CityBeat | December 28, 2022

LAUREN MORETTO, TAMERA LENZ MUENTE, JACKIE MULAY, JUDE NOEL, GARIN PIRNIA, KATHY SCHWARTZ, MARIA SEDA-REEDER, LEYLA SHOKOOHE, SAMI STEWART, STEVEN ROSEN, KATHY Y. WILSON, P.F. WILSON, MORGAN ZUMBIEL CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

2022: The Year in Review

It’s been quite a year in Cincinnati, full of new people, new movements, new businesses, new art and new ideas. For the most part, the changes have benefited the region and likely will pay dividends in the years to come. But as in any metropolis, not all of the developments were successful. Read on as CityBeat looks back at the memorable moments of 2022 – the good, the bad and the questionable.

14 Cincinnati News Stories from 2022 That We Won’t Forget Anytime Soon

The

year certainly had its ups and downs.

BY ALLISON BABKA

During this weird “Are we or are we not still in a pandemic?” era, evaluating a year’s worth of news items feels a little strange. Are we still grading on a curve, or are we back to comparing current activities to 2019 and earlier?

Regardless of how we classify something, a lot happened throughout Greater Cincinnati in 2022 that deserves re ection. From new people- rst policies to large-scale ops to nally having a nish line in sight for Cincinnati’s worst bridge, there was plenty of news to talk about.

The Overturning of Roe v. Wade Causes Medical, Financial and Emotional Havoc in Ohio

In a landmark decision on June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nearly 50-year-old case Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal protection of a

patient’s right to decide to terminate a pregnancy. rough the decision for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Samuel Alito — part of a majority conservative court — wrote that the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly spell out the right to an abortion. e decision opened up the oodgates for restrictive state bills across the country — including in Ohio, which that night enacted a ban on abortions after six weeks of gestation. As of press time, the ban is paused while a court case proceeds in Hamilton County (abortions are currently legal through 20 weeks), but plenty of fallout happened before the reprieve. More men began getting vasectomies. Corporations pressed legislators to consider the statewide economic implications. Cincinnati added abortion expense reimbursement to its health plan for city workers. People with non-viable pregnancies nearly died when they couldn’t get the medical

care they needed. And people who did not want to be pregnant were forced to travel long distances to cities or states where reproductive care was legal and safe. at included the now-nationally famous case of a 10-year-old Ohio girl who was raped and had to travel to Indiana for an abortion. Attorney general Dave Yost claimed the situation was a “hoax,” while Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine refused to answer questions about how the law he’d signed into practice was a ecting innocent children. Meanwhile, other rights – including further bodily autonomy, being able to marry someone of a di erent race or the same sex, having consensual sexual activity or accessing birth control – increasingly are on the chopping block with Dobbs as precedent, legal experts predicted.

collective attention like a good police chase, as the O.J. Simpson saga taught us in 1994. Cincinnati’s recent pursuit didn’t garner quite as many eyeballs as that, but it was enough to command many people’s concentration for a day. Residents in Clinton County were under lockdown on Aug. 11 as the Federal Bureau of Investigation chased an armed man who they said had tried to break into the agency’s eld o ce in Kenwood. e suspect ed north on I-71, and a variety of law enforcement partners followed him to Wilmington. e man, later identi ed as Ricky W. Shi er of Columbus, traded shots with o cers multiple times, including when he stopped his vehicle on Smith Road near Wilmington before hiding behind his car and began a stando . Clinton County went into lockdown for all buildings within a mile. O cers said they had attempted to negotiate with Shi er and to end the situation with “non-lethal” tactics, but it didn’t work. “ e subject shot at law enforcement o cers. During the incident, law enforcement also red their weapons. At approximately 3:45 p.m., the subject was shot and is deceased,” the FBI shared on Twitter. According to many news outlets, Shi er was steeped in violent far-right rhetoric and seemed to be angry about federal o cials retrieving classi ed federal documents from embattled former U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

The City Gets a Fresh Start with New Leaders

After winning a 2021 campaign focused on progressive ideals, Aftab Pureval cemented two important rsts: becoming Cincinnati’s rst new mayor since John Cranley took o ce two terms prior, and becoming the city’s rst AsianAmerican mayor. Pureval was sworn in on Jan. 4, along with an almost entirely new Cincinnati City Council. Since then, the administration almost immediately began working on equitable actions surrounding a ordable housing, economic growth, public safety and climate change. Largely centering residents who previously had been marginalized – particularly those who are Black or LGBTQ+ – the team tackled equitably procuring and distributing distributing COVID-19 tests, vaccines and other protective measures; allocated signi cant funding towards additional police and re services; championed a rmation and policy action for the city’s female and LGBTQ+ employees; added millions of dollars worth of new or updated pedestrian and bicycle safety measures; and removed more barriers to a ordable housing options. Like any politicians, Pureval and the new blood haven’t been perfect, but for their rst year, they marked o a lot of their big to-do list.

A Wilmington Chase Is Impossible to Ignore ere’s nothing that captures our

Cincinnati demonstrators hold a pro-choice rally in May.

PHOTO: MARY LEBUS

Dave Chappelle Reminds Us Who He Is

Comedian Dave Chappelle is Yellow Springs’ favorite son, but he hasn’t been endearing himself to everybody this year. Since releasing his Net ix special e Closer last fall, Chappelle repeatedly has been under re for his defense of jokes that punch down instead of up – particularly jokes against the transgender community. at has continued in 2022, with the comedian making transphobic remarks after being bum-rushed during a festival stand-up set in May. Later that month, Chappelle continued sharing transphobic and homophobic wisecracks during a surprise set with John Mulaney in Columbus. When later confronted by high school students about his comments, Chappelle defended his right to say anything as part of his “art” and dismissed the teenagers’ views and their concerns for the LGBTQ+ community. In November, Chappelle hosted Saturday Night Live, angering some of the show’s writers and the Anti Defamation League even before he launched into his monologue that advanced old o ensive stereotypes about Jewish people “running” Hollywood. To cap things o , just this month, Chappelle invited none other than controversial Twitter and Tesla owner Elon Musk – who has allowed hate-based and disinformation accounts to thrive on the app once again – to the stage during a stand-up show and seemingly became confused when the crowd began to boo. It’s all good with Net ix CEO Reed Hastings, though – Hastings con rmed during a recent event that he remains unbothered by Chappelle’s controversies and that the streaming service would continue hosting and producing the comedian’s projects.

George Clooney Takes Aim at Jim Jordan and OSU

Ohio and Kentucky both love claiming actor/producer George Clooney – and for good reason. He’s well-liked, he’s a humanitarian, he’s generally unproblematic, and he seems to hate Ohio congressman Jim Jordan almost as much as CityBeat does. Clooney, who was born in Lexington and had attended Mason schools, is working on a documentary documentary about the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal that ran rampant from 1978 to 1998. Richard Strauss, who was Ohio State’s team physician at the time, allegedly abused members of the wrestling team, for which Jordan had been an assistant coach. Strauss also allegedly abused or raped students in other sports in addition to non-athletes (the physician died by suicide in 2005). Clooney’s feature hasn’t been released as of press time, but e Hollywood Reporter said in June that HBO had grabbed the screening rights. Meanwhile, Clooney was just recognized during the 45th Kennedy Center Honors, joining soul legend Gladys Knight, Christian pop singersongwriter Amy Grant, composer Tania León and the members of the legendary Irish rock band U2.

The City Says No More In-House Racism

ere are plenty of reasons to like or dislike the notion of a local police force; this year, those on the “dislike” side may have had theirs reinforced. e Cincinnati Police Department dealt with a number of instances in which o cers used racist slurs while on the job. We’re not talking teensy “Oops!”

moments, either (not that those should be excused). No, o cers said big words. e words. Loudly. e cases of Rose Valentino (who used the N-word while patrolling near a school) and Kelly Drach (who was on the phone and used a derogatory term for people of Middle Eastern descent) particularly caught Cincinnati’s attention, leading to city manager Sheryl Long implementing a new policy in October that terminates the employment of city workers who use such language.”I want to make it clear to everyone – the city’s employees and our citizens – that the use of any hateful or hurtful language by our employees while they are serving the public is completely unacceptable to me,” Long said. e situation is something incoming police chief Teresa eetge will have to contend with, as in December, Long selected eetge to take the position after a nationwide search. eetge has more than 32 years with the CPD and had served as interim chief since Eliot Isaac retired in March. Her swearingin date had not been announced as of press time.

It’s the Year of the Union

In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – in which medical professionals, educators, retailers and restaurant sta were rst hailed as heroes before quickly losing the empathy of both their employers and the public –more and more employees are guring out what they’re worth and are speaking out for better working conditions. at’s especially true this holiday season at the Amazon Air Hub near the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron. Workers at the megacorporation’s biggest airborne shipping

operation are attempting to unionize to demand wages of $30 per hour, more paid time o and holiday “peak pay.” In November, Amazon’s upper management announced that there would be no “peak pay” for the 2022 holiday rush, despite last year’s incentive being an extra $2 per hour. Workers told CityBeat that shifts are longer and more strenuous than last year, too, with many full-time employees working six days a week with little advance notice now. And Amazon employees aren’t the only ones who aren’t happy with corporate overlords – local workers at Starbucks and other big-name businesses also have unionized.

Greater Cincinnati Becomes Tornado Alley

For about 20 minutes on July 6, it seemed like parts of Greater Cincinnati would be heading to Oz. ree tornadoes touched down in separate spots in Goshen, Loveland and Lake Lorelei, causing extensive damage along with several days of electrical outages. e NWS classi ed the Goshen tornado as an EF2, with winds of 111-135 MPH damaging or demolishing about 200 buildings and injuring three people. It measured 750 yards wide and had winds of 130 MPH at its peak. e Loveland tornado was an EF1 with winds of 86-110 MPH and caused roof, fence and tree damage. e tornado in Lake Lorelei also was an EF1, reaching 250 yards wide and traveling 3.4 miles. Lake Lorelei and Brown County in general saw signi cant tree damage, plus the tornado there lifted porches from homes, o cials said. For days, as many as 100,000 residents were without power after the twisters, leading to volunteer recovery e orts and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declaring a state of emergency.

Three tornadoes touched down near Cincinnati this summer, destroying hundreds of buildings and trees.

PHOTO: NIKOLAS NOONAN/UNSPLASH

Blink Co-founders Say

‘See Ya’

One of Cincinnati’s favorite traditions returned this year, but not without some controversy. e BLINK festival was back for its third installment in October – the rst time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. For four nights, the streets and structures of downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine and Covington were zzing with illuminations, immersive activations and more than two million people. e 30-block sensory-tapping event welcomed back its parade, a bevy of international artists and entertainment options galore, with many local businesses joining the fun in their own ways. Cincinnati’s signature event was resuscitated – but not fully. Just one day after BLINK announced plans to expand into Northern Kentucky and 92 days before the actual event, founding partner Brave Berlin announced that it was pulling out. In a Facebook post, Brave Berlin cited “creative direction” and “open hostility” as reasons for the split. “Our presence at the leadership table was feeling to us more and more like an honorary courtesy than an active and collaborative partnership,” the company posted.

Cincinnati Tastes More of the Rainbow

With a new administration running things, Cincinnati took steps to become more a rming to its LGBTQ+ residents this year. On March 31, the city raised the transgender pride ag at City Hall for the rst time in Cincinnati’s history in recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility, representing people who identify as women and men as well as those who do not have a de ned gender, who are transitioning or who identify as intersex. Just a few weeks later, Cincinnati City Council member Reggie Harris began collaborating with other o cials to update language in the municipal code to more directly provide comprehensive legal protections for gender expression and identity and to protect individuals from discrimination. “We have to do

both symbolic gestures and policy gestures. at is the way we move forward,” Harris said in March. Other o cials have backed him up, with the council repeatedly condemning state bills that restrict care or education for LGBTQ+ individuals. In December, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation and the Equality Federation said Cincinnati was one of just six Ohio municipalities to receive a perfect score on the 2022 Municipal Equality Index as well as one of seven to earn an All-Star status.

Mad Frog Croaks for the Last Time

Clifton’s Mad Frog is no more. e decades-old, green-hued music venue and bar at 1 E. McMillan St. was demolished in October after closing two months prior. At the time, owner Aydin Kol — who purchased the property in 1996 and ran it for 26 years — wrote on Facebook that the closure was due to the impact of the pandemic, thanking patrons and employees for their support over the years. “We have been a haven for nearly every musical genre during our 26 years, as well as for many live performance acts. Patrons from any walk of life could be sure to nd something to match their interests, and no matter the turnout, could always be sure to have a great time,” the post read. In January, Kol sold the bar to Uptown Properties, a redeveloper and rental management company that oversees housing near the University of Cincinnati. But instead of hosting live music, the space where Mad Frog once stood will become home to a 270-unit residential development from Uptown. A one-bedroom apartment in one of the company’s other East McMillan Street buildings goes for about $1,000 per month.

CPS Says Ohio’s Gun Love Is a Misfire

Gun violence isn’t a new problem, but it’s an increasingly scary one. Data shows that violent deaths by rearms have been rising in recent years. In 2002, there were three active-shooter, multiple-victim

incidents in the United States; in 2020, there were 40. Research by the New York Times shows that a number of mass shootings could have been prevented or could have caused fewer deaths and injuries if better laws and background checks had been in place at both the state and federal levels. Even Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow called for better gun laws, saying, “You know, with everything that’s going on, if you’re not going to outlaw everything, you’ve got to at least make it harder to get those crazy guns that everybody’s using.” But that hasn’t stopped states like Ohio from loosening gun permit and carry requirements, and Republican o cials haven’t been interested in raising the age at which someone can buy a rearm (why would they, with the NRA lling their campaign co ers?). at’s a ecting schools, which routinely practice activeshooter drills because of the steadily increasing number of people (mostly teen boys and men) who have decided that shooting up kids is the cool thing to do. In June, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 99 into law, granting boards of education the authority to permit teachers and other school workers to carry guns and requiring an educator to take just 24 hours of training (previously, teachers were required to complete 700 hours of peace o cer training before being armed on campus). e Cincinnati Public Schools district didn’t want any part of that, though. Just hours after DeWine signed the bill, the CPS Board of Education passed a resolution slamming the measure and prohibiting educators from carrying rearms in the district. e CPS resolution speci cally called out legislators for passing the law in spite of its opposition from teacher organizations like the Ohio Federation of Teachers and the Ohio Education Association.

Midterms Are Doozies

Ohio’s midterm elections of 2022 mostly were predictable (and red), but there still were a few surprises. Republican Mike DeWine held onto the

governor job, defeating challenger Nan Whaley, the former Dayton mayor who had championed reproductive rights, gun safety and LGBTQ+ protections. Middletown native, venture capitalist, questionable author and Donald Trump apologist J.D. Vance squeaked by Rep. Tim Ryan for Ohio’s U.S. Senate seat. Up in Ohio’s 89th District, near Lake Erie, incumbent Republican House Rep. D.J. Swearingen defeated Jim Obergefell, the University of Cincinnati alum who may be best known as the lead plainti in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. But despite Republicans’ goofy new redistricting maps that the Ohio Supreme Court declared were unconstitutional multiple times, former Cincinnati City Council member Greg Landsman ipped the script, besting incumbent Republican and anti-abortion backer Steve Chabot to become the new House rep for the 1st District.

There’s Hope That the Brent Spence Bridge

Soon Won’t Suck

After years of daily tra c snarls, extended safety and maintenance projects, and e ciency failures, the Brent Spence Bridge nally is getting a glow-up. In February, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlined plans to jointly apply for about $2 billion in federal funds to revamp Greater Cincinnati’s longtime tra c nuisance that carries 160,000 vehicles per day, with a plan for the Brent Spence Bridge to be repaired while a toll-free, double-decker companion bridge is erected nearby to help alleviate tra c. e overall plans and nal cost estimates have changed throughout the year – including a revised plan to slim down the project’s footprint and free up more usable space to develop or improve nearby green spaces plus add bike and pedestrian amenities – but it’s all nally happening. e project that will improve the nation’s No. 2 bottleneck for freight trucks could break ground as early as 2023.

PHOTO: FORMULA ONE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

L-R: Aftab Pureval is inaugurated as Cincinnati’s mayor in January; The Brent Spence Bridge is getting a big update; Mad Frog bar and music venue is demolished in October.

PHOTO: CITICABLE

PHOTO: MADELINE FENING

12 Deep-Dive Cover Stories from 2022 That CityBeat Is Damn Proud Of

Reporters researched everything from illicit drugs to Bigfoot.

BY MADELINE FENING

CityBeat reports on and feels the heartbeat of Cincinnati every day. From Cincinnati City Council proposals to the latest entertainment news to restaurant openings, citybeat.com is lled with daily stories that matter to readers. But decades ago, CityBeat grew from a demand for deeply reported, home-grown journalism that called out regional problems and highlighted changemakers – an e ort that continues today in the cover stories for CityBeat’s print issues. ese are some of the sta ’s favorites from 2022.

Hood Century Modern

by Jude Noel and Mackenzie Manley | JAN. 26 ISSUE

Jerald Cooper is best known for running the popular Instagram account Hood Century (@HoodMidCenturyModern), which reveals the architectural history and importance behind otherwise-unassuming locations. From the now-destroyed Crosley Field where the Cincinnati Reds once played to abandoned swimming pools in Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Mexico, Paris and beyond, Cooper talked to CityBeat about how his posts are portals into deeper research.

Batter Up

by Jason Gargano | MARCH 23 ISSUE

Earlier this year, the Bengals had their rst playo win in more than 30 years

before coming up just minutes short during the Super Bowl. e rabid fan response to the Bengals’ success proved that Greater Cincinnati is home to one of most passionate and involved fan bases in sports. But while the Bengals were making history, the Reds were getting ready to launch into what would become one of the team’s worst seasons on record.

Over the Overdose

by Madeline Fening | APRIL 6 ISSUE

In February, a bad batch of cocaine laced with fentanyl was going around in downtown Cincinnati. Experts told CityBeat that 35.9% of Ohio’s illicit drugs contained fentanyl in the last quarter of 2021, and supplies of common party drugs — like cocaine — laced with fentanyl had been sneaking up on those

who casually take hits. Health o cials were increasingly concerned, but Cincinnati’s bartenders were banding together to help prevent overdoses in their establishments.

Finding Lost Venues

by Jude Noel | APRIL 20 ISSUE

Released this year, the book Lost Cincinnati Concert Venues of the ‘50s and ‘60s showed how a handful of nowdefunct local clubs helped some of the most exciting gures in popular music make their mark on the Queen City and beyond. With a focus on two decades that saw jazz undergo an experimental renaissance while rock and roll rose to cultural dominance, author and former CityBeat arts and culture editor Steve Rosen dug into the history of iconic venues of the past, like Cincinnati Gardens and Surf Club.

Landmark Limbo

by Maija Zummo | MAY 4 ISSUE

With the sale and probable redevelopment of the Terrace Plaza Hotel imminent in the spring, preservationists pushed to make the contested hotel a designated local landmark, though Cincinnati City Council eventually shot it down. e mixed-use skyscraper features a mostly windowless seven-story base, once home to department stores Bond and JCPenney, with a 12-story structure on top. In a city stu ed with romantic and ornate Italianate architecture, the Terrace Plaza’s unadorned Modernist facade had always painted a striking contrast.

London Calling

by Mackenzie Manley | JUNE 15 ISSUE

Traveling from London, the Fashion & Sensibility exhibition at the Taft Museum of Art featured costumes from a number of acclaimed lm adaptations of Jane Austen’s beloved novels, including Pride & Prejudice, Emma, Sense & Sensibility and more. e expansive exhibition included the dusters, capes, tailcoats, trimmed bonnets and suits that helped bring to life beloved characters such as Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennet,

the Dashwood sisters, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Fanny Price, Colonel Brandon and more.

Aborted

by

CityBeat Staff | JUNE 29 ISSUE

In a landmark decision on June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federal protection of a patient’s right to decide to terminate a pregnancy. In the decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Justice Samuel Alito followed the same language and logic he’d written in the leaked draft opinion that Politico published on May 2. Alito — an originalist who is part of a majority conservative court — wrote that the U.S. Constitution does not explicitly spell out the right to an abortion, an unenumerated right. e decision sparked economic, health and social concerns as well as a continued wave of action from both anti-choice lawmakers and pro-choice advocates.

Book It

by Allison Babka, Lauren Serge and Lindsay Wielonski | AUG. 10 ISSUE

Educators have said that during a child’s early years, a lack of proximity to reading materials or to adults who read can cause learning problems down the line. But locals who are part of the Little Free Library program are tackling this problem with small book structures that are multiplying throughout Greater Cincinnati.

The King Thing

by

Katie Griffith | SEPT. 7 ISSUE

e shell of the former King Records complex sat vacant in Evanston for years, sadly without much national public acknowledgement of how the label, artists and producers shaped both the music of the time and the future of rock and roll and soul. But then e King Records Legacy Foundation launched in 2021 as a collaboration between City of Cincinnati o cials, the neighborhood of Evanston and former King Records recording artists Otis Williams, Philip Paul, Bootsy Collins and others, and

there was new hope for the site. Williams’ son Kent Butts is the executive director of the foundation that’s trying to preserve the studio’s history.

Friday Night Lights

by

Michael Asher | SEPT. 21 ISSUE

Students from the media production division at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music work outside the classroom to produce and direct television broadcasts that air live on ESPN+. It’s a unique opportunity – no other school in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) uses student media teams linked to a curriculum to produce live feeds for the network – that over just a couple of years already has generated jobs for program alums at ESPN, with the Bengals and at other big-name sports entities.

Squatchin’

by

Allison Babka | OCT. 19 ISSUE

According to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), Ohio has the fourth-highest number of credible Bigfoot sightings, including an incident in Pleasant Hill Lake Park in 2020. It was the rst report led by a law enforcement or government o cial, adding believability to the backlog of statewide claims. is year, CityBeat joined hundreds of Sasquatch fans to experience the park’s rst Bigfoot Basecamp Weekend with expert Matt Moneymaker and to hunt for the elusive creature.

Cincinnati’s Vegan Revolution

by

Meg Bolte | DEC. 14 ISSUE

Over decades, Cincinnati’s vegetablerst food scene has been nurtured into its current popularity, thanks to a crosscultural focus on plant-based living. But vegan items or even basic healthy foods aren’t necessarily accessible to everyone in the Queen City, especially when entire neighborhoods are without grocery stores. And for many people who have been marginalized systemically, leaning into veganism has become a movement of resistance and reclamation, local vegans told CityBeat.

12 Weird Stories from 2022 That Were ‘So Cincinnati’

Not gonna lie – this year was strange AF.

BY MADELINE FENING

Plenty of important things happened in Cincinnati this year, but do you remember the goofy stu ? Really strange shit went down that either made you proud as hell to be from the Queen City or embarrassed AF when your friends asked if the entire city was possessed. Check out some of CityBeat’s favorites below.

Creepy Wolf Statue from Benito Mussolini Stolen from Eden Park

ere’s a she-wolf in someone’s closet. In June, a vandal meticulously cut down and stole the Capitoline Wolf statue, which previously had sat in Eden Park since 1931. e statue — a bronze work depicting a she-wolf nursing two young boys — was a gift from Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. As of press time, the statue has not been located, even after the city posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to its return. In August, Cincinnati Parks announced

that it would recreate the statue with the help of Italian o cials.

House Rep. Jennifer Gross from West Chester, who previously had a lot of weird takes on COVID-19 and magnets, has shifted her focus to casting “witchcraft” out of the Ohio Statehouse. During a December chamber session, Gross welcomed Curtis Hill, an associate pastor at LifeChurch, who proceeded to rally House members against the “dark forces.” He then shared a long list of things he wanted to cast out, including “witchcraft” and “perversion.”

to be appointed to Greg Landsman’s freshly vacated Cincinnati City Council seat, one applicant bulged out but was not seriously considered. Someone going by the name of “Big Johnny” had their application dismissed as a joke, but CityBeat was – and still is – curious about the person whose application indicated they were pro-choice, proLGBTQ, pro-social good... and pro-large testicles.

New Island Magically Appears

If you’re looking for a slice of Margaritaville living, there’s no need to make your way to Key West when Cincinnati will do just ne. A new island has popped up at the con uence of the Ohio and Little Miami rivers. Its name? e People’s Republic of Chicken Island.

Jizz Trees Are Finally Going Away

e Callery Pear tree has beautiful white owers, but it also harbors compounds that are derivatives of ammonia, which produces the familiar scent of, well, semen. If your block has dozens of these things, you’re unfortunately well aware that the air smells like a neverending orgy. Aside from causing the post-coital smell that blankets the city every spring, the non-native species creates other problems, like crowding out useful trees and damaging local ecosystems. ere’s good news, though: Ohio has outlawed buying, selling and planting these things beginning Jan. 1.

Cincinnati TSA Stops Woman Traveling with Bag Full of Goetta

As council member Reggie Harris sifted through applicants who wanted

e island was formed during the oods that happened early in the year. Is it a real place recognized by any sort of government? Not really, but it does have a mayor (for now).

When Chelsea Cawood Trinidad was ying back home to Tulsa from Cincinnati, she was stopped by security for a strange item in her luggage. Turns out her stash was more delicious than

West Chester Rep. Jennifer Gross Asks Pastor to Banish ‘Witchcraft’ at Ohio Statehouse

‘Big Johnny’ is a Testicle-Obsessed Cincinnati City Council Candidate

The Callery Pear tree has gorgeous blossoms, but they smell awful.

PHOTO: MATTHEW FIELD

suspicious, as Trinidad had stu ed eight packages of Glier’s Goetta – a local delicacy if ever there was one – into her luggage to bring to friends and family. TSA agents at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) were stunned to see all the meat.

Some Jerk Impersonates

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval on Instagram

For a while this spring, a since-deleted Instagram imposter pretended to be Aftab Pureval, using similar photos and posts. to what Cincinnati’s actual mayor had shared. e faker even managed to rack up more followers than the mayor’s real account before being removed from the platform sometime this year, but not before DMing followers and causing general confusion.

Joe Burrow Receives Viral, Loopy Love Letter from NKU Student

“I know he’s got a girlfriend, and I’m happy for him, but I’m not happy for me,” Haven Wolfe said between staggered sobs in a viral video that eventually drew attention from her imagined paramour, Joe Burrow himself. e Northern Kentucky University student had posted the video of her post-wisdom teeth removal in November, racking up thousands of views and shares on social media thanks to her obvious – albeit drugged-up – love for the Bengals’ starting quarterback.

Cincinnati Gets Pounded with Massive Illicit Erectile Dysfunction Drugs

U.S. Customs and Border Protection o cers seized huge, illegal loads of pills used to treat erectile dysfunction that were coming through the Port of Cincinnati in January. Feds sucked up more than 32,500 Viagra, Cialis and

Levitra pills along with 1,050 packets of jellies containing “miracle honey,” which features Viagra’s active ingredient of sildena l. e illegal packages originated in China, India, Malaysia and Sudan, and the criminals faced sti penalties.

Ok, It’s Confirmed: Kentucky Is Terrible for Horny Singles

If Ohio is for lovers, then Kentucky is for miserable singles. In WalletHub’s Best & Worst States for Singles list for 2022, Ohio came in strong at No. 11. Kentucky, on the other hand, proved to be disastrous for dating. e Commonwealth landed at No. 45, almost at the bottom of the list. But, hey, Greater Cincinnati singles can always check out Dayton, Ohio, which was named one of the nation’s top-ten horniest cities in 2021.

Kings Island Suddenly Drops a Skin-Tingling ASMR Video

Falling asleep to the sound of rain is so passé. e hip thing now? Kings Island’s surprising, anxiety-busting ASMR video. In an hour-long video that’s sure to set you o to sleep (or at least make you want a hefty funnel cake and some blue creamy whip), large cranking gears pull coaster cars up the Beast’s famous wooden hill. You just have to listen to get it.

Local Social Media Users Skewer MegaCorp Pavilion

Yikes. PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION changed its mouthful of a name over the summer, and it did noooooooot go over well with Cincinnatians. e music venue announced that it would become MegaCorp Pavilion, and if you thought that sounded at the time like an evil company from the Batman comics, you were not alone. “It’s like they had to choose this because ‘Puppy Murder Pavilion’ was already taken,” one person said on Twitter.

PHOTO: U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

This stack of seized Viagra pills could cumulatively cause erections for months.

18 Incredible Sports Moments from 2022 that Cincinnati Won’t Forget, for Better or for Worse

the Eastern Conference. After the sesaon, proud and determined Noonan said the following seasons would only get tougher.

The Reds Set Many Bad, Bad Records

e Cincinnati Reds’ wretched 2022 season was not pretty. Cincinnati’s home team set a franchise record for the worst start to a season, going just 3-19 as of May 1 and enduring MLB’s worst start for any team since 2003. Another record: on Sept. 20, starting pitcher Nick Lodolo nipped three Sox batters and helped Cincinnati set the MLB mark for beaning the most opponents in a single season – 99 batters at the time, claiming the previous record from the Chicago Cubs, who had hit 98 players in 2021. Finally, the Reds ended the season with a loss to the Chicago Cubs, cementing a 62-100 record – just the second time in franchise history that the Reds had racked up 100 losses.

Super Bowl Run Makes Bengals Fans Super Proud

BY ALLISON BABKA

Sports have a way of both lifting people to their highest hopes and crushing their spirits until they want to wallow by eating eight 3-Ways in a row. Nowhere is that more true than in Cincinnati, where 2022 was both a joy and a slog in the sports world.

UC Bearcats Lose –and Then Gain –a Football Coach

Luke Fickell surprised a lot of Cincinnatians when he announced in November that he was taking the head football coach position at the University of Wisconsin, pretty much e ective immediately. Over six years, Fickell had become the University of Cincinnati’s winningest coach. Naturally, the rumors about who might coach the Bearcats began, and it seemed like two-time Super Bowl champion and former Cincinnati Reds out elder Deion Sanders legitimately was considering the position. But a week after Fickell left (taking some of his coaching sta with him), the Bearcats coaxed University of Louisiana’s coach Scott Satter eld to Cincinnati to lead the team into the Big 12 Conference.

Pete Rose Is Pete Rose

What a year for “Charlie Hustle.” In August, former Cincinnati Reds manager and utility player extraordinaire Pete Rose was honored in Philadelphia for helping the Phillies win the 1980 World Series. But during media brie ngs at the game, Rose completely dismissed a female reporter’s questions about statutory rape allegations that have dogged him for decades, saying, “It was 50 years ago, babe.” A few months later, he begged yet again for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to lift his placement on baseball’s permanent ineligible list so that he could be considered for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; Manfred declined quickly and decisively, saying that Rose’s gambling on baseball while serving as Cincy’s manager still merits a lifetime ban. But

perhaps old Pete has brighter days ahead now that sports betting will become legal in Ohio on Jan. 1. Rose has been tapped to be the local face of throwing money at things and wishing for the best and is scheduled to place the rst legal bet at Cincinnati’s new Hard Rock Sportsbook.

FC Cincinnati Lands Its First Playoff Berth

Cincinnati’s pro soccer team had a banner season, including its rst-ever MLS Cup postseason berth, a postseason win against a higher seed and a club record for consecutive scoring games. FC Cincinnati went 12-9 with 13 draws in the regular season, clinching its spot in the playo s with a win over D.C. United during the nal game Oct. 9. e Orange and Blue followed that up with an MLS Cup playo victory against the New York Red Bulls, with the season coming to a close in a playo loss to Eastern Conference top seed Philadelphia Union. e 2022 season also marked the rst time Cincinnati did not nish in last place in

e Bengals may not have won the game, but they sure as hell won Cincinnati’s heart. On Feb. 13, the Bengals lost 20-23 to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI, just mere minutes from taking it all. Cincinnati’s rst shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy since 1989 came after earning a 10-7 record for the 2021-2022 regular season, winning the AFC North, and pulling out magical win after magical win in the postseason — including the AFC Championship. is Bengals team let Cincinnati fans dare to dream again after years of constant loss, leading to the most-watched Super Bowl broadcast in the ve previous years. Before the game, businesses and organizations throughout Greater Cincinnati plastered their buildings with Bengals signs, Cincinnati City Hall ew a giant Bengals ag, Dayton renamed itself as “Deyton,” Cheviot changed its street signs to Bengals names, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared that Super Bowl Sunday would be called Cincinnati Bengals Day. What a magical ride. Who dey, indeed.

The Cincinnati Cobra Gets His Statue

ere’s a new spot where Cincinnati boxing fans can go to reminisce about one of the city’s greats. In October, city o cials unveiled a bronze statue of world heavyweight champion boxer Ezzard Charles in Ezzard Charles Park –renamed from Laurel Park – in the West End near TQL Stadium. Charles, who

Left: In elder Mike Moustakas and shortstop Kyle Farmer were with the Reds on opening day but were shown the door after the season ended.

“The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” hits a little too close to home this year.

PHOTO: RON VALLE

grew up in Cincinnati, was known in the boxing world as the “Cincinnati Cobra” and was considered one of the world’s greatest ghters. He nished his career with 95 wins, 25 losses and one draw and was inaugurated into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Charles died in 1975.

The Reds Frolic in the Iowa Corn

On Aug. 11, a nice game of baseball was all that mattered. e MLB Field of Dreams game – which paid homage to the 1989 Kevin Costner lm of the same name – between the Reds and the Cubs brought out plenty of magical moments in Dyersville, Iowa, that made players and fans alike marvel about baseball’s ability to transcend almost everything. From the moment Ken Gri ey Jr. walked out of the corn eld and asked his father Ken Gri ey Sr. to “have a catch,” fans in the stands and watching from home were caught up in the sport’s magic. e teams followed in throwback uniforms inspired by their 1919 and 1929 seasons, respectively, paying homage to historic teams that came before. And for a few glorious moments before rst pitch, the intense, competitive players on both sides visibly became like kids again, beaming while reminiscing about tossing a ball around with their best friend or a family member in the backyard.

Joe Burrow Is Golden

Everybody knows that Joe Burrow can ball. is season alone, the Bengals’ star quarterback already has hit several NFL and franchise milestones. He’s the rst player in NFL history to record 75 pass touchdowns and 10 rush touchdowns through the rst 40 career games, the rst quarterback to beat the Kansas City Chiefs – along with their quarterback Patrick Mahomes – in three straight games, the third-fastest to rack up 10,000 career passing yards… you get it. But Burrow also increasingly is known as a fashion icon, landing on the New York Times’ “92 Most Stylish People of 2022” list, nabbing the cover spot on the September issue of Sports Illustrated and being named the most handsome quarterback according to science. Burrow has become the biggest thirst trap on a Bengals team with plenty of lookers, and we’re here for it.

Cincinnati Cyclones Say Buh-Bye to $1 Beers

For the 2022-2023 hockey season, the Cyclones’ $1 beer promotions have become $2 beer promotions, thanks in part to an overall rise in the cost of goods and services within the United States. Several games on this season’s slate have featured $2 beer, hot dogs and soda, a change from a longtime tradition. Sean Lynn, director of marketing and public relations for the Cyclones and Heritage

Bank Center, told CityBeat that in ation had nally caught up to the venue. “We introduced $1 beers in 2007 and held that price for nearly 15 years. While most things saw annual increases, we held the line and not many people can say that,” Lynn said. “With the latest increases in cost of goods, fuel, and labor, we felt now was the proper time to make this change.”

The Bengals Set Records in Style

Bengals fans have always been loyal – hell, they stuck with the team through years of horribly depressing seasons before coming soooooo close to a Super Bowl win in 2022. at loyalty is growing even more now, it turns out. On Sept. 29, the Bengals clobbered the Miami Dolphins 27-15 in front of 67,260 fans at Paycor Stadium – the team’s largest home crowd in history, as of press time. And in a second milestone for the history books, the Bengals did it while wearing white helmets for the rst time ever during a “ ursday Night Football” national broadcast. Beginning this season, the NFL nally lifted its long-held rule that prohibited secondary or alternate helmets, and the Bengals embraced the change with gusto. e team paired the helmet with a new alternate white “Color Rush” jersey and white pants, all with black stripes and lettering.

Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez Rack Up Honors

FC Cincinnati’s attacking mid elder Luciano Acosta and forward Brandon Vazquez were included in Major League Soccer’s 2022 Best Xi selections, marking the rst time that FC Cincy players were celebrated among the top 11 players in the MLS. Acosta tallied 10 goals and an MLS-leading 19 assists for the regular season. Cincinnati’s captain tied for third in the league for goal contributions – 29, a career high – and also led the club in game-winning assists with ve. Vazquez notched 18 goals on the season, a personal career high. He led the league in open-play goals (16) tied for the most header goals (six) and set FC Cincinnati records for goals across all competitions, shots and shots on goal while becoming the rst Cincinnati player to score multiple goals in consecutive games. Together, Acosta and Vazquez became the rst pair of teammates with at least 25 goal contributions in a single season since 2018. Both were selected for the MLS All-Star Game during the summer.

The Castellinis Are Front-Office Flops

Reds fans weren’t happy. Reds players weren’t happy. And all of the 2022 season’s woes ultimately could be traced back to team ownership and the

front-o ce. e Reds’ 2022 payroll was about $114 million, a downgrade from $135 million in 2021 and $140 million in 2020 that clearly a ected the season’s record and championship potential. In 2022, the Reds racked up 100 losses for just the second time in franchise history. e constant losing also kept more fans at home, with the team experiencing its lowest season attendance since 1984. None of this was news to Cincinnati fans, who have long bashed owner Bob Castellini, even banding together before opening day to raise more than $4,000 for a billboard urging Castellini to sell the team to someone who would invest in winning, or at least in a legitimate playo push. at I-75 billboard and fans’ growing lack of trust in the team elicited a sharp response from Phil Castellini, the Reds’ chief operating o cer and Bob Castellini’s son, who told 700 WLW-AM that Cincinnatians essentially just had to deal with it when the team repeatedly refused to pay for productive veteran players. Phil Castellini later walked back his comments. Deja vu: the Reds have the fourthlowest estimated payroll for 2023 at $74 million, as of press time.

Joe Mixon Has a Fucking Incredible Day

What a rush! During the Bengals’ 42-21 win over the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 6, running back Joe Mixon pulled in ve touchdowns, setting a new Bengals record for the most in a single game. Previously, three Bengals players were tied with four TDs each: Marvin Jones (2013), Corey Dillon (1997) and Larry Kinnebrew (1984), according to Statmuse. Four of Mixon’s scores were rushing touchdowns, sharing the franchise’s top slot with Dillon’s e orts in 1997. And four of Mixon’s touchdowns came within the rst half of the game, allowing him to become the rst Bengals player to hit that milestone. He also became just the fth Bengal to earn 5,000 career yards. Additionally, Mixon is now the 17th player in NFL history to ever score at least ve nonpassing touchdowns, as of press time. He’s in a tie on the NFL’s overall list for fourth-place for the most touchdowns in a single game. It was a stunning turnaround for Mixon, who previously hadn’t been performing to the season’s expectations.

Pickleball Officially Is A Thing

Pickleball has been around since 1965, but it’s the fastest-growing sport in 2022, according to a report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. It’s a good time for Cincinnati to expand its footprint in the sport, then, as o cials announced this year that the country’s second-biggest indoor pickleball facility will open in West

PHOTO: CINCINNATI BENGALS

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is a national thirst trap.

Chester in 2023. e Pickle Lodge will feature 17 indoor courts, cushioned playing surfaces, a bar and restaurant and, eventually, ve outdoor courts plus a championship court with grandstandstyle seating.

Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner Sauces Fans Up

Just before the NFL season ramped up, former University of Cincinnati Bearcat Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner launched a limited-time hot sauce with Bu alo Wild Wings, somewhat predictably calling it “Sauce Sauce.” Gardner celebrated the achievement in a video that featured him declaring “I love sauce” and slathering the juice on top of everything from wings to fries to a miniature bedazzled sauce bottle. Gardner, who had been a lauded cornerback for the Bearcats, was drafted by the New York Jets before the season began and lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in September, despite forcing a few incompletes.

Cincy Misses Out on World Cup Matches

After a multi-year e ort by Cincinnati leaders to secure a 2026 FIFA World Cup game, FIFA broke the bad news in June: the Queen City would not be getting its crown. FIFA, which oversees world soccer, announced its 16 World Cup host cities on June 16, and Cincinnati was not selected. Cincinnati had launched its bid to host 2026 World Cup matches back in 2017. O cials who led the local World Cup e ort insisted that the city would continue to be in contention for other major events. “Even though this bid may not have been successful, I feel the process has set us up for future successful bids that will enhance our city and raise our international pro le,” Je Berding, co-CEO of FC Cincinnati and the local World Cup bid committee, said after the decision. “We showed that the new Cincinnati is an ambitious city that competes for world class events, so this isn’t the end of this process - it’s just

the beginning of more to come. So stay tuned, and don’t sleep on Cincinnati.”

Reds Fans Make Highlight-Reel Catches

By late April, the Reds had won just three games and fans were understandably distraught. But a hero appeared – only it wasn’t a player on the eld. During a home game on April 26, Jacob Kingsley caught a pop-up foul ball while holding his infant son Shepherd, who was strapped to Kingsley’s chest in a baby sling. e ball blooped backwards on the third-base side, where Kingsley nonchalantly reached up with one hand and plucked it from the air as he fed little Shepherd a bottle. It was the play of the game — and probably even the season at that point (the Reds lost 9-6 to the Padres). Not to be outdone, another fan at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park caught a ball in his beer cup about a month later. Both men made the national highlight reels and helped dour Reds fans through a major team drought.

The Bengals’ Home Gets a Brand-New Name

e Paul Brown Stadium name is now a relic. In August, the Bengals announced that Cincinnati’s downtown stadium would be known as Paycor Stadium, named after a national human resources software company based in Cincinnati. e move was a stunner for fans who had known the stadium only with Paul Brown’s moniker since its erection in 2000. Brown was the founder and the rst head coach for the Bengals, leading the team to the postseason three times; he passed away in 1991, with his son Mike taking over as franchise president. But even though the Bengals are putting together yet another solid season in the Jungle, Paycor Stadium isn’t without its problems – Hamilton County o cials are questioning the terms to the naming-rights, unsure that the county will receive appropriate income through the deal.

Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner loves his Buffalo Wild Wings “Sauce Sauce.”

PHOTO: INSPIRE BRANDS

ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE

17 Arts & Culture Stories That Made an Impact on Greater Cincinnati in 2022

17 Arts & Culture Stories That Made an Impact on Greater Cincinnati in 2022

ese highlights from 2022 touch on everything from famous folks and celebrations to a pirate island and a new baby hippo.

ese highlights from 2022 touch on everything from famous folks and celebrations to a pirate island and a new baby hippo.

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

In 2022, Cincinnati celebrated several rsts — including the creation of a new pirate island — and long-standing local institutions — like BLINK and Kings Island — in truly spectacular fashion. ese are the top arts & culture stories that a ected Cincinnatians this year.

In 2022, Cincinnati celebrated several rsts — including the creation of a new pirate island — and long-standing local institutions — like BLINK and Kings Island — in truly spectacular fashion. ese are the top arts & culture stories that a ected Cincinnatians this year.

Covington Food Pantry Discovers Mini Oscar from 1935 in Donation Box

ere’s a mystery surrounding an Oscar statuette that ended up in the donation box of the Be Concerned thrift shop in Northern Kentucky. At rst, the nonpro t believed the statue just came from a gift shop, but further investigation revealed it was the real deal. e Academy Museum of Motion Pictures says the statuette was given out by Columbia Motion Pictures in 1935 after its lm It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable swept the Academy Awards in its top ve categories: Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Screenplay. Be Concerned sold the statuette back to the museum, but the question remains: How did it end up in Cincinnati?

ere’s a mystery surrounding an Oscar statuette that ended up in the donation box of the Be Concerned thrift shop in Northern Kentucky. At rst, the nonpro t believed the statue just came from a gift shop, but further investigation revealed it was the real deal. e Academy Museum of Motion Pictures says the statuette was given out by Columbia Motion Pictures in 1935 after its lm It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable swept the Academy Awards in its top ve categories: Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Screenplay. Be Concerned sold the statuette back to the museum, but the question remains: How did it end up in Cincinnati?

New Pirate Island Appears in Cincinnati at Con uence of Ohio and Little Miami Rivers

New Pirate Island Appears in Cincinnati at Con uence of Ohio and Little Miami Rivers

You may have never heard of the People’s Republic of Chicken Island, but it exists right here in the Tri-State. e island was formed during the oods that happened in February and March of this year, current self-appointed Chicken Island Mayor Nick Motz and SS Tiki Tours boat captain and island friend Kevin Schmidt say. Right now, Chicken Island is a four-acre oval that measures 300 feet by 900 feet, and Motz and Schmidt are basically Ohio River pirates who have laid claim to it. But their rule over the island might not last: It eventually could be washed away or turned back into a peninsula.

You may have never heard of the People’s Republic of Chicken Island, but it exists right here in the Tri-State. e island was formed during the oods that happened in February and March of this year, current self-appointed Chicken Island Mayor Nick Motz and SS Tiki Tours boat captain and island friend Kevin Schmidt say. Right now, Chicken Island is a four-acre oval that measures 300 feet by 900 feet, and Motz and Schmidt are basically Ohio River pirates who have laid claim to it. But their rule over the island might not last: It eventually could be washed away or turned back into a peninsula.

Cincinnatians Tour a World War IIera Naval Ship at Sawyer Point

Cincinnatians Tour a World War IIera Naval Ship at Sawyer Point

A World War II-era ship that took part in the invasion of Omaha Beach on D-Day made a stop at the Public Landing at Sawyer Point in September and October. People were able to tour LST (Landing Ship, Tank) 325 and see where soldiers readied themselves for battle across a number of major military

A World War II-era ship that took part in the invasion of Omaha Beach on D-Day made a stop at the Public Landing at Sawyer Point in September and October. People were able to tour LST (Landing Ship, Tank) 325 and see where soldiers readied themselves for battle across a number of major military

campaigns, including the Korean War and Vietnam con icts.

campaigns, including the Korean War and Vietnam con icts.

Movies The Bikeriders and Wise Guys Begin Filming in Cincinnati; Bones and All Premieres

Movies The Bikeriders and Wise Guys Begin Filming in Cincinnati; Bones and All Premieres

Cincinnati continues to prove to be a hotspot for Hollywood. is year, celebrities Michael Shannon, Austin Butler and Norman Reedus were spotted around the Queen City as they lmed e Bikeriders, directed by Je Nichols. Taking inspiration from photographer Danny Lyon’s 1967 book of the same name, the movie tells “an original story about a ’60s Midwestern motorcycle club as it evolves over the course of a decade from a community for outsiders into a far more sinister gang,” according to an article from Variety magazine. e movie also stars Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer. Robert De Niro’s new lm Wise Guys also began lming in the Tri-State this year. It’s about two Italian American crime bosses, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, who run separate families in the middle of the 20th century. Genovese attempts and fails to assassinate Costello in 1957. Costello is injured and attempts to quit the mob, according to

Cincinnati continues to prove to be a hotspot for Hollywood. is year, celebrities Michael Shannon, Austin Butler and Norman Reedus were spotted around the Queen City as they lmed e Bikeriders, directed by Je Nichols. Taking inspiration from photographer Danny Lyon’s 1967 book of the same name, the movie tells “an original story about a ’60s Midwestern motorcycle club as it evolves over the course of a decade from a community for outsiders into a far more sinister gang,” according to an article from Variety magazine. e movie also stars Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer. Robert De Niro’s new lm Wise Guys also began lming in the Tri-State this year. It’s about two Italian American crime bosses, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, who run separate families in the middle of the 20th century. Genovese attempts and fails to assassinate Costello in 1957. Costello is injured and attempts to quit the mob, according to

IMDB.com. And the movie Bones and All, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell in shots lmed in Cincinnati in 2021, made its debut at the Venice Film Festival in August.

IMDB.com. And the movie Bones and All, which stars Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell in shots lmed in Cincinnati in 2021, made its debut at the Venice Film Festival in August.

BLINK 2022 Takes Over Downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine

and Covington

BLINK 2022 Takes Over Downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine

and Covington

In October, the BLINK festival converted 30 blocks of downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine and Covington into a lineup of literally and guratively glowing visual, auditory and kinesthetic encounters. Touting itself as “the nation’s largest light, art and projectionmapping experience,” the streets and structures of Greater Cincinnati were transformed by way of large-scale new murals, light installations, interactive sculptures, performance art, live entertainment and projection mapping (which casts computer-programmed light, color and animations across threedimensional surfaces). While reviews of this year’s festival were mixed on social media, Star Wars star Mark Hamill had this to say about the appearance of Cincinnati’s own “Fluke Skywalker” in the parade: “To the guy who looks more

In October, the BLINK festival converted 30 blocks of downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine and Covington into a lineup of literally and guratively glowing visual, auditory and kinesthetic encounters. Touting itself as “the nation’s largest light, art and projectionmapping experience,” the streets and structures of Greater Cincinnati were transformed by way of large-scale new murals, light installations, interactive sculptures, performance art, live entertainment and projection mapping (which casts computer-programmed light, color and animations across threedimensional surfaces). While reviews of this year’s festival were mixed on social media, Star Wars star Mark Hamill had this to say about the appearance of Cincinnati’s own “Fluke Skywalker” in the parade: “To the guy who looks more

Covington Food Pantry Discovers Mini Oscar from 1935 in Donation Box

BLINK 2022 received mixed reviews from attendees.

PHOTO: CATIE VIOX

like me than me: I truly admire your work for charity & for being in parades in Cincinnati on my behalf! Wishing you continued success.”

Krohn Conservatory’s 2022 Butter y Exhibit Transports Cincinnatians to Ancient Egypt

Krohn Conservatory’s 2022 Butter y Exhibit Transports Cincinnatians to Ancient Egypt

e beauty and mystery of Ancient Egypt descended upon Cincinnati’s Krohn Conservatory in the spring — or at least its butter ies did. Cincinnati Parks, which oversees Krohn, described the oral exhibit as “speci cally designed to show just how lush and inviting the gardens of ancient Egypt could be.” Design elements were lifted from the art found in Egyptian tombs and temples and called to mind imagery like “orchards, palms and sh ponds with lotus plants.” Hundreds of butteries made the show even more magical.

e beauty and mystery of Ancient Egypt descended upon Cincinnati’s Krohn Conservatory in the spring — or at least its butter ies did. Cincinnati Parks, which oversees Krohn, described the oral exhibit as “speci cally designed to show just how lush and inviting the gardens of ancient Egypt could be.” Design elements were lifted from the art found in Egyptian tombs and temples and called to mind imagery like “orchards, palms and sh ponds with lotus plants.” Hundreds of butteries made the show even more magical.

Barnes & Noble Opens First New Store in Cincinnati in 25 Years

Barnes & Noble Opens First New Store in Cincinnati in 25 Years

A brand new Barnes & Noble opened at Deer eld Towne Center in January, with local author Tonya Mitchell there to cut the ribbon and sign books. e sta of the Waterstone Center store, which

A brand new Barnes & Noble opened at Deer eld Towne Center in January, with local author Tonya Mitchell there to cut the ribbon and sign books. e sta of the Waterstone Center store, which

closed in August of 2021, moved to work at the new location. In a press release, store manager John Walls said he and his team carry books speci cally targeted toward the Mason community. “We are so happy to be back in the community with the opening of our new store. We missed our customers dearly, and are excited to reunite with them,” Walls said.

closed in August of 2021, moved to work at the new location. In a press release, store manager John Walls said he and his team carry books speci cally targeted toward the Mason community. “We are so happy to be back in the community with the opening of our new store. We missed our customers dearly, and are excited to reunite with them,” Walls said.

Cincinnati Zoo Welcomes New Baby Hippo Fritz

Cincinnati Zoo Welcomes New Baby Hippo Fritz

Cincinnati’s beloved hippo Fiona became a big sister this year after her mother, Bibi, accidentally became pregnant while on birth control (whoops!) and gave birth to a healthy male calf on Aug. 3. e Cincinnati Zoo asked the public for naming suggestions before narrowing it down to Fritz or Ferguson. After conducting a poll, the calf was named Fritz, which had received a narrow 56% of the votes.

Cincinnati’s beloved hippo Fiona became a big sister this year after her mother, Bibi, accidentally became pregnant while on birth control (whoops!) and gave birth to a healthy male calf on Aug. 3. e Cincinnati Zoo asked the public for naming suggestions before narrowing it down to Fritz or Ferguson. After conducting a poll, the calf was named Fritz, which had received a narrow 56% of the votes.

indie toy shop Earth to Kentucky hoped to change that this year. Over 30 di erent artists from around the world captured the colonel’s likeness in Earth to Kentucky’s spring exhibit e Colonel: A Group Art Show. Various designs reimagined Colonel Sanders as Guy Fieri and e Joker, and there were gold-plated and pinstriped Colonels along with Colonels dipped in acid — it was all colorful, absurd and strangely appetizing. e fried-chicken magnate made headlines again in June when the restaurant Colonel Sanders built for his wife Claudia, plus the home they lived in for over 25 years, went up for sale for an undisclosed amount. e estate sale featured hidden treasures and memorabilia from the Colonel, including a letter from former President Richard Nixon to Sanders, Colonel Sanders’ original Kentucky Colonel certi cate plus items like wristwatches and money clips.

indie toy shop Earth to Kentucky hoped to change that this year. Over 30 di erent artists from around the world captured the colonel’s likeness in Earth to Kentucky’s spring exhibit e Colonel: A Group Art Show. Various designs reimagined Colonel Sanders as Guy Fieri and e Joker, and there were gold-plated and pinstriped Colonels along with Colonels dipped in acid — it was all colorful, absurd and strangely appetizing. e fried-chicken magnate made headlines again in June when the restaurant Colonel Sanders built for his wife Claudia, plus the home they lived in for over 25 years, went up for sale for an undisclosed amount. e estate sale featured hidden treasures and memorabilia from the Colonel, including a letter from former President Richard Nixon to Sanders, Colonel Sanders’ original Kentucky Colonel certi cate plus items like wristwatches and money clips.

style, the following for Cincinnati-based Charley Harper seemingly is on an inde nite spike. Harper, who eventually landed in Cincinnati but was raised in West Virginia, created paintings, prints and illustrations that frequently stylized their nature-related subjects by deemphasizing depth and accentuating colorfulness and geometric characteristics, a common motif around the middle of the 20th century. He died in 2007 at age 84. In May, Wild Life: e Life and Work of Charley Harper was published by Brett Harper – the son and only child of Harper and his artist wife Edie – Margaret Rhodes and publisher gestalten. Along with featuring a broad range of Harper’s work, the book also included a unique glimpse into the artist’s personal life and legacy. Later that summer, Harper’s legacy was honored again during a celebration hosted by the Art Academy of Cincinnati on what would have been the artist’s 100th birthday.

style, the following for Cincinnati-based Charley Harper seemingly is on an inde nite spike. Harper, who eventually landed in Cincinnati but was raised in West Virginia, created paintings, prints and illustrations that frequently stylized their nature-related subjects by deemphasizing depth and accentuating colorfulness and geometric characteristics, a common motif around the middle of the 20th century. He died in 2007 at age 84. In May, Wild Life: e Life and Work of Charley Harper was published by Brett Harper – the son and only child of Harper and his artist wife Edie – Margaret Rhodes and publisher gestalten. Along with featuring a broad range of Harper’s work, the book also included a unique glimpse into the artist’s personal life and legacy. Later that summer, Harper’s legacy was honored again during a celebration hosted by the Art Academy of Cincinnati on what would have been the artist’s 100th birthday.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Stages Unconventional Season

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Stages Unconventional Season

Covington

Covington Toy Shop Earth to Kentucky Creates Action Figures of Our Lord and Savior, Colonel Sanders

Toy Shop Earth to

Cincinnati Honors Local Artist Charley Harper’s Impressive Catalog with New Book, Birthday Celebration

Kentucky

Creates

While an illustrated likeness of Colonel Harland David Sanders is how most people recall his visage, Covington’s

Action Figures of Our Lord and Savior, Colonel Sanders

While an illustrated likeness of Colonel Harland David Sanders is how most people recall his visage, Covington’s

Cincinnati Honors Local Artist Charley Harper’s Impressive Catalog with New Book, Birthday Celebration

As new generations continue to rediscover Midcentury Modernism as a beloved art, architectural and design

As new generations continue to rediscover Midcentury Modernism as a beloved art, architectural and design

In 2022, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park did not produce shows in Eden Park, a departure from what it typically does during the fall and winter. e Marx eatre, the Playhouse’s longtime mainstage, has been demolished to make way for the new Moe and Jack’s Place – e Rouse eatre, which will have its grand opening in March. For several months, access to the existing Rosenthal Shelterhouse eatre was also restricted. Instead, Playhouse shows moved to three other venues around town: e Arono Center’s Jarson-Kaplan eater, the Otto M. Budig eatre at Covington’s Carnegie Center and Cincinnati Landmark Productions’ Warsaw Federal Incline eater. At these locations, the Playhouse hosted both classic and contemporary shows during the beginning of its 20222023 season, like Murder on the Orient Express and Frida … A Self Portrait. “We

In 2022, the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park did not produce shows in Eden Park, a departure from what it typically does during the fall and winter. e Marx eatre, the Playhouse’s longtime mainstage, has been demolished to make way for the new Moe and Jack’s Place – e Rouse eatre, which will have its grand opening in March. For several months, access to the existing Rosenthal Shelterhouse eatre was also restricted. Instead, Playhouse shows moved to three other venues around town: e Arono Center’s Jarson-Kaplan eater, the Otto M. Budig eatre at Covington’s Carnegie Center and Cincinnati Landmark Productions’ Warsaw Federal Incline eater. At these locations, the Playhouse hosted both classic and contemporary shows during the beginning of its 20222023 season, like Murder on the Orient Express and Frida … A Self Portrait. “We

The latest book about artist Charley Harper celebrated his life and legacy.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY BRETT HARPER

Fiona became a big sister to new baby hippo Fritz in August.

PHOTO: LISA HUBBARD VIA THE CINCINNATI ZOO

A World War II-era war ship was docked at Sawyer Point in September.

PHOTO: SEAN M. PETERS like me than me: I truly admire your work for charity & for being in parades in Cincinnati on my behalf! Wishing you continued success.”

The latest book about artist Charley Harper celebrated his life and legacy.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY BRETT HARPER

Fiona became a big sister to new baby hippo Fritz in August.

PHOTO: LISA HUBBARD VIA THE CINCINNATI ZOO

A World War II-era war ship was docked at Sawyer Point in September.

PHOTO: SEAN M. PETERS

loved the idea that we’re going into different neighborhoods, running into different people, making new friends and inviting them back to Eden Park when we open the new theater in March,” the Playhouse’s producing artistic director Blake Robison told CityBeat

Camp Washington’s Schenz eatrical Supply Provides the White House with Easter Bunny Costumes for the First Time Since Owner’s Death Cincinnati is the birthplace of many unique and wonderful things: goetta, 3-Ways, the rst glass-door oven. e city also has the distinction of spawning the White House Easter Bunny – multiple bunnies, actually. Since 1981, Camp Washington’s Schenz eatrical Supply had provided the White House with Easter Bunny costumes. And that tradition continued in 2022, despite the fact that the shop’s beloved proprietor and costume mastermind, Jonn Schenz, died in 2020. In an Instagram post from the New York Times, you can see the plush rabbit that Schenz designed and referred to as “Junior Bunny” (there’s also a Mama and Papa Bunny) standing on the lawn during the Easter Egg Roll and chatting with U.S. President Joe Biden. is was only the second set of Easter Bunny costumes created, all of which Schenz lovingly and adeptly hand-built in his Camp Washington shop, which permanently closed later in the year.

Cincinnati Opera’s Fierce and Castor and Patience Give Voice to Underrepresented Stories

In July, the Cincinnati Opera debuted two world premieres originally scheduled for 2020’s COVID-delayed centennial season: Fierce and Castor and Patience. Both works o ered characters whose voices have been ignored: young women, especially women of color, and Black families whose crises are rooted in the patterns of racist American policies and cultures. Moreover, both operas were part of Cincinnati Opera’s long-term commitment to commissioning operas that highlight underrepresented communities and their stories.

Kings Island Celebrates 50th Anniversary Season with World Record, Major Announcement and More

Since 1972, Kings Island has been serving up thrills for the masses. roughout the year, the park paid tribute to its 50th anniversary with a massive celebration that included a reworks show, a long roster of entertainment acts and more special fun that lasted throughout the park’s 2022 season. Fittingly enough, the special anniversary season at Kings Island kicked o with the shattering of a world record. After six months of renovations, which included replacing 2,000

feet of track, e Beast reopened to the park’s guests with a new world record in tow: the world’s longest wooden roller coaster, beating its own record. And for the rst time since 2019, Kings Island brought music back in time for its 50th anniversary celebration. e park’s popular Timberwolf Amphitheatre once again played host to some big summer concerts starting in June with e Avett Brothers. All of Kings Island’s accomplishments over the past 50 years were tied together with a neat little bow when it earned the “Park of the Year” award from amusement park magazine Amusement Today. is award is given during the annual international Golden Ticket Awards, which gathers votes from “well-traveled amusement park enthusiasts” who rank the industry on rides, guest experiences and more.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval Tries His Hand at Improv

Sometimes it’s ok to laugh at Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. In fact, laughs were more than encouraged during his performance as the special guest for Improv Cincinnati’s “Veracity” show in June. While on stage, Pureval delivered a 30-minute monologue featuring personal anecdotes, and Improv Cincinnati’s team then developed extemporaneous comedic scenes around those stories. When asked if he was feeling jittery, Pureval responded, “No, I’m not nervous. I’m famously very funny. I’ve also noticed, since becoming mayor, that people laugh at my jokes even more than usual.”

Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame Debuts First Eight Stars at Andrew J Brady Music Center

Just one year after the idea’s inception, the Black Music Walk of Fame debuted its rst eight stars and second class of inductees during the Cincinnati Music Festival. is year’s induction class included Penny Ford, Midnight

Star, Wilbert Longmire and Hi-Tek. While patrons can expect to see the o cial design of the stars and their permanent placement in the ground, the site behind the honorary eight installations will remain under construction.

e Walk of Fame was conceived as an interactive tourism park with many features like QR codes, computer-generated 3D images, augmented reality and other smart device-assisted entertainment options. Walk of Fame founder and Hamilton County commissioner Alicia Reece said the park will eventually debut again in 2023 with all of the interactive features, which are currently being designed by Cincinnati’s own attraction design company JRA.

King Records Studio Buildings Are Added to the National Register of Historic Places

e King Records Legacy Foundation has achieved another milestone on its path to preserving the legacy of King Records. On Sept. 6, the King Records

studio buildings, located at 1536-1540 Brewster Ave. in Evanston, were ocially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. King Records’ spot on the National Register cements its status as an iconic xture in the nation’s music history. From the 1940s into the early 1970s, the Cincinnati label produced many celebrated and legendary musicians, including James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Philip Paul and Otis Williams. Being nationally recognized will not only provide tax credits, easements and grants for those developing the property, it will also give King Records even more “gravitas,” as Charlie Dahan, co-author of King Records’ nomination proposal, calls it. “[Being on the National Register of Historic Places] gives this building gravitas,” Dahan told CityBeat in an interview. “ e federal government is saying this is a signi cant place in American history — that it’s not just signi cant in Cincinnati and Ohio, but is signi cant to every U.S. citizen from Alaska to Florida to Maine.”

Jonn Schenz and the White House Easter Bunnies were photographed during a CityBeat interview in 2016.

PHOTO: JESSE FOX

Many types of Colonel Sanders gures were displayed in Earth to Kentucky’s art show, The Colonel: A Group Art Show.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY EARTH TO KENTUCKY

CULTURE

CULTURE

2022 Theater Year in Review

2022 Theater Year in Review

Greater Cincinnati’s theater companies staged a triumphant return to live performances. REVIEW

BY RICK PENDER

After three challenging years for theater companies — a shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing threats by viral variants and reticent audiences unsure about returning to live performances – 2022 has seen an upswing, with most Cincinnati theaters returning to some form of regular programming.

After three challenging years for theater companies — a shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing threats by viral variants and reticent audiences unsure about returning to live performances – 2022 has seen an upswing, with most Cincinnati theaters returning to some form of regular programming.

e year got o to a strong start in January with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Torie Wiggins gave a searing portrait of the 1920s jazz singer in one of Wilson’s great plays about the struggles of Black life in the 20th century. Cincy Shakes followed that with an unusual rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring Sara Clark, one of the company’s veteran performers. She triumphed in the iconic role, playing Hamlet as if the character were a woman and not merely an actress taking on a male role. Spring wrapped up with a remount of Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice in May and June, a popular production that had been cut short by the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020.

e year got o to a strong start in January with Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s production of August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Torie Wiggins gave a searing portrait of the 1920s jazz singer in one of Wilson’s great plays about the struggles of Black life in the 20th century. Cincy Shakes followed that with an unusual rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring Sara Clark, one of the company’s veteran performers. She triumphed in the iconic role, playing Hamlet as if the character were a woman and not merely an actress taking on a male role. Spring wrapped up with a remount of Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice in May and June, a popular production that had been cut short by the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020.

For the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s nal season on the Marx Stage, there was a heartwarming comedy, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help by Katie Forgette, in February. In May, Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, e

For the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s nal season on the Marx Stage, there was a heartwarming comedy, Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help by Katie Forgette, in February. In May, Jocelyn Bioh’s School Girls; Or, e

African Mean Girls Play, was the last production in that theater. e Marx will be replaced by a new mainstage, Moe & Jack’s Place – e Rouse eatre, which is set to open in March 2023 with a production of the Tony Award-winning musical A Chorus Line

African Mean Girls Play, was the last production in that theater. e Marx will be replaced by a new mainstage, Moe & Jack’s Place – e Rouse eatre, which is set to open in March 2023 with a production of the Tony Award-winning musical A Chorus Line.

As always, D. Lynn Meyers, Ensemble eatre Cincinnati’s thoughtful producing artistic director, assembled a collection of shows that inspired introspection and conversation. Queen by Madhuri Shekar, in February and March, explored ethics in scienti c research about bees. In April, the theater that brings many new works to Cincinnati theater lovers o ered a double bill: Isaiah Reaves’s I Shall Not Be Moved about his grandmother who was a Freedom Rider, and Your Negro Tour Guide by late writer and CityBeat columnist Kathy Y. Wilson. No one knew, of course, that Wilson’s voice would die just a few months later, but we should all be grateful for ETC’s presentation of her powerful, opinionated words in this one-woman show. Meyers’s string of great works continued in September with a production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning script, Sweat, a tough drama about unemployment and economic decline in contemporary America.

As always, D. Lynn Meyers, Ensemble eatre Cincinnati’s thoughtful producing artistic director, assembled a collection of shows that inspired introspection and conversation. Queen by Madhuri Shekar, in February and March, explored ethics in scienti c research about bees. In April, the theater that brings many new works to Cincinnati theater lovers o ered a double bill: Isaiah Reaves’s I Shall Not Be Moved about his grandmother who was a Freedom Rider, and Your Negro Tour Guide by late writer and CityBeat columnist Kathy Y. Wilson. No one knew, of course, that Wilson’s voice would die just a few months later, but we should all be grateful for ETC’s presentation of her powerful, opinionated words in this one-woman show. Meyers’s string of great works continued in September with a production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning script, Sweat, a tough drama about unemployment and economic decline in contemporary America.

Northern Kentucky University’s YES Festival, the oldest college new-play festival in the United States, o ered

Northern Kentucky University’s YES Festival, the oldest college new-play festival in the United States, o ered

three plays in April, including Keeper of the Realm, a new script by ETC’s Meyers produced at Covington’s Carnegie Center. Other new works by Jared Michael Delaney and Samantha Oty were presented on NKU’s campus, as well as staged readings of scripts by Sage Daman and Richard Klein.

three plays in April, including Keeper of the Realm, a new script by ETC’s Meyers produced at Covington’s Carnegie Center. Other new works by Jared Michael Delaney and Samantha Oty were presented on NKU’s campus, as well as staged readings of scripts by Sage Daman and Richard Klein.

Touring shows o ered by Broadway in Cincinnati – including several that

Touring shows o ered by Broadway in Cincinnati – including several that

were postponed by the pandemic –nally made it to the Arono Center. Ain’t Too Proud, the story of e Temptations, had strong attendance in March and thrilled fans of that legendary Motown group. Over the summer, e Band’s Visit, an unusual Tony Award winner about an Arab police band stuck in a remote Israeli town, was here for just a week, but it was an opportunity

were postponed by the pandemic –nally made it to the Arono Center. Ain’t Too Proud, the story of e Temptations, had strong attendance in March and thrilled fans of that legendary Motown group. Over the summer, e Band’s Visit, an unusual Tony Award winner about an Arab police band stuck in a remote Israeli town, was here for just a week, but it was an opportunity

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s production of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY

Torie Wiggins in Cincy Shakes’ Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY

L-R: Joe Joseph, Sasson Gabay and Janet Dacal in The Band’s Visit

PHOTO: EVAN ZIMMERMAN

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s production of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY

Torie Wiggins in Cincy Shakes’ Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER PHOTOGRAPHY

L-R: Joe Joseph, Sasson Gabay and Janet Dacal in The Band’s Visit

PHOTO: EVAN ZIMMERMAN

Greater Cincinnati’s theater companies staged a triumphant return to live performances. REVIEW BY RICK PENDER

to see one of the nest Broadway plays in recent memory. e long-awaited return of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton was here for four sold-out weeks in September.

Summer began with the nineteenth iteration of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, back in full force after two years of largely virtual presentations. is time around, the Fringe organizers at Know eatre hired Katie Hartman, a veteran touring artist who performed in several previous festivals, to orchestrate two weeks of inventive, o -beat theater. She brought a jolt of energy as well as intentional inclusivity for both tour performers and audiences.

Covington’s Carnegie, headed by artistic director Maggie Perrino, put together an ambitious repertory season of musicals, kicking o with a pair of Tony Award winners in June: Jonathan Larson’s Rent and Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. Performances of those continued in July and August, joined by a third o ering in August, George Remus – A New Musical, about the infamous and notorious bootlegger, by local playwright Joe McDonough and the composing/ lyric writing team of Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman. At summer’s end, Perrino announced her departure from the Carnegie to become the artistic director of the Cincinnati Public School’s School for Creative and Performing Arts.

As the Cincinnati Playhouse completed construction of its new mainstage, it chose to present fall productions on various stages around Greater Cincinnati. e rst of these, in September and October, was a stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder

on the Orient Express at the Arono Center’s Jarson-Kaplan eater, featuring a beautifully detailed set that took attendees onto the luxurious train.

Two more Playhouse productions landed in Covington and Price Hill. Vanessa Severo’s one-woman show (performed by the playwright) Frida … A Self Portrait captivated audiences at the Carnegie in October and November with an inventive retelling of the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. In November, Benjamin Scheuer’s e Lion found its way to the Warsaw Federal Incline eatre. A one-man performance, Max Alexander-Taylor brought to life a young guitar artist working to navigate a troubled relationship with his family. He dazzled theatergoers with his virtuoso guitar playing.

Audiences also found their way to excellent o erings by some of Cincinnati’s ne community theaters. A few worth recalling began in March with the Drama Workshop’s production of Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s Bright Star, set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in the 1940s. e Cheviot company also presented the fth iteration of its “Home Brew” series, ten short plays by local writers, followed by a reception with a local brewery. Cincinnati Music eatre, one of the city’s most ambitious companies, staged Wonderful Town, a splashy 1953 musical with a Leonard Bernstein score, in November at the Arono ’s Jarson-Kaplan eatre, CMT’s home since 1995.

ere was lots to see in 2022, and there’s more coming for 2023. For a mid-sized city, Cincinnati is blessed with an exceptionally varied theater scene — something for everyone.

Vanessa Severo as Frida Kahlo in Frida...A Self Portrait at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

PHOTO: MIKKI SCHAFFNER

2022 Dining in Review

2022 Dining in Review

Here’s how Greater Cincinnati restaurants combatted rising costs, a worker shortage and so much more to come out on top this year.

REVIEW BY PAMA MITCHELL

REVIEW BY PAMA MITCHELL

Iwould love to report that 2022 was the year that Cincinnati’s restaurants returned to pre-pandemic strength, but many of the challenges that took place during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 have not gone away.

Iwould love to report that 2022 was the year that Cincinnati’s restaurants returned to pre-pandemic strength, but many of the challenges that took place during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 have not gone away.

e lack of workers is a problem that continues to plague the entire U.S. economy and is perhaps most acute in the hospitality industries that include ne-dining establishments. Many of the top-tier restaurants in the Cincinnati metro area have developed ways to attract, train and keep talented kitchen and serving sta , but the labor pool has gotten smaller for establishments that operate without the bene t of prime locations and astute management.

e lack of workers is a problem that continues to plague the entire U.S. economy and is perhaps most acute in the hospitality industries that include ne-dining establishments. Many of the top-tier restaurants in the Cincinnati metro area have developed ways to attract, train and keep talented kitchen and serving sta , but the labor pool has gotten smaller for establishments that operate without the bene t of prime locations and astute management.

Restaurant owners also have had to cope with price increases for foods that are central to their cuisine. For instance, Crown Restaurant Group

Restaurant owners also have had to cope with price increases for foods that are central to their cuisine. For instance, Crown Restaurant Group

deemphasized pizzas by adding other Italian dishes into the mix at Rosie’s Italian in part because the cost of our — such a basic ingredient — had spiked. Kitchens have been forced to make substitutions when menu items just aren’t available, and that can be a turno to diners.

deemphasized pizzas by adding other Italian dishes into the mix at Rosie’s Italian in part because the cost of our — such a basic ingredient — had spiked. Kitchens have been forced to make substitutions when menu items just aren’t available, and that can be a turno to diners.

Meanwhile, Cincinnatians lost several wonderful restaurants this year. I’m sad about the demise of Pleasantry and Zula, though their closures may have been as much about personal choices of the owners than entirely pandemicrelated. It’s harder to accept the demise of the downtown gem Fausto and especially of Walnut Hills’ Branch, both of which appear to have been victims of today’s uniquely di cult economy.

Meanwhile, Cincinnatians lost several wonderful restaurants this year. I’m sad about the demise of Pleasantry and Zula, though their closures may have been as much about personal choices of the owners than entirely pandemicrelated. It’s harder to accept the demise of the downtown gem Fausto and especially of Walnut Hills’ Branch, both of which appear to have been victims of today’s uniquely di cult economy.

“Momentum is a powerful force,” said Mike Berry, one of the founders of e Little eld Group that opened Branch. “Once it builds it is hard to change

“Momentum is a powerful force,” said Mike Berry, one of the founders of e Little eld Group that opened Branch. “Once it builds it is hard to change

course. Unfortunately, the pandemic turned momentum against us. Try as we might, we simply couldn’t turn that momentum around.”

course. Unfortunately, the pandemic turned momentum against us. Try as we might, we simply couldn’t turn that momentum around.”

David Tape, a co-owner of Ruth’s Parkside Cafe in Northside, said he started this year hoping that 2022 would resemble 2019, but it didn’t turn out that way.

David Tape, a co-owner of Ruth’s Parkside Cafe in Northside, said he started this year hoping that 2022 would resemble 2019, but it didn’t turn out that way.

“Actually, it was another 2021,” he told CityBeat. “People aren’t coming out, not so much because of COVID fears but because of in ation and worries about the economy.”

“Actually, it was another 2021,” he told CityBeat. “People aren’t coming out, not so much because of COVID fears but because of in ation and worries about the economy.”

Tape added that “places where youth go” seem to be doing much better than places like Ruth’s: midrange restaurants located in residential neighborhoods.

Tape added that “places where youth go” seem to be doing much better than places like Ruth’s: midrange restaurants located in residential neighborhoods.

To be sure, it remains tough to score a reservation at a few of the most popular spots.

get into, but overall, it’s still a struggle for many,” said Richard Brown, who is now semi-retired after 45 years in the Cincinnati restaurant business and is currently a host at Metropole. “ e top restaurants that pay well and are busy enough for serving sta to make consistent tips are doing well.”

get into, but overall, it’s still a struggle for many,” said Richard Brown, who is now semi-retired after 45 years in the Cincinnati restaurant business and is currently a host at Metropole. “ e top restaurants that pay well and are busy enough for serving sta to make consistent tips are doing well.”

Owners of more than one restaurant have the advantage of cross-training sta , sharing suppliers and ordering food in larger quantities. Jose Salazar (Mita’s, Salazar, Goose & Elder and Daylily) said that sta members at one restaurant who are looking for more hours can ll in at another of his places. at has helped him keep a lot of good people, he added.

Owners of more than one restaurant have the advantage of cross-training sta , sharing suppliers and ordering food in larger quantities. Jose Salazar (Mita’s, Salazar, Goose & Elder and Daylily) said that sta members at one restaurant who are looking for more hours can ll in at another of his places.

at has helped him keep a lot of good people, he added.

“A handful are thriving and hard to

To be sure, it remains tough to score a reservation at a few of the most popular spots.

“A handful are thriving and hard to

David Willocks, chef and owner at Baker’s Table and Baker’s Table Bakery in Newport, said his businesses were “in a beautiful position with sta ng.” Similar to Salazar, Willocks said he

David Willocks, chef and owner at Baker’s Table and Baker’s Table Bakery in Newport, said his businesses were “in a beautiful position with sta ng.” Similar to Salazar, Willocks said he

Salazar’s unique staffing situation has allowed them to retain local talent.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SALAZAR RESTAURANT

Here’s how Greater Cincinnati restaurants combatted rising costs, a worker shortage and so much more to come out on top this year.

Salazar’s unique staffing situation has allowed them to retain local talent.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY SALAZAR RESTAURANT

keeps sta by o ering “good pay and health bene ts to all employees after 30 days on sta .”

Baker’s Table represents a case study in resilience after its much-heralded opening in 2019. anks in part to favorable press attention, including from national publications, Willocks said the restaurant had a fantastic rst year. en came the March 2020 shutdown, after which he experienced “a stark before-and-after” change in the business, he said. e restaurant evolved from a fairly casual, daytime hangout to what is now “an elevated, seasonal ne-dining restaurant,” through which he hopes eventually to win a James Beard Award, Willocks shared. Over the past couple of years, he also expanded its sister establishment, a bakery, to include a pizza parlor with regular musical entertainment.

Another recipe for success in today’s restaurant world is to nd an underserved population and invest in that neighborhood. Frank Eversole and his partner, Rick Pouliot, at E.P. Investment Group did just that in Westwood when they opened Ivory House in the summer of 2020 — at the height of the pandemic. Already invested in the community as residents and with real estate holdings, Eversole said their goal with Ivory House was the rst step in “a passion project to turn Westwood Town Hall into a destination.”

ey later bought the building that housed Henke Winery and reopened it as W Bar + Bistro. Eversole and Pouliot said that next year, they expect to open

two more restaurants within walking distance of Ivory House. e old key to success—”location, location, location” — clearly applies here. “ e west side is so very underserved,” Eversole said, “and people are enjoying coming back” after the easing of the pandemic.

But these are relative success stories, as each of the above restaurants made it through the past rocky years and are still standing. Former owners of the restaurants we’ve lost have more

troubling tales to tell — but usually not for publication.

Another old adage comes to mind: “Success has a thousand fathers, but failure is an orphan.” As hard as it is for the dining public to say goodbye to favorite places that didn’t make it, these and other less-exalted shuttered establishments seem to disappear without a trace. It’s just sad for everyone.

“ e restaurant business has always

been tough,” Salazar said. “We are always adapting, improvising and learning to think on the y.”

at’s true now more than ever, perhaps, with supply challenges, in ation worries and the perpetual need to nd, train and retain workers.

Let’s do our part as patrons of our favorite restaurants by behaving with patience, understanding and as much generosity as we can muster. We don’t want to see more casualties in 2023.

Walnut Hills’ Branch closed its doors in October.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

A large portion of Ivory House’s success can be tied to its location in the Westwood neighborhood.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

EATS

Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars That Opened in 2022

Greater Cincinnati Restaurants and Bars That Opened in 2022

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

In 2022, the Greater Cincinnati area welcomed a lot of new and exciting restaurant concepts to the local dining scene. From tried-and-true favorites opening new locations to newcomers with o erings ranging from soul food to authentic Mexican sweets to classic barbecue, here is just a sampling of the new restaurants that opened in the Tri-State this year.

In 2022, the Greater Cincinnati area welcomed a lot of new and exciting restaurant concepts to the local dining scene. From tried-and-true favorites opening new locations to newcomers with o erings ranging from soul food to authentic Mexican sweets to classic barbecue, here is just a sampling of the new restaurants that opened in the Tri-State this year.

MadTree’s Alcove

MadTree’s Alcove 1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine

1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Oakley-based MadTree Brewing partnered with 3CDC to create e Alcove, a taproom, bar and restaurant boasting MadTree brews and craft cocktails, along with farm-to-table bites from Covington restaurant Bouquet’s chef Stephen Williams. e space is light and airy with a large bar and “lush patio space for lounging and dining,” as well as a greenhouse space and living walls and chandeliers from local nonpro t Urban Bloom.

Oakley-based MadTree Brewing partnered with 3CDC to create e Alcove, a taproom, bar and restaurant boasting MadTree brews and craft cocktails, along with farm-to-table bites from Covington restaurant Bouquet’s chef Stephen Williams. e space is light and airy with a large bar and “lush patio space for lounging and dining,” as well as a greenhouse space and living walls and chandeliers from local nonpro t Urban Bloom.

Daylily

3751 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum

Daylily Deli — chef Jose Salazar and Deeper Roots Co ee’s New York-style bodega — opened in Columbia Tusculum in August. e menu features everything from the New York staple egg on a roll with American cheese, a chopped cheese sandwich (with ground beef, cheese, banana peppers, sauteed onion, lettuce, tomato and special sauce on a hoagie) and even an egg cream co ee soda.

Daylily 3751 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum Daylily Deli — chef Jose Salazar and Deeper Roots Co ee’s New York-style bodega — opened in Columbia Tusculum in August. e menu features everything from the New York staple egg on a roll with American cheese, a chopped cheese sandwich (with ground beef, cheese, banana peppers, sauteed onion, lettuce, tomato and special sauce on a hoagie) and even an egg cream co ee soda.

Element Eatery Food Hall

5350 Medpace Way, Madisonville

Element Eatery Food Hall

called good ol’ home cooking, like fried chicken, shrimp and grits, fried whiting and cat sh. On the side there’s macaroni and cheese, collard greens, sweet potatoes and cornbread.

called good ol’ home cooking, like fried chicken, shrimp and grits, fried whiting and cat sh. On the side there’s macaroni and cheese, collard greens, sweet potatoes and cornbread.

Ford’s Garage - Norwood 2692 Madison Road, Suite 115, Norwood

5350 Medpace Way, Madisonville

Element Eatery Food Hall held its grand opening in September, welcoming 10 food vendors to Madisonville, including barbecue joint Four Mile Pig; Little Easy, a New Orleans-style sandwich and gumbo shop; and Latin American eatery MashRoots, which specializes in Puerto Rican mofongo. e food hall can seat up to 400 people inside and more than 200 across three outdoor terraces.

Element Eatery Food Hall held its grand opening in September, welcoming 10 food vendors to Madisonville, including barbecue joint Four Mile Pig; Little Easy, a New Orleans-style sandwich and gumbo shop; and Latin American eatery MashRoots, which specializes in Puerto Rican mofongo. e food hall can seat up to 400 people inside and more than 200 across three outdoor terraces.

Soul Secrets

Soul Secrets

1434 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine is OTR spot doesn’t just o er soul food – its recipes tell the story of owner Candice Holloway’s family. “Our recipes – that’s what we bring to the table. ey’re historic, they’re traditional, they are original, they’re from scratch, they are made with love.” Holloway tells CityBeat. e menu shows entrees that, in a lot of the South, would just be

1434 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine is OTR spot doesn’t just o er soul food – its recipes tell the story of owner Candice Holloway’s family. “Our recipes – that’s what we bring to the table. ey’re historic, they’re traditional, they are original, they’re from scratch, they are made with love.” Holloway tells CityBeat. e menu shows entrees that, in a lot of the South, would just be

is Florida-based beer-and-burger chain, which is an o cial licensee of the Ford Motor Company, opened in the Rookwood Commons & Pavilion in April. Channeling a “1920s service station/prohibition bar” vibe, the menu focuses heavily on its black Angus beef burgers, but also carries veggie burgers, homemade meatloaf, chicken wings, onion rings and macaroni and cheese, as well as seafood, salads and chicken. Another location is due to open in Florence soon.

Ford’s Garage - Norwood 2692 Madison Road, Suite 115, Norwood is Florida-based beer-and-burger chain, which is an o cial licensee of the Ford Motor Company, opened in the Rookwood Commons & Pavilion in April. Channeling a “1920s service station/prohibition bar” vibe, the menu focuses heavily on its black Angus beef burgers, but also carries veggie burgers, homemade meatloaf, chicken wings, onion rings and macaroni and cheese, as well as seafood, salads and chicken. Another location is due to open in Florence soon.

Dulce Pecado

Dulce Pecado

567 Main St., Hamilton is family-owned cafe, which opened in November, features classic American treats alongside authentic Mexican sweets and paninis. If you’re looking to try fresa con crema (strawberries and cream), paletas (a popsicle made with fresh, frozen fruit), bolis (ice cream in a tube) and mangonada, which is a frozen mango treat usually made with chamoy and chile lime seasoning, head to Dulce Pecado.

567 Main St., Hamilton is family-owned cafe, which opened in November, features classic American treats alongside authentic Mexican sweets and paninis. If you’re looking to try fresa con crema (strawberries and cream), paletas (a popsicle made with fresh, frozen fruit), bolis (ice cream in a tube) and mangonada, which is a frozen mango treat usually made with chamoy and chile lime seasoning, head to Dulce Pecado.

Symposium

Hills this spring, sporting a relaxed Hemingway cafe-style atmosphere. e cantina features a snack bar along with a co ee bar that converts into a wine bar later in the day, plus there are avianthemed cocktails, dubbed “birdtails.”

Hills this spring, sporting a relaxed Hemingway cafe-style atmosphere. e cantina features a snack bar along with a co ee bar that converts into a wine bar later in the day, plus there are avianthemed cocktails, dubbed “birdtails.”

Royce

501 Vine St., Downtown

Royce

Flavors of the Isle

Flavors of the Isle

501 Vine St., Downtown

2835 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills Symposium opened in East Walnut

Symposium

2835 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills Symposium opened in East Walnut

In August, modern French brasserie Royce opened at e Foundry, 3CDC’s $51 million development in the building that previously housed the downtown Macy’s. Described as “a Frenchleaning dining experience,” Royce features a raw bar and an open-air kitchen and dining room that’s inspired by European markets, New York City brasseries and French delicatessens.

In August, modern French brasserie Royce opened at e Foundry, 3CDC’s $51 million development in the building that previously housed the downtown Macy’s. Described as “a Frenchleaning dining experience,” Royce features a raw bar and an open-air kitchen and dining room that’s inspired by European markets, New York City brasseries and French delicatessens.

1807 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Findlay Market welcomed Jamaican soul food restaurant Flavors of the Isle to its fold in October. e restaurant and bar is owned by Detroit-native-turnedlongtime-Cincinnati-resident Ebony Williams and specializes in its famous Jamaican jerk chicken. Flavors of the Isle had its start as a member of the Outdoor Market and Findlay Kitchen, a nonpro t supporting local food entrepreneurs, and was launched as a way to address the shortage of ethnic eateries in Cincinnati, says Williams.

1807 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Findlay Market welcomed Jamaican soul food restaurant Flavors of the Isle to its fold in October. e restaurant and bar is owned by Detroit-native-turnedlongtime-Cincinnati-resident Ebony Williams and specializes in its famous Jamaican jerk chicken. Flavors of the Isle had its start as a member of the Outdoor Market and Findlay Kitchen, a nonpro t supporting local food entrepreneurs, and was launched as a way to address the shortage of ethnic eateries in Cincinnati, says Williams.

Sleepy Bee Cafe - College Hill 5920 Hamilton Ave., College Hill Sleepy Bee, which o ers brunch and

Sleepy Bee Cafe - College Hill 5920 Hamilton Ave., College Hill Sleepy Bee, which o ers brunch and

Fifty Fifty Gin Club pours around 60 different gins in a posh setting.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Daylily Deli is chef Jose Salazar’s latest venture.

PHOTO: CATIE VIOX

Fifty Fifty Gin Club pours around 60 different gins in a posh setting.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Daylily Deli is chef Jose Salazar’s latest venture.

PHOTO: CATIE VIOX

lunch options focused on fresh, local ingredients, opened its newest location in August as part of College Hill’s Keymark Development revitalization project. e new cafe is serving all the favorites, from buttermilk pancakes to avocado toast to breakfast sandwiches, plus plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.

MamaBear’s Mac at Grainworks Brewing Company 7790 Service Center Drive, West Chester

Food truck MamaBear’s Mac opened its rst brick-and-mortar location inside Grainworks Brewing Company’s taproom in October. It continues to serve up its award-winning mac and cheese ights alongside new o erings like the Vermont Farm Burger, e Italian, Vermont Grilled Cheese and Grainworks Nachos.

Milkman

1106 Race St., Over-the-Rhine

Milkman opened in the former Revolution Rotisserie spot in OTR this September. e concept is a mix of modern and vintage, serving up diner favorites like smash-style burgers and fries along with classic dishes with a spin, such as boozy milkshakes and a bacon-wrapped hot dog.

Café Alma

6111 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge

Health-focused Mediterranean restaurant Café Alma opened early in 2022, o ering delicious but healthy dishes that use high-quality ingredients packed with good avors. delicious but healthy dishes by using high-quality ingredients packed with good avors. Breakfast o ers everything from a build-your-own omelet to four di erent

options of the Middle Eastern breakfast favorite shakshuka. Heading into lunch, there are salads and sandwiches packed with fresh ingredients. Café Alma is also certi ed Kosher.

Genki Ramen - Oakley

3200 Vandercar Way, Suite 5, Oakley

Popular Japanese-style ramen restaurant chain Genki Ramen opened its third location in 2022, this time in Oakley. Choose from more than ten di erent types of ramen, like the shio paitan, which is an enticing blend of chicken broth, kikurage mushrooms, bamboo shoots, sh cakes, a soft boiled egg and barbecue pork. ere are additional Genki Ramen locations in Mason and West Chester.

Mi Cozumel

3100 Vandercar Way, Oakley

Popular Mexican restaurant Mi Cozumel opened the doors of its third location in Oakley this year. e place is a paradise for margarita lovers, with more than 40 avors on the menu. In addition to the margs, the menu features quintessential Mexican cuisine, like street tacos and fajitas, alongside culinary innovations.

Taste of Belgium - Liberty Township 7622 Blake St., Liberty Township

Taste of Belgium opened a new bistro in Liberty Center with what it calls “one of the largest menu updates in ToB history.” e menu features both lunch and dinner options, with new evening dishes including Carbonnades Flamandes, Chicken Waterzooi and Belgian meatballs over stoemp.

e daytime menu also includes eggs Benedict with a wa e as well as a wa e with lox.

Barleycorn’s Brewhouse

402 Licking Pike, Wilder

In August, Northern Kentucky chain Barleycorn’s opened its rst brewhouse, described as a “new twist on a classic, hometown brand.” e brewhouse focuses on featuring local craft beer and food plus house-made brews and eats from its test kitchen. e brewhouse also has a selection of signature cocktails.

Nolia Kitchen

1405 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine

Nolia opened in April, adding some Southern air to Cincinnati’s foodie landscape. Its unique dishes are inspired by Chef Je Harris’ upbringing in New Orleans while staying authentic to Harris rather than just to his hometown’s traditional cuisine. e dining environment is upscale yet approachable, o ering a menu stacked with dishes like delectable roasted chicken, cider-braised greens and andouillecrusted red sh. All of the side dishes are vegan.

e Arepa Place - Wyoming 1517 Spring eld Pike

e Findlay Market favorite brought its fast-casual South American eats to Wyoming this winter. e Arepa Place, owned by Isis Arrieta-Dennis, serves authentic Colombian eats inspired by her home country, with stu ed arepas – a pocket-like food made from a corn dough and lling – being the main star of the menu.

Mama’s on Main

621 Main St., Covington

Mama’s on Main, from restaurateurs Emily Wol and Paul Weckman, opened in March, bringing traditional,

pasta-oriented Italian fare to Covington. e goal is to provide the neighborhood with traditional red-sauce Italian fare, starting with basic spaghetti and meatballs. Simpler dishes include popular standards such as cacio e pepe and rigatoni with vodka sauce.

Son of a Butcher Steakhouse 7630 Gibson St., Suite 110, Liberty Township e team behind Agave & Rye seems to have conquered the eccentric taco world and this year set their sights on steakhouses. Son of a Butcher – also referred to as S.O.B. – opened its doors in Liberty Center in March with the aim to “[evolve] the stu y steakhouse into something magical.” Along with USDA Prime cuts, wagyu, caviar and shaved tru es, there is also a wagyu burger, a lobster roll, a chicken chopped salad and black tru e gnocchi.

Crown Cantina

326 E. Eighth St., Downtown Crown Cantina opened in February in the space formerly occupied by Cheapside Cafe. is Crown Restaurant Group spot is a self-described mix of “contemporary, authentic Mexican cuisine and cocktails.” According to a description from Crown Cantina’s website, “what di erentiates Crown Cantina from other south-of-the-border-inspired restaurants in the city is its unique blend of authentic Mexican avors and ingredients that are bold while being approachable and 100% gluten-free.”

Y’All Cafe

50 E. Rivercenter Blvd., Covington is cozy eatery opened in the RiverCenter complex in October and features

Over-the-Rhine’s Soul Secrets offers soul food made with love and purpose.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

Crown Cantina serves up contemporary Mexican food and cocktails.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

everything from omelets and avocado toast to burgers, salads and sandwiches, plus a selection of boozy beverages like local beer, bloody marys, mimosas and cocktails. ere are also signature dishes like the Y’all Super Quiche, made with shallots, bacon and gruyére cheese, and more veggie-forward items like the ai lettuce wrap.

Tickle

Pickle at Listermann Brewing Company

1621 Dana Ave., Evanston

One of Cincinnati’s favorite burger joints opened another location to tickle patrons’ taste buds. Tickle Pickle began serving its rad burgers, with names like Breadzepplin and Nom Petty, at its satellite spot at Listermann Brewing Company in October.

Nasu Japanese Steakhouse 165 Pavilion Parkway, Newport is hibachi spot opened this summer in Newport, o ering traditional Japanese food. Along with hibachi o erings, Nasu also serves bento boxes, sushi, sashimi and tempura dishes.

e Filson 25 E. Freedom Way, e Banks Described as an “upscale sports bar,” e Filson o ers craft cocktails, local beers and “beertails.” For food, it has “elevated sports bar dishes’’ featuring items like e Porkopolis Burger topped with barbecue sauce, bacon, cheese, pickles and fried onions as well as the Explorer’s Club sandwich, which comes with roasted chicken, Black Forest ham, Applewood-smoked bacon and cheddar and jack cheeses.

Shiners on the Levee 1 Levee Way, Newport Newport on the Levee got a new casual barbecue spot in December. Shiners on the Levee o ers a traditional barbecue with smoked meats, plus appetizers, salads, sandwiches and sides.

Catch-a-Fire Pizza - Lebanon 511 N. Broadway St., Lebanon

Popular pizzeria Catch-a-Fire Pizza opened its third location in November, this time in the heart of historic downtown Lebanon. e pizzeria serves its authentic, hand-crafted Neapolitanstyle pizzas as well as sandwiches, salads, wood- red wings and housemade desserts. It also has more than 20 beers on tap plus wines from California and Italy. In addition to its taproom and dining area, Catch-a-Fire has an indoor/outdoor bar and patio and the Broadway Room, a reservable event space with a private bar and patio.

Heyday

1525 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills e owners of the former O Pie O

transformed their pie shop into a new burger concept this year. Even though their smash burgers and dry cured fries are their specialties, Heyday also o ers hot dogs, chicken tenders and three different pie options as an homage to the business’ O Pie O roots.

Green District 33 E. Sixth St., Downtown; 11255 Reed Hartman Highway, Blue Ash; 257 Calhoun St., Clifton

Green District, a popular Louisvillebased fast-casual chain known for its salads, grain bowls and wraps, opened three locations in the Greater Cincinnati area this year: Fountain Square in Downtown, Blue Ash and Clifton. e chain also has plans to open two other locations in the Tri-State by mid-2023.

Warped Wing Brewpub & Smokery

5650 Tylersville Road, Mason

Dayton-based Warped Wing Brewing Company arrived in Mason in February, bringing many of the brewery’s popular beers, like the Trotwood Lager. e food menu features smoked wings, plus loads of sandwiches, tacos, platters and shareable options.

Fuel

1218 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine

Taste of Belgium founder JeanFrançois Flechet’s new eatery Fuel is aimed at providing “meals for healthy lifestyles that are nutritionally inspired.” It features a menu stocked with grain bowls and salads topped with proteins and veggies.

Luca Bistro 934 Hatch St., Mt. Adams

A taste of Southern France came to Mt. Adams in October with the opening

of Luca Bistro. e restaurant serves croissants and co ee for breakfast along with full-service lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. e menu includes dishes like chicken Provençal, steak frites and the “84 Burger,” which pays homage to head chef Frederic Maniet’s hometown of Vaucluse, France.

Fifty Fifty Gin Club 35 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine Attached to Homemakers Bar, which describes itself as a slightly retro, mostly modern cocktail bar, Fifty Fifty Gin Club, opened this summer. It o ers around 60 di erent gins, from locally distilled to imported Japanese varieties alongside representatives from seemingly every distinguished gin-producing region. e cocktail menu runs the gamut (or gimlet) of all of gin’s expressions, making it an alluring destination for juniper lovers.

Rosie’s Italian 300 E. Seventh St., Downtown Crown Restaurant Group (Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti, Crown Cantina, Five on Vine) has refreshed and reopened one of its downtown eateries. e former Rosie’s Cocktails & Pints — which temporarily closed in August — is helmed by chef and owner Anthony Sitek, with a menu focusing on family recipes and traditions. Diners can expect scratch-made pastas, Italian-style main dishes and the same New Jersey-style pizzas Rosie’s was previously known for, with Sitek’s goal of embodying a Sunday Italian supper.

El Camino Baking Co. 5915 Hamilton Ave., College Hill College Hill is now home to El Camino Baking Co. It’s owned by Ryan

Morgan, who gained national attention as owner and head baker of Sixteen Bricks, and pastry chef Megan Ketover, who has established a great reputation as executive pastry chef for Boca, Khora and Hart & Cru. e bakery o ers an assortment of pastries along with an assortment of breads and pretzels. e menu rotates because, as Morgan puts it, El Camino gives him the chance to make bread that he wants to bake.

Alice 1432 Main St., Over-the-Rhine Alice, a bar in Over-the-Rhine that opened in late June, doesn’t take its name or inspiration from the one of Wonderland fame, but the spot is just as charming and beguiling as Lewis Carroll’s protagonist might expect. Located in an old garage-warehouse on the corner of East Liberty and Main streets, Alice stands apart from the other bar options in the area with colorful industrial vibes and clever cocktails.

Sen by Kiki

1801 Race St., Over-the-Rhine

Sen by Kiki o ers sh and other aquatic cuisine, including freshly shucked oysters ready to enjoy right at the market with all the xings. Owner and chef Hideki “Kiki” Harada – who also is behind Sen and Kiki College Hill – keeps his stand stocked with a variety of mollusks for patrons to buy individually or by the bucket. Sen by Kiki also o ers other dishes prepared in-house, such as kimchi, roe and smoked trout dip

Annata Wine Bar and Cellar 2021 Madison Rd., O’Bryonville

Cincinnati is not as well known for its wine production as it is its beer, but thirsty locals are cultivating a maturing wine scene that has seen some great additions recently. In May, local wine veteran Tim Shumrick popped the cork on his new venture, Annata Wine Bar and Cellar in O’Bryonville. Annata features about 25 wines by the glass plus a few craft beers and bottled domestic beers.

Bloom OTR

1120 Walnut St., Over-the-Rhine e former home of a beloved local LGBTQ+ bar Below Zero Lounge got new life with the June opening of Bloom OTR. Emma Nurre, who is part owner and director of operations at Bloom, says the goal of the bar is to play o the history of the building, creating a safe space that also o ers drinking, dancing and drag performances. Where Below Zero o ered weekend drag shows in the upstairs Cabaret, Bloom has renovated the rst oor to accommodate a slew of weekly performances as well as the rest of the revelry that comes with a nightclub.

Madtree’s Alcove offers a light and airy space in which to imbibe.

PHOTO: HAILEY BOLLINGER

MUSIC

MUSIC

BIRKMEYER

The Queen City Gets Its Groove Back

The Queen City Gets Its Groove Back

Cincinnati musicians found triumphs throughout 2022.

Cincinnati musicians found triumphs throughout 2022.

BY KATRINA ERESMAN

BY KATRINA ERESMAN

It doesn’t seem right to say that the COVID-19 pandemic was good for the music scene — or anything, for that matter. But it’s had its silver linings. e devastations and disappointments that the pandemic brought proved just how important live music and art are for Cincinnati’s sense of community and general happiness. In 2022, the scene in Cincinnati returned not to its pre-pandemic self, but to a thriving entity beyond where 2020’s shutdowns left it.

It doesn’t seem right to say that the COVID-19 pandemic was good for the music scene — or anything, for that matter. But it’s had its silver linings. e devastations and disappointments that the pandemic brought proved just how important live music and art are for Cincinnati’s sense of community and general happiness. In 2022, the scene in Cincinnati returned not to its pre-pandemic self, but to a thriving entity beyond where 2020’s shutdowns left it.

“Shows are way better now”

now.”

now.”

Audio engineer, producer and musician John Ho man agrees.

Audio engineer, producer and musician John Ho man agrees.

“Shows are way better now,” Homan tells CityBeat. “People seem to have a renewed interest. [...] Shows are packed with new faces and styles have diversi ed.”

“Shows are way better now,” Homan tells CityBeat. “People seem to have a renewed interest. [...] Shows are packed with new faces and styles have diversi ed.”

music scene. In order for musicians to thrive, they need places to play and people to invest in them. at’s where event curators like WARMTH Culture and Red Light Jazz Room are making a huge di erence.

music scene. In order for musicians to thrive, they need places to play and people to invest in them. at’s where event curators like WARMTH Culture and Red Light Jazz Room are making a huge di erence.

enough to o er space for new artists and a diverse scene. And with cities like Chicago and Detroit just a drive away, there’s opportunity for networking across the midwest.

enough to o er space for new artists and a diverse scene. And with cities like Chicago and Detroit just a drive away, there’s opportunity for networking across the midwest.

“Shows are way better now”

Back in 2019, the local music scene was chugging along as always. You could nd a live show somewhere almost any night of the week. Venues like MOTR Pub and Northside Tavern were regularly bringing in smaller touring acts, which meant upcoming local bands had opportunities to network and plan their own shows beyond the Queen City.

Back in 2019, the local music scene was chugging along as always. You could nd a live show somewhere almost any night of the week. Venues like MOTR Pub and Northside Tavern were regularly bringing in smaller touring acts, which meant upcoming local bands had opportunities to network and plan their own shows beyond the Queen City.

It was good, but 2022 taught us that it could be better.

It was good, but 2022 taught us that it could be better.

“It felt like maybe there was a few years of kind of a lull in the scene in general,” recalls Mol Sullivan, a local musician who has been playing on and o around Cincinnati for over a decade. “But right now…,” she trails o dreamily. “I feel really inspired by the music that’s happening in Cincinnati right

“It felt like maybe there was a few years of kind of a lull in the scene in general,” recalls Mol Sullivan, a local musician who has been playing on and o around Cincinnati for over a decade. “But right now…,” she trails o dreamily. “I feel really inspired by the music that’s happening in Cincinnati right

Ho man says that at the beginning of the pandemic, he had ve artists cancel their recording sessions for safety reasons. But it didn’t take long before his recording schedule was even busier than before the pandemic. Homan says that for many, this was due to musicians receiving federal stimulus checks that helped pay for studio time, while time o work gave them energy to focus on music.

Ho man says that at the beginning of the pandemic, he had ve artists cancel their recording sessions for safety reasons. But it didn’t take long before his recording schedule was even busier than before the pandemic. Homan says that for many, this was due to musicians receiving federal stimulus checks that helped pay for studio time, while time o work gave them energy to focus on music.

“Every musician nally had enough money to live on and didn’t have to waste their time working at jobs, making rich people their money,” Ho man says. “ ey had time to write more than normal and they could all a ord to go into the studio fairly liberally.”

“Every musician nally had enough money to live on and didn’t have to waste their time working at jobs, making rich people their money,” Ho man says. “ ey had time to write more than normal and they could all a ord to go into the studio fairly liberally.”

Sullivan also suspects that free time during the shutdown helped the scene blossom into what it is today.

Sullivan also suspects that free time during the shutdown helped the scene blossom into what it is today.

“[Maybe] it’s just one of the residual gifts of people having time and space throughout the pandemic to sharpen their axes and spend time with their instruments,” Sullivan says.

“[Maybe] it’s just one of the residual gifts of people having time and space throughout the pandemic to sharpen their axes and spend time with their instruments,” Sullivan says.

Performers aren’t the only ones responsible for the resurgence in the

Performers aren’t the only ones responsible for the resurgence in the

Local activist and hip-hop artist Siri Imani began curating shows through Imani Productions in late 2020. is year alone, Imani Productions booked over 300 artists for paying gigs around the city.

Local activist and hip-hop artist Siri Imani began curating shows through Imani Productions in late 2020. is year alone, Imani Productions booked over 300 artists for paying gigs around the city.

“ is year, I kind of took a little step back from performing and de nitely [from] releasing music to get back to curating,” Imani says.

“ is year, I kind of took a little step back from performing and de nitely [from] releasing music to get back to curating,” Imani says.

Imani says she noticed several artists pivoting from creating to curating in 2022 because there was such a need for programming.

Imani says she noticed several artists pivoting from creating to curating in 2022 because there was such a need for programming.

“Once COVID happened, there [were] no opportunities, really. Venues didn’t have a plan for any programming,” Imani says. “ at’s when the curator side had to come back out for a lot of us. We started curating our own opportunities and also extending them as well.”

“Once COVID happened, there [were] no opportunities, really. Venues didn’t have a plan for any programming,” Imani says. “ at’s when the curator side had to come back out for a lot of us. We started curating our own opportunities and also extending them as well.”

“Our country’s best kept secret”

ere are two things that make Cincinnati an arguably excellent scene for upcoming musicians: its size and location. e city is small enough to foster community and collaborations but big

ere are two things that make Cincinnati an arguably excellent scene for upcoming musicians: its size and location. e city is small enough to foster community and collaborations but big

“I love being able to call this town my home,” musician Jess Lamb tells CityBeat. “It’s so rich for collaborating. I feel like almost everyone you meet is up for collaboration.”

“I love being able to call this town my home,” musician Jess Lamb tells CityBeat. “It’s so rich for collaborating. I feel like almost everyone you meet is up for collaboration.”

Lamb has been performing in Cincinnati since 2012 and started heavily collaborating in 2018. Her band Jess Lamb and e Factory has managed to hold residency spots on and o since before the pandemic started. As of press time, they have a ursday night residency at Queen City Radio, which features a rotation of local guest artists such as Imani, harpist Victoria Lekson, and Luke Glaser of Sylmar.

Lamb has been performing in Cincinnati since 2012 and started heavily collaborating in 2018. Her band Jess Lamb and e Factory has managed to hold residency spots on and o since before the pandemic started. As of press time, they have a ursday night residency at Queen City Radio, which features a rotation of local guest artists such as Imani, harpist Victoria Lekson, and Luke Glaser of Sylmar.

“I really dig that way of booking these days,” Lamb says. “Especially when we have so many di erent artists popping through and we can keep it fresh, you know?”

“I really dig that way of booking these days,” Lamb says. “Especially when we have so many di erent artists popping through and we can keep it fresh, you know?”

Cincinnati’s collaborative opportunities are not lost on newer projects such as Spoils, a spirited alt-rock band that played their rst show at a friend’s house in 2021.

Cincinnati’s collaborative opportunities are not lost on newer projects such as Spoils, a spirited alt-rock band that played their rst show at a friend’s house in 2021.

“ e Cincinnati music scene is our country’s best kept secret,” Nina Payiatis of Spoils tells CityBeat via email. “Love the sense of camaraderie and the way artists and musicians collaborate and

“ e Cincinnati music scene is our country’s best kept secret,” Nina Payiatis of Spoils tells CityBeat via email. “Love the sense of camaraderie and the way artists and musicians collaborate and

“Our country’s best kept secret”

Jess Lamb performs during a show at ADC Fine Art with Warren Harrison on keys and Chase Watkins on bass.

PHOTO: CHRIS

Jess Lamb performs during a show at ADC Fine Art with Warren Harrison on keys and Chase Watkins on bass.

PHOTO: CHRIS BIRKMEYER

support one another here.”

Since releasing their debut EP Find Later in March this year, Spoils has gone on a small midwestern tour and played well-attended shows around Cincinnati.

“We got to play music we love to people we love and watch them dance and have fun,” Spoils says. “What could be better than that?”

For Sullivan, the city’s central location has been a big help in her most recent moves as a musician. She has used New York City as a songwriting retreat destination and recorded her upcoming album in Chicago with audio engineer and musician Sima Cunningham. A multi-metropolis network like the one found here isn’t as accessible for musicians located in more isolated cities like Denver or Austin.

Plus for countless musicians, the Queen City has served as an easy jumping o point for a tour. Sullivan and her band did a small run of dates this spring, which she says further motivated her.

“It not only satis ed a huge itch, but it made me want more,” she says.

Permission to go for it

In 2022, the Cincinnati music world grew into something bigger than just tunes. It became a space where artists could collaborate and inspire across di erent mediums.

“It’s operating as a ‘scene’ again,” Ho man says. “Artists are throwing art shows within the context of the music scene (Drew Dubs’ ‘Propitiation,’ Contemporary Art Center’s Subterranean). Photographers (Alexzandra Roy, Sydney Sebastian) are active within the music scene and are working with tangible mediums like lm and zines. Performance artists (JSSJ, Fruit LoOops) are bridging the gap with concerts.”

Imani reports an equally diverse turnout at her Tuesday night open-mic series at Somerset, one of many events produced by Imani Productions.

“It was more than just an open mic,” she says. “It was like an explosion of art. We had our regular poets. We had live music performers. We had re dancers, violinists, painters.”

e more the local scene grows out of its comfort zone, the more local artists are inspiring one another to keep pushing the boundaries. When naming their favorite artists and musicians of 2022, all ve of CityBeat’s interview subjects share a long, long list.

Within their lists, they unknowingly tell of mutual admiration within the city’s scene. For example, Imani shouts out WARMTH events, while Sullivan recalls seeing Imani perform a WARMTH event at e Mockbee. Lamb sings praises for Sullivan’s 2022 single “Deep End Dive” and mentions her admiration for Bailey Miller, Sylmar and Lauren Eylise. Ho man praises Nick Maurer, Corker and Spoils, who mentions Fairmount Girls, Willie & e Cigs and e Earthly Delights.

In 2022, Cincinnati’s music scene expanded while remaining connected and supportive. It kept roots in triedand-true venues like e Southgate House Revival and e Comet while creating buzz in new ones such as Somerset and DSGN CLLCTV.

is all gave this city’s musical creatives permission to go for it.

“If there’s any illusion or perception of trying, I think it can be really scary,” Sullivan says. “Because the people at our shows are like our friends and neighbors and stu ; it’s not just, like, fans. And so it can be hard, I think, for performers historically to feel comfortable or safe like really trying. [...]I think that a lot of us are just kind of throwing down on being good and having that be ok.”

Mol Sullivan performs at Sleeping Village in Chicago in April.

PHOTO: HANNAH SELLERS

MUSIC

MUSIC

Hear It Here

Hear It Here

Don’t miss these 10 outstanding albums released by Cincinnati musicians in 2022.

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

BY CITYBEAT STAFF

Cincinnati has been a hotbed of quality music for decades – sometimes we just need to be reminded about it. Luckily, plenty of local musicians (and some native Cincinnatians who are now based elsewhere) continue to release albums that drive home just how rich and layered the Cincinnati music scene really is. Below, check out some of those records that have been playing on repeat in the CityBeat o ce.

Cincinnati has been a hotbed of quality music for decades – sometimes we just need to be reminded about it. Luckily, plenty of local musicians (and some native Cincinnatians who are now based elsewhere) continue to release albums that drive home just how rich and layered the Cincinnati music scene really is. Below, check out some of those records that have been playing on repeat in the CityBeat o ce.

Crime of Passing, Crime of Passing

Crime of Passing, Crime of Passing

Ace indie Feel It Records, which is now based in Cincinnati, dropped this potent, nine-song debut back in April. Frontwoman Andie Luman sounds as if she is singing from the bottom of a well, pleading for someone to listen. e band around her whips up a curious racket indebted to Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees but with their own layer of unease as ominous synth and guitar lines mingle with an insistent rhythm section. e mood is icy, the soundtrack to a world spiraling out of control. Don’t be surprised if David Lynch incorporates Crime of Passing’s spooky vibe in his next mind-bending cinematic e ort. Info: crimeofpassing.bandcamp.com. (Jason Gargano)

Ace indie Feel It Records, which is now based in Cincinnati, dropped this potent, nine-song debut back in April. Frontwoman Andie Luman sounds as if she is singing from the bottom of a well, pleading for someone to listen. e band around her whips up a curious racket indebted to Joy Division and Siouxsie and the Banshees but with their own layer of unease as ominous synth and guitar lines mingle with an insistent rhythm section. e mood is icy, the soundtrack to a world spiraling out of control. Don’t be surprised if David Lynch incorporates Crime of Passing’s spooky vibe in his next mind-bending cinematic e ort. Info: crimeofpassing.bandcamp.com. (Jason Gargano)

Pete Fosco, Invisible Ground Sessions

Pete Fosco, Invisible Ground Sessions

Local experimental guitarist Pete Fosco released Invisible Ground Sessions on Nov. 14 in collaboration with the Athens-based podcast Invisible Ground Invisible Ground explores the intersection between local history, art, music and storytelling in the community. Fosco recorded the album, which consists of two long improvised guitar pieces, cloistered in a cabin in the woods between Athens and Nelsonville. It’s the perfect music to get lost in – the gently swirling guitar layered through reverb and delay pedals creates a meditative, almost raga-like ambience. Be sure to check out Fosco’s other solo guitar projects on his Bandcamp pro le. Info: petefosco.bandcamp.com. (Derek Kalback)

Local experimental guitarist Pete Fosco released Invisible Ground Sessions on Nov. 14 in collaboration with the Athens-based podcast Invisible Ground Invisible Ground explores the intersection between local history, art, music and storytelling in the community. Fosco recorded the album, which consists of two long improvised guitar pieces, cloistered in a cabin in the woods between Athens and Nelsonville. It’s the perfect music to get lost in – the gently swirling guitar layered through reverb and delay pedals creates a meditative, almost raga-like ambience. Be sure to check out Fosco’s other solo guitar projects on his Bandcamp pro le. Info: petefosco.bandcamp.com. (Derek Kalback)

Fruit LoOops, Last Chance at the Pharmacy

Fruit LoOops, Last Chance at the Pharmacy

Experimental noise-rock group Fruit LoOops’ 2022 release Last Chance at the Pharmacy is an expansive, freewheeling

Experimental noise-rock group Fruit LoOops’ 2022 release Last Chance at the Pharmacy is an expansive, freewheeling

set of sounds assembled and melded together like a sound collage of 20th century musical styles or some abstract modern sculpture. e band has more in common with the Dada art movement, though, generating creative chaos that is sometimes spontaneous, absurd and intentionally o -kilter, which makes for a more than refreshing take on songwriting. ough everything often seems in disarray, it still feels intentional and orchestrated, all held together with a through-thread of post-punk that seems to share a lineage to bands like Suburban Lawns or the futuristic chaos punk of Brainiac. Songs like “Su er,” with its crescendo chorus of the four-piece band pushing into overdrive, or the pounding of “Pharmacy” are followed by the samples and electronic noise collage of “Loveitkissit” as a type of palate cleanser, but the songs all feel like biting into some kind of sour citrus fruit that is strangely delicious. Info: fruitlooops.bandcamp.com/ album/last-chance-at-the-pharmacy. (Brent Stroud)

set of sounds assembled and melded together like a sound collage of 20th century musical styles or some abstract modern sculpture. e band has more in common with the Dada art movement, though, generating creative chaos that is sometimes spontaneous, absurd and intentionally o -kilter, which makes for a more than refreshing take on songwriting. ough everything often seems in disarray, it still feels intentional and orchestrated, all held together with a through-thread of post-punk that seems to share a lineage to bands like Suburban Lawns or the futuristic chaos punk of Brainiac. Songs like “Su er,” with its crescendo chorus of the four-piece band pushing into overdrive, or the pounding of “Pharmacy” are followed by the samples and electronic noise collage of “Loveitkissit” as a type of palate cleanser, but the songs all feel like biting into some kind of sour citrus fruit that is strangely delicious. Info: fruitlooops.bandcamp.com/ album/last-chance-at-the-pharmacy. (Brent Stroud)

Lung, Let It Be Gone

e two-piece cello and drums duo Lung is one of the hardest working bands in Cincinnati (and likely beyond). All of the nonstop touring seems to keep paying o , further strengthening the band’s cabaret punk, art-rock sound. Let It Be Gone is as strong as anything they’ve released to memory. Often angular and striking, the album takes surprising turns, with classically trained cellist and vocalist Kate Wake eld playing driving ri s through fuzz pedals and making her cello sound more like a baritone guitar, at times. She lets the natural beauty of the instrument come through, such as in the title track “Let It Be Gone.” Drummer Daisy Caplan creates solid foundations for the dynamic songs while propelling them forward. Wake eld’s vocals soar over everything, at times incorporating her opera background to great e ect on songs such as “Rag Doll,” “Siren” or closing track “Bones,” which breaks down into a haunting and impressive layer of a capella vocals before diving back into the dirge. Info: lung.bandcamp.com/album/let-it-begone. (BS)

Lung, Let It Be Gone

e two-piece cello and drums duo Lung is one of the hardest working bands in Cincinnati (and likely beyond). All of the nonstop touring seems to keep paying o , further strengthening the band’s cabaret punk, art-rock sound. Let It Be Gone is as strong as anything they’ve released to memory. Often angular and striking, the album takes surprising turns, with classically trained cellist and vocalist Kate Wake eld playing driving ri s through fuzz pedals and making her cello sound more like a baritone guitar, at times. She lets the natural beauty of the instrument come through, such as in the title track “Let It Be Gone.” Drummer Daisy Caplan creates solid foundations for the dynamic songs while propelling them forward. Wake eld’s vocals soar over everything, at times incorporating her opera background to great e ect on songs such as “Rag Doll,” “Siren” or closing track “Bones,” which breaks down into a haunting and impressive layer of a capella vocals before diving back into the dirge. Info: lung.bandcamp.com/album/let-it-begone. (BS)

Slow Glows, But What Do I Know

Slow Glows, But What Do I Know

But What Do I Know, the sophomore album by local shoegaze band Slow

But What Do I Know, the sophomore album by local shoegaze band Slow

Glows, is a psychedelic work of epic proportions. Listening to it — especially with headphones cranked way up — is like being pulled into an oceanic oil painting. From “Cast a Shadow” to “Cloudless,” you tread water sonically in waves of guitar and bass drenched in delay and reverb while being lulled by the slow and steady motion of the drum kit. Kelli Redding, guitarist and vocalist for the band, began her musical journey as a classical pianist before at age 18 transitioning to guitar. Along with drummer Rachel ode, she would eventually go on to form Slow Glows. Inspired by shoegaze legends like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, Slow Glows soon began creating their own body of work and in 2022 released But What Do I Know, which was recorded live at Mt. Saturn Studio with producer Brian Olive. Pro tip: Once you’ve listened to the album, go and hear Slow Glows perform these amazing songs live. Info: slowglows.bandcamp.com/ album/but-what-do-i-know. (Eric Bates)

Glows, is a psychedelic work of epic proportions. Listening to it — especially with headphones cranked way up — is like being pulled into an oceanic oil painting. From “Cast a Shadow” to “Cloudless,” you tread water sonically in waves of guitar and bass drenched in delay and reverb while being lulled by the slow and steady motion of the drum kit. Kelli Redding, guitarist and vocalist for the band, began her musical journey as a classical pianist before at age 18 transitioning to guitar. Along with drummer Rachel ode, she would eventually go on to form Slow Glows. Inspired by shoegaze legends like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, Slow Glows soon began creating their own body of work and in 2022 released But What Do I Know, which was recorded live at Mt. Saturn Studio with producer Brian Olive. Pro tip: Once you’ve listened to the album, go and hear Slow Glows perform these amazing songs live. Info: slowglows.bandcamp.com/ album/but-what-do-i-know. (Eric Bates)

Sorry, Eric, The Problem with Fun

Sorry, Eric, The Problem with Fun

e second full-length album from Sorry, Eric, led by songwriter and singer Eric Dietrich, is a further continuation of the observational and idiosyncratic post-punk of 2020’s It’s Okay. Title track “ e Problem with Fun” opens the album and comes on like a playful dream before jumping into the punchy and extremely catchy chorus. e songwriting is

e second full-length album from Sorry, Eric, led by songwriter and singer Eric Dietrich, is a further continuation of the observational and idiosyncratic post-punk of 2020’s It’s Okay. Title track “ e Problem with Fun” opens the album and comes on like a playful dream before jumping into the punchy and extremely catchy chorus. e songwriting is

often observational and biting, as in minimalist standout track “Data” that recalls Devo with a chorus of “when data got weaponized” and in the lampooning tune “Anything’s Possible When You Lie.” e album is always hook-heavy with tasteful touches of arrangement and melodic guitar work juxtaposing or, at times, further driving the songs’ existential and sometimes bleaker themes, making for interesting songwriting that’s well executed by a band working as one entity. Info: bandcamp.com/album/ the-problem-with-fun. (BS)

often observational and biting, as in minimalist standout track “Data” that recalls Devo with a chorus of “when data got weaponized” and in the lampooning tune “Anything’s Possible When You Lie.” e album is always hook-heavy with tasteful touches of arrangement and melodic guitar work juxtaposing or, at times, further driving the songs’ existential and sometimes bleaker themes, making for interesting songwriting that’s well executed by a band working as one entity. Info: bandcamp.com/album/ the-problem-with-fun. (BS)

Spoils, Find Later

Spoils would t nicely alongside acts like Wet Leg or Phoebe Bridgers in a festival lineup, and deservedly so, with strong, emotive songwriting and performances on songs like “Needle” and the owing lines of “I’m Glad.” e visual imagery of “Riverbed” features singer and songwriter Nina Payiatis’ well-executed vocal melody and the band’s display of well-crafted arrangements beyond their years. Notably, “Millersong” ends with a climactic chorus quickly fading out to reveal a tender and longing string part to end the song that feels like the soundtrack to the album’s cover, a blurred drawing of a gure standing at a statue or gravestone, seemingly in re ection. It all adds up to a strong debut of dreamy indie rock with a touch of punk that proves why Spoils are one of the city’s bands to watch. Info: spoilsohio.bandcamp.com/album/ nd-later. (BS)

Spoils, Find Later

Spoils would t nicely alongside acts like Wet Leg or Phoebe Bridgers in a festival lineup, and deservedly so, with strong, emotive songwriting and performances on songs like “Needle” and the owing lines of “I’m Glad.” e visual imagery of “Riverbed” features singer and songwriter Nina Payiatis’ well-executed vocal melody and the band’s display of well-crafted arrangements beyond their years. Notably, “Millersong” ends with a climactic chorus quickly fading out to reveal a tender and longing string part to end the song that feels like the soundtrack to the album’s cover, a blurred drawing of a gure standing at a statue or gravestone, seemingly in re ection. It all adds up to a strong debut of dreamy indie rock with a touch of punk that proves why Spoils are one of the city’s bands to watch. Info: spoilsohio.bandcamp.com/album/ nd-later. (BS)

Sudan Archives PHOTO: ALEX BLACK

Don’t miss these 10 outstanding albums released by Cincinnati musicians in 2022.

Sudan Archives

PHOTO: ALEX BLACK

Sam Stans eld, Extreme Falcon

is standout record is the kind of album that has the special feel and intimacy that only recording at home can bring. At times, it’s pared down and driving in songs like “Covered in Goo” or “Company Car.” At others, it’s soaring with hook-heavy, low- delity anthems like “Jennifer’s Brand New Baby” and plenty of playful experimentation throughout. As is often the case with the medium, the 4-track tape-recording method plays an important role in the sound and feel, as the instruments themselves add a touch of timelessness and charm. But songwriter Sam Stanseld doesn’t rely on that surface sheen alone, using layered guitar, occasional synthesizer hooks and nely crafted melody to deliver rst-class, grade-A bedroom pop that transcends the bedroom. Info: samstans eld.bandcamp. com/album/extreme-falcon. (BS)

Sudan Archives, Natural Brown Prom Queen

Genre-bending musician on the rise Sudan Archives is Cincinnati native and violinist Brittney Parks, who is now operating out of Los Angeles. Her second album Natural Brown Prom Queen is a owing onslaught of creative energy featuring elements of folk music ltered through forward-thinking R&B and electronic dance music, making for one of the most innovative and fresh-sounding records of the year. e album – like 2019’s Athena – received critical praise and earned her a fair amount of acclaim, landing her an appearance on e Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she

performed single “Sel sh Soul,” which might be the song of the year. It inhabits some twilight zone of reggae dancehalltinged R&B featuring ltered bass, hand claps, huge-sounding drums and echoing vocals that go from dreamy to commanding, punctuated by anthemic violin lines and unexpected turns with a wall of a chorus. It’s all pure de ance. Info: sudanarchives.com. (BS)

Willie & the Cigs, Loaded With Hits

After a year of being in demand and getting attention from their live performances, Willie & the Cigs released their debut Loaded With Hits, which does its best to capture the lively proto-punk – and, at times, countri ed, jangling –rock and roll sound that they achieve in performances. Opening track “Dead Cowboys” is triumphant country rock with a false ending of descending guitars and organ that feels transcendent and sophisticated, fading to silence before a rebel holler calls out and kicks back into the song. “Airplane” is a delightfully childlike, Jonathan Richman-style bopper that displays some of the band’s ever-present guitar handiwork. e following track, “Watchin’ Clouds,” takes a di erent turn as a cinematic ballad that sounds like it could be the soundtrack to some love story set in a dust- lled town down south. “Hand Me Down” with its bouncing rock and roll drive, is a standout and indicative of their sound, while the Rolling Stonesesque closing track, “Drunk” captures the band’s playful, oftentimes countried, charm. Info: willieandthecigs. bandcamp.com/album/loaded-withhits. (BS)

Willie & The Cigs

PHOTO: JACOB STEPHENS

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM