Got the Blues Over the Cincy Winter Blues Fest

Standing in line outside the Phoenix

On Saturday Feb. 7, 2015 we attended the Cincy Winter Blues Fest in downtown Cincinnati at the Phoenix. The event was sponsored by the Cincy Blues Society.  We were so excited. We love blues music and this was our first time attending any of the Cincy Blues Fest events.

We were ready for a long night filled with the blues. And it was... but we were the ones singing the blues.

The doors of the Phoenix opened at 5:30 p.m. We arrived around 6:00 p.m. The line was just slightly out the door. So far so good. That was, until we got to the front door and saw the enormous marble staircase leading to the first floor. The line was longer than we thought.

We finally got to the top of the staircase about a half hour after the first acts started. The crowd on the first floor was shoulder to shoulder by then. We couldn't even get a peek at Ricky Nye performing in the first floor Tea Room. It must be because this was the first stop walking in the door and the smallest venue. Surely it would be better upstairs in the bigger ballrooms.

First we needed beverages. The line was long there as well. We purchased our five dollar, 12 oz. domestic beers and went to explore the other floors before finding a place to land for the evening. After navigating another huge staircase leading to the open gallery outside the Archway Ballroom on the second floor we needed to sit for a minute.

Beautiful marble stairs lead to the 2nd floor.

Johnny Fink and the Intrusion were performing in the Archway Ballroom and it was as packed as the Tea Room on the first floor, even though it had a larger capacity.

Since (once again) we couldn't get in to see the band we wandered into the Cincinnati Room adjacent to the side stage of the ballroom. It was like entering an elegant parlor from the past. The Phoenix is a beautiful old building designed by the renowned architect, Samuel Hannaford. It was built in 1893 and it is one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance architecture in Cincinnati. Floor to ceiling windows, Tiffany stained glass, huge marble staircases and elegant archways combine for a nostalgic feeling of a time gone by.

We found a place to sit and settle for a minute. We could kind of hear the band playing next door, but the music was muffled as the doors to the side stage leading into the ballroom were kept closed.

It was now 7:00 p.m. and we were anxious about getting a seat on the third floor to see Joanne Shaw Taylor at 9:00 p.m. Our friends ran up to the third floor Grand Ballroom, the largest of the three venues, to investigate the seating situation. They came back and informed us that the Grand Ballroom was standing room only too. But we still had hope. Maybe when the acts switched, the crowds in the ballrooms would shift too. So we went up to the third floor to lean on the balcony to wait until Tempted Souls finished their act.

Tiffany stained glass outside the Archway.

Unfortunately there were more people coming up the stairs than going down. Again we got to listen but not see the performance. We entered the Grand Ballroom between acts hoping to see someone leave.

The seating arrangement here was odd. There was a huge dance floor in front of the stage surrounded by tables with chairs and more rows of chairs arranged lecture style on either side. Taking up a huge corner of the room was a beverage booth. So as the room became more crowded people started standing on the dance floor obstructing the view of the people in the chairs. Eventually the whole venue became standing room only.

After standing for about forty minutes, we decided to try to find a seat somewhere...anywhere. We knew by now it wasn't going to be on the third floor. We went back down to the Cincinnati Room and luckily found two seats at a table in the alcove next to the stage doors. The doors were still closed but occasionally a band member would come out and we would get a glimpse of the band. This is where we ended up spending the rest of the evening.

When Jay Jesse Johnson took the stage at 8:00 p.m. we convinced a stage hand to leave a door open to the side stage. At least now we were able to kind of watch and sort of listen.

By 9:00 p.m. they ran out of beer. RAN OUT OF BEER BY NINE! So halfway through the Leroy Ellington Blues Band act we left.

It is clear Mark Bubash, director of this event, and the management of the Phoenix were not prepared for the huge attendance. They over-sold tickets and over-packed the venue. They ran out of food and beverages before the headliner acts even took the stage. We were very, very, very disappointed.

It's a Family Affair - Main Auction Galleries

J. Karp at the microphone.

It's 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday at Main Auction Galleries and J. Louis Karp, president and fourth generation auctioneer, takes the microphone.

"Welcome to Main Auction Galleries. The auction we've been doing for over a hundred years."

He explains the terms of the auction. No bid registration required. When you win a bid just give the clerk your initials. Checks, cash and credit cards accepted, however there is an additional 3% charge when paying by credit card.

Jay grabs the first box lot and begins the auction.

"What have we here? Oh look at this crap! Who would want to buy this stuff!? Can I have $5 to start the bid?" So the bidding begins - and so does the entertainment.

J. Louis Karp is not only known as one of the most highly respected and trusted auctioneers in the region, he also plays a bombastic, crotchety, sometimes raunchy character at the auctioneer podium. His son Jonas plays his straight man. The Regulars are used to it and even shout a few jabs back more often than not.

J. Louis Karp began his career as an auctioneer at the age of fifteen. He is the fourth generation of his family to run the business. Jonas, his son and partner, makes the fifth generation. And in spite of the comedy act and jabs, both father and son are highly knowledgeable, honest, genuine and generous.

Main Auction Gallery is a family affair. On this particular morning Jay's daughter-in-law and grandchildren have come to wish Popi (Jay) happy birthday and present him with a homemade banner which Jonas promptly attaches to the wall. Then we all sing happy birthday.

Looking west on Fourth Street.

Five generations of Karps have run this highly regarded auction house since 1870. Their employees are treated as family and it shows in their stellar customer service. And that tight knit family feeling extends to the Regulars who come to the weekly Tuesday auctions, which includes me and my husband. Main Auction is our standing weekly date.

The Tuesday Regulars are the family in the audience. The bidders and buyers. Many greet each other by first name. Some even have reserved seats. They examine the items displayed as they ask each other about their families and how their week went.

They come for a variety of reasons. Some own brick and mortar shops, some do business strictly online, some are high-end dealers. Some come for the free donuts in the morning, some come for the free pizza in the afternoon. And I suspect some come to get good deals on quality stuff for their downtown homes. Downtown Cincinnati is definitely experiencing a residential renaissance.

The Tuesday auctions run until 2:00 p.m. So if you're downtown on a Tuesday, Main Auction Galleries at 137 W. Fourth Street is definitely worth a peek. Pictures of items offered for auction are uploaded  to their website the Friday prior to each Tuesday auction. All lots are available for inspection prior to the auction all day Monday and Tuesday morning before 10:30 a.m.

Ya Gotta Know When to Hold 'em...

and know when to fold 'em. Sage advice from Kenny Rodgers.

We visited the new Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati for the first time on Saturday. Yeah, we picked the biggest party weekend of the year, St. Patrick's Day, for our first visit to the casino, which had opened little more than a week before.

Timing is everything. It was an easy drive from the east side taking 275 to 471 to the Liberty Street exit. Turn left on Reading Road and the parking garage entrance is right there. We arrived around 7:00 p.m. and were able to quickly find a parking space in the 2,500-space, five-story parking garage. We were pleased to find out parking was free on the weekends as well as on week nights from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

There was no line to get in to the casino. We walked right in without a wait. So far, so good.

First of all, a disclaimer: I am not a gambler. Gambling does nothing for me. On the other hand, my husband was raised reading a racing form at River Downs. So he gambles and I wander around with my Bud Light in hand and people watch. And there is no better place to people watch than a casino.

Blue ice cubes surround the Rock Bar

The first thing that attracted my attention was the really cool Rock Bar and Lounge right smack in the middle of the 100,000 sq. ft. casino floor elevated slightly above the 2,000 slot machines and 85 gaming tables. The bar was packed with patrons rocking to Anna and Milovan, a local father daughter team plus one. The bar area is oval-shaped walled by tall columns with generous open space between each column. This allows gamblers, wandering from one slot machine to the other, to see and listen to the music from outside the bar area. The surrounding architecture of the bar area includes columns of what looks like giant blue ice cubes that you can peek through as well.

The food venues are all accessible from inside the casino floor and include Bobby Flay's Bobby's Burger palace (a two hour wait that night), Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (a three hour wait), Jack Binion's Steak (didn't even attempt it), Starbucks, and The Spread Buffet with the Cafe Italia (20 minute wait). We settled for pizza at the Cafe Italia, squeezing six of us into two small round tables with only three chairs available.

Electronic roulette. Bets are placed on a touchscreen.

The Horseshoe offers a good variety of electronic games in addition to the zombie-inducing slot machines. In addition to the traditional roulette tables, that dole out chips to play, there is electronic roulette. There are also multiple choices of video poker games,  including Bonus Poker, Deuces Wild and All Star Poker. There is a separate 31-table World Series of Poker room for the more serious poker player. Total Touch Technology allows you to order drinks from the slot machine so you won't have to interrupt the crucial concentration it takes to play slots.

What I didn't see that night was the 33,000 sq. ft. second level slotted for meetings and events. The second level includes The Pavilion for live performances with seating for 1,400.  Joel Mchale will perform stand up comedy on April 20 and IL DIVO, a classical crossover quartet, will perform on April 27. But wait, there's more! The Horseshoe is planning a summer concert series as well. These concerts will take place on the outdoor event plaza, The Shoe, located at the front entrance of the casino. The Grammy-nominated rock band, The Killers, will kick off the summer concert series on May 16. Now that's what I'm talking about. Give me live entertainment any day over a slot machine.

Joe Bonamassa Rocks the House

Inside the historic Taft Theater in downtown Cincinnati

Went to see Joe Bonamassa on a moonlit Saturday night in March at the beautiful Taft Theater in downtown Cincinnati. Who the heck is Joe Bonamassa you say? well, I had never heard of him either until some friends turned us on to him last year. WNKU 89.7 on the FM dial features his music on a regular basis.

Bonamassa rips through The Ballad of John Henry

Bonamassa is a gifted guitarist who did his first show on November 11, 1989 when he was only in the seventh grade. Supported by his parents, sister and a slew of aunts and uncles and grandparents he performed in an old converted bank-turned-restaurant/blues club called The Metro in Utica, New York. And then went home to do his homework.

One of the things that stand out about Bonamassa is his soul wrenching gift on the guitar...or rather guitars in the plural. He owns many guitars including a Gibson Les Paul Historic Gold Top and a Gibson Korina Flying V. He plays in the older, smaller historic theaters which do a much better job of acoustics than the larger stadiums and collisseums. He has an intimate relationship with his audience and those who know him, love him. His back up on this night was a trio of fine musicians; Carmine Rojas playing the bass, Bogie Bowles on the drums and Rick Melick on the keyboard.

Last year we saw Bonamassa for the first time at the historic Victoria Theater in Dayton. We loved him so much that when he was scheduled at the Taft Theater this past March we jumped on the tickets. On this particular Saturday in March he was at the historic Taft Theater in downtown Cincinnati where there isn't a bad seat in the house. The light show was phenomenal and mesmerizing. The crowd was an eclectic mixture of middle, young and a little younger crowd. I would say a good half of the crowd was probably old enough to be Bonamassa's parents. His style is a mix of Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix. He works hard with a full tour schedule mostly in the US but he's played in Europe as well. Watch Eric Clapton Perform Live With Bonamassa at the Royal Albert Hall in England here.

His story is fascinating having been in love with the guitar from a very young age, his passion for his music is apparent. If you ever get a chance to see him I highly recommend. It's an experience you'll never forget.