CityBeat | July 12, 2023 by Chava Communications

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Anti-Issue 1 advocates campaign against Issue 1 during the Northside 4th of July Parade, 2023.

One Year Later: What Abortion Patients’ Stories Can Tell Researchers About Life After Dobbs

BY MADELINE

fter the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization effectively overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, CityBeat writers joined forces with Cleveland Scene writers to forecast the future for abortion patients in Ohio.

AAfter the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson

Women’s Health Organization effectively overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, CityBeat writers joined forces with Cleveland Scene writers to forecast the future for abortion patients in Ohio.

At the time, abortion providers feared a reality in which patients sought pregnancy-ending drugs on the black market, and that lower-income patients would take the hardest blow.

After the Dobbs decision last June, Ohio’s six-week abortion ban went into effect for about 11 weeks until a Hamilton County judge put a temporary restraining order on the bill. While the “heartbeat” bill has been held up in court, abortion has been legal in Ohio up until about 22 weeks gestation.

Now, one year after the Dobbs decision, an ongoing study by University of Cincinnati researchers in collaboration with Ohio Policy Evaluation Network

(OPEN) is examining how the overturning of Roe has impacted Ohio’s abortion patients.

It starts with a flyer

Hanging in numerous Ohio abortion clinics is a sign that reads “Have you had trouble getting an abortion in Ohio, Kentucky, or West Virginia? We want to hear from you!”

It starts with a flyer

Hanging in numerous Ohio abortion clinics is a sign that reads “Have you had trouble getting an abortion in Ohio, Kentucky, or West Virginia? We want to hear from you!”

The call for participants comes from researchers at UC working with OPEN to aggregate the lived experiences of abortion patients in a post-Roe world. In exchange for $100, study participants answer a series of questions about their experience seeking an abortion in the state.

Hillary Gyuras is a senior research associate with OPEN through UC’s sociology department.

“It can be difficult to hear these stories day in and day out,” Gyuras told CityBeat

Gyuras interviewed Ohio patients for six months starting in July 2022. She said OPEN is still in the analysis phase with its data on Ohio patients, but she shared common themes and observations gathered while interviewing these patients and what they can tell us about the new abortion landscape.

Three months of restrictions at six weeks

Many of the Ohio patients interviewed in the OPEN study were seeking abortions while the state’s “heartbeat” bill was law, which was later placed on hold by a Hamilton County judge in September, totalling three months of highly restricted access to abortion care in the state.

The law contained no exceptions for rape or incest. It also only applied to what the state describes as “intrauterine pregnancies.”

and report the medical condition necessitating each patient’s abortion and the “medical rationale” behind their decision. That documentation must be kept by the doctor for at least seven years.

Patients were also required by law to sign a form acknowledging the presence of a fetal heartbeat and the statistical probability the fetus could be carried to term.

But doctors have criticized the characterization of signals on an ultrasound at six weeks gestation as a legitimate “heartbeat.”

According to Dr. Nisha Verma, an OB/GYN from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, cardiac valves don’t even exist at six weeks of gestation.

Physicians were required to record

The law contained no exceptions for rape or incest. It also only applied to what the state describes as “intrauterine pregnancies.”

Physicians were required to record

“The flickering that we’re seeing on the ultrasound that early in the development of the pregnancy is actually electrical activity, and the sound that you ‘hear’ is actually manufactured by

6 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

“It can be difficult to hear these stories day in and day out.”

FENING

NEWS

PHOTO: MADELINE FENING

“It can be difficult to hear these stories day in and day out.”

BY MADELINE FENING

NEWS

Anti-Issue 1 advocates campaign against Issue 1 during the Northside 4th of July Parade, 2023. PHOTO: MADELINE FENING

the ultrasound machine,” Verma told NPR in a story about heartbeat bills.

Amina was told she would need to go out of state for care,” the study reads.

put her (and by extension, her family) in legal jeopardy.”

The NPR article also quotes another OB/GYN, Dr. Jennifer Kerns, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, as saying, “What we’re really detecting is a grouping of cells that are initiating some electrical activity. In no way is this detecting a functional cardiovascular system or a functional heart.”

the ultrasound machine,” Verma told NPR in a story about heartbeat bills.

Still, doctors or providers who performed abortions in violation of the heartbeat law were subject to fifthdegree felony charges.

The gestational time frame when a patient seeks abortion care also has steadily skewed earlier over the years. There were 20,605 legal cases of abortion care in Ohio in 2020, according to ODH. Of those cases, 62.3% happened before nine weeks gestation, and 25.4% happened between nine and 12 weeks. That means 87.7% of cases of abortion care occurred within the first trimester. But most patients do not know they are pregnant before six weeks gestation, or when the “heartbeat” is detected. And even if they did, the wait times for abortion consultation appointments routinely disqualified patients from receiving care in Ohio.

The interviews

“We heard a lot about the wait times,” Gyuras said. “We had participants who had appointments scheduled before the Dobbs decision and had those canceled and they had to start the whole process over again.”

The interviews

Wait times for an abortion consultation appointment in Ohio can range from three to five weeks, depending on the clinic. A patient can spend hours sequestered once they finally reach a waiting room, and then they are required by the state to wait another 24 hours before they can begin a medical or surgical procedure.

This was the case even before the overturning of Roe, but Gyuras said the six-week ban Ohioans experienced after the Supreme Court decision made it worse for patients’ mental health.

“Long wait times lead to a lot of mental and emotional turmoil,” Gyuras said. “This whole process, it has huge costs related to financial costs, physical and social-emotional costs. It has been very hard for folks.”

One of those patients, named Amina (last names were removed from the report for privacy), secured an appointment in an Ohio clinic in early August of 2022 but was told she needed to have a medication abortion or travel to another city for a surgical abortion due to physician availability. She decided to schedule a medication abortion.

“At her second appointment, there was cardiac activity on ultrasound, and

“Amina waited a couple days before calling clinics in Pennsylvania. The first one she called did not offer anesthesia, and the next one was prohibitively expensive.”

Amina was told she would need to go out of state for care,” the study reads.

“Amina waited a couple days before calling clinics in Pennsylvania. The first one she called did not offer anesthesia, and the next one was prohibitively expensive.”

Gyuras said scheduling also came into conflict for Tamara, a Black woman in her thirties. After a doctor dissuaded her from getting tubal ligation, a form of permanent birth control, Tamara became pregnant.

“Tamara was hurt and mad,” the study reads. “She was also scared she wouldn’t be able to get an abortion in Ohio because she was not sure if it was legal anymore. The first clinic in Ohio she called told her they weren’t scheduling appointments because they didn’t know if the temporary block on the six-week ban would remain in place. She called that clinic four times and was disappointed that she was unable to schedule.”

Gyuras said a common thread among those she interviewed was that patients had all made their decisions to get an abortion very carefully.

“They put a lot of thought into their decision and a lot of time into their decision, they are choosing what they think is best for them and their families,” Gyuras said. “A lot of the people we interview already are parents. They are really heavily focused on taking care of the children they have.”

The preliminary study report said Tamara, who already had two children when she became pregnant, told researchers she may have considered self-harm if she could not have gotten an abortion. Tamara, like many other patients Gyuras interviewed, opened up completely during the study, sharing intimate details about one of the darkest periods of her life.

“I have been struck by the number of people who say having this conversation was helpful for them,” Gyuras said. “That they found it to be a way to process their experience.”

Mia’s experience as an undocumented Latinx student threatened not only her own safety, but potentially those in her immediate family. She discovered she was pregnant in midAugust after taking Plan B in late July.

“She knew she could not continue the pregnancy while also finishing school and working to support her family,” the report reads. “Mia was seen at an abortion clinic in Ohio but was told she could not get the abortion there after having an ultrasound. She considered attempting to self-manage the abortion and purchasing abortion medications from Aid Access but worried they would not arrive before she was too far along to use them. Mia knew that due to her undocumented status, she had to make her decisions very carefully so as not to

put her (and by extension, her family) in legal jeopardy.”

Mia decided to travel to a clinic in Illinois where she was offered financial support from an abortion fund, but the report details a daunting and physically stressful journey.

left the state for care in July and August 2021.

Issue 1

“She traveled through the night, alone by bus,” the report reads. “Throughout the trip she was harassed by men, felt afraid and lonely, and had to get off at each stop to be sick. Of her abortion experience, Mia said: ‘It was so hard to do it. I did it anyway.’”

“She traveled through the night, alone by bus,” the report reads.

“Throughout the trip she was harassed by men, felt afraid and lonely, and had to get off at each stop to be sick. Of her abortion experience, Mia said: ‘It was so hard to do it. I did it anyway.’”

Another patient, named Jade, was forced out of state for her abortion.

Another patient, named Jade, was forced out of state for her abortion. Jade, a mother of two, narrowly made the cut for an appointment.

“In late July, Jade experienced pain and nausea, so she went to the emergency department and found out she was pregnant,” the report reads. “The next day, she scheduled an appointment at a clinic in West Virginia but was told the clinic would probably be closing soon due to anticipated changes to state law.”

Jade, a mother of two, narrowly made the cut for an appointment.

Jade ended up getting an appointment, but she would have to drive herself so her partner could stay home to watch their two children.

“Because she drove herself, Jade could not have sedation or strong pain medication during her procedural abortion,” the report reads. “While she would have preferred to have a medication abortion in the comfort of her home, the clinic did not offer it to those traveling from out of state. Jade received a doctor’s note to give to her employer, but it was on clinic letterhead. She did not want her colleagues to know she had an abortion, so she did not use it. As such, she was not paid for the days of work she missed to travel for care.”

The preliminary data

Data on the impact of Dobbs on Ohio patients is still being collected by OPEN, but preliminary numbers in a February report show the overall number of abortions in the region decreased following the Dobbs decision.

The preliminary data

Ohio facilities saw a 56% decrease in abortion provision (845 fewer abortions) comparing July 2021 and July 2022 and a 51% decrease (690 fewer abortions) comparing August 2021 to August 2022. OPEN estimates more than 1,500 patients who would have received care in Ohio pre-Dobbs were unable to receive care in July and August 2022.

Many Ohioans also left the state to seek abortion care in 2022 compared to 2021, according to the study.

Of the 389 Ohioans in OPEN’s sample that left Ohio in July and August of 2022, 32% went to Illinois, 20% to Indiana, 6% to Kentucky, 33% to Michigan, and 10% to Pennsylvania. Only 72 Ohioans

Abortion advocates from Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of reproductive health and justice organizations from across the state, are working to enshrine reproductive autonomy protections in Ohio’s constitution. On July 5, Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights announced they delivered more than 700,000 petition signatures to place a proposal to amend the state’s constitution to legalize abortion on the November ballot.

Issue 1

The group only needed 413,000 signatures by the July 5 deadline to make it to the ballot.

But before Ohioans can vote to push forward abortion rights, as other red states like Kentucky and Kansas already have, voters must first weigh in on Issue 1 during the Aug. 8 special election.

Issue 1 would raise the threshold for a constitutional amendment to pass from a simple majority of 50% plus one to 60%. Meaning it would take 60% of Ohio voters to vote in favor of protecting abortion access, which would change the way the state’s constitution has worked for more than 110 years.

But before Ohioans can vote to push forward abortion rights, as other red states like Kentucky and Kansas already have, voters must first weigh in on Issue 1 during the Aug. 8 special election. Issue 1 would raise the threshold for a constitutional amendment to pass from a simple majority of 50% plus one to 60%. Meaning it would take 60% of Ohio voters to vote in favor of protecting abortion access, which would change the way the state’s constitution has worked for more than 110 years.

At first, Ohio Republicans argued the change was to protect the state from outside interference amending the Ohio constitution. But, according to Ohio Capital Journal/WEWS, Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said during a May 22 Seneca County Lincoln Day dinner that Issue 1 is, “100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution.”

But some Republicans in the state aren’t comfortable with bumping up the threshold to amend the constitution for the sake of keeping an abortion ban on the books. Former Ohio Governor Bob Taft, a Republican, spoke out forcefully against it in April, saying “I urge you (1) not to revive the August special election and (2) not to support a constitutional amendment to raise from a simple majority to 60% the voter approval threshold for amendments to the Ohio Constitution,” in a letter to members of the General Assembly.

But Ohio Republicans prevailed. State lawmakers in the House and Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 2 on May 10, achieving their mission to bring Issue 1, and all its implications about the future of abortion care, to the ballot. And in a split decision along party lines, Ohio’s Supreme Court gave the green light for the August election in June. Critics expect the election to be both costly and yield a very low voter turnout.

The official ballot language for Issue 1 asks voters if Ohio should “Require

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 7

left the state for care in July and August 2021.

that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60% of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.”

Also included on the ballot will be this explanation of Issue 1:

“Issue1 asks eligible Ohio voters to consider an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio proposed by a two thirds majority of the Ohio General Assembly. The amendment if approved would elevate the standards by which the Constitution of the State of Ohio may be amended. Any newly proposed constitutional amendment placed on a state wide ballot must receive at least 60% of the vote to be approved. Any initiated petition proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio that’s filed with the Secretary of State on or after January 1, 2024 must contain the signatures of at least five percent of the eligible voters residing in each county of the state Finally the amendment specifies that new signatures may not be added to an initiative petition proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of Ohio once it has been filed with the Secretary of State on or after January 1, 2024.”

The “elevate the standards” language in Issue 1 has been criticized as subjective for what is supposed to be neutral ballot language. Critics have also said the ballot language is purposely misleading because it does not tell the voter what the current standard is for passing constitutional amendments, which is a simple majority of 50% plus one.

Another piece of Issue 1 to note is the Republican’s decision to change the signature requirements for amending the Ohio constitution. Not only will small grassroots organizers in the state need to achieve a 60% victory, but signatures to even reach the ballot would need to come from 44 of all 88 Ohio counties.

Planned Parenthood’s continued fight

Lauren Blauvelt, vice president of government affairs and public advocacy for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, told CityBeat that Ohioans will vote to protect abortion access for all, like other red states.

“When Ohioans have the ability to directly vote for reproductive freedom, they will vote like our neighbors in Michigan and Kentucky to protect abortion access,” Blauvelt said. “Opponents know this, so they lobbied to reinstate a recently dismissed August special election. Ohioans everywhere must get involved to vote no on August 8 to protect citizens’ participation in democracy so we can vote yes for reproductive freedom on November 7. This is the fight of our lives, but

reproductive freedom cannot wait. Together, we will win.”

As it stands, PEW research data shows 48% of Ohioans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 47% said it should be illegal in all or most cases, and 4% were unsure.

Iris Harvey, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, said Roe was essential to protect abortion access, but it was always the bare minimum.

“When we look at the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we must acknowledge that they ignored historic precedents and the wishes of millions of Americans. By removing protections for abortion, they stripped away the right of bodily autonomy so many had relied on for decades. This destroyed guarantees for our health, safety, and dignity to decide how we live and grow our families,” said Harvey.

“Despite this, we continue to fight for our communities. Having access to abortion care is critical for Ohioans to live empowered, authentic lives. Roe was always the floor, and we are pushing forward to create a more equitable tomorrow where high quality sexual and reproductive health care and education is accessible for all. Abortion is legal in Ohio and our health center doors are open. We’re here to serve our

patients — no matter what.”

Voter deadlines and poll participation

Important dates for Aug. 8 voters to keep in mind include:

July 10: Voter registration deadline for the Aug. 8 primary

July 11: First day of early in-person voting

July 15: Certification for independent candidates

Aug. 1: Absentee ballot applications must be turned in

Aug. 8: Polls are open from 6:30 a.m.7:30 p.m. and absentee ballots are due by close of polls.

In order to make sure the election runs fair and smoothly, the Hamilton County Board of Elections (BOE) is looking for paid poll workers to run special election-day operations on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

There are multiple different ways to be a poll worker in Hamilton County. Precinct election officials, or PEOs, help to set up the polls before Election Day, and they instruct voters about procedures at the polling place the day of the election. The position pays $181.50 and up, and requires a four-hour training session, which are offered mornings, afternoons and evenings, at the Board of Elections in Norwood. Training sessions begin July 10.

PEOs will also have to help set up their polling place from 7-9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 7 and work Election Day from 5:30 a.m. to around 8:30 p.m.

“It takes support from our voters to help facilitate elections in Hamilton County,” Hamilton County BOE Director Sherry Poland said in a press release. “It takes approximately 2,400 people to fully staff a county-wide election.”

Other positions include voting location manager (VLM) and voting location deputy (VLD), which manage responsibilities and procedures at the polling place. While the Election Day process is non-partisan, these two positions are staffed by people from opposite political parties.

• To fill any of these positions, applicants must:

• Be a registered voter in Hamilton County, Ohio

• Be a United States citizen

• Be able to speak, read and write fluently in the English language

• Be comfortable using electronic technology

• Not be a candidate for any office to be voted on at the polling place in that election

• Not be convicted of a felony

Those interested should contact the Hamilton County Board of Elections at 513-632-7042.

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Volunteers collect petition signatures for the Ohio Reproductive Rights Ballot Initiative outside Findlay Market on May 26, 2023. PHOTO: MADELINE FENING

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 9

10 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

All Hands on Deck

BY KATIE GRIFFITH

means no penetration, ever. But you can masturbate yourself, or others — if they’re into that.

Before any condemning pearl-clutching ensues, take a deep breath and ask yourself: “Do I like to be choked?” Even if mutual masturbation isn’t your sex practice of choice, something is, and Cincy Jacks is a blueprint for healthy sexual exploration and sex positivity.

The founder of Cincy Jacks goes by Ace. He’s an intimacy professional who tells CityBeat that consent and sex positivity are two of the main factors that facilitate the men’s club. Of course, willing men are necessary — there are more than 100 members to date, he says.

“It’s completely natural. I feel enough people have a relationship with masturbation for it to not be the most taboo thing to talk about,” Ace tells CityBeat. “There is a large self-care

aspect of masturbation, whether you are solo-sexual, whether you have a heterosexual or homosexual or bisexual relationship, that self-care element is a missed opportunity for a lot of people. As an adult, it’s something that I think people should be able to talk about. And it shouldn’t necessarily be an inappropriate conversation.”

Cincy Jacks is a seven-month-old private organization for adult, cis-gendered men that provides safe spaces for sexual exploration and play. The club offers a healthy outlet to fulfill participants’ sexual needs and gives them a tool to practice self-acceptance, body positivity, consent, sexual exploration and overall well-being, Ace says.

It’s a traditional jack-off club, which

The club was inspired by other regional Jacks Clubs like the Windy City Jacks of Chicago and the original “JO club,” the New York Jacks, which was founded in 1980 and still operates today. The NY Jacks first coined the jack-off rule and overall guidelines that have been propagated throughout similar clubs since.

“We strive to be inclusive and welcome guys who are diverse in age, race/ ethnicity, who consider themselves gay, bi, and straight, and who are HIV-negative and HIV-positive. Whether you’re into edging, getting stroked, stroking others, Cincy Jacks invites you to a male masturbation event held in a safe and welcoming space,” the Cincy Jacks’ website reads.

“Edging” reportedly increases the pleasure of orgasms by repeatedly bringing oneself close to climax and immediately cutting off stimulation, according to Men’s Health Magazine. Edging is one of many sex acts that, depending on participant preference, can be practiced at a jack-off event. Ace also emphasizes the use of toys,

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 11

Nothing goes inside anybody’s anything. That’s the number one rule of Cincy Jacks, a private men’s club for group masturbation. Voyeurism, exhibitionism, nudity, consensual touch, solo and mutual masturbation, however, are encouraged.

THE SEx ISSuE

At Cincy Jacks, men indulge in the ultimate solo act — together

Cincy Jacks was established as a safe space for sexual exploration and play. | COURTESY OF CINCY JACKS

12 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

lubricants and themed sessions to enhance the “circle-jerks.” The only discouragement is inappropriate or non-consensual behavior.

A 2019 study by sex toy manufacturer Tenga found that even though 88% of people in the U.S. masturbate, half of the population is uncomfortable discussing the topic, citing feelings of shame or guilt.

“Sex tends to be associated with taboo, or shame and guilt. Putting the word positive behind it kind of opens your mind to what else it could be,” Ace tells CityBeat. “As an emerging intimacy professional, I find that consent is key to having a sex-positive space. And when consent is involved, communication opens up opportunities for people to fulfill things that they maybe haven’t fulfilled and be their more authentic selves. It cuts down on confusion and awkwardness that a lot of people stumble into whenever it comes to sex and intimacy.”

An open-minded and non-judgmental attitude toward sexuality and sexual expression defines sex positivity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A person doesn’t have to be sexually active to be sex positive, either.

The Cleveland Clinic also reports that masturbation can help prevent anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve sleep and body positivity and enhance sex life, among other benefits.

The reality is, people are touching themselves. Adopting a sex-positive outlook isn’t unconventional or shameful. Planned Parenthood reports that despite popular myths about masturbation, it’s not unhealthy or bad for you; the reproductive health and sex education organization states that only when masturbation impedes an individual’s job, social life or responsibilities does it become “too much.”

“There aren’t necessarily classes or structure for people to learn how to be in a relationship or how to navigate their own sexuality,” Ace says. “And we’re in a climate where the gender assignments at birth aren’t necessarily how people identify. And so there’s no black and white to what sex and intimacy is, so you really have to get out there and figure it out for yourself.”

Cincy Jacks is a diverse group of men who connect through social masturbation. Sexual orientation is irrelevant. All Jack-ers aim to express physical desire shamelessly through an orgy-style event that honors the individual.

Inspired by Eros

Ace is the organizer and founder of Cincy Jacks. He is the facilitator of and sometimes a participant in its social and sexual events. His preferred name when relating to Cincy Jacks is an acronym for Aaron Creates Eros. For him, Eros – a Greek god of love – represents passion,

physical desire and male erotic energy.

“Eros plays into my name, it shifts me into that mindset of thinking about who I am as an erotic being,” Ace tells CityBeat. “Oftentimes in my work, I meet people that have intimacy goals that are very specific and they don’t necessarily know how to achieve those goals. So the Eros mindset is more of a spiritual approach to sexuality.”

Ace is a 39-year-old intimacy professional and life coach, which informs his leadership role in Cincy Jacks. He says the skills he’s acquired professionally enable him to create safe spaces for members to feel comfortable and own their sexuality. Through his business, So Perfect Coaching, Ace offers transformative life coaching, male sacred intimacy coaching for groups and individuals and intimacy coordinating and directing for television and film.

Ace tells CityBeat that So Perfect Coaching was born out of a curiosity for the human psyche and a heightened ability to hold space for others.

“So Perfect Coaching came about because I saw that there was an opportunity for me to use my old soul, this ability to hold space for others by listening and then coaching,” he says. “Much like any sports coach or business coach, when you gather information, you set goals and then you help that person achieve the goals. There’s not a lot of sex-positive professionals in the Midwest to talk to. If you have intimacy goals, whether it’s with a partner or with

yourself, how do you achieve that?”

Ace relocated to Cincinnati from south Texas in 2020. His experience there was a lot more sex-positive than his time in the Midwest so far, he says. He struggled to find safe ways to connect intimately with other men. Seeing an opportunity, he launched Cincy Jacks in January of 2023.

“I started traveling to nearby [Jack] clubs in Nashville, Detroit and Pittsburgh and all those facilitators and hosts run their clubs differently,” Ace tells CityBeat. “So it was inspiring that I could use whatever background I have to create a space that’s safe and comfortable and private for guys to pursue an intimate and erotic opportunity that they wouldn’t normally have.”

The alternative to a club like Cincy Jacks has a pulsing online presence, with options like Bateworld (a global online jack-off community for men) offering online and in-person hookups. Other than that, Ace says, men often go “cruising,” or scoping out certain areas for a sexual partner. It gets dangerous when people use substances to gain confidence or lower inhibition, a common occurrence for those who “put their sexuality on a shelf” until the opportune time to let it free, he says.

“When you are on a journey of selfdiscovery, you meet people, and you have conversations and you open yourself up to what could be. And you find your authentic self. It comes with practice, and talking about it and creating

a safe space where people don’t have to feel shame and guilt around sex as taboo, it’s something that we can all celebrate and relate to. Because whether you like it or not, it’s natural. And until you actually go to [a Cincy Jacks’ session], you don’t know what the experience is going to be like.”

Cum as you are

In its simplest form, a Cincy Jacks session is men masturbating together, but it often goes deeper than physical interaction.

Cincy Jacks has hosted 15 sessions since its inception in January, some of which involved meet-and-greets or cocktail hours where members can socialize or discuss masturbation sessions but not partake in any action. The club also offers sessions that feature meditation walks, yoga, full-body workouts and even ax-throwing outings.

“It’s just like coffee,” Ace says. “Or going to see a movie.” There’s something for everyone. Socializing is part of making genuine connections and creating an overall sense of wellbeing.

“Part of me having these meet-andgreets is so that you can vet me out,” Ace says. “You have to go to find out what the whole vibe is going to be like. And the type of person that I am, I’d want to get as much information before my clothes come off and before I get into the setting.”

Hands-on interactions can be “traditional circle-jerks” in which sensual interactions enhance a certain, shall we say, cum-raderie. Cincy Jacks also hosts themed events like cuddle parties, campfire nights, porn viewing, sexy underwear night or erotic touch and massage evenings. Regardless of the type of event, each session begins with an orientation that includes an overview of rules, a consent talk and an icebreaker, Ace says.

Sessions typically occur on Tuesdays or Sundays at discreet locations that are only revealed to Cincy Jacks’ members. Meetings can be messy. “Nothing goes inside anybody’s anything,” means when it comes time to climax, the bodily fluids have to go somewhere. The less cleanup the better, Ace says, so there’s a lot of furniture draping involved. Depending on the session, it can be a romantically lit room that probably sounds like an adult film is being produced, or maybe there’s actually one playing in the background; other times there’s music.

Ace finds destinations that he says are, “Wide open, sexy, bright, but also masculine. Kind of industrial but lofty areas, it’s the vibe that I’ve been finding.” And yes — he discloses the nature of the meeting to whoever owns the space.

As the organization grows, Ace says he’s focused on refining quality, not quantity.

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“When you are on a journey of self-discovery, you meet people, and you have conversations and you open yourself up to what could be. And you find your authentic self. It comes with practice, and talking about it and creating a safe space where people don’t have to feel shame and guilt around sex as taboo, it’s something that we can all celebrate and relate to. Because whether you like it or not, it’s natural.”

Cincy Jacks follow a number of rules that allow members to feel safe and secure in their own sexuality. | COURTESY OF CINCY JACKS

Ace isn’t interested in heading the most popular club in town or boosting numbers for number’s sake. While a large number of participants may seemingly equal a more comfortable experience, the events with fewer attendees can be the most intimate.

“It’s about your collaboration to the experience that makes it something,” Ace tells CityBeat. “Whether it’s six people or 50 people, you kind of have to go and figure it out for yourself to find that it’s not just about you being ‘on.’ The idea of just being in a celebratory space of people allows you to get into your own sense of satisfaction faster.”

Ace says that during one notable session, six members signed up for a porn-watching experience. After orientation, a few participants agreed to be blindfolded to make the session more exciting. Ace says the movie became a trivial aspect of the session, as the men focused on being present.

“And so the men in the room became the porn,” Ace says. One participant in particular was exhibiting self-conscious behavior and even voiced his insecurity to the group, which steered the session further.

“He was really self-conscious about his body,” Ace says. “And he kept kind of sharing that and projecting that. And so the session turned into a body worship, celebratory kind of experience that allowed him to shift from that negative mindset. We all took turns worshiping each other’s bodies and celebrating our masculinity. And that type of brotherhood was really liberating.”

In accordance with the guidelines and safe space created by Ace, the club validated the member who was wrestling with self-acceptance. Ace says this session turned into a healing opportunity and a transformative experience. After the session wrapped, participants stayed to recount their emotions.

“I think everybody can identify with some body insecurity,” Ace says. “To be in a safe space that allows you to practice something different, you walk away a different version of yourself.”

The creation of a safe space is aided by the guidelines each member must abide by to participate.

Rules for release

Men sign up for Cincy Jacks by filling out a member agreement form commiting to a code of conduct and age verification. All participants are willing, likeminded and attend for the same reason: to masturbate, enjoy a shared sexual experience and potentially climax. And for that, there are rules that assure the safety and comfort of Jack-ers.

There are 11 components to the Cincy Jacks Code of Conduct, each with its own subset of rules: Jack Off Only; Permitted Play: Prohibited Play; Nudity; Ejaculation; Explicit Consent and

Mutual Respect; Discretion and Anonymity; Illness; No Alcohol or Drugs; Personal Hygiene; and Talking.

According to the official Code of Conduct, it’s best to keep conversation during play to a minimum. Dirty talk aimed at arousing Jack-ers is acceptable “at any volume,” but excessive talking throughout the session is discouraged, though it’s mandatory to verbally announce ejaculation.

“Don’t just breathe heavily. Say it loud with words,” the code reads, referring to ejaculation.

Ejaculation shouldn’t be a surprise, Ace says. Most importantly, there are health risks associated with bodily fluids. On the other hand, some members want to be a part of the unloading occasion, which could mean stroking someone until climax, watching the orgasm or achieving climax in unison with others.

“It’s just realistic and reasonable to announce it,” Ace tells CityBeat.“It’s part of consent, it’s a part of communicating and that makes people feel more comfortable. Also depending on where your body position is, we don’t want it to end up in someone’s face, or in anyone’s orifices that could make them feel uncomfortable or like their safety is jeopardized.”

Consent is mandatory and ongoing. In order to touch another participant, verbal consent is required. No lips below the hips and don’t participate if sick, the guidelines read. Non-verbal cues like Cincy Jacks’ branded bandanas can be worn to show if Jack-ers are eager to indulge in specific ways. Anonymity is non-negotiable outside of Cincy Jacks’ programming.

There’s a line between discretion and shame; Ace draws it well.

While a part of Cincy Jacks is proud participation, the code of conduct prevents the disclosure of a member’s identity. Ace says feelings of guilt and shame come into play when others project their opinions or misunderstandings, which members could be subject to if their involvement is outed.

“Sex is a very private thing,” Ace says. “It’s also not something that everybody celebrates. And so to be able to have a level of anonymity and discretion and celebration within who you are or who you’re becoming, there’s a lot of value there.”

Rotating venues and providing themed and regular events keeps Cincy Jacks diverse and inclusive, Ace says. Member feedback is encouraged and considered, especially pertaining to enhancing the experience. Ace once curated a “lunchtime” session proposed by a member, which turned out to be a desirable and satisfying success, he says.

“You could just take your lunch break and go and hang out with these guys,

and you know, masturbate, that’s really hot and sexy, then go back to work,” Ace says. “You have some self-care, you’ve had endorphin release, some dopamine release, how can it get any better?”

One-time members pay $40 per session, while a 6-month membership is $90 and includes access to all events. The fees fund the sessions and certify that members don’t have to bring anything to participate. Mouthwash, hand soap and antibacterial wipes are provided, along with lubrication, toys and props.

While Cincy Jacks honors individual sexual preferences, participants must be cisgendered men (those who were assigned male at birth). Ace explains that this isn’t meant to be exclusive or offensive. He explains the reasoning by saying that the majority of jack clubs cater to cisgendered men.

“I think trans men have a space that is being further defined, and they need a space where they can feel celebrated, but there is a conflict of interest for a trans man and a cis-man in the approach for masculinity and sexuality,” Ace says. “It’s not meant to be an offensive setup for anybody, but in the sex-positive space that is available in a Jack’s club, cisgendered men is what the community is made of.”

Camaraderie and hot sex

BB, a 56-year-old bisexual man, has been a member of Cincy Jacks since its first session in Cincinnati. Like Ace, BB prefers to be identified by his Cincy Jacks nickname. He says that’s not out of shame but to honor the anonymity guidelines and also to keep his professional life separate.

“I’m a middle school teacher. I am out to 95 percent of my life with my sexuality, but I don’t think my kids need to see that I’m in a Jacks club,” BB tells CityBeat. “And also, using BB kind of gets me thinking about being in the mood to engage at Cincy Jacks.”

BB says Cincy Jacks has been a safe outlet for not only satisfying physical needs, but a large part of his mental health has benefitted as well. Growing up with a “toxic-ly masculine” father and brothers who shamed him for being queer before he even knew he identified as such affected his sense of self, confidence and mental health throughout his life, he says.

“I’ve had a ton of shame,” BB says. “And how I dealt with that shame was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, alcohol, womanizing, I didn’t have the best 20s or 30s, until I finally came to terms with my sexuality.”

A lack of community inhibited BB’s transition to becoming his most authentic self, he says. Because Cincy Jacks’ sessions are often infused with intimacy and camaraderie and a social aspect that doesn’t always include sex, BB found the

support he’d been searching for.

“It’s next to impossible to find ways to do this safely and legally,” BB tells CityBeat. “I’ve been looking for community. I didn’t ever feel like I was straight enough for my straight friends and I’m not really gay enough for my gay friends. So I’m trying to carve out this world for myself that accepts me as who I am. I do enjoy the camaraderie that is being built at Cincy Jacks as much as I appreciate the hot sex.”

A Spring Equinox-themed session spawned an unexpected connection between BB and another participant. During the session in March, Ace encouraged members to write down goals or struggles they’d like to address in the coming season, as some consider it a better time for resolutions than the new year. BB found platonic companionship and a special bond with a man who shared his struggle.

“I wrote the same thing as my goal that this guy was really struggling with. Like, I wrote the same thing. And although we didn’t have sex that day, I didn’t care. It was yoga and goals and talking and hugging and sharing emotions. So that was really cool,” BB says. BB says that the difference between other Jacks clubs and the Cincinnati chapter is the safe space and intimacy that Ace creates. BB spoke to CityBeat while traveling in Denver, CO, where he participated in a Denver Jacks session. He says it was sexually fulfilling but lacked the personal connection and genuineness the Cincinnati version embodies.

“I was here at Denver Jacks last night,” BB says. “We had hot sex, but I didn’t make a connection with anyone. There was no real intimacy, it was more of a sexually charged environment. In Cincy Jacks it can be as intimate as it is sexual. Ace does a great job of setting you at ease, he does a lot of work around consent and a lot about trust and building community.”

While a connection that goes beyond the superficial might make sexual acts more enjoyable at the time, BB says he doesn’t take any relationship further than a Jacks session. In fact, he is happily married to a woman who shares an “ethical non-monogamy” agreement with him. He says that the ability to safely explore his sexuality has made his marriage stronger than it’s ever been.

“[Cincy Jacks] does wonders for my sex drive and my self-esteem, as far as interactions with my wife go, the difference is with her the love is so deep that I can separate the two. I’m in my body, in my head, in my heart, I’m in every element with her. [During a Jacks’ session] I feel it’s more of a body and an energy I’m attracted to, the male sexual energy that is in the room. Not necessarily the guys themselves, but the energy that they bring to the situation.”

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JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 15

ARTS & CULTURE

Women on Top

The Contemporary Arts Center’s new executive director, Christina

Women on Top

female-centric history of the museum.

BY KATIE GRIFFITH

The Contemporary Arts Center’s new executive director, Christina Vassallo, is proud to be part of the female-centric history of the museum.

BY KATIE GRIFFITH

The stairs on the north side of the Contemporary Arts Center snake their way throughout all six floors of the museum. Beginning at the main floor, the steps blend away from the “Urban Carpet” wall, merging moments of narrow concrete and skylit landings. Shallow stairs force small, intentional steps.

To climb, you must be mindful of your stride and remain focused on the moment. This was a deliberate element of world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid’s design. The careful stroll up or down the stairway is a part of the CAC experience and it’s one that correlates with new executive director Christina Vassallo’s leadership style and plans for the future.

While the urge to skip a step is strong, Vassallo is intent on not missing details. She tells CityBeat that since her start at the CAC in March, she’s been meeting with each staff member individually to refine direction and begin forming

a new strategic plan for the museum’s future.

“I’ve really been spending my time on a listening tour,” Vassallo says. “Speaking to every single staff member, every board member one-on-one, just to understand what their connection is to the CAC, what should we lean into more, what do we need to refine. And this is all in preparation not only to understand how this place functions but also to start to dive into a strategic planning process.”

a new strategic plan for the museum’s future.

She says the formation of the strategic plan is underway and its three main components are sustainability, storytelling and artistic direction. The plan will debut in December and take effect immediately, infiltrating all aspects of the CAC through a collaborative team effort. Along with formulating the strategic plan, Vassallo says a large portion of her time will also be spent on fundraising efforts.

executive director of the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia. Prior to that, she was the executive and artistic director at SPACES in Cleveland.

Vassallo says one of the most effective ways to execute intentions is to make sure that exhibitions embody the spirit of the vision. Ecologies of Elsewhere is on view through Aug. 6 and explores “ecological interconnectedness, healing and spirituality from Black, Indigenous and diasporic perspectives,” according to CAC’s website.

serve the public. What drew me [to the CAC] is our ability to be something to so many different people. So how can we communicate to all those different people?”

Vassallo previously served as the

A self-described artist enabler, Vassallo is indulgent in the endless methods of storytelling through curated exhibitions as a means to communicate with all kinds of people.

“I’m not really meant to be an artist, I’m meant to be an artist enabler,” Vassallo tells CityBeat. “I am meant to be a nonprofit professional. I really do see this as civic service. And for me, I’m lucky enough to have the overlay of art and culture – that’s how I care to

This year is also the 20-year anniversary of CAC’s residence at Sixth and Walnut Streets downtown. Known widely as a female standout in a predominantly male-dominated field, Hadid became the first woman to design an American museum building with her CAC design, according to CAC’s website. Programming that celebrates Hadid will occur throughout the year, including commissioning a handful of local artists to respond to the building, culminating in an Annual Gala, “20 Years at the Center.” The gala will take place Oct. 7 from 5-9 p.m.

Before the CAC existed downtown, it operated out of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s basement. Three women — Betty Pollak Rauh, Peggy Frank Crawford and Rita Rentschler Cushman

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Christina Vassallo stands next to the “Urban Carpet” wall at the Contemporary Arts Center. PHOTO: KATIE GRIFFITH

Vassallo, is proud to be part of the

Christina Vassallo stands next to the “Urban Carpet” wall at the Contemporary Arts Center. PHOTO: KATIE GRIFFITH

— founded it originally as The Modern Art Society in 1939.

In April, The New York Times reported that women are taking over leadership roles in the museum world. “From the Louvre to the Vatican Museums and the National Gallery of Art, female directors are taking over from men,” the article reads. Vassallo is honored to be part of the movement as well as the femalecentric history of the CAC.

— founded it originally as The Modern Art Society in 1939.

“A lot to do with this generation of museum directors that I am currently part of, it is overwhelmingly comprised of women leaders,” Vassallo tells CityBeat. “We are coming for those top jobs at the larger museums, we are here to support each other and create new vibes as leaders in these organizations.”

Vassallo’s leadership style exudes a collaborative vibe. One that aims to “unite the staff to work toward a common purpose,” she says. Before Vassallo started at the CAC, a development assessment conducted by an outside firm revealed how fundraising practices related to the budget. Vassallo says the staff structure is being revised accordingly, beginning with a new curator.

“[Selecting a curator] starts with the most exacting job description. It was almost a staff-wide exercise,” Vassallo says. “There’s been some incredible dialogue over the past years about placing people above objects. We don’t have a permanent collection, that isn’t to say we’re not concerned with objects, but we are here to serve people. This is an educational environment, we want to work with curators who are interested in empathy, compassion, artists and artworks that address human needs.”

Earlier this year, CAC employees sought to unionize in an effort to gain wage increases. On January 17, employees officially requested voluntary recognition from the institution of their union, Contemporary Art Center Workers United (CACWU). The CACWU met with the then interim executive director to discuss structural change and wage increase, according to Ohio’s chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

“The vote happened and the eligible staff decided to become a bargaining unit,” Vassallo tells CityBeat. “This

happened before my arrival and we respect the ability for staff to organize. We are going to do our best to negotiate quickly. Nobody wants it to go on for longer than it has to and we have given the union the information that it asked of us, so now fairly soon we will begin the negotiation process.”

Vassallo insists on a leadership style that reflects the needs of the entire team. She wants to break free of outdated or tired structures within museum organizations, she says, by ensuring that everyone has a voice and a genuine understanding of the internal culture and communication.

Director of public relations and communications Katie Elliott says she appreciates Vassallo’s careful process in learning about the CAC, which includes insightful questions that come from a unique angle and are often “revelatory” or as simple as, “Why is this happening the way it’s happening?”

Elliott says she hasn’t encountered a leader like Vassallo in her professional career and that she has a way of being an effective communicator without typical negative qualities of a demanding director.

“In the nonprofit world in general, things can get so hectic,” Elliott tells CityBeat. “It’s always go go go, trying so hard to serve everything that you often don’t pause and ask a question. And so it’s a very exciting moment here. I think she has a very unique way of being very precise and to the point with a genuine quality.”

Director of interpretive learning and visitor experience, Shawnee Turner, agreed adding that Vassallo boasts a “radical candor,” that’s direct and honest but kind, with a knack for bold thinking.

“We’re a contemporary art organization and we want to be on the bleeding edge, not the cutting edge, which is something we’ve said here in the past,” Vassallo says. “And it changes every day. We are really responding to artists, who are in turn responding to society. We are constantly chasing that conversation.”

To learn more about the Contemporary Arts Center, visit contemporaryartscenter.org.

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“A lot to do with this generation of museum directors that I am currently part of, it is overwhelmingly comprised of women leaders,” Vassallo tells CityBeat. “We are coming for those top jobs at the larger museums, we are here to support each other and create new vibes as leaders in these organizations.”

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CULTURE

Cincinnati Filmmakers to Debut Film Inspired By East Palestine Train Derailment

BY EMMA SEGREST

Cincinnati Filmmakers to Debut Film Inspired By East Palestine Train Derailment

BY EMMA SEGREST

Pierce Ryan and Brett Miller aren’t your typical post-graduate filmmakers. While many of their film peers migrated to known cities like New York or Los Angeles, Ryan and Miller decided to make Cincinnati their creative hub for making movies, and in turn, have begun to bring a focus to independent film in the city. Recently the two 23-year-old filmmakers have begun an ambitious partnership with the Garfield Theatre to screen collections of short films made by both local and outsourced filmmakers.

The first ever Garfield Shorts Spotlight Series will occur on Thursday July 27, at 7 p.m. at the Garfield Theatre.The event will feature a to-be-determined collection of short films hand-picked by Ryan and Miller. The duo is working to source short films from other filmmakers they know in order to bring more unscreened work to the big screen. The goal is to celebrate the work of unknown filmmakers and foster a sense of artistic community. The short film fest will also include the premiere of Does It Make a Sound, Ryan and Miller’s latest work. Ryan and Miller are the first to acknowledge that Cincinnati is an odd choice to refine their craft of filmmaking, but for the young filmmakers it offered something unique; a distinct community of like-minded artists of all backgrounds and mediums.

“Cincinnati is a genuine city with a community more diverse than those entertainment hubs because it’s a place where we can actually grow as people and be different voices, and be different artists, just as the people in Cincinnati are entirely different from those in L.A. and New York for I’d say the better,” says Miller. “We’re growing up as humans too, instead of just as artists.”

Miller, who is a Cincinnati native, was the one to suggest the move to Cincinnati, which occurred in August 2022. And for Ryan, it presented a unique opportunity to give all of his focus to his craft. Originally Ryan planned to make the traditional move to Los Angeles and seek work, but on the advice of a professor, he decided he would rather be in control of his craft and develop his artistic style alongside Miller.

They both attended Florida State University for their undergrad where they lived together and began collaborating for school projects. From there, a natural partnership was born. Both men grew up with a deep love for movies and the craft of film. Miller noted that his favorite movies include Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Come and See. Ryan is a fan of E.T. and Roger and Me

Though Ryan grew up in Tampa and Miller in Cincinnati, their childhoods were similar. Each grew up making films at home on iPads and phones, expressing themselves through a camera lens.

Miller and Ryan complement each other’s work and living styles in a strange but balanced way. Where Miller claims to be more reserved, Ryan can bring him out of his shell. When Ryan becomes too fast-paced in work or life, Miller can encourage him to breathe. Ryan compares Miller to an elephant, because of his keen memory and sentimentality. Miller compares Ryan to a meerkat, observing the world and having the world observe him back. In a way, they have become a yin and yang for a film.

This creative balance translates seamlessly into their filmmaking process. In their undergraduate studies they would often partner up together for class assignments. As they have grown their friendship and partnership, their films have grown as well. Recently the two showed their short film Goodbye Tallahassee, I Hope You Understand at the Florida Film Festival, Tallahassee Film Festival and Cincinnati Public Library. Miller and Ryan enjoy focusing on stories that force viewers to engage their brains while watching. Their film style is a blend of thoughtful shots and blink-and-you-miss-it details that create a complex story. Their most recent project, Does It Make a Sound, takes on the recent Norfolk Southern train

derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

and Miller have put the audience in a reflective position to fill in the story. This is not an optimistic film, and the ending is purposefully ambiguous. The film asks for a lot of focus. Especially within a short 15-minute film. With every film they make, the duo ask themselves why their work matters, why is it important for people to care about film. Neither Miller nor Ryan had a definitive answer to this pondering, though it was one they both have considered deeply.

“I think that film is something that is the foremost in art right now, definitely the most accessible, we all kind of grew up watching movies,” says Ryan. “They’re entertaining. I’ve felt my most vulnerable while watching movies.”

The film’s name comes from the philosophical query, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” The name hints at the environmental themes of the film as well as its main conflict.

derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

It follows a government scientist visiting a small, rural town to collect soil samples around a train yard. While the film never outwardly references the derailment, it is heavily implied to be in the aftermath of a similar event. Most notably the film features no spoken dialogue, a strategic choice on the filmmaker’s part to emphasize that no words can account for the damage events like this create. Miller and Ryan acknowledge that their inspiration for this story stemmed directly from their proximity to the event, an inspiration they may not have gotten if they had not been in Cincinnati. Miller recalls after the derailment, when they were buying water test strips, and looking at the land around them as potential spots for more disaster to happen. The potential of natural disaster lurking around the corner became a slow, growing fear for the pair.

“The train derailment for us was something that did affect our lives, it wasn’t the effect of a knife stabbing into a wound but the slower, more awful effects of people being used,” says Miller. “This is our reaction of fear, loneliness and anxiety.”

The film forces the audience to engage their brain and in doing so Ryan

Their goal of making the artistry of film even more accessible to the public is a noble feat they feel necessary not only for their careers but for other independent filmmakers as well. Miller explained their work with the Garfield Theatre as bringing back the idea of creative salons but for films. One of the most important parts of creating any type of film is the opportunity for it to be seen, which is exactly what they are hoping to provide. Miller, who the two agree is typically long-winded, had a very simple answer when asked what he hopes people take away from their films.

“What I want to happen is to make a movie where someone who is guarding themselves emotionally can get in and they’re just able to connect with it,” says Miller.

During their time in Cincinnati, the two have made a conscious effort to connect with the community around them. Ryan works as a homework aide for the Cincinnati Public Library, and Miller enjoys exploring the city and searching for possible film inspiration. In their short time here they have made meaningful connections with other filmmakers in the area who they hope to also feature in their partnership with the Garfield Theatre someday.

Miller and Ryan can’t say definitively what direction their next project will lead them yet. But they know it will continue their journey of expanding their artistic voices. Living in Cincinnati has given them the space to do something they feel a lot of early filmmakers don’t get to do: make movies that matter to not only them but to their communities as well.

The screening of Does It Make a Sound is at 7 p.m. July 27 at Garfield Theatre. Info: cincyworldcinema.org.

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Pierce Ryan (behind the camera) and Cincinnati native Brett Miller are hosting their first-ever Garfield Shorts Spotlight Series on July 27. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRETT MILLER

CULTURE

Pierce Ryan (behind the camera) and Cincinnati native Brett Miller are hosting their first-ever Garfield Shorts Spotlight Series on July 27. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRETT MILLER

20 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

VISUAL ARTS

New Taft Museum of Art Exhibit Features Work by Legendary

New Taft Museum of Art Exhibit Features Work by Legendary Female Photographers

Female Photographers

BY STEVEN ROSEN BY STEVEN ROSEN

When I received the latest Portico magazine from Taft Museum of Art, I did a double-take. There was a color photograph of one of artist Sandy Skoglund’s unforgettable installations on the cover.

The installation depicted a turquoise bed (with two youths in it; one asleep, the other sitting) in a similarly turquoise bedroom with glowingly orange goldfish all around — in the air, on the floor, inside open drawers, atop window frames, even in the bed. This was her “Revenge of the Goldfish.”

Oh my god! Was a Skoglund installation coming to the Taft Museum? There will be lines waiting throughout Lytle Park to see that! Her singular room-size installations are as compelling — convey as much of a sense of magic — as those by Yayoi Kusama.

Truthfully, I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. After all, her installations don’t use models. The source material for Portico’s cover photograph was itself a photograph — Skoglund creates those, too. And that image was being used to highlight a new traveling show featuring major work by some of the most important photographers ever — Modern Women/Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection. The exhibit is up now through Sept. 10 at the Taft. Skoglund’s 27 ¾-inch by 35 ½-inch “Revenge of the Goldfish” has pride of place; it’s the initial photograph in the exhibition, occupying its own wall.

This is impressive, considering who else has distinguished color or blackand-white photographs in this show: Diane Arbus, Dorothea Lange, Cindy Sherman, Hilla Becher (with husband and photographic partner Bernd), Imogen Cunningham and many more. They, along with Skoglund and the others, make Modern Women/Modern Visions an exceedingly memorable and educational show to see.

But Skoglund’s placement in the exhibit also raises questions. You might figure her three-dimensional installations rank first in the hierarchy of her work — without them, there’d be nothing to photograph. You could thus also think her photographs function primarily as documentation, a way for us to see her work when we can’t travel to see the rooms. The “Revenge of the Goldfish” installation is owned by the Smith College Museum of Art, where it is currently off view.

The Dayton Art Institute, by the way, owns Skoglund’s 1998 “Shimmering Madness,” which consists of jelly beans, wood, plastic, metal and motors. And

back in 1998, four of her installations — including “Revenge of the Goldfish” — came to the Cincinnati Art Museum as part of a retrospective of her work called Reality Under Siege. She also had shown work at the gallery owned by the late Carl Solway, whom she remembers as a “great, amazing art dealer.”

Decades ago, Skoglund decided to prepare photographs of her installations with the same kind of careful planning, design awareness and inventive flair that went into her three-dimensional work. And in the art world, they’ve been accepted as such. The “Revenge of the Goldfish” image in the Bank of America collection is identified as an artist’s print, the seventh in an edition of 30.

“I’m gratified the photographs have taken on so much life,” Skoglund says, in a phone interview from her New Jersey home.

In an email, Skoglund described the meticulous process she uses to create a photograph of one of her installations. She began photographing them in 1979, and estimates she has done 20 such images to date.

First she comes up with the concept for an installation, then she creates or otherwise obtains “all things required for the image,” she explains in an email. “The room looks chaotic with stuff everywhere. This first process takes anywhere from 6 months to a year or more.

“Then I place the camera in the studio,” she continues. “Everything gets moved away from in front of the camera. There is nothing in front of the camera except the walls of the room and the

floor of the room.

“The next process is to place things in front of the camera and to slowly make the image while looking through the camera. The camera never moves during this. While I am working on the image I am also thinking about where the models can go.”

floor of the room.

One of the most striking things of Skoglund’s long, fruitful career is that, after graduating with an MFA degree in painting from the University of Iowa in 1972, she found herself deeply attracted to conceptualism. There, the idea behind artwork — including photography — can be more powerful and important than the craftsmanship involved in creating a physical object. Often, the resultant conceptual work is also minimalist. That seems a long way from her process now.

A particularly important influence was the artist Ed Ruscha, who in 1970 published a small-press photography book called Real Estate Opportunities

“I decided to (pursue) the odd idea,” she continues. “Questions like why make a fish and why so many fish became not very meaningful to me. More interesting was to just put them in front of a camera.”

As much as conceptualism was an influence on Skoglund, she ultimately rejected it as an approach for her. In a sense, she found its approach of “emptying out and purifying” the creation of art until it’s mostly just an idea that had played itself out.

“By the time I got to New York and was inundated with this very strong conceptual view, I could not see where it could go,” she says.

So she kept the love for the odd idea but paired it with something she appreciated from her painting background — beauty.

“I think in my work it’s not the idea that matters,” she says. “In my work, it’s the beauty — the sheer color bombardment; the visual pleasure, hopefully.”

The images, not obviously identifiable as fine art, were of seemingly inconsequential Los Angeles properties for sale. It perhaps was meant as commentary on the blandness of the city’s expansion — in a larger way, of the soulless expansion of all big cities.

A particularly important influence was the artist Ed Ruscha, who in 1970 published a small-press photography book called Real Estate Opportunities The images, not obviously identifiable as fine art, were of seemingly inconsequential Los Angeles properties for sale. It perhaps was meant as commentary on the blandness of the city’s expansion — in a larger way, of the soulless expansion of all big cities.

“Why would this type of photography be in the art world,” Skoglund asks in our interview. “This work really had no redeeming pictorial characteristics or effort toward a beautiful composition, yet its roots to me were very sophisticated and very interesting — very odd and peculiar thought processes.

“I think in my work it’s not the idea that matters,” she says. “In my work, it’s the beauty — the sheer color bombardment; the visual pleasure, hopefully.”

So you should want to see Skoglund’s “Revenge of the Goldfish” photograph at Taft Museum’s Modern Women/ Modern Visions exhibit. And, given its prominence, you definitely won’t miss it. But keep one thing clear when viewing it — this is not documentation. It is a beautiful, carefully created artwork.

Modern

Modern Women/Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection will be on display at the Taft Museum of Art through Sept. 10. Info: taftmuseum.org

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 21

Sandy Skoglund’s “Revenge of the Goldfish;” 1981 Cibachrome print; artist’s print 730 Bank of America Collection. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SANDY SKOGLUND

VISUAL ARTS

Women/Modern Vision: Photographs from the Bank of America Collection will be on display at the Taft Museum of Art through Sept. 10. Info: taftmuseum.org Sandy Skoglund’s “Revenge of the Goldfish;” 1981 Cibachrome print; artist’s print 730 Bank of America Collection. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SANDY SKOGLUND

FOOD & DRINK

Succulent Fare on the Square

CityBeat’s dining critic explores the many culinary delights to be found at Hyde Park Square.

REVIEW BY PAMA MITCHELL REVIEW BY PAMA MITCHELL

Adecade or so ago, when the Rookwood development expanded to its current size, I worried that nearby Hyde Park Square might suffer a noticeable decline. After all, people love the free parking around Rookwood, and the variety of upscale and mid-scale chain eateries could move diners away from the restaurants around Square. At the intersection of Erie Avenue and Edwards Road, it’s not much more than a half-mile from the Rookwood dining and shopping complex.

But if a slowdown at the Square did happen, the rebound now seems well underway. Based on my recent visits to a few of the neighborhood’s dining spots, the scope and quality of eating and drinking options near HPS remains impressive. You can choose among a few fine-dining establishments, casual diner-style places, a first-rate wine bar, a couple of ethnic spots and storefronts specializing in niche food items.

In fact, there are so many places to chow down that it’s a wonder the neighborhood also squeezes in quite a few interesting boutiques and specialty stores having nothing to do with food.

Among the higher-end choices, Alfio’s Buon Cibo (Italian for good food) has been open the longest, since 2012. Its menu is mostly Italian, with an emphasis on stuffed pastas/ravioli, although it also incorporates several Argentinian influences — from an Argentine pasta dish with chimichurri cream sauce, to an appetizer of assorted empanadas and an intriguing selection of Malbec wines (Argentina’s preeminent red wine). Chef Alfio Gulisano, an Italian-American who was raised in Buenos Aires, blends international influences throughout the menu, including a selection of grilled meats.

I’m a little sorry we didn’t try an entree our server said was a recent addition to the menu: braised beef short ribs served over gnocchi with a truffle and spinach cream sauce. Prices are on the high side, making Alfio’s a special-occasion spot for many diners.

It’s also not hard to run up a tab at Al Posto, the new Italian restaurant a few doors down from Alfio’s, in part because the appetizers and desserts at Al Posto border on irresistible. There’s little overlap in the two restaurants’ pasta selections, with Alfio’s tending to serve larger portions — at higher prices. The ambiance is completely different at the two places: Al Posto is bright and modern, while Alfio’s has a cozy, livedin vibe. (For more about Al Posto, see the CityBeat dining review last month).

At a similar level of culinary ambition, E+O Kitchen is in its eighth year

serving what it describes as Asian fusion cuisine. Not having eaten there since before COVID, I took out-oftown guests for lunch recently, and we enjoyed it very much. The front room faces Edwards Road and gets lots of light from windows and skylights, making for a pleasant feel. I much prefer those tables to the larger back dining room. The restaurant’s crispy Brussels sprouts salad with shrimp, mild chilis and plenty of crunchy, chopped greens is as good as I remembered from longago visits — a perfect lunch entree or dinner appetizer. Otherwise, you can choose from among five Buddha Bowls, a wide selection of well-prepared sushi rolls, and entrees based on Vietnamese, Filipino and Korean influences.

For less elevated but often quite satisfying full-service fare, the Square includes the Mexican restaurant, Mesa

Loca, and two longtime standbys: Arthur’s — opened in 1947—and the diner-style breakfast and lunch place, The Echo, in business since 1945. I’ll admit I haven’t tried either Arthur’s or The Echo, but they obviously must be doing something right. I thought Mesa Loca started strong, with interesting variations on standard Mexican fare, when it opened late in 2019. But after menu and management changes, it seems to have lost its luster. I hope they can turn things around, as the place includes one of the largest patios in the neighborhood as well as an expansive bar and multiple dining rooms.

The hole-in-the-wall Neko Sushi is bare bones casual, but the fish is top quality and ultra-fresh. Don’t miss Unwind Wine Bar & Light Fare, a block off the square on Michigan Avenue, not only for the dozens of carefully

22 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

The appetizers and desserts at Al-Posto are especially irresistible. PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/ALPOSTO The appetizers and desserts at Al-Posto are especially irresistible. PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/ALPOSTO

selected wines by the glass, bottle or flight, but also to enjoy the inviting indoor and outdoor seating (where dogs are welcome).

The coffee shop, Awakenings, has been caffeinating locals since 1985, with an array of treats from local bakers including quiche, French pastries and bagels. I’m enticed by their wine by the bottle offerings that encompass all the major wine regions of the world. In fact, I’d be shocked if you can’t find a wine you like in your price range on the Square, since Hyde Park Gourmet Food & Wine also has an extensive selection, including hard-to-find half bottles of champagne. They make good sandwiches, too, which you can enjoy on a sidewalk table out front or on a shady bench in the Square.

I haven’t tried the Hyde Park branch of Green Farm Juicery, specializing in organic, cold-pressed juices and smoothies. It’s been up and running for almost four years, but closes at 3 p.m. each day, so I miss it on my evening visits to the neighborhood. The small, local chain is serious about our health

and well-being — a mission I definitely can get behind.

Additional food and drink spots — mostly without dine-in facilities — are sprinkled nearby, on Edwards Road and Erie and Michigan Avenues, mostly local outposts of companies based elsewhere. For instance, Breadsmith Bakery can fulfill all your loaf desires along with a variety of other oven-fresh goodies. For specialty sweets, try the Hyde Park location of Macaron Bar or have fun at the whimsical Peace, Love and Little Donuts.

As a lifelong tea aficionado, I would be remiss if I didn’t include Churchill’s Fine Teas, which opened its most recent location on Edwards Avenue in 2021. Roomier and somehow also cozier than their longtime Findlay Market store, there’s no better place to explore the endlessly fascinating world of loose-leaf teas.

Overall, I can’t think of many other Cincinnati neighborhoods that can match the breadth and depth of dining options of those found around Hyde Park Square.

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 23

Arthur’s Cafe’s is one of the decades-old dining institutions in Hyde Park. PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/ARTHURSCAFE Churchill’s Fine Teas opened its most recent location on Edwards Avenue in 2021. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHURCHILL’S FINE TEAS Arthur’s Cafe’s is one of the decades-old dining institutions in Hyde Park. PHOTO: FACEBOOK.COM/ARTHURSCAFE Churchill’s Fine Teas opened its most recent location on Edwards Avenue in 2021. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHURCHILL’S FINE TEAS

MUSIC

A ‘Stellar’ Show

Incubus’ Chris Kilmore discusses the band’s evolution ahead of their Cincinnati performance.

BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT

Sound checks are generally just part of a band’s daily routine – get to the venue, play a few songs to dial in the sound, then get out until the show hours later.

But that’s not the case for Incubus.

Sound checks are generally just part of a band’s daily routine – get to the venue, play a few songs to dial in the sound, then get out until the show hours later.

where all we did was tour, almost 10 years straight. We didn’t really have much time other than when we stepped off the tour bus to write a record real quick…

it for a couple days.”

So, Kilmore said, he expects the veteran alternative rockers will have some new material to work on this year, after having been on the road last year.

it for a couple days.”

So, Kilmore said, he expects the veteran alternative rockers will have some new material to work on this year, after having been on the road last year.

“A lot of new music ideas that we have actually come from sound checks when we’re on tour,” said turntablist Chris Kilmore in a recent phone interview. “There was a period of time

But that’s not the case for Incubus.

“A lot of new music ideas that we have actually come from sound checks when we’re on tour,” said turntablist Chris Kilmore in a recent phone interview. “There was a period of time

“So over the years, once we get our sound check straight on stage, we just start jamming and we always record,” he said. “So after sound check, we might say ‘oh, that was a cool idea’ and go back and revisit it and then work on

Getting kicked off the road by COVID was a shock to the system for Incubus, whose bread and butter is touring, year after year after year.

riding on this really cool tour bus and somebody just slams the brake on and says, ‘Okay, you’re done. Stop, get out’. And we’re in the middle of the desert or something, there’s no direction. What can we do?”

“It felt like somebody just slammed the brakes on,” Kilmore said. “We’re

Getting kicked off the road by COVID was a shock to the system for Incubus, whose bread and butter is touring, year after year after year.

“It felt like somebody just slammed the brakes on,” Kilmore said. “We’re

What Kilmore did for the last couple years was to work at the keyboards, which he picked up later in life, learn some more music theory and, of course, try to further the turntable skills and

26 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

Incubus PHOTO: BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ Incubus PHOTO: BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ

“I always felt like when you scratch on top of music, regardless of what genre it is, it’s equivalent to a guitar solo,” Chris Kilmore said. “It sticks out. It’s loud. It’s hard to sing over it or do other rhythmic things over top of it without that (scratching) being the focal point. So I was always conscious of that.”

sounds he’s been making since he was a preteen growing up in Pennsylvania.

“I saw Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince when I was young and Jazzy Jeff blew my mind,” Kilmore said. “At that moment, I was like, man, I want to try to do that.” He started DJing at 13, and continued through high school and college in Washington D.C. before he moved to Los Angeles and became part of the Jedi Knights DJ crew.

“We would link all of our turntables together,” he said. “We’d make beats and things like that live together. While we’re scratching, and it kind of (became) we’re a band – you’re playing the bass on a turntable…That kind of opened up my mind.”

That mind opening led to invitations to join rock bands, which were adding DJs to the sound mix in the “nu metal” movement. Eventually, an invitation came from Incubus, who were looking for a replacement for Gavin Koppel.

Joining Incubus for its 1998 tour behind the band’s album S.C.I.E.N.C.E, Kilmore went into the studio with Incubus to create Make Yourself, the 1999 double platinum breakthrough album that yanked the band out of the nu metal mass and into the rock mainstream.

“I feel like just having my personality and the fact that I’m the DJ kind of pulled us out of that a little bit,” Kilmore said. “There was a point there where I felt like a DJ in a rock band was really cliche. Every band out there was trying to come up with a DJ. But I felt like I was always a little different than those guys.”

In large part, that difference was rooted in Kilmore’s musical approach, which aimed at incorporating the turntables almost like another instrument in the group.

“I always felt like when you scratch on top of music, regardless of what genre it is, it’s equivalent to a guitar solo,” he said. “It sticks out. It’s loud. It’s hard to sing over it or do other rhythmic things over top of it without that (scratching) being the focal point. So I was always conscious of that.

“So there’s a bunch of solos and things like that, but there’s a lot of other stuff going on that are blended in,” Kilmore said. “That was actually the hardest thing to achieve with this band – how do I get into this and not stick out and blend in just like everybody else is

blending in? I think through that process, it was like ‘okay, now our sound is developing and our sound is getting bigger and we’re not a nu metal band.’”

That change wasn’t just evident musically. It could be seen in the Incubus audience, which Kilmore initially saw on the S.C.I.E.N.C.E. tour.

“Back then it was all guys,” he said. “It was the mosh pits. It was guys shaking the barricade and everything like that. And then, we wrote Make Yourself and ‘Pardon Me’ came out and you started seeing a little bit more girls. As that album went on, and the singles came out, ‘Stellar’ came out and now that front row was all girls, with those guys behind them. And then a crowd developed.”

That audience has stayed with the band through its hitmaking years, with its 2000s albums Morning View, A Crow Left of the Murder... and Light Grenades, and as Incubus has entered its fourth decade as a band.

Kilmore, who had a bout with COVID last June – missed the band’s rehearsals and had to play a pair of shows in Spain cold.

“It’s really funny how mentally you forget things,” he said. “You’re like, ‘oh, what song is this’ or ‘what setting is that?’ Once you get into it and don’t think about what you have to do, it’s almost like muscle memory. Your body just takes over and it’s like this is how you do it.”

Kilmore’s muscle memory, however, can’t become rote repetition on tour. Unlike the majority of artists, Incubus plays different songs every show.

“We usually have a structure, obviously,” he said. “It’s a coordinated event kind of thing. It’s not just us up there jamming. We’ve got sound guys and lighting guys all trying to do their jobs as well. So we usually keep a good outline, how we’re going to start, maybe a middle section and then switch out some songs in between.

“We’re pretty flexible as a band,” Kilmore said. “Obviously, we’ve been around for so long, we have so many songs we could play, we can throw in audibles as often as we like. We try to keep it fresh every night and do our thing.”

Incubus plays the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 7 p.m. Aug. 1. Info: bradymusiccenter.com.

Incubus plays the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 7 p.m. Aug. 1.

Info: bradymusiccenter.com.

Sales Manager

Oversee sales activities, new sales territory development, and sales contract negotiations for metal products. Frequent domestic travel required to current and potential clients. Employer: SteelSummit Holdings, Inc. Job location: Cincinnati, OH. Mail resume to: Michelle Petersen, HR Mgr., SteelSummit Holdings, Inc., 1500 Medical Center Pkwy, Ste. 3B, Murfreesboro, TN 37129

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 27

“I always felt like when you scratch on top of music, regardless of what genre it is, it’s equivalent to a guitar solo,” Chris Kilmore said. “It sticks out. It’s loud. It’s hard to sing over it or do other rhythmic things over top of it without that (scratching) being the focal point. So I was always conscious of that.”

SOUND ADVICE

genre its juice, most notably “Ain’t No Half Steppin’” and “Smooth Operator.” And then there’s Rakim, whose 1987 debut with Eric B., Paid in Full, remains a masterpiece of lyrical depth and verbal flow. Rakim has long given props to John Coltrane and jazz artists in general as his main influence, a link to a musical past and career-arc template that he hopes extends to hip-hop artists going forward.

“When we look at the other genres of music, you look at R&B, you look at jazz, you know there’s no limit on that,” Rakim said in a recent interview with Vibe. “And that’s what hip-hop listeners gotta understand, man. If we still have the passion and we still love hip-hop and the music is good, there’s no reason to put a limit on age.” Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim and Slick Rick play the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 7:30 p.m. July 20. Info: bradymusiccenter.com. (Jason Gargano)

ACE FREHLEY

Pete

July 15 • Riverbend Music Center

FALL OUT BOY

If you’re not going to see Fall Out Boy and Bring Me The Horizon at Riverbend, what are you even doing with your life? Both rock bands have spent more than a decade in the business and continually drop singles that appeal to their large (and growing) fanbases. Both bands know how to bop

Center at 6:30 p.m. July 15. Bring Me the Horizon, Royal & the Serpent and Carr open the show. Info: riverbend.org.

July 15 • Riverbend Music Center

Fall Out Boy may have rose to fame during the heyday of AOL Instant Messenger and sleeves with thumb holes, but their music and attached fandom have withstood the tests of time. With two decades full of insanely popular hits, like “Dance, Dance” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs,” even the casual fan (or hater) will know enough tunes to enjoy the show.

Bring Me The Horizon is no different.

Bring Me The Horizon is no different. The boys may have started in the United Kingdom and still call it home, but they’ve made their mark in American music during their nearly 20 years in business together. Having received multiple Grammy nominations during their time as a band, they’re no less stacked with hits than their tourmates. Most recently, the band even put out a new single, “AmEN!,” with rapper Lil Uzi Vert.

The boys may have started in the United Kingdom and still call it home, but they’ve made their mark in American music during their nearly 20 years in business together. Having received multiple Grammy nominations during their time as a band, they’re no less stacked with hits than their tourmates. Most recently, the band even put out a new single, “AmEN!,” with rapper Lil Uzi Vert.

Grab your eyeliner, glue your bangs over one eye and save your favorite lyric as an away message (or Facebook status) — it’s time to let loose like you’re an angsty teenager again.

Fall Out Boy plays Riverbend Music

Grab your eyeliner, glue your bangs over one eye and save your favorite lyric as an away message (or Facebook status) — it’s time to let loose like you’re an angsty teenager again.

Fall Out Boy plays Riverbend Music

Center at 6:30 p.m. July 15. Bring Me the Horizon, Royal & the Serpent and Carr open the show. Info: riverbend.org.

(Deirdre Kaye)

(Deirdre Kaye)

BIG DADDY KANE, DOUG E. FRESH, RAKIM, SLICK RICK

July 20 • Andrew J Brady Music Center

BIG DADDY KANE, DOUG E. FRESH, RAKIM, SLICK RICK

There was little expectation that hip-hop would last much past its 1970s roots as a source of New York City escapism. Fifty years later it’s an entrenched art form and a hugely popular cultural force not only in the United States but across the world, a phenomenon not even equaled by jazz, that other indispensable U.S. musical export.

July 20 • Andrew J Brady Music Center

And now, as part of the long-running Cincinnati Music Festival — which this year also features Al Green, Jill Scott, Snoop Dogg, Babyface and more at Paycor Stadium July 21 and 22 — four oldschool hip-hop heavyweights collaborate for a show celebrating the genre’s 50 years of existence: Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, Rakim and Slick Rick. All four are now in their fifties, barely older than hip-hop itself. Each is an important cog in a musical revolution solidified in the late 1980s culminating with the wider emergence of Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy.

a genre. In Fresh’s case, that means showcasing the beatboxing skills that broke ground and rewired minds — both on his own records and as part of Slick Rick’s 1988 landmark The Adventures of Slick Rick, a vivid, often raunchy showcase that, like much of the genre’s 1980s output, is sure to raise the eyebrows of the politically correct crowd. For Kane, it’s a chance to revisit the braggadocious swagger and frequently humorous tunes that helped give the

ACE FREHLEY

July 28 • J.D. Legends

Influential guitar player and founding member of legendary glam rock band KISS, “Spaceman” Ace Frehley makes a landing for a local appearance on July 28.

July 28 • J.D. Legends

Influential guitar player and founding member of legendary glam rock band KISS, “Spaceman” Ace Frehley makes a landing for a local appearance on July 28.

Their hook-heavy songs, larger-thanlife personas, makeup, platform boots and literally explosive live shows earned them enormous, near-Beatlemania stardom in the 1970s and, like The Beatles, they were four distinct characters,

Word is each emcee will get 20 minutes (or so) to do their thing — enough time to deliver tunes that helped build

28 CITYBEAT.COM | JULY 12-25, 2023

Big Daddy Kane PHOTO: RUSTYSHACK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Wentz of Fall Out Boy PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER AND BRITTANY THORNTON FALL OUT BOY

SOUND ADVICE

Big Daddy Kane PHOTO: RUSTYSHACK, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER AND BRITTANY THORNTON

era of solo success with two albums covering songs that were influential to him — Origins Vol. 1 (2016) and Origins Vol. 2 (2020) — and another solo record, Spaceman (2018), and continued touring to generations of lifelong fans.

Ace Frehley plays J.D. Legends at 7 p.m. July 28. Info: jdlegends.com. (Brent Stroud)

REGINA SPEKTOR

after such an enticing proposition. She recorded the album in upstate New York during the heart of the pandemic, aided by the remote work of ace producer John Congleton, who’s collaborated with an avalanche of noted artists, including the like minds of Sharon Van Etten, Laurie Anderson, Angel Olsen and St. Vincent.

and each sang and wrote songs.

Frehley was and remains the Spaceman (or Space Ace), a tongue-in-cheek nickname, referring to himself as an alien from a planet called Jendell. His striking black, white and silver image was undeniably otherworldly along with his cool demeanor on stage, sense of humor in the press and innovative and generation-influencing guitar playing.

and each sang and wrote songs.

As a songwriter, he’s responsible for KISS classics like “Cold Gin,” “Shock Me” and “Rocket Ride,” among others. When the four members simultaneously released solo albums in 1978, his outsold the others with the help of a hit recording of the Russ Ballard song, “New York Groove” and a well rounded record packed with now fan favorites and production from legend Eddie Kramer.

After leaving the band in 1982, he formed Frehley’s Comet in 1984, releasing the band’s self-titled debut in 1987 with singles “Rock Soldiers” and “Into the Night.”

KISS made a surprise return, reuniting in 1996. “The Reunion Tour” was wildly successful, becoming the highest grossing tour that year and gave way to another tour and their highest charting album to that point, Psycho Circus (1998). The band completed a farewell tour and performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics before Frehley again departed. He released Anomaly in 2009, sounding reinvigorated with a return to form

KISS made a surprise return, reuniting in 1996. “The Reunion Tour” was wildly successful, becoming the highest grossing tour that year and gave way to another tour and their highest charting album to that point, Psycho Circus (1998) The band completed a farewell tour and performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics before Frehley again departed. He released Anomaly in 2009, sounding reinvigorated with a return to form

that sparked a new and peak era as a solo artist. His 2011 autobiography, No Regrets, debuted on the New York Times bestseller list. The trajectory continued with 2014’s Space Invader, the highestcharting record of his solo career. KISS was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame that same year.

Frehley has continued his recent

REGINA SPEKTOR

July 30 • Andrew J Brady Music Center

Regina Spektor was born in 1980 in Moscow, Soviet Union, the year the United States and other countries boycotted the Olympics in her home country. Spurred by Perestroika — a political reform movement allowing Soviet citizens to emigrate elsewhere — Spektor and her family moved to the Bronx when she was 9. By 21, she had 14 years of classical piano studies behind her. Yet a burgeoning interest in jazz, hip-hop and rock influenced her first recorded efforts, eventually leading to her breakthrough album, 2006’s Begin to Hope, a chamber pop charmer powered by her big heart, expressive (but limited) voice, lyrical quirks and melodic piano playing.

July 30 • Andrew J Brady Music Center

Spektor thrives in live settings, whether the stage be a New York City hole in the wall — she got her start playing amid the city’s anti-folk scene in the early aughts — or massive festivals like Coachella or Lollapalooza, which makes her first extended tour in several years behind 2022’s Home, before and

“Once I started being able to capture these songs, John was so amazing at working remotely,” Spektor said in a 2022 interview with The Fader. “He was so patient because we worked deeply, and doing it that way, remotely, is tedious. And then we brought Jherek (Bischoff) on to do all these orchestral arrangements, also remotely. There’s that famous quote: ‘Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.’ But we danced about architecture from morning to night, and it actually got us places.”

Much of Home, before and after tackles our current political, physical and psychological strife (perhaps also influenced by her Soviet roots as a persecuted Jew) but it’s never a downer. Spektor’s particular eccentricities and gift for making the grandiose sound intimate can’t help but transport. Take the spare, pianopowered album closer “Through a Door,” which is at once universal and singular as she sings, “Hearts can travel through closed doors/They can wander empty halls/If you let your heart go free/It’ll always come back full.” Regina Spektor plays the Andrew J Brady Music Center at 8 p.m. July 30. Info: bradymusiccenter. com. (JG)

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 29

Ace Frehley PHOTO: B8DDY H8LLY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Regina Spektor PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ Ace Frehley PHOTO: B8DDY H8LLY, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Regina Spektor PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ

CROSSWORD

Across

1. Step on it!

5. Common battery size

NO FUTZ

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

10. Whatever it is, he’s against it

14. Stand-up ___ Von

15. Classic karaoke selection

16. “Bye, babe”

17. Reynolds who co-owns Wrexham AFC

18. Songs by airheads?

20. Molecule with an a negative charge

21. Actress Cattrall

22. Trout native to Anaheim

23. Doofus wearing Dr. Martens?

28. Bother

30. “I’m shocked,” initially”

31. FDR program

32. A fiver

33. Sporty Camaro

35. Messing with other actors?

37. Exasperated cry

38. Exact copy of an excellent French city?

41. Hosp. area

42. Bozo 43. Acting without thinking 44. Put on

Come together 46. Yahoo! portal

47. Maze runner’s goal

48. Combined media barrage?

53. Kao na nua cuisine

55. Charismatic leader?

56. “Where is the ___?”

57. Things that hold up fashion doll toys?

61. See 54-Down

62. Typesetter’s selection

63. “Turn on the ceiling fan, will ya?”

64. Squeezed (by)

65. Alan of crosswords

66. What || means

67. Flat top land

Down

1. Take it all off

2. “Silly, silly, silly”

3. Favored one side

4. Unimaginably long time

5. Programmer’s work

6. Reach the top

7. Summer time in Philly

8. Documentarian Garbus

9. Allow

10. Mixed-berry smoothie berry

11. Sugar substitutes?

12. Suffer huge financial losses

13. Platform with Face ID

19. Real estate abbr.

21. Bibimbap side dish

24. Suit worn by jazz cats

25. Undivided

26. Around-the-world trip

27. Mountain pool

29. Key audience for influencers, for short

33. Running things

34. Curvy calligraphy style

35. ___ fruit

36. Oxygen-using bacterium

38. Home-care worker

39. First focus of a jigsaw, often

40. Food court building

46. “___ Fideles”

48. Real lulu

49. Some hoodies emblazoned with rhinos

50. “This’ll do”

51. They get rotated in a garage

52. Link’s princess

54. With 61-Across, encouraging words

57. Curator’s preliminary deg.

58. Beneficial info

59. Org. with the Rod of Aesculapius in its logo

60. “In the Heights” director Jon M. ___

61. Real lulu

LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

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810 Sycamore St. 4th Fl., Cincinnati, OH 45202 513.651.9666

810 Sycamore St. 4th Fl, Cincinnati, OH 45202 513.651.9666

Starting at $500 plus court costs. 12 Hour Turnaround.

810 Sycamore St. 4th Fl, Cincinnati, OH 45202

JULY 12-25, 2023 | CITYBEAT.COM 31

45.

• Great pay and beneﬁts

• Paid training including CDL training

• $2000 bonus paid after training

We can’t ﬁll the rest of the seats until we ﬁll the driver’s seat, so apply today. www.go-metro.com/careers

Metro is hiring operators.

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