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Archives for January 2020

Dayton Artists United: Neal Gittleman

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Photo credit: Andy Snow

Neal Gittleman  has led the Orchestra to new levels of artistic achievement and increasing national recognition. During his tenure, the DPO has received nine ASCAP Awards for adventurous programming, the prestigious Governor’s Award for the Arts, and the DPAA now joins four other U.S. orchestras as a recipient of a prestigious Music Alive grant from NewMusicUSA, supporting Stella Sung’s three-year term as the Alliance’s Music Alive Composer-in-Residence.

Before coming to Dayton, Gittleman was Assistant Conductor of the Oregon Symphony, Associate Conductor of the Syracuse Symphony, and Music Director of the Marion (IN) Philharmonic. He also served ten seasons with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, first as Associate Conductor and then as Resident Conductor.

Son of an English professor and a public school music teacher, Neal is a native of Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Yale University in 1975 and then studied with Nadia Boulanger and Annette Dieudonnй in Paris, with Hugh Ross at the Manhattan School of Music, and with Charles Bruck at both the Pierre Monteux School and the Hartt School of Music, where he was a Karl Bцhm Fellow.

At home in the pit as well as on stage, Neal has led productions for Dayton Opera, the Human Race Theatre Company, Syracuse Opera, and Milwaukee’s Skylight Opera Theatre. He has also conducted for performances of Dayton Ballet, DCDC, Rhythm in Shoes, Milwaukee Ballet, Hartford Ballet, Chicago City Ballet, Ballet Arizona, and Theatre Ballet of Canada.

When not on the podium, Neal is an avid player of golf, squash and t’ai chi ch’uan and does yoga, too. He and his wife, Lisa Fry, have been Dayton residents since 1997.

Neal recently took the time to chat with Dayton Artists United.

DAU—Neal Gittleman, you’ve been interviewed a lot. Is there any question you’ve always wanted to be asked that hasn’t been?

NG–“What’s the secret of comedy?”  Actually, that’s a component of one of my favorite jokes.  People who know the joke will understand…  (I suppose that’s a way of answering your question with a “No.”  But looking backwards from further down the line, your “What’s your favorite Metropark?” is a pretty good question that I’ve never been asked before!)

DAU—You and the DPO have won multiple ASCAP awards for adventurous programming. Thinking about programming,  what’s your starting point. Do you start with a piece or a theme, give me an idea of your process when you are putting a program together? 

NG–Every concert program is different.  Sometimes (but rarely) a theme comes first.  Sometimes I build a program around a particular piece, asking myself, “What other piece—or pieces—fit well with _______?”  But no matter where I start, the bottom-line question is, “What music can we play on this concert that can make for an involving, engaging listener experience?”

DAU—What has been your most challenging piece to date?

NG—That’s probably down to two fairly recent performances:  Richard Strauss’ opera Salome (with Dayton Opera in May 2019 and Olivier Messiaen’s Turangalîla (DPO, October 2019).  They’re both incredibly complex pieces, where a conductor has to concentrate at 100% for a 90-minute stretch.  They’re both very difficult for the musicians, which means the conductor needs to be continually high alert, ready to step in with the look, a cue, or a particularly clear beat that any musician might need at any given moment.  But both Salome and Turangalîla are very beautiful pieces, so all the incredibly hard work that goes into performing them is well worth it!

DAU—Everyone has a song that bugs them. What is your least favorite song?

NG—Funny you should ask that, because it just came to mind recently.  A couple of weeks ago the DPO had a “Nat and Natalie” pops concert, with two guest artists who sang songs from the Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole repertoire.  Great singers, and a great concert (which I got to enjoy from the audience, since DPO Associate Condcutor Pat Reynolds was on the podium).  And also great because if I have a least-favorite song, it’s a Nat King Cole song:  “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer”.  Fortunately, it wasn’t on the set list!  And one of my favorite songs (also by Nat King Cole) was on the set list:  “Straighten Up and Fly Right”.  Plus I got to know a new favorite song:  Natalie Cole’s heartbreaker, “No Plans for the Future”. 

DAU—Part of your adventurous programming has been the Halloween concerts, and you dress up in costume. What is your favorite Philharmonster costume?

NG–Each Philharmonster costume is always linked either to some schtick or to a particular piece.  So, the costumes that involve flying (Superman, Spiderman) are always fun.  Yoda is another perennial favorite (partly because my old conducting teacher kind of looked like Yoda).  Another one that was really fun was the PhilharMonster concert where the premise of the whole show was that I was Mozart, sharing with the audience my favorite pieces by my fellow dead composers.  For that one, I was in full Mozart regalia (wig, etc.) but about 20 minutes before show time the stagehands brought me out onstage in a coffin.  Then I had to lie there in the coffin until the concert started…and leap out.  Lots of deep breathing and maybe even a catnap.  But nothing dramatic like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill…

DAU—Speaking of how you dress for concerts, it’s an odd thing for a performer to spend his time onstage with his back to the audience.  Do you ever worry about what you look like from the back?
You know, “Does my backside look big in these pants?” sort of thing.

NG–Not really.  But as my hair has thinned over the years, I sometimes joke about the “spotlight” that I shine up at the patrons in the balcony!

DAU— Are you a Harry Potter fan? You know, the wand chooses the wizard…does the baton choose the conductor? Do you have more than one baton? Do you have a favorite? Does it have a name?

NG—Yes, I’m a Harry Potter fan.  More of the books (all of which I’ve read) than of the movies (only three of which I’ve seen).  But for me, it’s definitely that I choose the baton, rather than the other way around.  I tried many different ones over the years before I found one that was perfect—mostly because it was custom made for me by a baton maker.  I sent him one of the batons that I was using, plus another one that I liked but wasn’t quite right, and said “Can you make me something that’s like Baton A, but has a handle like Baton B?”  He sent me a demo, I suggested some tweaks, and we had a “NealG Model”. I had him send me a bunch of them, which was a good thing, since he went out of business or died or something several years ago.  So unless I work until I’m 107 years old or I go on a jag of baton-breaking, I should be set baton-wise for the rest of my career.  On a practical basis, just in case of breakage, I carry three batons in my baton case.  One’s “the good one”, which I only use for performances.  Then there are two others that I use in rehearsals and as just-in-case spares. 

DAU–You’ve lived in Dayton for 25 years, what is your favorite thing about the Miami Valley?

NG—If I had to pick just one favorite thing in the Miami Valley it would be the Schuster Center.  Having the Schuster Center, with its world-class acoustics, as the Philharmonic’s home was an absolute game changer.  And it’s great in every way.  Great for concerts.  Great for Broadway.  Great for opera.  Great for dance.  Great for the audience.  Great for the stagehands.  Just simply great. 

DAU—What is your favorite Metropark and why?

NG—I love to play golf, and Community is my “home course” (and the course closest to my home), so I supposed my favorite Metropark is Hills and Dales.  But each year my wife and I vow to walk in each and every Metropark.  I don’t think we’ve ever hit all of them, but we have committed to make 2020 the year that we pull it off. 

DAU—We have lots of public art in Dayton, much of it celebrates the great inventions in our patent history, which of the “patent project” pieces resonates with you and why?

NG—I’m not sure if these count as “patent pieces”, but two of my favorite pieces of public art in the region are Flyover on Main Street in Downtown Dayton and Michael Bashaw’s Wings/Lift Compounded (Defy the Impossible) on Shafer Avenue in Oakwood. 

DAU—You once said in a Daytonian of the week interview that Dayton needed to build a stronger sense of community, to develop greater pride and solidarity. The catastrophic events of the last year have built our community and we’re all together, have you any thoughts about what we can we do to sustain and build on this community feeling? What can artists do to help sustain and build community?

NG—The “problem” with the solidarity communities forge in the wake of tragedy is that once the tragedy starts to fade in the collective memory, the solidarity starts to fade, too.  So I hope people remember the sense of unity that we’ve felt at times in 2019, hold on to it, and build on it.  All artists can do is what we always do—try to speak to people through the art we do and try to bring people together through our art. 

DAU— You’ve conducted, and guest conducted in cities all over. Have you seen anything in your travels that you think Dayton should emulate?

NG—It’s more the other way around.  I’ve seen plenty of things in other cities where I thought, “You should be more like Dayton.”  (Of course, as a diplomat, I kept those thoughts to myself.)  Dorothy was right:  there’s no place like home.

DAU–Dayton and the Five River’s Metroparks are working to make use of Dayton’s rivers. Have you ever boated down the Miami?

NG—Never.  Canoeing or kayaking on the Miami would probably be fun.  Though I’m not sure if I’d trust my paddle skills…

DAU—You have said before that music should be “interesting, Involving,  and  transformative,”  as an artist, working in a collaborative, how do you keep that goal in front of you when you’re working on the details of performance? 

NG—You hit on it in the question.  For me, the performance is mostly about the details.  Getting a piece’s details right means getting the piece right.  And by “details”, I don’t just mean the little stuff.  The long arc of a piece of music is a detail, too.  But I think that the performer’s job is to work the details and make the interesting/involving/transformative happen by attention to the details and by absolute and fierce dedication to the performance itself.  Audience can sense when an orchestra and conductor are giving their all and when they’re “phoning it in”.  I don’t think we’ve ever phoned it in, and I hope we never do!

DAU—The DPO often collaborates with other community organizations—besides the formal collaborations of the DPAA. What collaboration was the most unexpected? What collaboration would you like to see happen in the future?

NG—Well, there’s never an artistic collaboration that’s unexpected, because they take so much planning.  But sometimes something turns out to be so magical that it is, strictly speaking, unexpected.  The one that sticks out the most in my mind was doing Bolero with Rhythm in Shoes in May 2010.  It was our last performance together before RiS disbanded.  I had come up with the crazy idea that we do Bolero with Sharon Leahy doing the snare drum part as a tap solo and where each phrase of the melody would be a snippet from one of the many dances in RiS’s history.  Sharon loved the idea and it was just incredible.  It nearly brought me to tears every time I saw it in the studio, and although I had my back to the whole thing in performance, I could tell that it was doing the same thing to the audience.  As for the future, I think it would be great fun to do a DPO/Rhythm in Shoes redux performance.  But beyond that, I wonder the best future collaborations are the ones you haven’t imagined yet…  Short-term, I’m really looking forward to our upcoming collaboration with Wyclef Jean.  “A Night of Symphonic Hip-Hop” sounds like a lot of fun to me!

DAU—Being the director of the DPO is more than just conducting the orchestra—you are a manager, a financial planner, a fundraiser, a performer, and I don’t know how many elements to the job there are. What part of your job is the most challenging? If you could go back in time and offer yourself advice about your job, what would say?

NG—-That one’s easy to answer.  The most challenging part of my job is time management.  The music work—studying scores and preparing for rehearsals and concerts—is critically important.  If we’re not giving great performances, then none of the fundraising or PR or planning is going to matter.  All that is important, but I always have to make sure I’m carving out time to get the music work done.  Sometimes it works out just fine.  Other times I’m getting up in the middle of the night to get some music work done while the phone isn’t ringing and my e-mail in-box isn’t dinging at me every few minutes.

DAU–Thank you,  Neal Gittleman, for sharing your time with us,  it’s been a real pleasure!

Dayton Municipal Court Opens Self-Help Center

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The Dayton Municipal Court and the Clerk of Court’s office have opened a Self-Help Center on the first floor of Dayton Municipal Court, 301 W. Third St., in downtown Dayton. The Self-Help Center is open during normal courthouse hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday).
The Self-Help Center features personal computer stations, law-related pamphlets, and court forms available to the public at no cost. Forms and pamphlets are being translated into the following languages: Spanish, Turkish, Russian, and Swahili.
The Municipal Court and Clerk of Court’s office received a grant from the Ohio Supreme Court in March 2019 to open the Self-Help Center to increase access to justice for the citizens of Dayton and the surrounding community.
Area organizations including the University of Dayton have partnered with the Municipal Court and the Clerk of Court’s office to provide additional information and assistance to the community. University of Dayton School of Law students will hold office hours in the Self-Help Center, to assist citizen walk-ins. Law students will not offer legal advice, but may offer guidance on the court process. A schedule of student hours is available at 937-333-4471.
The current focus of the Self-Help Center is small claims, rent escrow, and evictions; however, there are plans to expand to other public interest areas such as: driving privileges, expungements/sealing of records, and other traffic and criminal case related topics.

Dayton Artists United: Ben Baugham

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Dayton Artists United Interviewed Artist Ben Baugham at Ghostlight Coffeehouse, where he currently has work on display.

DAU—I haven’t seen you since the Artist United event last July, catch me up. What have you been doing?

BB—A little of everything, drawing, teaching.

DAU—Where are you teaching?

BB—I’m teaching at Clark State University, a class that combines learning to draw with art history. We immerse ourselves in the work of an artist, like Michelangelo, for example. We look at his work, we read his journals about his work, and we work like that. It’s a very renaissance way of learning.

We also talk about art as a vehicle for communication, where there is a sender and a receiver. The artist is an active part of the communication, even when he is not present with the work. We talk about the communication in Michelangelo’s work. How he painted on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel while there were services being conducted in Latin below him. The people in the church may not have understood the service, but they looked up and saw Michelangelo’s work, it communicated with them as an interpretation of the service.

DAU—I want to take that class. That is a unique way of teaching drawing.

BB—I have strong opinions about art and art making in the workplace. About art in general. I think there are two kinds of art. Service art and product art. I think most artists make both, do both at different times in their careers. Service art is focused on the viewer. How does the viewer respond to the work? It ties the artists to the viewers response in a personal way. The artist finds identity in the response of the viewer. That can be a very dangerous thing, it causes us, artists, to take critiques of our art as a personal critique. I tell my students all the time, “You are so much more valuable than what you create.” There is a romantic idea that an artist is fed by a viewer’s response—if the viewer likes it, the artist is in some way validated. No, an artist is fed when a work sells. Which brings me to product art. Product art is the art which exists without the artist—the product speaks for itself. There is an old-fashioned phrase people use, they say, “The piece spoke to me.” The distinction between the voice of the artist and the voice of the product is useful to me. It allows me to get better. It’s a catalyst that forces me to improve and takes me out of the equation at the same time. I think of Michelangelo, on his back, painting for something greater than himself.

DAU—You have been interviewed before. In 2017 you were interviewed for your chalk drawings in the Oregon District. In those days you were an ink and chalk  artists.

BB—Still am. It’s a great medium, both immediate and ephemeral. You chalk something, you create something,  and it is beautiful, or expressive, and then it rains. It’s a good metaphor for art, for life. I chalked all over the Oregon District after the shootings last summer. I handed out chalk to everyone I met, and we all drew. It was very healing, to be together, just creating. Chalk is underappreciated.

 

DAU—You are doing your bit for chalk. I know you competed at the Yale Chalk Festival.

BB—Yeah, that was fun. I won first place in people’s choice and in general in 2019.

DAU—Congratulations! An award-winning artist! And you’re a musician too, from a family of musicians.

BB—I am from a family of musicians. I can make music, but in a low-key way. When you’re surrounded by music, by instruments, you just kind of do it. My family is very innovative, very good at making what we need. I think growing up in a family that improvises and creates is a very practical art education. You make what you need, and the making of it gives you joy. Soon the question becomes not “how do I get what I need?”  but “how do I find joy?”

DAU—And do you find joy in your work?

BB—In the creation of it. The showing of it can be a different thing. When you put your work up and people criticize it, and they critique it on all kinds of grounds. Sometimes, when people are looking at my work they will say “where did you study art.” That is not a response to the art, it’s a response to the artist. But the art should speak for itself. I tell my students all the time, “The art is not you.”

Artists create art for themselves, for all kinds of reasons.  After the shootings, I came straight to the Oregon District to create. Something bad happened. But people came, then more people came. They were overcoming their fear, they were making art everywhere. There was a near spiritual aspect to the creation, like a church service. We were determined to reclaim our space, to protect those businesses and lift up the fallen. You could feel the determination in the quiet industry of the artists.

DAU—That event has inspired a lot of artists responses. Some people have said they would rather not see art created from such an event—they want to move on and have no reminders.

BB—But that is an artist’s job. Our basic function is to realign society. We talk about work having impact. What is “impact?” It’s a collision, a disruption—its something that hits you hard. Strong artists want to hit hard enough to change the direction. Artists create art for themselves because it gives them joy, but that act of creation can show the world as it could be, as it should be, and that is how artists create for the world. The two are not mutually exclusive. Art changes the world.

DAU—I want to back up and touch on something you said before. You said people ask where you’ve gone to school. I think that is because you are young and seem so knowledgeable.

BB—Thank for that. I went to a small private school. A very intensive education. I have taken classes at Sinclair. They have a great design program there. I want to give a shout out to Professor Jeanine Kincheloe, who teaches design drawing, she’s amazing. And I am taking some business classes there. I want to design art seminars with other artists. I am working on a business plan and building a portfolio of artists that want to participate. We’ll build a stable of artists who can teach or do certain kinds of work and match them with clients, sort of a matchmaker service. And I want to engage more verbally in the art world. I want to give talks and engage more in the philosophy of art.

DAU—If your talks are based on the History of Art curriculum, I’ll sign up. 

BB—I look forward to it.

 

For more info on Ben Baugham/Boy Blue:

Instagram: boy_blue

Facebook:  Boy Blue

 

‘Man of La Mancha’ Review – Dayton Playhouse – A Quest Fulfilled

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The artistic stars have aligned at the Dayton Playhouse as evidenced in its impressively grounded production of librettist Dale Wasserman, composer Mitch Leigh and lyricist Joe Darion’s 1965 musical Man of La Mancha, astutely directed with clarity and commendable atmospherics by Dawn Roth Smith.

The cast of Dayton Playhouse’s production of “Man of La Mancha,” continuing through Feb. 2. (Photo by Art Fabian)

As is typical with any production of La Mancha, set in a dingy dungeon of despair during the Spanish Inquisition, the engaging, inspirational and dark material lives and breathes on the merits of whomever portrays Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote and Aldonza. Thankfully, Tim Rezash and Sarah Viola are firmly at the helm, delivering winning performances layered in deft characterization and vocal assurance. Rezash, instilling noble passion within The Impossible Dream and heartwarming yearning within Dulcinea, wonderfully commands and stimulates the interests of Cervantes’ fellow prisoners, drawing them into the valiant, illusion-driven world of Don Quixote with playful imagination and spirited hope. Viola, an accomplished soprano and a luminous Eliza Doolittle in the Playhouse’s My Fair Lady last season, returns with aplomb, providing gorgeous renditions of It’s All the Same, What Does He Want of Me? and gripping Aldonza.

Ted Eltzroth (left, Sancho) and Tim Rezash (Cervantes/Quixote) in Dayton Playhouse’s production of “Man of La Mancha,” continuing through Feb. 2. (Photo by Art Fabian)

Elsewhere: Ted Eltzroth offers dopey charm as Cervantes’ faithful sidekick Sancho Panza; William “Kip” Moore supplies fun and flair as the Padre (notably interpreting To Each His Dulcinea with gentle grace); Charles Larkowski is a delightfully gleeful Barber; Brad Bishop, in a refreshing departure, is believably formidable as brutish, violent Pedro; Danny Klingler brings appealing sophistication to the Duke/Carrasco/Knight of Mirrors; lovely sopranos Bryn Corbett (Antonia) and Kate Young (Housekeeper) join Klingler and Moore for a terrifically sung and staged I’m Only Thinking of Him; and Lindsey Cardoza (Maria) and dancer Kiersten Farmer (Moorish Lady) uniquely entertain. The admirable company, attractively costumed by Theresa Kahle, includes Richard Lee Waldeck (Captain), Kevin Rankin (Governore/Innkeeper), John Wysong (Jose/Mirror Guard), Stephen Gogol (Tenorio/Mirror Guard), Jamison Meyer (Paco/Moorish Man), Jamie McQuinn (Juan/Moorish Man), and Michael Plaugher (Anselmo/Mirror Guard).

Sarah Viola (Aldonza) and the male ensemble of the Dayton Playhouse’s production of “Man of La Mancha,” continuing through Feb. 2. (Photo by Art Fabian)

In addition to Jonathan Sabo’s excellent scenic design and the evocative lighting design of the aforementioned Waldeck, Smith’s first-rate production team includes choreographer Jeffrey M. Payne, sound designer Bob Kovach, properties designer Laura Rea, and music director Sarah Plaugher, leading a fine orchestra.
La Mancha is really staged these days, so I highly recommend taking the time to catch this classic, which has been treated with great respect and reverence at the Playhouse.

Man of La Mancha continues through Feb. 2 at the Dayton Playhouse, 1301 E. Siebenthaler Ave., Dayton. Performances are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. The production is performed in two hours without intermission. Tickets are $18-$20. Call (937) 424-8477 or visit daytonplayhouse.com.

 

Exciting indie tour at Brightside Sunday Jan 26th

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You know what they say in the live music world: Never miss a Sunday show! This Sunday, January 26th is certainly one of those instances. BravoArtist is bringing an exciting indie tour to The Brightside Music & Event Venue featuring the up-and-coming pop-rock band Mike Mains & The Branches.

Mike Mains and The Branches is a pop-rock band based in Michigan. Since their conception in 2012, the group has built a reputation for their fantastical instrumentation and unforgettable live performances. Mains began writing songs early in his career between shifts at a casino, which is an apt illustration of Mains perspective on life: it’s a comedy, a tragedy, and a fairytale. (Check out their music for yourself at link below).

A big bonus to this particular show: three amazing area bands kicking off an evening of live music: Gabe Maas and the Bruins, The American Landscape and Year of the Buffalo. The best  part? The value. Tickets are only $13 advance, $15 day of show. Such a deal for this amount of raw musical talent!

How to Go?

Where: The Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St, Dayton)

When: Sunday, January 26, 2020. Doors 6pm. Show 7pm.

Who: All ages welcome! Handicapped accessible. On site parking.

Cost: $13 advance. $15 day of show. 

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mike-mains-the-branches-at-brightside-126-tickets-86353751395

 

 

 

CSA Fair and Seed Swap at 2nd Street Market

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Make 2020 the year of personal and environmental health. Come to the annual “Meet Your CSA Farmer, Share Your Seeds” event on Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 AM to 2 PM, in the Market Pavilion. Swap your labeled heirloom or open-pollinated seeds with other gardeners and sign up for a fee-based CSA (community supported agriculture) subscription.

Seed swapping promotes diversity in and increases the quantity of locally grown produce, which farmers pack into CSA boxes that subscribers pick up at a designated location every week, from late spring to early fall. Buying seasonal produce directly from local farms not only supports small business owners in our community, it provides fresher food and cuts down on the carbon waste inherent in grocery store produce, which is often transported from other states and countries.

If picking up a CSA box would be challenging for you, ask one of the farmers at the event about delivery options.

Once you’ve signed up, you may be looking for creative ways to use all that produce from your new CSA box? Come to  the Contemporary Cuisine: A Market Cooking Demonstration With Invoke, with Invoke owners Larry and Lester Gates, on Feb. 13 from 11 AM to noon The class is free to attend, no reservations required.. Take notes while Chef Lester prepares one of his favorite dishes, and then join in the exclusive tasting option. Lester is an accomplished chef, having worked for such local restaurants as L’Auberge, Sidebar, Salar, Taste Creative Cuisine and Lucky’s Taproom, and we’re thrilled that he’ll be hosting this cooking demonstration for 2nd Street Market patrons.

Call For Artists

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WHEN: March 6 – 15, 2020 (per gallery policy, artist must be present at opening reception March 6, 5PM – 9PM)

WHERE: The Orphanage Gallery
73 N. Dutoit Street Dayton, Ohio 45402

WHO: The Show will exhibit the work of members of Artists United Dayton, Ohio. Submissions are open to all members of Artist United Dayton, Ohio. This includes all genres and mediums. **Applicants must be a member of Artists United.

VISUAL ARTIST: You are invited to exhibit one piece of work no larger than 15″ x 15″. There is limited space for work larger than this, and half the slots are already full. Submission must include measurements, media, price, and artist name as wished to be displayed.

WRITERS AND POETS: You are invited to submit one publication or visual presentation of your work. You are welcome to bring copies of your work to sell. Visual Presentation proposals must include media, display details, price, and authors/artist name.

Artists must be present during Opening Reception on March 6, 2020. Doors open to the public at 5PM.

There is still room for the Artists United, Dayton Ohio Group Show. See below for details.

SUBMISSIONS: Deadline is FEBRUARY 1, 2020

FEES: There are 0 submission and commission fees

EMAIL to [email protected].  Submissions that are NOT emailed are not guaranteed to be seen.

Artists who apply will receive an email on February 2nd with further details.

 

Technology First Announces New Executive Director

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After an extensive search led by Technology First’s Board of Directors, we are proud to announce that Melissa Cutcher has accepted the position of Executive Director to begin February 1, 2020.  Melissa will be stepping into the leadership role currently held by Marcia Albers who will be retiring March 31st.
Melissa’s professional achievements include leading many facets of a non-profit organization, having been with the Better Business Bureau for over fourteen years and most recently was their Chief Business Officer.  Her responsibilities included relationship and financial management as well as oversight for their Women in Business Networking program.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in organization management and MBA in organization leadership from Bluffton University.
Melissa has been in the Miami Valley since 1985 and is a contributing member to many groups and organizations.  She enjoys connecting people, golf, reading books, spending time with her daughter Ashley, husband Jeff, and puppies Cooper and Bailey.
It has been said “Melissa is a person of strong character and integrity and expects that of others. She is very objective and realistic while being a self-starter and innovative”.
As Executive Director, Melissa will lead the promotion of Technology First, ensure revenue growth, manage the operational budget and drive expansion of provided services in support of the region’s IT industry.

15 Food Related Things You Don’t See Anymore

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Car Hops on Roller Skates

As decades go by the restaurant industry changes and adapts.  Some things like good service will always be a goal, but other things fade away into oblivion.  Today The Food Adventures Crew have compiled a list of things you dont see in Dayton restaurants anymore.

 

— CAR HOPS ON ROLLER SKATES:
Back in the day in Dayton, these waitresses were all over the place.  From Frosties Rootbeer Stands in Dayton and Fairborn to Frischs, A & W and others.  You just dont see car hops with Roller Skates anymore.  We suspect trips falls broken bones and insurance liability to be the culprits.  There is also the fact that roller skating seems to be somewhat of a lost art.

 

— MATCHES AT THE BAR WITH RESTAURANT LOGO:

Dont see this much anymore


Nearly every dinner club had them at the bar.  The pack or box of matches with the restaurant logo, address and number on the cover.  The public smoking ban put an end to those “amenities” years ago.  You would be pressed to find a restaurant that sill has them.

 

— TANG:
Before the days of energy drinks, there was Tang.  Billed as the “drink of astronauts,” this was a popular orange powdered drink in the 60’s and 70’s.  You hardly see it anywhere today, when it used to be a household item.  Oh how the times and Americana have changed.

Tang

— PDQ CHOCOLATE DRINK MIX:
This was a sister product of ovaltine and was sold as the “healthy” chocolate milk drink with vitamins, and nutrients.  The mix were small chocolate pellets that would dissolve in milk and the taste was fairly good.  PDQ stood for “pretty darn quick.”  We have not seen one o these mixes in decades.

 

Candy Cigarettes

— CANDY CIGARETTES:
The health boom in America put an end to this politically incorrect candy.  Usually sold in a box to mimic cigarettes, these sugar sticks even had a red tip on the end so it looked like your cigarette was lit.  We had not seen these in years, but found some in Kettering at K & R Pretzel Bakery along with other vintage candies.

 

— KIDS DRINKING OUT OF THE BACKYARD HOSE:
Is it us, or do you never see a line of kids playing outside, waiting to get a sip of water from the garden hose anymore?  A common site before the turn of the century, this was not an uncommon site.  We chalk this one up to cleanliness and the growth in irrigation systems.

 

Jello Cake

— JELLO SALAD / JELLO CAKE:
This was a popular dessert in the 60’s and 70’s but it never seemed loved even then.  Sometimes the salad aka jello cake came with fruit embedded inside, sometimes not.  Most of us cringed when these items were brought to the table, but we are sure there were a few fans of these out there somewhere.

 

— AMBROISA DESSERT:
A dessert that was all over the 70’s and early 80s was this coconut, fruit and whipped cream dessert.  If you were at a party during this time frame, the percentages were good that you were going to see this dessert come out.  Cold, yet creamy and fruity, it was a refreshing lite bite.

“Doggie Bags” and “Peoples Bags” are no more

 

—  “DOGGIE BAG” or “PEOPLE BAG” for LEFTOVERS:
Remember when restaurants would ask you if you wanted a doggie bag?  Many patrons would take bones or leftovers back to their pets, especially from steakhouses.  Some steakhouse mocked the trend by offering a “people bag.”  Either way, you dont here these terms anymore today.

 

— FONDUE:
Fondue was a cheese dip appetizer served in a hot pot that was popular on party tables, especially the early 1970’s.   The cheese was hot and melted in a pot, while long thin forks were used to dip meats and other items into the cheese.  it was considered “swanky” back in the day.   Fondue sets were so popular in the 60’s and 70’s that most every couple had one on their wedding registry.  Today, they are almost extinct.

 

Fondue

—  GUM CIGARS:
Long slabs of chewing gum with a paper cigar ring around them were all the rage with kids in the 70’s.  The stigma of smoking and kids, and the politically correct police have made these pretty much non-existent.  They usually came is 3 or 4 colors and were huge pieces of gum at a great price.

 

— TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE:
A source of horror for many kids, this was a popular dish, made by mom or grandma.  Whether a holiday or just a family dinner, this dish could strike fear in the hearts of kids everywhere.  Most families on a budget with the inflation of the mid 70’s turned to this cheap alternative to feed the massive family.  It is dinner time! Bread crumbs, cheese, tuna and noodles anyone ?

 

— SUGARY KIDS CEREAL BRANDS:
Remember the days of Count Chocula and Boo Berry?  How about Cookie Crisp, Honeycombs and Super Sugar Crisp?  From Fruit Loops to Waffle-o’s, many 80’s flash in the pan sugar cerals were named after TV shows of movie characters.  Thankfully for kid’s teeth. those cereals are not mainstream anymore.

You aren’t cool until you have one of these

 

— RESTAURANT CREDIT CARDS:
Go ahead and put it on my account, the suave businessman of 1978 said to the waiter as he passed them a car that said ” The Paragon.”  This was no regular credit card, this was a status symbol and popular at the fancy restaurants, including The Pine Club.  We don’t see these house accounts much anymore, but there was a time that if you were a somebody if these were in your wallet.

 

Rock Candy

— ROCK CANDY:
These were like a science experiment.  Someone taught someone and the next thing you know kids were making this crystal candy at home with their parents or just buying  it at candy shops (another thing you don’t see much anymore).  This was also typically kids first experience with a “hot spicy ” food as the cinnamon flavor could sometimes come out too hot and light up your mouth.

 

— THE EASY BAKE OVEN:
It used to be every girl wanted one and every brother wanted to sample the cake or brownie baked in this contraption.  It was almost too good to be true.  Kids were told you could make your own desserts in this “Easy Bake Oven.” Are you telling me I can make brownies and cake in this little conveyor belt oven that uses heated bulbs to cook with?  Other family members usually got involved, especially when it was time to sample the baked goods.

Iconic Toy of yesteryear

Honorable mention items include : Nestle Quik Chocolate Milk Mix, Pop Rocks, Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Kool Aid.

Well there you have it, a few fun flashbacks to days of yesterday.  Are you a Dayton Foodie?  Then follow Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE?  We are Dayton’s go to food blog since 2008.  Come back each and every week for an exclusive article right here ONLY at Dayton Most Metro.

Drinking out of the hose

PDQ drink mix

 

Ambrosia

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Cereals

Cookie Crisp

Eudora Brewing Co Introduces New Menu

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Eudora Brewing Co’s new 2020 menu is here! They’ve added some hearty appetizers to get your night started, new sandwiches and burgers to keep it fresh, a drool-worthy dessert and a kids menu for the littles! Take a look below at the full menu, as well as some item previews and killer food and beer pairings to try this week!

Pait the savory, cheesy Poutine with a Mother Fuggle for a well-balanced start to the night!

Dip those Chicken Bites into some Bee’s Knees Honey Mustard while digging a Groove Juice to keep things light and snacky.

End your night with a Cinnamon Pretzel smeared with icing and a Holy Cacao to leave with a satisfites sweet tooth.

 

 

Eudora Brewing Company

3022 Wilmington Pike
Kettering, Ohio 45429

Tues- Thurs 4-11pm
Friday 4-midnight
Sat noon- midnight
Sunday noon – 8pm

The Simon & Garfunkel Story Comes to Dayton

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The internationally-acclaimed hit theater show The Simon & Garfunkel Story will stop by the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. during the coast to coast U.S. tour. Tickets are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, by calling 937-228-3630, 888-228-3630 or online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story is an immersive concert-style theater show that chronicles the amazing journey shared by the folk-rock duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. It tells the story from their humble beginnings as Tom & Jerry to their incredible success as one of the best-selling music groups of the ‘60s to their dramatic split in 1970. It culminates with the famous “The Concert in Central Park” reunion in 1981, with more than half a million fans in attendance.

 

Using state of the art video projection, photos, and original film footage, the show also features a full live band performing all of their hits, including “Mrs. Robinson” (featured in the 1967 film The Graduate), “Cecilia,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Homeward Bound,” and many more.

 

With more than 100 million album sales since 1965, Simon & Garfunkel’s perfect harmonies and songs that poignantly captured the times made them one of the most successful folk-rock duos of all time. Over the years, they won 10 Grammy© Awards and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In 1977, their Bridge Over Troubled Water album was nominated at the 1977 Brit Awards for Best International Album. In 2003, Simon and Garfunkel were awarded a Grammy© Lifetime Achievement Award, and the following year saw their “The Sound of Silence” awarded a Grammy Hall of Fame Award©.

 

Tickets are on sale now at the Ticket Center Stage Box Office, by calling 937-228-3630, 888-228-3630 or online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.

 

Humane Society of Greater Dayton to Expand

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The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is excited to announce they have fully raised the funds required to expand their current facility to better serve the needs of the animals and people in our community.

“In 2014, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton began an in-depth strategic plan where we worked with staff, board, volunteers, community leaders and residents to see what we can do to better serve the needs of our community,” said Brian Weltge, President & CEO of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. “Through this process, we pinpointed several key needs to be addressed. With this expansion we are taking steps to impact the animals and we are excited to continue to grow and expand to better serve our community. In the past few years, we began quietly fundraising to make this big vision to transform animal welfare a reality. We are proud to say that we are fully funded with the first phase of this campaign.”

 

Through this expansion, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton has fully raised more than $5 million to grow their current facility at 1661 Nicholas Road. This expansion will include:

  • Regional Full-Service, Needs-Based Animal Hospital to help all pet owners in our community regardless of their income level. Through this Full-Service, Needs-Based Animal Hospital, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton can offer solutions for those in need while continuing to provide top-notch medical care to the animals in our community. This animal hospital will be open to not only Montgomery County residents, but surrounding counties as well.
  • Regional High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic that will positively impact the cat overpopulation concerns facing neighborhoods. With an estimated 50,000 stray or community cats within just Montgomery County, programs such as Trap-Neuter-Return are critical to humanely and effectively battle cat overpopulation. Through the High-Volume Spay/Neuter Clinic, we will have the resources available to scale up our already established Community Cat Initiative program, which is currently performing 4,000+ spay/neuter surgeries annually. With this new clinic, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton looks to increase surgeries over the next ten years by 400 percent.
  • Cruelty & Neglect Animal Rehabilitation Center to house, protect and rehabilitate all types of animals. Each year, the Humane Society of Greater Dayton investigates hundreds of cases of cruelty or neglect toward animals. We are the only organization in the Montgomery County that investigates cases against all types of animals. With such a large range of animals needing our assistance, the Animal Rehabilitation Center will provide us with the resources needed to house large-breed animals such as horses as well as give us the housing to help in large-scale cases. Right now, we rely solely on fosters to care for many of the animals that are part of cruelty and neglect investigations.

 

“As a leader in animal welfare that has been serving our community since 1902, it was very important for us to be responsible in planning this expansion,” said Weltge. “Although we are excited for this growth, we wanted to ensure that we were 100 percent fully funded before we moved forward with construction on this expansion. As good stewards to all donations we receive, we could not justify moving forward without having 100 percent of the funding in place.”

 

For the $5+ million raised for this first phase of their expansion, 99 percent of the gifts were secured from philanthropic individuals and private foundations including contributions by The Jesse & Caryl Philips Foundation, a $1 million gift from the Joanie Bernard Foundation, Harold & Mary Rieck, Charles D. Berry Foundation and the Berry Family Foundation. More than 80 percent of the money raised was cash donations and short-term pledges.

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton plans to break ground this Spring on this phase of their expansion.

 

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton continues to lead the way in creating a community where every animal is valued and free from suffering. We have already made great strides in this, but we still have more to do! In 2019, the Greater Dayton community was able to officially call itself a no-kill community. This is a huge step in the right direction and we could not have accomplished this alone. We are excited to see other rescues as well as our county animal control facility evolve to help improve the lives of companion pets in our community.

 

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton has a big vision for the future of all animal welfare in the Miami Valley. Thanks to a small group of generous supporters, fundraising for expanding the services offered at our Nicholas Road location is complete. The next phase in our Master Plan to help more animals in need is the creation of a new adoption and community center at our site on Austin Boulevard. This new facility near Austin Landing will allow us to continue to move forward and impact the community to better meet the needs of all animals, while saving more lives! For more information on how you can be part of our expansion on Austin Boulevard near Austin Landing, contact Courtney Steckel at (937) 262-5923 or e-mail [email protected]. 

 

The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and receives no government funding and is not affiliated with any other regional, state or national organization including the Humane Society of the United States. The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is proud to be a no-kill facility and the area’s oldest agency – serving the people and pets in our community for the past 118 years. For more information on our programs and services, visit www.hsdayton.org.

Hot Head Burritos Offers Keto and Paleo Options

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Healthy eating and losing weight are the top of mind for over 50% of Americans and Hot Head Burritos is focused on helping people keep on track.  ‘Lil Bowls including Keto and Paleo friendly options are a staple at Hot Head Burritos but are really shine during the New Year’s Resolution season. 

Quick reference recipe cards help those new to Keto or Paleo eating choose a tasting option while staying on track. The Sweet Habanero Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Pork Verdo, Mango Habanero Barbacoa and Classic Chicken ‘Lil Bowls are full of flavor with only 270-390 calories.

The Nutrition Calculator on the Hot Head Burritos’ website allows customers to customize their meal to meet their personal tastes and easily see the calorie and nutrition results. Big Bowls and ‘Lil Bowls are also a great option for customers looking to eat Gluten free.

Delivery is available via Doordash, GrubHub and UberEats where available in addition to on-line order for convenient customer pick-up. 

Hot Head Burritos was founded in Dayton, Ohio in 2007 and has grown to over 75 locations in 7 states.  Hot Head Burritos restaurant offers a wide variety of Mexican food including burritos, bowls, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, salsas with a focus on their 8 unique sauces from Mild to Wild.  Beer and Margaritas are also available at select locations. Find the location nearest you here.

Rock Bands Unite to Help Beat Cancer at Blind Bob’s

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I say it often: the Dayton music community is full of the most generous people I know. It’s often a two way street, and this weekend, musicians take care of three of their biggest supporters, who are currently battling cancer. If you love rock’n’roll, this show is a win-win all around!

Night of the Beat (Cancer) takes place at Blind Bob’s on Saturday January 25th, to benefit Jaime Testa, Amanda Hensler and Tyler Gilcher. All three of them have been major supporters of the Dayton music community, staples in the Oregon District, and have huge hearts! They absolutely deserve a fantastic party in their honor, raising money to help them continue their fight.

Music is of course on the agenda! Four area rock bands that are donating their time and talents to this party, including: Abertooth Lincoln, Weathervein, Business Casuals, and We Are The Movies.

Sabrina Cox, one of the organizers of this event, explains what makes this event so special: “Last year was really hard for Oregon District, and Dayton as a whole. In the midst of all the tragedies, three beloved members of the Oregon District community were also fighting cancer. We are a community that comes together to love each other in every situation – and this is no exception. The Cancer Cuties, as we lovingly call them, are our friends, family, and neighbors. All the money collected at the door goes directly to them.”

Amander Hensler is one of the “Cancer Cuties” who is benefiting from Saturday night’s Night of the Beat concert.

How to Go?

Saturday January 25th at Blind Bob’s

Doors 9pm

$7 at the door (additional donations encouraged!)

21+

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1022647121404471/

First inductees Announced For The Funk Music Hall of Fame

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On Saturday, Sept 26th as a part of the 2nd Dayton Funk Symposium  held at the University of Dayton, The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center will induct its first class of inductees into The Funk Music Hall of Fame – James Brown, George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic and The Ohio Players.  As pioneers of a musical genre which came to life during the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these artists created a cultural form of expression that allowed Black musicians to speak freely about African American social and cultural life.

Brown, Clinton and The Ohio Players are Funk pioneers who attributed to the birthing of the different forms of the Funk genre such as P-Funk, Jazz-Funk, Fusion Funk and Electro Funk just to name a few. Today we celebrate those who brought it to life by forever remembering their wonderful legacies as our first inductees.

James Brown Photo by James Mccauley/REX/Shutterstock

James Brown, “The Godfather of Soul”, can also be called “the Founding Father of Funk.’ His famous song, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!” was an anthem that placed Funk music as part of the cause to advance Black pride and empowerment. Brown is not only known for his contributions to social change, he is also noted for creating the then funky new sound called “On the One!” – the defining beat of Funk music that distinguishes it from other genres. He will always be remembered as the musician who developed this signature groove emphasizing the downbeat. His unique style remains recognizable in the music of countless musicians who have adopted his Funky sound.  His songs, “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” and “Soul Power” caused Funk and Soul music to become deeply connected to the issues surrounding urban black communities and racial injustice.  All in all, his lyrics instilled confidence, pride and awareness among Black Americans.

George Clinton

George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic Funkadelic is the visionary leader of a large collection of musician groups including, Parliament & Funkadelic, Brides of Funkenstein, and Parlet. Also, he opened the door for Bootsy Collins’ Bootsy’s Rubberband. Clinton created the cultural art form known as P-Funk which included many kinds of expressions including a fashion revolution, distinctive album cover art, and cartoon characters.  Who can forget Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic outfits that made Funk the ultimate psychedelic experience. His musical contributions prompted many R&B acts to adopt Funky types of dress sampling not only his music but his eccentric funky style.  P-Funk is James Brown’s sound with an outer space underwater out of this world touch that leaves dancers with two fingers up and a thumb on the side on the dance floor.

The Ohio Players

Last but not least, we choose to recognize our own The Ohio Players, Dayton Ohio from (Westbound Records to Mercury Records). All of the bands from this city and surrounding areas — Faze-O, Lakeside, Sun, Heatwave, Dayton, Platypus, Slave, Roger and Zapp and many, many others – drew inspiration from the success of The Ohio Players. They were Dayton’s first band to reach gold and platinum status with worldwide album sales. This pioneering band bridged Funk with jazz, and rhythm and blues. It’s  horns, chords, high-pitched harmonies and iconic lead voices, solidified the Funk sound. Amazing artist like Junie Morrison’s voice on Pain, and Funky Worm as well as Sugarfoot’s “Owl Gerl” exemplify the sweet sounds of Funk!

Please join The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center, by welcoming these phenomenal artists as their first inductees.  Stay tuned for details on the Induction ceremony.