Categories
News

Over-the-Rhine: A Holiday Tradition

Usually when we talk about Over-the-Rhine here it is about how the neighborhood is turning around, or events going on in the neighborhood. This time though, I thought it appropriate to take a moment and talk about the group of musicians known by the same name and specifically their show tonight at the Taft Theater. The show this year, and many years in the past, has been sponsored by local radio treasure 89.7 WNKU.

The heart of Over-the-Rhine, the band, is Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist who have been married and making music together for quite some time. Last year their two night stand at The Taft celebrated the 20th year of the band as they worked through music from their entire career. This year the show should be back to its more traditional mix of original tunes, both of the holiday variety and those enjoyed on a year round basis.

Their annual homecoming show around the Christmas holiday has become a longstanding tradition in Cincinnati which started back in the mid 1990s at the Emery Theatre. As the band’s fan base grew and the Emery closed down of course (only to be remodeled) the next logical place was the Taft where they have been playing for a while now.

This show has become a part of how many Cincinnatians celebrate the holiday season, and if you have not checked it out it comes highly recommended. Karin, Linford, and company put on a very thoughtful and elegant show on a stage that is usually candlelit and has numerous flowers on it which are purchased by fans of the band. Couple it with a dinner at one of the many establishments around town and a trip to the Fountain Square Ice Skating Rink for the perfect Saturday night.

Get in the mood by checking out “Darlin (Christmas is Coming)” from last year’s show and then buy your tickets for the show here.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Once Upon a Mattress a hit for the holidays

This weekend, Jersey Productions will run their final showings of Once Upon a Mattress. Tony nominated actress Pamela Myers plays the lead, Queen Aggravaine, and Kaitlin Becker perfectly plays the eccentric Princess Winnifred. Children and adults alike will love how well the young actors and actresses portraying a group of children listening to a story actually become involved in the musical numbers.

Tickets are still available for this weekend’s showings and can be purchased online, by calling (513) 621-2787, or by visiting the box office. Seeing the play will be the perfect end to a day of fun holiday activities downtown this weekend, including seeing the train display at the Cincinnati Gas and Electric Building, ice skating on Fountain Square, or bolstering the local economy by shopping in the Gateway Quarter.

The Aronoff Center for the Arts (map) is located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati’s Backstage Entertainment District. Off-street automobile and bicycle parking is available and the Aronoff Center is well-serviced by Metro’s Government Square bus hub. To see which route is most convenient for you, and to plan your trip now, use Metro’s Trip Planner.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business News

New Gateway Quarter Gift Card the perfect holiday gift

If you’re still trying to find the perfect gift for a friend or family member, look no further than the new Gateway Quarter Gift Card that is good at 24 shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations in one of Cincinnati’s trendiest business districts.

The new gift cards are a perfect addition to the thriving Gateway Quarter district in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. On Black Friday I took advantage of the second annual ‘Holidays in the Bag’ shopping event and was able to purchase nearly all of my holiday gifts just in the Gateway Quarter. So, if you still searching for gift ideas, buy a couple Gateway Quarter Gift Cards and give your friend of family member the gift of shopping local and experiencing the unique items available throughout the Gateway Quarter.

The gift card can be purchased at five locations: Park+Vine, Mica 12/v, Joseph Williams Home, Below Zero Lounge, and the Gateway Quarter Sales Office at 12th & Vine streets. Find a full list of participating businesses here.

Categories
News Politics Transportation

UC*Metro deal sees more changes

UC students, faculty, and staff will soon pay more to participate in the UC*Metro program. When originally created, the deal allowed free rides on any Metro bus route by simply showing your UC ID card. In September, we reported that riders must now pay a quarterly fee ($40 for students, $120 for faculty and staff), and pay an additional fare for routes outside of Zone 1.

Due to an increasingly tight budget situation at Metro, which has required a combination of service cuts and fare hikes, the UC*Metro deal will see additional changes. In addition to paying for the quarterly card, riders must now pay a 25¢ fare for routes within Zone 1 (formerly free), and increased fares in other zones (see full list of fares at UC’s website).

The new fares will take affect on December 27. Those who have already purchased a pass for Winter Quarter have been given the option of requesting a refund, from now until January 11, 2010, by e-mailing Marie Sutthoff at marie.sutthoff@uc.edu or calling 513-556-4319.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Remembering Erich Kunzel

Aside from conducting the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and appearing on PBS for many years, Erich Kunzel conducted many other orchestras, including the Boston Pops. The home of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in Cincinnati was Music Hall, which is located in the old German district known as Over-the-Rhine.

Kunzel’s dream was to locate the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati in the Over-the-Rhine district just a block or so from Music Hall. In addition to this, he helped raise funds for this endeavor. Unfortunately, Erich Kunzel recently passed away as a result of cancer and will not see his dream soon come to fruition.

Many sought to honor him for all he did for the city of Cincinnati and the world of music. So, the street in front of Music Hall was given the additional name of “Erich Kunzel Way” by the Cincinnati City Council, while at the same time retaining its name as Elm Street.

An additional honor was sought by many to name the SCPA School after him, with the final result that the building complex of the school will be named the Erich Kunzel Center for Arts & Education.

As President of the German-American Citizens League of Greater Cincinnati, I appeared at the November meeting of the Cincinnati School Board, stating:

“Maestro Kunzel’s efforts not only spearheaded financial support for the construction of SCPA, but they also led to its location in downtown Cincinnati near Music Hall in historic Over-the-Rhine, the home of his beloved Pops Orchestra.”

Kunzel was a good friend of the German-American community and proud of his German heritage. Although it was hoped that the new school would bear his name, the compromise reached does place his name on the building complex in Over-the-Rhine and most likely will become generally known as the Erich Kunzel Center for Arts and Education.

German-Americans in Cincinnati, therefore, can be proud to have done their part in obtaining this honor for Maestro Kunzel, a great German-American, who was well known throughout the world.

A collection of his recordings was just issued entitled “Erich Kunzel – Cincinnati Pops Orchestra: The Legacy Collection.” It contains a selection of fifteen of his favorite musical pieces, concluding with “Stars & Stripes Forever,” by John Philip Sousa, who also was of German descent.

Yours truly,
Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann

Don Heinrich Tolzmann serves as president of the German-American Citizens League of Greater Cincinnati & Curator of the German Heritage Museum. The author of many books on Cincinnati’s German heritage, he also is Associate Publisher and Columnist for Germerica.net. His forthcoming book due this spring is on Cincinnati’s historic Over-the-Rhine.