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NEWS

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan P H OTO : J O R DA N . H O U S E . G OV

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, Predictably: ‘America Is Done with COVID’ Despite science and surging infection rates, Jordan keeps trying to wish the pandemic away BY A L L I S O N BA B K A

hen Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan sees a football stadium crowded with people, he’s apparently picturing happy fans and excited parents — not thousands of potential vectors for an infectious virus to spread during a global pandemic. On Sept. 7, Jordan tweeted a video of a very full Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin as the Badgers played Penn State. The Sept. 4 game in the video was the team’s first in nearly two years due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “Real America is done with #COVID19.

God bless!” Jordan tweeted in his share of the Barstool Sports video. But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical advisor and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, refuted Jordan’s assessment of the situation. During an interview that evening with MSNBC’s Joy Reid, Fauci directly addressed Jordan’s notion that the country was “done” with COVID-19. “COVID is not done with us. And that’s really the problem, that you can’t wish it away,” Fauci said.

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Fauci added that even if most of those football fans had been vaccinated, the huge number of people gathered together presented a big opportunity for COVID-19 to spread. “When you have the numbers of infections that you just mentioned a moment ago, I mean, I would hope that most of the people in that stadium were vaccinated. And even if they were, the close congregate setting, they should have been wearing masks. Certainly, those who are unvaccinated should be wearing masks,” Fauci told Reid. “And I didn’t see any of that in the picture that I saw about that, which is really unfortunate, because then you lead to outbreak, which leads to hospitalizations, which get to the numbers that you were talking about a few moments ago,” Fauci said. Wisconsin Public Radio recently reported that 88% of students and 92% of staff have been vaccinated from COVID-19. But that wasn’t the only misstep that Jordan, who is a former wrestler and not a physician or epidemiologist, made recently. On Sept. 6, Jordan inaccurately tweeted “Vaccine mandates are un-American.” As of press time, the United States does not make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for the nation, but state and local governments, individual employers and schools can require a variety of vaccinations for various reasons. Dr. Peter Hotez, a molecular virologist, took Jordan to task for his tweet. “This is simply not true. Vaccines for smallpox, later childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, Hib (vaccines discovered in USA), preserved our nation. I’m aghast at the absence of intellectual curiosity or even passing interest in American history from our US Congress,” Hotez tweeted at Jordan on Sept. 6. As hundreds of publications and doctors pointed out to Jordan, vaccination mandates are, indeed, as American as the country’s first president. In 1777, George Washington ordered all military troops to be inoculated against smallpox during the Revolutionary War. Moreover, vaccination mandates have been protected by the U.S. Supreme Court for well over 100 years, Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health law at Georgetown University, recently told NPR. “The first vaccine mandate law was

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enacted in the United States in 1809 for smallpox. But the Supreme Court in 1905 in a very famous case called Jacobson v. Massachusetts upheld a Cambridge City law, which required smallpox vaccination. That was something where the Supreme Court said that we don’t have a right to place other people at risk,” Gostin said. “And by 1922, in another case, Justice Brandeis, writing for unanimous court, upheld childhood school mandates, calling it settled law.” The part about not putting other people at risk is important, and Gostin added later that the COVID-19 vaccine likely will become part of the typical round of vaccinations that every American gets. “I think in the immediate future, throughout this year and into next, we’re going to see mandates very widely imposed throughout the public and private sector workforce,” Gostin said. COVID-19 vaccines also will be part of the arsenal of innoculations schools require, Gostin said. “I absolutely predict that in a year or two, CDC will recommend COVID19 vaccines as part of the required vaccination of children as a condition of going to school. And most states, but not all, will comply with that.” Jordan’s inaccurate tweets came as Ohio continues to experience a major, sustained spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Every county in Ohio currently is labeled as high risk for coronavirus transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On June 13, Ohio had just 182 daily COVID-19 cases, according to the state’s coronavirus dashboard. Since then, the case rate has steadily increased to 325 on July 6; 2,251 on Aug. 6; and 6,326 on Aug. 31. In August, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration granted full approval for use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for adults. Pfizer’s vaccines for teens and all vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson remain under the FDA’s emergency use authorization, with more FDA approvals expected later this year and beyond. For COVID-19 vaccinelocations and information, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov in Ohio and kycovid19.ky.gov in Kentucky.

NEWS

Meet Cincinnati Cyclones’ Jason Payne, Pro Hockey’s Only Current Head Coach of Color BY A L L I S O N BA B K A

It’s a new era for the Cincinnati Cyclones, with one coach departing and another taking the reins. The Cyclones recently announced that Jason Payne has become the team’s newest head coach. Payne, who had been the Cyclones’ assistant coach, replaces Matt Thomas, who has become the assistant coach for the Providence Bruins. “We are going to remain committed to continuing our development both on and off the ice for our players and in the community. As an organization, we are equally committed to continuing the growth of minor league hockey, as well as the overall growth of the sport in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Area,” Payne, 45, says in an Aug. 31 press release. “From our fans, to our players, to our staff, this is a firstclass organization and I will continue to treat it as such. I’m excited for what this season will bring for our team.” As Payne ascends to team leader and director of hockey operations, he also becomes the only head coach of color in professional hockey today as well as the Cincinnati Cyclones’ own first head coach of color, according to a release from the team. Payne, who is Black, is a member of the NHL Coaches Association BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Coaches Program. He is only the fifth head coach of color in professional hockey history. Payne joined the Cyclones as an assistant coach before the 2018-2019 season. Prior to that, he spent time as a skating coach, scout and skills coach for numerous teams before becoming general manager for the Georgetown Raiders. He began his hockey career in 1999 with the now-defunct Cincinnati

Jason Payne (left) and Matt Thomas P H O T O : T O N Y B A I L E Y / C I N C I N N AT I C YC L O N E S

Mighty Ducks before heading to the Dayton Bombers. Overall, he played for 14 years and amassed 1,825 penalty minutes, a release says. Payne takes over for Thomas, who had moved into the top Cyclones job prior to the 2018-2019 season and subsequently collected an 89-30-16 regularseason record during his reign. In 2019, the Cyclones went to the Kelly Cup Playoffs while capturing the Brabham

Cup, an award given to the team with the best regular-season record. Thomas was named the John Brophy ECHL Coach of the Year in 2019. The Cincinnati Cyclones will host its first home game of the season on Oct. 30 against the Indy (Indianapolis) Fuel at Heritage Bank Center. It will be the Cyclones’ first game in about a year and a half, as the coronavirus pandemic canceled the end of the 2019-2020

season and the Cyclones opted out of the 2020-2021 season. Cincinnati’s pro hockey team last played on March 11, 2020, in Toledo. The Cyclones’ last home game was March 7 of last year. Find the full Cincinnati Cyclones schedule at cycloneshockey.com.

Cincinnati Public Library Branches Now Carry Free Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Tests BY M A I JA Z U M M O

If you think you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and need a test, there are now more options beyond the doctor's office, emergency room or pharmacy. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has partnered with public libraries across the state to offer rapid at-home COVID tests for free. A press release from ODH says that last month, 246 libraries made more than 53,000 COVID-19 tests available across Ohio, including right here in Cincinnati. “As the Delta variant spreads across the state and our students and teachers head back to school, there has been renewed interest in testing for COVID-19,” said Governor Mike DeWine in a release. “These tests — and Ohio’s amazing network of public libraries — make it easier

than ever for Ohioans to get tested and to ensure that we are limiting the spread of the Delta variant.” Libraries are offering the BinaxNOW home test, which ODH says is “packaged with a telehealth session to oversee test administration and result reporting.” The Cincinnati Public Library says tests are available at drive-thru branches in Anderson, Covedale, Delhi Township, Downtown, Groesbeck, Harrison, Reading and Symmes Township. Due to high demand, library officials recommend checking availability before attempting to pick up a test. The library also offers walk-up nasal swab testing. Find dates, times and locations — and pre-register — at healthcollab.org/testandprotect.

BinaxNOW rapid at-home COVID test P H OTO : A B B OT T

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

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THE TRUTH IS HERE:

INTERNATIONAL UFO INVESTIGATION ORGANIZATION

MUFON SETS UP HEADQUARTERS IN CINCINNATI BY SEAN M. PETERS

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: HAILEY BOLLINGER 8

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DOES INTELLIGENT LIFE EXIST

OUTSIDE OF EARTH? IF SO, DO THOSE LIFEFORMS VISIT OUR PLANET? These are just two of the compelling questions the nonprofit Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) seeks to answer daily. The 52-year-old organization boasts the largest civilian database of UFO sightings and deploys certified researchers to investigate new occurrences across more than 40 countries and all 50 states. And, luckily for us, the organization recently relocated from Irvine, California to Cincinnati — permanently. Launched in Illinois in 1969, MUFON has three goals, which its more than 600 trained investigators and 4,000 members enact: - Investigate UFO sightings and collect the data in the MUFON database for use by researchers worldwide - Promote research on UFOs to discover the true nature of the phenomenon, with an eye toward scientific breakthroughs, and improving life on

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our planet - Educate the public on the UFO phenomenon and its potential impact on society MUFON has moved several times since its founding and historically has been located wherever its executive director is. The organization left Cincinnati in 2012 for California, but now its nine-member board of directors has declared that MUFON is returning to the Queen City for good, setting up headquarters near Lunken Airport. Current executive director David MacDonald is based in Cincinnati (MacDonald had previously served as director, hence MUFON’s former stint in the city) . “Cincinnati is within a six-hour drive to 80% of the nation. It is also highly valued due to its many advantages to business,” MacDonald tells CityBeat. “Cincinnati is remarkably less expensive to live in as well as do

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business in than Southern California. One of Cincinnati’s largest corporate headquarters once said, ‘We have two problems to being in Cincinnati — one is to get people to move here, the second is getting them to leave.’” But besides the logistics, MacDonald says making the move to Cincinnati permanent is valuable because the area has a special connection to UFOs. “Wright-Patterson (Air Force Base) is 45 minutes away,” he says. “There are quite a few sightings in the Tri-State area, and it was the home of one of the most famous UFO pioneers in the world, Len Stringfield.” (Stringfield, who died in 1994, was the director of the group Civilian Research, Interplanetary Flying Objects and published a monthly newsletter devoted to UFO information, sightings and investigation.) The topic of UFO sightings has dominated headlines recently

thanks to “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,” a declassified report from the U.S. Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. This report details 144 separate unidentified aerial phenomena (or UAP, the Feds’ equivalents to “UFO”) sightings reported by military pilots between 2004 and 2021. No concrete conclusions were drawn to verify that what these pilots saw was extraterrestrial, but one UAP was confidently explained to be a deflated balloon. While the report largely summarizes a lot of “We don’t know” activity, it also is highly significant as a first step to normalizing public disclosure regarding UFO/UAP sightings. “It was everything we expected, which was practically nothing,” MacDonald says. “It gave up very, very little, but that’s going to be probably the first of

many small releases yet to come.” When asked if it’s up to MUFON to act as a watchdog on the government, counteracting its historically tightlipped approach to UFO disclosure, MacDonald says that MUFON’s role is simply to see that the public has access to such releases. “We do not see ourselves as activists. Rather, we conduct the scientific investigation of the UFO phenomenon for the betterment and education of humanity,” he says. The organization’s move to Cincinnati is a benefit to MacDonald, who also heads Flamingo Air, an FAA-approved air carrier operation and flight school — the largest aircraft dispatch certification school in the world, MacDonald says. Both MUFON and Flamingo Air’s headquarters are at Lunken Airport. Despite both jobs demanding vigilant observation of the skies, MacDonald says there isn’t much crossover. “We have an avionics school, we have a drone training operation, we design and do strange projects for the government. And then, for release, we give airplane rides,” MacDonald says. “I need to have everything centralized and that’s the reason for the (MUFON) move.” MUFON moving back to Cincinnati has reignited the region’s fascination

with UFO sightings, but that does not mean everybody wants to talk about UFOs. CityBeat attempted several times to interview a rep from WrightPatterson Air Force Base regarding MUFON but did not get a response. “I am not surprised,” MacDonald exclaims. “We have no contact at Wright-Patterson. They will admit to nothing.” CityBeat also approached the Cincinnati Astronomical Society (CAS) to discuss UFOs. The organization declined an interview but shared ideas via email. “As CAS is a science-based organization, we don’t have any official comment on UFOs, as people tend to immediately associate that term with extraterrestrial visitors,” Bryan Simpson, president of the CAS, writes in an email. “And as there is very little to no scientific evidence for the existence of these types of UFOs, it’s not a topic we discuss as an organization. In the nine years I’ve been a member of CAS, and having participated in nearly all member and non-member related events in that time, the discussion of UFOs is virtually non-existent. Most of our members are interested in upcoming celestial events such as eclipses, conjunctions, oppositions, as well as practicing astrophotography. But not really any discussion of little green men.”

MacDonald isn’t fazed by this kind of skepticism. It’s a major component of his job. “Of course there’s people that will have that reaction. Fifty-two years MUFON’s been around, and there has been a concerted effort to discredit, to humiliate, to make witnesses look like fools. I mean, there’s a long, long list,” MacDonald says. “And I don’t want to get into conspiracy theories, but there is an absolute directed effort to keep this stuff quiet. What they can’t keep quiet, they ridicule. It’s starting to change and then it reached the point where this stuff was leaked — that Tic

Tac video, and the government didn’t like it one damn bit.” “Our contacts tell us, they said, ‘Every day, naval commanders are calling the Pentagon, ‘We’re being buzzed! These things are all over the place’” MacDonald adds. “We see them every day, they’re close-range and they cover this stuff up.” The Tic Tac videos MacDonald references show a Navy F-18 fighter jet’s view of unidentified aircraft now referred to as ‘Tic Tac’ (because they were shaped like the breath mint) off the East Coast. The New York Times broke the story in 2019, which led to

“What they can’t keep quiet, they ridicule. It’s starting to change and then it reached the point where this stuff was leaked — that Tic Tac video, and the government didn’t like it one damn bit.”

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“I see 15 stationary objects every single night that is clear. I have a home that has blue lights that go into the sky. I’m not sure if they are attracted to this. I also live 35 miles away from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. I don’t know who else to talk to. No one believes you.”

the videos’ eventual declassification in April 2020. That the Pentagon verified its authenticity was a major step toward regularized disclosure of UFOs sightings. “Now this stuff is leaking, now it’s coming out and, if you think about it, hell, we all grew up with Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and, in my case, Flash Gordon,” MacDonald says. “It’s old hat. Everybody accepts the possibility now.” He says that it’s absurd to not accept the premise of other lifeforms in the universe, and maybe more people understand that. “When I go around and give my talks, everybody would always ask, ‘When will we hit disclosure?’ And I would tell them it’s actually begun, little things here and there, little tidbits drop here and there,” MacDonald says. “But I didn’t think I would actually see real disclosure in my lifetime, and now I’m thinking, maybe, just maybe I will see it. Every day something new is leaking out, and that’s what keeps us going.” MUFON has hosted a UFO

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symposium since the 1980s. The most recent MUFON International Symposium took place at the end of August in Las Vegas and featured speakers, panels and even sessions for those who have experienced UFO phenomenon. It also boasted “military and government witnesses,” including retired Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Kevin Day, who saw the Tic Tac incident. It also publishes the MUFON UFO Journal, “one of the best and most reliable UFO publications in the world.” At the same time, there will always be people who refuse to accept anything that goes against their beliefs. “It’s a dilemma,” MacDonald says. “You’re just going to have people that are not going to accept it. And they’re like the same people that don’t want to get vaccinated.” MUFON is “actively recruiting” more UFO hunters and has a spot on its website where the public can report UFO sightings. But to be a field investigator takes more than mild curiosity. MacDonald says investigators are “the foundation

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of MUFON.” Ideal candidates are stable, dependable and objective with hours of volunteer time available and have “an above-average interest in the UFO phenomenon.” Each candidate has to pass a background check, attend MUFON University training online and take an exam before becoming an official trainee. After that, the trainee must shadow a professional investigator before they’re allowed out in the field alone. The end goal is to “collect accurate data for entry into the MUFON CMS (Case Management System), which will then be used in MUFON research,” says MacDonald. The most recent 20 sighting reports from across the globe are viewable at mufon.com. Each includes the date of the event, the location, a description and sometimes video or photos. For example, a report from Sept. 10 in Ontario, Canada, lists an “object changing color” from over 10,000 feet in the air and includes video. There’s also this Sept. 4 report from

a member of the public in Middletown, Ohio: “I see 15 stationary objects every single night that is clear. I have a home that has blue lights that go into the sky. I’m not sure if they are attracted to this. I also live 35 miles away from Wright Patterson Air Force Base. I don’t know who else to talk to. No one believes you.” If multiple sightings or reported events happen near the same place at the same time, “the CMS also automatically alerts the MUFON investigative team...to indicate something big is going on and that information also goes to the rapid-response teams,” reads the MUFON website. Thomas Wertman is the state director and chief investigator of MUFON’s Ohio chapter; there are MUFON chapters in all 50 states and more than 40 international countries, including France, Italy, Iran and Cuba. A member since 2008, Wertman says his investigative techniques have caused other MUFON members to wonder if he was a skeptic, almost as if he were trying his best to prove that UFO sightings can all be easily explained

away with mundane causes. “I believe in being honest and rely on data for my findings,” Wertman says. “I’m not a skeptic, but the reality is 80%-90% of UFO reports have an explanation. On examination they may be attributed to aircraft, satellites, natural celestial objects, lens flare, atmospheric anomalies, etc.” Wertman says flight data contributes to his ability to debunk sightings. “Say a photograph contains an unknown object. Flight data records provide time, date, aircraft type, airspeed, altitude, direction of travel and other pertinent information,” Wertman says. “I have the ability to export the aircraft movements to Google Earth to find out if the witness may actually have photographed an aircraft.” His attitude and methodology is useful to MUFON’s mission because, as Wertman explains, one of the most important things the organization does is record data associated with sightings. Classifying a case as unknown when it has an explanation creates inaccurate

data for future research. “When you have gone through the case and scientifically proved it is not aircraft, celestial objects, this adds value to the research,” he says. “I don’t like basing an investigation’s findings off of feelings or what someone thinks they may have seen. I like to base it on research. Solid research will also help get more of the scientific community on board.” Wertman explains that MUFON’s investigative techniques have evolved alongside rapidly developing technology. When he joined the organization more than a decade ago, MUFON was just starting to transition to online databasing. By centralizing data electronically, it becomes much easier for investigators like Wertman to compare reports on sightings, look for patterns or inconsistencies and accomplish more thorough research overall — including research on notable sightings in Cincinnati. But, as Wertman explains, an area with a high number of reported sightings does not automatically qualify

it as a UFO hot spot. “In Ohio, most of the sightings occur in the higher population areas. Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati, then to the suburbs of these communities,” he says. “One of the issues I have when I hear of certain areas around the country being a hot spot is what data are they using to determine that. Total cases in a region is not a good method.” “About once a year we get eight or nine cases in a night that are attributed to night sky divers using pyrotechnics,” Wertman continues. “I would prefer to look at the investigated cases that are unknown; some of the areas around (that) individuals consider hot spots may not be based on research.” Still, there’s one case from this year that Wertman says has caused intrigue. An alleged witness was driving their car around 6:30 p.m. March 24 when they saw two white lights travel toward the northeast over I-275. The area gets a lot of air traffic and the witness said the two white lights looked like landing lights, but they were 20 to 30 feet apart.

In the report, the witness claims to have watched the lights for four or five minutes before they disappeared. “Flight data indicated no air traffic in the region,” Wertman says. MUFON trains its investigators to identify drones and other humancontrolled flying objects, and the findings on this sighting did not conclusively indicate such items. As anyone with a passing interest in UFO sightings would confirm, it’s hard to absolutely verify most reports with full confidence, hence the abundance of skepticism. Perhaps the visiting aliens simply aren’t interested in abducting us — not until we’re all vaccinated, at least. To learn more about MUFON, its mission or to report a UFO sighting, visit mufon.com.

“I don’t like basing an investigation’s findings off of feelings or what someone thinks they may have seen. I like to base it on research. Solid research will also help get more of the scientific community on board.” SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

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ARTS & CULTURE

10,000 Maniacs P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY 3 C D C

Women to the Front 10,000 Maniacs kick-off Cincinnati’s new RiseUp concert and event series, which focuses on women musicians and female empowerment BY K AT I E G R I F F IT H

concert and event series created to empower women is slated to begin this month with a free, day-long event at Washington Park. The Cincinnati Bell RiseUp Women’s Series kicks off Sept. 17 with a mimosa happy hour at the park’s concession area, The Porch, and ends with headlining Alternative Rock band 10,000 Maniacs, fronted by violinist and vocalist Mary Ramsey. Created by 3CDC, the series aims to honor women and their voices via various events and music performances. Mostly taking place at Memorial Hall, the concerts, poetry readings, networking events and support and education opportunities are scheduled through 2022. “I feel like a lot of people don’t know

that 3CDC operates Memorial Hall from a programming standpoint,” says RiseUp creator and 3CDC sponsorship and advertising manager Tasha Stapleton. “In the thick of COVID, Memorial Hall wasn’t able to do pretty much anything. The beauty in that is that it gave us the opportunity to pause and ask, ‘What makes this building a 3CDC space?’ “So we sat down and came up with things that we should be standing behind from a programming aspect inside of the hall, and the biggest piece we walked away with was that we wanted things to be more inclusive and attract a more diverse audience.” The rolling event series is about empathy, support and inspiration for women, Stapleton says. The

programming aims to empower women and provide safe spaces for open discussion and support, which starts with an individual and ultimately leads to a positive impact in one’s community, she adds. The kick-off event will include a women’s market during the day, set to feature 15 vendors selling various goods from female-owned businesses, food trucks included. At 6 p.m. Cincinnati’s Shiny and the Spoon will play Folk-Pop tunes, followed by singer/ songwriter Lauren Eylise before 10,000 Maniacs takes the stage. Fans will hear a variety of music from 10,000 Maniacs’ catalog, along with a number of new songs and a few surprises, frontwoman Ramsey says. “We’ve worked on new material and are going to be putting out some kind of recording,” she says. “We have about 20 songs and we are just figuring out how we are going to do it, if we want to make a CD or if we want to do it in the modern way of releasing a few at a time.” Ramsey says the band is looking forward to its Queen City stop, noting that it’s been a while since the group has played in town. She says members

are excited to share new and old music, especially as an ally to RiseUp’s purpose. “When you have a female in a rolemodel position — even to have a woman onstage or having a woman playing violin onstage, which is what I do — young girls or other women say, ‘Why can’t I do that, too?’” she says. “It’s a form of inspiration and breaking barriers. I think that’s important, kind of saying anything is possible.” In March, Forbes published an article on gender inequality in the music industry based on statistics from a University of Southern California study. Forbes noted major issues that women in the industry face, including sexual harassment, visibility and ageism. “I do feel like if you turn on any awards show you will always see that there are more men in the spotlight than women,” 3CDC’s Stapleton says. “So, first of all, intentionally putting women onstage is super important.” Ramsey agrees and hopes everyone who identifies as female will walk away from the show feeling good about themselves, feeling safe, inspired and

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The RiseUp series is programmed by Memorial Hall P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY 3 C D C

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confident in their right to be heard. “I think that with 10,000 Maniacs there’s always been an identifying quality and content of lyrics in songs and political parts of songs, just kind of a respect of womanhood in our lyrics,” she says. “For bands historically, you go back in Rock & Roll, there have been women, but not as much as males. And even if you go way back into the Classical music realm, that was dominated by male composers. So we are kind of catching up in a way. The fact is that it’s important now to have equality for all people.” In addition to the market and the concert, the RiseUp event will feature various nonprofits such as Ladies of Leadership, a local mentorship program, that will be on-site collecting donations and raising awareness for their initiatives. “The concert is awesome,” says Stapleton. “We are going to have a blast. But it’s really about awareness, so when it comes to our nonprofit partners, we know by the end that we are going to actually make an impact. These nonprofits are in the weeds, they are the ones that get their hands dirty, they do the hardest work, so we are thrilled to partner with them.” When Stapleton was organizing the event, she consulted the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation to uncover local organizations that empower young women and might also benefit from the series, she says. She was eager to reach out to Ladies of Leadership, an organization in Avondale that serves children in kindergarten through eighth grade. According to its website, the program builds a sisterhood through mentorship, creating self-worth and confidence in underserved youth. Layered into the decorated concert schedule are “Empower Hours,” intimate, two-hour events that range in purpose from networking to storytelling. Small businesses and outstanding female leaders will be highlighted in categories such as family

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law, financial planning, healthy living, relationships, career advice, spiritual well-being, parenting and self-help. The first Empower Hour is scheduled for November and will honor The Future You Project, a community created to spread hope and a web of support for women. That hour will also feature Amy Scalia of Sinclair Broadcast Group as a speaker. “I feel like you’d almost have to be hiding under a rock right now to not feel like there isn’t incredible momentum for women,” says Stapleton. “I think that we are being heard. I think what our hope is, is that we want to amplify that voice whether it’s through an incredible powerhouse female singing onstage or a quiet voice reading poetry or listening to an inspirational speaker. The goal is to create a space where people feel supported, where we can show true empathy and inspire them to be proud of who they are as individuals.” Tickets for upcoming events range $20-$50 and can be purchased on Memorial Hall’s website. Concerts scheduled throughout the year so far are slated to feature Wild Child, Nella and The Wailin’ Jennys. Stapleton hopes RiseUp installments can morph into a permanent fixture of Memorial Hall’s entertainment offerings. “I think that the one thing I would hope people walk away with is the feeling that someone cares about them,” Stapleton says. “We want to make women feel empowered for themselves first but to know that there’s this whole community here in Cincinnati that is there to support them and all you have to do is raise your hand. We live in such a giving city, somebody is listening, somebody is trying to make their voices heard.” The Cincinnati Bell RiseUp Women’s Series kicks off Sept. 17 with a free concert at Washington Park (1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine) featuring headliners 10,000 Maniacs. More info: memorialhallotr.com.

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CULTURE

The Art Academy Hopes to Expand Its Social Impact with New Space, SITE 1212 BY N ATA L I E C. KO K I N G

The Art Academy of Cincinnati (AAC) has expanded into a neighboring space while simultaneously hoping to expand the school’s mission. The recently opened SITE 1212 is the AAC’s “new center for community impact.” Located at 1212 Jackson St. in the former BarrelHouse — a popular music venue and one of the city’s first wave of modern microbreweries — the spot remained vacant from the brewpub’s closure in 2010 until AAC began renovations to expand their campus in 2019. Alongside Elevar Design Group, AAC transformed the space into a community gathering place for artistic work and urban problem-solving. SITE 1212 was unveiled with a “1212 House Party” on Aug. 27 and 28 on the block of Jackson Street in front of the AAC. Festivities included live music from local indie bands the Young Heirlooms and Wussy Duo; a fashion show by Lindsey Whittle; and OTR mural tours through ArtWorks. Artisans sold handmade work, apparel and crafts. Taste of Belgium, Banging Brothers and Hoff’s Pretzel Company sold signature culinary items. According to AAC President and CEO Joe Girandola, SITE 1212 is the conclusion of yearslong conversations between the school’s faculty, staff, alumni and trustees. “Congealing all those ideas into one is a very difficult task,” Girandola said in a presentation about the space. “I say, ‘Why can’t it just be a blank canvas for the most amazing work to be highlighted from our faculty, from our students, from our alumni? To bring people in through the doors to see what is possible when you enable this amazing college of art and design to expose itself to the community?” In the same presentation, Greg Otis of Elevar Design Group and an AAC Trustee Board member, recalled mapping out the school’s future five years ago. He engaged the community to learn what they knew of the college. “Many of them said, ‘Who? The art museum? What?’ That was disheartening — and a lot of pressure on us to figure that out,” he said. These conversations, Otis explained, revealed how relevance was key. They defined the vision for AAC’s future as bolstering students’ experience, engaging the community and transforming the former BarrelHouse space into whatever the school needed. Fast-forward to 2021, on a hot summer day at the start of a new school year, the 1212 House Party offered a glimpse of that vision. More than that, perhaps, it reintroduced AAC to the Cincinnati creative class and the public at large. Attendees shopped original work made by AAC students and alumni, toured a gallery of works by Cincinnati painter and AAC alumnus Jim Effler and sipped micro-crafted vanilla stout created by the original

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BarrelHouse brewmasters Rick Debar and Brian Sprance. Gathering Cincinnati creatives is just the start. To sum up the mission at its most basic, Girandola tells CityBeat that SITE 1212 is about making a difference in the region. He sees artists as uniquely positioned to use their talents to collaborate with organizations and imagine solutions beyond the studio to make a social impact. “Artists not only have a vision aesthetically but could collaborate with community partners — like the Homeless Coalition of Cincinnati, Freestore Foodbank, many different programs in the city that are trying to make a difference,” says Girandola, who considers SITE 1212 a laboratory for such ideas. “Why not enable artists to be at the table when problems are being discussed?” To illustrate the potential power of including artists in such conversations, Girandola describes the work of his mentor, artist Mel Chin. Chin’s experimental art project Revival Field aimed “to cleanse industrial contamination from affected soil with plants,” according to his website. The project involved re-employing plants at a specific site to act as “toxic sponges” to pull out heavy metals from the soil. Chin’s website explains the project “calls for collaboration between the artist, the academic and the environmentally-concerned community.” “What creatives do at the table is say, ‘Throw out those solutions. Here’s something no one’s thought of,’” says Girandola. Though AAC has a 152-year history, Girandola says the curriculum has evolved to enable students to engage in their environment through their artistic skills. How can they translate still-life painting into community activism? How does animation apply to social engagement? The creative processes at play inside the classroom are not only skill-based but solution-based. One such example is a program called HATS (“Higher Art Time Saved”), a collaboration between AAC and the Ohio Justice & Policy Center. HATS was slated to begin before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but was postponed until spring 2022. The program gives women who have been incarcerated the opportunity to learn digital literacy skills that ease their transition from prison to release to the workforce. Girandola says HATS provides tools that enable them to be storytellers of their own lives and communicate effectively their experiences when seeking employment. “Enabling a core curriculum for individuals while they’re in prison to be able to exist as human beings when they’re released is the least we can do,” says Girandola. “There’s no better program than what we are enabled to do as storytellers ourselves, as

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SITE 1212 P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY T H E A R T A C A D E M Y O F C I N C I N N AT I

creatives, than to collaborate with this kind of program.” Last summer, AAC launched The Leaders Academy — a STEAM program that invites select area high school students to spend a week on campus and engage in workshops Inside SITE 1212 facilitated by P H OTO : P ROV I D E D local leaders. The overarching goal is to provide knowledge and inspiration for students — specifically from Black and Brown communities — to harness the powers of entrepreneurialism and creativity so that they can solve real-world problems with artistic thinking. One of the speakers at AAC’s recent Leaders Academy was Kick Lee, executive director at Cincinnati Music Accelerator (CMA). The nonprofit organization educates and develops musicians toward an artistically-based, business-focused career. Their goal is to establish Cincinnati as a music city where artists thrive. AAC and CMA have partnered on numerous initiatives, and SITE 1212 promises to continue that relationship. “Both entities are really focused on being more inclusive in the arts as a whole, not just music and fine arts,” Lee tells CityBeat. “Through this partnership, we’re working deeper and harder at being more inclusive in the arts.” While AAC offers undergraduate degrees like design, illustration, painting and drawing, the school currently doesn’t offer musical education. Lee says they’re working together to introduce the CMA music business program into the curriculum, having received a $25,000 grant from

BY T H E A R T A C A D E M Y O F C I N C I N N AT I

Black Empowerment Works. He also envisions holding performance workshops, fundraisers and other community events at SITE 1212. Alazandrea Townsend, a senior at AAC and president of the Black Student Union, sees opportunities for both artistic and social engagement. “I envision seeing my work in the 1212 suite space, being admired along with my peers, family, friends, faculty and staff,” Townsend tells CityBeat. She says the space can also “encourage our fellow people of color and allies to come together, display their art and discuss any injustice or discriminatory topics that have occurred while attending school or throughout their life.” AAC sophomore Keith Wallick, who is vice president of the Black Student Union, echoes Townsend. “I create art to heal, spread joy and create conversation on how to love yourself, others and the world around you,” he says. “With SITE 1212 as a space where the community and the Art Academy can weave a radiant relationship, I hope to at least touch one person. Healing is contagious, and like a Pothos plant, it can propagate and be shared with others.” Learn more about SITE 1212 at artacademy.edu.

CULTURE

Meet the Hometown Artists Appearing at the Cincinnati Comic Expo This Month BY S E A N M . P E T E RS

The Cincinnati Comic Expo bills itself as the city’s largest gathering dedicated to comic books and pop culture. In other words, it’s the perfect place to dress up like Darth Vader and meet fellow nerdy connoisseurs to talk about the newest indie comics or Marvel blockbuster. Running Sept. 17-19 at the Duke Energy Convention Center downtown, the expo is an exciting weekend-long destination for anyone who collects and celebrates comics, film, TV, toys or memorabilia But those colorful characters that grace your favorite pages and films don’t appear from thin air, even if that is supposed to be one of their superpowers. Alongside writers, creative artists produce the “POW” and “BANG” for every hero and villain. Cincinnati is home to plenty of these talented storytellers. Keep an eye out for the local creators below when you visit. (A quick note regarding our coverage: Of the two dozen or so artists slated to appear at the expo, only two are women and neither is local.)

David Michael Beck With 51 years of experience on the page, David Michael Beck’s illustrations show a mastery in his craft. He’s produced several issues of sequential illustrations for DC’s gunslinging antihero title, Jonah Hex, and much of his work can be found as cover art in the comics, gaming and role-playing industries. Beck also is a fine artist who produces paintings for gallery sales and is an adjunct professor at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. “The Comic Expo gives artists as well as writers a platform to present their creations to an eager audience,” Beck tells CityBeat. “The comic convention industry is a breeding ground for creative writing leading to creative artwork. It is a showcase for new work being released and the sale of associated merchandise. The con is very useful for artists networking to present their craft for consideration for a publisher’s working talent pool, as well as an open door to meet and talk with already established accomplished artists producing work for the industry in its array of forms.” davidmichaelbeck.com

Jay B. Kalagayan Jay B. Kalagayan is writer and publisher of MeSseD, a tale of Cincinnati Metropolitan Sewer District worker Lilliput and her battle against strange creatures and more that threaten to stop the sewage’s constant flow. Illustrated by local artist Dylan Speeg, this comic series was well-received by critics and readers within the city and beyond. Also known for founding Know Theatre, Kalagayan is the Contemporary Arts Center’s director of advanced and

corporate giving. “I was inspired by my daughters to create a strong character that happens to be Asian and identifies as female. So when I bring my daughters to a local comic shop or bookstore, they get to see someone that looks like them on the shelves,” Kalagayan says of his comic series. “As a parent, you get the privilege to introduce the stories you love to your children. But then they re-introduce those stories back to you. Maybe your favorite stories weren’t as gender equitable or the characters were racial homogenized. I sought out more diverse media for my children, and I also wanted to contribute to it, as well.” messedcomics.com

David Michael Beck

Artwork by Aaron Lambert

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Nate Xopher

Jay B. Kalagayan

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P H OTO : JAS M I N E T H O M P S O N

Lee Xopher

Artwork by Jason Montgomery

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Overdrive; and an illustrated time-travel concept album titled Rock of Pages. “Cincinnati is a great city for comic artists,” Lee says. “Most work is done remotely, so the most important thing is living somewhere affordable with quick access to cheese coneys.” Nate, whose work can also be found on The Wyld, agrees. “I don’t really think it matters where you live these days,” he says. “Sure, you might find some connections in a big city, but social media and remote work have really opened things up for

everyone. The Cincinnati Comic Expo is one of my favorite shows every year. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and get your work out there.” leexopher.com, natexopher.com

Aaron Lambert Aaron Lambert’s first time exhibiting at Cincinnati Comic Expo in 2010 was an eye-opening experience on his road to becoming a professional artist. Lambert reports that three years after what he calls his “failed debut,” he quit his day job to work on art full-time, a career he maintains to this day in his hometown of Cincinnati. “My love of creating art compels me,” Lambert says. “I love painting things from my mind no one has seen before.” These days Lambert creates portraits of pop-culture icons ranging from Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre to Grogu (known by fans as “Baby Yoda”) from The Mandalorian. aaronlambertart.com

Jason Montgomery Jason Montgomery’s work pays homage to costumed superheroes and their iconic villains. The independent artist is currently working on a few storylines that will become multi-issue comics, so the illustrator is on his way to becoming a writer as well. He has appeared at the Cincinnati Comic Expo for six years and credits it as a great way to meet fellow creatives and to promote his artwork to a wide audience. “My approach to making a comic is to combine the things I’ve always been interested in,” Montgomery says. “Whether superheroes, monsters, folklore and sci-fi, I’d like to tell stories that aren’t quite the typical superhero genre.” facebook.com/jasonmontgomeryart

Lee and Nate Xopher Bold, colorful artwork runs in the family for brothers Lee and Nate Xopher. The two work independently, with Lee living in Colerain and Nate in Dayton, but their shared passion for comics shines through in their unique yet similarly inspired illustrations. Lee’s comic work includes The Wyld, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi romp featuring talking animals; webcomic Pixel

The Cincinnati Comic Expo takes place Sept. 17-19 at the Duke Energy Convention Center. For more information and a full list of comic creators and celebrities slated to attend, visit cincinnaticomicexpo.com.

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

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Voted Best Smoke Shop

Voted Best Green / Sustainable Goods Store

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FOOD & DRINK

Pilar is ready to set sail. P H OTO : P ROV I D E D

Key West On Court Street 4EG’s new downtown cocktail bar Pilar pays homage to Ernest Hemingway and his favorite cocktails BY S E A N M . P E T E RS

here are several humanizing factors intrinsically linked with Ernest Hemingway: alcohol, outdoorsy machismo, a complicated love life … oh, and books. A few are even quite good. And while the celebrated writer valued conciseness in his writing, he loved elaborate cocktails — his work is seeded with descriptions of his favorite food and drinks, as he shared much of his personal life through his bibliography. New Cincinnati cocktail bar Pilar

celebrates Hemingway’s boozy and oceanic legacy plus acts as a bridge between Over-the-Rhine and Fountain Square via its location on Court Street. The bar, from Four Entertainment Group (4EG), takes its name from Hemingway’s black 38-foot fishing boat that he sailed around Florida, Key West and Cuba. Pilar intends to synthesize the feeling of freedom that comes from a salty breeze over calm waves, giving the Queen City a chance to take a quick trip to the tropics any time.

“When we were developing the concept for Pilar, we pictured a small neighborhood bar on the corner where Court meets Walnut. In Cincinnati, there was an opportunity to create something unique,” says Bob Deck, managing partner for 4EG. “My partners and I began brainstorming our favorite places in Key West and the Caribbean islands. We came to the conclusion of creating a tropical-style bar that focused on lighter, rum-based cocktails.” Pilar’s menu gravitates around the drinks Hemingway was known to enjoy. “We have added subtle hints to Hemingway’s career as a writer, including a craft cocktail list with 10 drinks, all named after Hemingway’s short stories and books,” says Saijal Andreadis, senior marketing manager for 4EG. “You will definitely see a Hemingway Daiquiri — or a Hemingway Special, as he liked to call it — on the menu. Each cocktail tells a story about Hemingway’s life experience.” Hemingway purchased the titular

boat in 1934, whereafter he was known for his exuberant seafaring conduct. Many of his famous stories were inspired by his adventures on Pilar, which was also his pet-name for his second wife, American journalist Pauline Pfeiffer. Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls also portrays a powerful matriarch who goes by Pilar. Andreadis says 4EG has been working on Pilar for the past two years. They’re leasing the property directly across from Kroger on the Rhine on the remodeled Court Street Plaza. Court Street looks to draw more foot traffic as a destination with the addition of Pilar, no longer just a passing ground among the various bars, restaurants and other attractions found downtown and in Over-the-Rhine. Will Pilar, along with the other new businesses landing in the area, change the way Cincinnati views Court Street? A rising tide lifts all boats.

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Pilar, 56 E. Court St., Downtown, pilarcincinnati.com. CONTINUES ON PAGE 42

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FROM PAGE 41

Other New Bar Openings Wooden Cask and The Beeline Newport on the Levee will soon have two new drinking destinations: the Wooden Cask opened a walk-up taproom on the Levee over Labor Day weekend, and The Beeline cocktail bar and patio will officially open on Sept. 18. The Wooden Cask, which has operated a microbrewery and taproom in Newport since 2016, opened a 2,400-square-foot outpost on the Levee, with garagestyle doors offering an indoor-outdoor vibe. The menu features their craft beer and wine, plus seltzers and snacks — including woodgrilled pizzas. It also serves a special Blueberry Levee lager at this location only. “After initially popping up at Wooden Cask on the Levee the (Levee’s Bridgeview) Box P H OTO : N E W P O RT O N T H E L E V E E Park last year, we really got a feel for the community and knew this was a concept they would be excited for,” says Karen Schiltz, Somerset co-owner of the Wooden Cask. “Our The hotly space is perfect for all-weather — if anticipated you’re hot, come inside; if it’s a nice Somerset is day, we can open up the garage now open doors. Guests can ride their bike in Overup and drop it at a bike rack, grab a the-Rhine. drink and walk around the property.” Tucked away at 139 E. The Beeline — from 4EG, the minds McMicken behind such bars as the aforemenAve., this tioned Pilar, as well as Igby’s, The sprawling Lackman, Rosedale and Keystone new drinking Bar & Grill — opens Sept. 18. This and dining space will also offer indoor and destination outdoor seating, with a patio bar and offers an river views. A release says the cockimmersive tail menu will feature seasonal drinks escape from like the Bend the Rails, made with the hustle Ketel One Peach & Orange Blosand bustle of som Vodka, honey-infused simple the city. syrup, fresh lemon and peach juice and club soda. It will also serve wine, beer and shots. The Beeline is a sister bar to The Buzz, which serves frozen drinks and cocktails out of Bridgeview Box Park. The announcement of these two bars comes on the heels of another new spot on the Levee. Amador, a Cuban fusion restaurant and rum bar from the team behind Revolution Rotisserie, is slated to open this coming spring. For more info on the Wooden Cask on the Levee or The Beeline, visit newportonthelevee.com.

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FA C E B O O K

Somerset features two Somerset’s conservatory bar bar spaces P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R — one in the plant-filled collection, as well as the collections and glass-roofed conservatory and of his friends and family. another in the cozy lounge space. Fisher, the visionary behind The grounds are also home to a Somerset, was inspired by a double-decker bus that has been destination — also called Somerset converted into a kitchen with a — his family would visit on childhood rooftop seating area (run by the team vacations while living in England. behind Mazunte); and, the pièce de “It’s a weird place with druids, huge résistance, Somerset’s awe-inspiring solstice celebrations, Glastonbury garden space, loaded with tropical Festival (our Burning Man) and all plants, unique seating nooks and kinds of general monkey business. imported pieces from co-founder We usually went on long trips to and creative lead James Fisher’s Africa or the Middle East, but when

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we had less time and needed to get away somewhere a little closer to home, it was always Somerset,” Fisher tells CityBeat via email. “We want our Somerset to be that for our guests; a place that’s just on your doorstep, where you can go to recharge and feel like you are somewhere far away, even if just for a little while.” For more info on Somereset, visit somersetotr.com.

WHAT’S THE HOPS

MadTree Developing Non-Alcoholic Beer Option BY K A R A D R I S C O L L

at j u n g l e ji m s in t e rnat iona l m a rke t

oPen eVeRY thursday

MadTree Brewing’s Oakley taproom P H OTO : P H I L H E I D E N R E I C H

Want the taste of craft beer without the hangover? MadTree Brewing has started the process of crafting nonalcoholic options — becoming one of the first major Cincinnati-based breweries to delve into the nonalcoholic beer scene. The brewing team at MadTree is researching and developing nonalcoholic beers that “actually taste good and fall below the threshold,” says Trevor Self, associate brand manager for MadTree Brewery. “Non-alcoholic” beer can contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), whereas truly alcohol-free beer must contain no detectable levels of alcohol and should be labeled 0.0% ABV, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “We’re keeping track of what people want, and we’re definitely seeing an increased interest in seltzers and nonalcoholic beers,” Self says. “It has to be appealing and taste good. If we are going to do this, we want to do this right. It has to be enjoyable for the consumer.” The team has been working for several months on developing a nonalcoholic pale ale “with some hoppy notes that aren’t overpowering,” Self says. Consumers could see it on tap at MadTree’s bustling taproom in Oakley before the end of the year. While no branding or name has been finalized, Self says the brewing team is thinking about calling the non-alcoholic option “Leave No Trace.” It’s a play on MadTree’s commitment to sustainability and “leaving no trace behind” when campers leave a campground or park, while connecting it to the idea of having “no trace” of alcohol in the beer. MadTree donates 1% of sales to nonprofits focused on environmental sustainability, and the brewery was responsible for planting more than 2,000 trees in 2020.

According to market research firm IRI, U.S. sales of non-alcoholic beer were up 38% in 2020 to roughly $188 million in total sales, even as regular beer sales have declined in the past four years. MadTree’s team said the brewery and bar industries are affected significantly during Dry January, a month when many people take a break from alcohol after indulging during the holiday season. “People are more health-conscious but still want to be social. We want to give them an option to drink something different and go out with their friends without feeling like they’re missing out,” Self says. “What we’re seeing is a moderation trend. That’s bringing with it increased demand for reduced alcohol, or alcohol-free drinks,” says Mark Meek, chief of global beverage market analysis company IWSR, in a news release. MadTree will be one of the first Cincinnati-based breweries to try a non-alcoholic option. Scotland-based BrewDog, which has a taproom in Pendleton, does offer a couple of low ABV brews. Representatives from breweries like Listermann Brewing Company and Rhinegeist Brewery said there were no plans in the near future to add any non-alcoholic options to their brewing schedules, but smaller breweries in the region say they’re interested in the concept. “We definitely get people asking for NA (non-alcoholic) beer, but we haven’t pulled the trigger just yet. It may be something we do early 2022,” a representative from Esoteric Brewing says in an email. “We’re really intrigued by the NA beer option. The beer industry is simply adapting to the trend of healthy lifestyles.”

4:00 PM - 10:00 PM Bourbon Bar · Cigar Lounge · Open-Air Seating · Craft Cocktails

MadTree, 3301 Madison Road, Oakley, madtreebrewing.com.

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Jungle Jim's will be following CDC recommended guidelines for this event.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

MUSIC

Faith No More P H OTO : D U ST I N R A B I N

From the Underground Faith No More’s Roddy Bottum talks about the band’s rise from 1980s oddball bombast to having one of the most recognizable hit songs of all time BY JAS O N GA R GA N O Faith No More is a curious case. The five-piece band — which currently includes drummer Mike Bordin, keyboardist Roddy Bottum, bassist Billy Gould, guitarist Jon Hudson and singer Mike Patton — came out of an early 1980s San Francisco underground scene armed with an unorthodox sound and aesthetic that confounded as many as it piqued: dirge-like Metal riffs punctuated by massive, keyboarddriven hooks, coming off like a messier Public Image Ltd. minus Johnny Rotten. The vocals, often shouted via a revolving door of singers, were almost an afterthought until Chuck Mosley entered the picture for the band’s 1985 debut, We Care a Lot. The follow-up, 1987’s Introduce Yourself, featured a revamped version of the debut’s title track, “We Care a Lot,” which became a minor hit on MTV and introduced Faith No More to a broader audience than they ever thought possible. Patton replaced Mosley in 1988, kick-starting the band’s creative

evolution behind its new frontman’s versatile, octave-jumping vocal delivery and swaggering, often peculiar disposition. 1989’s The Real Thing cemented Faith No More’s move from minor curiosity to mainstream fixtures. The album’s centerpiece, the aptly titled “Epic,” was a top 10 hit and its video was in constant rotation on MTV. The Real Thing sold 4 million copies worldwide but it was the next effort, 1992’s art-damaged Angel Dust, that would serve as Faith No More’s creative landmark. Released amid the height of the Grunge Revolution, Angel Dust was unlike anything on the landscape, a surreal genre-jumper that mixed heavy guitars, atmospheric keyboards and off-kilter yet somehow cohesive song structures, all topped with Patton’s distinctive delivery, which moves from soaring operatics to guttural yelps and back again. In 2003, Kerrang! listed Angel Dust as the most influential album of all time, which is obviously

overstating the case, but not by as much as one might suspect. Faith No More dropped two more records with diminishing returns (1995’s King for a Day … Fool for a Lifetime and 1997’s Record of the Year) before breaking up in 1998. Yet, like any band with an itch to revisit its legacy, the fivesome reformed to play live shows in 2009 and eventually released an album of new material. 2015’s Sol Invictus was a more sonically streamlined but no less dynamic effort. CityBeat recently connected with Faith No More’s co-founder/ keyboardist Roddy Bottum to discuss the band’s rise from underground oddballs to platinum sellers with the ability to headline festivals like Riot Fest in Chicago and draw massive crowds overseas more than 30 years after its unlikely breakthrough. CityBeat: It’s been six years since Faith No More last released an album and played a live show. What’s it like for you to go back to the band again after such a long break? Roddy Bottum: I have mixed feelings about it. It starts out like it’s a job, and we’ve made this decision and we’re going to do it. It starts out sort of like that but really quickly it turns into an emotional journey because of all the music that we’ve made together in that band. We started from such a young age. It’s all these deep-rooted songs

and musical expressions that we made from when we were so young and so impressionable and I can’t help but get swept up into the emotional aspect of it. CB: I didn’t realize until I started digging into the history of the band that you, Billy (Gould) and Mike (Bordin) starting playing together just out of high school more than 40 years ago. What would the 18-year-old Roddy think of where the band has gone over the years? RB: Yeah, it’s crazy. We were such cocky young kids at that age. Billy and I grew up in Los Angeles together from the age of, like, 10. When we formed the band and started making music, we kind of had high aspirations that were ridiculous but kind of founded. We were making this preposterous, sort of really bombastic sound. I kind of never really thought it was going to do what it did, but we always acted like it was going to do well and that we were kind of bigger than we were. And at one point things just kind of caught up and it became a successful sort of thing. It was a surprise to me. Looking back from where I am and how this band morphed and became successful, it would have shocked young Roddy. CB: In the early days, you guys were more of a performance-art band playing heavy, hypnotic riffs behind a revolving door of different singers. What do you

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

CONTINUES ON PAGE 47

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

SOUND ADVICE Alanis Morissette with Garbage and Cat Power

Wednesday, Sept. 15 • Riverbend Music Center Alanis Morissette, the big-voiced Canadian who jumped from child TV star to musical phenomenon with 1995’s Jagged Little Pill, was set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her breakthrough album with an extended tour when the pandemic shut things down in 2020. “It’s been a huge social, relational, spiritual, cultural, economic, political fart storm over the last while,” Morissette told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. “And, one thing, there’s so many silver linings. It almost feels sacrilegious to bring them up while we are still in the middle of this, but so many themes of expression are available.” The now 47-year-old performer is likely referencing her ironically busy previous two years: the arrival of her third child in August 2019, which was followed in December with the longgestating Broadway debut of a musical version of Jagged Little Pill. She capped things off with her first new album in eight years, Such Pretty Forks in the Road, which dropped in July 2020. And now Morissette is ready to finally hit the road in celebration of an album that has sold an astonishing 33 million copies worldwide and found listeners singing along to unblinkingly confessional lyrics like, “Is she perverted like me?/Does she go down on you in a theater?” Listening to Jagged Little Pill today, the album’s so-called feminist bombshells somewhat give way to a rush of ’90s nostalgia for a time before the internet was ubiquitous and MTV was still known for music videos (isn’t it ironic?). With that era in mind, Morissette is bringing along a pair of equally expressive women to support the tour: Shirley Manson, the frontwoman of Garbage, and Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power. (Jason Gargano)

BLACKSTARKIDS

Friday, Sept. 17 • MOTR Pub As members of Generation Z continue flooding the workforce while grappling with the existential dread of adulthood, a hunger for early 2000s nostalgia has entered the cultural zeitgeist. Though the silicone bombast of Hyperpop music has successfully reframed those formative years into a fantasia of cybernetic fashion and genre bending, Pop Punk-reviving camp, Missouri-based trio BLACKSTARKIDS offer a more intimate, pastel-toned recollection of the past. Specializing in lo-fi composition and ultra-optimistic energy, they sound like a garage band from a coming-ofage flick or Degrassi episode come to life — in the best way possible. 2020’s SURF, the band’s sophomore effort, is the perfect soundtrack to slacking off on summer days. The band

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

Alanis Morissette P H O T O : S H E L BY D U N C A N

fuses Hip Hop and Alt-Rock in a way that feels decidedly less cynical than many of their peers aiming for the same, threading adorably Autotuned choruses through jangly guitar riffs and glistening Synth Pop chord progressions. You can trace a path from BLACKSTARKIDS’ casual vocal delivery to the twee affectations of seminal Indie Rock band Beat Happening, but comparisons to ’90s Conscious Rap collective Arrested Development feel just as apt. WHATEVER, MAN, released later last year, marked the band’s debut with British label Dirty Hit, which also houses The 1975. Though the overall sound hasn’t changed much, their Pop songwriting chops have sharpened, resulting in two excellent celebrityobsessed singles: “FRANKIE MUNIZ” and “BRITNEY, BITCH.” Though BLACKSTARKIDS may not be Pop stars yet, we can still dream about the big time alongside them.

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

BLACKSTARKIDS’ SURF P H OTO : B E D RO O M R E C O R D S

Faith No More’s Angel Dust album cover P H OTO : S L AS H R E C O R D S

FROM PAGE 45

remember about the approach of the band at that point?

Big Freedia P H O T O : M I D C I T I Z E N E N T E R TA I N M E N T

BLACKSTARKIDS performs at 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, at MOTR Pub. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test from the prior 72 hours is required. (Jude Noel)

Big Freedia

Tuesday, Sept. 21 • Bogart’s Though Bounce music may not be a household genre outside of its native Louisiana, its influence has had a major influence on the current Pop music landscape. If you listened to Hip Hop radio for any length of time in 2018, it’s almost certain you’re familiar with Drake’s inescapable smash hit “Nice For What,” which recontextualized Bounce’s syncopated club percussion and call-and-response refrains into a breezy slice of R&B. Catchy as Drake’s songwriting may be, it’s the jarring chant that punctuates his silky hooks and captionworthy wordplay that demands your attention — the in-your-face voice of Bounce figurehead Big Freedia, whose declaration that “these hoes / they mad” could start an impromptu dance party among even the stuffiest crowd. The Drake feature might have represented a breakthrough into the mainstream for Freedia, but her career and influence have spanned the past two decades. She debuted in New Orleans’ club scene in 1999, inspired by drag queen and emcee Katey Red. Her early tracks like “Gin in My System” have an almost Industrial quality, built around tinny drum machine beats and chopped-up vocals

that sound like they’ve been barked into a bullhorn. Big Freedia’s presence became almost mythical after her prolific post-Katrina presence helped rebuild venues around New Orleans, playing multiple shows per night. As twerking became a part of the pop culture vernacular and the EDM festival circuit began to morph into a billion dollar industry in the early 2010s, Freedia’s music began to garner national relevance and critical acclaim. She played well-received South By Southwest sets, was interpolated by Lil Wayne, and toured with The Postal Service in 2013, all building up to a 2016 feature on Beyoncé’s “Formation”. Though COVID-19 interrupted plans to tour with Kesha in 2020, Big Freedia has managed to score a number highprofile collaborations since “Nice for What,” starring on Charli XCX’s epic posse cut “Shake It,” Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Reimagined, and the Space Jam: A New Legacy soundtrack with an endearingly ridiculous verse that namedrops the majority of the Looney Tunes cast. It’s completely bonkers, but in Big Freedia’s sonic universe, anything less than over-the-top just simply isn’t on brand. Big Freedia performs at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, at Bogart’s. Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test from the prior 72 hours is required. (JN)

RB: I think we started doing what we started doing because we were really young and super-experimental. We made these crazy riffs that we would play over and over again. It felt like a very young person’s perspective. We were aiming to shock and provoke people. We were the product of the community we were making music in, which was a lot of really dark and pretty seriously toned Post Punk kind of music, and we were trying to combat against that. We did very dark music but we were fully experimental. The concept of bringing in different singers and switching singers was sort of part of that. We didn’t really write traditional songs or commercially viable material because we didn’t have the tools to do that. CB: You had been a band for five years before the first record with Chuck Mosley as singer. How did the band change by then from the early days? RB: Even when Chuck was in the band and we made a record with our first (permanent) singer, I don’t think he really had the integrity to sing regular songs. I love our first records, don’t get me wrong, but I think they limited what we were capable of doing in terms of writing orthodox songs or commercially viable songs. I think once Mike (Patton) got into the band — and he has such an amazing voice and he’s so versatile — we were able to do whatever we wanted to do. And by that point, the three of us had been playing together for so long. I think we were better at what we did; our tools were more sharpened to do whatever we wanted to do. We just started to explore different things. Like, “Oh, let’s make a Country Western song. Let’s make an operatic-sounding song.” We started going into as many directions as

we thought we could to push ourselves. In that push, we ended up probably more conventional than we thought we ever could. CB: You once said that tension and the release of tension is what drives Faith No More. Why do you think that is the driving force within the band? RB: I think I meant the tension among us as people. When we first started touring, it was always butting heads. It’s five different personalities, and that was a big part of what we were. We were really different people. Me being a gay man who grew up with three sisters, and the guitar player at the time, Jim Martin, grew up in a family of three brothers and hunted and stuff. We were polar opposites. That alone is a lot of tension and a lot of butting of heads. But we were also no different than any band — everybody goes on a journey and evolves. And then you throw into that mix where we’ve gone the past 25 years — all of us separately, all of us together — it’s a lot to bring to the table. We’ve always been pretty up front about the tension that exists between us. I guess it’s healthy, but sometimes not. All I know is that going into the scenario and playing with the band and working with old friends, I always walk away from it a better person. There is a release of tension that happens that sort of makes me thrive and feel good. It’s a matter, at this point, of addressing our past and coming to terms with who we were and who we are now as a group and individually.

SEPTEMBER 15-28, 2021

Faith No More plays PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION on Sept. 22. All concertgoers are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the show. More info: promowestlive.com.

C I T Y B E AT. C O M

PUZZLE

BIG BOX STORES

BY B R EN DA N EM M E T T Q UIG LE Y

ACROSS

43. Deliberately leaves out

7. Org. assigning PG’s and G’s

1. First two letters of AFAIK

44. With 21-Across, every last person

8. Like an oval

6. Three-part shot given to kids, for short

46. Work units

9. Ecce ___

50. It’ll leave a mark

13. Home to the National Voting Rights Museum

51. Xi Jinping’s grp.

14. Coinbase’s was on 4/14/21 15. Sparkle with morning moisture 16. Steve of “60 Minutes” 17. Tools to make béchamel and Bordelaise 19. Hand sanitizer targets 20. Weird weather pattern creator

53. Campfire waste 55. ___ y plata 56. Prepares oysters 58. Rite site 60. Completely forgot to do something 63. Early word processor?

21. See 44-Across

64. Things placed by a recording engineer

22. Be in the red

65. Underground metal

24. Dunking legend

66. Waft of smoke

25. Burger topping

67. X-ray blocker

28. Fun run

68. Future capts.

30. Port on some TVs

69. Movie with a saloon fight, likely

34. Wire letters

DOWN

36. Organism that retains its shape as it grows

1. Seek help from above

38. Systems of transactions made in cryptocurrency spread through a network, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 40. Singular their 42. Boom tube?

2. Rival for Naomi and Simona 3. Dolphins head coach Brian 4. Bands on the radio 5. “Midnight Cowboy” nickname 6. Conned

12. Cries while wincing 15. Composer Britten 18. Diam. x pi

26. Initials for a country’s output 27. “Not this again!” 29. Monsieur ___ (Jacques Tati role)

47. Cheap booze 48. “Gleaming the Cube” director ___ Clifford 49. Postal worker who goes through your mail

L AST PUZ ZLE’S ANSWERS:

54. Oprah’s production house

45. Hindu groups

35. Some sports cars

41. Chat room qualifier

52. Cow’s mouthful

40. Small jump

33. Three-card game

38. Battleship guess

31. Millionths of a meter

37. Swear words

23. Choice question 25. Anvil spots

10. “Deep Space Nine” changeling 11. Opera house, for short

9. Kind of air filter

39. “Relax”

32. “Just Right” sloganeer

56. Google Calendar page, for short 57. Singer/songwriter Vile 59. The “she” in the 1970 song lyric “She walked up to me and she asked me to dance” 60. “Things can’t get any worse, and yet here we are!,” initially 61. Golf ball location 62. Going by

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CityBeat | 9/15-9/28

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