With their bows resting beside them, Rector A. Jones Middle School violinists began plucking the instrument beneath their chins with their fingers. 

A batch of trumpet players followed, before students cradling large ornate wooden guitarróns and smaller folk-style guitars called vihuelas, began strumming. 

Eventually, the ensemble will blend to produce the song “Atotonilco” by Juan José Espinosa Guevara — a mariachi classic. 

When Band Director Scott Reed tried launching a jazz band at Jones, a common offering at middle and high schools, it fell flat. But when he decided to scrap it in favor of a mariachi band, students flocked. 

Now, Boone County School District’s Los Voladores Del Mariachi, the only public middle school mariachi ensemble in the state, has already more than doubled its roster of 15 students that participated when it launched last year. 

“The kids that may be kind of marginal, or feel like they’re lost in the cracks, this gives them a sense of pride, that means something to them. And I think that’s why jazz band just didn’t really take off,” Reed said. 

Of the school’s 746 students enrolled in 2024-25, 32.7% identified as Hispanic or Latino. Although many joined Jones’ mariachi band because it’s part of their heritage, it’s a blend of students from diverse backgrounds who joined for diverse reasons. 

Reed, who is white, didn’t start the program as an expert on the genre — he never actually learned or taught mariachi until last year. But he’s a longtime trumpeter, his wife is a violinist and he wanted to create a space for his students to learn about their culture or someone else’s. Jones’ tapestry of student identities is clear from a first step into the school’s entryway, which is trimmed with flags from dozens of countries.

“I’ve been in a lot of schools and this has been my favorite place to teach,” Reed said. “I think the diversity has something to with that,” he said. 

Getting started has meant building the plane while flying it. 

“Last year I was staying a day or two ahead of the kids,” Reed said laughing. 

One of his first moves was asking the local music store to help special order the mariachi instruments, which ended up costing around $20,000 in total. The summer before launching the band last school year, and again this year, Reed attended the National Mariachi Education Workshops, a weeklong conference in Las Vegas, Nevada to learn more about the music genre and how to teach it. 

Both those things were made possible by grant money, Reed said. 

During Reed’s mariachi band classes available to 7th and 8th graders, students learn both how to play instruments and their history. He’s noticed the program’s positive impact on attendance with students coming to school to play their instruments which live in the band room. 

After one year, he was invited to present at the Kentucky Music Educators Association professional development conference about how to start a mariachi band. 

Meet the band

Merli Ramirez, a 7th grader, is one of the students who joined because it represents her Hispanic culture and identity.

“It makes me feel comfortable playing and proud of myself,” Ramirez said. 

Dylan Morales, a 7th grader who already plays trumpet, joined specifically because he really wanted to learn violin.

“I like the sound of it, it has a really clean sound,” he said.

“I wanted to make my momma proud,” said Christopher Ceboci, another 7th grader who joined the program. 

He said his family often listens to mariachi when they’re cleaning up the house. 

It’s also just fun, something Kobe Sanchez, another 7th grader agrees with. 

“It’s not hard, but it’s also not easy,” Sanchez said. 

Manuel Cervantes, an 8th grader, said the class means a lot to him because his family members all play instruments, including his dad, who plays the mariachi staple, the vihuela. 

“I feel I want to carry that on,” Cervantes said. 

“If this goes well, there’s a chance of me joining a bigger group,” he said. 

Mariachi-ng on

Reed has already heard from many of his former 8th grade students who graduated out of the ensemble last year, and no longer have a place to play mariachi.

This year, Reed wants to find a way to outfit the band with uniforms. He said it’s likely the full mariachi suits might be challenging and costly to source, but that he’s looking at options. 

He also is dreaming up a mariachi festival, which would bring together the one other Kentucky public school band at Bryan Station High School, and two other programs at Berea College and the University of Louisville. 

Reed, who also DJs on the side, has also found mariachi might be a real career pathway for students, considering the demand for mariachi bands he’s seen at local weddings.

“This is hard, and I’ve never worked harder than I have at this school, but to see these kids really get behind it, I think, and I hope, it’s going to continue to grow,” he said. 

The post This Northern Kentucky middle school traded jazz for mariachi. Students flocked to it appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Peaches is still thirsty after all these years.

Merrill Nisker is now in her third decade as Peaches, a singer whose garish visual aesthetic and ribald lyrical explorations remain intact on her first album in 11 years, “No Lube, So Rude.” As that title might suggest, Peaches still isn’t shy about exploring her sexual proclivities. Opening track “Hanging Titties” is patented Peaches, an electro-clash slap to the face delivered via a cavalcade of carnal desires and gender-bending glee.

“No Lube, So Rude” doesn’t hesitate to reference its creator’s age — for the uninitiated, 59-year-old Nisker first unveiled her fearless alter ego back when Bill Clinton still called the White House home. Check this from the slinky “Panna Cotta Delight,” which opens with a chintzy 1980s video-game keyboard lick: “I don’t need insurance, I’ve got the pension/Yes, I’m old, solid gold/A woman in control…”

Peaches’ mashup of influences — which she once described thusly: “I loved Iggy Pop, I loved Riot Grrrl, I loved Missy Elliot and I loved Lil’ Kim lyrics” — populate a discography designed to thrill and offend. “No Lube, So Rude” is no exception.

“For me, and for what I do, I’m always an advocate for queer and trans rights, human rights and bodily autonomy, and those are especially under attack in America right now,” Peaches said in a recent interview with OnMilwaukee. “Even though I already had a lot of material dealing with these themes, it felt like the right time to give another big push, show my support and get out there connecting with the community. I’m letting people know it’s okay to be who we are, to feel how we feel and that we’re absolutely in the right to be who we need to be.”

While the new material revels in its fleshy desires and pointed cultural critiques, album closer “Be Love” reveals Peaches’ need for deeper connection, culminating with unexpected strings and a fading beat as she yearns, “What to do, not the truth/Find the real inside you/I wanna be love.”

As expected, a Peaches live show is an interactive spectacle, complete with elaborate costumes, backing dancers and enough sexual bravado to make Prince blush. It’s a celebration of life personified by the following sentiments in “Flip This,” which is a live staple on the current tour: “We are the noise, filter through/Seek and destroy, fill it new/We are the voice, coming through/We can’t avoid, bring the truth.”

Peaches is playing at Bogarts on September 19. Click here for tickets.

The post Sound Advice: Peaches is still loud, lewd and unapologetic after all these years appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Iconic funk band Heatwave and the staff of legendary radio station WCIN were both given stars on the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, which sits just outside the Andrew J. Brady Music Center downtown.

The Black Music Walk of Fame is littered with terrazzo stars bearing iconic names, similar to the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, but instead celebrates Black musicians from Cincinnati who went on to achieve international acclaim. Past inductees include the Isley Brothers, James Brown, Roger & Zapp, Hi-Tek, Otis Williams, Bootsy Collins, and more.

Thanks for reading, but eventually you need to get off the couch. Find something to do with Cincinnati’s busiest events calendar!

This year’s ceremony took place inside the Brady Music Center and was led by Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece, the founder and CEO of the Black Music Walk of Fame. Attendees were encouraged to wear all-white to match Reece’s plans for a “Homecoming” theme. It took place just before the final night of the Cincinnati Music Festival at nearby Paycor Stadium, which Visit Cincy and meetNKY CEO Julie Kirkpatrick told CityBeat was “the biggest tourism weekend in Cincinnati every year.”

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Heatwave was founded by siblings Keith Wilder and Johnnie Wilder Jr., before they took their band to London, England and became international superstars. The group is best known for hit songs like “Boogie Nights,” “Always and Forever” and “The Groove Line.” At the ceremony, the surviving original members of the band accepted an award from Reece, and received their own star on the Walk of Fame.

Meanwhile, WCIN was the nation’s second-oldest Black-formatted radio station. Known as “The Pulse of the City,” it was well-known for helping to launch the career of famous acts like the Isley Brothers or Ike & Tina Turner. It also introduced the city to local icons like beloved radio personality Lincoln Ware, who got his start at the station in his younger days. WCIN shuttered in 2007; the station’s entire staff were collectively honored with a star on the Walk of Fame.

In addition to the two local inductees, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Regina Belle and classic R&B group New Edition were presented with a Legacy Award at the event. Belle and 2025 Walk of Fame inductee Shirley Murdock performed their most enduring hits as part of the ceremony, like “Baby Come to Me” and “As We Lay,” respectively. After the ceremony concluded, Midnight Star — a 2022 inductee — played a free concert on the Brady Center’s outdoor stage.

“I can’t tell you how wonderful this was,” Murdock told CityBeat. “It made my day.”

For more information on the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame, visit the official website.

The post Heatwave, WCIN Radio inducted into Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

This story originally appeared in our July 22 – Aug. 4 print edition. Check out the edition online here and find where you can get a print edition near you here.

Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. 21 Savage and Metro Boomin. Timbaland and Missy Elliot. Sometimes when two artists find each other, things just click.

At least, that’s how it was for Cincinnati rapper Khari and producer Montana, whose partnership feels like it was just meant to be. The duo has been working together for around two years now, Montana said, almost surprised it hasn’t been longer.

“We met at a beat battle,” Khari said. “I was there just listening and trying to catch some waves, and he was there cooking.” 

From that first encounter, they fell into an easy chemistry, one that extends outside of the studio.

“When people ask us that, it’d be like, ‘Damn, it feels like I’ve known this dude longer though,’” Khari said. “That’s how we knew our chemistry was instant outside of the music, you know what I’m saying?”

It’s a familiar story, the way local music scenes pull people together, but the bond these two have built in those two years feels deep. 

“Outside of just making songs together, the chemistry, just as a Black man, as a brother to brother, was there immediately,” Khari said. “I feel like I’ve known him for 10 years plus.” 

Both Khari and Montana grew up with music as a constant presence. 

“I don’t know a life without hip hop,” Khari said. “I feel like I just was born into it and just been around it my whole life. I always wrote. I always went to the studio with my dad and my uncles and write songs and record songs. But I really started taking it serious about four or five years ago. Putting out music, forming my digital footprint, marketing myself.”

Montana’s story mirrors Khari’s. 

“It’s kind of been around me all my life,” Montana said. “Not kind of. It’s been around me all my life. But I really started taking matters into my own hands, really trying to dive into it two years ago.” 

Family musical backgrounds run deep for both: Montana’s grandfather sang in the Cincinnati group The Ditalians, his mother and grandmother sang, and his father is Cincinnati-born rapper and producer Hi-Tek, who has worked with artists like 50 Cent, Nas, Talib Kweli and many more.

“As much as we tried to not identify as musicians, we couldn’t escape it because it was just always part of our plans,” Montana said. 

And while not every artist finds support at home, both Khari and Montana credit their families with providing the right kind of environment. 

“My parents never wanted me to shy away from my creativity,” Khari said. “When I told them I wanted to take music seriously, they was all behind it. They support everything I do.”

Outside of family, their influences span both music and unexpected corners of culture. 

“My biggest inspirations were [Tupac], Allen Iverson, Ryan Coogler,” Khari said. “Allen Iverson really — just his revolutionary spirit, being outspoken, not being afraid to speak your mind. And Ryan Coogler, the way he paints pictures, tells stories. He was an athlete and switched lanes to the arts. I did a similar thing, moving from basketball into rap.”

For Montana, it’s the sound that catches him. 

“The first time I heard Slum Village, I was stuck there,” Montana said. “Dr. Dre for sure. That whole ‘Aftermath’ sound was always catchy to me. And Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson.”

While Montana is driven by the textures and rhythms that shape a song, Khari’s approach to rap is rooted in tradition. 

“Hip hop was built on, you know, being in the parks, somebody making a beat on the wall, the table, whatever, and rapping freestyle. You talk about what you see,” he said. “I think it’s a great practice tool for artists. It should definitely be something we hold near and dear, especially fans of hip hop and being a part of the culture. Can’t let that die at all.”

When it comes to creating together, Khari and Montana have found a rhythm that’s both organic and efficient. 

“My creative direction when I’m by myself, I never really think about what no one else likes until I catch my groove,” Montana said. “I just try to let it come to me and vibe out.” 

Digging through vinyl, following the day’s tempo — his process is all about keeping it natural.

Khari’s inspiration often comes on the move. 

“I got to be outside, in motion or driving. I got undiagnosed ADHD, so I need to be doing something to get it going,” he said, laughing. “But when we get in the studio, it’s efficient. We’re not playing around.”

The duo is currently working toward their debut album, “Ghetto Nerd,” and in the process, they’re crafting something bigger than just a set of songs. They’re creating a universe.

“University is like the universe around the album,” Khari said. “We’re building something that people can attach themselves to — bigger than just putting out an album. We wanted people to feel like they’re a part of something, a community-based effort.”

You might ask, what does it mean to be a ‘ghetto nerd’?

“The main thing behind it was like coming from a place and not being of that place — seeing beyond that, being able to dream within a dark environment,” Khari said. “It’s being yourself within it. I think a lot of times, as Black people, we get boxed in. They say you got to be a gangster, you got to be this or that. But I know a lot of people in the hood that never sold drugs, never went to jail, never fit those stereotypes. It’s really the idea of Black people not being a monolith, but being able to see beyond your environment, rise above it and be yourself.”

Montana added: “It made it easy for me to just be myself. Eventually, I just started to truly commit to it. The journey in life of choosing you and not falling into the trap of the masses, or the path that’s traveled by your peers. It’s okay to be positive and not be a street dude. It’s okay to like music and read books.”

For anyone wanting to join the world of Ghetto Nerd, there’s even a number to text: 513-796-4807 with the word “enroll.”

“They get updates, exclusive things, access to different things,” Khari said. “We really want to go direct to the people with it.”

It wouldn’t be a Cincinnati story without talking about the city’s legacy and the artists who’ve taken it further. Cincinnati’s creative lineage is impossible to ignore for Khari and Montana. In a freestyle, Khari mentions that they would like to purchase the now-defunct Cincinnati record label.

“I mean, it’s manifestation right now. Like that’s definitely something we would love to do,” Khari said, reflecting on the legendary local landmark. “James Brown, Bootsy Collins — everybody coming through, the rich musical history in our city. That building was a forerunner of that.”

But their vision isn’t just about honoring the past — they’re also building connections with the next wave, collaborating with popular Cincinnati-born R&B singer Arin Ray. 

For Khari and Montana, Cincinnati artistry means respecting the city’s deep musical roots while collaborating with peers who are shaping its future.

It’s a mindset that shapes not only their music but also the way they bring it to an audience.

Khari’s live show philosophy has been shaped by experience. 

“When I first started, I was rapping over my lyrics. But you can’t really give a good show that way. What I learned from Jay-Z is you don’t want to give people the same show every time,” he said. “Now, it’s about committing to it, being practiced. If you say you want to do the splits and do a backflip, you better do it with full confidence.”

Practice brings confidence. 

“Before we did Jadakiss (they opened for the hip hop artist), we practiced two weeks straight, just going, going, going. Practice makes greatness.” Khari said. 

And the rewards? 

“Opening up for Freddie Gibbs was dope for me,” Khari said. “That was the first time I saw a crowd that was already screaming. Being able to perform overseas — I’ve toured in Spain two years in a row. By the time I get to the second hook, they’re repeating it to me. That was a high. That’s what I could see myself doing forever.”

As for the album, there’s no rush. 

“We’re just building up the buzz around it because we believe in the music that much,”  Khari said. “Come into the world, see what it’s about, and be invested into it first. We want to show people: this is Khari and Montana. This is our duo, our tandem. Really bring it back to hip hop — a rapper and a producer, branded as that. I feel like that’s missing in hip hop right now, and we got exactly what’s missing right now.”

The post Ghetto Nerd: Khari and Montana’s new album helps shape the next era of Cincinnati hip hop appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The other day, I got my first email request for this series. This one’s for you, Scott. You might be IN this band, but you were my first.

What kind of music screams “Queen City” to you? College rock? Bluegrass? EDM?

The local scene is nothing if not surprising, because the Queen City Silver Stars are making music unlike ANYONE else around; they describe their sound as “Midwest mind, Caribbean soul,” and as soon as I heard it, I knew I had to tell all of you. 

Let’s talk about “Suitcase,” the band’s 2024 album. I guarantee this is the only place on earth you’ll hear a steel drum on a song about Tom Waits. Songs like “Mantra” and “Step Inside” feel more at home with the coastal vibes, but remember: you’re not actually on vacation right now. Sorry!

More surprising still is how tight everything is. Songs like “Cordelia” or “Come on Over” off their first album, “Green Flash,” show that the band has never been a slouch at delivering breezy jam band energy. The grooves are more than competent; they’re playful and fun. 

Now, I have to be honest: my knowledge base for bands with island influence is not too high. I have essentially no idea how to judge this. Thing is, I don’t have to overthink it. Aren’t good vibes the point?

Their newest track, “Time & Pressure,” is another delight. The vocals really shine; like I said, this band can jam! Online, they describe themselves as a live-first act, and I believe it. 

If you want to hear one of Cincy’s most unique bands in person, you can catch them at the Fernbank Golf Course on Aug. 28 as part of their summer concert series — and listen. It’s about as hot as could be out there, so do me a favor: buy some pineapple juice and some lime, put on some QCSS, and relax. 

You can find last week’s feature on The Tillers here. Leave a comment on our Instagram or email me at ebloomfield@linknky.com with your suggestions for next week’s local band highlight!

The post CityBeat’s Local Band Highlight: Queen City Silver Stars appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The music landscape of the Queen City, like its population, is varied and layered with history.

Cincinnati’s position along the Ohio River has made it a premier destination for drifters with guitars for generations; King Records made a name for local Black artists and scrappy college punks just can’t stop starting bands here. 

One of the Tri-State’s most important cultural touchstones is bluegrass music. While Kentucky takes a lot of that glory, Ohioans also have a longtime connection with the art form — and here in Cincinnati, that creates a perfect environment for a band like The Tillers. 

The Tillers aren’t new to the Cincy music scene. They started way back in 2007 busking in Clifton, and over two decades later are still strumming guitars across the country (check them out if you’re in Madison, Wis. on July 17).

Their most recent studio project, their self titled album from 2018, reflects that history; Mike Oberst and the Geils give a lively rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “All you Fascists Bound to Lose” alongside original and thoughtful tunes like “Riverboat Dishwashing Song” with all the shine and polish of a veteran folk act. 

The band calls for social change, sings about trains and all the other trappings of string music, but don’t think I’m saying it’s boring; the instrumentals are lush, the melodies are tight and the band paints a vivid picture of Appalachian living, from the beauty of nature to the harsh realities of poverty. 

And mind you, The Tillers have almost two decades of music to sort through.

In 2008’s “Ludlow Street Rag,” their first studio album, songs like “I Wish my Baby Was Born” and “Miner’s Lifeguard” are positively haunting in their tone and message. Some songs, though, like “The Dodgin’ Song,” show off a more playful side of the band, reminiscent of the classic tongue-in-cheek blues rags of Country Joe McDonald or Bob Dylan.

Harkening back to the classics, down to playing songs like “I Ain’t Got No Home,” makes one thing clear: the story of The Tillers, as well as the story of string music, is a collective story about legacy. Untold thousands of people have sung that the police have made it hard wherever they may go (and I like Woody’s version a lot), but since the very beginning, the Tillers have harnessed the timeless power of folk music to be part of a traditional, local sound in a uniquely Cincinnati way (and you should listen to them).

You can find The Tillers @the_tillers on Instagram and anywhere you listen to music. You can find last week’s feature on Linwood here. Leave a comment on our Instagram or email me at ebloomfield@linknky.com with your suggestions for next week’s local band highlight!

The post Citybeat’s Local Band Highlight: The Tillers appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

As I’ve maintained throughout this series, I like to have help discovering local bands. My ears can’t be everywhere at once, so I look forward to the recommendations people give me for unique and interesting local artists to check out. 

Take, for example, Linwood. Named for the band’s singer and guitarist Linwood Cobb, not the avenue, the Cincy rock and roll outfit was scouted out by a loyal reader (and coincidentally, my boss — say hi, Christian!) as the right fit for this series. Who am I to deny a fan’s request?

Linwood formed in early 2024, releasing their first single, “27s” that February. “Living” dropped in October, with the band playing shows in and outside of Cincinnati over the next year. All has been quiet until just last month when the band dropped their first EP, “Under My Skin.”

Here’s the pitch: it’s no-frills rock and roll. What more do you need?

Take the opener, “Stop Time” — Cobb’s vocals carry serious momentum throughout the track, setting the tone for not only the EP, but for his role as frontman. Making rock and roll is no easy task, but the energy clearly sticks around as tracks go on. 

The title track of the EP is another highlight. Cobb’s songwriting is sharp throughout the record, giving it a real sense of identity. The instrumentals are pleasant and absolutely bring the punch, making a rock band just starting in the scene feel like they own the place. I’m excited by the prospect of more from Linwood, and I can’t wait to see what they release next. 

If you want to support the band, you can find them on Instagram @linwoodband and their new EP “Under My Skin” wherever you listen to music.

You can find last week’s feature on Dravin and the Ravens here.

The post CityBeat’s local band highlight: Linwood appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

The live music scene in the Cincinnati area has been reeling over the past week following turmoil at one of the region’s oldest venues, the Madison Theater in Covington.

The operators of the theater announced unexpectedly last week that the venue would be closing. This turned out not to be entirely accurate – both the former operators of the venue and a representative of the venue’s owner later confirmed the theater was planning to reopen under new management. However, it did mean the shows that were scheduled for that weekend had to be moved.

“I found out Friday morning…,” said James “Sandwich Jones” Robertson, guitarist for Your Disease, one of the bands slated to play Covington Metal Fest at the theater before it got moved to Southgate House Revival in Newport. “I found out from a series of group chats.”

Sandwich estimated about 400 people turned out to the show in Newport, which was “pretty good,” he said, even if it was less than last year (possibly due to the sudden venue change).

Although existing information about the Madison Theater suggests it will remain a music venue, the suddenness of everything has stoked some anxiety among the DIY music scenes in the Cincinnati area, especially among the punk, hardcore and metal scenes, whose way of doing things at times puts them at odds with both mainstream cultural mores and the city.

Sandwich said the DIY scene in the Cincinnati area began seeing a resurgence around 2024, especially after several mainstays of the scene, such as Legends Bar & Venue and the Northside Yacht Club, either closed or reduced the number of live shows they were hosting. As a result, Sandwich said, trying to find reliable spaces to book shows became a game of “whack-a-mole.”

“There’s always been DIY venues, but Legends was a safe haven for all of that stuff,” Sandwich said. “It was not the greatest venue in the world, but it was ours to some degree.”

Newer bands and younger bands, especially, “they can’t play at Bogart’s. They’re starting out, they’re newer, they’re a hometown band. There needs to be spaces that are not alcohol establishments for people to be able to be in a community and enjoy music,” said DSGN CLLCTV Founder Julia Green.

Green is the daughter of nationally renowned cartoonist Justin Green and founded DSGN CLLCTV (literally the words ‘design collective’ without vowels) originally as an alternative art gallery and display space. In time, however, the organization also began hosting punk and hardcore shows for local bands. The building is currently being renovated to bring it up to code, but Green said the goal was to reopen in the future. They’re still organizing shows at Heart of Northside.

The nature of punk, hardcore and metal inevitably lends itself to a DIY ethos because it’s difficult to find a mainstream venue that’s willing to host what to outsiders looks like aimless violence and noise.

“Yeah, the music can seem a little aggressive and scary,” said Chris Phelps Carrillo. “The aggressiveness is kind of the point.”

Phelps Carrillo said he had been involved in the DIY scene for about a year, booking and running shows around town, “especially for newer bands.”

“There is a method to the chaos,” Phelps Carrillo said. “On the outside people are just like, ‘no, this is just straight up assault…’ The side they don’t see is immediately after, those people will turn around and check on them to make sure they’re okay. If they get knocked down, they’ll make sure they pick them back up. They always take care of each other, because everyone has an understanding of what the scene’s about.”

“If you’re a jazz band, or you’re a pop country act, you could probably get away with playing in the middle of a parking lot and a busy part of downtown Cincinnati,” Sandwich said. “And everybody would just be like, “Oh, that’s really nice, that’s great. We love that our city is so enriched with talent.’ But heavy music, if we even pretended to do that, it would be shut down.”

Green argued the loss of a DIY space erodes the region’s organic cultural reproduction, especially among youth, who may not have access to or the resources to break into mainstream spaces.

“It’s hard to find spots for these types of shows because when people hear kids…, moshing, any of that, they just are like ‘that’s a liability I don’t want,'” Green said. “Kids are stupid. They do stupid things, but they need a place to go.”

Phelps Carrillo talked about the closure of a DIY space earlier this year called The Abyss, located in an old warehouse on Spring Grove Avenue, which only managed to play a handful of shows before getting shut down.

The show that led to the shutdown occurred on Feb. 28, Phelps Carillo said, and was an anti-ICE show, aiming to raise money for families that had been displaced by immigration authorities. The venue, perhaps unfortunately for the show-goers, was right across the street from Cincinnati Fire Station 12.

“The fire department came in, and they were just like, ‘oh, we wanted to see what’s going on,'” Phelps Carillo said.

He added that the fire department went through the building and even seemed genuinely interested in the show before leaving. Then they came back with the cops, Phelps Carillo said. No one was arrested, but “they just opted to immediately get it shut down right off the bat,” Phelps Carillo said. “So, that ended up being the last show for there.”

A public records request for police communications didn’t yield anything, but CityBeat has also requested reports from the fire department to corroborate Phelps Carillo’s story. We will update this story once we have the records.

Given this context, it’s easy to see why the news of Madison Theater made people in the scene uneasy. An event like Metal Fest was open to all ages, hosted a kind of music that would make polite company blush (or call the police), had comparatively cheap admission, and gave an opportunity for young and new bands to showcase their work and build a fan base.

There’s no evidence currently to suggest this will be the case, but the fear within the local music community is that with the former operators gone, a concert conglomerate like Live Nation would come to manage the theater. Live Nation is arguably the antithesis of the DIY attitude—corporate, distant, expensive, inaccessible. To put things into perspective, a ticket to Metal Fest this year was $20 and gave you access to multiple shows. General admission to a Live Nation venue like Bogart’s could easily run double that, depending on the performer.

Not everyone who spoke with CityBeat was pessimistic, though. John Hays, who’s now 40, has been in the scene for years and said DIY spaces getting shut down was part of the process. Hays is currently in a band called Emanating Peace.

“I’ve seen it happen so many times,” Hays said. “There’s a little bit of a lull, and maybe a couple shows miss out on coming through, but it always comes together.”

He gave a view venues where shows and DIY spaces could still be found: Heart of Northside, Comet, Lambda, Swine City, where one of the acts that was slated to play at Madison Theater last week got moved to.

“This sort of the spirit of the whole thing…,” Hays said. “There’s always venues closing, and somebody else steps up, and you find somewhere else to be. The mouse trap doesn’t eliminate rodents.”

The post ‘The mousetrap doesn’t eliminate rodents’ Cincinnati’s DIY music scene persists despite venue closures appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

Let me give you a little inside baseball about this series. I listen to lots of music before I decide to talk about a band (I know, what a burden). 

For the record, this isn’t voted on – I just pick bands from community suggestions that I think are cool (so make sure to leave comments on our social media or email me). 

I only have one criterion when I’m picking a band or artist for this series: I hear something that I think is subjectively cool or that I think more people should hear. 

This week, that moment was near the end of Dravin and the Ravens’ 2024 album “Chasing Saturn.” I heard “Savior” and knew they were the right band to talk about. Every piece of the song oozed personality, and the surprise vibe-shift ending was so much fun. Remember when music was fun?

If you’re inclined to check the band out, you’re in luck: they’ve got an EP, an album and two new singles out. 

The band describe themselves on Instagram as “Indie/Garage Rock” and their EP “Business as Usual” leans into the crunchy garage production, while some of “Chasing Saturn’s” biggest moments are slicker. But don’t let a cleaner tone fool you: the garage attitude is all there. 

Their two new singles, “Hourglass” and “Mulder and Scully” feel like ‘90s throwbacks with their prominent melodies and anthemic choruses. That isn’t to say they’re dated (although Hourglass is literally about time passing), they’re fun romps that leave me excited for their next project.

If you want to support the band, you can find them at @dravin_and_the_ravens on Instagram. Otherwise, leave a comment on our Instagram or email me at ebloomfield@linknky.com with your suggestions for next week’s local band highlight!

The post CityBeat’s Local Band Highlight: Dravin and the Ravens appeared first on Cincinnati CityBeat.

It’s a little after midnight. The lights are low. You’re surrounded by hundreds of people dancing their heart out, as the hottest song from the pop singer du jour is blaring at a volume so loud nobody can hear themselves think. And then the DJ tag hits.

“You’re listening to DJ Boywife, you stupid b*tch.”

The crowd screams.

It’s an experience thousands of Cincinnatians have every single weekend. To some, DJ Boywife is solely responsible for revitalizing the city’s nightlife. To others, he’s a parasocial figure with obsessive fans who follow and document his every move. But to those who know him best, he’s just Shane Brouman.

It seems hard to believe, given how ubiquitous he is at every single major space and event across the city — nightclubs, dive bars, FC Cincinnati games, blowout NYE bashes at Hard Rock Casino, just to name a few — but there was a time when CityBeat’s winner for Best DJ four years in a row was never a DJ at all.

“In 2021, I had a friend from Twitter who invited me out to his DJ set at a local gay bar. What he didn’t tell me, or anyone, was that it was actually his farewell set and he was moving to Dallas,” he said. “And I remember seeing one of the owners go, ‘Oh s**t.’ A few minutes later, the same owner comes up to me and goes, ‘You look like a DJ. Why don’t you come try it?'”

A week later, he performed his first “DJ set” — air quotes his, as the set was really just him sitting at a computer and queuing up songs on Spotify. But the crowd loved it, and he was asked to come back again, and again, and again. Eventually, the popular Over-the-Rhine nightclub Alice took notice of his burgeoning reputation and asked him to perform a set on a busy weekend night. What started as a side hustle and a reason to “get on stage and wear gay little outfits” became a full-time career.

“Going from a bar that holds 50 people to a giant warehouse that holds hundreds was when I realized, ‘Oh, this could actually be something.’ For the first time, I was getting an actual paycheck to perform, not just two drink tickets and a pat on the back,” he said. “I realized I needed to lock in and get some real equipment, because this had real legs to it. A few gigs later, Alice asked me to be their resident DJ. In a short span of time, I went from playing “Bad Romance” on the aux cord for my friends to performing for thousands every weekend.”

Local bartender, DJ and music producer Eliot Gill, a.k.a. Liot, has been along for the ride since the very first DJ Boywife set. He was drawn to Brouman’s “eclectic” taste in music across his sets, which includes everything from rap to K-pop to hyperpop to UK breakbeat. The two struck up a friendship, and have played shows together ever since.

“The thing I love about Shane’s sets is that he’s always having fun. Obviously, he has a huge core following that follows him wherever he goes,” he said. “Like, crowds show up specifically because they know he’s going to be there. And they’re always having so much fun watching him have fun. And it gives everyone else permission to have fun, too.”

Watching Boywife perform, it’s easy to tell that he exudes the sort of confidence and effortless cool that your run-of-the-mill musician or influencer would kill to have — which, in turn, brings around “a lot of similar people who are also really good at expressing themselves and dressing cool,” according to Gill.

“If Shane was given a title, like, if he was a knight or something, I think they’d deem him Cincinnati’s nightclub savior,” he said.

These days, when Boywife isn’t playing a gig at whatever Cincinnati venue is paying him top dollar to bring in a steady stream of customers, he’s regularly flying out to play sets in bigger cities.

Recently, for example, he spent Tuesday through Friday morning performing in New York City, flew back to Cincinnati that afternoon, then proceeded to play eight more shows in town that weekend. It’s a strenuous lifestyle without much downtime, but it’s rewarding in the end.

“When I see these young people who don’t really know themselves yet come out, and they see themselves in me or in the other people who come to my gigs, and they’re creating these core memories and figuring out who they are … all the sleepless nights, all the preparation, all the annoying logistics, it makes it all worth it,” he said.

His rampant popularity comes with plenty of side effects, of course. Lots of people have attempted to use his name for clout or status. Often, customers try to get free drinks or access to private areas by claiming to be his best friend.

Earlier this year, at Alice, a girl tried to skip the queue by claiming she had a text from him about it. (When prompted by security for the text, she revealed a message that simply said “Hi this is DJ Boywife” on her screen.) But none of it really bothers him as long as the right people make their way to the dance floor.

“I like people who give a f**k, because I give a f**k. What keeps me going, frankly, is the dedicated people. The people who really care about feeling safe and having fun. They’ll pay the cover, buy three expensive drinks and come back every single week,” he said. “It proves to me that I’m doing something important, and giving people a space to express themselves, and that we’re all in this together, no ‘High School Musical.’”

Getting named the city’s best DJ for multiple years in a row has been “incredibly validating,” he says, because it means the people he’s doing it for are responding in kind.

“It just feels good to be like, ‘damn, I was right to do this.’ Mom and Dad, I know you’re reading this, I told you college was for dorks,” he said, laughing. “But seriously, it’s not lost on me how much my success is centered around the people who come to see me. What’s a DJ without a crowd? I never want there to be any gray area about how much I appreciate not only the people who paved the way before me, but also all these little fags who see me breaking glass ceilings and doing the things we never dreamed of.”

As for what the future holds for his career, that’s easy.

“S**t, what doesn’t it hold?” he said. “Everything. End of answer.” The phone clicks, and an ‘end call’ sound plays. He’d love to stay and chat, but he’s got another gig to get to.

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