CityBeat | March 9-March 22, 2022

COD

AND

GOD CINCINNATI’S FISH FRYS ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. FEBRUARY MARCH 9, 23,2022 2022- -MARCH MARCH22, 8, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

1

VOL. 27 | ISSUE 05

PUBLISHER TONY FRANK

ON THE COVER: FISH FRY

EDITOR IN CHIEF MAIJA ZUMMO MANAGING EDITOR ALLISON BABKA DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR MAGGY MCDONEL CALENDAR EDITOR, WRITER SEAN M. PETERS ART DIRECTOR TALON HAMPTON CONTRIBUTING EDITORS MUSIC: MIKE BREEN ARTS & CULTURE: MACKENZIE MANLEY THEATER: RICK PENDER DINING CRITIC: PAMA MITCHELL

COD

AND

GOD CINCINNATI’S FISH FRYS ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER.

05 NEWS 08 COVER 14 ARTS & CULTURE 22 EATS 26 MUSIC 31 CROSSWORD |

1

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MORGAN ZUMBIEL, ANNE ARENSTEIN, BRIAN BAKER, STEPHEN NOVOTNI, BRIAN CROSS, HAYLEY DAY, JANE DURRELL, BILL FURBEE, JASON GARGANO, GREGORY GASTON, AUSTIN GAYLE, MCKENZIE GRAHAM, NICK GREVER, KATIE GRIFFITH, KATIE HOLOCHER, BEN L. KAUFMAN, DEIRDRE KAYE, JAC KERN, HARPER LEE, MADGE MARIL, ANNE MITCHELL, 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 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS HAILEY BOLLINGR, SCOTT DITTGEN, JESSE FOX, PHIL HEIDENREICH, KHOI NGUYEN, BRITTANY THORNTON, CATIE VIOX EDITORIAL INTERNS MICHAEL ASHER PHOTOGRAPHY INTERNS CASEY ROBERTS,STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH MARKETING AND EVENTS DIRECTOR JESSICA TOMAIN SENIOR DIGITAL MARKETING CONSULTANT MARK COLEMAN SENIOR MULTIMEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DAN RADANK DISTRIBUTION TEAM TOM SAND, STEVE FERGUSON

EUCLID MEDIA GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ANDREW ZELMAN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS CHRIS KEATING, MICHAEL WAGNER VP OF DIGITAL SERVICES STACY VOLHEIN DIGITAL OPERATIONS COORDINATOR JAIME MONZON

WWW.EUCLIDMEDIAGROUP.COM

CIT Y BE AT | 811 R ACE ST., FIF TH FLOOR, CINCINNATI, OH 4 5202 PHONE: 513-665- 4700 | FA X: 513-665- 4 368 | CIT Y BE AT.COM PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER WITH SOY-BASED INKS. PLE ASE RECYCLE THIS NE WSPAPER! THANKS :)

© 2022 | CityBeat is a registered trademark of CityBeat Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission.

CityBeat covers news, public issues, arts and entertainment of interest to readers in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The views expressed in these pages do not necessarily represent those of the publishers. One copy per person of the current issue is free; additional copies, including back issues up to one year, are available at our offices for $1 each.

Subscriptions: $70 for six months, $130 for one year (delivered via first–class mail).

Advertising Deadline: Display advertising, 12 p.m. Wednesday before publication; Classified advertising, 5 p.m. Thursday before publication.

Warehousing Services: Harris Motor Express, 4261 Crawford Street, Cincinnati, OH 45223.

2

CITYBEAT.COM |

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

MEMI CONCERT CALENDAR March MAR 12 MAR 13 MAR 13 MAR 14 MAR 18 MAR 22 MAR 23 MAR 24 MAR 26 MAR 29

YOLA with Jac Ross PAPA ROACH with Hollywood Undead and Bad Wolves THE REGRETTES with Kississippi LITTLE FEAT with Ida Mae JUKEBOX THE GHOST with Olivia Klugman UNDEROATH with Spiritbox, Stray From The Path, and Bad Omens CONAN GRAY with Bülow - SOLD OUT THE BACHELOR LIVE ON STAGE TAYLOR TOMLINSON COLIN HAY

Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Ballroom at Taft Theatre Taft Theatre The Ballroom at Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center Taft Theatre Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center

APR 5 APR 7 APR 8 APR 9 APR 9 APR 10 APR 13 APR 13 APR 17 APR 21 APR 22 APR 25 APR 26 APR 27 APR 27 APR 28 APR 29 APR 29 APR 30

THE FLAMING LIPS with Heartless Bastards TOMMY CASTRO & THE PAINKILLERS JON B, LYFE JENNINGS, and MICHEL'LE with Bashiri Asad SUZANNE SANTO MICKEY DOLENZ Celebrates The Monkees RISE AGAINST with Pennywise and Rotting Out JACK WHITE BABY SHARK LIVE THE MAIN SQUEEZE with Huckleberry Funk LEWIS BLACK OLIVIA RODRIGO - SOLD OUT LETTERKENNY LIVE! H.E.R. with Marzz LIL DURK ORQUESTA AKOKÁN An Evening with STEVE HACKETT KHRUANGBIN with Toro Y Moi BRIT FLOYD - The World's Greatest Pink Floyd Show BRIAN REGAN

The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Ballroom at Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Ballroom at Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center Taft Theatre The Ballroom at Taft Theatre Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center Memorial Hall Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center

MAY 6 MAY 6 MAY 8 MAY 10 MAY 11 MAY 13 MAY 13 MAY 14 MAY 14 MAY 19 MAY 20

ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK LEON BRIDGES with Chiiild DEFTONES with Gojira and Vowws AJR with Gayle BREAKING BENJAMIN with Seether, Starset and Lacey Sturm SUM 41 & SIMPLE PLAN with Set It Off THE GHOST OF PAUL REVERE with Early James OLIVER WOOD of The Wood Brothers with Ric Robertson DANZIG with Cradle Of Filth, Crobot, and Necrofier HAIM with Faye Webster DR. JORDAN PETERSON

April

May

Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center Riverbend Music Center The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Ballroom at Taft Theatre The Ballroom at Taft Theatre The Andrew J Brady Music Center The Andrew J Brady Music Center Taft Theatre

GET TICKETS AT TICKETMASTER.COM RIVERBEND.ORG

PNCPAVILION.COM

MEMI.BIZ

BRADYMUSICCENTER.COM

TAFTTHEATRE.ORG

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

3

Voted Best Smoke Shop

Voted Best Green / Sustainable Goods Store

4

CITYBEAT.COM |

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS

Plans call for a companion bridge to be erected while the Brent Spence Bridge is repaired.

P H OTO : F O R M U L AO N E , W I K I M E D I A COMMONS

Ohio, Kentucky Governors Reveal Plans to Jointly Fund Brent Spence Bridge Project Leaders are banking on receiving $2 billion from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

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

K

entucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gathered Feb. 28 to sign a memorandum of understanding outlining plans to jointly apply for and use federal dollars to revamp one of Greater Cincinnati’s longtime traffic nuisances.

“We think (applying jointly) puts us in the best position to move very quickly after securing the dollars. It’s

critical to helping us win,” Beshear said.

Plans from the Ohio and Kentucky transportation teams call for the Brent Spence Bridge to be repaired while a toll-free companion bridge is erected nearby to help alleviate traffic. Beshear said that he and DeWine would jointly request a total of about $2 billion for the project.

Opened in 1963, the Brent Spence

Bridge carries traffic north and south on I-71 and I-75 across the Ohio River. For decades, the bridge has been a source of daily traffic jams, extended safety and maintenance projects, and efficiency failures for one of the nation’s major freight corridors. A website for the Brent Spence Bridge’s 2017 maintenance project states that the structure was originally built to carry 80,000-100,000 vehicles per day, but traffic in recent years has doubled to 160,000-180,000 vehicles each day.

“There is no bridge in this country that is as necessary and needing of a change,” DeWine said.

Beshear and DeWine signed their intent to apply for grants that will become available through the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that Congress approved and U.S. President Joe Biden signed in November. About $110 billion from that bill will be available to repair aging bridges and roads throughout the country, the largest such federal investment in about a decade, the New York Times recently reported.

States must apply for the funding, competing against other states for the limited federal pot, officials said. The federal government has not yet opened the application period, but the Ohio and Kentucky teams have worked together to align on individual and joint bridge plans plus outline funding responsibilities so that they can quickly apply when the time comes.

Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said that the Brent Spence Bridge and its companion bridge form a design-build project in which design, engineering and construction officials from both states align on plans from the outset and throughout the project.

This, he said, will improve the project’s quality, timeline and costs.

Gray said that because of the Brent Spence Bridge’s long-standing problems, its position as a major freight thoroughfare and the collaboration between Ohio and Kentucky leaders, the bridge project is likely to receive federal funding. Beshear insisted that he believes funding is imminent,

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

5

adding that Kentucky and Ohio leaders jointly have talked many times with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“The I-75/I-71 corridor is among the most important stretches of freight traffic anywhere east of the Mississippi River. And unlike anytime before... the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act tells us that we don’t just have ‘a chance’ — I’m pretty sure we’re going to get this done,” Beshear said.

“I believe this project is the poster child for the federal infrastructure act,” the Kentucky governor continued. “I believe this is the lasting image that people are going to have in their mind about what can happen when the federal government steps up and provides critical infrastructure funding.”

There’s at least $39 billion in federal funds available specifically for bridge projects, DeWine said, noting that the

Feb. 28 memorandum of understanding is the latest of several such joint documents between Ohio and Kentucky about the bridge.

Each state will apply separately but in tandem, ultimately combining what likely would be “two pots” of money, Beshear said. If approved, Ohio and Kentucky each would contribute the remainder of the funding after the federal dollars are allocated. Beshear said that as long as there’s significant federal help, both states have multiple ways in which their budgets could source any remaining money necessary for the project.

DeWine noted that currently, total Brent Street Bridge project costs are expected to be about $2.8 billion, with that number to grow the longer the work is put off.

Gray said he expects that applications will open in the next couple of months

with federal decisions likely by early fall.

Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks added that if the bridge project receives a federal grant by the end of the year, a design procurement package could be “on the street” by fall 2023, and repairs to the Brent Spence Bridge and the construction of its companion bridge could be completed within five years in a conservative estimate.

“I want us to be able to break ground next year,” Beshear interjected with conviction. “We will take their timetable, we will divide it by two, and we will push from there.”

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval and Covington Mayor Joseph U. Meyer attended the signing.

The Brent Spence Bridge, which carries the freight equivalent of 3% of the nation’s gross domestic product

according to the National Association of Manufacturers, is in dire need of improvements and repair after seven decades in existence.

In February, the American Transportation Research Institute named the I-71/I-75 confluence at the Brent Spence Bridge the second-worst truck bottleneck in the entire country — the same ranking as in 2021 and three spots higher than in 2020.

For about eight months beginning last March, the Brent Spence Bridge closed half its lanes for maintenance.

The bridge finally reopened to regular traffic on Nov. 8.

In April, CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny explored the history of politicians failing for decades to address the Brent Spence Bridge’s longtime issues.

Former Kentucky Police Officer Brett Hankison Found Not Guilty on All Counts for Actions During 2020 Raid of Breonna Taylor’s Apartment

BY J O S H WO O D A N D S C OT T R E C K E R After a six-day trial, former Louisville Metro Police Department detective Brett Hankison was found not guilty on March 3 on all three counts of wanton endangerment related to events surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor.

Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton endangerment from the shots he fired during the March 13, 2020, LMPD raid that killed Breonna Taylor. His charges were not for her death, but rather for shots he fired that went into a neighboring apartment where three people were present.

The verdict was met with what appeared to be a stunned silence by a small number of activists gathered in the courtroom. Security was heavy, with at least nine sheriff ’s deputies in the room.

Ahead of deliberations, three of the 15 jurors were selected at random and declared to be alternates who would not rule on the case. The final 12 person jury was composed of eight men and four women. At least two of the jurors were people of color. The jury took about three hours to reach the verdict.

On June 19, 2020, LMPD announced it would fire Hankison. A termination letter from then-acting chief Robert Schroeder said Hankison’s actions

6

CITYBEAT.COM |

during the raid “displayed an extreme indifference to the value of human life” when he “blindly fired 10 rounds” into Taylor’s apartment. Schroeder added that the patio door and window which Hankison fired through were covered in a material that “completely prevented” Hankison from identifying a target.

During closing arguments of the March 3 trial, prosecutor Barbara Whaley said Hankison fired “wildly” and in the “wrong direction” during the botched 2020 raid on Taylor’s apartment and endangered the lives of the man, woman and 5-year-old child in the apartment next door to Taylor, who saw their home hit by bullets fired by Hankison.

In brief closing arguments that lasted just 24 minutes, defense attorney Stew Matthews said Hankison did what he had to do that night to preserve the life of his “brother officers” in a situation in which he believed he was facing rifle fire.

After the verdict was delivered, Matthews told reporters outside the courtroom, “Justice was done.” Matthews added that Hankison was “doing his job as a police officer” during the 2020 raid on Taylor’s apartment. He went on to blame the situation on Taylor’s

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

Brett Hankison P H O T O : L O U I S V I L L E M E T R O P O L I C E D E PA R T M E N T

boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, who fired a single shot from a 9mm pistol as police breached the door, hitting Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly.

Exiting the courtroom, Whaley said, “We respect this jury’s verdict.” She declined to answer questions about how the Commonwealth went about prosecuting the case during the trial,

which included a lot of time establishing events leading up to the raid and not solely Hankison’s actions that night.

Frederick Moore, an attorney who is part of a team representing Walker in suits against the city and police officers, said the prosecution never reached out to have Walker testify in the case.

“That obviously was the first in a

series of bizarre strategy choices that the attorney general’s office used in this case,” he said. “So the verdict isn’t shocking given those strategy decisions that they made.”

Moore also was critical of how the prosecution presented its case, devoting a lot of time establishing that police knocked and announced their presence before the raid on Taylor’s apartment and introducing commendation letters for Hankison as evidence.

“The story they promoted and pushed through this trial is part of the same narrative that Attorney General (Daniel) Cameron had had from the beginning,” he said. “And they pushed that story to the detriment of the case.”

In a statement, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, “While I appreciate the work of the jury, today’s decision adds to the frustration and anger of many over the inability to find more accountability for the tragic events.”

“The fact remains that (Taylor) should not have died that night,” Fischer continued. He added that Louisville’s government will “remain focused on

ensuring this never happens again” and pointed to city reforms, including the ban on no-knock warrants, the Civilian Review and Accountability Board and changing tear gas usage practices.

After the verdict, Ju’Niyah Palmer, Taylor’s sister who attended much of the trial, said that she was heartbroken by the verdict.

While other recent high-profile trials in the country — the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, the Derek Chauvin trial for George Floyd’s killing and the trial of the men convicted of murdering jogger Ahmaud Arbery — received breathless national national attention, Hankison’s trial received less.

As the verdict came in, downtown Louisville appeared to be quiet. Unlike in September 2020, when the attorney general’s office announced charges, there were no concrete barriers blocking off major thoroughfares or checkpoints manned by LMPD officers.

Additionally, no protesters appeared to be present in front of the courthouse.

MING SOON CO

THE MIDNIGHT MAR. 11 OVERKILL MAR. 10

MAR. 13 HENRY ROLLINS MAR. 14 ELLE KING MAR. 16 MAR. 19 MAR. 20

MAYDAY PARADE ALL THAT REMAINS AND THAT’S WHY WE DRINK JAZMINE SULLIVAN ELVIE SHANE

Cincinnati Bell Changes Name After More Than a Century

MAR. 22

BY M A I JA Z U M M O

90S MAR. 25 CLUB ONE DIRECTION NIGHT MAR. 28 RELIENT K

A major Cincinnati company is getting a new name.

Cincinnati Bell — founded in 1873 as the City and Suburban Telegraph Association and later called the Cincinnati and Suburban Bell Telephone Company starting in 1903 — will now be known as “altafiber” in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

According to a press release, the name change “reflects the company’s geographic growth beyond (the) traditional Greater Cincinnati footprint and its ongoing investment in the fiber network.” altafiber (styled all lower-case) says it is continuing to invest in its “fiber network that delivers broadband connectivity” and “gigabit internet speeds.” The name change will take effect over the next six to nine months and will apply to Cincinnati Bell’s business within the Tri-State, not to its Hawaiian Telcom or CBTS IT service.

The press release says altafiber has put more than $1 billion into the local fiber network and has connected fiber to 60% of Greater Cincinnati homes.

A 2021 merger with Macquarie Asset Management could make that 100% in the next five years.

“The word ‘alta’ is rooted in a word

that means elevated, and that’s what altafiber is doing: We’re providing an elevated connection through fiber and raising the standard of service to our customers and the communities we serve as we continue to build out our fiber network and deliver broadband connectivity that is essential to accessing education, healthcare and employment opportunities,” Leigh Fox, president and CEO of altafiber, said in a release. altafiber, which recently moved into the Dayton, Ohio, market, says it will also begin partnering with Green County, Ohio, and Greendale, Indiana, to develop their fiber networks.

The current executive team will remain in place, and the release notes that while the name is changing, the company’s “commitment to the community, its customers and leadership continues.”

“We are proud of the Cincinnati Bell name, and it will always be a part of our history,” Fox said. “We are still the local hometown company, with 2,000 employees across Greater Cincinnati who are dedicated to connecting our customers with what matters most through technology for the next 150 years.”

MAR. 24

CHRIS LANE APR. 2 JOJO APR. 5 ANIMALS AS LEADERS

APR. 1

GIMME DISCO: AN APR. 9 GIMME ABBA-INSPIRED DANCE PARTY APR. 13 ELI YOUNG BAND TAYLOR PARTY: APR. 22 THE TAYLOR SWIFT NIGHT APR. 25 ALY & AJ

STEEL PANTHER APR. 28 JIMMIE ALLEN APR. 27

CANDLES: THE APR. 30 SIXTEEN ULTIMATE 80S TRIBUTE FULL SCHEDULE AT LIVENATION.COM

TICKETS: LIVENATION.COM OR THE VENUE BOX OFFICE 2621 VINE ST. | CINCINNATI

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

7

COD

AND

GOD CINCINNATI’S FISH FRYS ARE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER.

8

CITYBEAT.COM |

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

R

oughly 73% of adults in Ohio identify as Christian, and 18% of those consider themselves Catholic, according to a Pew Research Center survey from 2014.

And one may wonder if all 18% of those Catholics reside in the Greater Cincinnati area, especially during Lent, when fish fry hysteria descends upon the city.

In Christianity — and specifically Catholicism — Lent is a religious observance that takes place between Ash Wednesday and Easter. It honors the 40 days and nights that Jesus spent wandering the desert, fasting, praying and enduring various tests and temptations from Satan before he was crucified and resurrected.

Christians mimic Jesus’ earthly trials by giving up something of luxury for 40 days, typically chocolate or soda or alcohol. Catholics also forgo eating meat on Fridays during Lent. It represents both an act of abstinence and also sort of ties into Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross — he gave up his flesh on a Friday (aka “Good Friday,” the not-so-good day he was crucified), so no flesh for Catholics. (Church doctrine actually prohibited Catholics from eating meat every Friday of the year until the guidance was amended in 1966.)

And this is why Cincinnati smells like deep-fried cod for six Fridays each spring.

This year’s fish frys are particularly exciting for locals, as many are returning to in-person dining after taking two years off or doing only carry-out due to the pandemic.

One example is the Mary, Queen of Heaven (MQH) fish fry in Erlanger, Kentucky. This is one of the area’s favorite fish frys (CityBeat once named it one of the 101 things every Cincinnatian must do), in part because of the existence of its “Codfather” mascot.

The Codfather is the alter ego of John Geisen, the CEO of local deli chain Izzy’s and a member of MQH’s parish. Each year, Geisen dresses up in mafioso gear, grabs a plush stuffed fish and heads to the fry to do meet-and-greets, take photos and emcee various games and trivia while parishioners and general fish fans eat. Like most fish frys, proceeds from this event benefit the church and its associated school.

Geisen became involved with MQH after they asked him to use his restaurant experience with Izzy’s to revamp their Lenten tradition.

“I was a member of Mary, Queen of Heaven parish and I got to be good friends with the pastor. And he said, you know, they used to have a fish fry out here but it stopped for a couple years,” Geisen says. “He said

what would you think about starting it back up? And I said, well, I don't know a lot about fish frys, but I do have some food experience. Let’s get a group of people together and see what we can do.”

So Geisen applied his restaurant knowledge to the fish fry format.

“I knew good fish, I knew good bread and good tartar sauce,” he says.

MQH’s menu items center around Atlantic cod, Geisen says, which — while frozen — does feature a special batter for deep frying. There’s a cod fish or a “Holy Haddock” option, both of which come as a platter or sandwich with french fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. The baked cod comes with new potatoes, green beans and coleslaw. The fish and chips meal features beer-battered cod strips. There’s also fried butterfly shrimp, a grilled cheese, breadsticks, dessert and beer for sale.

“A good cod sandwich and an ice-cold beer sort of goes hand-inhand,” Geisen says.

Within a couple of years, Geisen says MQH was recognized by local media as having the best fish fry in Greater Cincinnati. And as word-ofmouth spread, other local parishes started reaching out to him for advice.

“I thought, you know what, this is a great fundraiser for the parish or for the organization that might put it on,” he says. “I'm not going to hide anything, everybody ought to be able to benefit from this.”

And a visit to another local church helped cement his fish-fry-icon status.

“I remember going into one parish in Cincinnati, I can't recall the name of it, but as I walked into the group this one guy said, ‘Oh, my golly, here comes the Codfather,’” Geisen says.

He liked the name and began building a persona off of it.

“I went and put a suit on — a gangster suit — and held my son’s pillow, which is a big fish, and (a professional photographer at MQH) took some pictures of it, put it out to the media and then it blew up.”

Geisen says the Codfather originated around 2005 or 2007 and was fully embraced by MQH. “I’d walk around during the fish frys with my costume and I got a reputation, and it’s multiplied ever since then. People come in from literally all over to see the Codfather, as weird as that might sound,” Geisen says. “I'm kind of a ham anyway, so the more cameras and exposure we get, I feel like a movie star, so it's great.”

He says 10 to 20 people a night

ask for a photo with him; some even want him to autograph their menus.

Nowadays, the fry — which offers dine-in, carry-out and drive-thru this year — “does more (business) in four hours than a Chick-fil-A does all day,” Geisen says.

He says the drive-thru sees about 200 cars a night and the parish can seat roughly 400 people at a time inside. A team of volunteers handles everything from taking and processing orders to cooking the food and more. A special computer system helps field online orders directly to the kitchen for a streamlined carry-out process.

“These people put their heart and love into it,” Geisen says of the MQH volunteers. “Everybody’s striving for the same thing — to put out a great product, good service and to benefit the kids at the school.”

And MQH isn’t the only fish fry Geisen is a part of. Izzy’s also features a Codfather sandwich on Fridays during Lent.

“We don't call it fish, we call it cod. It's too good to be called fish.

Just teasing,” Geisen says of the Izzy’s fish.

The sandwich features organic Atlantic cod from the cold waters around Greenland. Geisen says the temperature gives the fish “a little bit better flavor and flakiness. It has a little sweetness to it.” It’s then breaded, deep-fried in vegetable shortening and sandwiched on a brioche bun with tartar sauce and Izzy’s famous pickles.

And while the MQH sandwich isn’t the exact same as his Izzy’s Codfather, Geisen says there’s “no doubt in his mind” his parish’s fish fry is the best in town.

Not everyone in Cincinnati is Catholic (obviously), but Geisen says fish frys appeal to anyone of any background for the food as well as the festive and charitable atmosphere. With Geisen’s Codfather persona, one could also add joy to that list.

“That's what it's all about,” Geisen says. “Bringing community together and everybody having a little bit of fun, especially in today's world, where it's so much turmoil.”

The Mary, Queen of Heaven fish fry runs 4-8 p.m. Fridays through April 8. The parish is located at 1150 Donaldson Highway, Erlanger. Get more info or order online at mqhparish.com.

Izzy’s Codfather sandwich is available on Fridays at all locations. Learn more or find a restaurant near you at izzys.com.

McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwich P H OTO : C O U RT E SY P O RT E R N OV E L L I P R

The McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish Sandwich Has Cincinnati Roots

BY MAGGY MCDONEL

Did you know that the McDonald’s Lent- and pescatarian-friendly Filet-O-Fish sandwich was invented in Cincinnati?

The year was 1962 and Lou Groen owned and operated the first McDonald’s location in Ohio; it is still open today in Cincinnati’s Monfort Heights neighborhood. Groen’s granddaughter Erica (Groen) Shadoin, who now owns the location, told CityBeat that her grandfather noticed that his sales were lower on Fridays during Lent.

Trying to compete with the Frisch’s fish sandwich and knowing that Cincinnatians still wanted their McDonald’s but were bound by a religious obligation to not eat meat on Fridays, Groen devised a plan to sell breaded halibut sandwiches. Erica says her grandfather worked endlessly to develop his own batter and tartar sauce to make the perfect fish sandwich.

At that time, Groen took trips to Chicago to visit McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc, whom Erica says was not super jazzed about the idea of having a fish sandwich on the menu. Kroc reportedly told Groen that cooking fish tends to be trickier than cooking beef or chicken, but Groen didn’t stop pushing because he knew the Filet-O-Fish was a winner.

“My grandfather was persistent,” Erica says.

At the same time as Groen’s invention, Kroc had the idea for a sandwich with a slice of grilled pineapple and cheese on a bun he called the Hula Burger. He was so confident in his Hula Burger idea that he bet Groen it would outsell the Filet-O-Fish. They picked a few restaurants on a specific Friday to sell both sandwiches and the winner would get a spot on the regular menu.

“Let’s just say it wasn’t even close,” Erica says of the Filet-O-Fish’s win.

The Filet-O-Fish was added to the fast-food

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

9

John Geisen (center) as the Codfather at the Mary, Queen of Heaven fish fry P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY M A R Y, Q U E E N O F H E AV E N

21 Must-Try Fish Frys Looking for more fish frys than just Mary, Queen of Heaven’s? Churches, restaurants and organizations are all getting in on the Lenten action this year. Events accept different forms of payment, so bring both cash and credit if you’re unsure.

American Legion Post #318 Dinners include your choice of fried or baked fish, shrimp or chicken tenders, served with a side of french fries and one other side of your choice. Homemade desserts are also available. Soft drinks are available for purchase, as is beer and wine. Patriot Center, 6660 Clough Pike, Anderson, post318.org.

Dates: 5-7 p.m. Fridays March 4 -April 15.

What to order: A fried cod filet sandwich on rye, and upgrade to a side of macaroni and cheese.

Germania Society The Germania Society Klubhaus reopens for its 2022 Lenten fish fry, offering a full menu complete with fish dinners, sandwiches, New England clam chowder, cheese pizza and sides ranging from baked macaroni and cheese to collard greens and french fries. The Klubhaus dine-in bar will be open during the festivities, and the event offers drive-thru beer and wine for those on the go. An 8-ounce fish dinner with two sides, cornbread and dessert will run you $16. The featured fish will either be cod or orange roughy, depending on the supply chain. Germania Park, 3529 W. Kemper

10

CITYBEAT.COM |

Road, Colerain Township, germaniasociety.com.

Dates: 5-8 p.m. Fridays through April 8; drive-thru closes at 7:30 p.m.

What to order: Whatever you order, get a side of the cult-favorite homemade tartar sauce.

Guardian Angels Parish Guardian Angels Parish is hosting a drive-thru fish fry every Friday during Lent, excluding Good Friday (April 15). The menu includes fish sandwiches, shrimp, crab cakes and sides ranging from onion rings and hush puppies to mozzarella sticks. There will also be pizza from LaRosa’s and coleslaw from Raising Cane’s.

The parish is offering select dine-in events in the undercroft, including alumni night on March 11 for the grads of Guardian Angels School and their families and a March Madness viewing party on March 18. 6539 Beechmont Ave., Mt. Washington, gaparish.org.

Dates: 5-7 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: Veering off track from traditional sides, Guardian Angels also offers fried pickle chips and jalapeno poppers.

Immaculate Heart of Mary This year, IHM is doing dine-in, carry-out and drive-thru for its fish fry, and there are plenty of options to try. There’s a hand-breaded fried or baked cod platter, a shrimp platter, crab cake platter, whole pizzas, grilled cheese and combos that blend the best of both worlds (aka fish and shrimp or fish and crab cakes). Sides include a from-scratch mac and cheese. 5876 Veterans Way, Burlington, facebook.com/

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

ihmfishfryburlingtonky.

Dates: 4:30-7:30 p.m. drive-thru and 5-8 p.m. dinein and carry-out Fridays through April 8.

What to order: The famed Tommy Boy platter: fried cod inside a grilled cheese sandwich with your choice of two sides.

Kolping Society The Kolping Society is offering a drive-thru fish fry Fridays during Lent, except for Good Friday. Guests can choose a fried or baked fish or shrimp dinner for $12 and $13, respectively. Bottled German beer is also available to-go with fish fry dinners for $5 per bottle. A Graeter’s Ice Cream truck will also be on hand on April 8. 10235 W. Mill Road, Mt. Healthy, facebook.com/ kolpingcincinnati.

Dates: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: A Warsteiner pilsner, Paulaner dunkel or a Hofbräu dunkel (or original) to drink at home with your fried fish.

Lehr’s Prime Market Every Friday during Lent, Lehr's hosts a fish fry featuring a haddock sandwich basket (beer-battered haddock on marble rye with tartar sauce) and a la carte options like hush puppies and creamy coleslaw.

740 Main St., Milford, lehrsprime.com.

Dates: Noon-7:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent.

What to order: Make sure to accompany your bigger-than-the-bread fried haddock with a side of hush puppies and special “puppy sauce.”

The Groen family and Erica (Groen) Shadoin (right) P H OTO : C O U RT E SY P O RT E R N OV E L L I P R

Nation Kitchen & Bar’s fried haddock sandwich P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY N AT I O N K I T C H E N & B A R

Nation Kitchen & Bar

Our Lady of Sorrows

Nation Kitchen & Bar is expanding fish fry Friday to a daily offering with its giant 8.5-ounce fried haddock sandwich. The monster meal, which costs $15, comes with saratoga chips. And you can feel good while eating good, as $1 from each fish sandwich order will benefit St Aloysius' after-school programs. 1200 Broadway St., Pendleton; 3435 Epworth Ave., Westwood.

Dates: Available for lunch and dinner daily in March.

What to order: That big ol’ haddock sandwich.

With dine-in and carry-out options, Our Lady of Sorrows offers another great family fish fry opportunity.

Choose from either breaded or beer-battered cod or eight pieces of shrimp, then get a load of sides. Sides range from green beans and french fries to mac and cheese. The church also offers beer for $3 a bottle, slices of cheese pizza for $2 and homemade desserts to benefit the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in Ferrier, Haiti. 330 Lebanon St., Monroe, olosmonroe.com.

Dates: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: This is an all-you-can-eat experience ($12 for adults, $10 seniors and $15 ages 4-12) so try it all.

Nine Giant Nine Giant is bringing back it super-popular Friday fish fry. Chefs at the Brewpub will be panko-crusting and frying their fish, serving up the results with a side of fries, samal ketchup and remoulade. Available primarily for dine-in and in-person carry-out ordering, the eatery is also attempting online ordering but will turn it off if it gets too busy. 6095 Montgomery Road, Pleasant Ridge, ninegiant.com.

Dates: Fridays during Lent; the Brewpub opens at 11:30 a.m.

What to order: While you wait for a table at the Brewpub, hop over to the next-door Fermentorium.

You can order carry-out from the bar there while sipping on the new Brainfreeze Cold IPA.

Newport Elks Lodge #273 Grab this fish fry for dine-in or carry-out. Each dinner includes your choice of protein, bread, coleslaw and a side. Here’s where things get interesting: there’s both seafood and meat (obviously not Lent-friendly, but great for those who are hungry and aren’t observing the holiday). Opt for fish, chicken, steak or shrimp. There also are single and double hamburgers and cheeseburgers, steak sandwiches, chicken fingers and sides. 3704 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, newportelks273.com.

Dates: 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: The “fish set-up” is $12 and includes a piece of fish, coleslaw, bread and your choice of fries, onion rings, green beans, hush puppies or mac and cheese.

empire’s permanent menu in 1965 and the rest is history.

Today, the sandwich features wild-caught Alaskan Pollock, American cheese and tartar sauce on a steamed bun.

In May of 2018, Erica said she got the opportunity to buy the original franchise where the fish sandwich was created, and she jumped on it. She says her brother and father have made McDonald’s a family business and they currently own 27 franchises in the Cincinnati area.

Erica says her family has a lot of pride in being a part of the Filet-O-Fish creation.

“I’m a third-generation owner and operator, so just to be able to follow in the footsteps of not only my dad but also my grandfather and being part of the McDonald’s brand has been a great experience.”

Visit Groen’s original McDonald’s location at 5425 W North Bend Road, Monfort Heights.

R&R Quality Meats If you don't want to wait until dinner for fish fry fun, R&R has you covered with its lunch menu. It offers fish tacos, a deep-fried beer-battered cod sandwich, shrimp baskets and sides on both the lunch and dinner menus.

Novel options here include soup of the day and sweet potato fries. 4029 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, randrmeats. com.

Dates: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fridays until Easter.

What to order: For an interesting take on a fried fish sandwich, try the baked-potato-crusted cod option.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga St. Aloysius Gonzaga is offering a variety of meals for its fish fry, including a baked or fried fish dinner, shrimp dinner, fish and chips, baked or fried fish sandwich and a shrimp basket. It will also be serving other items such as pizza, mac and cheese, green beans and coleslaw.

This is a drive-thru-only fish fry. 4390 Bridgetown Road, Bridgetown, saintals.org/fishfry.

Dates: 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays through April 15.

What to order: The fish and chips includes a piece of baked or fried fish (we vote fried) with fries and coleslaw.

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

11

Mary, Queen of Heaven’s “Holy Haddock” sandwich

Nine Giant’s panko-crusted fried fish

P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY M A R Y, Q U E E N O F H E AV E N

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / N I N E G I A N T

St. Augustine

St. James the Greater

St. Veronica

Grab a Bud Light to accompany your fish dish at this dinner. Opt for fried or baked fish, fried shrimp with cocktail sauce, cheese pizza, mozzarella sticks or a fried fish sandwich. 413 W. 19th St., Covington, staugustines. net.

Dates: 4-7 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: Order the fried shrimp dinner and choose two sides: french fries, onion rings, coleslaw or mac and cheese.

St. James the Greater has been blessing the White Oak area with quality Lenten meals for more than 10 years.

Fried or baked fish, fish sandwiches, shrimp, LaRosa’s pizza, applesauce, Servatii’s pretzels with beer cheese — there’s something for everyone. Grab a “mystery dessert” for $1 if you order through the app or by phone.

Dine-in, carry-out and drive-thru options available.

3565 Hubble Road, White Oak, stjamesfishfry.org.

Dates: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: The beer-battered cod dinner, with your choice of white, rye or salted rye and two sides.

St. Veronica hosts dine-in or carry-out options for fish or shrimp meals. The menu also offers stand-alone sandwiches, hush puppies and a variety of bottled beer and hard seltzer. 4473 Mt. Carmel Tobasco Road, Mt. Carmel, facebook.com/stvfishfry.

Dates: 5-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: The beer-battered cod meal with a fried cod sandwich, two hush puppies, two sides of your choice and a drink for $10.

St. Catharine of Siena St. Catherine of Siena’s fish fry menu includes a few novel options and sides, like a cod slider or three-piece cod dinner plate. Both of these meals come with fries and coleslaw or fries and mac and cheese. And while the fry at the parish is drive-thru only, St. Catharine is bringing its goodies to West Side Brewing for two dates. stcathos.org/events.

Dates: 5-7 p.m. March 11, April 1 and April 8 at St. Catherine of Siena, 2848 Fischer Place, Westwood.

5-9 p.m. March 18 and 25 at West Side Brewing 3044 Harrison Ave., Westwood.

What to order: The three-piece cod tacos, which come topped with slaw and chipotle crema.

St. Columban Order online or stop by the drive-thru or carry-out line to enjoy everything from a fried fish sandwich and grilled salmon to Jet’s pizza or grilled cheese. St. Columban also offers fish tacos, baked potatoes, a fun gourmet salad (with feta, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and balsamic) and traditional sides. If you want to eat inside, grab your food and then head down to the Parish hall to enjoy your meal. 894 Oakland Road, Loveland, stcolumban.org.

Dates: 5-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: Gotta get the buffalo shrimp wrap with ranch dressing.

12

CITYBEAT.COM |

St. John the Baptist St. John the Baptist will be serving up delicious dishes like a beer-battered shrimp dinner and baked or fried cod meals. For those wanting something less fishy, there’s NYPD pizza, pretzels with cheese, housemade macaroni and cheese and more. Drive-thru only. 5361 Dry Ridge Road, Colerain Township, stjohnsdr.org.

Dates: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays of Lent.

What to order: Order a la carte to try a few options like the popcorn shrimp or fish tacos, and tack on sides like fries, a baked potato or that aforementioned mac and cheese.

St. Susanna St. Susanna offers a handful of combo options.

There’s a salmon meal (see below), a fried fish meal with two pieces of fried fish, a six-piece “colossal fried shrimp meal” and the combo meal with fish and shrimp. Each comes with french fries, green beans and coleslaw for a side. You can also buy a large macaroni and cheese or even a whole pizza. 616 Reading Road, Mason, stsusanna.org/fishfry.

Dates: 4:30-8 p.m. Fridays through April 8; March 11 is drive-thru only.

What to order: A healthier salmon meal with green beans, french fries and coleslaw.

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

St. Vincent Ferrer Enjoy craft beer from local West Side Brewing alongside your entree at the St. Vincent Ferrer fish fry. With both a $10 fish dinner (two pieces of cod, two sides, a drink and dessert) and a $5 kids meal, there's something for everyone in the family. The kids meal comes with pizza and, in addition to sides like french fries and hush puppies, the parish offers clam chowder. 7754 Montgomery Road, Kenwood, facebook.com/allssvf.

Dates: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fridays in March.

What to order: For a truly filling fish experience, grab an $8 fried cod sandwich — with two extra pieces of fish for $5. That comes with a drink, dessert and two sides.

St. William Parish St. William’s is celebrating another Lenten season with a weekly fish fry offering food, friends and entertainment. Choose from a selection of fish options, like baked tilapia or salmon, as well as crab cakes, fish tacos, a “tavern” platter (with tavern fish, fries, hush puppies and coleslaw) mac and cheese and a homemade soup of the week. The parish added baked potatoes this year. Drive-thru only. 4108 W. Eighth St., Price Hill, saintwilliam.com/fish-fry.

Dates: 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays through April 8.

What to order: Their “Magnificod Platter” is a favorite option. It comes with hand-breaded cod, fries, two hushpuppies and coleslaw.

For ages 11 – 14

Scholarship opportunities are available!

Scholarship opportunities are available!

Scan the for| CITYBEAT.COM info MARCH QR 9, 2022 - code MARCH 22, 2022 Scholarship opportunities

13

CRITIC’S PICK

ARTS & CULTURE

“ranney” as Gravedigger and Sara Clark as Hamlet P H OTO : M I K K I S C H A F F N E R

Changing Tradition With Sara Clark in the title role, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company offers new ways to experience Hamlet R E V I E W BY R I C K P E N D E R

H

amlet is Shakespeare’s longest play. If everything he wrote for the piece ends up on stage, a production would take nearly five hours. And the role of Hamlet — the conflicted prince of Denmark, wrestling with how to avenge his father’s murder — is the largest Shakespeare created. It is a character almost always brought to life by a male actor.

None of this applies to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s (CSC) current production of Hamlet — the running time (with an intermission) is less than two and a half hours, and the title role is played by CSC veteran Sara Clark as a perplexed, fiery, witty woman.

14

CITYBEAT.COM |

The production features many more differences, too, including the performance’s opening lines.

Instead of the traditional first scene featuring castle guards at night, Hamlet pronounces the show’s most famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” which typically happens about midway through the play.

Why these changes? Director Sarah Lynn Brown not only staged this production, but she also made the “cutting,” or the rearrangement of the script. By launching immediately into Hamlet’s well-known speech at the late king’s funeral, the audience gets insight into her state of mind right off

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

the bat. With Clark’s precise pausingand-restarting rendition, it’s quickly demonstrated that Hamlet is furious, but uncertain about what’s to be done.

Brown’s rearrangement of material goes much further. The king’s ghost is omnipresent in this production; he is usually portrayed only briefly in the first scene as he materializes to urge Hamlet to “Remember me!” In fact, all the actors are constantly present, sitting upstage in straight-back chairs, standing for moments of action.

The king (played ominously by Jared Joplin) rises from an abstract tomb at center stage and almost never leaves.

As various characters meet their demise, he is close at hand, sometimes overseeing a costume change to designate their departure.

In addition to reducing the length of the show, Brown’s adaptation has added material from other Shakespearean works, including Macbeth, Richard III and King John.

These amplify and add texture and

motivation to Ophelia (Angelique Archer), whose relationship to a female Hamlet has additional dimensions of confusion, frustration and eventually suicidal madness.

With Hamlet portrayed as a young woman, she and her mother, Queen Gertrude (Sara Mackie), have a different relationship than in most productions of the play. Gertrude is compromised because her new husband, King Claudius (Jim Hopkins), is Hamlet’s uncle. He is also Gertrude’s former brother-in-law and the murderer of the king. Mackie’s Gertrude is more sympathetic and maternal than usual in her interactions with Hamlet, tinged with fear and uncertainty. As Claudius, Hopkins employs a smarmy, ingratiating exterior to mask his fears about his crime being uncovered.

Guest actor “ranney” delivers two memorable roles — the loquacious, pontificating Polonius, and the comicrelief Gravedigger. His latter graveside performance, replete with a handful

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

15

expressions to the uncomfortable narrative being enacted.

Particular note should be made of the contributions of Brave Berlin to this production. That name is familiar to people who attended the Lumenocity events at Washington Park from 2013 to 2016 and the BLINK festivals in 2017 and 2019. The creative firm specializes in illusion, specifically the medium of projection mapping, wherein visual images are designed and projected onto static surfaces to convey realistic or fanciful scenes.

Their impressionistic imagery underscores the mood of the action on Reno’s angular set. The effect is both subtle and profound when combined with Kevin Semancik’s ethereal sound design and Justen N. Locke’s shadowplay stage lighting.

There is little that is traditional about this CSC production, including Abbi Howson’s costumes, which are modern dress. Claudius wears a conservative burgundy business suit; Gertrude is in an aqua pants ensemble with a flowing cape. As Hamlet, Clark dons subdued black and indigo jackets and slacks.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern wear loud plaid sport coats, and the late king’s ghost is dressed all in white.

That lack of tradition makes this Hamlet all the more compelling. For anyone who’s seen more standard productions, this one requires attention, as material has been moved, reimagined or excised altogether.

Brave Berlin’s projections also provide occasional indications of acts and scenes in the original; that’s helpful, but it also underscores how dramatically much of the material has been rearranged.

If you’ve seen a traditional staging of Hamlet, you won’t be confused by this one. In fact, you might appreciate the distillation. Brown’s concise adaptation is certainly less arduous than sitting through four or more hours of theater (This Hamlet’s two acts are just about one hour apiece, with a 15-minute intermission).

Clark’s female take on Hamlet is refreshing and insightful. All in all, it’s a bracing evening of theater, a demonstration of how and why the works of Shakespeare remain relevant after more than four centuries.

A.J. Baldwin as Rosencrantz, Brianna Miller as Guildenstern and Sara Clark as Hamlet P H OTO : M I K K I S C H A F F N E R

Geoffrey Warren Barnes II as Horatio and Sara Clark as Hamlet P H OTO : M I K K I S C H A F F N E R

of skulls and considerable musical ad-libbing, is especially amusing as he spars with Hamlet. Geoffrey Warren Barnes II is Hamlet’s steadfast friend and supporter, Horatio. Crystian Wiltshire is Laertes, Ophelia’s fiery brother.

The conjoined characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (A.J. Baldwin, Brianna Miller) offer several moments of humor, often

16

CITYBEAT.COM |

locked arm-in-arm and moving with exaggerated, self-conscious strides.

They are perfect foils for Hamlet’s stern inquisition regarding their motives and orders, a pair of Tweedledum and Tweedledee sillies who are pawns in a larger, more insidious tale.

The rambunctious traveling troupe of Players — actors who present a scene conceived by Hamlet to trick out the king’s and queen’s reactions

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

to the murder plot — are played by Cary Davenport, Colleen Dougherty, Courtney Lucien and Nathan Sullivan.

Dougherty uses a hand-held video camera to provide images, sometimes live-action, sometimes frozen, that are projected onto the broad pallets and floor of Samantha Reno’s abstract set.

Especially affecting are moments of close-up attention to Clark’s expressive face as she studies the royals’ telling

Hamlet, presented by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (1195 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine), continues through March 20. Tickets start at $14. A mask and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test are required for entry. For more info and tickets, visit cincyshakes.com.

AT THE WESTON ART GALLERY NOW – April 3, 2022*

ETC SUMMEr camps 2022

SUMMERFAIR SELECT An Exhibition of Winners

To celebrate one of the most coveted and enduring arts grants in the region, the Weston Art Gallery presents twelve Cincinnati-area artists who received Summerfair Aid to Individual Artists Awards from 2016-18. Participating artists include Christina Baitz-Brandewie, Amanda Curreri, Stacey Dolen, Tyler Griese, Michelle Heimann, Anne Huddleston, Marsha Karagheusian, Lisa Merida-Paytes, Sarah Miller, Kevin Muente, Mark Wiesner, and Alice Pixley Young.

Junior Summer Camp JULY 11–22 | Ages 7–15

Technical Theatre Intensive JULY 18–22 | Ages 13–18

REGISTER BY MARCH 31 TO

SAVE $25

High School Intensive JULY 25–29 | Ages 13–18

Exhibition Sponsor Joyce and Roger Howe Additional Support Patricia and Jim King

Alice Pixley Young, Pitch, 2019, roofing paper, cast glass & salt, 108 x 90 x 24 in.

*See Weston Art Gallery’s website for COVID-19 health and safety guidelines.

FREE

and open to the public

COVID-19 safety: www.ensemblecincinnati.org/health-safety.

Tue-Sat 10am-5:30pm Sun noon-5pm

Aronoff Center for the Arts / 650 Walnut St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 / www.WestonArtGallery.com

SEASON PRESENTING SPONSOR

SEASON FUNDER

OPERATING SUPPORT

2021-22 Season Sponsor: Dee and Tom Stegman The Alpaugh Foundation

www.ensemblecincinnati.org

Florist, Inc.

“HORN IS AMONG THE MOST EXCITING YOUNG VOCALISTS IN JAZZ...”

“HER SINGING IS EXUBERANT...”

– NPR

– New York Times

Jazzmeia Horn

April 1-2, 8 p.m.

ARONOFF CENTER J A R S O N - K A P L A N T H E AT E R

Fresh off her third Grammy nomination, Jazzmeia Horn comes to Cincinnati with songs from her latest album, “Dear Love,” plus a selection of originals and covers, reminiscent of musical greats Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.

Tickets: artswave.org/jazz 513.621.ARTS

& A S S O C I AT E S

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

17

ONSTAGE

Ensemble Theatre’s ‘Queen’ Explores Honeybees and Ethics in the World of Scientific Research R E V I E W E D BY R I C K P E N D E R

(L to R): Shonita Joshi plays researcher Sanam Shah and Saiyam Kumar plays Wall Street banker Arvind Patel in Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati’s production of Queen.

P H O T O : R YA N K U R T Z

In Madhuri Shekar’s Queen, currently onstage at Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, a pair of Ph.D. candidates are on the brink of a major research breakthrough regarding colony collapse disorder, a mysterious — and real — plague that is destroying honeybee colonies.

At the University of California-Santa Cruz, Ariel Spiegel (Jordan Trovillion) is an impassioned biologist with a past in beekeeping. Her research partner, Sanam Shah (Shonita Joshi), is a more introverted statistician. Ariel is also a stressed single mother who needs academic success to advance her career and provide for her daughter. Sanam, the daughter of successful Indian immigrants, is more buttoned-down and still single, despite her parents’ pressure to consider marriage. Despite their differences, the women are also best friends, sharing beers and comparing notes about their lives.

Under pressure from their academic advisor, Dr. Philip Hayes (Ryan Wesley Gilreath), the women have advanced to the point of releasing their findings.

Philip is just days away from speaking at a major scientific conference and the

18

CITYBEAT.COM |

(L to R): Jordan Trovillion as Ariel Spiegel and Shonita Joshi as Sanam Shah explore colony collapse disorder in Queen.

P H O T O : R YA N K U R T Z

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

We’re saving a seat for you!

Metro is hiring operators.

• Great pay and benefits • Paid training including CDL training • $2000 bonus paid after training We can’t fill the rest of the seats until we fill the driver’s seat, so apply today. www.go-metro.com/careers

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

19

Queen explores the intersection of research and friendship as ethical questions rise to the surface.

P H O T O : R YA N K U R T Z

publication of the study in a prominent journal should cap off a rousing long-term project. But there’s a hitch: Sanam’s statistical modeling has gone awry. After several years of pointing directly to a pesticide manufactured by agrochemical company Monsanto as the reason for colony collapse, additional data recently added has reduced the certainty of their findings.

Philip is pressing for clear-cut good news to advance his own career, and Ariel sees the project as her path to academic stardom. But principled Sanam is hesitant to move forward by unethically tinkering with the data.

Playwright Shekar tricks this out further by sending Sanam on a blind date with Arvind Patel (Saiyam Kumar), a hotshot Wall Street banker her parents have urged her to meet because their respective grandfathers played golf together. Sanam is distracted by her off-the-rails research findings but meets with Arvind. He rambles on about some high-stakes poker he’s won, and his arrogant bragging initially triggers Sanam’s notion that he might provide

20

CITYBEAT.COM |

some insight into where her calculations have gone wrong.

Instead, their conversation leads her to the revelation that the research has been biased. Ariel and Sanam’s friendship is jeopardized as they argue over the ethics of proceeding. When they meet with Philip, he dismisses their concerns and accuses them of PMS — “Publication Misery Syndrome,” a veiled threat to women working in a maledominated research area. He orders them to assemble their outcomes in a way that masks the discrepancy.

As these conflicts unfold, Shekar’s script presents a lot of science and statistics — perhaps too much for many audiences — even though her writing translates complex theories into explanations that are generally understandable, if perhaps too extensively presented.

The production uses beautifully produced video on side screens, especially filmed images of bees collecting pollen (Sam Womelsdorf is the projection designer) that are shown during scene changes. The videos also display a

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

startling, multiplying array of formulas as Sanam and Arvind try to navigate where her research has taken a wrong step.

Staged by veteran local director Bridget Leak, these fine actors combine for an entertaining evening of theater.

Joshi portrays pleasant, serious Sanam in a wonderfully textured and conflicted manner. Her friendship with feisty Ariel is genuine, but she struggles with compromising her scientific principles.

Sanam’s personal concerns, complicated by her friendship with Ariel and her attraction to Arvind, seem very human.

As Ariel, Trovillion handles the singularly obsessive character with discipline but does not get to show a more complex set of values until the show’s final moments. Gilreath and Kumar’s male roles — an egotistical academic and an egotistical financier — are more foils than fully drawn people. As Philip, Gilreath presents us with a superficially kind mentor who is ultimately manipulating the women for his own professional benefit. Kumar gives Arvind

some jaunty charm, but the character is fundamentally presumptuous and obnoxious.

In the end, Shekar’s play suggests that the weight of scientific proof outweighs the desire for political and academic success, and friendship triumphs. But the relationships are not entirely convincing. Ariel’s anger and Arvind’s flippancy feel forced. Nevertheless, Queen is an intriguing endeavor to explore ethical issues of academic pursuit and scientific research that have meaning and purpose.

Queen, presented by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine), continues through March 19. Tickets are $55 for adults, $29 for students and $27 for children.

A face mask and proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test are required for entry. Get more info and tickets at ensemblecincinnati.org.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! wWw.BestofCincinNati.com

Enjoy Live Entertainment, FoOd + Drink Samples, Golden Ticket Prizes, Photos, Dancing And So Much More!

CINCINNATI, OHIO MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

21

FOOD & DRINK

Decibel Korean Fried Chicken offers chicken wings, tenders and drumsticks.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / DECIBELCHICKEN

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner Walnut Hills’ Decibel Korean Fried Chicken is the first to bring the twice-fried style to Cincinnati R E V I E W BY L E Y L A S H O KO O H E

F

rom humble beginnings come great things — especially when we’re talking about Decibel Korean Fried Chicken.

Brought to Cincinnati by the crew behind Dope! Asian Street Food, Decibel is the city’s first Korean fried chicken joint. The outfit now has a storefront location in Walnut Hills, adjacent to Esoteric Brewing, but Decibel launched in 2021 as an unnamed fried chicken pop-up in the Kroger On the Rhine food court, where the Dope! stall already was seeing great success.

Decibel got its start when Dope! owner and founder Kam Siu, who also

22

CITYBEAT.COM |

runs Asian food supplier Panda Trading Company, and operating partner Mapi De Veyra, the former executive chef at Quan Hapa, were planning to expand Dope!. Fortunately for chicken lovers, they decided the storefront they were looking at should be used for a different concept.

“When we saw the space (in Walnut Hills), we both looked at each other, and said, ‘Fried chicken. Korean,’” Siu says. “And then we put our heads together and really worked on the recipe, the execution side, what the operation looked like, and then we started putting all the pieces together.”

Dope! had expanded rapidly since

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

opening at Kroger in 2019, adding a second Kroger location in Anderson and opening a standalone restaurant in Hyde Park last year. Kroger approached Siu and his team in early spring 2021 and asked if they’d be interested in taking over an additional stall in the On the Rhine food hall.

“We said sure, let’s take the Korean fried chicken concept and let’s do a pop-up and see what happens,” Siu says. “So while Walnut Hills was being built out, we did the pop-up and it was a huge success. We thought, ‘We have something really good so let’s just keep it going but refine the process.’”

For the uninitiated, Korean fried chicken is an airier, crispier iteration of Southern-style fried chicken. Gone are the browned crunchy bits that stud American fried chicken; instead, Korean fried chicken is sheathed in a lightly golden-brown crust. Biting into Korean fried chicken might be best described as shattering that crust, and the crunch is outrageous. The chicken remains juicy, and the simplicity of the batter is a great complement.

“Korean fried chicken is a twice-fried chicken (with) a very nice and thin airy batter, very crispy,” De Veyra says. “Just like your traditional American chicken wings, it’s tossed in sauce. Even tossed in sauce, you still get that crunch.”

Korean fried chicken isn’t a new trend. In Korea, it’s often consumed as a street or bar food, and in that way continues the Dope! tradition of incorporating world street foods into its culinary repertoire — as its “Asian Street Food” moniker would suggest.

When you arrive at Decibel in Walnut Hills, there’s a takeaway entrance and window in addition to a dine-in window. The dine-in window is located inside Esoteric Brewing, which itself is housed within the larger and recently renovated Paramount Building.

Now, you can get the same offerings at this Decibel as you can at the Kroger On the Rhine food hall — various iterations of Korean fried chicken and other fried items. On Sundays, though, something magical happens here — brunch, which began in January.

“We have an ube chicken waffle,

Order from a walk-up window at Decibel’s Walnut Hills location.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / D E C I B E L C H I C K E N

which is this Filipino taro-like flavor,” De Veyra says. “We have kimchi fried rice with Spam, and we have Korean street toast. There’s an omelet in there, with cabbage and carrots, and then there’s ham and American cheese.”

On a recent visit to Decibel, my boyfriend and I ordered each of the things De Veyra listed. We also tried the waffle fries, which I highly recommend ordering with every meal at either Decibel location. The fries were done to perfection, liberally showered in “Decibel seasoning,” which is a savory melange of flavors. They were served with “fly sauce,” a tangy, creamy aioli and ketchup mixture.

The ube waffle was the coolest, in part because of its color. Ube, or purple yam, is mixed into the batter, and the waffle arrived crispy and golden on the outside, with a pillowy, chewy and vibrant violet interior. The waffle was dusted in powdered sugar and served with two Korean fried chicken tenders dipped in fly sauce, with syrup on the side. Next time, I would avoid the syrup drizzle — it made the airy waffle a little soggy — but the crunch of the tenders next to the soft ube goodness was just *insert chef’s kiss*.

The Korean street toast was served as a hefty, saucy sandwich that we split, and the kimchi fried rice was topped with a beautifully fried egg and served with a side of crispy, airy home fries.

(They’ve been used a lot, but those two particular adjectives, “crispy” and “airy,” are inextricable from the Decibel experience.) I’ve not had a more filling and gratifying brunch experience in a hot minute.

I also took a solo venture to the

Kroger On the Rhine Decibel location during a workday lunch break, and my trek there was equally pleasurable. I got my order to-go, and when I returned to my office to shovel the chicken tenders into my mouth, I was delighted by how many waffle fries were packed in the order.

I also ordered the cured cucumbers, which had taken a bath in gochujang (a sweet-and-spicy chili paste), sesame and soy vinaigrette. Next time, I want to try a Korean fried corn dog, which vegetarians can order as a Korean fried mozzarella stick.

The raison d’etre for all of this is the Korean fried chicken itself, which can be ordered as wings, tenders or drumsticks. Select a sauce — dry spiced, garlic soy, gochujang barbecue or simply spicy — and how much sauce you want, depending on the type of chicken you order (vegetarians can swap Korean fried cauliflower for the chicken).

Decibel also caters to its Catholic-heavy Cincinnati base by offering two Lenten specials: fish and chips as well as a fish sandwich.

“I think it’s about timing,” De Veyra says. “When Kam and I walked into that spot, right beside a brewery, we were like, ‘Fried chicken. That’s it.’ You know?

How can we make it different? It’s always about being ahead of the game.

Being the first Korean fried chicken in Cincinnati is huge, and now we have two locations.”

Decibel Korean Fried Chicken has locations at 922 E McMillan St., Walnut Hills and Kroger On the Rhine, 100 E Court St., Downtown.

More info: decibelchicken.com.

Brunch options include an ube waffle, Korean street toast and kimchi fried rice.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / D E C I B E L C H I C K E N

The twice-fried chicken has an airy, crispy batter.

P H O T O : FA C E B O O K . C O M / D E C I B E L C H I C K E N

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

23

THE DISH

Recent Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Openings and Closings

BY C IT Y B E AT STA F F

Openings La Cantina The former Cheapside Cafe space downtown has gotten new life thanks to local Crown Restaurant Group (Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti, Rosie’s Cocktails & Pies). It is now home to La Cantina, a restaurant offering a self-described mix of “contemporary, authentic Mexican cuisine and cocktails.”

Chef Johnny Curiel, recently the executive chef at Nada, is bringing his years of experience and “modernmeets-authentic” Mexican style to the new restaurant.

La Cantina started as a pop-up at Crown Republic Gastropub in July of last year, with Curiel and CRG’s chef/ owner Anthony Sitek at the helm. The menu there featured dishes including elote, Baja fish tacos and chicken mole, and the full restaurant offers similar inspiration.

La Cantina currently lists dishes including tacos with fillings ranging from pastor or lamb barbacoa to smoked prime brisket or sweet potato.

Starters run the gamut from mesquite cold-smoked tuna crudo and grilled oysters to queso fundido. Mains include carne asada, chicken mole and enchiladas verdes.

The cocktail program focuses on mezcal and tequila, featuring more than 50 agave-based spirits. La Cantina also carries Mexican coke, Topo Chico and horchata. 326 E. Eighth St., Downtown, crowncantina.com.

Son of a Butcher The team behind Agave & Rye seems to have conquered the eccentric taco world and has now set its sights on steakhouses. The company’s new Son of a Butcher — colloquially referred to as S.O.B. — opened March 1 at Shindig Park, an event space in Liberty Center also helmed by the Agave & Rye team.

Yavonne Sarber, founder of S.O.B. and Agave & Rye, tells CityBeat via email that the new restaurant is “evolving the stuffy steakhouse into something magical.”

“S.O.B offers everything guests would expect from a high-quality steakhouse, without the white tablecloths, pretentious service and boring atmosphere,” she says.

Sarber says the look of S.O.B. plays off the same ethos of the Alice-inWonderland-meets-Baroque design of the Agave & Rye locations.

“We call it a ‘Southern Rock Tattoo style,’” she says. “Beautiful, custom

24

CITYBEAT.COM |

chandeliers. Same artists (as Agave & Rye), different flare. Same culture and core values.”

Sarber says the menu features “something for everyone,” highlighting USDA Prime cuts, wagyu, caviar, shaved truffles and “gold leaf options.” There is a sweet and spicy bacon and blue cheese burger, a New York-style Italian sandwich on a baguette and a filet mignon chopped salad. For vegetarians, look for cauliflower steaks and black truffle gnocchi.

S.O.B. is launching with dinner service, but there are plans to expand into brunch offerings as well.

7630 Gibson St., Liberty Township, sobsteakhouse.com.

La Cantina

Woodburn Brewing Kitchen Woodburn Brewing has added some bites to go with its beer. The East Walnut Hills taproom and brewery is now home to a new kitchen, helmed by chef Andrew Han. Han — who has done stints in notable local eateries including Senate, Pepp & Dolores and O Pie O — has drawn on his Korean heritage for the menu.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to open up the Woodburn kitchen,” Han says in a release. “I had a lot of fun developing the menu with my team and incorporating my favorite childhood flavors into easily recognizable dishes.”

The menu features fusion-style dishes like a steak bowl with jasmine rice, golden curry, marinated egg, pickled carrots and red onion, and a “Toadstool Sandwich,” with soy-andginger-marinated mushrooms, topped with mayo and gochujang slaw. There are also wings, nachos, pork rinds (with Grippo’s seasoning), salads, burgers and more.

A release says Woodburn Brewing eventually will add a weekly brunch menu as well as a “late-night menu to satisfy those midnight munchies.” 2800 Woodburn Ave., East Walnuts Hills, woodburnbrewing.com.

BBQ High Life Oakley Kitchen Food Hall welcomed a new barbecue spot, BBQ High Life, on March 1. Previously based in Goshen, High Life offered carry-out and catering services. Its new menu at the Oakley Kitchen consists of six signature sandwiches and four classic barbecue side options.

The eatery serves everything from a classic pulled-pork sandwich to the “Big Red Smokey,” which is made with split andouille sausage and topped with

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

Son of a Butcher P H O T O : P R O V I D E D BY A G AV E & R Y E

pulled pork and coleslaw. 3715 Madison Road, Oakley, oakley-kitchen.com.

The Arepa Place Findlay Market favorite The Arepa Place has opened a storefront in the suburb of Wyoming, with its grand opening held Feb. 24.

Arepa Place started as a pop-up specializing in arepas at Over-theRhine’s Findlay Market in 2016, before expanding into a full storefront there.

The new location takes over the space formerly occupied by CWC, the Restaurant.

Drawing on her Colombian heritage, owner Isis Arrieta-Dennis says the Arepa Place in Wyoming features the same fast-casual dining style guests experience at the Findlay Market location. 1517 Springfield Pike, Wyoming, arepaplace.com.

Paris Baguette A national bakery cafe chain is opening its first Ohio location in Cincinnati.

Paris Baguette has more than 90 storefronts across the country, and its newest one is set to open inside 3CDC’s recent 4th & Race development.

Cincinnati restaurateur Ai Lin of Sichuan Chili and Gyu-Kaku BBQ will own and operate the new location, per a press release from 3CDC. According to 3CDC, Lin came across Paris Baguette while visiting her mother in Flushing, Queens, where she is originally from. There are three locations just in that neighborhood alone, so she was inspired to bring Paris Baguette to Cincinnati.

“If I believe in the concept, I want to open one,” Lin says in the release. “I saw the potential here.”

Paris Baguette is based in South

Award Winning Airbrush Tans for just $39!

We use only the best products to give you the best natural looking tan.

www.waxcincinnati.com Boombox Buns

Renforth Funding

P H OTO : H A I L E Y B O L L I N G E R

Korea and the company’s vision, according to its website, is “to reestablish the neighborhood bakery cafe as the heart of the community around the world.”

Looking at the store locator, most of the U.S. locations are on the East and West coasts, with a few in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and Dallas.

Cincinnatians will be able to grab sweet and savory items at Paris Baguette, including breads, seasonal desserts, cakes, salads and sandwiches.

An official opening date has not been announced. 124 W. Fourth St., Downtown, parisbaguette.com.

Closings Enoteca Emilia Loveland-based Italian eatery Enoteca Emilia has closed — but it appears there are new plans in the works.

In a post on Facebook, owner Margaret Ranalli said the pandemic forced the restaurant to restrict its hours to ensure the same standards and hospitality Enoteca Emilia was known for, noting she is “grateful beyond measure” for the staff and guests.

“As Spring approaches, we are preparing for a re-birth with an entirely new concept and menu,” her post continues. “Defining our path forward with the same commitment to flavor and hospitality, we must also respect a post-COVID industry landscape. Look for a concept reveal in mid-March and a relaunch coming late Spring.”

Originally located in O’Bryonville, Enoteca Emilia closed in 2016 and then reopened in Loveland in 2019. 110 S. Second St., Loveland, facebook.com/ enotecaemilia.

Dawn, formerly of Body Waxing Plus

Owner Nathan Friday announced in a social media post that the shop would close Feb. 19.

“It’s hard to express the emotions of letting go of something that has been such a dominating force in your life,” his post reads.

Friday says he and his fiancée, Katie, have been working together on Boombox Buns for four and a half years. “The process of taking an idea from something on paper to a pop up, a pop up to signing a lease and hiring employees, to navigating a pandemic has been a wild ride,” he writes.

Friday made his debut as a restaurateur when he opened Boombox Buns for weekend-only, walk-upwindow business on Woodward Street in an empty space behind The Takeaway Deli and Grocery in the fall of 2018. And in 2020, he opened the brickand-mortar on Republic Street.

“Lastly I would like to thank all of our customers and staff both past and present for supporting us every step of the way,” the post continues.

In need of a loan? You can apply here

From $5,000.00 to $50,000.00 Banks say no, we say yes. Low rates, easy payments.

Call now to apply 1-877-207-6633

The Mercer OTR Per a note hung in the restaurant’s window in early February, the Mercer OTR has quietly closed its doors. The sign announcing the restaurant’s closure reads, “It’s been a pleasure serving you, OTR. Cheers.”

The owners did not make an announcement or provide a reason for the closure and shut down the restaurant’s Facebook page and website.

The restaurant, which was on the ground floor of the Mercer Commons apartment complex, had been in operation since 2014.

Boombox Buns Over-the-Rhine’s source for homemade Chinese-style steamed buns, Boombox Buns, has closed.

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

25

MUSIC

The Dollyrots P H OTO : C O U RT E SY I N D E P E N D E N T MUSIC MEDIA

Hello, Dollyrots!

The Dollyrots’ new rarities album, Down the Rabbit Hole, wasn’t inspired by the pandemic — it was caused by it

BY B R I A N BA K E R

W

hen the husband-and-wife duo Luis Cabezas and Kelly Ogden, aka the Punk Rock band The Dollyrots, began working on the follow-up to their 2019 album Daydream Explosion, they came to a rather startling conclusion: They didn’t have anything particularly interesting to say.

The Dollyrots’ condition has been fairly common among musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

26

CITYBEAT.COM |

Confronted with the same environment and housemates (for Ogden and Cabezas, that includes their 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter) for an extended period of time, the well of inspiration goes slightly dry.

“COVID kind of murdered our creativity,” Ogden says from her Florida home studio, where she records her daily radio show for SiriusXM. “We kept our kids home for one full year. We were

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

stuck in our four walls with our two tiny kids and me doing my radio show and just kind of losing our minds. At the end of every night, we’d go, ‘Do you want to write some music?’ and most of the time, the answer was, ‘No.’” Late last year, Ogden and Cabezas realized it was going on three years since they’d released an album and, with little new material in the pipeline, their only acceptable option was to do a deep dive in the Dollyrots’ archive and assemble a rarities collection. That kind of project can often be time-consuming and frustrating, considering the physical act of locating songs and creating a solid album out of relatively disparate material recorded at different times.

Cabezas’ logic for the rarities project was that the band has been around for two decades and had more than enough music — especially considering the B-sides from Daydream Explosion, which they released on musician Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool

Records (Ogden’s radio show is also on Van Zandt’s SiriusXM channel, Underground Garage).

But the duo was almost immediately confronted with improbabilities stacked on impossibilities.

“That was on a Thursday,” Ogden says. “Luis called Wicked Cool Records, and Dennis (Mortensen), who we work with over there, said, ‘Why don’t you put it out with Wicked Cool?’ And Luis was like, ‘Alright, but we really want to have it in time for Christmas.

When would we have to turn it in?’

Dennis was like, ‘Let me call you back.’

He called back and said, ‘I’ll need it Tuesday.’”

With just days to meet a seemingly unattainable deadline, Ogden and Cabezas hit the ground running.

“Fortunately, we have an awesome team that we work with,” Ogden says.

“Luis dug through the hard drives very quickly, we picked the songs, he remixed a couple of things that were in

The Dollyrots P H OTO : J E N RO S E N ST E I N

need of a boost here and there, then we sent it off to be mastered.”

The focus then shifted to perhaps the most laborious and time-critical task: making the artwork for the album. They contacted Austrian graphic designer Stefan Beham, who they have relied on in the past, and asked about the possibility of a design miracle.

“We were like, ‘Stefan, is there any way in hell you could get us a layout for a new double CD by Monday?’” Ogden says. “And he totally did it. He nailed the concept. It was absolutely perfect.”

Cabezas was then left with the hardest job of all — organizing the album’s 24 tracks into a listenable running order. The final list included rarities, B-sides and cover songs. Ask any recording artist or band about the one thing they dread about a new album and most will cite the need to establish a track order.

“Luis came up with the sequence, which was really hard, because it’s weird to have all these 24 tracks; three of them are brand new and the rest of them are from all kinds of different recording situations and times and places,” Ogden says. “So to make it sound cohesive, we were kind of nervous, but somehow the track order and

mastering all magically came together.

When we listened to it the first time, we looked at each other and we were like, ‘Wow, this is actually cool. I think I like this.’”

The resulting album, Down the Rabbit Hole, might not have snapped into reality with such speed if not for Ogden’s and Cabezas’ aforementioned 20-year history. This project specifically — as well as their longevity as a band and a couple in general (they met in Land O’ Lakes, Florida in junior high, became a couple in high school and started a band in college) — is a testament to their professional and personal chemistry and their work ethic, which includes an almost supernatural planning ability.

A case in point: Ogden and Cabezas scheduled Ogden’s pregnancies so each would occur during a single calendar year to avoid paying extra medical deductibles, while continuing Dollyrots business as usual. The band was still touring when Ogden was in the eighth month of her first pregnancy, and they were on the verge of finding out whether or not Ogden would even be up to the task of being both a mother and the Dollyrots’ bassist and vocalist.

“Luis and I wanted to have babies

together before we had a band together.

The clock was ticking and it was like, ‘If we’re going to do this kid thing, we’ve got to do it,’” Ogden says. “So we were like, ‘It’s got to be in one calendar year, so we’ll plan the tour to be in this month so we’ll be home in this month.’

And it all worked out, which was awesome. We’ve planned every moment.

What we didn’t know is if I’d find it too overwhelming to tour with a baby, if my mentality would allow me to perform.”

Ogden and Cabezas got an almost immediate response to that question when they were preparing for the arrival of their first child in 2013. They had just finished their fifth album, the aptly titled Barefoot and Pregnant.

“I was eight months pregnant, and we sold our tour van,” Ogden says. “We were cleaning out the van and we were both crying, ‘What if we never tour again?’ That week we got asked to do Southern California dates with Black Flag, and then I cried even harder. Then I ended up having a traumatic birth with an emergency C-section, which was the cherry on top.”

But Ogden found her rhythm in the music as well as in life.

“I was onstage at the House of Blues in (Orange County), and my baby was

backstage, and I was playing a show, eight weeks post-birth,” Ogden says. “I was so terrified, but one minute into the first song, everything went back to normal. Now I get to visit that every time we get onstage and it’s awesome.

And all the rest of the time, I can mom.

That’s pretty cool.”

In their two decades as the Dollyrots (in college, they were known as No Chef; the name change came in 2000), Ogden and Cabezas have notched a number of impressive accomplishments. They’ve had their songs used in a number of high-profile commercials and television shows; appeared on several TV shows, including CSI: NY, Greek and (swear to god) The Price is Right; signed to Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records for two albums; came in second to Spinal Tap for number of drummers (none of whom died as a result); opened for Jett, the Breeders, the Go-Go’s, Buzzcocks, the Donnas and dozens of others; and released eight studio albums, one live DVD/CD set, six EPs and over 30 singles, among other jaw-dropping bullet points.

And if Down the Rabbit Hole has you wondering if the Dollyrots emptied the archive to assemble the album, Ogden gives every assurance that more volumes are possible down the road.

“We still have so much stuff,” she says with a laugh. “We had to narrow it down. We were asking friends, ‘This song or this song, which one do you like better?’ So we still have a lot left.”

And then Ogden specifically mentions cover songs. There are a handful of them on Down the Rabbit Hole, including a version of Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” the Penguins’ “Earth Angel” and Billy Idol’s “Dancing with Myself.”

“As far as covers, these (on Down the Rabbit Hole) are personal to us, that all mean something, and that’s why we picked them. But we have a whole bunch of acoustic covers that we’ve recorded over the past 10 years or so,” Ogden says.

“A lot of times, we get asked to do covers of songs we’re not totally familiar with, or that we’re not huge fans of.

Luis will say, ‘I don’t even like this song but we’re gonna record it.’ We’ll do covers for fans as gifts or for weddings or things like that. So we probably have a double album’s worth of acoustic covers.”

Sounds great. Can you have it ready by next Tuesday?

The Dollyrots play the Southgate House Revival (111 E. Sixth St., Newport) on March 19. Doors are at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 advance and $20 day-of. More info: southgatehouse.com.

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

27

SOUND ADVICE

Grocer P H O T O : E M I LY B U R T N E R

Grocer

Saturday, March 19 • MOTR Pub “Pick a Way,” the recently released track from Philadelphia-based band Grocer’s pending sophomore record, Numbers Game, is yet another flavor on a sonic menu that continues to diversify and evolve.

The song opens pensively with plaintive vocals and a mid-tempo beat before layering in keyboards and chiming guitars, eventually culminating in two minutes of fuzzed-out, psychedelic bliss. It recalls Sonic Youth with a sweet tooth, or even Cincinnati’s own Why? if raised on My Bloody Valentine instead of whatever slanted stuff inspired Yoni Wolf.

Self-described as a “skronky weirdo quartet” featuring guitarist Emily Daly, bassist/vocalist Danielle Lovier, drummer/vocalist Cody Nelson and guitarist/vocalist Nicholas Rahn, Grocer initially surfaced via 2020’s Little Splash, a hodgepodge of oddball Indie Rock and Pop driven by multiple voices and

28

CITYBEAT.COM |

unpredictable time signatures.

Numbers Game drops May 6 via Grind Select Records, and features nine songs recorded this winter at the band’s basement home studio in Philadelphia.

As seems inevitable these days, look for the new material to delve into our contentious cultural and political climate. “‘Pick a Way’ is an attempt to try and understand the entitlement of men in general and specifically during the insurrection at the Capitol,” Nelson said per the band’s Facebook page when the song dropped. “It was born out of trying to wrap my brain around the increasingly detached line of reason that go hand in hand with toxic masculinity.”

Along those lines, album closer “Comply” is darker and more chaotic than almost anything on their debut; it’s driven by swirling, scuzzy guitars and grit-encrusted female vocals, as if the Pixies reunited with Kim Deal and wrote a song about how the world is collapsing.

The free show starts at 10 p.m. and

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

features Cincinnati’s own Strobobean and Sweet Lil. (Jason Gargano)

Jazmine Sullivan

Tuesday, March 22 • Bogart’s It doesn’t take long to realize the overarching concerns of stellar R&B/ Soul singer Jazmine Sullivan’s fourth and most recent record, 2021’s Heaux Tales — “Bodies (Intro)” is a slinky synth-backed lament about getting fucked up and out of sorts: “Bitch, get it together, bitch/You don’t know who you went home with, who you went home with again/Was it your friend? Or a friend of a friend?/Was he a four? Or was he a 10?”

It’s followed by “Antoinette’s Tale,” a spoken-word soliloquy from Sullivan’s friend Antoinette Henry about the fact that men “cannot handle if a woman takes the same liberties as them, especially with regards to sex.”

The song/spoken-word back-andforth concept continues throughout, each commenting and expanding

upon the other, each examining the relationship dynamics of modern-day Black women. The results toggle from tender to dirty, sometimes in the same song. Likewise, Sullivan’s versatile, ever-emotive voice moves from clipped to soaring, bringing to mind the obvious influences of Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

The perils and passions of relationships have long been Sullivan’s bread and butter, from her 2008 breakthrough single “Need U Bad” (co-written and featuring Missy Elliott) to 2015’s “Let it Burn” (co-written with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds), but Heaux Tales takes things to a new, often sexually brazen level.

“A subject that came up a lot in the album was women taking up space and taking up agency with their bodies, and not being ashamed to ask for things, the things that they want, their desires,” Sullivan said in a July 2021 interview with Rolling Stone. “I feel like since the beginning of time, women are expected

Jazmine Sullivan P H OTO : M Y E S H A E VO N GA R D N E R

to be and act a certain way, and not really allowed to voice their desires and the things that they want sexually or feel sexually. We’ve grown past that point, and I just thought it was time for people to hear how we feel.”

Yet “Girl Like Me” — a duet with

H.E.R. laced with frustration and sexual bravado — reveals Sullivan’s real desire: lasting love.

Showtime is 7 p.m. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test is required. (JG)

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED

CONCERTS Micky Dolenz April 9, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Chris Rock June 9, Taft Theatre

H.E.R. April 26, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Billy Strings June 15, Rose Music Center

Gavin DeGraw April 29, Hard Rock Casino

Train, Jewel and Blues Traveler June 19, Riverbend Music Center

Khruangbin April 29, Andrew J Brady Music Center

The Chicks June 21, Riverbend Music Center

Breaking Benjamin May 11, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Third Eye Blind July 6, PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION

Sum 41 and Simple Plan May 13, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Celeste Barber July 17, Taft Theatre

Garth Brooks May 14, Paul Brown Stadium

Bonnie Raitt July 19, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Danzig May 14, Andrew J Brady Music Center

Elvis Costello Aug. 6, Rose Music Center

The Who May 15, TQL Stadium

Blondie Aug. 23, Andrew J Brady Music Center

The Smashing Pumpkins May 27, PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION

Black Keys Sept. 3, Riverbend Music Center

Lumineers June 7, Riverbend Music Center

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

29

30

CITYBEAT.COM |

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022

HOW EMBARRASSING CROSSWORD

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

ACROSS 1. Blackout state 7. Crow’s nest holder 11. “Must we hear everything?,” for short 14. “Twelfth Night” duke 15. Tiny bit 16. ___ vivant 17. Civilian cleaning up debris in the park, e.g.

19. St. that straddles two time zones 20. Marsh birds 21. Cobbler ingredients 23. Doctor’s order 26. Speech therapist’s topic 27. Tiny cuckoo 30. More exposed 32. Spumante’s home 33. Detecting of umami, say 37. It keeps your car in place, for short 38. “___ is me!” (melodramatic line) 39. “Póg mo thóin” speaker, maybe 41. They pile up during vacation

45. They provide Aquafresh automatically 50. Chair designer Jacobsen 51. 52-Across rapper 52. “___ Dance” 53. Crimson Tide, for short 54. The Big Board, for short 55. Act as a go-between?

57. Challenge another rapper in freestyles 63. Moving job 64. Suffer embarrassment by your own actions, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 68. Singer Rita 69. Accusatory phrase 70. Allegory and euphemism, etc.

71. Skinner box subj.

72. Fournier on the Knicks 73. Asserts it Down 1. Spread seed 2. Star ___ (treadmill manufacturer) 3. Where Volodymyr Zelenskyy was born 4. Bread with hummus

36. Dispenser at a French petrol station 40. British noble 42. “What I think,” initially 43. Vitals checker 44. Jacksonville-to-Miami dir.

45. Indentation setting 46. Stumped folk?

47. “Getting in the car now” 48. Some who make take a gap year: Abbr.

49. Workout program with punches and kicks 54. Sling content 56. “Hmm ... hadn’t considered that” 58. Tunnel builders 59. Skating commentator Lipinski 60. “CODA” actor ___ Kostur 61. They may be done while crawling 62. Squeaks (out) 65. Brief question to 47-Down 66. Fodder for dad jokes 67. Javier’s that

LAST PUZZLE’S ANSWERS:

3 $ & 7

$ * 8 $

5 8 ' '

( + 8 '

1 2 7 6 2 ) $ 6 7

% / 8 5 %

/ , 1 ( $

, 0 6 ( 7

( 0 5 $ ( ; % , 5 , * 2 / ' 8 / 7 , 1 & $ - , 0 6 7 ( % $ < & ( + 6

6 : $ 0 ,

2 5 , 2 1

1 < 7

$ 3 $ 6 6 7 + ( 6 ( 6 , ; $ & 5 2 7 , 0 ' ( ) 6 / <

/ 2 ( : 6 7 < (

1 $ & 5 ( & + 2 ( 4 8 8 8 5 * 6 , 1 ( ( 7 7 $ . , 1 ' ( 1 ( $ / 7 $ 0 3 2 5 6 & % ; & 2 2 ) , 7 / / $ 7 7

( 6 6 ( ; $ ; ( 6 6 . < (

5. .txt file size, roughly 6. Pulley part 7. Thing dropped after a memorable performance 8. Just peachy 9. Renewable resource 10. Infield coverage provider 11. Georgia’s capital 12. California home for E & J Gallo Winery 13. Twirling around 18. French river or its department 22. Flat land 24. Latchkey child, e.g.

25. With the bow 27. Polished off 28. Snatch 29. Haifa’s home: Abbr.

30. “Chatty Broads with ___ and Jess” (podcast) 31. “Not ___ out of you!”

34. Wrestling partnership 35. Blog that posts news for IT professionals

ATTORNEY AT LAW

DISSOLVE YOUR DISSOLVE YOUR

MARRIAGE MARRIAGE

Bertha G. Helmick

Dissolution: An amicable end to

end

Dissolution: An amicable to

marriage. onyour yourheart. heart. marriage.Easier Easier on Easier on your wallet.

Easier on your wallet.

Starting at $500 plus court costs.

12 Hour Turnaround. at $500

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

plus court costs.

513.651.9666

12 Hour Turnaround.

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022 |

CITYBEAT.COM

31

32

CITYBEAT.COM |

MARCH 9, 2022 - MARCH 22, 2022