Archives for February 2013

Experience the Creative Culture Exchange at ArtStreet

February 19, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Come experience the Creative Culture Exchange series at the University of Dayton this spring. This series, comprised of three separate events, brings together both local and national artists in order to discuss and challenge the way we as an audience view local arts organizations and what they have to offer. Through the exploration of just what it takes to create art at a professional level and bring that to an audience, this series attempts to grow an appreciation for art among audiences both new and old.

Tuesday, Feb. 26: “Why create cross-cultural arts experiences?”

The first discussion (Tuesday February 26, 7 p.m. in ArtStreet Studio B) poses this question to the leaders of non-profit art groups Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Cityfolk. This hour long conversation will take a look at the trials and tribulations of opening a minority voiced arts non-profit in Dayton, taken from the perspective of two Dayton arts non-profits that share a focus on promoting culturally diverse art.

According to ArtStreet director Brian LaDuca, the importance of this conversation is to raise awareness of “…the challenges that organizations like DCDC and Cityfolk go through on a daily basis in order to create and produce high quality culture for Dayton and create artistic homes for national artists. That beyond music and dance these companies work overtime to assure that Dayton continues to have a thriving, minority voice in creating cross-cultural arts experiences.”

Both the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and Cityfolk have been focused on bringing diverse art performances to the Dayton community and beyond for over thirty years. The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, founded in 1968, is a modern dance company centered on the African-American tradition, with a mission to bring culturally diverse contemporary dance to its audience. Cityfolk, another Dayton organization, was founded in 1981 and has been working since to preserve the traditional arts of various ethnicities through the celebration of cross-culture performances.

Joining the conversation will be Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s executive director RoNita Hawes Saunders and director of development Ed Valles and Cityfolk’s executive director Kathleen Alter and education and outreach manager Jean Howat Berry.

Tuesday, March 12: “Why don’t you go to the theater?”

The second discussion (Tuesday March 12, 7 p.m. in ArtStreet Studio C) will focus on an examination of the social and cultural shifts affecting this generation of theater audiences, and what that means for contemporary theater. The conversation will take place between artists from various theater companies across the country whose focus is on producing new and challenging works for the 21st century.

This event will be hosted by ArtStreet director Brian LaDuca. Joining the conversation in person will be David Brush, the former executive director of Encore Theater Company, and joining via Skype will be Joe Barros, artistic director of the New York Theatre Barn, and Kevin Mayes, founder and current board member of the Bailiwick Chicago Theater Company.

Tuesday, April 2: “Where is the poetry?”

The third discussion (Tuesday April 2, 7 p.m. in ArtStreet Studio C and in conjunction with the University of Dayton’s LitFest) will focus on exposing Dayton’s creative writing and poetry scene, and figuring out where Dayton fits into the fold of contemporary poetry.

Joining the conversation will be Albino Carrillo (professor, Department of English), Jonterri Gadson (Herbert W. Martin Creative Writing Fellow), Herbert Martin (professor emeritus) and poets from Sinclair Community College.

For more information about ArtStreet at the University of Dayton, visit www.udayton.edu/artstreet.

Submitted by Lauren Glass – a senior at the University of Dayton where she is studying journalism and currently working as a social media assistant for ArtStreet.

SICSA Junior Volunteer Program Looking for 13-17 years olds

February 16, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

All junior volunteers must have a parent or guardian’s consent to volunteer and have reliable transportation. Junior Volunteers will be responsible for the care of our animals. Their tasks include cleaning kennels, preparing food, refreshing water, and giving one-on-one attention to our animals.

Potential Junior Applicants can download a Junior Volunteer Application or pick up an application at SICSA from January 1^st 2013 to March 25^th, 2013. If you are a returning Junior Volunteer from previous years fill out the Junior Volunteer Application Returnee so that we can better structure the kennel shifts around both the returning and new junior volunteers.

All applications for the 2013 Junior Volunteers, must be received or post marked by March 25^th, 2013 in order to be considered for the 2013 Junior Program. A maximum of 38 new dog volunteers and 24 new cat volunteers will be accepted this year.

Only applicants between 13 (as of June 1, 2013) and 17 years old with completed applications submitted on or prior to March 25^th, 2013 will be considered. Katie Tilly, Volunteer Coordinator, will be contacting the new junior volunteers in the middle of April to let them know about orientation sessions in the month of May. All new Junior Volunteers will need to have completed their orientation and their kennel training by the first week of June.

Special note: Due to the large number applicants, there will be some who will not be accepted into the program. They will be notified by the middle of April.

If you have questions or for more information please contact:

Katie Tilly, Volunteer Coordinator (937)294-6505 ext. 20

email: [email protected]

Gaelic Storm Comes to Dayton’s Victoria Theatre + TICKET CONTEST

February 15, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro 12 Comments

GAELIC STORM returns to the Dayton area on February 20th at 8pm following the July 2011 release of their dazzling #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer, a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads. Chicken Boxer is Gaelic Storm’s third album to debut at the #1 sport on the Billboard World Albums Chart, with What’s the Rumpus? and Cabbage preceding it in 2008 and 2010 respectively. It is also the fifth album to be released on the band’s own label, Lost Again records, and shows the songwriting and musicianship of a band that has made their mark bringing fans to their feet two hundred days per year. With their signature acoustic production, GAELIC STORM blends indie-folk and world grooves with Celtic tradition to serve up a ringside seat for fifteen rounds of pugilistic poultry pounding sound. A regular at the Dayton Celtic Festival, GAELIC STORM will perform at the Victoria Theatre for the first time!

Through the course of nine albums, the core of Celtic-rock group Gaelic Storm—frontman Patrick Murphy and guitarist-vocalist Steve Twigger—have lived, written and recorded in the United States, far from the overseas environs of Patrick’s native Ireland and Steve’s birthplace of England. So when it came time to find inspiration for Gaelic Storm’s new album, the group’s chief songwriters decided a trip back across the pond was in order.

The result is the dazzling #1 Billboard World Album Chicken Boxer, a heavyweight record that comes out swinging with a mix of empowering anthems and traditional ballads, and the fifth to be released on the band’s own label, Lost Again Records.

“Twigger and I returned to Ireland, driving around the entire coastline in search of Irish music,” says Patrick. “Going back was great and we got some good stories and ideas for songs.”

“That was a really important trip to us,” agrees Steve, who produced the album with help from Patrick and drummer Ryan Lacey. Steve says the journey back to their musical home informs the new album. “The idea of home is all over Chicken Boxer. Whether home is where you were born or where you make your living, that theme runs throughout the album.”

Rounded out by drummer Ryan, piper Pete Purvis and fiddle player Jessie Burns, Gaelic Storm has earned a reputation as one of the world-music scene’s preeminent Celtic bands. With catalog sales of more than 1 million, the group has now had three albums debut at #1 on the Billboard World Albums Chart. (from GaelicStorm.com)

Tickets are on sale now through Ticket Center Stage for $21 each, and may be purchased at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office in downtown Dayton or by phone, at (937) 228-3630 or toll free (888) 228-3630. Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday, noon – 4 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

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Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have ONE PAIR OF TICKETS to give away to a lucky reader for the Gaelic Storm concert on Feb. 20th – simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment saying that YOU want to win tickets to see Gaelic Storm from Dayton Most Metro (tag us for extra love). We’ll announce a winner on Monday Feb. 18 – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to Laura Rea!

The Artemis Center – Helping Victims of Domestic Violence

February 15, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE WHO…

“One of these days he’s going to kill me.” The caller seemed resigned to her fate. The Artemis Center advocate who answered the Domestic Violence Hotline assessed the level of immediate risk and made a safety plan with the victim. Calls of this kind are everyday occurrences at Artemis Center.

Just about everyone knows someone who has been a victim of domestic violence. Research shows that one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. This widespread issue does not discriminate. It cuts across all races, religions, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. It may be your co-worker, neighbor, friend, or even a family member. Most commonly victims are female, but occasionally a male is victimized. Domestic violence is EVERYONE’S problem.

Photo Credit: APV- Portugese Association for Victim Support

WHY DOESN’T SHE JUST LEAVE?

Regardless of the degree of abuse, it is never easy to leave these relationships. Although abusers may be controlling and verbally abusive early on, most abusers do not become physically abusive until they are certain the victim is emotionally invested in the relationship. Many victims tell Artemis advocates that their partner never hit them until: they got engaged, or the honeymoon, or she was pregnant with their first or second child, or after their child was born.

For various reasons, some victims will never leave their abusers. However, most victims leave eventually. Before she leaves, there are many questions a victim must consider: How can I support my children and keep them safe? Where can we go? Can we stay in the same school district? Can we go to the same house of worship?

Protecting the children is often of paramount concern. Research has shown that in many households where there is domestic violence, there is also child abuse. When the abuser is a threat to the children, the victim has to consider whether the children will be safe if she and the abuser separate and will the abuser get parenting time alone with the children.

Once the abuser learns that the victim is leaving the relationship the violence may escalate. This phenomenon is called “Separation Danger.” The risk to the victim can increase significantly during separation and for a while afterwards. Research has shown that 75% of domestic violence homicides occurred during or shortly after the victims attempted to leave. The victim has to consider: What will happen to the children if something happens to me?

Even after a victim leaves the abuser, she often remains at risk. The typical abuser feels entitled to continue to abuse the victim because he tells himself: “This relationship isn’t over until I say it is over.”

ARTEMIS CENTER CAN HELP

Fortunately, Artemis Center advocates can help domestic violence victims and their children get safe. Artemis advocates can answer the many questions and concerns victims have and suggest options. The Domestic Violence Hotline is operated collaboratively by Artemis Center and the battered women’s shelter. Victims can call the Hotline 24 hours a day seven days a week. Artemis advocates answer the Hotline weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For many victims, calling the Domestic Violence Hotline is their first step to safety. Whether a victim intends to stay with the abuser or leave the relationship, an Artemis advocate will work one-on-one with him or her and serve as a source of support. The advocates help victims understand that they have a right to be safe; that they are not alone; and that they have options to help them get safe and protect their children. Artemis advocates can connect victims to community resources, assist victims with obtaining Protection Orders and accompany victims to court. In addition, Artemis offers weekly support groups so that victims can support and learn from each other. All Artemis Center services are confidential and free of charge.

YOU CAN HELP

If you know someone who is living with abuse, encourage him or her to call the Domestic Violence Hotline to discuss their relationship and get help with safety planning. If you know someone with a child that is acting out as a result of witnessing abuse, encourage the parent to contact the Artemis Child Therapy Program. An Artemis child therapist can answer parents’ questions and help children process the abuse and learn healthy ways to resolve family conflicts.

You can help victims indirectly, as well, by attending the Artemis Gala on February 23^rd or another Artemis fundraiser. Or you can simply make a donation to Artemis Center. Artemis has a food pantry and a small fund to help victims pay for getting their locks changed and other relatively inexpensive safety measures.

Domestic violence is complicated. Most people do not understand why a victim would stay in an abusive situation or the seriousness of the risk. Often, victims cannot leave their abusers without outside support, resources, and the confidence to make a new life. With your help, Artemis Center can help victims by providing support and resources and helping victims build the confidence they need to get safe and keep their children safe.

(Submitted by The Artemis Center)

Mardi Gras Artemis Gala 2013

On Saturday February 23 at 6:30pm, The Artemis Center will be holding their big Mardi Gras Artemis Gala at the Schuster Center Winter Garden with all funds raised at this signature event directly benefit local victims of Domestic Violence and help to ensure that Artemis Center can continue to provide all services free of charge. Tickets are $125 (table of 8 for $1,000) with raffle tickets going for $25. Click here for tickets and more information.

ON STAGE DAYTON REVIEW: Lombardi (Human Race Theatre Company) – Imperfect Icon

February 14, 2013 By Russell Florence, Jr. 1 Comment

Edward Furs as “Vince Lombardi” (photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

The enduring legacy of Vince Lombardi (1913-1970), the renowned coach who led the Green Bay Packers to five championships in seven seasons and the first two Super Bowl victories, resonates with candid, entertaining potency in Eric Simonson’s aptly titled character study “Lombardi,” which receives a terrific local premiere at the Human Race Theatre Company.

Based on David Maraniss’ novel “When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi” and directed with crisp urgency by Tim Lile, “Lombardi” spotlights the temperamental Vince (the marvelously abrasive Edward Furs) in 1965 before the Packers’ winning streak defined his career. Eager, statistics-adoring cub reporter Michael McCormick (an endearing Jarred Baugh) is sent to interview the extremely passionate coach, but their exchanges are not always smooth. The duo attempts to establish a meaningful father-son connection, but Vince’s prickly, off-putting persona often undercuts their bond, especially when he scolds Michael for interviewing a few players at practice without his permission. Still, football is the tie that binds them together for good and bad. Michael ultimately grows to comprehend, accept and respect the aggressively perfectionist spirit that kept Vince, a heavy drinker who refused to be treated for stomach problems which eventually led to his death from colon cancer, tirelessly motivated to inspire his team for greatness and play for pride on the field.

Furs, dynamically boisterous, gruff and imposing, is not an exact physical representation of Vince, but his sharp eye contact and rousing cadence certainly gives ample, intimidating credibility to his astute portrayal. Baugh warmly guides the audience through the action as the play’s narrator, remaining believably focused on obtaining the true story behind the legend. Marcy McGuigan brings delicious sarcasm and wit to her excellent, gently seductive portrayal of Vince’s tipsy wife Marie, an unyielding support system emotionally drawn to Michael and the Packers, particularly Paul Hornung, appealingly portrayed by the very charismatic Brandon Dahlquist. Gabriel Lawrence (Dave Robinson) and Ryan Imhoff (Jim Taylor) are also first-rate as teammates with deep animosity toward each other. Imhoff in particular shines opposite Furs in a heated argument regarding Taylor’s loose lips and desire for more money, which absolutely infuriates Vince.

Marcy McGuigan and Edward Furs (photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Taking a page from his co-direction of the Human Race’s sublime 2007 production of “Take Me Out,” Lile begins the proceedings with the national anthem. The inviting atmospherics extend to his wonderful creative team consisting of scenic designer Tamara L. Honesty, lighting designer John Rensel, costumer Ayn Wood, sound designer Matthew P. Benjamin and video designer Shaunn Baker. Honesty’s chalkboard set immersed in various football plays, Rensel’s stadium-inspired lighting and Baker’s projections featuring period images and footage are noteworthy.

By conceiving the play as a one-act, Simonson doesn’t completely delve into Vince’s intriguing, flawed personal history, which is unfortunate. Mentions of Vince’s children, especially his testy relationship with his son, only scratches the surface. Additional flashbacks focusing on his marriage, faith, family and upbringing would have added greater depth.
Nonetheless, “Lombardi” is a fascinating look at an imperfect icon.

“Lombardi,” which is performed in 100 minutes without intermission, continues through Feb. 24 at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St. Performances are Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $36-$40. There are a limited number of $25 tickets available for each performance. A talkback forum will be held following the Feb. 17 performance. Additionally, during the run of “Lombardi” an assortment of Lombardi memorabilia from Sinclair Community College athletic director Jack Giambrone’s vast collection will be on display in the Loft lobby. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit online at www.ticketcenterstage.com

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Tasting the Stars in Champagne

February 14, 2013 By Brian Petro 18,068 Comments

“I only drink champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.” ~Madame Lily Bollinger

Originally, champagne was served in glasses that looked like this.

Madame Bollinger would know the best time to drink champagne. As one of the greatest women to work in the champagne industry in the house whose name she bears, Mme. Bollinger brought champagne through the Great Depression and World War Two. She promoted a style of champagne that changed the industry, moving it from the sweeter side of the spectrum to the dry the British always seem to favor. She was the face of the Bollinger brand, an unusual position for a woman in 1941, and through her efforts, helped the city of Ay, after the war, while earning several honors from both Great Britain and France. She continued the tradition of providing the royalty of England with champagne for all of their events, but more importantly creating champagne so iconic that even James Bond drinks it.

Champagne is a drink of celebration, and is there a better time to be celebrating than on Valentine’s Day? Love is in the air, chocolates and flowers are roaming through offices and homes around the world, so why not bring out that bottle of champagne you were saving for a special occasion? And while you are enjoying your wine, enjoy some interesting facts, trivia, and quotes about this bubbly beauty.

Dom Perignon, considered the father of champagne, was not trying to create a sparkling drink. He was trying to
prevent it. The bubbles in champagne were a flaw caused by secondary fermentation. Cold stops the fermentation process, and can leave some sugar in the bottle. When spring comes back and the weather warms up, the fermentation starts up, and creates the fizz. Dom Perignon was the father of blending grapes before pressing them.
The grapes blended to make champagne in the modern era are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.
Modern champagne tastes were determined by the British. Champagne was first deliberately created by a man named Christopher Merret in the mid 17^th century. They liked the carbonation in their wine, though it was the French king that Louis XIV made it popular with the nobility. It was much sweeter at the time. It was the British again that demanded drier and drier champagne, giving us the general range of sweetness we enjoy today.
Uncorking a bottle of champagne is serious business. Before the glass was strong enough, the secondary fermentation caused bottles to explode. All of that gas with no outlet builds up pressure. It can be up to 90 PSI, just under three times what is recommended in a car tire. Plenty of pressure and a little neck, when put together, create a weapon that can shoot the cork at speeds of up to 50 MPH. That could put your eye out. Ain’t nobody got time for that on Valentine’s Day.
If you are going for distance, not speed, you are going to have to shoot your cork over 178 feet to break the world record, set by an American in 1988.
The bubbles are crucial to the enjoyment of the champagne. There is an estimated 49 million bubbles in a bottle. Moet and Chandon, in tandem with Heineken, spent $7 million dollars on special photography that revealed 250 million bubbles were contained in each bottle. To get the most bubbles in your bubbly, cool the bottle to about 45 degrees F. With the bottle at a 45 degree angle, put the bottom of the bottle against your hip or thigh. The first thing you will need to do is remove the foil, then the cage on the cork. Be careful; sometimes the cork is loose, and removing the cage will cause the cork to pop. Take a towel and wrap it around the neck, making sure you cover the cork. Holding tight to the cork, twist it gently until it comes out. The less noise you make, the more bubbles you get to enjoy in your glass.
Champagne only comes from France by international law. Champagne is part of the larger group of sparkling wines you can find anywhere in the world. If you get it in Italy, it is prosecco , which is becoming very popular. Spain has cava, Germany has sekt, and Portugal has espumante.
The Spanish sparkling wine cava, made mainly in the Catalona region.
How sweet do you want your champagne? Brut Nature is the driest of the dry, with no sugar, or very little, added to the wine. Extra Brut has some sugar added, but it still very dry. Brut is the most commonly purchased champagne, and is still a little on the dry side. Extra sec has a little more sweetness than Brut, and a little more sugar added. Demi Sec is dessert-level sweet, with quite a bit more sugar added. Sec is a very sweet champagne, definitely served after a meal as a dessert.
We prefer to drink champagne in a flute, but if you watch older films, you can see them drinking champagne out of a wider glass known as a coupé. It does not hold the bubbles as well, but was the traditional way of drinking champagne. It is also said to be molded from the breast of Marie Antoinette. Let them eat cake indeed…
Beautiful women have always been linked to champagne. One of the most beautiful women of all time, Marilyn Monroe, is rumored to have taken a bath in over 350 bottles of champagne.
The tallest champagne flute was revealed at a festival in Italy. It stands seven feet tall and can hold twenty two bottles of champagne. The largest bottle of champagne currently made is called Midas, holding forty regular sized bottles of premium bubbly. Only six were made, at a cost of $100,000 a bottle.

While Valentine’s Day is a special day and calls for a special celebratory beverage, champagne is something that can be enjoyed every day. The season of champagne tastings is usually in December for New Years or Christmas, but many restaurants will sell certain champagnes by the glass if you are looking to try some out. The staff here will let you know when the next tastings or events are. Spend today surrounded by friends and loved ones, and celebrate with a drink that has a little more sparkle.

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

February 14, 2013 By Dayton937 5 Comments

End of an Era: The Grub Steak

All good things must come to an end. In this week’s Food Adventure installment, our crew bids farewell to a Dayton institution, the Grub Steak. On Saturday, Feb 23rd the restaurant on Alex Rd in West Carrollton will serve its last meal. Started by Joe Bissett 50 years ago, steaks, seafood and ribs have been a hallmark of this classic supper club, whose original location was on North Main Street in Dayton. Food Adventures had to say goodbye to this old friend of the Miami Valley and visit the legendary menu one last time. In the 70’s we ate there as kids in our “toughskin” pants and wide collared shirts. In the 80’s we impressed high school dance dates with the Grub Steak’s elegant dinners. In the 90’s and beyond we visited the restaurant through its changes and moves to State Route 35 and West Carrollton. It is now down to the final plate. But before it ends, lets remember how it started.

Grub Steak founder, Joe Bissett in the 1980’s

MEMORIES ON MAIN STREET

In 1963 Joe Bissett opened up a small restaurant and bar at 1410 N. Main St. With his chef Ray, Joe soon invented a new way to eat ribs, called “Royal Ribs.” They are small slabs of boneless pork loin on wooden skewers. Originally, in the 1960’s The Grub Steak charged $1.50 for a complete Royal Rib Dinner. Soon they were the largest pork tenderloin user in Ohio. Of course, The Grub Steak was also known for steaks, which were hand cut by the kitchen staff. Various favorite steaks included the NY Strip, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon, T-Bone, The Hotel Steak (sirloin), and the huge Kansas City Sirloin. In the 80’s things were changing and the Royal Ribs Dinner now cost $4.95. The restaurant needed more seating so an addition was built onto the restaurant. The construction also included a courtyard and business was booming. Over the years, Joe Bissett became a local legend. He was an avid golfer, and manged the restaurant until his passing in 1994.

Former owner and Joe’s daughter, Dawn Bissett, sat down with The Big Ragu this week to reminisce about her experiences at this iconic restaurant. She recalls customers celebrating countless birthday parties, anniversaries and engagements inside the doors of the Grub Steak. Dawn started working at the coat check room, and eventually worked her way up through the ranks to managing the restaurant at North Main St. and on The Grub Steak II on State Route 35. She recalls the North Main Street bar constantly bustling with regulars and restaurant staff preparing drinks. Dawn explained, “My fondest memories are the wonderful customers and the many staff members I met over the decades.” She said loyal customers and lifetime employees became family to her. We were lucky enough that Dawn shared some of her private family Grub Steak photos with us for this Food Adventure article. Please browse the photo album below to see these true blasts from the past. In 1998, Fred and Sheila Fieberger took ownership of the Grub Steak, and eventually moved the restaurant south to West Carrollton in 2008.

The Creamy Peppercorn Dressing is homemade

GRUB STEAK LOCATION IN WEST CARROLLTON
For the past few years, Fred and Sheila have brought Grub Steak specialties to a whole new generation. From homemade bread, to the incredible salad dressings, they stayed true to the original menu. Today the Grub Steak is managed by Heather Wimberly, their daughter who has been dealing with huge crowds in the closing days of the restaurant. Heather and her wonderful staff took the time to host The Food Adventure Crew this week, and for that we are very appreciative. Make sure you get to the West Carrollton location by Sat Feb 23rd, for one last memorable dinner.

LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME GRUB – WHAT ARE YOU GONNA ORDER?

You have a few more days to get your last bite at the Grub Steak, and if you do we recommend these classic trademark dishes and sides. Looking for an appetizer? Go traditional with the cocktail shrimp, served chilled. Nothing beats these succulent bites in a classic setting. Also, realize that you are in a restaurant that makes their own salad dressings. In fact, they are so popular, they are for sale in pints. We recommend you get a salad with the creamy peppercorn dressing. It is simply fantastic, and our favorite. Big Ragu has loved this dressing since his childhood, and even more today. He has not tasted anything remotely close to this unchanged recipe. One of the highlights of our meal was the homemade dinner rolls served piping hot and with a side of butter that would make Paula Deen proud.

For an entree you can’t go wrong with any steak on the menu, but we would suggest the Hotel Steak & Royal Ribs Combo. The Hotel Steak has virtually no fat on it and we would suggest you get it butterflied. The flavor of the steak is amazing and will bring a smile to your face. The accompanying pork loin with four skewers was a familiar sight. These “royal ribs” were brushed in Grub Steak’s tangy, special barbecue sauce. The royal ribs were incredible and had us craving more.

The famous “Royal Ribs”

Grub Steak has some great side dishes like the golden fried hash browns. We would also recommend the stewed tomatoes as a traditional choice that is filling and sweet. And what about the corn fritters served with maple syrup? They are excellent! For dessert, fend for yourself because The Food Adventures Crew is about to go into a food coma!

FOOD ADVENTURE MEMORIES

Our childhood memories of The Grub Steak are mainly at the Main Street location which was also near the Upper Crust. The Big Ragu remembers the dimly lit dining room had a great steakhouse vibe to it. The place seemed to always be packed. We recall waiting at the bar with oour parents sipping a kiddie cocktail until a table was available. It was a fun experience as a child going to this fine dining restaurant, the staff made it seem like a big deal. The waitresses were from a past era when being a server was a long term career.

On any given night you could see local Dayton Celebrities such as WHIO TV’s Don Wayne, or none other than Emmet Royer from BHA. Unfortunately Toby the Dog was not with him. But still, The Grub Steak was the place to be.

The “Hotel Steak” – served butterflied as we ordered

Summed up, our memories include good food, reasonable prices, and with great service. It is tough to see The Grub Steak closing. We saw servers with tears in their eyes, showing appreciation to long time customers. It was an emotional night. When places like this disappear, we seem to be left with chains serving similar food. In Dayton’s tough economic times, unfortunately we are seeing see a lot of struggling mom and pop restaurants. The Miami Valley needs these establishments for their personality and tie to the community. Food Adventures exists to share our favorite locally owned restaurants with our fans. We seek not only to promote our Dayton favorites, but actually spend our dollars there. But enough of our soapbox.

Thank you to the Fieberger family for being such gracious hosts. We loved the food, but the dinner was bittersweet, as we know this the end of an era. And so it goes, with heavy hearts, we say to this classic local eatery.. “Goodbye Old Friend.”

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES OF THE GRUB STEAK BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW !

For more Food Adventures to local restaurants visit the often imitated, never duplicated Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE !

*Please note the Grub Steak is for sale. Call the restaurant at (937) 276.4193 to discuss further*

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The Last Waltz: Bringing The Movie To Life

February 13, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

A still image from The Last Waltz

“You never know what to expect when they came on stage. However you know that it was going to be great.” This is what Jeff Opt said to me while the two of us sat around inside the Yellow Cab building. What he was referring to in his statement about of the iconic groups of the 60s, The Band. Jeff Opt is truly special. He is one of the main coordinators of the yearly event Dayton Sideshow, an annual two day event that highlights the unique art that is being done in town. Each year, the Sideshow will have a theme to the exhibition that will include a variety of work, which includes video, sculptures, paintings, photography, and live music from local bands. What the Sideshow aims to do is to help individuals obtain a platform to show off their creations, and also to celebrate the local art scene. If you haven’t been to one of the previous shows, do yourself a favor and check it out this year during the spring Urban Nights event, which will be taking place in May. While sitting at the Yellow Cab building, Opt talked about the joys of helping others achieve their dreams. “It’s a passion of mine. I love being able to help others.”

For a couple of years, Opt had been dreaming of doing a show that recreated The Last Waltz, the final concert that The Band would perform as a group on November 25, 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco (the same venue the group made its debut in 1969). The Band comprised of Rick Danko (vocals, trombone, bass, fiddle), Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboard, trumpet, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, saxophone) and Robbie Robertson (guitar vocals). The Band was a hybrid of many musical influences, with the Americana folk sound blending in with the psychedelic traits that bands from Cream to Led Zeppelin were built on. The statement mentioned earlier by Opt was true. The Band wasn’t the most polished group to come to the stage, but you always were in awe of the way they played music. It was beautiful how they would bring all these different components into their music.

Sadly, with Robertson wanting to have the group become strictly a studio-only band due to the exhaustion of always being on the road, along with Manuel suffering a severe neck injury after a boating accident, the group decided their to disband and have a farewell concert that will have some of the artists and bands that influenced them along the way, with a large horn section backing them. During the concert, artists from Eric Clapton, to Neil Young, to Bob Dylan performed as well. The show was filmed by director Martin Scorsese. In 1978, Scorsese released the documentary of the same name as the show, The Last Waltz. The movie featured concert performances, and interviews with the band. The Last Waltz is hailed as one of the greatest concert films ever made in many circles you talk to. On February 24th, Opt’s vision of bringing the show to town will become reality. “It is one of my favorite movies. I just think that it’s cool watching this great band play one last time. I thought it would be cool to recreate that movie.”

An all-star lineup of Dayton musicians rehearses for Such A Night in the Old Yellow Cab Building

Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz will be taking place at the legendary jazz club Gilly’s Niteclub, located on 132 S. Jefferson Street, in Dayton, Ohio. Close to thirty local musicians along with an eight piece horn section will bring the awe-inspiring film to life. “All these musicians are excited about being part of this project”, explained Opt. “Most of these guys have never played together. So, to see this coming together is really cool.” Opt has been working on this project since last October/November, calling up people that he knew would be great for the show. Each member will tell you one thing when it comes to the show, including Opt, “This show is going to blow some minds.”

The evening will not only be producing excellent live music, but it’s also going to be helping a cause that is going to help a great deal of people. All the proceeds from people walking in will go to one of the Miami Valley’s great nonprofit organizations, The Foodbank. Since 1976, The Foodbank has been helping a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, and backpack programs among others. Being the largest hunger relief agency in the Dayton area, a single dollar will be able to provide eight meals to the hungry. Nearly 5,000,000 meals a year are provided to children, adults, and the elderly. It’s just another gesture of gratitude that Opt gives of himself. “I am firm believer in helping others. I want to be a good role model for my kids.”

The buzz of Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz has been astonishing. The show was kept under wraps until the past couple of weeks. It’s now gotten to the point where a small amount of advanced tickets are able to be purchased. “I didn’t want to have a lot of people not be able to get to see the show. So by doing just a limited number of advanced tickets, it just gives people a chance to come and watch, and not be turned down”, Opt said. Opt believes strongly that the show will be something that people will be talking about for days after. He hopes that maybe if all goes well, maybe we will do something like this again next year and beyond. “I was asked about doing The Who’s Tommy. I think that would be cool, but let’s get Such A Night out of the way first (laughs)”, Opt mentioned. Something tells me that Such A Night is truly just the beginning.

Such A Night: A Celebration of The Band’s Last Waltz once again is on February 24^th. Show time is 7:30pm, and admission is $5. Donations will be accepted at the door.

Video from the original “The Waltz”

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The Attic Celebrates Its Final Night

February 13, 2013 By Mike Ritchie Leave a Comment

Saturday January 26th over 700 kids jammed the Attic’s positive space to be part of the venues final loud shout out of all day music marathon. 15 bands played the Hot Head Burrito and main stage in door festival starting at 2:30 with States Away and finishing 8 hours later with Beneath the Sky. Bands sandwiched in between included Ignite the Empires, Strangers to Wolves, Witness, The Holy Guile and Hail to the King amongst others.

Event vendors No Where To Go Clothing also donated half the evenings proceeds to The Attic. A raffle was held for a signed Miss May I framed poster by Rockstar Energy, a Woe Is Me signed poster, CD and drumsticks and a Texas in July CD.

States Away

The day started with the high energy of States Away playing human bumper car on stage as they cranked out their pop punk set including I Tried so hard and Mean What You Say. Corey Davis’ Gerard Way influenced vocals carried the band’s sound. Formed in early 2012 they released their self-titled EP in June and plan on recording, playing shows and depending on the kindness of strangers for sleeping quarters on the road.

In Current Standing opened up the first set of heavy agonized screams, growls and a little calm singing mixed in, including some atmospheric laptop tech effects. Guitarist Trevor Strahans skull guitar breathed out some death heavy tunes including Virtues that prompted the day’s first ‘dance’ moves.

Ignite the Empires crash the stage banging heads with some Cheap Wine. The Attic Alumni return from previous shows including opening for A Plea For Purging to play and Piss Off the crowd with their own brand of loud, aggressive in your face noise. They played the guitar intricacies of Miles of Expectations like a thief in the night then told the tale of Xanie Annie before finishing off in a cartoonish manner playing a select tune for all the Family Guy fans.

We take a short acoustic break with the pierced soothing songs sung by rebellious Kevin Brewer including the Foo Fighters’ Hero.

Strangers to Wolves

Strangers to Wolves brought their snarling pop metal predatory music next. Silver bullets and fang prosthetics aside their sound echo’s the cold dark woods where the howls come from after midnight. They play an 80’s tribute to their namesake historical rival Lost Boys while sporting some hairy wolfish mullets. The night was guitarist Marcus Springer’s second show with the pack. A new EP will be coming out in March with the single Second Star on the Right.

It could be said that Permission to Live are just a bunch of good hearted, fun loving hard edged, hard wood surfer punks riding the wave to future success. A few new tunes in, they pay homage to Taylor Swift, say Final Goodbyes half way through and get a little Smashmouth bringing some VIP’s on stage to celebrate.

Can we get a Witness please? What we get are a bunch of loud, scream/singing loud blokes blending a computer enhanced sound with a warped mixture of pop sound and legit heavy metal cannon fire. Their opener off the Of Great Importance EP spreads F.E.A.R. throughout the building as they played crowd control during The Ledger, a cheery song dealing with the grief and sadness of loss; check out the video on YouTube.

Lammes Lane performed half their set under the man-made flashing light nightshade and stage mist resembling pillaging and plundering shadowed Viking warriors. They play their music like primal animals no matter Who’s at the Zoo. Their hard thrashing sound accompanied by Obituary meets Death vocals brought the crowd up and over the stage for Showtime. Though their music is Yet to be Scene, their debut CD will be available this spring.

Witness

We Are Forever from Indianapolis brought out the special lighting for their 2nd visit. All the girls screamed as they played tunes from their first record Seasons featuring Lights including Make It Through. Their sound is pretty upbeat pop with a high energy presentation.

Grim State play their music down in the heavy drudges and cold earthen woods where they bring us Creeps, Sheep and Deadbeats. Only songs like Solitude and Valor are slow and trudgy enough to come from the darkest forgotten holler. Also songs like Madness, Illness and Torn show just how Volatile and Unstable these Dayton boys are.

Remember When is a five-some power pop band riding high on the momentum of their Save Your Wishes EP, touring with bands such as Miss May I and their new EP He Said, She Said played with high pop precession.

The next act starts with a pretty Cool Story about a band from around these here parts somewhere. They spread their Holy Guile all over the damn place with wicked spewing venom vocals on full rotation, blasting drums, a unique unsuspected cathedral, turntable effects conglomerate with inserted black metal and techno elements to trans-mutate into a chaotic gelatinous mass of metal love and torture. Imagine a holy conversion by Dani Filth backed by Crowbar cranked to hyperdrive. The next songs called Hey Zeus, Yeah, Zeus! As in, father of Apollo? Mt. Olympus? Don’t mess with them or they’ll shove a lightning bolt somewhere special, Zeus! And you better not have a problem with that. All’s good but noisy tonight in Idahoe.

When imagining Hail to the King, think of Fear Factory with an even more pissed off sounding Burton C. Bell in the form of Kody Hale meets Meshuggah, intensity like a thousand screaming armies and aggressive insanity like the screaming mind of a raging psychotic. Hell explodes raining hails of inner earth onto the ground, through the acrid smoke and debris Hail to the King emerge. They clamp on an iron clad Contagion Clasp and Go for the Throat with a malevolent decimation of sound and some nice melancholy guitar notes. They bring everyone together, pit by pit. They play the lovely sounding Starletta then Saud Ahmed of The Holy Guile came out to help harmonize on one of their louder tunes. They thank the crowd with a final pummeling Gutshot shaking the ribs and rumbling organs.

Cincy’s bloody birds pecking at the body of Christ celebrate their second record A Feast for Crows on Victory records with a pretty Portrait of American Greed. There’s Blood in the Water as the ship goes down and those self-made glorious pompous pulpit Monuments crumble to oblivion. A Glorious new song is heralded before we finish with bitterness and hope of Marilyn courtesy of Corpus Christi.

Pastor Kilby address the crowd

A reunion show for the Cincinnati metal growlers as they celebrate everything Beneath the Sky with a packed house of tired but hungry for more metal heads is The Reason they’ll are still here. It’d be a Grave Mistake to leave now being it’s the first time the original lineup played since 2007 and not celebrate to the end. The uncomfortably themed and videoed Terror Starts at Home is followed by a Gunsmoke Kiss for the Goodfellas. We spend ten minutes at the users ball before we find an evening partner before Last Call. They talk about Miss Misery and a tale of near death from the Northside. They mourn a friend at 7861 Blackthorne Drive and finish taking us on Our Last Road as sadly The Attic finishes its decade plus road of the area’s best talent.

Though there’s no set timeframe Pastor Kilby has promised that the Attic concept, theme and everything that made it a great hang out for kids will return in the form of another building or venue depending on when some new positive space becomes available.

Special thanks for on the spot event info, go-to guy the prosperous ‘Mr. Tree’.

Jazz Spotlight: WDPS-FM + Upcoming Jazz Feb. 13-26

February 13, 2013 By Ron Gable 1 Comment

Happy February 13th; Jazz saxophonist Wardell “the thin man” Gray was born on this day in 1921, he was a major contributor to one of the great periods of jazz creativity that ushered in modern jazz. Check out Wikipeda at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardell_Gray for more information.

Jazz Spotlight: WDPS-FM (Support our local Jazz Educators)

WDPS-FM is Dayton’s only jazz radio station. A non-commercial radio station; however, they do accept underwriting. They broadcast from the new David H. Ponitz Career Technology Center in downtown Dayton. The station is staffed by students and the following volunteers: Clay “The Cooker” Collins, Paul and Patti Gehred, Charles “The Ice Man” Stone, Kyle Fisk and Amanda Romero, Slammin’ Steve Wilson, Clifford Darrett, Jim Woodford, Mike Reisz, George Balog, Jazz Cat & Deb, ChrisSmith and program manager Chris “Hippie” Hartley.

(From Ken Kreitzer, communications team leader and station manager):

4 years ago as we were preparing to move to our new studios at the David H. Ponitz career technology center. We decided to make a change in the format of the district’s radio station. When exploring the radio dial in Dayton I found that there was an underserved group of listeners; Jazz was just not getting its due in Dayton radio.

I made the announcement that The Dayton Public Schools’ radio station would become “All Jazz All the Time.” To begin to promote the new format I sought the advice of two people, Ron Gable of Jazz Advocate and Clay “The Cooker” Collins. After our first meeting we formed a partnership that i feel has benefited the Dayton Schools, Jazz Advocate and the local Dayton Jazz Scene. That partnership has sprouted many projects including, work with the Gabriel Foundation, hundreds of hours of on air promotion of local jazz events, free Jazz Listener Appreciation Concerts and much more.

One of the most noted outgrowths of that initial meeting is Clay “The Cooker” Collins being back on the radio in Dayton! Clay is an incredible talent who volunteers to be on the air each weekday and assist with the training of our students in radio broadcasting. Just the ability to interact with someone of his caliber and experience is a tremendous advantage for Dayton students. At the end of the day WDPS is still a teaching tool of the Dayton Public Schools. Students in The Radio & Television Broadcasting Class at Ponitz work on all aspects of running the radio station and web stream. From on air talent, to spot production, to preparing the broadcast logs. It is all about the students! Giving them exposure to Jazz is a great thing! They come to us thinking they will not like Jazz and leave our program with jazz favorites and a bit of knowledge of the jazz greats.

I encourage everyone to listen to WDPS-FM 89.5 Monday through Friday from 9:15 until 4:30 and 24 hours a day on WDPSFM.com.

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:

Wednesday, February 13 – Jazz Central presents Blue Wednesday with Jack & Joe Waters and you can Swing Dance with Lizz & Rex Review at the Dayton Event Connection.

Thursday February 14 – James & Moore is at C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood and CityFolk presents Grace Kelly at Gilly’s inDayton.

Friday February 15 – The Microcosm Trio is at Season’s Bistro & Grille in Springfield and the Classic Jazz Stompers are at Jay’s Seafood in Dayton.

Saturday February 16 – Ron Jones Quartet is at Cincinnati Public Library Atrium and Dave Bixler Quartet is at the Blue Wisp inCincinnati.

Sunday February 17 – the Jazz Education Connection Jazz Jam will be held at Jimmy’s Ladder 11 and the Jam Session w/ Kenny Baccus continues at Jazz Central.

Monday February 18 – Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus and the John Taylor Trio is at the Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek.

Tuesday February 19 – the Hot Club of Detroit is at the University of Dayton Boll Theatre and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.

Wednesday February 20 – Todd Hepburn is at Arnold’s Bar & Grill and the Blue Wisp Big Band is at the Wisp both in Cincinnati.

Thursday February 21 – the Gererations Big Band returns to Jazz Central in Dayton and Jazz Night with Mike Teckenbrock Trio is at Spinoza’s in Beavercreek.

Friday February 22 – Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville, OH and Marc Fields New Quintet are at the Thompson House in Newport, Ky.

Saturday February 23 – Boudin’s Bistro & Jazz Club presents the Bobby Floyd Trio and Andrew Waters – Smooth Jazz is at the Eastern Palace Restaurant both in Columbus.

Sunday February 24 – Phil DeGreg Trio is at the MidPointe Library in Middletown and theres at Jazz Jam at Victory’s inColumbus..

Monday February 25 – a Jazz Jam hosted by Sandy Suskind Quartet is at the Blue Wisp in Cincinnati and Mark Flugge, Derek Dicenzo & Jimmy Castoe are at Due Amici in Columbus.

Tuesday February 26 – Ed Moss & the Society Jazz Orchestra are at the Schwartz Point Jazz Club and Jazz Cab is at The Greenwich both in Cincinnati.

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Heart Shaped Foods for Valentine’s Day

February 13, 2013 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Want to show your sweetheart you care? Present them with their favorite food shaped as a heart! Pizza places have been doing this for a while and you can pick up one to bake yourself or have your affection delivered:

Papa Murphy’s Take ‘N Bake Pizza is offering its famous “The HeartBaker” for just $7.

5662 Springboro Pike, Springboro (937) 395-0408
4052 Wilmington Pike, Kettering (937) 299-7272
1195 N Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek (937) 427-7500

Cassano’s, The Pizza King, offers a large Pepperoni Heart shaped pizza delivered for $12.99.
With ove 20 area locations, there’s sure to be one near you. You can use their centralized
online ordering or call 037-294-KING to send your “heartfelt” pizza sentiments.

Pappa John’s is offering a large one topping heart shaped pizza for $15.

Moore Desserts Please in Oakwood is baking up Heart shaped red velvet brownies- call ahead to reserve. I’m betting every bakery in town has something special to offer, use our guide of over 40 local bakeries to find one near you.

Dunkin’ Donuts is again offeing their heart-shaped donuts. The Brownie Batter Donut is filled with chocolaty brownie batter filling, topped with chocolate icing and white sprinkles. The Cupid’s Choice Donut is a heart-shaped donut filled with Bavarian Kreme, topped with strawberry flavored icing and a festive mix of pink, white and red heart-shaped sprinkles. Both donuts will be available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants nationwide through the end of February.

I was surprised to find only one location when google searching. It’s at 777 Springboro Pike, just north of the Dayton Mal

If you’re willing to make your own food, there are dozens of sites offering suggestions from the simple like heart shaped muffins, heart shaped tortelini’s,hard boiled eggs and my favorite, heart shaped bacon! You can lose yourself on Pinterest
just checking out pictures of heart shaped treats and marveling at the cleverness of these artists. Many of them have step be step instructions for how to create hearts from anything. Check out this site that documents some of the the weirdest heart-shaped food.

Of course there are plenty of other ways to show someone you care on February 14th, check out this article with lots of local special events to share with your love.

Make a Date for the Academy Awards: Dessert with Oscar

February 13, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro 9 Comments

Dayton LOVES the movies! Art houses, local theaters, megaplexes and drive-ins all across the region guarantee you can see all the nominated pictures. Plus – beyond watching the movies, we’ve got a great collection of professional and aspiring filmmakers working and living right here. We’ve got the connections to the movies, and on Hollywood’s biggest night – Oscar Night – we’ve got the parties, too!

One of those parties is Dessert with Oscar – a fundraiser for local nonprofit, FilmDayton. FilmDayton hosts the annual FilmDayton Festival (scheduled for August 23-25, 2013), offers professional development for filmmakers, networking and educational opportunities, and acts as the regional film commission – supporting indie and commercial film projects that want to use the backdrop of the Miami Valley for their project.

This Oscar watch party puts the emphasis on party. Instead of seeing the action on the big screen in stadium seating, they welcome guests to The Venue on Third (905 E. Third Street) where multiple TVs will broadcast the show, allowing you to watch the action while enjoying the party. What’s included?

Local chefs from great places such as Ovations, Baked, Scratch Event Catering, Carmen’s Deli, J. Gumbo’s UD, and the Sinclair Culinary Competition Team create tasty desserts themed after the Best Picture Nominees. You might get some authentic bread pudding out of Louisiana for Beasts of the Southern Wild or perhaps enjoy a twist on some ‘white cake’ for Django Unchained. Come and see what kind of creativity connects the desserts to their films!

As a fundraiser for the organization, we’re keeping ticket prices affordable, but bringing the bling with an exciting film-themed silent auction! See the pictures of some of the great prizes. Everything for the practical bidder (you have to go to dinner anyway) to the film lover (autographed photos, DVDs, pilot scripts and more) to the Dayton Connoisseur (tickets to great local experiences) to the true adventurer with a Specialty Background Role on a hit TV comedy with extra casting by Calltime Casting. You never know what stars may show up when you’re on set at the reality-TV spoof The Real Husbands of Hollywood – see the clip below to get an idea!

Food, prizes, and so much more. If you know your movies, you can submit a ballot and make your predictions on who is taking Oscar home. If you just want to follow the action for fun – play Oscar Bingo! As we watch the events unfold, you’ll watch who cries, thanks God or forgets to mention their agent – and hopefully they’ll line up to win you BINGO!

Be our guest for a champagne toast then the bar will be pouring all night. Come as you are, but ‘sparkly and fun’ attire is welcome!

How to Go:

Get tickets in advance at filmdayton.ticketleap.com

Cost: $25 general, $20 FilmDayton member, $50 VIP

When: Sunday, February 24. Doors open 7 PM

Where: The Venue on Third (905 E. Third Street, Dayton)

Bid it to win it – you could have a specialty background role on The Real Husbands of Hollywood! Check it out:

Justin Willman Brings His Tricked Out Tour To Dayton + Cupcake Contest + TICKET CONTEST

February 13, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Victoria Theatre Association presents popular TV host, magician and illusionist JUSTIN WILLMAN and his TRICKED OUT TOUR for one night only at the Victoria Theatre, Friday, February 15 at 8 PM. Tickets are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office.

From his monthly sell-out shows in the back of a trendy LA comic book shop to huge theaters and music venues across the country, JUSTIN WILLMAN has become one of the busiest touring performers in America. His comedy flavored miracles have earned him a devoted cult following as well as frequent television appearances on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Sweet-toothed frosting fans will recognize Justin as the magical host of “Cupcake Wars” and “Last Cake Standing”, and as the host of “Hubworld” and “Scrabble Showdown” on The Hub Network. Justin is also the star and creator of the Nerdist Channel series Magic Meltdown which is named after his monthly sold-out, cult-following comedy and variety show at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. The Los Angeles Times calls JUSTIN WILLMAN, “a new breed of magician who’s making magic cool again for grown-ups.” TRICKED OUT TOUR is a not-to-be-missed comedy and magic event!

Tickets for JUSTIN WILLMAN start at a great price of just $26 each!

Tickets are on sale NOW at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center, or by phone at (937) 228-3630, toll-free at (888) 228-3630; and, online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKBgKrVOTS8′]

Stay for a Cupcake Contest

After the show, join us for a Cupcake Contest featuring local Dayton bakeries. Each of our contestants must create a cupcake based on the Schuster 10^th Anniversary Celebration Theme, and guests of the show are encouraged to come to taste and judge our participants cupcakes. Judged by JUSTIN WILLMAN and other Dayton celebrities don’t miss out on this unique event!

Tickets are just $10, and there is a limited quantity available! Visit www.ticketcenterstage.com to purchase a ticket now!

WIN TICKETS from Dayton Most Metro

We have a PAIR OF TICKETS to give away to see Justin Willman’s Tricked Out Tour on Friday Feb. 15th at the Victoria Theatre! Simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment saying that YOU want to win tickets to see Justin Willman from Dayton Most Metro. We’ll announce a winner later today (2/13) – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winner: Amanda Unger

QUARTET and AMOUR Exclusively at THE NEON

February 12, 2013 By Jonathan McNeal Leave a Comment

Hello Everyone,

Everything we’ve got is leaving! If you still need to see A ROYAL AFFAIR or SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, hurry down. On Thursday (Valentine’s Day) we’ll begin our exclusive engagement of QUARTET (which I’m certain will delight so many of you). On Friday, we begin one of the absolute best reviewed films of 2012 – AMOUR.

The Oscar-Nominated Shorts were a big success. Special thanks to all of you who came out and supported them. If at all possible (we’re not certain yet), we will have encore screenings of these films next weekend (Feb. 22-24). Remaining showtimes for this week are at www.neonmovies.com.

Synopsis for QUARTET: “Beecham House is abuzz. The rumor circling the halls is that the home for retired musicians is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it’s a star. For Reginald Paget (Tom Courtenay), Wilfred Bond (Billy Connolly) and Cecily Robson (Pauline Collins) this sort of talk is par for the course at the gossipy home. But they’re in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean Horton (Maggie Smith). Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Can the passage of time heal old wounds? And will the famous quartet be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House’s gala concert?” (The Weinstein Company) When I saw this film in Toronto, I knew immediately that we had to book this film…I deemed it “the next BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL,” and audiences across the country are loving it. Please help us spread the word…we want to let The Weinstein Company know that they made the right decision by giving us the exclusive engagement! Click on this LINK to visit the official site.

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Synopsis for AMOUR: Nominated for 5 Oscars – Including Best Picture, Best Foreign Film, and Best Actress – this is one of 2012’s Best Reviewed Films…with 100% reviews from THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, TIME, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES and many more! “Georges and Anne are in their eighties. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, who is also a musician, lives abroad with her family. One day, Anne has an attack. The couple’s bond of love is severely tested.” (Sony Pictures Classics) If I was casting a ballot for Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards, this would be my pick! Click on this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

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“On February 23 at Noon, the Junior Leaguers of Dayton – an African American Women’s Service Organization – will hold an annual fundraiser which raises money for scholarships. They will screen the film RED HOOK SUMMER (directed by Spike Lee with James McBride as co-writer) – a coming of age movie about a young African American male who visits his grandparents living in the projects of Brooklyn New York. The discussion following the movie will be led by Dr. Michael Williams, a psychologist. The price is $30.00 which includes a movie ticket, glass of wine, soda, and popcorn. Student tickets are $15.00. Please contact Jackie Colvard for tickets at (937) 219-7501.” (taken from press notes)

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On February 28 at 7:30, Peace on Fifth will hold a screening of HALF THE SKY. More details will be available in next week’s newsletter.

Omari Matlock, a former Daytonian, will premiere his latest film – DESCENT OF A SUPERSTAR – on Saturday, March 2 at Noon. “When money power and fame is not enough, a young pop star turns to habits put in place by dark spirits.” A minimum donation of $10 is required for each ticket. Each ticket includes admission to the film and to the After Party/Networking event at Therapy Cafe at 3:00 (be sure to bring head shots, demo reels & resumes to this event if you are in or aspiring to be in the entertainment industry). Visit the facebook page for this film by clicking this LINK. Tickets will be available soon.

I’m excited to announce that Square One Salon & Spa has once again donated a prize for our Oscar contest! Feb. 24 marks the date of our Free Annual Oscar Party. Ballots are now available in our lobby and prizes have started to arrive (though you must be present at the party in order to win prizes). 15 films that are nominated for Academy Awards have screened at (or are coming soon to) THE NEON. Between these 15 films, there are 34 nominations. We hope you’ll make plans to spend this fun night with us. We will begin seating for this party as close to 7pm as possible…which is when the Red-Carpet pre-show begins. (We will begin collecting ballots on Sunday, Feb. 24 at Noon…collected ballots (only one per person present) will result in our seating priority.)

We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. Feb. 15 – Thur, Feb. 21:

QUARTET (PG-13) 1 Hr 38 Min.
Thur (Feb. 14): 3:00, 5:15, 7:30
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:45, 3:00, 5:15, 7:30, 9:40
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

AMOUR (PG-13) 2 Hrs 7 Min.
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:15, 8:00

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
March 8 – EMPEROR
March 22 – STOKER
March 29 – THE GATEKEEPERS
April 5 – ON THE ROAD
April 12 – NO

Sharks + FREE Candy + Die Hard + Safe Haven

February 12, 2013 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Hello Dayton! We will be having a Academy Awards watch party where you can come watch the ABC broadcast on the BIG movie screen…FREE! See below for details. There are still plenty of options for everyone to have the perfect movie weekend this week. Lots of things happening at your local Rave Cinemas! Love is in the air this week and we have some special offers as well!

GREAT DEALS!

First, if you plan on attending the 10pm Die Hard show at Rave Cinemas Dayton South on Wed, 02/13/13, the first 400 people who by a ticket will get a FREE Sharks ticket for opening night on 02/15/13! The Sharks are YOUR Arena football team and their season kicks off this Friday! More at Dayton Sharks.

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Second, a VALENTINE‘s deal! From 02/14/13 thru 02/17/13, buy any LARGE candy and get a LARGE candy FREE! A coupon is needed and can be found here Rave Cinemas.

ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS STILL PLAYING AT RAVE CINEMAS

Django Unchained—Nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing

Les Miserables (Last Day 02/12/13)—Nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Anne Hathaway), Best Actor (Hugh Jackman), Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing, Best Music—Original Song (“Suddenly”)

Lincoln—Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Daniel Day Lewis), Best Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones), Best Supporting Actress (Sally Field), Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music—Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing

Zero Dark Thirty—Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actress (Jessica Chastain), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing

Silver Linings Playbook—Nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor (Bradley Cooper), Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence), Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro), Best Supporting Actress (Jacki Weaver), Best Directing (David O. Russell), Best Film Editing (Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers), Best Writing—Adapted Screenplay (David O. Russell)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Last Day 02/12/13)—Nominated for Makeup/Hair Styling, Production Design, Visual Effects

Opening This Week

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD – OPENS 02/13/13 @ 10pm!

Since the first “Die Hard” in 1988, John McClane has found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the skills and attitude to always be the last man standing, making him enemy #1 for terrorists the world over. Now, McClane faces his greatest challenge ever, this time on an international stage, when his estranged son Jack is caught up in the daring prison escape of a rogue Russian leader, and father and son McClane must work together to keep each other alive and keep the world safe for democracy.

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SAFE HAVEN – OPENS 02/13/13 @ 10pm!

An affirming and suspenseful story about a young woman’s struggle to love again, “Safe Haven” is based on the novel from Nicholas Sparks, the best-selling author behind the hit films “The Notebook” and “Dear John.” When a mysterious young woman arrives in a small North Carolina town, her reluctance to join the tight knit community raises questions about her past. Slowly, she begins putting down roots, and gains the courage to start a relationship with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. But dark secrets intrude on her new life with such terror that she is forced to rediscover the meaning of sacrifice and rely on the power of love in this deeply moving romantic thriller.
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BEAUTIFUL CREATURES – OPENS 02/13/13 @ 10pm!

A supernatural love story set in the South, “Beautiful Creatures” tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers: Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich), a young man longing to escape his small town, and Lena (Alice Englert), a mysterious new girl. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history and their town.
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ESCAPE FROM PLANET EARTH – OPENS 02/14/13 @ 1159pm!

The 3D animated family comedy catapults movie goers to planet Baab where admired astronaut Scorch Supernova (Brendan Fraser) is a national hero to the blue alien population. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy, by-the-rules brother, Gary (Rob Corddry), head of mission control at BASA. When BASA’s no-nonsense chief Lena (Jessica Alba) informs the brothers of an SOS from a notoriously dangerous planet, Scorch rejects Gary’s warnings and bounds off for yet another exciting mission. But when Scorch finds himself caught in a fiendish trap set by the evil Shanker (James Gandolfini), it’s up to scrawny, risk-adverse Gary to do the real rescuing. As the interplanetary stakes rise to new heights, Gary is left to save his brother, his planet, his beloved wife Kira (Sarah Jessica Parker) and their adventure hungry son Kip.

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For showtimes…CLICK HERE!

Watch Casablanca with Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

February 11, 2013 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

This Valentine’s Day, the Dayton Philharmonic will offer a very special treat when it presents one of cinema’s greatest love stories, Casablanca, with the orchestra playing the score live on stage at the Schuster Center at 8 p.m.

“We’ve done shows like this before, where we’ve played the score live while a classic film showed,” said Dayton Philharmonic conductor Neal Gittleman, “and when we were looking at options for this season, Casablanca came up. And here we have St. Valentine’s Day. And while Casablanca doesn’t have a happy ending, it’s one of the great screen romances.”

A tragic, high-stakes tale of love, loss, valor, and sacrifice against the urgent backdrop of World War II, Casablanca is perhaps the classic of classics, “probably on more lists of the greatest films of all time than any other single title,” according to Roger Ebert.

Casablanca tells the story of Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart in perhaps his most iconic role), a former freedom fighter and American exile who now runs the most popular nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city. During the war, many Europeans fleeing the Germans had to stop in Casablanca to get to America–but once they reached Casablanca, obtaining an exit visa was often difficult and many found themselves stranded there, making Casablanca a sort of melting-pot purgatory of the disillusioned and desperate.

Czech resistance leader Victor Laszlo arrives on his way to America–with his wife, Ilsa (a luminous Ingrid Bergman), Rick’s long lost love. The flame between Rick and Ilsa still burns after all these years, and he is torn between “love and virtue.” The Nazis are on Laszlo’s tail, and Rick must choose between helping the police detain Laszlo, keeping Ilsa for himself, or helping them both leave so that the Allies can win the war.

“Neal and the Dayton Philharmonic have done this before,” said Chuck Duritsch, Communications and Media Manager for the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. “They’ve done City Lights, The Wizard of Oz, The Bride of Frankenstein back in 2011… I believe one of the reasons they picked Casablanca is because it just celebrated its 70th anniversary, and it comes in the top ten on many ‘best movies ever’ lists, so obviously it’s very popular.”

The classic films the DPO accompanies are made possible by John Goberman, longtime producer of PBS’ Live at Lincoln Center, who has devoted years to developing packages that allow orchestras to play along with beloved movies. Goberman painstakingly recreates the system used in studios to record the original soundtracks. During recording, the conductor’s score includes all the music to be used in the film, plus two different types of cues: one showing where a specific action, image, or piece of dialogue must align with the music, and also time codes in the music referring to a large analog clock that’s electronically synchronized with the film.

“It’s a very difficult and lengthy process to make something like this possible for the public in such a large way. You have to have permission from the producer or the studio or know someone who can get the rights to be able to strip the music from the audio and then have the score made available. For us, as the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, to try to handle all that in-house would cost a tremendous amount of money and manpower and just be impossible. This guy, John, cuts through all the red tape so we don’t have to do it on a local level.”

“As the conductor,” said Gittleman, “I have a practice video where I can see the film and the clock, and I can toggle it so I’m listening to the full soundtrack, or only the dialogue. So I can practice with the music playing, conducting along, or I can mute the score and hum it to myself while practicing. It’s basically just working out the cues so you get the timing down. It’s the same as any piece of music in some ways, but not completely, because you’re not entirely free with your interpretation, and you have to make sure things happen at the right time.”

He continued, “The orchestra’s used to it because we’ve done a few of these shows over the years. The musicians all have the music individually, but we won’t play it together as a group the week of the performance. There’s a rehearsal clock, so I can set that to any timecode I need, and we can rehearse. There are a couple of scenes where we’ll run those on a monitor so I can practice the syncing of some of the really important moments. The famous scene where the band plays “La Marseillaise,” for instance, the orchestra plays along with the band onscreen, so obviously that needs to be synced.”

Casablanca was based on an unpublished stage play called Everybody Comes to Rick’s, written by Murray Burnett and Joan Alison. Rushed into release in early 1943 (after a November ’42 premiere) to take advantage of publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa a few weeks prior, the film had a trying production process with a revolving door of screenwriters struggling to adapt an untested play, shooting barely remaining on schedule, and Bogart grappling with his first romantic leading role. It was an A-list production, but viewed as nothing more than any other big Hollywood film released that year. No one involved expected it to become anything special, and indeed it was a solid and well-reviewed success upon release, but nothing major. Still, it went on to win Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Curtiz), and Best Screenplay. Among its five other nominations was a nod for Max Steiner’s lush score.

As for future events like this, “We’ll be doing a salute to Disney next season,” Gittleman said. “It’ll have a certain amount of video component, but exactly which ones and how they’ll work, I don’t know yet. There are plans to do things like this again in the future, though, because they’re fun and people enjoy them. A couple summers ago, I saw The Fellowship of the Ring done this way, and it’s really great. But from a logistical standpoint, it’s a nightmare. It’s a three-hour movie, it’s overtime… The music isn’t really difficult, but it’s expensive and it’s hard to sell enough tickets to make it work financially. I saw it with the Chicago Symphony at a large outdoor venue with multiple screens. They showed it on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and had about 50,000 people come see it in all, so all the rehearsal and overtime got paid for, so that would be hard to pull off here.”

“For my part,” he said, “I think it would be a hoot to do Star Wars. I think the first movie, Episode IV, is available for this kind of presentation. It’s great music. It’s really hard for the orchestra, but they love playing John Williams and I think audiences would go nuts.”

For movie lovers, for music lovers, and for lovers of any kind, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra has your Valentine’s Day all planned out. To enjoy this one-of-a-kind event and save the world with Humprey Bogart, tickets are priced $18 – 26 and are available online at daytonperformingarts.org, at the Schuster box office, or by phone at (937) 224-3521.