Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Archives for May 2010

Two Great Shows for Your Sunday Night

By Leave a Comment

The music doesn’t have to stop on Saturday.  There are two great shows downtown on this Sunday night.

The Sunset Showdown Series at Blind Bob’s continues this Sunday night with three great acts.  Singer-songwriter David Payne will perform along with Columbus band Old Worlds and Grey Leaves.  This is show is 18 and up and gets started around 8pm.

The Story Changes is getting ready to go back on tour this summer.  They’ll be playing an all-ages send-off show on Sunday night at South Park Tavern with Nightbeast and the Dirty Socialites. This one also gets started around 8pm.

The Weekend After Urban Nights – more music!

By Leave a Comment

Great live music doesn’t stop just because another Urban Nights has come and gone.  There are lots of great shows happening both Friday and Saturday nights this weekend.  Here are some of the highlights:

Friday:

*The ever-funky Romeo Champagne will headline Canal Street Tavern.  The show gets started around 9:30pm with Cleveland’s Deja Voodoo and is $5.

*If reggae is your thing, you won’t want to miss Seefari at the Trolley Stop.  This show also starts around 9:30pm.

*For local blues, check out  WG Blues Unit at J’Alan’s on Ludlow.

*The Black Who’s will be playing at The Brewery in Troy with Fuzz Hound and Valley of Visions. The Black Who’s performed live on Kaleidoscope this week, and you can stream that set from WYSO’s website.

Saturday:

*New Vega and Ed vs. Radio will play host to Louisville’s The Fervor.  This  South Park Tavern show gets started around 9pm.

*If you’re in the mood to dance, local DJ Jay Madewell will be hosting Fab Gear at Blind Bob’s.  This dance party combines some of most danceable tunes from the soul, funk, Motown and disco genres.

*Over on Brown Street, C. Wright’s Parlour Tricks and Nine False Suns will be rocking the stage at Jimmie’s Cornerstone Bar.

*Regional favorites the Psychodots will perform at Canal Street Tavern with WYSO Excursions host and musician in her own right, Niki Dakota opening.

So Dayton – which shows are you excited about/playing in/can’t miss this weekend?

Scene It: College Edition

By Leave a Comment

For each student the “college experience” is different, some live on campus, in an apartment or the dorms while others commute from home. Some students are fresh out of high school while others are coming back because life took them an alternative route after high school. Whatever the story might be, no way of college is the “right” or “wrong” way of doing it. I, personally, am a commuter student. I live at home, rent free, with my parents. I work at a restaurant and go to school full time. I wonder sometimes about how my college experience might be different if I had chosen to go to a big university and live on campus. But with Wright State in the Dayton area, it gives Dayton somewhat of a college scene, maybe not your “typical” college scene but it is a college scene.

There are students working in department stores and restaurants making money to pay for their books, tuition, or rent. But what makes the college scene different for the Dayton area is that we, the students, come from all different places. We all aren’t from the Beavercreek, Fairborn area. For sophomore Jessica Olson, it’s a twenty minute drive from Centerville, but commuting works out for her. “I guess I like that I can still go to school, but not be emerged in all the drama school can offer,” said Olson.

Working as a nursing assistant for Fidelity Healthcare four or five days a week, Olson says that her college experience would be “a lot different, a lot worse is my guess. I’m sure my relationship with God would suffer”. She feels this ways because she said she would probably have slipped into the partying if she weren’t maintaining such a busy schedule.

So Dayton, you do have a college scene. It’s just different than that of say, Oxford’s. You have students who go to school, work, take care of families, and still some how make time for leisure. Talk about time management skills! Having a smaller university around gives the students the opportunity to have the choice of such a school. It gives students who have chosen to come back to school after years down a different path the opportunity to do so. It also gives students who might just need that extra push to continue through college, the opportunity to go somewhere where they don’t feel so overwhelmed.

Chappy’s Hosts 3rd Annual Cask AleFest

By Leave a Comment

This Sat from 1-5pm 200 beer lovers will have the chance to experience the largest selection of cask ales ever assembled in Ohio!  Cask conditioned ale is beer that is brewed from traditional ingredients and matured in the cask from which it is served. This means that it is fresh and unfiltered and therefore has a unique flavour.  Cask ale is naturally conditioned as a by-product of the secondary fermentation that takes place inside the cask, It is then served directly, without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide or chemical treatments of any sort.

What you’ll taste  is a live product, full of flavour and character: beer in its natural state.

Casks expected to be tapped include:

Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout & Porter
Founders Centennial IPA
Goose Island Dry Hopped Citra IPA & TBA
Great Lakes Dry Hopped Commodore Perry IPA
Greene King English IPA
Morland Old Speckled Hen English Pale Ale
Heavy Seas/Clipper City Below Decks Barleywine,
Little DIPA-2nd Runnings Double IPA, & Tripel
Left Hand 400 lb. Monkey English IPA
Thirsty Dog Belgian IPA
Tröegs Javahead Stout

Chappys Tap Room & Grille
2733 West Alex-Bell Road, Dayton, OH

Available for $40 & limited to 200 beer fans at Chappys.
Call (937) 299-RIBS (7427).

Thursday Night: Smug Brothers and Turkish Delights

By Leave a Comment

Another great weekend of music in Dayton kicks off Thursday at South Park Tavern.  Local favorites the Smug Brothers will will join the Turkish Delights in welcoming Columbus’ Kyle Sowashes to town.  This all-ages show gets started around 9pm – perfect for grabbing a later dinner at South Park Tavern.

Dangerous Curves Ahead: Burlesque comes to Gilly’s

By Leave a Comment

Burlesque shows have been enjoying a revival in recent years, and this Thursday night Dayton will get a taste of the glitter and glamor when Brooklyn’s Dangerous Curves Ahead come to town. Billed as “Burlesque on the Go-Go,” this cabaret-style show at Gilly’s starts at 8pm and is only $10.  Several members of this year’s show performed to rave reviews in last year’s Monsters of Burlesque, and they’ll be joined onstage by local burlesque performer Champagne Shock.

Bonnett’s Book Store in the Oregon District is helping to promote the show.  Kevin Bonnett says, “Burlesque is racy, but it’s about stagecraft and performance; not pole dancing and dollar stuffing.  Regardless of the ‘sexy’ involved, these folks know how to put on a show that will make you smile!”

Your “Traditional” YP Groups: Contemporary and Fun

By 1 Comment

When people think of YP groups, I think it’s organizations like DULYP, GenD, and HYPE that come to mind.  Groups of young people – whatever jobs or interests – in a certain region working together to advance professional development, volunteerism, and fun.  There are many YP groups that specialize in serving specific professions or interests, but the Dayton region is the proud home to a few of these comprehensive and more traditional YP organizations as well.  I spoke to Demarus Crawford-White (chair of the Dayton Urban League Young Professionals) and Shanon Potts (chair of Generation Dayton) to get their take on the YP situation in the region – and they had a lot to share.

Crawford-White is Dayton born and bred, and will tell you that she was “tricked” into becoming the chair of the DULYPs.  A friend invited her to a couple of events, asked for help with some event coordination, and before she knew it –  she was the marketing chair andthings have grown from there.  Although she didn’t know what she was getting into, Crawford-White will tell you that the “trick” was one of the best things her friend ever did for her.  Potts moved to Dayton for work from a small Ohio town after a stay in Columbus for college and law school.  She was referred to the Dayton Young Professionals Association (a group founded in 2004 when many YPs determined there weren’t enough networking opportunities) right before a merge with Generation Dayton created the current program affiliated with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.  Potts has been an active member of GenD since May 2006.

Both women tout the value that a YP org provides anyone who wants to get involved – professional networking, meeting new people,

A group of YPs enjoys YP@Play sponsored by the DULYPs.

and the value of being connected to something larger than the self.  Potts shared that her involvement with Generation Dayton opened the door for her to serve as the young professional representative on the Executive Committee for the successful Five Rivers MetroParks levy campaign in 2009.  Also, the chair of GenD holds a seat on the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.  Those external leadership opportunities have proved invaluable to Potts as she continues to expand her network and meet new people.  Crawford-White also spoke about the value the YP organizations provide for people looking to grow professionally; being a member provides an opportunity to showcase skills in leadership, management, relationship-building, andso many more traits that employers look for.  Beyond that, membership demonstrates a commitment to community, and that drive based on passion and not the paycheck is important to employers.  Crawford-White has seen many DULYP members receive promotions due in part to the skills they’ve demonstrated through community involvement.

And it’s so easy to get involved – many events for GenD, the DULYPs, and HYPE are open to both members and non-members.  And if you’re not really a “joiner,” the ladies have some advice for you as well.  Potts explains that the benefits received by membership in GenD far outweigh the individual investment.  But if you don’t want to lose that valuable “friend time,” bring your friends along, too!  Crawford-White knows that time is an issue for all of us, but she refers back to the old adage: “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”  The DULYPs provide an easy way to stand with other YPs in the region and bring voices together to make a difference in the community.

Although their missions differ, members of both these organizations are working toward a better Dayton region for young professionals.  I asked both women why Dayton has such a negative stigma in the view of YPs.  Crawford-White knows there are valuable events happening in the region, but says it can be tough for YPs to filter- even though she has been here her whole life, she still is amazed by the great opportunities she learns about every few months.  Crawford-White believes it only takes visiting a couple YP groups and getting on some email lists until you find a group that you “click” with.  Potts agrees with the wide selection of YP opportunities in the region.  A downtown resident and frequent visitor around all parts of the region, Potts explains that Dayton is a very easy community to navigate once you are willing to become actively involved and engaged in an organization like Generation Dayton.  She expresses a specific gratitude to the many businesses and community leaders who are working to open doors to better involve and engage YPs.

A group from GenD enjoys networking and fun at a Dragon's game.

Although the passion these ladies demonstrate for their YP organizations are clear, they both demonstrate a similar passion for the region.  Potts picks Downtown Dayton as her favorite place to hang out, explore and experience.  She most enjoys walking to and from restaurants, Dragons games, the theater, art galleries as well as being at epicenter of the region’s growing system of bike paths with easy access to Yellow Springs, Xenia and Miamisburg.  Crawford-White highlights the MetroParks as her favorite Dayton spot(s) – from Riverscape to the 2nd Street Market, Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn Gardens – she appreciates that the “the whole system is really a neat and wallet-friendly place to spend the day.”

Hopefully, this expanded highlight of a couple of the region’s most comprehensive YP organizations – and the women who are currently at the helm –  has demonstrated the ease and important value of getting engaged in the opportunities our region offers.  Whatever you’re looking for – social activities, new friends, professional development, volunteering, education or more – could be found with the programs sponsored by Generation Dayton and the Dayton Urban League Young Professionals.  For a final thought – Crawford-White reminds us that Dayton was made famous by individuals who thought outside of the box.  The Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Erma Bombeck all started their fantastic careers here in Dayton while they were “young professionals.”  She asks, “What potential does yet another Dayton YP have to make and impact?”

NOTE: Schedules didn’t work out and I was unable to speak with a representative to HYPE, but if you’re a YP in the Northern Miami Valley area and want to stay a little closer to home – check out this org that provides great opportunities. HYPE will be featured in the future.

Generation Dayton (YPs ages 21-40) is dedicated to connecting young professionals with one another and to the community so that together YPs can become integral components in the future of the success of the region.  GenD offers many unique opportunities  – popular ones include Generation Dayton Day (a community-wide volunteering opportunity), volunteer speed matching, an annual holiday party, and regular “Thirsty Thursdays” for business and social networking.

The Dayton Urban League Young Professionals (YPs ages 21-44) are the auxiliary association of the Dayton Urban League; the DULYPs work to further the five empowerment points of the League.   The DULYPs are affiliated with the National Urban League, and that partnerhsip provides great national experiences for members.  Popular local activities include the professional development series, the Next Level Entrepreneurship Conference, the monthly YP @ Play evenings, and opportunities to volunteer in the community.

Greater Downtown Dayton Plan Update

By Leave a Comment

The organizers of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan unveiled “the plan” earlier today, and we’ll have more info to share soon – but for now check out the video that Dayton’s Kenny Mosher put together that sums up just how important Downtown Dayton is, and why the entire region should believe in its future.

The Downtown Dayton Plan from Kenny Mosher on Vimeo.

RIP Jason Dryden 1975-2010

By Leave a Comment

…this past Thursday, May 13, Sleepybird bassist Jason Dryden was found dead in his home. You can read the official news here. We’re very saddened here at The Buddha Den for this loss, as we’ve worked with Sleepybird on several occasions over the years. The remaining members of Sleepybird will host a memorial gathering for Dryden on Friday, May 21 at Shon Walter’s house, 157 Samuel St. in Dayton. Below is a special outtake given to us by the band from their last album, The Sadness Will Last Forever….

MP3: Sleepybird “World”
Download audio file (World.mp3)

Dayton’s Premier Wine & Gourmet Food Festival returns

By 21 Comments

The original “Party in the Park” was the brain child of two friends, Vail Miller Sr. of Heidelberg and Mike Frank of Arrow Wine.  With a mission of bringing wine out of just the wine cellars and homes of people to the general public, the idea of a wine festival was born.  Now 19 years later, Fleurs et Vin is the most anticipated, talked about and attend wine event in the Miami Valley.

On Sunday, May 23 from 1- 4pm, wine connoisseurs and novices alike will sample the best wines from around the world while enjoying culinary treats from top independent restaurants in the region-click here to see the lineup. The $60 advance admission ticket ($70 at the park) will allow you to to choose from hundreds of wines to samples, chat with winery owners like Amber Lee of J. Lohr Vineyards in San Jose, CA and enjoy the live jazz being played by JT Fedrick/Sax Groove.  Participating restaurants include:  Amber Rose, Carver’s, El Meson, Mamma DiSalvo’s The Oakwood Club, L’Auberge and fifteen more.  For the complete list, click here.

As you stroll through the tent, be sure and make some bids on the silent auction, which will feature gift baskets filled with art, theater tickets and restaurant gift certificates and even a weeks stay at a Lake Norris vacation cabin.  A live auction will get under way at about 3:45pm and some of the early highlights include a hideaway bar cabinet, donated by Bruning’s Wine Cellar, Chef Dinner’s and wine collectibles and verticals.

Not a wine drinker?  Then you may want to spend your time in the Beer Garden featuring Belgium favorites, Stella Artois, Leffe and Hoegaarden. Souvenir glasses will be available for just $2 each.

Proceeds from the event will benefit 13 arts organizations as well as individuals infected, affected and at risk of HIV/AIDS. This event is truly like none other in the Miami Valley.

One day, two causes, 300+ wines and over 1000 friends.

For more info or to purchase tickets, visit the Fleurs et Vin Website.
Tickets also available at area wine stores like Arrow Wine, Bella Vino, Bruning’s Wine Cellar, Dorothy Lane Market, Jerardi’s Little Store, Miami Valley Wine & Liquor,
Miami Valley Wine & Spirits, Rumblseat Wine and The Wine Gallery

UPDATE – TICKET GIVE-AWAY!!!

We’re giving away a pair of free tickets to Fleurs et Vin ($140 value) – just comment below and tell us your favorite place in the Dayton Region to drink or buy wine.  Be sure to include your email address (won’t be made public) so we can notify you if you win.  We’ll announce the winner on our Facebook Fan Page by 5pm Saturday 5/21.  Good Luck!

YPs This Week: Eggs, Merlot, Kites and Dancing!

By 1 Comment

YP Events coming up THIS WEEK:

GenD hosts their monthly Business and Breakfast on Tuesday, May 18 from 7-8 AM at the First Watch by the Dayton Mall.  Everyone is welcome; the event is free to attend, but breakfast is at your own expense. 

HYPE:  HYPE stands for Helping Young Professionals Emergeand works to connect YPs in the Northern Miami Valley to great opportunities.  Thursday, May 20th is the One Year Anniversary Bash!  Have a great time with old and new friends and make new contacts with special features including a dj with music videos, year in review news and photos, and much more!  5:30 PM at Club 55 in Troy.

HYPE keeps up the fun on Friday, May 21 as they dispel the mystery of wine through our upcoming Wine Education Series.   Join the fun and education at The Piqua Country Club as they feature an amazing line-up of wine and culinary expertise. 

Dayton Creatives Syndicate: Looking for something fun do do? Why don’t you go fly a kite?  No, really — join your friends at the Dayton Creative Syndicate from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, May 22, at Possum Creek MetroPark for the Go Fly a Kite Regatta.  Everyone is welcome to participate or just enjoy!

The Dayton Ballet Associate Board/Ballet Barre is holding a recruiting event on Saturday, May 22nd @ Champs by the Dayton Mall at 5 pm.  Check it out for a casual and fun way to learn more about what this group is doing to get people under 45 engaged in the region’s arts.

Did I miss anything?  If you know of a specific YP event happening between now and May 23 – post it here!

Wednesday Wine Dinner at The Stockyards Inn

By Leave a Comment

Join Ardie Bonnanno from 55 Degrees for a wine tasting dinner at the historic Stockyards Inn.

Sample five wines including two outstanding California Reds and Magnotta Vidal Ice Wine.

Wine List:

Ca’tullio Proseco Extra Dry
Mas de la Dame Rose
C.D. Diare Grand Pere Zinfandel Southern Exposure
Stuhlmuller Cabernet Alexander Valley
Magnotta Vidal Ice Wine

Dinner Menu:
Stockyards pub cheese spread with vegetables
Lebanese Garlic Salad
Salted Rye Bread Sticks
12 oz. Certified Angus New York Strip
Baked Yam with Sour Cream
Grilled Asparagus
Homemade miniature chocolate and key lime dessert.

Reservations are required and $60 covers your dinner, tax and gratuity.  Call The restaurant at 937-254-3576 for reservations.  Tasting begins at 6:3pm.


The Stockyards Inn
1065 Springfield St.
Dayton, OH, 45403

Lights, Camera, Action!

By Leave a Comment

Everyone loves a good Tom Hanks movie every now and again. You’ve Got Mail, Castaway, or That Thing You Do will satisfy any Hanks fan’s need.  He’s such an appealing actor and seems to have a movie that everyone loves. But what people don’t know is that Tom Hanks has a scholarship program for students in major arts at Wright State University. In 2005 Hanks and his wife donated nearly $5,000 to the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures. This was the beginning of the Tom Hanks Scholarship and Visiting Artist Fund. After collaborating with Erik Bork, an alumnus of Wright State, on the television series Band of Brothers and hearing about his experience at WSU, Hanks was bound to create a scholarship program for the students. In May of 2005 a black-tie affair raised over $20,000 for the scholarship.

The quarter I transferred to Wright State I was walking through the Union looking for something good to eat when swore I saw a high school friend by the name of  Baxter Stapleton. To my surprise, it indeed was him. We met up for coffee one day and he informed me that he had just transferred to Wright State as well that quarter to attend the film school. In a recent chat with my long time friend he told me why exactly he chose Wright State for his studies.  “I decided to transfer since Wright State’s programs  complemented perfectly with what I want to do after I graduate. I was immediately attracted to the  film program because of my interest in documentary filmmaking and the amazing work I had seen come out of the program” said Stapleton.

Wright State students have been acknowledged for their work in producing and writing feature-length and short form films and winning Golden Globe and Emmy awards.  Their work has also been in multiple film festivals winning various awards. Students get the opportunity to work in all different aspects of the film industry through the program, everything from a producer of features to being the director.

Stapleton informed me that the students in the film program work a great deal with FilmDayton and that this year; the students’ work will show up at the FilmDayton Festival this weekend. This is their second annual film festival and is an awesome opportunity for the young film makers of Wright State to get to show their work. “Not only does Wright State have great academic programs, but the University also does a great job of immersing the students into the community” said Stapleton. So if you get some free time this weekend, stop by the film festival and take a look at what the talent of Wright State has to offer!

Burma VJ, A MUST SEE Film Saturday at FilmDayton Fest

By Leave a Comment

The following commentary was written  by Andy Valeri, when I asked him how by knew about Burma VJ and why he thought it was such an important “get” for the FilmDayton Festival:

“Burma VJ” (VJ standing for “video journalist”) is one of the most important documentary films to be produced in a number of years. Not simply
because of its filmmaking quality in telling a riveting story about the
“Saffron Revolution” which took place in Burma in 2007, but in *how* that
story was told through the use of citizen-based, grassroots media networks.

Ever since I first saw the film upon its initial release a year ago, I knew
it was a potential game-changer in the world of media and its relationship
to movements for political change. I was fortunate to get a chance to see
this film upon its initial release, when my friends filmmakers Steve Bognar
and Julia Reichert were lent a copy by one of their colleagues. Steve
called me up to tell me about this amazing new film which he had just seen,
and invited me over to watch it. Knowing of my ongoing work in media and
human rights, Steve thought I really should see it.

I was deeply moved by the film, again not only for the drama inherent
within the story itself, but what it represented as a harbinger of the
inherent power and potential in the future progress of community-based,
grassroots media networks as as the most important tool available to
confront the cruelty and injustice in our world. It brought to the fore
Gandhi’s principle that the key to confronting injustice was to make it
visible.

It also struck a personal note with me, as I myself was in the same town in
Thailand where the main figure in the movie was based during the time the
events portrayed in the film were exploding forth.  When I was there I
couldn’t help but be immersed in the goings ons just over the border. It
was a major concern amongst a number of the Buddhist monks that I would
talk with at the time, and no one was sure what was going to happen, since
nothing quite like this had ever happened before in Burma during the
decades of oppressive rule by the military junta in charge. The monks had
taken to the streets in mass organized protests against the legitimacy of
the government, and the government had resorted to actually shooting them.

And here it was all documented by courageous videographers risking their
very lives to show the world what was going on.

Thus began our interest in bringing the film to Dayton.  At first Steve and
I thought it was something that could be presented at the University of
Dayton as part of their groundbreaking Human Rights Studies program. It
certainly would serve as a direct example of my interest in seeing
communication studies incorporated directly into human rights work.

Though the timing for a UD screening wasn’t able to pan out, we are all
more than fortunate to be able to present it at the FilmDayton Festival
this year. And not only that, as the lattice of coincidence would have it,
Steve and Julia ended up meeting and befriending the film’s producer from
Denmark, Lise Lense-Møller at this year’s Academy Awards, in which both
were nominees in their respective documentary categories! And not only
that, but Lise’s husband is from Ohio, and used to be a truck driver, who
would do deliveries to the former GM plant in Moraine about  which whose
closing Steve and Julia’s film was nominated for an Oscar as well!

So, along with the Indian film “Kavi” showing at 12:30pm at Gilly’s on
Saturday, followed by Steve and Julia’s “The Last Truck,” and then with
“Burma VJ” running at 5pm at the Neon Movies, Dayton’s humble little film
festival will have THREE Academy Award-nominated films screening on the
same afternoon in the same festival.

For more on Burma VJ, here’s a good article from The New York Times…
“Democracy Now!” did a story this award winning film, which really gives
good insight into what the film is about, and  the extraordinary risks
citizen journalists take to get information out of the country.

Urban Nights – A Musical Guide

By 1 Comment

Urban Nights showcases some of the best that downtown Dayton has to offer, and since we have a lot to offer, deciding what to see and hear can be a bit overwhelming.  So I’ve compiled a list of some of the musical highlights Friday has to offer:

*The official Urban Nights program includes entertainment on a main stage at Courthouse Square and several satellite stages.  My picks for main stage entertainment are the Reece Lincoln Band (6:00-6:45 p.m.) and  The Rev. Cool Arkestra & Dance Ensemble (7:00-7:45 p.m.).  Reece Lincoln is one of Dayton’s rising musical stars and puts on a high energy show that combines elements of blues and classic rock and roll.  The Rev. Cool Arkestra & Dance Ensemble is the brainchild of WYSO host Rev Cool (Around the Fringe).  It’s a unique combination of live music, DJ mixes and dance that’s not to be missed.  The satellite stages include everything from local jazz, rock and roll covers and a preview of the Encore Theatre Company’s production of RENT to a spotlight on Sinclair’s musical offerings.  A full schedule and a printable program and map can be found here.

* Friday is the first day of Side Show V, which features a wide variety music, performance and art.  This year’s showcase takes place at the Armory building on E. Sixth Street and Friday’s musical highlights include Noah Wotherspoon and Jessi Bair (6-6:30pm), c.wright’s Parlour Tricks (8:40-9:30pm), Sohio (10:10-10:40pm) and Outside Residential (10:50-11:20pm).  For a better idea of what the Side Show is all about, check out J.T. Ryder’s featured article right here on Dayton Most Metro.  The full lineup for both days of Side Show V is available on their Myspace page.

* Friday also marks the start of the 2nd FilmDayton Festival.  This year’s festival is bigger and better, and in addition to featuring more films than last year, there’s also more music!  Lisa Grigsby’s post here on Dayton Most Metro features the full festival lineup.  There are two great great musical offerings on Friday night:  Gladgirl will present “Dayton Rock and Roll Home Movies,” a free kickoff event at the old Greyhound Station on Fifth Street that’s been transformed into the festival lounge.  This event will feature music videos from current and past local bands and live music from Flotation Walls.  Later that night, the Lab Partners will perform at the first festival after-party at Gilly’s with the Now Device (headed by Springfield native Rod Hatified) providing a video and light show.

*As if that weren’t enough, A World A’Fair also begins on Friday at the Dayton Convention Center with tons of music, dance and delicious food from around the world.  A full performance schedule can be found at their website.

*The Ohio Coffee Company is providing Urban Nights entertainment for a good cause.  Hugs for Maya is a musical showcase to benefit Maya Claude, a 5 year old girl who recently had a brain tumor removed.  Local artists will be selling donated pieces and a host of local musicians have donated their time including Suicide Hill, Eric Cassidy, Rob Young and more.

*If you miss Noah Wotherspoon at the Side Show, he’ll also be performing at the Oregon Express beginning around 9:30pm.

*While you’re in the Oregon District, be sure to stop by Practice Yoga.  Local singer-songwriter BJSR will perform from 6 to 10pm.

*Down the street, the Eric Jerardi Band will be headlining the Trolley Stop beginning at 9:30pm.

*Over at Canal Street Tavern, the Spikedrivers will perform with Luther Wright.  It’s the perfect place to go after checking out the Urban Nights showcase at the Southern Belle loft (right next door to Canal Street Tavern).  This will feature the work of many local artists and musicians including music from local ukulele folk artist Henrique Couto.

*And although it’s not music-related, audiophile will want to stop by the StoryCorps airstream trailer parked in front of the Schuster Center.  The mobile recording booth will  be open until 7:30pm on Friday night for tours.

So what’s your must-see event this Urban Nights?  Any tips for beginners on the best way to get the most out of the evening?  Share your thoughts, tips, tricks and anything I may have missed in the comments.

In Celebration of AmeriCorps Week

By 4 Comments

The following was submitted by DaytonMostMetro.com reader Caitlin Closser

With any revelation arises the need to announce it to the world, and I wish to announce that I am in love…with service.  This love is not without its challenges.  However, now that I’ve experienced the warmth, inspiration, and pure joy that serving creates, I know I’ll never be without it in my life again.

Service and I were mere acquaintances in the past.  Sure, we had met a few times, on various projects.  The response had been positive, but life, as always, got in the way.  With the need to earn a living, there just wasn’t enough time for it.  That is, until AmeriCorps came along.

Laid off unceremoniously from my last job, I found myself unemployed and stranded.  My previous company unleashed nearly 300 of us into an unforgiving job market.  The months following the layoff were bleak.  There was a shortage of jobs I was interested in, and I wasn’t qualified for any of them.  That was when I discovered AmeriCorps, a program that has existed since the Clinton administration, but was little known to me.  I pursued AmeriCorps for practical reasons: to build my resume, to gain the experience I lacked in the community development field.

AmeriCorps, the domestic cousin of the Peace Corps, is a year-long service commitment.  AmeriCorps members work in widespread fields, from community development to conservation to education.  In exchange for their service, members earn a small living stipend and an education grant upon completion.

This is just the part they tell you about.  The part that doesn’t fit so neatly into word packages is the assurance that for maybe the first time ever, you are doing something meaningful with your life.  It’s the smiles, the hugs, the thank you notes from the people you are helping.  It’s the ability to see the incredible progress volunteers can make towards repairing a home in a single day.

I currently serve with Rebuilding Together Dayton, a non-profit that performs home repairs and modifications at no cost to the low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners who live in them.  We are fueled by hard-working volunteers and generous sponsors.  Our mission is a safe, warm, and dry home for every Dayton homeowner.

The work can be tedious, tiresome, and downright filthy.  Just last week I had to dive into a dumpster from one of our project sites to try and retrieve stray tires before the trash could be picked up.  On a regular basis I talk with homeowners whose life stories that are so sad they would melt your heart.

As this is AmeriCorps week, I wish to celebrate by offering this homage to a program that has changed my life.  I encourage you to pursue your own love affair with service.  Visit AmeriCorps’s website.  Seek out serving opportunities near you.

Is it challenging to live near the poverty line?  Sure is.  Is the work difficult?  At times, terribly.  Does it feel like I am working towards an unachievable goal?  Sometimes it does.

Is it worth it?  Absolutely.