The Insider

The festival takes place from Aug 27-30, 2009 kicking off from 7-10 pm on Thursday Aug. 27 with a free concert by Son del Caribe and a free Salsa class on Fountain Square.

Friday, Aug 28 features the Chicago Mambo All-Stars and the preliminary round of the Tri-State Salsa Open Championship, a regional dance contest. In addition to live music, there will also be a bachata/meringue room on the lower level, hosted by DJ Lexuz. 9 pm -1 am at the Contemporary Arts Center, 44 E 6th St. $15.

Saturday, Aug 29 involves dance workshops from 10 am – 2 pm at the Hyatt Regency, 151 W 5th St, followed by the first full day of the Salsa Festival at Sawyer Point (open noon-10 pm). At 6 pm there will be an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Largest Salsa Class. The evening will feature the After-Party at the Hyatt Regency from 10 pm – 3 am, showcasing the Casablanca band and the final round of the Tri-State Open Championship.

Sunday, Aug 30 features dance workshops from 10 am – 2 pm at the Hyatt Regency, followed by the second full day of the Salsa Festival at Sawyer Point from noon – 9 pm.

Performers:

Thursday Kick-off: Son del Caribe – one of Cincinnati's favorite local Salsa bands

Pre-Party Headliner: Chicago Mambo All Stars – hot Latin band from Chicago

Saturday headliner: Chamaco Rivera – international star from Puerto Rico

Afterparty and Sunday headliner: Casablanca Orchestra with Jose Rosa – amazing orchestra with virtuoso percussionist Jose Rosa, will play a tribute to Tito Puente, the King of Latin Jazz

Sunday afternoon: Poco Loco – one of Cincinnati's most exciting new Latin Jazz ensembles, Poco Loco plays music that reflects the roots of Salsa, the dance music of the Palladium days. 

Pricing: Admission to Pre and After Parties is $15. Dance Workshops are $15 each or $95 for a pass to all 8 workshops. Entry to the Salsa Festival at Sawyer Point and the Kickoff at Fountain Square are FREE.

For one night only, come see great local music featuring 500 Miles to Memphis with The Sundresses, Kristen Key and Eclipse! The music kicks off at 5 pm (doors open at 4:30) and Christian Moerlein beer and Lucy Blue Pizza will be available. This will be an amazing night for a great cause!

Give Back Cincinnati has worked with the Emery for two hands-on events over the past two years, and now is your opportunity to see the theatre in action! Give Back Beyond Cincinnati (GBBC) is hosting a fundraising concert at the historic theatre. Online presale tickets are $20 ($25 day of show) and are on sale here!

Proceeds from the event will be used to help send Give Back Cincinnati Members to Guatemala as they partner with Habitat for Humanity to build homes in the village of Xela.

The Emery Theatre is located at the corner of Central Pkwy and Walnut downtown, and was home to the Cincinnati Symphony until 1936. It is a sister theatre to Carnegie Hall in NYC as both were based on the same designs and because of their superior acoustics. For more information on the Emery click here.

UNDERBELLY @ Southgate House Tues Sept 1

From the twisted minds of local misfits and the desperate plottings of social deviants comes new and uncharted territory: a comedy show with no stand up.

Underbelly, Cincinnati's newest and most unusual comedy
showcase, is held on the first Tuesday of every month at the Historic Southgate House. The show features a rotating lineup of Cincinnati's best stand-up comedians doing improv, sketches, music, and poetry - everything except stand-up comedy.

Come to see the most daring local comedic talent get out on a limb, soar and sometimes crash and burn. Get right down there on the cutting edge of Cincinnati's alternative arts scene, and experience the underbelly of local comedy. It's worth every penny of the free admission.

Join their Facebook Group here and check out their promo video here.

The next Underbelly will take place at 9 p.m. on Tuesday Sept 1, at Southgate House in Newport.

The name is a fitting one. Berecz's voice, evoking Alicia Keys and Chaka Khan with a unique melodic sensibility of her own, places her at the forefront of new R&B vocalists alongside Keyshia Cole, John Legend and Corrine Bailey Rae. There is nothing retro about Stefanie Berecz--which is not to say that The Right Now don't tip their hats to their musical roots. Stefanie's vocals float on a warm concoction of Stax-like horns and trebly guitar vamping that recalls Steve Cropper and Curtis Mayfield.

All these qualities are out in full force on the group's debut album, Eli Jones' Make it Right. Since that album's release, The Right Now has toured extensively and has racked up radio and television appearances along the way. With their next album set for release this fall (recording with Steve Gillis and Vijay Tellis-Nayak at Transient Sound), and several national tours and festival dates to follow that release, The Right Now is poised to garner the national attention that they deserve.