OUT&ABOUT | Staff Picks

Best Music Collective: The Uprooted music gang -- headed up by Dave and Amy Purcell (Dave of the band Pike 27) and Jeff Roberson (of Len's Lounge) -- has had quite a run over the past year, hosting regular shows that feature the best of the Roots genre, cross-pollinated with artists from various other types of music. The group's success has shown the power of working together over pettiness in the local music scene. Uprooted Music: www.uprooted-music.com

Best Worthy Cause for an Old, Code-Compliant Air Conditioning Unit: The Void -- an all-ages Punk, Indie and Rock venue in Northside that most call the best thing to happen to the local Punk scene in ages -- was shut down this winter because of A/C-related code violations. Local musicians showed some old-school unity by organizing numerous benefit shows to get the club back up and running, which it apparently will be as soon as this spring. The Void, 4011 Hamilton Ave., Northside.

Best Songfests: The seasonal concerts by the Cincinnati Men's Chorus, paying tribute to American songbook favorites such as George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, 513-542-2626.

Best Symphony with a Spin: The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, which is outdoing even the Cincinnati Pops for its pop culture extravaganzas. One concert provided a full orchestral accompaniment to a screening of a rarely seen 1925 silent film. Another concert, "Play That Funky Music," featured conductor James Cassidy leading his band in hits by Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and others. Devou Park Band Shell, Devou Park, Covington, 859-431-6216.

Best Heavenly Voices: Only three American boys have ever joined the Vienna Boys Choir; two were provided this year from the Cincinnati Boychoir. The group -- includes 100 boys ranging in age from 8 to 14 -- performs concerts of treble choral music representing a sacred and secular repertoire. Catch 'em before Vienna steals the whole boatload. Cincinnati Boychoir, 513-396-7664.

Best "Built in" Crowd for Local Original Bands: There's always a good mixed crowd that shows up at The Overflow at various times, and it's a great place for local bands to play. Manager Brad Ellis is very accommodating to local original bands. The Overflow, 1207 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-651-2582.

Best Raison in the Sun: Raison D'Etre, a Northern Kentucky trio that hangs out at summer fests such as Summerfair and the Appalachian Festival. The harmony group plays anything from 18th-century romantic ballads to Shaker music, swing to folk. Check out their new CD, Queen Anne's Lace.

Photo: Jason Gipson Best Scene Stealer: Main City Bar Not interested in the meat markets that make up most of Main Street's bar scene? Main City Bar might be the cure for your ills: Its patrons emphasize conversation over presentation -- though the scenery is usually stellar, too. Main City features a strong jukebox (Liz Phair, Pixies, Velvet Underground), two pool tables, a nice selection of draft and imported beers, highly skilled, attentive barkeeps and a cozy patio out back (great for those intimate rendezvous'). And while the scenester quotient can get quiet high on weekends, Main City draws an eclectic mix of people unlike any other spot in town. Main City Bar, 1427 Main St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-241-6111. (JG)

Best Pint with a View: Newport on the Levee's newest addition, Claddagh Irish Pub, offers up a million-dollar view of the Cincinnati skyline from its nautical bar area and the new 150-seat outdoor patio. If that's not enough, add in that all of its beers are proudly served up in the true 20 oz. Imperial pints. Claddagh Irish Pub, Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-581-8888.

Best News for Thirsty NKU Students: The introduction of Pepsi to the Northern Kentucky University campus this year meant all-new vending machines (ones that actually function) and no more thirsty study halls. Pepsi: The choice of a Norse generation.

Best Place to Tie One on: At Joe's Crab Shack, where the "Tie Dye" -- the specialty drink of the house -- is a frozen mix of alcohols with various colors and flavors, served in a foot-high "keeper" container. For non-booze hounds, the malt shakes are a terrific retro throwback. Joe's Crab Shack, 25 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue, 859-581-6333.

Best Pop Culture Phenom: The arrival of Ale-8-One in Southern Ohio. Ale-8-One is a homegrown Kentucky soft drink, best described as ginger ale to those who have never tasted this savory and unique blend. The Wainscott family still brews it, and they keep the 76-year-old formula more secret than Coca-Cola's.

Best Bulbs: At the new Firstar IMAX 3-D Theatre. The $2-million projector is powered by two 15,000-watt Xenon lamps that are water-cooled and burn with the intensity of the sun's surface, producing a way cool image. Firstar IMAX 3-D Theatre, Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-491-4629.

Best Out-of-the-Way Live Music Venue: Duck Creek Country Club is a family-owned bar tucked away in a renovated VFW hall in Silver Grove. Every weekend you can find some undiscovered talent rocking the house. They also have cool and unique games to play. They're getting sand volleyball ready for the summer and other outdoor fun. Duck Creek Country Club, 601 Industrial Road, Silver Grove, 859-442-7900.

Best Goo: The Make-Your-Own-S'mores at Gameworks. They're fun. They're tasty. And your friends will look like muppets as they try to cram them in their mouth. Gameworks, Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-581-PLAY.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Anthony McGill and friends Best Classical Happy Hour: Linton Music's 801 Plum Series Fans of the Linton Music Series know it's presented great chamber music for years. But a Linton spin-off is a great-date secret more should enjoy: The 801 Plum Series. If the address sounds familiar, that's because it's Cincinnati City Hall. Unlike the rest of the week, harmony reigns in council chambers for these relaxed programs, starting with a happy hour of great food and wine. The informal concerts, usually by two or three stellar performers, are hosted by WGUC's mellow Mark Perzel, who plays talk-show host for casual dialogue between musicians and those attending. (RP) Linton's 801 Plum Series, 801 Plum St., Downtown, 513-381-6868.

Best Rumor to Not Come to Fruition (Yet): Thankfully, those long-running rumors of the Southgate House in Newport being shut down to keep the area more in line with Newport on the Levee project still haven't proven to be true. The 'Gate is a treasure for locals interested in Alternative, Roots, Folk, Rock and AltCountry acts, both local and national. Still, the rumors hang around, and the Levee keeps a'growin'. Southgate House, 24 E. Third St., Newport, 859-431-2201.

Best Place For Live Entertainment à la Saturday Night Live: Shadowbox Cabaret. If you like topical, edgy humor and a cash bar, you'll feel right at home at Shadowbox Cabaret, where skit comedy and high-energy music prevail. The performers use their excess energy to serve food and drinks and run the business. Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-957-7625.

Best Sign That Improv Isn't Dead: Four comedy troupes -- Friends of Lucy, Wit's End, the Nothing Sacred Players and Trespassers Only -- are the reason for a growing return to comedic improv in Cincinnati. Add to the new Shadowbox Cabaret (above), and we seem to be laughing ourselves silly. With current local and national events, maybe we need that more than ever.

Best Sign of Well-Humored Intelligent Life: The March 2002 concert by edgy comedian David Cross at the Southgate House drew a surprisingly full house -- at least as full as almost any of the venue's big music concerts.

Best Sign of Ill-Humored Moronic Life: Though Cross' Southgate House show was hilarious, it also drew an unusual amount of people who didn't quite get it. Cross was heckled after questioning why anyone would be upset by the recent big news story about a Georgia crematory that dumped bodies in the backyard instead of burning them. He was again challenged when he ridiculed the President -- "Could you do a better job?," a redneck in the balcony yelped. Furthering the majority of the audience's embarrassment was the yob who yelled "Kick the faggot out!" as Cross engaged one heckler.

Best Free Theater: Tomorrow's Broadway stars are training at UC's College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). Keep any eye out for productions of cutting-edge musicals and dramas in the intimate Studio Theater, which often only run for two or three days. Admission is free, but you need to call ahead for tickets or you won't get in. CCM, University of Cincinnati, 513-556-4183.

Best Advocate for the Arts: A membership in Enjoy The Arts/START gives high school and college students and young professionals access to the arts in an affordable way. Director Lisa Mullins keeps finding new ways to make things work even better, including a new Web site chock full of arts information: cincinnatiarts.com. ETA, 1338 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-621-4700.

 

Photo: Danny Nader Todd Almond rocks out as Hedwig at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards Best Theatrical Experience: ETC's Hedwig and the Angry Inch Maybe it was the way Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati's production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch turned theater on its ear last June by blurring the line between Rock concert and play. Maybe it was Todd Almond's appropriately over-the-top characterization of the campy and bitter chanteuse. Maybe it was D. Lynn Myers' perfectly frenetic directing ability. Maybe it was the show's energetic, hard-rockin' score. Maybe it was the way the production brought people back to Over-the-Rhine in the wake of April's unrest. Maybe it was the way the show appealed to people from all walks of life. Maybe it was Hedwig's outrageous return performance during November's Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, in which she brought down the house and the show took home two CEAs. Whatever the reason, she came. She saw. She conquered. Well, what else would you expect a volatile East German transsexual to do? (BB) Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, 1127 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-421-3555.

Best Rescue: Instead of letting the Tristate lose an edgy theater group, Ed Cohen stepped in to take over IF Theatre Collective after Artistic Director Benjamin Mosse went off to Yale. Though the first production isn't until June, there's been a lot of behind-the-scenes production to keep IF alive. IF Theatre Collective, 513-321-0763.

Best News Upstairs: Plush (aka Upstairs at Carol's on Main) was designed to be a cabaret-style performance space but was almost never used. Finally, the space now is being booked on a regular basis with a variety of entertainment options, including local bands and hole-in-the-wall theater by Queen City Off Broadway. Plush, 825 Main St., Downtown, 513-651-2667.

Best Downtown Tango: The annual Cincinnati DanceSport, a convocation featuring some of North America's most accomplished professional and amateur Fred Astaire wannabes. You can watch 'em compete for thousands of dollars in cash prizes, doing the rumba, waltz, fox trot, cha cha, samba and more. Omni Netherland Hotel, Fifth and Race streets, Downtown, 513-281-5500.

Best Place to See the New York Times Arts Section Come to Life: At the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater, where Contemporary Dance Theater brings America's best small dance companies to Cincinnati several times a year. In New York, people scramble for tickets to see these groups. CDT, 650 Walnut St., Downtown, 513-591-2557.

Best Page-Turner: Local mystery writer Jeffrey Marks is getting some international attention after being nominated for both Agatha and Poe awards, which are considered very prestigious in the mystery-writing field.

Best Name for a New Theater: You might say it's no name for a theater, but the NoName Theatre in Newport, upstairs from The Artery gallery, is a small space where 100 people can see edgy shows. Whodathunk, creeping culture, south of the river. NoName Theatre, 913 Monmouth St., Newport, 513-662-5654.

Best Example of Married to the Mob: The interactive dinner theater production Joey & Maria's Comedy Italian Wedding, scheduled to run through 2003. Set inside the former Sloppy Joe' s riverboat restaurant, it's a wacky (and scripted) wedding reception where audience members are seated at the same table as the comic players. Characters include the bride and goon, the godfather, the best man, his eminence Pastor Fasioli and other offshoots of two crazy Italian families. Shows are 7 p.m. Saturdays and cost $49.50 per person, plus tax and tip (includes an all-you-can eat Italian buffet dinner, champagne toast and wedding cake). Talk about your mob mentality. Joey & Maria's, 1 Riverboat Row, Newport, 859-261-8500.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Best New Mid-size Music Venue for Locals/Nationals: 20th Century Theatre Probably the key visual landmark of the Oakley neighborhood, with its old-school movie theater facade, the 20th Century has become a popular room for local promoters to put on concerts by both local and visiting artists. From the big dogs like Clear Channel to grassroots promoters like Magus Productions and Steve Carson, the 400-seat venue has played host to a variety of touring acts. Upcoming shows include Jazz Fusion guitarist John Scofield, Celtic stars Danu and Folk Rock legends Fairport Convention, plus gigs by local bands like Salsa Caliente, The Ass Ponys and Promenade. The lush venue -- which also rents out for private parties and weddings -- is attractive to promoters for its size, locale and the willingness of manager Mark Rogers to work with them to make a show work (not having a built-in sound system seems to be its only downside). "It's the only club that I know of in a predominately white-collar neighborhood that's interested in booking national acts. Generally, the only clubs you see in those kind of places are sports bars," says John Madden of Magus Productions. (MB) 20th Century Theatre, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley, 513-562-4949.

Best Voice for Kids: Children's singer Zak Morgan, who's been performing whimsical tunes from his recently released CD, Bloom, during free concerts at public libraries around the city.

Hardest Working Artist in Cincinnati (Generation Next): Art Academy of Cincinnati alum Kendall Bruns mans creative exhibitions with clever performance pieces and composes avant-garde music, despite the fact that he also works to pay the bills. Isn't coffee wonderful?

Hardest Working Artist in Cincinnati (Generation Now): Major shows at the Linda Schwartz Gallery, Semantics and the Weston Gallery has finally put artist Mark Fox into the limelight. Don't you wish you bought one of his pieces back when you could still afford them?

Best Revival Meeting: In 1994, the Cincinnati Playhouse had a winner with Beehive, returning us to those thrilling girl groups of yesteryear. So weren't we -- not to mention the Playhouse's financial managers -- glad that the Playhouse's Ed Stern gave in to the show's many fans and produced it again in December? It was a harmonic convergence. Playhouse in the Park, 962 Mount Adams Drive., Mount Adams, 513-421-3888.

Best Venue for Classics-to-Be: Local theater audiences might be a little surprised that the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival is giving us stellar productions of contemporary shows like Fuddy Meers and Nocturne, but they shouldn't be. The thespians of Race Street have proven that the Bard isn't their only bread and butter. Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, 719 Race St., Downtown, 513-381-2273.

Best Star Trek: The annual trek to Stonelick Lake State Park for the "Messier Marathon," an all-night gawk at the heavens held in honor of 18th century French astronomer Charles Messier, who discovered some 110 star clusters, galaxies, nebulae and supernovas. These so-called Messier Objects can be seen all together on just one or two evenings per year, either with the naked eye or a good pair of binoculars -- provided you escape the city lights and head far into the countryside. Stonelick Lake State Park, intersection of Ohio 131 and Ohio 27 near Milford, 513-321-5186.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Hoodwink at the Mad Frog Best Musical Club Diversity: Mad Frog The club switched booking people last year, and new point-person PJ Herrington (also of the band Admiral Walker) has gotten the club to the point where you could likely see Hip Hop, Jam Rock, Pop/Rock, Alternative, Metal, Punk, Latin and Bluegrass music all within the span of one week. The club has always been a popular spot for UC students, and the variety of music being represented seems like a good way to school 'em on Cincy's rich local music scene. "We champion local musicians and we nurture the local scene by bringing in larger regional and national acts and giving locals the chance to get out in front of them to trade shows with out-of-town bands (and) get on the road," Herrington says. "That's the secret to our success." Ongoing physical changes have also improved the club's reputation -- rooms have been remodeled, bathrooms improved and a marquee with the performances schedule was recently added. (MB) The Mad Frog, 1 E. McMillan St., Corryville, 513-784-9119.

Best River Races: The Cardboard Regatta during New Richmond's River Days each summer. The races features canoes made from cardboard. Guess which lucky contestant wins the Titanic Award? Front Street along the Ohio River, New Richmond, 513-684-1253.

Best Air Races: The daredevil flying at Blue Ash Airport Days, featuring two days of aerial stunts, airplane and helicopter rides, skydiving and the like. Blue Ash Airport, Glendale-Milford Rd. near I-71, Blue Ash, 513-791-8500.

Best Factory Tour: Last year's tours of the local Coca-Cola bottling plant, offered in conjunction with the traveling memorabilia collection "The World of Coca-Cola." Here's hoping for a return of both the display and the "Real Thing" tours. Cincinnati Coca-Cola, 5100 Duck Creek Road, Madisonville, 513-272-4862.

Best Karaoke for the Tone Deaf: The MTV Drum Kit Machine in the arcade at Forest Fair Mall. For $1, you choose a song with the drum track muted and play along on the drum kit. It's made for kids, so big people will have a problem fitting in. Forest Fair Mall Wonder Park, 1047 Forest Fair Drive, Fairfield, 513-671-0100.

Best "Downtown Hip" Happy Hour: Friday nights at Lava feature great drink prices, great crowd and complimentary gourmet buffet à la Chef Vitor Abreu. Lava Lounge, 835 Main St., Downtown, 513-333-0889.

Best Next Great Musical Trend Spotted First by The Enquirer: Cover bands! The daily paper was once again on the ball in scooping all other media outlets on the glory of listening to bands that play other people's music, giving the cause a cover story in its Weekend entertainment pull-out section. Now we know where to go to hear a Hard Rock version of "Hit Me Baby One More Time." Don't get us started on the huge story on "legendary" cover band The Menus or the props that cover bands got at the paper's music awards show.

Best Reason to Read The Enquirer's Music Coverage: Freelancer Chris Varias provides the paper with some diversity, writing regular (and frank) concert reviews about shows the paper would never cover without him -- including Moth, The Flaming Lips and Poster Children. But his most entertaining writing might just be the subtly brutal reviews of mainstream poster children like Kenny G and boy/girl bands like LFO.

 

Photo: Jymi Bolden Best Avant-Garde Performance Space: SSNOVA Artist Emily Buddendeck has organized cool installations in the past, but nothing compares to the work she does as the founder of SSNOVA, an exhibition and performance space located in the former Bellevue Brewery building in Brighton. Last year, Buddendeck, 28, convinced building owner Fred Lane to convert the hulking brick structure into a year-round performance space. In its first six months of operation, SSNOVA has attracted a sizable following and plenty of attention. By creating a diverse program that mixes veteran artists like Jay Bolotin and Brad Smith with shows by students from the Art Academy of Cincinnati, it's become Cincinnati's premier avant-garde performance space. (SR) SSNOVA, 2260 Central Ave., Brighton, 513-929-9463.

Best Reason to Go to the Movies Again: The "Underneath Cincinnati" series presents weird, strange films on a semi-regular basis that are completely atypical for this city. the next showing is April 7 at SSNOVA. 513-861-4982.

Best Place to Check Out Pearl Harbor 2: AMC Newport on the Levee offers all the accoutrements necessary for the blockbuster experience. Their cushy seats, killer sound systems and wrap-around screens make even lame-o epics seem entertaining. If you're going to drop $8, you might as well get your money's worth. AMC Newport on the Levee, Newport, 859-261-6714.

Best Place to Take Hamilton County Sheriff Si Leis: The Esquire Theatre, which cut the sex scene out of director Wayne Wang's unrated drama The Center of the World in order to avoid, in theater operator Gary Goldman's words, "risk of prosecution in Hamilton County." Art-house films are supposed to be challenging, not family friendly. Some people might call this editing censorship, while Goldman will tell you he's just giving the community what it wants.