The year gets off to a tremendous start in Westerville, where sometime in January, Michael’s Pizza becomes the first place to serve alcohol there since 1875. When we moved here in the late 90s, Westerville and one small section of the Clintonville area were still both dry – so this becomes the last domino to fall. In less triumphant though somewhat related news, in symbolic yin/yang fashion, December will meanwhile see city council voting against renewing liquor licenses for Ledo’s Lounge (2608 North High Street), Miani’s (2619), and The Nut House (2159.) Somewhere in between these measures, both philosophically and chronologically, in November, select campus area UDF stores stop selling domestic beer in bottles – this apparently at the behest of Ohio State bigwigs, who are concerned about the ever escalating game day carnage.
January 2
Drexel Gateway Theatre hosts a viewing party for OSU’s bowl game against Notre Dame. It begins at 3:30pm (kickoff for the Fiesta Bowl is 4:30) and features $2 Bud Light Pounders, $1 hot dogs, as well as a $7 “tailgate food buffet.” According to the ad I’m reading, private party space is available for rent as well. Regarding the results, the Buckeyes win the game 34-20.
January 6
The Columbus Bride Show lifts its veil at Vets Memorial. Boasting 170+ exhibitors, three fashion shows, and thousands of dollars in door prizes – all for the low, low admission price of $8 – it runs from 10am to 5pm today, then noon to 5 on the 7th.
January 29
Wendy’s ditches Columbus in favor of the suburbs, as the corporation relocates its headquarters to Dublin.
To see what kind of antics my cohorts and I are up to on any given day, you can always click this arrow icon when you see it:
February 10
Avett Brothers hit the Blue Note for a live performance.
February 15
Creole Kitchen, which boasts authentic Cajun fare up to and including alligator, opens its doors at 1052 Mount Vernon Avenue.
February 24
Tim O’Brien and Danny Barnes play a show together at the Newport. Here’s one song from their set that night:
For more of the Newport’s 2006 events calendar, please visit that page.
February 25
McCormick and Shmick’s holds a grand opening party out at Easton. Incredibly enough, this is their first Ohio restaurant. Specially invited guests and bigwigs celebrate around an open bar and and endless bounty of hors d’oeurves.
March 1
Lindey’s Polaris hosts its latest First Wednesday event. At this one, Executive Chef Jen Fortes gives a cooking and wine tutorial centered around the theme of “seasonal” favorites.
Kurt Vonnegut has a speaking appearance on OSU campus, which I and some others attend.
March 2
Sugar Bar opens with owners Chris Corso and Mike Gallicchio on hand, as well as special appearances by two members of the Pussycat Dolls. So these guys are apparently well-connected if nothing else, spotty track records with these clubs be damned. Anyway, complimentary vodka drinks and appetizers are passed out to lucky attendees, one of which is mayor Michael Coleman.
March 8
Yes! Those persistent rumors are true! The 1st Ohio Reptile Research & Conservation Conference is indeed held at Ohio Historical Society on this date.
March 10
Columbus AIDS Task Force has a People’s Choice reception at Global Living. This is all part of their biannual Art For Life fundraising effort. Here, a representative from Sotehby’s New York picks works that will be auctioned at the CATF’s primary event next month. Patrons vote on the suggested pieces, and Barcelona serves wine to wash down their plentiful appetizers.
March 11
The Raising Cane’s at University City Center opens.
Meanwhile, up at the Polaris location of Saks 5th Avenue, they’re conducting a spring prom fashion show. Students from Bexley and Pickerington model this season’s trendier dresses. Additionally, vendors/owners from businesses such as Linda Kick Cakes, 100 Degrees Salon, Elite Limousines and Daisy Basket Flowers pass out samples and give demos of their products.
March 31
The Ohio chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society holds its banquet at Villa Milano on Schrock Road.
And I couldn’t really avoid talking about this, either. It’s the most famous cold case in Columbus right now – possibly ever – and one of the more well known missing persons episodes around the world, period. This is the night Brian Shaffer went out for some drinks with a couple friends and was never seen again. Technically speaking, he disappeared on April 1, but he and his buddy Clint Forence began their bar-hopping odyssey tonight. They were later joined by a third friend, Meredith Reed. The three of them eventually wound up at Ugly Tuna Saloona, which is where the notorious incident transpired.
Shaffer is seen on video footage entering the bar, yet never leaving. And this was supposedly impossible, which is why the case immediately gained so much traction. Despite that concept being debunked, however, in countless media outlets over the years, this myth continues to persist and is the big calling card for those who enjoy obsessing over the case. It’s true that every other person seen entering the bar that night has been accounted for and spoken to, however, including the band that was playing, a trio named Rock House. Yet nothing particularly relevant has turned up from this. Anyway, if seeking to learn more about the intricacies of his disappearance, I would recommend the work they’ve done on True Crime Garage.
April 1
A turkey hunting seminar is held at the Hilliard Gander Mountain, 11am. Blue Oyster Cult invade Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.
April 5
The Black Coin play a show at Skully’s Music-Diner. For a complete rundown of that club’s events, please visit that page.
April 6
Lerone, Sarah Donnelly, and Adam Newman play at Acme Art Company. Blues Station has Pike Band. Tempest play at Byrne’s Pub. At Flanagan’s Pub it’s Brad Moore. Gibby’s Arena District has Mother Trucker Lite performing. At Grandview Heights Public Library, it’s The Drowsy Lads, Marvin the Robot, and Sarah Asher. Hoggy’s Barn & Grill has Delyn Christian & the Fret Shop Band. At Oldfield’s on High it’s Floor Walkers. On The Rocks has School Boy Crush. The Jimmy McGee Band are at Park Street Tavern. Moving to Boise are playing at Slapsy Maxie’s. Acoustic Theory are at Tommy Keegans. Jonathan Rundman plays at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Bexley, a free showAt Ugly Tuna Saloona it’s Chris Logsdon. Victory’s has Nefarious Ewe. Zeno’s has The John Turck Trio.
Carabar has Jesse Henry playing. For a rundown of their 2006 events, please visit that page.
Rob Zombie also happens to be in town, performing at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. John Petric is here and is mostly impressed with the show. Lacuna Coil and Bullet For My Valentine open.
April 7
At Carlile Club, it’s “Installation 2” of something, but I’m not sure what, exactly. As they are apparently dubbing this series Elektro Fridays, though, I think it means various DJs spinning house/trance/techno records. Vital Recordings is on the ground floor at 10pm, featuring John D. At the same time Dirrrty House Sessions Vol. 2 is at The Underground, featuring Nino Anthony and David Farlow.
It’s Comfest Volunteer Nite at Acme Art Company, featuring Audible Detonation, The Exceptionals, Nuke Daddies, The Floorwalkers, The Rackets, and Church of the Red Museum.
David Sedaris is in town, at the Palace Theatre for an essay reading, followed by audience Q & A and signing session.
Jonathan Rundman is at Victorian’s Midnight Cafe, which is once again a free show. For a complete recap of 2006 events there, please visit that dedicated page.
Elsewhere, tonight Chris Logsdon is at Adobe Gilas. Alrosa Villas has Bobaflex, X Facter 1, Desolate Mindframe, A Vicious Cycle, Umbra, Drifire. The Basement has Flyleaf, Revelation Theory, and Mercy Fall. Billiard Club has Headchange, Addison Lane, Gone Until Tomorrow, and Korba Kai. At Blues Station it’s the Spikedrivers. Bogey Inn has The Aaron Wright and John Zuck Duo. Razorback are playing at Cadillac Jack’s. C.B.R’s has Bad Johnny playing. Crown Sports Lounge IV has Hollywood Sean on tap. The Vague with Slanted are playing at Fat Billiards. Flanagan’s Pub has Eric Solomon. Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar has Chrome playing. Gibby’s Arena District has Vinyl. At Goat Tavern, it’s Christopher Swanson. Harvest Moon Cafe has Jonathan Burgess. Bad Influence are at Hot Spot Tavern. Larry B’s has Radio Surfers. Mulligan’s has Delyn Christian playing. For Oldfield’s on High it’s Jakob Freely, Andy Shaw, and Sean Benjamin Band. On the Rocks has Granny Shot, Next Exit. Park Street Tavern has Capital Sound Band. At Pit Stop Lounge it’s Night Caps. Hoo Doo Soul Band are performing at Ravari Room. X Rated Cowboys are at Short North Tavern. Slapsy Maxies has Franc Aledia performing. St. James Tavern has Theresa Fyffe, Stephanie Jeffreys. At Tommy Keegans it’s Under New Ownership. 2 Rascal’s Pub has 70 West Band. Victory’s has Daybreak, Freak Nut Rat Patrol. Woo Doggies Grille has Fat Dog.
Adrienne Young and Little Sadie are at Thirsty Ear Tavern. Tickets are available at Ace In The Hole Music, Fifth Avenue Fret Shop, Magnolia Thunderpussy, the Music Go Round on Bethel Road, and Sour Records in Westerville
April 8
The PRO Gun Show at Westland Mall hosts a home-study hunter education course, from 10am to 2pm, today and on the 9th.
At Andyman’s Treehouse, Early Empire play a CD release party for their debut EP, Resolutions and a Gun. Pretty Weapons and Vena Cava open. For a rundown of the Andyman’s events, please visit that page.
Elswhere, Billiard Club has Sex Slaves, Umbra playing. Blues Station has Zen Blues Band. Cadillac Jack’s has Liquid Blue. C.B.R’s has Downplay, BlackCoin, Letter to the Editor, The Mercury Retrograde. At Club Sunset it’s The Schmangy Brothers. Crown Sports Lounge has Poison Ivory, while Crown Sports Lounge IV meanwhile Simply Misdirected. At Flanagan’s Pub it’s Blurred Vision. Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar has X Ray Jimmy Roger. Gibby’s Arena District has Jesse Davis playing. Harvest Moon Cafe has Brandon Abbott. Mother Trucker Lite are at Hilton. Hot Spot Tavern has Night Caps performing. Oldfield’s on High has Evil Queens, Ho Ag, One Point Three, ARKS. On the Rocks has Amanda Overboard. At Park Street Tavern there’s a Champipple CD release party. At Pit Stop Lounge it’s Wild Eagle. Plank’s on Broadway has JD Burlee. At Ravari Room it’s The Clampdown. Short North Tavern have Soul Kitchen. Slapsy Maxies has Agent 99.
April 9
the latest edition of the Icebox Music Series means The Eastern Seaboard are playing at Acme Art Company.
April 10
The Subhumans invade The Basement, and according to John Petric, who also attends this show, they deliver a performance for the ages. Caustic Christ and Signal Lost open.
April 11
On the 101st day of the year (get it?), local FM station CD101 hosts a big blowout at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. Mayor Michael Coleman even gets into the act, voluntarily shilling for the event, boldly proclaiming this day on the calendar as CD101 Day. Except maybe in leap years when I guess they would have to hold this on the 10th.
Anyway, Rock Kills Kid kicks off the event, followed by Bril, Nine Black Alps, local boys The Sun, then Dresden Dolls, and finally headliners OK Go. In The Other Paper issue that arrives two days later, Rick Allen will claim that The Sun surprisingly stole the show.
A touring production of Little Shop Of Horrors hits Ohio Theatre and will run through April 16. The Basement has The Stills.
April 13
Blues Station has Tinsley Ellis. The Pike Band are playing at Park Street Tavern.
April 14
More of this “Installation” business at Carlile Club. This time around it’s chapter 3. Chicago house from Matt Boyd on the ground level at 10pm, and more of those Dirrrty House Sessions, also at 10, from the same crew as before in The Underground.
The Decals are at Park Street Tavern.
April 15
At CCAD’s Canzani Center, an event called Art For Life 2006 gets underway. This is a fundraiser staged by CATF (Columbus AIDS Task Force) to benefit HIV and AIDS research. Featuring “hundreds of pieces from extraordinary artists,” there’s a live auction with dinner at 6pm – tickets are $125, though these are juried artworks chosen by Sotheby’s and their own selection committee. Then a silent auction and party at 8, which will only set you back $60 a pop if you choose to attend.
Switchfoot are in town to play Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. Terry Davidson and the Gears are playing at Park Street Tavern. Opera singer Dawn Upshaw is at the Southern Theatre.
April 19
Bucktown Kickback play in The Basement.
April 20
Blues Station has Holmes Brothers performing. The Audiologues are at Park Street Tavern.
April 21
Tonight it’s The Jimmy McGee Band at Park Street Tavern.
April 22
CCAD has its annual spring student art sale at Loann Crane Center For Design. Features work from 150+ artists and designers, in basically every discipline imaginable. All proceeds go to the student in question. General admission is $5 and runs from 10am-2pm, though there’s also a first-choice option for $50 from 8:30-10 this morning.
Blues Station has Anthony Gomez. The latest Rent revival hits Palace Theatre, this time for two days only. Park Street Tavern has The Jim Miller Band.
April 23
Ohio Roller Girls kick off their latest season. A Life Once Lost play in The Basement.
April 25
INXS are at Palace Theatre
April 26
Jazz Moves makes its world premiere at the Ohio Theatre. Whatever this is, it’s a Ballet Met production, and will run through April 30.
April 27->
April 28
The Hush Sound play in The Basement. Park Street Tavern alternately lists Groove Soda with Minus the Minus, or else The Shrunken Heads as playing here. If I had to guess, though, I think the second one is a typo and The Shrunken Heads actually played the 29th.
April 29
At Columbus Museum of Art (specifically the Ross Photography Center), the Ohio Art League begins its 95th Annual Spring Juried Exhibition. Claudine Ise, from Wexner Center for the Arts, is the juror, and this exhibit will run through September 3.
Elsewhere, in a completely unrelated development, the museum is also sponsoring “Flashback to Studio 54” night at The Capitol Club. It’s a dance party featuring Buzz Fitzgerald from Mix 97.1 as the DJ, with prizes awarded for Most Out-of-Sight-70s Celebrity Lookalike and Grooviest Hair-Do. Running from 8pm to 1am, tickets are $25 presale, $30 at the door.
Will Hoge plays in The Basement.
April 30
On this gloomy morn, the Sports Car Club of America holds its first Solo II competition of 2006. This autocross event, held on a parking lot behind OSU’s Child Care Center, attracts everyone from kindergarten aged go-karters to serious hobbyists in tricked out Corvettes. Regardless of the vehicle, though, participants must race through an obstacle course consisting of construction cones, and hope to emerge victorious. “For 20 bucks I get a full day’s worth of entertainment,” Aaron Ritch is quoted as saying in The Lantern. He’s driving a 2004 Subaru Impreza and adds, “it’s way better than going to a movie.” Meanwhile, OSU graduate Simi Dhilion, who was best in class last year (she’s driving a 2005 Scion tC now, not sure about then), offers in the same piece, “female drivers might not be taken as seriously as they could be, but the big thing is the driver. A lot of people out there are driving stick cars and still kicking butt.” Attendance is free for spectators, and should any students wish to enroll in this league, discounts are available.
The Fall Of Troy goes down in The Basement.
May 2
The 12th annual National Conference on Diversity, Race, and Learning is held at the Fawcett Conference Center, from 7:45am to 4:15pm
At the Longaberger Alumni House, a conference called “The Knowledge Economy” begins at 8am. Its stated purpose is to take “a detailed look at the nontraditional possibilites available in Ohio’s communities to build economic sustainability by creating innovation that meets changing needs.” And here I thought my run-on sentences were bad. Anyway, it will run to 3pm for those that can endure it.
A lecture called “Safety in the Workplace” is held in Suite 430 at the South Campus Gateway. Presented by Organization and Human Resource Development, it runs from 11:30am to 1pm.
At Kottman Hall, Mick Micacchion is conducting a presentation on vernal pool animals and their habitat preferences. Free food and drinks are also provided – now this sounds a little more like it!
The Black Eyed Peas invade Value City Arena. Tickets begin at $37.50 and the show starts at 7.
And then finally, on the South Oval, they’re throwing down with a free fest called Israel-Palooza, celebrating that nation’s 58th year of existence. Free food, music, and learning are on tap, making this perhaps the most well rounded offering of the day.
May 4
The second annual Columbus Fringe Festival begins, and will run through May 27. This is a sprawling series of events, in multiple different venues and discliplines, which is sponsored by MadLab Theatre. It’s actually a really complex schedule, scattered all over town, that should probably have its own post on this site. But absent that, here’s the condensed version: art exhibits at MadLab, ROY G BIV, Art Access, and Kirsten Bowen Gallery; plays at MadLab, Columbus Performaing Arts Center, Short Stop Youth Center, and Kafe Kerouac; dance/performing arts at Columbus Dance Theatre and exactly one night (May 16) at Axis Night Club; and then music shows at Carabar, Oldfield’s on High, and St. James Tavern.
Voters approve a $75 million bond for Hilliard, to build a new high school on Walker Road. Slated for a 2009 opening, this will give Hilliard three high schools.
May 10
General planning meetings for this year’s Comfest kick off at the Goodale Park Shelterhouse, 7:30pm. Follow up meetings are scheduled for May 21 and May 30.
May 11
Brian Shaffer’s apartment on King Avenue is broken into and a few items are stolen, somewhere around 2am. By 3am the cops are already on the scene and placing a call to his girlfriend, Alexis Waggoner, to inform her of the break-in. Since his lease isn’t up yet and nobody knows what happened to him, everything has been left as is there. Somehow the police quickly determine that this has nothing to do with his disappearance. The main reason for this seems to be that two other apartments in the same complex were also broken into, including his next door neighbor. Which admittedly does appear kind of extreme if someone were attempting an elaborate cover up. The other primary reason this is dismissed as being connected to his disappearance is much flimsier to me. I always find it hilarious and baffling when anybody tries to make a list of the “only” things that were stolen from someone’s house. Columbus police say the thief “only” took his TV and some DVDs – but how could they possibly know this? Even his girlfriend could not possibly know every item in his possession there. I feel you couldn’t realistically list all the holdings for any person who ever lived. So to say for certain that nothing of evidentiary value to the case was stolen is preposterous. I’m sure they went through his apartment with a fine toothed comb prior to this, but still, I would stand by this assessment.
There’s another weird incident on campus, later in the day, though this too is apparently just a strange coincidence. Or something – at any rate not connected in the slightest. OSU student Hiroshi Hayashi seemingly disappears while on his way to class, and his car will later turn up clear out by Tuttle Mall. Family and friends will eventually become concerned enough to file a missing persons report. Hayashi does turn up five days later, though, albeit all the way down in Athens, Tennessee, after showing up at a police station there. He will initially tell officers he was hit over the head and abducted, though is later charged with faking this incident.
The Alive! weekly paper holds its relaunch party at Spice Bar And Lounge. Apparently the place was giving out free Grey Goose beverages and dispensing tasty treats from the kitchen. One attendee is quoted in the next issue as proclaiming, “Columbus has a real paper now,” which can only mean that she never read The Other Paper. I know it was a packed house and sounds like a great time and everything, but come on. Colorful graphics can only take you so far. Another reader is nonethless stoked enough to declare, “it’s my city, my life, and my newspaper!”
At Global Gallery, they are hosting the 4th annual International Dinner, to promote World Fair Trade Day. It’s a buffet where every dish is labeled in a manner meant to promote global awareness, in support of fair trade. Tickets are $12 at the door ($10 advance) with special rates for couples, seniors, and students. This year’s event features a performance stage and also educational games for children.
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones are at Southern Theatre, 8:30pm. With special guest Victor Wooten, a veritable badass on the bass, as well as Future Man and Jeff Coffin.
May 13
S.P.A.C.E. (Small Press & Alternative Comics Expo) is held at the Aladdin Shrine Complex on Stelzer Rd. Boasting over 180 exhibitors, it bills itself as the midwest’s largest event of this sort. 10am-6pm, with free parking.
At the Hyatt Regency downtown, the Half Pint Brawlers bring “brutal midget wrestling” to their Live At Hell City extravaganza. If this is your thing, they start throwing bodies to the mat at 7pm.
Death in the Midwest play at the Basement, 9pm.
The Ravari Room is hosting something called The Clampdown, which is billed as “a monthly rock n’ roll dance party.” There’s no cover charge and it starts at 9pm.
May 18
Gatherings at the Continent kicks off its 24th year – if I’m doing the math right, this means they started in 1983. Fat Dog is the band performing tonight, the first in this summer long series of free outdoor concerts. For the complete calendar, please visit that page.
H.I.M. at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion
Stefan Caldwell is at Blues Station
Tone Loc is at Frog, Bear and Wild Boar!
May 19
Icebox Music Series hits New Harvest Cafe. Tonight this means The Andrew Lamb Trio is playing here.
Train are at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, with Watershed opening
Cadillac Jack’s has Marq Torien of Bullet Boys fame (?) playing tonight and tomorrow. A Nervous Wreck and Withdrawal are the opening acts.
May 20
Nationwide building is lit in fuchsia tonight – never seen that before. Todd Mason and one of his colleagues share a gallery showing above Surly Girl Saloon (bar also owns). I was in attendance and you can click the arrow below to view my notes:
At the Columbus Zoo, the National Center For Adoption holds its first annual Forever Home Adoption Celebration. This runs from 5:30 to 8:30pm and features activities for children, live animal demonstrations, a raffle, entertainment, an ice cream tasting from Denise’s Ice Cream alongside other food options, and of course adoption information resources.
DJ Tiesto performs at Skye Bar. Tickets start at $35, with opening acts Serge Davant, Glenn B and Aus-10 also on the bill.
Axis is hosting a 7 Year Anniversary celebration, which is called Oz and therefore has an Emerald City theme. Resident DJ Rob Engel is spinning records, there’s a “special appearance” by Alexis Stevens, and Emerald City Margarita is the featured cocktail.
Invisible Children benefit show is held at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. This nonprofit event, providing aid to children in Uganda, features the Christian acts House of Heroes, Everyday Sunday, Secondhand, and John Ruben
Adam Marsland’s Chaos Band is playing at Polo’s.
May 23
Tuesday night blues jam at Blues Station, hosted this time by LDB3
May 24
The preexisting older Kroger on Sawmill Road closes. It’s the last store I called home while working for the company, before I left in November 2002. There is of course a newer “Kroger Marketplace” across the street that is already up and running, which replaced it before it even closed.
Enter The Haggis play at Byrne’s Pub. Stinking Lizaveta are at Ravari Room, with Tummler and Devil in Exile opening.
May 25
Chef Ninja X from Taco Ninja is featured in Alive!, rating his top 5 albums. Two local efforts make the cut, one from Guinea Worms (You Can’t Chump This) and another from his own band, Classical Ass, for which he plays drums.
May 27
Memorial Day Weekend party at Dolphin Lounge kicks off at 8pm.
May 28
Something called White Party at Axis
May 29
Tournament Time with DJ Drew Hanson begins at Dub Pub, and will run through June 4.
June 1
Columbus Arts Festival kicks off its 45th year and will run until June 4. This time around it spans four blocks, features more than 300 artists, and boasts about 80 live performers. Artists from lands as distant as Illinois, Florida, or even London, England are among those setting up shop. For the third year running, there’s a poetry slam, and local music acts such as Fabulous Johnson Brothers and Yumbambe grace one of the three stages. Also, along City Center Drive, they’ve set up stations for hands-on activities such as art workshops in virtually every discipline you can imagine, and even charming little poetry tutorials.
Hill Harper of CSI fame is at Brownstone on Main, discussing and signing copies of his book Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny.
It’s bucket night at Cosmo’s. And there’s a Columbus Comedy Showcase at Funny Bone.
June 2
Harry, Drew, and Nick’s going away party is held at B. Hampton’s.
June 3
The Short North Gallery Hop celebrates its 250th run. This time around there’s a massive sidewalk sale which lasts all day, a pair outdoor stages hosting musical performances, and at least one art gallery (p.m. gallery) with an exhibit extolling this anniversary. Titled NFS (Not for Sale), it includes the work of many past artists, leading up to this historic first Saturday in June. Also, something called Columbus Movement Movement apparently performs choreographed dances in the streets, when traffic patterns permit.
It’s also Ally-tini Night at Union Station Video Cafe.
June 4
Jack Roth 5K Rock ‘n’ Run dashes from the starting blocks over in Bexley.
June 5
The Eclectic Book Group meets at the Polaris Barnes & Noble, to discuss the book Forever. New members welcome.
June 6
And tonight it’s the Mystery Book Group meeting at that same Barnes & Noble. The work in question this time is called Soul Catchers.
June 8
Mistress Juliya, Forever In Terror, and Byzantine play Alrosa Villa.
June 9
The Jimmy McGee Band performs at Park Street Tavern.
June 11
2006 Summer Ohio Guitar Show is held at Aladdin Temple on Stelzer Road. From 11:30am to 6pm, $7 admission but free parking.
June 13
Franklin County Commissioners pass a resolution that allows construction to begin on Huntington Park, future home of the Columbus Clippers, provided that certain fair-contracting standards are met.
June 15
Three Columbus BikeSource locations (Sawmill, North High, State Street in Westerville) begin a Bikefest promo, now through June 25. Customers purchasing certain sale bikes earn themselves Bonus Bucks, ranging from $25 to $75. I’m not sure if these are actual real dollars or if they must be spent in-store.
June 16
Look out! It’s a Party At The Park at Cooper Stadium! John Schwab plays in the Picnic Pavilion from 6-7:15. After which, a scant ten minutes later, the Clippers take the field against Ottawa. Not only that, but The Famous (no longer San Diego) Chicken is here, and they’re giving out seat cushions to the first 2000 through the gates. $1 dogs, burgers, and beverages all night as well.
June 17
Long’s Bookstore enlists a pair of auctioneers to get rid of everything that’s left inside the building. Since they closed last summer and most everything useful was transferred to the new Barnes & Noble on south campus, it’s mostly just an oddball assortment of leftover junk, random souvenirs, and fixtures. I seriously think I might have been more interested in the Long’s employee aprons than just about anything else they are listing. In a somewhat amusing piece in The Other Paper, published just prior to the auction, one of the auctioneers is wondering however why there are mannequin parts strewn throughout the place. “These poor mannequins,” he is quoted as saying, “there’s pieces all over. I think Dahmer was here.” He’s joking, of course, although this does make me wonder: considering that Jeffrey Dahmer did briefly attend OSU, was he ever in Long’s Bookstore? A bone chilling prospect indeed. Mostly, though, this little episode is just the sad, final little upholstery nail in what was a former campus institution.
The 7th annual City Hop takes place today. This yearly events affords paying guests the chance to tour numerous downtown residential units as part of a group tour. This year’s properties include Carlyles Watch, Rich Street Lofts, Lafayette Lofts, 8 On The Square, the horribly named EcleXtion Lofts, Burnham Square Condominiums, Grayson’s Living Ideas, The Hartman Lofts, The Lofts at 106, 60 Spring, Terraces on Grant, The Buggyworks, and The Condominiums at North Bank Park. All told the tour features 17 properties. It begins at 10am at the Galbreath Pavilion on 55 E. State Street and will run until 6pm. Donna Carstens of HER Realtors is involved in some capacity, possibly as the tour guide.
Rockin’ Country Night at Lazy Chameleon in Powell. It begins at 10pm and features Jon Anthony as well as the awesomely named Wishful Drinking.
June 19
Clippers take on Syracuse, another home game. A Monday, also known as 10 Cent Slyder Night.
June 23
This year’s Community Festival (AKA Comfest) kicks off, and will run nightly through June 25.
June 28
Nine Inch Nails survive a rain drenched performance at Germain Amphitheater. Click here to view the complete rundown of 2006 shows at that venue.
Meanwhile, Paul Simon is playing Value City Arena here in town – which is actually the far more controversial show, surprisingly enough, because Ticketmaster is just giving away seats, for the last two days leading up to this.
Apparently ticket sales were so sluggish they decided to make this highly unusual move, even going as far as to only charge a 75 cent “convenience” fee, period, for anyone who wanted to scoop up a seat. I wouldn’t pretend to know the inner workings of a tour like this, but I’m guessing that Simon was probably given a guaranteed payout for the show, and it doesn’t really matter to him whether the tickets do or do not sell. Whether they ever book him again is maybe open for debate, but management on both sides probably figured it looks better to save face by filling up the venue, probably leads to a better show from a morale standpoint, and anyway more bodies equals more concessions and merch.
I always find the unexpected collision of two major acts in town on the same night to be somewhat fascinating. This smarmy quoted dude in The Other Paper, who runs a ticket brokerage firm, is questioning, “who looked at this and thought it was a good idea?” in regards to the Schottenstein Center agreeing to book this Simon show. But, I don’t know, to me I can equally see myself attending either concert, and am feeling like a wide swath of my age bracket would agree. However I do think in a coin flip situation, the older act probably loses – just because you’re more likely to have seen them before.
June 30
Elvis Costello plays Lifestyle Communities Pavilion with his own band plus Allen Toussaint and the Crescent City Horns backing him. After opening the show with Peace, Love, and Understanding, minus Toussaint and company, that crew then took the stage for the remainder of the evening. I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea, Tears Before Bedtime, Pump It Up, and of course Alison are among the tunes dispensed by this ensemble. Plus lots of new tracks from the Costello/Toussaint CD that just came out.
Painter Karl Mullen’s exhibit opens at Lindsay Gallery, and his very own musical group, Karl Mullen Band, plays here as well, at 8pm.
July 1
The Capital Center at Capital University holds an art sale, featuring over 1000 pieces, some starting at just $10. The sale will also repeat on July 2nd, running 9am-6pm both days.
As part of the Picnic With The Pops series, Patriotic Pops! is held on the Chemical Abstracts lawn. Led by conductor Albert-George Schram, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra begins playing at 8:15, with fireworks to follow the show. Parking is free and the grounds open up at 6pm, whether or not you are in fact packing a picnic to bring at this hour.
Surly Girl Saloon and the Columbus Music Co-Op stage an outdoor music festival called Here Comes Your Weekend/Parking Lot Blowout. Earwig play first, followed in some order by The Morsels, Ugly Stick, Rosehips, Envelope, The Rackets, Tiara, You’re So Bossy, Columbus Power Squadron, and finally headliners Deadsea to close out the night. Artist Thom Lessner’s works are also on display, which feature numerous Columbus musicians of the 1990s.
Sherrie Gallerie opens up a two month exhibition featuring the works of Andi and Robert Moran. Barrington Levy plays Alrosa Villa.
July 2
A shooting occurs at roughly 2am during karaoke night at the Mexican restaurant La Hacienda Real, on Sinclair Road. Two patrons are wounded, while another pair, Jose Galvan and Mario Banales, wind up dead as a result of this melee.
July 6
Awesome Car Funmaker are at C.B.R.’s. At Thirsty Ear Tavern it’s Biersdorf & Kolbe. DJs Jon Witzky & Chris Lutzko are at Bristol Bar, DJ Dubb B at Polo’s, DJ Max playing Euro house at Q, DJ Holla at Skye Bar, DJ Matt Bailey playing everything from “heavy 70s to crushing doom” at Surly Girl Saloon. At Ravari Room they’re hosting Funkdefy with Mikey G & Latino Pimp.
July 7
The fifth annual North Market Food and All-Ohio Wine Festival kicks off at North Market. It will run through July 9. Jeni’s is giving away free ice cream samples, and there are cooking demos sprinkled about the premises, as well as a climbing wall for the kiddies. Yumbambe is the musical act on tap for tonight. This year they have expanded the event, too, to where part of Spruce Street is roped off and included. Admission is $15 for Friday only, though this nets you 10 wine tastings and a souvenir glass. The other two days are $5 each, for two tastings and the glass, though you can add-on if curious about tasting some more.
Elsewhere, Hope Vitellas are playing at St. James Tavern. Eric Jerardi is at Blues Station. DJ Lynn spins records at Crown Sports Lounge, DJ Karen Vowell at Eldorado’s, DJ Quinn Spin at Fifth & Joyce, DJ James Brown at Liu Pon-Xi, DJ Nautikat at Metro Bar & Grill, DJ Daze at Polo’s, Orbit with DJ Matthew S. at Q, DJ Jimmy Sexton at Skye Bar, DJ Shabaka the C-City Rocka at Zeno’s, and DJ Holla at Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar. Nickelback stink up the Value City Arena, with Hoobastank (I think we know the answer to that), Three Days Grace and Hinder to assist in these efforts.
Hip Hop & Reggaeton Explosion hits Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, featuring Fat Joe, Pitbull, and Rashad.
July 8
Christian Howes is playing the North Market wine festival. At Blues Station, it’s Mother Trucker Trio, Smoked Stack Lightning. The Fabulous Johnson Brothers are at Park Street Tavern. Roop Brothers has Dick Jackson & Friends. Thirsty Ear Tavern hosts Jah Blues: Free Beer & Chicken Coalition with Amongst the Grass – make of that mouthful what you will. DJ Joey Blaze is at Adobe Gilas, Quantum and Milhouse at Carlile Club, DJ Unibomber at Cosmo’s Grille, DJ Dubb B at Polo’s, Push with Michael T. Diamond at Q, DJ James Brown at Skye Bar, DJ Putzz at Ugly Tuna Saloona, DJ Diamond Dave at Woo Doggies Grille, and DJ Shabaka the C-City Rocka at Zeno’s. 17th Floor play at Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar.
July 9
Donna Mogavero closes out the North Market wine festival. Kickin’ Back with Kolbe Acoustic Blues invades Thirsty Ear Tavern. Q holds something called a Tea Dance featuring DJ Jeremy James, Fierce Screaming Divas.
July 10
At Bento Go Go, there’s something called Pump The Breaks with the ever busy Kenny Kim and his unknown sidekick Wild Kyle. Bristol Bar has Monday Mashup. At Fifth & Joyce it’s a Blue Monday with DJ Eddie B, which is funk and r&b oldies, not gloomy 80s Britpop.
July 11
Tricky Home Concoction play at Oldfield’s on High. At Blues Station, there’s an open blues and jazz jam with Larry Smith, Cary and Linda Dachtyl. DJ Moxy is at Q, DJ Prime Time and Skye Bar, and DJ Nando doing “throwback 70-90s” at Summit Station.
July 12
It’s “country night” at Crown Sports Lounge IV. At Bristol Bar, it’s “Hump Wednesday” with Titonton. Q has Retro Wednesday featuring 80s and 90s music. Elsewhere, we have The Serious Side Effects at Park Street Tavern. Floor Walkers at Shi Sha Lounge. Thirsty Ear Tavern has an acoustic open stage with Billy Zenn. VooDoo Cafe has Willie Phoenix Unplugged. DJ Putzz is spinning at Adobe Gilas, 30 Gig DJ at Summit Station, DJ Hooch manning College Night at Whiskey Dick’s and then DJs Detox and R Joe heading up The Beat Lounge revival at Surly Girl Saloon.
July 13
South Campus Gateway’s brain trust, racking their brains for a way to attract more interest in their shiny new project, decide to launch something called Campus Hop – which is exactly what it sounds like, i.e. a riff on the longstanding Short North Gallery Hop involving art, music, businesses keeping later hours, et cetera. Tonight is the first of what they hope will be many more. Cold Stone Creamery is giving out free ice cream, and the Wexner Center, which isn’t located here but plans on getting in the mix anyway, has an outdoor showing of the old b-movie Monster on the Campus at 8:45pm.
July 14
Bon Vie hosts the latest of its Friday night wine tastings. Tickets are $30 for five samples and some hors d’oeuvres to nibble upon. It’s an outdoor patio event, featuring live local music and a raffle.
July 19
Burgundy Room in Dublin hosts an event they’re calling “30 for 40.” $40 gets you a whopping 30 samples, although I’m not sure I’d like to see who is still standing upright after this marathon – could not be a pretty sight, one would imagine. They are providing some munchies to go with your vino, however.
July 21
8th Floor Improv Comedy Group is at the Drexel Gateway. Comedian Harland Williams performs at the Funny Bone. Whiskey Dick’s has Looking South. Woo Doggies Grille has Down 12.
July 22
Grandview Heights Public Library begins its Friends of the Library Book Sale.
The 21st annual Mud Volleyball Tournament digs its heels in at Beulah Park. Gates open at 7am and play runs from 9 to 6. Refs, volunteers, and teams are able to register online, with the proceeds going to the Epilepsy Foundation of Central Ohio.
Hey Hey Bar hosts improv comedy featuring Easily Amused, Pale Imitations, and Squishy!
The Basement has The Steve Raszka Band with Freak Nut Rat Patrol, Letter to the Editor, Four Way Free, and Place the Blame. Bier Stube has JD Burlee. C.B.R.’s has Shallow, SevenFourEden. Crown Sports Lounge has Next Exit. Frog, Bear and Wild Boar has Fat Dog. Grandview Café has Shuckin Bubba. Hilton Sports Club has Mother Trucker Lite. Hot Spot Tavern has Some Kind of Addiction. La Scala has Michael Rose. Lodge Bar has Acoustica Trio. Midway Tap has Taint. Oakgrove has Liquid Blue. Old Bag of Nails on Nelson Road has Nick McGovern. Oldfield’s on High has The Terrors, Aether, Keith Jenkins.
On The Rocks has Lt. Dan’s New Legs. Pit Stop Lounge has Wild Eagle. Scarlet & Grey Café has Air Guitar on the Radio, Wall Between (I think – newspaper corner ripped off here), Intrigue. Short North Tavern has Half Angle Formula. St. James Tavern has The Whiles, The Woosley Band, Thirsty Whale has Average Joe.
July 23
HOFA Rescue Meeting at 1762 Norma Road, an open meeting on proper ferret care. 2pm.
Adobe Gilas has Jesse Davis. Lodge Bar has Acoustica Trio. Oldfield’s on High continues its Hoodoo Soul Band residency. VIP Lounge has Tom Cline & Jammin George.
July 24
Bananas Comedy Night at the Funny Bone
Cheeseburger In Paradise has Bill Foley. Scarlet & Grey Café has Mike Perkins. Smith & Wollensky has Jed Demlow. Thirsty Whale has As Is. Tony’s Bar and Grill has Night Caps. Ugly Tuna Saloona has Name That Tune.
July 25
National Showcase at the Funny Bone.
Brewstir’s French Quarter has Bill Foley. Crown Sports Lounge IV has Diamond Dave. Hoggy’s on Stringtown Road has JD Burlee. Lifestyle Communities Pavilion has O.A.R., Jack’s Mannequin. Spike’s Bar has Jesse Davis. Thirsty Whale has Franc Aledia, James Ranke. Ugly Tuna Saloona has Poophouse Reilly. Victory’s has Acoustic Mayhem with Tom Cline. Whiskey Dick’s has Truckin, Brother.
July 26
The latest Thurber House Literary Picnic features journalist Sharon Hatfield, who is also a professor at not-so-distant Hocking College. She will read from her latest, Never Seen The Moon: The Trials of Edith Maxwell. Apparently Thurber himself once covered this case, so it’s of particularly relevant interest.
Kafe Kerouac has improv comedy night with Johnny Longform. At St. James Tavern it’s open mic comedy night. The Funny Bone has Paul Strong’s Comedy Showcase – Greg Warren is apparently one of the performers, as he’s listed separately at being here, during the same time frame. A run which continues, at least for him, until the 30th.
The Basement has a battle of the bands kicking off at 5pm. Bill Foley, continuing his tour of unexpected venues, is at Confluence Park. Grandview Café has Phil Westerman. Hot Spot Tavern has Night Caps. The Nuthouse has Jesse Davis. Peddler’s Lounge has JD Burlee. Rick’s Coaches has Chris Logsdon. Slapsy Maxie’s has Franc Aledia. Smith & Wollensky has Don Haines. 2 Rascal’s Pub has JP Dippel. Ugly Tuna Saloona has Fonzie Monroe. Victory’s has NB3. Whiskey Dick’s has Shallow.
July 27
Curated by Bellamy Printz, an exhibit called Growing Pains opens at the Riffe Gallery. A gallery tour with Printz begins at noon and is free, then there’s an opening reception from 6-8. It will run until October 15.
Columbus Metropolitan Library hosts its latest Dispatch Book Talk. In this one, reporter Alan Johnson discusses the Scott Turow novel Presumed Innocent.
Gallery 853 meanwhile is hosting an event they’re calling Art & the Environment, in conjunction with the Ohio Environmental Council. Alongside a nice food and wine pairing, attendees have the chance to bid on some local art, with all proceeds going to the OEC.
North American Indian Center of Central Ohio has a pizza night fundraiser. $10 gets you an all-you-can-eat buffet including drink and dessert, and there are also demonstrations including Native American drumming and glass dancing. Also regalia presented by Wolfgrass Irwin.
July 28
Midwest Biker Rally kicks off at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. This 3 day event begins tonight with local band Terry Davidson & The Gears taking the stage, followed by the Pink Floyd tribute band Wish You Were Here
July 29 ->
July 30
Midwest Biker Rally concludes with the truly hilarious sounding Gospel Biker Brunch (and More!) I can’t even imagine what kind of unholy sights would await thee this morning, leather clad bikers looking half dead as they attempt to rally themselves, shaky hands reaching for the coffee pot, hoping to maybe hold down a few bites of pancakes. If I had to pick one day of the three to attend, it would probably be this.
August 5
Local band Morning Round play in front of Hair Color Xperts for Gallery Hop. The store went all out on promotions, in the form of free food, drinks, and a fashion show as well.
August 6
New Basics Brass Band play the Gazebo at Goodale Park as part of the Short North Sunday Jazz Series. These are free events and are held at the very least every Sunday in August this year.
August 11
American Idol barnstorming tour hits Cbus. Kellie Pickler and Ace Young are among the performers.
August 12
Columbus Blues Alliance stages an event at Whiskey Dick’s, with Scotty Bratcher and Colin John co-headlining.
August 13
Dave Powers Trio play the Gazebo stage at Goodale Park, as part of the Short North Sunday Jazz Series.
August 16
Daymon Dodson of local band El Jesus De Magico unexpectedly dies as a result of a seizure. He is just 29 years old. And actually referring to him simply as being a musician in a local band is incredibly reductive, as he has his handprints on seemingly half a million different endeavors around this great town and beyond. Just to rattle off a couple of them, he was also working as the merchandise rep for Columbus Discount Records and as a designer for Abercrombie & Fitch. In addition to some art projects and countless musical ones.
Elsewhere, up in the Old North/North Campus area, an angry group of 21 residents send a letter addressed to mayor Michael Coleman, police chief James Jackson, and Columbus City Council, listing a whole series of beefs. Basically all of them (drunken mayhem, noise, litter, brawls, etc) stem from the decision to knock down all the south campus bars, at which point the drunken collegiate bros invaded this region instead.
August 20
Tom Carroll Trio play the Gazebo stage at Goodale Park, as part of the Short North Sunday Jazz Series. With them they have special guest Gene Walker.
August 24
Union Station holds the annual Bartender Olympics, now in its 10th year. Contestants are forced to craft three Long Islands and pop the tops on three beers in the shortest time possible. Brad Hobbs (from Smith and Wollensky) takes home top prize of $500 for accomplishing this in 36 seconds. His mom is on hand to lend support, which may have made all the difference. Steven Dunn, Jeff Kover, and Matt Erhard are the judges, and the other known participants include Josh Herndon (3rd place, $200; from Havana here in town) and Dan Murphy (Union Station.) Virginia West hosts in an impressively skimpy outfit.
Addison Lane play at Gas Werks.
August 26
World Party are the latest CD101 Low Dough Show ($5 for all tickets), this time at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.
August 27
T. Michael Branner Conceptet play the Gazebo stage at Goodale Park, as part of the Short North Sunday Jazz Series.
August 28
fall classes begin at Ballet Met Columbus
August 30
Old North bar Miani’s is hit with a slew of citations, five total, ranging from unsanitary conditions to a food license infraction.
September 7
Brothers Bar & Grill in the Arena district kicks off Super September with a series of Thursday promotions it is running. Tonight is Books4Bucks, which gives one lucky winner $200 in cash – theoretically for school books, although I’m not sure how they would enforce such a thing.
September 9
In the wake of the Buckeye football team’s victory over Texas, massive “rioting” breaks out all over campus, to the tune of a reputed 40+ known fires the authorities document. A couple of things that are strange about this latest outbreak, though, are that they won the contest – by a relative blowout, at 24-7 – but also that this wasn’t even a home game. Four cars were set ablaze, 17 fine folks arrested. At least two of which were apparently OSU students, as they were suspended for their roles in these incidents. City Councilwoman Maryellen O’Shaughnessy has referred to the nightlong mayhem as “an embarrassment to Columbus,” and I agree. Though well aware that a certain brand of collegiate wiseass would consider her comments hilarious, and inspiration for fueling further antics along these lines. So they’ve really got their hands full with this situation.
September 11
At Otterbein College’s Miller Gallery, an exhibition titled The Tokyo & Kyoto Portfolios: Recent work by Nicholas Hill begins its run. It will conclude on October 13, with a reception featuring Hill himself sandwiched in the middle, on September 22.
Also at Otterbein College, over at the Fisher Gallery, another exhibition gets underway. This one is called The Art of the Bookplate: Works on Paper by Contemporary American Artists. It will run through November 22.
September 13
And at Otterbein College’s Frank Museum Of Art, The Passionate Eye: Selections from the Dianne Komminsk African Art Collection begins. Curated by Albert Germanson, it runs from now through November 17th.
September 14
The Brothers Bar & Grill gift giving frenzy continues – tonight, it’s a mountain bike up for grabs.
The Other Paper runs an article on the Miani’s citation extravaganza and the current rowdy state of Old North/north campus in general. Commander Kent Shafer of the police force is quoted as saying, “our goal is to get out there and let the bar owners know what we expect. We’re certainly going to continue to keep an eye on them.” And that all sounds well and good, surely pertains to that letter they received last month. He does go on to claim that underage drinking is “more frequent than it had been in the past,” however, which I might consider the silliest, most preposterous comment of the year.
Meanwhile, one anonymous area resident declares in the same piece, “this is not campus. This is not a place where you can walk up the street and be an asshole all the time.” That I would merely categorize as wishful thinking.
September 15
Fall Exhibitions Opening Celebration is held at the Wexner Center for the Arts. A free event, it runs from 5:30 to 9pm and begins with an artist panel, followed by a reception.
The Whiles with Eric Metronome are at St. James Tavern.
September 16
OSU’s football team hosts Cinnanati. I’m fairly sure this must have been a blowout, despite not looking up the actual results. At Riverwatch Tower on Lane Avenue, they’re holding the whole Rally At Riverwatch viewing party royale (a blowout of an entirely different kind), which I’m guessing they figure sounds cooler than Hineygate these days – even if everyone still calls it “Hineygate.” Similar to how those who package toilet paper keep trying to get people to refer to it as bathroom tissue, I suppose, though 0.000000% of the population ever has. Anyway, local radio personalities Mark The Shark and Jeff Logan are on hand for this one, as are of course corresponding FM stations The Blitz (99.7) and TED (103.9) and who knows what other broadcasting entities. There’s live music before and after the game, with the contest itself beaming from a giant TV screen set up for the occasion. It’s free, of course, and they get started mighty early, considering it’s a noon start time for the game.
At the Wexner Center, this season kicks off with various exhibits. All are free to view, and offer guided tours if interested. There’s Shiny, which is described as a “bright, playful exhibition featuring artworks with reflective surfaces.” Also Louise Lawler’s Twice Untitled and Other Pictures (looking back) and then Frank Stella 1958, which features paintings by that eponymous American artist.
Tonight St. James Tavern has a Singer Songwriter Showcase featuring Bob Starker, Ed Mann, Jesse Henry, Todd May.
Chrome is playing at The Frog Bear & Wild Boar Bar (as they bill themselves in ads – no commas or other tomfoolery; in events calendars, however, the commas are seemingly always included.)
And columnist/reporter Miss Bella from Alive! has her birthday party at Bristol Bar. Among the known attendees are veteran club owner Mike Gallicchio, and Don Rocco and Jodi Greene from Hounddog’s Pizza.
September 17
The big move in day for dorm residents at OSU campus. Also, the months long exhibition of Richard Avedon’s In The American West ends at Columbus Museum of Art.
September 20
Author Stephen Kuusisto is at the Townsfair Way Barnes & Noble for a reading/discussion/book signing event, centered around his essay collection Eavesdropping.
The Blue Jackets have a home game against the Nashville Predators.
September 21
This is as close as I will ever get, apparently, to official acceptance by the city’s media gatekeepers. Today I have a somewhat short article published in Alive! as part of this contest where they’re looking for their next sportswriter. It began with a preliminary round where everyone who was interested sent them a different piece (mine was ripping on the lunacy of Buckeye football fanatics), from which they selected sixteen finalists. The figures going through these submissions and picking the winners were Jody Shelley (a Columbus Blue Jacket), Dom Tiberi from the local CBS station, AM radio station 1460 The Fan’s Bruce Hooley, and finally Alive! writer Brian Lindamood. So I made it through that round, into this “sweet sixteen” tournament. One which will then have us squaring off, bracket style, head to head until a winner is crowned. This week I’m up against Matthew Haynes and, considering it’s a popularity contest dependant upon who gets the most votes on the columbusalive.com website, I’m pretty much expecting to lose. And do.
In the same issue, Postcard is named Alive! Artist of the Week. And local metal behemoths Teeth of the Hydra are interviewed, or at least the Matts in the band are (singer/guitarist Miner and bassist Bailey.) Matt Miner relates one interesting tidbit I did not know, which is that the uses a Teeth Of The Hydra Lyric Generator to come up with song ideas, which is a box filled with paper scraps of words that have intrigued him. He likes shaking this up and drawing a few out to see what kind of evocative images this might create. Regarding their forthcoming Greenland release, he says, “we wanted to make an album where you listen to it and it sounds like an album.” Matt Bailey adds, specifically concerning the epic Garden of Rotten Teeth, “it’s a departure from our normal music. It was a pretty big risk writing it, but I thought that came out way better than we expected.” As for interviewer John Ross, he says this track makes him want to “stand in the street and fight someone.” High praise indeed.
Upper Arlington Public Library begins its four day Friends of the Library Book Sale, though it also includes vinyl, CD, and cassettes for those who prefer audio entertainment.
Another Super September night at Brothers. At stake this time around is an iPod Nano with two, count ’em two, gigs of storage.
Meanwhile, at McFadden’s in the South Campus Gateway, they are hosting a Back-2-School Party featuring the OSU Calendar Girls as well as an appearance by John from Real World: Key West. Actually these scrumptious OSU Calendar Girls must be mighty busy, considering they are also at Sugar Bar tonight – or is this a separate cluster of the same troupe?
Tool are at Nationwide Arena, their first Columbus show in five years. Isis opens.
Eric Dove plays at Gatsby’s. For a rundown of their events this year, please visit that page.
comedian Dom Irrera hits the Funny Bone and will be here through the 24th.
At the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Jack Hanna plays ringleader for his annual Fall Fest. There’s kettle corn, pumpkin carving, hay rides, and a lumberjack show, among other delights.
Artist Vivian Pitman has an exhibit opening, somewhere on Cleveland Avenue, from 5-8pm.
The Case of the Grinning Cat opens at Wexner Center.
Curtain Players Theater begins its run of Doin’ Time at the Alamo, which runs through the 24th.
Afro Rhythms with Pat Funderburg, a cardio exercise class held at King Arts Complex, begins today and runs through September 27.
Lt. Dan’s New Legs perform at the Coliseum, beginning at 8:30. Following them it’s 90s Remix night featuring DJs Rob H. and BMass. Hadden Sayers Band are at Oldfield’s On High. Pike Band are at Blues Station. Colin John & Ray Fuller at Thirsty Ear Tavern. Terry Davidson, apparently missing a couple Gears, is at Whiskey Dick’s. Ohio Theatre has Columbus Symphony Orchestra: Midori. Bexley Monk has Dave Powers. Club Diversity has Crumley. At Confluence Park it’s the Brian Smith Trio. Maggie Green plays at Dick’s Den. Mitchell’s Ocean Club has Dan Rowan. At Top Stekahouse L.G. Scott is playing. The Worthington Inn has Too Far North. Gas Werks has Fonzie Monroe playing. Blu has Controversy and Park Street Tavern has Jimmy McGee Band. Sunset Negril has Roots High Power SoundSystem with Pete Funk. The Basement has Matt Wertz & Toby Lightman. Flanagan’s Pub has John Andrews. Hoggy’s Barn & Grill has JD Burlee. Kickstand Pub has Matt Sutton. Joy Boxx plays Lazy Chameleon. Lost Weekend Records hosts Bebek. Lucky’s Stout House has John Turck. At the Old Bag of Nails on West First, it’s Dan Stultz. At the one on North State Street, Free Range Chicken. Slapsy Maxie’s has Moving to Boise. Smith & Wollensky has Matt Munhall. Jessen Henry & the Royal Tycoons play St. James Tavern. Tony’s Bar and Grill has Night Caps. At Victory’s it’s The Nick Brownell Trio.
Bristol Bar has DJs Jon Witzky and Chris Lutzko for a night they’re calling Dirty. DJ James Brown is at Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar. DJ Diamond Dave is at Nike Sports Lounge. DJ Max and Mistress Goldie are at Q. Ravari Room has Funkdefy with Mikey G & Latino Pimp. Surly Girl Saloon has Heavy Rocks with DJ Matt Bailey.
On the karaoke front, Bogey Inn, The Clubhouse, Downtown Connection, 8 Ball Sports Bar, Eldorado’s, Nike Sports Lounge, Otani Japanese Restaurant, Peddler’s Lounge, Rick’s Coaches, Scotch & Soda Lounge, Studebaker’s Pub, Thirsty Whale, Wine Shoppe & Bistro, and Woofs all have options tonight. Slightly related are the jam nights – Dolphin Lounge has open stage with Gary, Finish Line Bar & Grill one with Shawn Duncan hosting, VIP Bar & Grill with Chris Lambert and Matt Sutton, Woo Doggies Grill with Bad Johnny & Friends.
September 22
Ann Hampton Callaway sings with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, at Southern Theatre. The show is titled Blues in the Night and is a tribute to Peggy Lee, which will repeat on 9/23 as well.
At the Tripleforce Artistic Center in Hilliard, they’re staging a British play called Move Over, Mrs. Markham. There are matinee and evening shows today and tomorrow, as well as next Saturday and Sunday. In other related news, they are also beginning auditions today for a production of The Canterville Ghost.
Shucking Bubba Deluxe is at Frog, Bear, & Wild Boar. Something calling itself the Alex Diaz Plastic Fantastic Tour 2006 hits Victiorian’s Midnight Cafe. The Colin John Band is at Blues Station. Kern’s Cafe has Tune Tones. Park Street Tavern has Soul Finger. Ravari Room has New Basics Brass Band. Soul Satyr are at Thirsty Ear Tavern. Bexley Monk has the Kim Pensyl Trio. The Canabar has DJ the Midday Whisper. Club Diversity has Debe Wenig and Mary B. Relotto with Bobby Hamlin. At Harvest Moon Coffeehouse Tom Davis is playing. At Hyde Park Steakhouse on Old Henderson, it’s Mark Flugge. Dave Powers is playing at Mitchell’s Ocean Pub. St. John’s AME Church has Java & Jazz featuring Norwin Megler and Debe Weing. Top Steakhouse has Jerry Wolf. The Worthing Inn has Dwight Lenox Trio. Short North Tavern has Controversy. Adobe Gilas has Chris Logsdon. JD Burlee plays Bier Stube. Gobey Inn has The Aaron Wright and John Zuck Duo. The campus BW3 has Knaus & Lonsdale, Spires & Nash. C.B.R.’s hosts The Loyal Divide, Coverted Green & Beltway Mentality. Dick’s Den has Rev. Nicety. At Fats Billiards it’s Jovial Flow. Fitzgerald’s has No Apologies. Flanagan’s Pub has Blurrd Vision. At Flannagan’s Dublin meanwhile it’s Three Sided Soul. Grandview Cafe has Free Range Chicken. Hot Spot Tavern has The Night Caps. Contagious ’til 4 is playing at Kickstand Pub. At La Scala Italian Bistro it’s Hat Rick. Larry B’s has Willy Jack & the Polecats. Lazy Chameleon lands The Menus. Oldfield’s on High has Your Favorite Assassin & Carson Drew, Lourds & Blue Stone Jack. Pit Stop Lounge has Electric Mud. Scarlet & Grey Cafe has Vinly, Luke Stephens, Bancroft, This Blaze Ablaze. Wexner Center’s Black Box has Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche booked. At Whiskey Dick’s it’s Highway 70. Woo Doggies Grille has Fat Dog. Q Bar and Nightclub has a CD giveaway with DJ Matthew Sphar.
Crown Sports Lounge has DJ Lynn. Fifth & Joyce has DJ Quinn Spin for Old School/New School hip-hop night. Frog, Bear and Wild Bar Bar has DJ Holla. At Liu Pon-Xi it’s DJ James Brown. Metro Bar & Grill have DJ Nautikat spinning top 40 and dance records. At Polo’s it’s DJ Daze. Surly Girl Saloon has DJs Firebird and Muffinranger. Wasabi Bar & Grill has DJ Touch Tone. Zeno’s has DJ Shabaka the C-City Rocka.
As far as karaoke, Bankshot Billiards has DJ Diamond Dave. Other options in this vein include Crown Sports Lounge IV, Groucho’s, Otani, and Summit Station.
8th Floor Improv Comedy Group is doing something at the Drexel Gateway. 8:30pm.
A panel called Godless By Choice convenes at the Northwood High Building, discussing whether or not they believe in one or more gods. August Brunsman, Cassandra Cox, Roger Marcum, John Sterling, and Amanda Warner spearhead this occasion.
At Columbus Maennerchor, Café Comedy co-owner Dawn Holley emcees an event that also includes Jay Hendren, Mike Malone, Ryan Faber.
Whirling Dervishes of Rumi hits Palace Theatre. This is some sort of seventh century Turkish ritual that involves hypnotic flutes, strings, percussion, costumes, and the Dervishes themselves, who seek to enlighten us on the finer points of Rumi and/or Sufism.
An art exhibit titled Camp Friendship opens at Skylab, featuring Grant LaValley and Joshua Erb. Another, at Otterbein College’s Miller Gallery, is called The Tokyo & Kyoto Portfolios and encompasses recent work by Nicholas Hill.
Shucking Bubba Deluxe at Frog Bear
Poets and Writers Guild has its monthly meeting at Areopagitica Books. David Hetzler is the featured guest this time around.
Poetry night at Kafe Kerouac raises the stakes from its customary open mic night, in that poets are only permitted to read brand new works tonight.
The Blue Jackets have a home game vs. Chicago
September 23
Author Clark Greene is at the Polaris Barnes & Noble for a reading from his latest book.
At Kafe Kerouac, the Bison Theatre is holding auditions for an upcoming production of The Wildest Hour by Richard Greenberg. It’s at 4pm and consists of cold readings from the script.
Teeth of the Hydra have a CD release party for their latest offering, Greenland, at Magnolia Thunderpussy.
At both Garden Smiles locations in town, there’s something called Seconds Extravaganza happening. The ads state this is “from the studio of Ohio sculptor George Carruth,” but otherwise I’m unsure what this is.
Megadeth play Nationwide Arena. Jonzei the Frog, Bear, & Wild Boar Bar. Fat Dog are playing at Skye Bar, 9pm, followed by DJ Nohbody at midnight. Columbus Music Hall has Willie Pooch & The Upsetters. Dick’s Den has Prime Time Blues Band. Park Street Tavern host Willie Phoenix Band. Thirsty Ear Tavern has Men of Leisure.
Adobe Gilas has DJ Joey Blaze. Carlile Club has Quantum, Milhouse. Coliseum Nightclub has the latest Sabados Gigantes/Giant Saturday. Cosmo’s Grille has DJ Unibomber. Surly Girl Saloon has DJ Keith Novicki. Ugly Tuna Saloona has DJ Putzz. Zeno’s has a repeat engagement from DJ Shabaka the C-City Rocka. Bexley Monk has Pete Tender. Hyde Park Steakhouse tonight has Bobby Allen Trio. Bob Hamlin is at Mitchell’s Ocean Club. At Top Steakhouse it’s Sonia Modes. Wine Shoppe & Bistro has Jazz Mary. The Worthington Inn has Richard Lopez and friends. Brownstone on Main has Dean Simms & the Funky Gurus. Short North Tavern has The Mac. Club Ice has Caribbean Breeze. Fifth & Joyce Reggae Nite with Echo Sounds. Blues Station has The Mother Trucker Trio. At the Kenny Road Borders bookstore, Jakob Freely is playing. C.B.R.’s has Bullet Jones. Crowns Sports Lounge has Next Exit. Flanagan’s Pub has John Andrews. Frog, Bear and Wild Boar Bar has Jonzei. Kisckstand Pub has Blackened. Introspect are playing at Lazy Chameleon. Lucky’s Grille has The Signal. Mavericks is running something called Rockfest 2006 with Celophane Flex, Gypsy, Solace, Sukus, Soupbone. At the Old Bag of Nails on Nelson Road it’s Nick McGovern. Peddler’s Lounge has JD Burlee. Ravari Room has Lopan, Mars Bonfire (probably not Steppenwolf’s guitarist but rather someone who thinks he’s smalltime enough not to get sued), and Hoval. Scarlet & Grey Cafe has Freak Nut Rat Patrol, Place the Blame. Skye Bar has Fat Dog. At Slapsy Maxie’s it’s Bad Johnny. Megan Palmer & the Hopefuls play St. James Tavern, with Eric Nassau also on the bill. Thirsty Whale has Waragon. At Whiskey Dick’s it’s Low Cash Cowboys, Brother Tucker, Tenk all playing. Woo Doggies Grille has got The Jack.
Q Bar and Nightclub has DJ Michael T. Diamond.
On the karaoke tip we have Blazers Pub, Bob’s Bar, Dino’s Pub, Fats Billiards, Hard Road Cafe, The Main Bar, Sawmill Lanes, and VIP Lounge to choose from. If a musician seeking to ply his wares on an open stage, meanwhile, Dolphin Lounge has a jam night hosted by Doc Jimmy.
The Blue Jackets take on San Jose’s Sharks, here at home.
An improv comedy event at Hey Bar that includes Pale Imitations, Squishyl, Easily Amused. This begins at 8pm. But then the Pale Imitations Comedy Group is also at Club Diversity tonight, at 10.
At Academy of Urban Dance there’s an art showcase/sale called Culture Infinite, featuring the art of John Jarrett, jewelry by Off The Cuff, as well as live poetry renditions.
Dublin’s Abbey Theater hosts a family friendly program called Thaddeus Rex, for ages K-3
India Festival hits Veterans Memorial. This is hosted by the Federation of Indian Associations of Central Ohio. Held yearly, this time around, if not always, there’s a fashion show as well as a cricket tournament (held at Busch Sports Park) alongside the art, food, music, and other expected elements.
Antonia Neal, Camille Betton, and local act NextLevel perform a live concert at 77 E. Long St.
Crema Coffee hosts an Exotic Coffee Tasting event, which catered food from Posh Nosh.
Columbus Crew have a home game vs. Houston.
September 24
For the 8th year, Art + Music Festival hits Dublin at its Bridge and High Streets. Lasting from 10am to 5pm, it features 72 booths’ worth of art, among them Kojo Kamau (photography), Linda Langhorst (drawing), Maryann Posch (jewelry), Jenny Rytel (jewelry), and Michael Winston (marker art; happens to have also designed this year’s program cover). There’s also live music, with the featured acts including Maggie Green, Dwight Lennox, and Postal. Some of the Emerald City Players theater group is also on hand doing who knows what on one of the two stages. There’s also a silent auction, as well as food and drink options of course. Also designated areas where average joes like us can create our own art. Admission to this event is free.
At Upper Arlington Public Library, Kay and Jerri Williams Lawrence host a presentation centered around their father’s book, One Last Dance.
Pontifical College Josephinum is leading a two hour tour of its grounds, which is advertised as “the final destination for the Columbus Landmarks.”
On-the-Go Basics Bike Repair Class is held at a Polaris bike shop called Roll, 11:30am
Southern Theatre hosts an educational hour long musical called Disney’s Cinderella KIDS and The Jungle Book KIDS. I’m not sure about the significance of the capitalized letters. But it seeks to teach kids about the values of teamwork, ingenuity, and other crucial traits versus some classic Disney tunes.
Stealing America: Vote By Vote is a documentary screening tonight at Drexel Gateway. Afterwards, director Dorothy Fadiman, local muckrakers Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman, and staff from The Free Press sit down for a Q & A with the audience.
Blue Jackets have a home game vs. Carolina Hurricanes.
Shadowbox Cabaret begins is live run of Rocky Horror Picture Show, which will run through October 22.
Middle East Peace Forum convenes at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on Dublin-Granville Rd.
Author Vicki Robin speaks at the OSU Agricultural Engineering Building, on the topic of sustainable living, tying in with her recent book If This is a Free Country, Why Don’t I Feel Free?
Thirsty Ear Tavern has Acoustic Blues Jam with Jim Kolbe. Capital University hosts “One College & Main St. Women in Music Columbus,” at their Huntington Recital Hall. Dick’s Den has The Bob Allen Trio. Dream Lounge has Ministry of Groove featuring Mild Child. J. Gilbert’s has Joe crump, Dave DeWitt, and Derk DiCenzo. Mitchell’s Ocean Club has a repreat performance from Bob Hamlin. Wasabi Bar & Grill has Quiet Fire featuring Dean Simms. Little Brother’s has The Flex Crew. At Sunset Negril it’s Latin Reggaeton. Adobe Gilas has Jesse Davis. The BAsement has Erin McKeown with Anne McCue. At Oldfield’s on High, Hoodoo Soul Band are still going strong with their Sunday night residency. VIP Lounge has Tom Cline & Jammin George.
Q has DJ Jeremy James at 10pm.
As far as karaoke goes, Brewstir’s French Quarter, Studebaker’s Pub, Ugly Tuna Saloona, and Whiskey Dick’s are among your options. O’Toole’s Irish Pub meanwhile has a open stage with Chris Lambert.
September 25
Of Montreal play a special acoustic show at Magnolia Thunderpussy, at 3pm. They are also at the Newport later in the day, and certain lucky fans can win free tickets here.
a comedy competition at the Funny Bone, which costs $10 to enter but only $5 to spectate.
Upper Arlington Public Library unfurls its 12 foot screen for a Family Films weekend, which includes The Case of the Missing Hare, Ferdinand The Bull, and Angus Lost.
Spoken word night at Milo eLEKtRic
Bristol Bar has Monday Mashup. At Fifth & Joyce it’s the latest Blue Monday, with DJ Eddie B. Q has DJ Jeremy. Bento Go Go has the latest Magic Monday with DJs WildKyle, Kenny Kim, and Carma. Bar Louise has Deep Blue Groove. At Bexley Monk it’s Sonia Modes. Club Diversity has Cabaret Singers with Wendy Foster. Columbus Music Hall has Vaughn Wiester Famous Jazz Orchestra. Dream Lounge has Infusion featuring Shawn Thunder Wallace. At Top Steakhouse it’s Dave Powers. Rumba Cafe has Jason Quicksall, Jesse Henry (from The Spikedrivers.) Smith & Wollensky has Jen Demlow. Ugly Tuna Saloona has Name That Tune.
For karaoke options you have Adobe Gilas, Arlington Cafe, Caddo’s, Cheeseburger In Paradise, Donerick’s, Fitzgerald’s, High Five, Lazy Chameleon, Rosie O’Grady’s, Summit Station, Triple 16 Bar, and Whiskey Dick’s.
September 26
Children’s Drama Company begins auditions for an upcoming staging of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, 6pm at Columbus Performing Arts Center.
The Wexner Center begins a four night film series titled “College Football On Film.” It begins in appropriate enough fashion with The Male Animal, a 1942 adapted from local boy James Thurber’s story of the same name. Henry Fonda and Olivia de Haviland star in this one, which enters around a certain Midwestern University that is completely obsessed with beating Michigan come game day. Hmm. The remainer of series will run through the 29th and includes a John Wayne offering, a Marx Brothers one, and a couple more I’ve never heard of.
The Maxim Tour Host Search hits our Funny Bone Comedy Club
Commuting by Bicycle class at Upper Arlington Public Library, led by John Gideon from the Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy Coalition (COBAC, obviously). Tonight he discusses “the ins and outs of bike riding through the fall and winter months,” at 7pm.
Punk Rock Aerobics kicks a legwarmer into the air at Surly Girl Saloon, 6:30pm.
Black Pearl Poetry night at Brownstone on Main, hosted by Ed Mabrey
Broadway In Columbus: Mamma Mia! begins its run at Ohio Theatre and will continue through October 1.
Tricky Home Concoction are at Oldfield’s On High. Thirsty Ear Tavern has Thursday Nite Hop with Chife Johnny Lonesome, featuring Cliff Starbuck (of Ekoostik Hookah fame), Jimmy Casto, and Fred Gablick. Bexley Monk has Dwight Lennox. Club Diversity has Jazz Mary. Columbus Music Hall has Yumbambe. At Park Street Tavern it’s Jazz Jam Session with Pete Mills, Andy Woodson, Eric Augis, Reggie Jackson. Motherland Grille has Michael Branch & Pure Comfort. The Basement has The Working Title. The Old Bag of Nail’s on First Avenue has Nick McGovern. Poophouse Reilly are at Ugly Tuna Saloona.
Q has DJ Moxy. Summit Station has DJ Nando for 70s-90s throwback night.
For karaoke options you have The Closet, Crown Sports Lounge IV, Gabby’s, Hot Spot Tavern, Nike Sports Lounge, North Point Tavern, Polo’s, Ravari Room, and Trump’s. As far as open stage nights, there’s Alumni Club, Blues Station, and Dolphin Lounge.
September 27
Pavlo Kosmos is the scheduled performer at Bristol Bar. Drexel Theatre has a special advance screening of The Science Of Sleep, which isn’t available elsewhere until the 29th. Thirsty Ear Tavern has an acoustic open stage night with Billy Zenn. Upper Arlington Public Library hosts “Classical Music with Christopher Purdy: Virgil Thompson and Gertrude Stein.”
At Grandview Heights Public Library, reference librarian Wendy Wise conducts a discussion of the Gunther Grass book My Century. And then George Ouzounian is at the Sawmill Road Borders Books to discuss his latest novel, The Alphabet of Manliness.
Improv comedy with Johnny Longform at Kafe Kerouac. Open mic comedy at St. James Tavern. And then the inimitable Pauly Shore is performing at Funny Bone for a mere $20 per weasel.
Lux Lounge Patio has a Pups On The Patio event, which is a happy hour gathering in support of the local Humane Society.
Fresh A.I.R. Gallery opens an exhibit featuring the art of Garner Chapman.
Democracy, Not Theocracy pow-wow goes down at Westerville Electric’s conference room, 7pm
Dispatch associate publisher Michael Curtain discusses our political future in November Elections: What Direction For Ohio? Held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church.
Nintendo Fusion Tour hits Lifestyle Communities Pavilion, too. This roving mini-festival features Hawthorne Heights, Plain White T’s, Relient K, Emery, and a band whose logo I can’t quite make out but might be Sleeping. This show kicks off at 6pm and offers attendees the chance to “be among the first to experience Wii.”
Adobe Gilas has ladies night with DJ Scuba Steve. At Bristol Bar it’s Hump Wednesday with Titonton. Q has DJ Moxy. Summit Station has 30 Gig DJ. At Bento Go Go it’s Soul Glo night this time with DJs Kenny Kim and Carma. Oldfield’s On High has Dynamik. Bexley Monk has Jazz Mary. At La Fogata Grill it’s Dave Bott. Rigsby’s has Richard Lopez with Roger Hines. Tonight Aquarium Cafe has the Reggae Nite with Roots High PowerSoundstem featuring Peter Funk experience. The Obvious has Reggae Weddy Wednesdays. Flanagan’s Pub has Eric Solomon. Kickstand Pub has State North. Rick’s Coaches has Chris Logsdon. At Slapsy Maxie’s it’s Franc Acledia. Don Haines plays Smith & Wollensky. At Surly Girl Saloon it’s Megan Palmer & The Bowmans. Ugly Tuna Saloona has Fonzie Monroe. Victory’s has Nate McDonough.
For karaoke options there’s Caribbean Jerks, Havest Moon Coffeehouse, Nike Sports Lounge, The Point, Red Rock Cafe, The Rustin Saloon, VIP Lounge, and Zeno’s. As far open stage nights, you have Blues Station, the campus Buffalo Wild Wings, Illiusions Neighborhood Pub, Kern’s Cafe.
September 28
And finally Brothers wraps up its Super September series with what it is calling Boob Tube Thursday. One lucky winner goes home with a 27″ flat screen TV. Carlile Club is hosting DJ Nick Nice and his “Naughty or Nice Birthday Bash.”
Court TV’s Mark Gribben is at Upper Arlington Public Library to discuss his thoughts on organized crime, 1:30pm
Introduction to the College Admissions Process held at Upper Arlington Public Library. Christine Harper, who is the assistant director of admissions at OSU, leads this 7pm tutorial.
Meanwhile over at Grandview Heights Public Library, also at 7, Liz CaJacob from Décor & You discusses interior design dilemmas in a program she calls Living With Color.
The excellent Mary Gaitskill is at Columbus School For Girls to read from her latest novel, Veronica. I have read this, incidentally, and it is a truly awesome experience. Tickets are well worth the $15-$18 and I seriously regret missing this.
Elijah Pierce Gallery at King Arts Complex opens an exhibit titled Rock My Soul
CAPA and the Red Herring Theatre Ensemble kick off their run of Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Brownstone on Main.
Columbus Cultural Arts Center hosts its free weekly Conversations and Coffee meetup, whereby art lovers discuss and debate their passions. Michealangelo Lovelace heads up this week’s rendition.
At Carlile Club, DJ Nick Nice oversees a Naughty Or Nice Birthday Bash. Sugar Bar has sometehing called Dr Mojoe Fashion Show which is hosted by this guy named Teddy from an MTV show called 8th & Ocean. Thirsty Ear Tavern has Molly with Grace. The Worthington Inn has Tim Cummisky and friends. Fats Billiards has open mic night.
September 29
Parity International kicks off an Open House at 1305 Holly Avenue, 7pm. There’s a corn hole competition, “random” catered appetizers, open stage and DJ performances both, some sort of surprise cast and crew, a silent auction and cashless bar, all for a suggested donation of just $5. This organization dedicates itself to “bridging the digital divide for disabled individuals, underprivileged students, and non-profit organizations.”
At Carlile Club, there’s an event called Quality with $5 admission. I don’t know quite what this means but it costs $5 and says it features The Sound Republic. Below that some names are listed: Jason “Lemon” Lyman, Pavlo Kosmos, Ryan Mack, Nelson. This place is known for dance parties, so I’m assuming that’s what this is.
The 17th Floor are at Frog, Bear, & Wild Boar.
September 30
Meanwhile today at the ol’ FB&WB (Frog Bear & Wild Boar), doors open at 4pm for what they’re billing as a “Road To The National Championship Party” for the OSU football team. Mmm, not so much, as it would turn out. But you appreciate the ambition. However they are presumably playing the game against Iowa, considering you can reserve tables for such, and they have commemorative 22 ounce Bud Light mugs to document the occasion.
cartoonist Keith Knight leads a workshop for artists interested on breaking through in this medium, held apparently somewhere on OSU and titled Cartooning Is Serious Business.
Day two of the Parity International open house runs from 12-5pm.
The Moops perform at Larry’s.
October 4
Widespread Panic are at Palace Theatre.
October 5
Wexner Center begins a film series titled Before Brokeback: Sex Hollywood Style which includes four separate double features. Among the known movies screened are Henry & June, Baby Doll, and The Outlaw, so clearly they are covering a wide variety of eras and genres under this loose theme.
Paul Oakenfold is at Skye Bar, an impressively major booking for this venue. And now Sugar Bar is hosting a Fall Fashion Show featuring Vinci from MTV’s 8th & Ocean – their recent obsession with whatever this is remains unexplained, but someone involved must be a fan.
October 6
This year’s edition of Terror Park kicks off at Cooper Stadium.
October 7
OSU’s football team takes on Bowling Green.
ArtFUSION is happening at the Columbus Museum of Art, with an Art Ball Cocktail Party to follow.
Fronteras, which is located inside The Coliseum at The Continent, is celebrating its first birthday. According to their ads, the first 100 entrants get a free tee shirt, the second 100 a compact disc of some sort. Revol gives away cell phones with three free months of service to three randomly selected winners. And Son del Caribe play three sets of live music, beginning at 10.
October 8
Oakland Nurseries in Dublin hosts The National Pumpkin Weigh-Off, beginning at 2pm. They boast showcasing some of the largest pumpkins available in the U.S.A.
October 12
Carlile Club holds The Movers and Shakers Affair 2006, whatever that means.
Real Men of Comedy tour hits Palace Theatre. Which consists, quite naturally, of Joe Rogan, Charlie Murphy, and some guy named John Heffron.
October 13
The Wailin’ Jennys are in town from Canada, for a gig at Fawcett Center. And at Brothers Bar & Grill, their Oktoberfest kicks off. If you buy a commemorative jumbo beer stein, $5 will fill it with any Bud product, and it’s just $3 for a refill both tonight and tomorrow night. Polka music is on tap, too, just in case you’re wondering.
A Ballet Met Columbus production of Dracula opens at Capitol Theatre and will run through the 21st. Tonight only there’s an opening night afterparty at 10pm, which is free, and lasts until midnight. This is held at 322 Mount Vernon Avenue.
October 14
Earwig play Cafe Bourbon Street, a CD release show for their latest album Center of the Earth. Which is an incredible listen, it’s worth noting. Rosehips and The Proper Nouns open. For a complete rundown of 2006 events at Cafe Bourbon Street, please visit that page.
October 15
Matt Miner from local band Teeth of the Hydra (and my coworker at Wild Oats) is profiled in a Dispatch piece, leading off their Arts section. He’s being interviewed about their latest album, Greenland, and is amusingly quoted at one point saying, “I don’t write songs about being (ticked) off at work.” Although how he is able to resist that rich material vein I personally can’t fathom. But anyway, it’s a great article, as he gets to discuss at length the inspiration for many of his lyrics on the album. And while workplace drama might be off limits, he does reveal that Eruptin’ is about the band’s van – so it’s not all death & destruction on here, for this skull crushing metal trio.
Donald Berman performs at Southern Theatre, kicking off ProMusica Chamber Orchestra’s 28th season
October 18
Ferry Corsten performs at Skye Bar.
October 19
Sugar Bar hosts a live show from Scaps of Ordinary Peoples.
October 26
A play version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels begins its run at Ohio Theatre, from today through October 29. Cult of the Psychic Fetus play Ravari Room.
October 27
Men Of Leisure are playing at Grandview Cafe. The OSU men’s hockey team loses 2-0 to the Nothern Michigan Wildcats, even though they only allow sixteen shots on the goal. Morgan Marziali of the OSU women’s hockey team scores a short handed, third period goal at home, in their 4-1 loss to Minnesota. It is her 4th goal of the season.
Light Columbus is giving away cash & prizes for best overall costume. Hosted by Steve Kelly as part of their whole Halloweekend deal.
October 28
And now Hat Trick is the scheduled act at Grandview Cafe.
Matt McIlvane of the OSU men’s hockey team scores two goals in a 4-2 win over Northern Michigan. Jason DeSantis meanwhile chipped in with another goal and an assist, and at this moment leads the Buckeyes in points.
The 2005 Thurber Prize For American Humor holds its award ceremony at COSI. Jon Stewart, Ben Karlin, and David Javerbaum are on hand to read from their prize winner, America (The Book).
Halloweekend continues at Light Columbus. Tonight it’s cash & prizes for sexiest costume. Hosted by Chris Davis from WNCI. They are also giving away free tickets to see Saw III at Marcus Crosswoods.
October 29
Barenaked Ladies are at Value City Arena, with Mike Doughty’s Band opening. Insane Clown Posse are at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion.
October 30
Red Hot Chili Peppers hit the Schottenstein Center.
November 1
OSU’s basketball team squeaks out an exhibition game win against Findlay, their first contest of the season. Despite the 80-57 score, they are actually outrebounded by the weaker team, 39-30, and appear mighty shaky during various stretches. And yet they are ranked #4 heading into the regular season anyway, possibly because people are confident that an injured Greg Oden is going to make a huge impact once his wrist heals. “Now we need to set a practice plan of our glowing weaknesses,” head coach Thad Matta is quoted as saying in The Lantern.
November 2
dance concert at Sullivant Hall Theater titled “virtual.rituals/altered.worlds.” Begins today and will run through the 4th. Brought to you by OSU’s Department of Dance, it incorporates a wide variety of motifs and disciplines. Sarah Hixon, in her third year of the Master’s program, presents Of The Transcendent Unknown, combining Asian and European Baroque in a manner that is, “more about ritual and mythology, sort of relating a lot of imagery but no necessarily a linear story,” she says in today’s issue of The Lantern. Boris Willis’s Abandoned Revolution meanwhile is billed as a live video game, one which is even soundtracked by music composed somehow on a Nintendo Game Boy. The audience plays along during the piece, and in the process learn more than a little about the history of dance. Finally, senior Sara Wiseman performs a piece created by Teen Custer, The Be-Girl Diaries, which explores gender roles in hip-hop, while at the same time presenting itself as a eulogy for that genre as an art form.
November 4
Bob Saget is at Palace Theater
November 5
The Columbus Zoo conducts a job fair, on site, for seasonal jobs that last through the holidays. 12-3pm.
A fall concert called All Creatures is held at King Avenue United Methodist Church, at 3pm, starring the Capital Pride Band.
Columbus Maennerchor and Damenchor stage a concert honoring Mozart’s 250th birthday. Otoniel Gonzaga is featured as a soloist. This held at 7pm in the Holy Family Church on West Broad. Tickets range from $15 to $5 to free, depending upon the attendee’s age. A wine and cheese reception follows at Maennerchor.
November 7
Limited Brands hosts a party called “Step Into Our Closet: Fashion Show and Wine Tasting,” held at their international headquarters. It’s a benefit on behalf of New Directions Career Center and features a buffet courtesy of Bexley’s Monk, live music from the Ft. Hayes Jazz Ensemble. “It’s a fabulous event that brings a New York feel to Columbus, and we’re excited to showcase what we have at the center,” Board president Dawn Tyler Lee is quoted as saying in Alive!
November 9
An ad runs in the paper for a live seminar on “The Non-Surgical Herniated Disc Solution,” tonight at 7pm. It mentions video footage featuring former anchorman Ren Scott. Yet oddly enough never specifies where the seminar is located.
November 10
The Decemberists are at LC Pavilion. Or you can catch Jovial Flow play at Fats Bar & Billiards.
Columbus Dance Theater hosts something called Ten Cents A Dance, which is live cabaret and dance, at the Fisher Theater. A repeat performance follows on the 11th.
November 11
This month’s Coffee And Conversation group at the Junghaus is centered around a presentation on Rumi, the 13th century Persian spiritual master. Claire Hagan Bauza spearheads the gathering, which runs from 10am to noon and is free of charge.
At Southern Theatre, a show called ProMusica Goes To the Movies includes Michael Riesman on piano and Marc Moskovitz on cello. There’s a repeat performance on the 12th.
St. James Tavern celebrates its 10th Anniversary with Whoa Nellie playing at 4pm, Megan Palmer & The Hopefuls at 6, The Townsmen at 8 and The Randys also at 8 somehow (unless this is a typo.) Attendees get a free raffle ticket with their $5 door charge, and the bar’s offering free pizza alongside other snacks, $2.50 Guiness pints, $1 jello shots.
November 12
AEON begins interviewing candidates for teaching English in Japan. Interviews will run through the 14th.
November 17
Columbus Dance Theater’s “Dancing Alone,” which features eight solo artists. This will run nightly through the 19th at Fisher Theater.
November 24
Columbus Dance Theater stages a ballet titled Matchgirl, held in Cowan Hall at Otterbein College on today and the 25th.
November 25
Johnson’s Fish Market closes.
November 30
Yoga On High hosts a screening of the film What The Bleep Do We Know. It’s free of charge, though seating is limited.
December 7
Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares, who are a Grammy winning vocal group, are in town for a holiday concert at Pontifical College Josephinum Auditorium.
December 8
ProMusica Chamber Orchestra stages something called Messiah Side-By-Side Sing Along at Southern Theatre
December 9
The Fred Hersch Trio stage Hersch For The Holidays at Southern Theatre. A repeat performance follows on the 10th.
December 11
The Who hit Value City Arena as part of their latest comeback tour. The Pretenders open, are the so-called “special guest.”
December 12
Author Sister Helen Prejean is in town for a speaking engagement at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. It starts at 7pm and is a free event, though donations are encouraged.
