Banderas waved the flag for Rock n’ Roll

A few weeks ago, my favorite local band, Banderas, decided to call it quits. I won’t go into detail on the supposed reasons for the breakup, because, frankly, it’s hearsay, I don’t know any details, and not even that important. What I will say is that the news is a massive loss for many music fans in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas.

When I said that Banderas was my favorite local band, I wasn’t exaggerating. Their music was sleazy Rock n’ Roll that harkened back to the days of true rock stars. The boys drank too much, partied too hard and did some amazingly stupid shit. And it was all okay, because they were Cincinnati’s token rockers. That’s not to say that there aren’t other Rock n’ Roll bands in Cincinnati, but to me, Banderas was the best at encompassing all parts of what Rock n’ Roll is. They had the look, they had the sound, and they had the swagger. When you saw the guys roll into a bar, whether it was on a show night or just to hang out, people knew who they were, either personally or by reputation alone. Few can claim that ability in Cincinnati. And it is this pure, unadulterated, badass that is what will be Cincinnati’s biggest loss after Banderas is over.

I had heard of Banderas before I even started going to shows regularly, my former boss was friends with their lead singer, Jeremy. I was regaled with stories of nudity, spit, piss, and puke covered live shows. There were stories of legendary house parties and crazy, drunken debauchery that had to be seen to be believed. From these stories, I didn’t even know what Banderas sounded like, but I knew I had to see them.

My first experience with the live performance was at a Mad Hatter Halloween show. The Banderas crew was dressed up as the Justice League, wearing some sort of semi-see-through unitards. They started their live set and I was instantly blown away. The sleazy, greasy, groovy, metallic, Rock n’ Roll that came from the speakers was enough to catch my interest. But the intense energy that each band member exhibited sealed the deal. Jeremy Harrison was channeling a mix of Mick Jagger and Johnny Rotten. Guitarists Jesse Ramsey and Chris Harrison were a tag-team of raging riffs. Bassist Kevin McNair sent soundwaves that could be felt in not just your chest, but in the soles of your feet. Drummer Jason “Donkey” Ramsey was kicking and thrashing like a mule (although I suspect his nickname comes from the fact that he’s an ass). Keyboard player Todd McHenry was standing and dancing on his keys and was one of the best hype men for any band I’ve ever seen. I also saw ALL of Todd that night. From that night on, I was a fan for life, even after Todd’s exhibition.

And this is just one show. Time and time again, they’ve blown me away with their stage presence. Whether they’re playing in Southgate House’s ballroom or on the floor at Pachinko, they consistently blow every other band on the bill out of the water. Banderas’ music brings out the best/worst in their fans and the shows get down and dirty very quickly. If you don’t come home from a Banderas show smelling like beer, cigarettes and that weird chick sitting at the corner of the bar, you’re doing it wrong. Going to one of their shows was always an event that would (hopefully) be remembered. A lot of my stories that start with “Remember that time…” are quickly followed with “at the Banderas show…”

Of course, a live show doesn’t mean much if the music doesn’t back it up. But the second I popped Beast Sounds and Parlour Tricks into my CD player, I knew that wasn’t an issue. Banderas’ mix of Rock n’ Roll, Groove, and Punk was captivating and a sound all their own. I was impressed with the album when I first heard it, and I feel the same way now. Even after tons of shows and innumerable plays of the CD, their music still sounds fresh and new to me. That’s something that few bands can even pretend to claim.

As time went on, I grew to know the guys personally and become friends with them. Some of my favorite experiences with the band weren’t even at shows. Jeremy has let me interview him for several stories throughout my college years. I was blessed enough to be invited to Donkey’s wedding, I’ve rocked out to Heavy Metal with Jesse and even gotten to participate in a few of the (in)famous Banderas Mansion house parties. When was the last time you destroyed a couch with Amon Amarth playing in the background or gave a Rancor a dick? I’m not saying all of this to give off the illusion that I’m some rock star in training or anything; it’s just that these guys are genuinely that nice. I got to have some cool, down to Earth moments with the guys and I also got a taste of the rock start lifestyle once and a while as well. Some of my very best (and very worst) life experiences of recent years are tied to Banderas in some way or another.

Perhaps that is Banderas’ most endearing legacy for me. I will never be a rock star: I can’t sing, I don’t play an instrument, I can’t write a chorus or a riff. Secretly, deep down, I wish I could. That’s why I started writing about music and musicians; I wanted to be closer to the lifestyle that I couldn’t be a part of personally. But, at a Banderas show, or a Banderas party, or just hanging out with the Banderas crew, I was able to be closer to the lifestyle I wish I could fully be a part of. While I will never be a rock star, Banderas gave me the opportunity to pretend. And with them gone, it’s going to be a lot harder for that fantasy to remain.

If you’ve never seen Banderas or want just one last chance to remember the debauchery, head to Mainstay Rock Bar on June 3rd. They are performing at Mad Anthony’s CD release show, alongside The Sundresses, The Lions Rampant, and The Harlequins. Be sure to take a cab, show up early, bring plenty of drinking money, leave your pride at the door, and be ready to party.

Don’t call it a comeback!

Actually, yea, you can call it a comeback. Because that’s basically what this is. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. A great deal has changed, both in my personal life and in the Cincinnati music scene. I’ve graduated college, I’ve been freelancing with CityBeat semi-regularly, and I’m waist deep in a job search, and looking to possibly move to California. But you all don’t read this blog to hear about my personal life, you read this to hear about my thoughts on Cincinnati music, night life, and art. At least I hope you do, if not, you’re bound for disappointment.

Well, in the past year, Cincinnati has seen some pretty major changes in the music scene. I discussed two major ones in a piece for CityBeat, regarding the closures of the Mad Hatter and Southgate House. To me, these closures were two very big dominoes with some major ramifications within Cincinnati. First off, the closure of two major venues, such as Southgate House and the Mad Hatter means that there are simply less places for bands to perform. There are good and bad parts of this equation. The promising sign I’ve seen is that several venues around the city are stepping up and putting on more local shows than they ever have before. In my opinion, that’s exactly what should happen. Losing the Mad Hatter and Southgate House was undoubtedly a 1-2 punch of suck to the Cincy scene. But we’ve been lucky enough to have several spots around to step up to help fill that void.

The main question for me is whether or  not enough is being done to support the bands in the area. Personally, my answer to that is no. Is this the venues’ fault? Not really, it’s just that Cincinnati doesn’t have enough small venues to make up for the losses of two major ones (major as far as the underground is concerned). The Mad Hatter was reopened as Bangarangs, but never seemed to capture the same type of shows the Mad Hatter did. Love it or hate it, the Hatter did have some solid booking, and secured a great deal of local, regional and national heavy-hitters. Bangarangs has never been able to replicate that. Southgate House is slated to reopen, under new management, as Thompson House and seems to be doing a bit better with getting strong shows lined up for when it is open. However, the major question is if people will even go. I know a great deal of music fans in the city who are already calling for a boycott of the venue. Personally, I think this will change as time goes on (in fact, several of my friends’ opinions have softened). Southgate House has a new location and is supposedly working to get it open sometime in May, but the date for its supposed opening has moved back several times now, and nothing makes me believe that this latest guess will be accurate. Sadly, as the time goes on, people’s attachment to the Southgate House that was will weaken, making it hard for the new location to have any traction going forward. Time will tell on how much name recognition will carry the new location.

Another change the city is experiencing seems to be a low point in new bands entering the scene. Every city has an ebb and flow to their music scene. Bands are created and quit all the time, but there are always high points and low points, and Cincy is very much in a valley. I believe that this is due to the winter months, new venues still trying to get used to the whole “booking” thing, and other, less tangible reasons. I don’t think this is necessarily bad, but it is something to watch, as we head into the warmer months and the festival season. I know I’m not the only person to feel this way either. I’ve talked to several local musicians who feel the same way.

Speaking of festivals, Cincinnati has a new one that came out of nowhere with some massive acts on the bill, the Bunbury Festival. With headliners like Janes Addiction, Weezer, and Death Cab for Cutie, alongside many great national and local acts, the festival is sure to be a hit its inaugural year. What remains to be seen is how it will turn its success into further projects. You all may remember the Feywill Festival that took place last year in the Mainstrasse District of Covington. A festival that was a success by all accounts….and a festival that is not around this year.

Overall, I see Cincinnati as a city in flux. We have a great deal of new in the city. We’ve got a people and places coming and going with great speed; it’s hard to keep up with it all. Fans of the music and nightlife here in Cincinnati have always had to deal with changes though, it’s part of what makes this scene so vibrant, it’s always evolving. We’ll just have to see what comes around the bend next.

Cincy metal community acts like, well, a community.

After attending the recent Skeletonwitch, 3 Inches of Blood, Winterhymn and Scarangella show at the Mad Hatter, I saw one hell of a show. That night was special. I saw something that I didn’t expect to see. And no, it wasn’t Chance Garnette’s epic nail gauntlet or his crazy whirlwind hair.

No, I’ve seen that before. Now, what really caught my eye that night was the unity that the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky metal scene exhibited that night. Three of the four bands that night were from the area (Skeletonwitch is a bit of a stretch, hailing from Athens, but I’ll still count them). Scarangella and Winterhymn, the two non-national acts, both hailed from Northern Kentucky. This, in and of itself, is not surprising. The Mad Hatter is known for loading bills with local acts, as they should. The real surprise was the reaction that both garnered during their sets.

Scarangella‘s sound, as I said in my review of the show, didn’t mesh well with the rest of the bands, but the crowd still responded well. When you consider their slot on the bill (the first band) the response was even more impressive. The crowd moved, responded to call outs and moshed on several occasions. Considering that most openers barely get a second glance, this reaction was far and away one of the best I’ve ever seen for a local band at a national show. And if Scarangella’s garnered a good response, then Winterhymn’s was downright stupendous.

Winterhymn hasn’t been around for very long at all. They burst onto the Cincinnati metal scene after winning the Mad Hatter’s battle of the bands. They gained a major fan base in a very short period of time and those fans were at the Hatter in force for their show. Like Scarangella, Winterhymn received a great fan response. While their die-hard fans were surrounding the stage, much of the crowd were clearly into the young band’s brand of folk metal. For a band to be around for such a short amount of time and for them to have so many fans already is nothing short of impressive. If you want a taste of what you missed, check out the video below, taken during the Mad Hatter’s battle of the bands semi-finals.

What all this rambling adds up to is this: to people who may not be from this area, seeing a crowd respond to local bands may not be anything special. But here, in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area, it’s rare. There are some local bands that have quite the following and always have a big crowd at any of their shows. But these bands also headline their own shows, rarely attaching themselves to national bills where non-fans are likely to be. Many bands in Cincinnati play it safe, preferring to be hometown (or scene) heroes rather than step up and put their music out into environments where it may not be 100% loved and adored. This is definitely a broad stroke, and not entirely true for all bands. In my opinion though, sometimes the bravest thing a major local act can do is stick their neck out and play a show where they may not be immediately be loved.

On the other side of the coin, I can understand why some bands keep themselves within a bubble. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky music scene can be ruthless sometimes. There’s an old joke that, if a show starts at 9, everyone shows up at 11. It’s almost accepted that people skip local bands, or sit at the bar while they play, or heckle the crap out of them. You don’t see that kind of treatment in other cities and it’s starting to turn around here, but it’s slow going.

It is this dynamic, and the fact that it was almost non-existent at the Skeletonwitch show, that gave me so much hope. Maybe, just maybe that dynamic is changing. If metal heads can come together and rally behind local acts, then anyone can. I’m just hoping that this is the start to something bigger, Cincinnati needs unity like this. I’ll be doing my part to keep this alive, hopefully others will too.

Hot chicks, hot licks and cold beer

First and foremost: finals suck. It’s always fun trying to find time to blog (or breathe or sleep or eat) when assignments are on the horizon. But a new quarter provides new time to get stuff done. Breathing included

Let me start the blog machine again with a short post about an upcoming show, occurring on this Saturday, April 2. Carnivale D’Amor burlesque troupe, all the way from New Orleans will be performing at Mainstay Rock Bar, downtown. In addition to the lovely ladies, the lovely men of Banderas will be performing the same night. The shenanigans starts at 10 p.m. and proceeds all night long.  The show is 21+ and a scant $5 admission charge.

 

If you haven’t seen Banderas live, you’re missing out. Here’s a taste of their music:

They have one of the most electric shows in town. It’s not to be missed. And, like I said earlier, half naked chicks. It’s a win-win for all.

Cincinnati is one sexy piece of as…phalt

The comments on my last post, The state of Cincy, has given me a lot of hope. I highly recommend you read the comments in full, there’s simply too many gems to pass up.  If my adorable cross section of commenters is any indication, Cincinnati has a lot more fans than one would assume. I’ve lived in Cincinnati for my entire life and I love it. I honestly hope I can stick around when I graduate. Sure, moving to another area of the nation for a job wouldn’t be the end of the world. In fact, I’d embrace the chance, but I’d always hope I could come back. I know this city, I know its intricacies and how it function (or doesn’t function). So it’s disheartening to hear people put down the town. We’ve all heard the shit people talk about the city, hell I’ve had close friends say it. Sure, we aren’t LA, Chicago or New York. But, you know what? I prefer it that way. We’re metropolitan enough to have options for fun, culture and learning, but we aren’t as big and ubiquitous as the previously named cities.

Or, as one commenter put it, “Thank GOD Cincinnati is not Pittsburgh!!!” Amen to that sir.

Allow me, for a moment, to explain the title of the post. Gin Ando compared Cincinnati to a woman. This was perhaps my favorite comment, because, not only was it distinctly Ginesque (I can imagine him drinking a scotch, typing the comment in a smoky room), but it was a great analogy. Ando said, “I hate to draw connections between a city and a woman, but progressive cities like the ones you mentioned remind me of those women who are interesting. And, if you get into a relationship with them (or, in this case, live with them), the city defines you as a person.” He brings up a very interesting point. Many cities work their way into a person’s psyche, pretty much defining who they are. A person isn’t from New York, they’re a New Yorker. It’s who they are and that’s how people perceive them. Cincinnati isn’t like that. Ando continues, explaining that people need “Some place whose skyline inspires a feeling of being home rather than awe.”

El Rey, a California transplant and local musician brings up the ever-popular “Cincinnati is just OK” bumper stickers.”I’ve seen the bumper sticker that says “Cincinnati is just OK”….and admittedly snickered. But in reality, being just OK, isn’t that bad. Who does Cinci need to impress? Out of towners that visit for a few days and make comparisons to their own tired town?” His entire comment has merit. I’m more than pleased with OK. Cincinnati has everything I’m looking for: great music, great museums, great food, great arts programs, what more do we really need? We may not have the Met or something along those lines, but who really cares? I’m sure the novelty of those tourist traps would quickly dissolve, leaving major prices in their wake. El Rey also questions who we have to impress, and the answer is no one. If people don’t like it here, they can easily move away. And often, when they do, they miss Cincinnati’s positives. I have a close, personal friend who was born in LA, has moved around the country (even spending some time overseas, in London) and has recently moved back to LA after living in Cincinnati for many years. She was extremely happy to leave, but she also admits to missing Cincinnati. It’s subversive how this city can works its way into you and it’s something you don’t usually notice till it’s gone.

So if we all love Cincinnati with such fervor, where does the hate come from? Former northern Kentucky native, Deven Haigis, said it best: “When you consider that the majority of the city’s reputation is earned by word of mouth from none other than it’s residents, it’s easy to see why people find the queen city mediocre. Until folks can see all the richness and culture in their own city, no one else will.” I think she hit the nail on the head with this one. Too many people in this city are satisfied with just sitting back and complaining about Cincinnati and its supposed faults. The thing about the city is that very little of its richness is spoon fed to you. You often have to search out its gems. But that’s half the fun, finding a new bar, a new restaurant or discovering a new band is immensely enjoyable. All it takes is a little bit of daring and experimentation.

But for the people who go to bar A, eat at diner B and only go to hear cover band C will never experience that joy, and it’s their own damn fault. And really, it’s not even that hard to find great culture in Cincinnati. Things like CityBeat, Metromix, word of mouth and the good, old-fashioned, internet make it easier than ever to find something around town to do. All one has to do is simply open up a weekly newsmagazine, flip to the back and browse for five minutes. Hell, you can do that while drinking a beer at bar A, or while waiting for your cheeseburger at diner B or before cover band C plays their set. And the next night, you can discover a  new spot to have fun. Experimentation is key, my friends.

Hopefully, Cincinnati’s image is making a turn around. If the comments I received are any indication, we’re well on our way to that goal. We just need to combat negativity from our own citizens to help insure the transformation. Cincinnati has myriad possibilities available, just waiting to be found, utilized and loved. And, you know what? If Cincinnati doesn’t provide what you want, either take the steps to make a change in the city or head on out. It seems like we’re doing just fine without you.

The state of Cincy

Sometimes, searching for inspiration as a writer can be a nerve-wracking experience. You sit and think, and think, and think, drink a few beers, then think some more. Then inspiration slaps you in the face and you feel kind of dumb for not having thought of it earlier. This, my friends, is one of those stories. I’ve been supporting Cincinnati and northern Kentucky since the inception of this blog. But why does Cincinnati need defending? Well my friends, it’s because the Queen City doesn’t exactly have the greatest reputation. Some of it may be earned (our voters are generally more conservative) and Mark Twain’s quote about Cincinnati being 5 years behind is generally accepted as truth. Compared to more forward-thinking cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, two cities I’ve had the pleasure of visiting recently, Cincinnati is indeed 5 years behind in terms of some social norms. In Vegas and Los Angeles, tattoos are pretty much the norm. Here, they’re nowhere near as accepted. Just ask anyone who tries to get a job with a full sleeve of tattoos.

In areas of culture, art and music for example, we see Cincinnati coming back from the brink. Older music fans will remember Short Vine as a hub for local fans, with several major venues available. Now, it’s Bogarts, tattoo shops, LaRosa’s and crappy clothing stores. Oh, and The Cupboard, can’t forget that horrid abomination. We’ve always had a strong art presence, but it feels that it’s only recently been garnering attention. Perhaps that’s my own perception, so don’t take this as gospel.

However, we can see a resurgence in Cincinnati’s culture. Music venues are popping up all around the city, many of which cater to specific sounds, but also with many that will host all manner of acts. In my opinion, a mix of both styles is exactly what we need. People need places that they can flock to scratch a particular, auditory itch. But having no idea what you’re about to hear on any given night also has its benefits. The art sector is also flourishing. With several cheap or free museums scattered around the city, with myriad galleries to boot, an art lover has plenty of options available to them. We can continue this trend across several different cultural mainstays such as theatre, film and the like. It seems, to me, that the trend is essentially the same. Culture in Cincinnati was in dire straits for a while, but it is returning from the brink. It’s taking strides to make itself more relevant within the city and make it more accessible to new fans and old guard alike.

What do you think? Has Cincinnati earned its reputation as a backwards, maligned city? And do you think the city is making improvements to fix its image or are we doomed to be shoulder our reputation?

The sun: not as evil as previously thought

Thanks to everyone who responded to my previous question, it was an enlightening foray into the world of daytime experiences in Cincinnati. If there were two trends to be pulled from the comments it’s these: we all like to people watch and we all love the crap out of Cincinnati’s parks. Let’s start with the people watching.

Gin Ando said it simply: “Fountain Square, yo. I love people watching, so maybe it’s just anywhere.” Karen Creamer, a Florida-based, Ohio-originated, school teacher added, “People watching can be fun, is free and is often quite enlightening!” I agree with the vote for Fountain Square. There are often free events going on down by the square and it’s surrounded by food options, making it a great spot to stop by, grab a bite to eat and see what’s going on.  And since it’s pretty much the best/only gathering point in Cincinnati, you’re bound to see all kinds of different people: good, bad and weird all included. Adam Niemeyer added Carew Tower to the list, saying, “Another fun place to stop would be the Observation Tower/Deck at the Carew Tower, where you can see all the way around various portions of Cincinnati.” The final elevator to the top of the tower is absolutely terrifying (it’s small and shakes like crazy) but the view is worth the mini heart-attack.

Cincinnati’s parks all got stunning reviews from commenters. Carly Behringer is a fan of Ault Park, an opinion I share, “I love the parks in Cincinnati, like Ault Park. If it’s a nice day, I’ll drive up there with some friends and we’ll just hang out.” Ault Park is a beautiful location, no doubt about it. Duane McDonald commented on some of the many features Cincinnati parks have: “During the summer, I enjoy jogging and playing frisbee golf, and Winton Woods and Woodland Mound are two great parks to do both of those things. The Cincinnati Nature Center in Eastgate is also a neat place to take a walk and connect with nature, as is Eastfork Lake out east near Batavia.” I’m a fan of frisbee golf myself. I rarely play, and I’m awful when I do, but it’s really fun nonetheless. It’s a good lazy day kind of game. The physical exertion isn’t the greatest, but it gets you outside and active. Bonus calories burned when you throw your frisbee into a ditch or into the woods and you have to search for it.

McDonald also brought up an obvious, but no less brilliant, comment: the Union Terminal. Going on a date to the museum is a great idea. You and your date will have tons of things to talk about by its very nature, the price isn’t exactly bank-breaking (though it is by no means cheap) and it’s easy to get to, with tons of options for activities afterward. Grabbing lunch, taking a voyage though Cleopatra’s exhibit, snagging dinner and then drinks sounds like one hell of a date to me.

And now to the two comments that were from left field, but were flippin’ awesome. Ariel Cheung went the snuggly route, saying, “Honestly, I know this is going to sound dorky, but if you’ve got a few hours and nothing to do, stop by the Save the Animals Foundation and cuddle with some kittens for a few hours.” I may be a cold-hearted son of a beach, but who can argue with playing with kittens? No one, that’s who. On the other side of the coin, we have Mason Ping’s recommendation: “Spring Grove cemetery is Cincinnati’s third museum.” Spring Grove is, in fact, gorgeous. There is a plethora of art to look at all around the cemetery and it’s immensely historic. It may seem a little grim on the outside, but if you’re able to move past the creep factor, you will have a fantastic, and unique, experience.

All in all, Cincinnati has a plethora of things to do during the day. Whether you want to get artsy (art museums), learn something (Union Terminal and other options), or just stare at the crazy homeless guy (Fountain Square), we’ve got a lot of options.

What to do when the sun’s out

I’ve got another question for my adoring audience. We’ve talked a lot about what there is to do in and around Cincinnati at night. But what about during the day or early evening? Say you’re on a date or just want to take in a little bit of culture? Perhaps you’re bored with the ever-present dinner and a movie. What do you do around town when it’s not the middle of the night? I’m partial to the two fantastic art museums we have in town, but the one in Eden Park and the Contemporary Art Center downtown. Both are cheap (or free!), have great exhibits and are extremely easy to get to. Live theatre is another choice; the city has tons of options. A little known one is Know Theatre, also downtown, which specializes in weird, smaller shows.

So, fearless readers, what are your thoughts? Are there any small places around town you like for fine dining, entertainment or a day of learning? How about any major destinations that are definitely worth one’s time? Where would you take a date or someone who’s never visited Cincinnati? Tell me and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be quoted in an upcoming article!

So that’s where you spend your nights!

First off, thanks to everyone for the votes and the comments, they’re much appreciated. Now, to the results!

In terms of where people went usually, 5 said downtown Cincy, 2 said northern Kentucky, 1 person said another area and 6 said it depended on the night. 8 people don’t go out very often (those richer, less alcohol infused souls). The numbers surprised me a little bit, considering all the hate I hear about downtown Cincy in my circle of friends. But considering all of my friends are from Kentucky, that factors heavily into their opinions.  I  often hear horror stories about Cincinnati’s parking (and the lack thereof) and how some areas are… shall we say, less than inviting. I’ve never had an issue with the latter, but the former is definitely a big sticking point for me. I recently had to park three blocks down from Mainstay, just to find a spot. To be fair, this was during a major convention and Mainstay is very close to the Duke Energy Center. That said, I do enjoy my (limited) time downtown, it’s just a rare occurrence for me.

Of course, the majority (the non party people none withstanding) said their nightlife destinations varied. Cassandra Crider summed it up well, saying, “When me and my friends go out, we normally pick an area (mt adams, downtown, mainstraus, etc) and then head there. For us it’s about there being a good amount of people there to mingle with and dance if we want to.” Several other commenters mirrored this sentiment, saying the decision was made on a night by night basis.

Other commenters spoke about what draws them to one location over another. The sports fans were out in force. Garrett Sabelhaus, Sam Elliott (former and current UC News Record sports editors, respectively) and Adam Niemeyer all commented that a bar with a good vibe is nice. But they all also mentioned that a TV for watching the big game. Gin Ando agrees that atmosphere is an important part of his nightlife decision making process. “It’s definitely nice when you can have a conversation with the bartender and they’re not too busy pouring shots of something brown and disgusting,” Ando commented. I think we can all agree that brown and disgusting drinks are a universally bad element. But he does bring up a good point: a nice bartender, or one that isn’t overworked, goes a long way in helping the mood of a location.

Convenience was another theme. Carly Behringer commented that her bar of choice was right around the corner from her apartment. But trust me Carly, Newport isn’t really that far away, I swear.

Overall, it seems that a location’s ambiance is foremost in people’s decisions, followed by its location, which makes perfect sense to me. It’s just nice to know that perhaps the stereotypes regarding Cincinnati and northern Kentucky are disappearing. And that, in my opinion, is a great thing. Next up in the Pulse’s poll land: weird things to do while the sun (that evil, yellow globe of energy and light) is still out.

Mainstay Rock Bar mixes nostalgia with class

When I was younger, one of the few places I could frequently get into as an under 21 male was the Poison Room, at 301 West 5th Street. I loved the venue, it was trashy, perpetually filled with smoke, it was always hot as hell and the body funk made the windows fog up. The stage had a support beam right in the middle of it, making the singer have to dodge it whenever he wanted to sing to the crowd. Upstairs wasn’t much better, with old couches, what looked like stripper poles in random locations around the floor and other weird stuff. This is also where a UC Senior drunkenly hit on me (and shared some… personal… information) while I was Freshman.

It was a shit hole, in other words. And I loved it.

Eventually, the Poison Room, which was originally the Viper Room, closed down. I was heartbroken when I heard the news, that bar was host to so many good memories and firsts for me, I simply couldn’t believe that I wouldn’t be going back.

That is until Mainstay Rock Bar opened in the same location as my beloved Poison Room. But while the location is the same, the atmosphere has been radically revamped. It went from a lovable hole in the wall to one classy joint. It’s definitely a departure from what it was. Instead of a simple, wooden bar, full of pockmarks and water stains, we get this:

Quite the upgrade, if I say so myself.

The whole place has received a head to to upgrade. New paint, artwork, stage, bar, lighting and seating have all been added. But there is still a flair of the old bar still present. While the outside veneer is new, fresh and trendy; the history of the location can’t be denied. To many people, this is still the Poison Room (or the Viper Room, if they go back far enough) with a new, updated look. There are still hints of Poison Room, like the double PBR’s and High Life’s the bar sells at $5 a pop. Not exactly the classiest drinks by any stretch of the imagination.

This duality really helps with the bar’s crowd. On any given night, you’ll get a healthy mix of old school rockers reliving Poison Room glory days and new, well-dressed patrons enjoying the newer ambiance of the establishment. What you get is a very interesting crowd dynamic, with a well mixed group of people: perfect for people watching or meeting someone new.

The shows that Mainstay puts on runs a similar gamut of diversity. You can catch punk rock, metal or just enjoy some karaoke. It’s one of the few bars in town that really does have a little bit of something for everyone. Perhaps that’s what I loved the most about the Poison Room and love so much about Mainstay now. Whenever you go, you’re bound to be entertained somehow, but you may not know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a rock bar, it’s a classy joint, it’s a dive that made good, it’s a whole lot of old and a little bit of new. And that’s a hard balance to walk, making it even more exciting when it’s accomplished.

Drinks are reasonably priced and there is a pay lot right outside the bar. If you don’t want to pay, parking may be a little tight, but that’s true of any venue downtown. If you’re looking for someplace new to check out this weekend, keep Mainstay on your list. I’ll leave you with some of the great art that adorns Mainstay’s walls.

Don't piss off the man in black.