hits of the artist’s career, including “exes” and “greedy,” which peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January.
Tate McRae plays Andrew J Brady Music Center at 7 p.m. on July 24. More info: bradymusiccenter.com.
(Alanna Marshall)
TORRES PHOTO: EBRU YILDIZ
Tate McRae
PHOTO: JUSTIN HIGUCHI, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
CROSSWORD
Across
1. Please, in Potsdam
6. Japanese pet
11. ER drips
BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM
14. What a car freshener covers up 15. Pharmacist’sallotments
16. Uncle on Univision
17. Duplicate a partnership?
19. Sch. with a branch in Taos
20. UB40 singer Campbell
21. Red money?
22. German industrial city on the Ruhr
24. Leave a mark on the front of an automobile?
28. Brian who co-produced a third of all U2 records
29. Praise to the skies
30. Supreme Court, after a recusal
33. The “P” in “DIPA”
35. Wall St. hedger
38. With 40-Across, support someone in an uncritical manner
39. Dander
40. See 38-Across
42. Pair
43. Egyptian goddess who helped those enter the afterlife
44. She might turn off the lights for you
45. “Turn!”
48. Drug that might makes you see things
49. First guaranteed winner?
55. Nut in a pie
56. Not very friendly
57. Not on the scene
59. Solver’s“moment”
60. Royal from a certain dot-com?
64. Soughtoffice
65. Tender beef cuts
66. Make into law
67. Sign of a future opening?
68. Teensy bit
69. Has a bite
Down
1. Big name in veggie burgers
2. Fan faves
3. ___ sentence
4. “Work with me here”
5. Window closing key
6. Like some committees
7. Toy ballcoveredinfilaments
8. Triangle with two equal sides
9. Vietnamese holiday
10. Say out loud
11. “My, look at the time!”
12. YouTube competitor
13. In good shape
18. “Voice in the choir
23. “___ nuff”
25. Where some deliveries are made
26. Tim’s“ShawshankRedemption”role
27. Chopper
30. “Dry” : Jan. :: “Sober” : ___ 31. Bird call 32. Big name in orange juice
33. Greenicecreamflavor
34. Aster who directed “Midsommar”
36. Classic dog name
37. Bikini top
40. Texas city halfway between Dallas and Austin
41. Blue Buffalo rival
43. Charged atom
46. “Local Equals Fresh” grocery store chain
47. Certain plastics
48. Prof’sdegrees
49. Eye-bending designs
50. Drying out room?
51. Graceful birds
52. Overflowingpailsound
53. “Let me clarify”
54. Caroline Biden vis-à-vis Joe
58. Workers on a farm?
61. Just peachy
62. Argument closing letters
63. Athlete’soutfit,briefly
LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:
