April 12, 2023
This week’s LEO Weekly features an excerpt from “Half-Blown Rose” a book by Louisville author Leesa Cross-Smith.
Cover Story
Book Excerpt: “Half Blown Rose” By Leesa Cross-Smith, Which Releases On Paperback April 18
Louisville author Leesa Cross-Smith is releasing her fifth novel, “Half-Blown Rose,” on paperback on April 18. The hardback was released in 2022. Ahead of the release, LEO was lucky enough to get an excerpt of “Half-Blown Rose” to share with our readers. INT. MODERN ART MUSEUM – LATE AFTERNOON It is autumn in Paris, City…
Thunder Over Louisville 2024: Here’s The Schedule & Everything You Need To Know
Going to Thunder over Louisville and have some questions? You’re in the right place. There’s a lot to know about going to Thunder over Louisville. Thanks to the folks who run the show, we chose some of the most important tips and info to share with you. Here’s what you need to know. Thunder Over…
10 Things Under $10 To Do In Louisville This Week (4/24-4/28)
MONDAY, APRIL 24 DIY Series: Perler Bead Craft Fairdale Library, 10620 W. Manslick Rd. Free; registration required, space is limited. | 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Visit the West Manslick Library for an evening of craft activities using Perler beads; all levels are welcome. Ages 18 and up. Register by calling 502-375-2051. TUESDAY, APRIL 25…
Constellation Stage & Screen Announces 2023-2024 Season
Constellation Stage & Screen, an arts organization in Bloomington, Indiana, recently announced the shows in its 2023-2024 season. Single tickets will go on sale to the public on Wednesday, July 12; season ticket packages are available now and start at $80. The season will also include interactive movie screenings (“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “The…
Local Youth Hip-Hop Group The Real Young Prodigys To Perform At Harvard This Friday
The Real Young Prodigys, a local youth performance group that uses hip-hop to promote education and social change, will perform at Harvard University this Friday. The group will perform their song “CROWN,” which celebrates Black hair and helped inspire the passage of Louisville’s CROWN Act in 2021, at the Can’t Stop Hip Hop Conference, a…
Your Friendly Neighborhood Comic Reviews: ‘Indigo Children’ And ‘The Ambassadors’
“Indigo Children” #1 Story by Curt Pires & Rockwell White Art by Alex Diotto & Dee Cunniffe Indigo Children is a brand new Sci-Fi story based in Chechnya. The story follows Donovan Price, a journalist who was sent a mysterious videotape about the Indigo Children, a group of supernatural children who have a strange connection…
It’s Friday, It’s Louisville Taco Week, And We’re Hungry! Check Out A Few Yummy Local Taco Selections By LEO Weekly Writers.
Taco City — 1283 Bardstown Road I’ve been on the hunt for quality birria tacos, and Taco City always has my back. The quesa-birria tacos are the best. The meat is super tender with the melted cheese and crispy tortilla (and don’t get me started on the consume for dipping). Topped with cilantro, onions, and…
The 2023 GonzoFest Schedule — The Festival’s Last Ever — Is Here
GonzoFest, a local festival that celebrates the life and legacy of Louisville-born author and journalist Hunter S. Thompson, recently shared its schedule for 2023 — which will also be its last. The festival will return for its tenth and final year on Friday, July 14, and Saturday, July 15, at High Horse Bar. Tickets are…
3 Concerts To Catch In Louisville This Weekend (4/21-4/23)
FRIDAY, APRIL 21 Nicotine Dolls Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theatre $35.10-$46.80 | 8 p.m. The Nicotine Dolls will open for blues/soul singer Marc Broussard. Gravelly voiced lead singer Sam Cieri kicked off his career during the 17th season of America’s Got Talent. Now, the band is hitting its stride, performing tonight with originals — and (hopefully)…
KMAC Contemporary Art Museum Will Host “Shapeshifters,” The Latest Works By Japanese American Artist Masako Miki From April 22 Through August 6
KMAC will display works by Japanese American artist Masako Miki, opening with a launch party on Friday, April 21, from 5:30-7 p.m. Inspired by Japanese mythology, folklore and the animistic polytheisms of native Shinto traditions, artist Miki’s ever-evolving felted wool creations take on natural life shapes and elements such as plant life contours and human…
Street Artist Shepard Fairey Coming To Louisville To Discuss New Muhammad Ali Mural
Internationally known street artist Shepard Fairey is coming to Louisville this upcoming week to discuss the design process behind his new 7-story mural of Muhammad Ali Tuesday, April 25, 6-8 p.m. at Louisville Visual Art (1538 Lytle St). The piece will cover the east side of the Chestnut Street YMCA — just two blocks from…
Jack Harlow Takes On Woody Harrelson’s Role in Movie Remake Of “White Men Can’t Jump”
The new “White Men Can’t Jump” stars Louisville rap artist Jack Harlow alongside “Friday Night Lights” alum. and “Nanny” actor Sinqua Walls. Director Charles Kidd II, who works under the moniker Calmatic, praised Harlow’s performance in a recent Variety.com article. In the article, Calmatic said of Harlow, “He was very committed and got emotional for…
LEO Weekly’s 4/20 Munchies, Music And Mellow Mash-Up
We know what day it is, and we haven’t left you in the cold. Here’s where to find the music, the munchies and a little Mellow enjoyment for the special day. If all else fails, laying in the grass under some trees is always an option and the weather is fine. Keep it green, friends. …
Speed Art Museum Weighs In: Was Monet’s Work Influenced By Air Pollution?
“Everything is as good as dead, no train, no smoke, no boat, nothing to excite the inspiration a little.” — 19th-century artist Claude Monet, in a letter to his wife. Could air pollution have played a role in the work of 19th-century Impressionist painter Claude Monet? CNN recently reported a story about the theory that…
Louisville: Show Us Your Pants (Do It)!
The JCPS 15th district Parent Teacher Association (PTA)’s Clothing Assistance Program (CAP) is hosting a clothing drive to benefit young boys and girls in the area ages 6 through 16. The greatest need is for new and/or gently used pants; All clothing donated is distributed directly to Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) students. Feeling the love?…
Kentucky Has Fourth-Most Chemical Plants Subject To Proposed New Curbs On Toxic Emissions
‘A game changer, especially for children,’ says EPA administrator Michael Regan This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here. The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency recently used the smokestacks of Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” as…
Get Soul Hi On Vegan Tacos During Louisville Taco Week (4/17-4/23)
Vegans across the ‘Ville: If you haven’t checked out one of the most recent vegan restaurant options, Louisville Taco Week has a new option. Soul Hi Vegan, which has been serving up vegan soul food since late last year, is serving up three taco options through Sunday, April 23, as part of Louisville Taco Week.…
Louisville Orchestra Announces 2023-2024 Season
On Monday, the Louisville Orchestra announced its lineup of upcoming programming for the 2023-2024 season, which will also be music director Teddy Abrams’ tenth season with the Orchestra. The lineup includes events in four series at Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts (Pops, Coffee, Film Series, and Classics); one at the…
Louisville Laughs: The SUPERLIST Of Louisville Comedy (4/19)
The SUPERLIST of Louisville Comedy A list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics in the Louisville area. If we missed your event, let us know. (Information on how to sign up for open mics at bottom). UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS Wednesday, April 19 7:30 p.m. — Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic, The…
Feed Louisville: Chefs Fight Local Houselessness With Food And Resources
Early in 2020, Chef Rhona Bowles Kamar was trying to figure out what she wanted to do in life. Recently divorced, and out of the job she’d done as co-owner and chef at Ramsi’s Cafe on the World for 25 years, she was doing some catering and wondering what to do next. Then came COVID-19.…
The 2023 Poorcastle Schedule Is Here
The three-day music festival Poorcastle, a “fest for the rest” that aims to be a more accessible and all-local alternative to Forecastle, released its 2023 schedule earlier this month. The festival will return to Breslin Park (1400 Payne St.) this year from Friday, May 19, through Sunday, May 21. Tickets are currently $15 for a…
Muhammad Ali Musical To Have World Premiere In Louisville In 2024
The new musical “ALI,” which chronicles champion boxer and activist Muhammad Ali’s life and rise to fame, will have its world premiere in Louisville in 2024, Broadway publicity agency Boneau/Bryan-Brown announced yesterday. The show will premiere at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts next fall and will “utilize the musical theatre medium to explore…
Marc Broussard Brings Rhythm & Blues To Louisville Friday, April 21
Bayou soul singer Marc Broussard will bring his rhythm & blues to Louisville Friday, April 21 at 8:00 p.m. in the Bomhard Theater at The Kentucky Center (501 W Main St). Broussard’s newest album S.O.S. 4: Blues For Your Soul will be the highlight of the show with proceeds from the album going to charities…
TUESDAY TRACKLIST: THE HOMIES, MARKO, WHITE REAPER, AND MORE (4/18)
In this new weekly feature, a different LEO staff member will share 7-10 of the songs repeating in their playlists right now. (Songs by Louisville artists are marked with an (*) asterisk.) Got a track that you think we’d like? Let us know at leo@leoweekly.com or click the author’s name for email. KAYTRAMINÉ ft. Pharrell…
Grammy Award-Winning Singer and ‘Girl On Fire’ Alicia Keys Coming To KFC YUM! Center in July
Alicia Keys is bringing The “Keys To Summer” Tour to the KFC YUM! Center Thursday, July 20, for a little sweet relief from the summer heat. Tickets for the show go on sale to the general public Friday, April 21, at 9 a.m. but pre-sales are happening now. For more information about tickets visit LiveNation.com.…
Mind’s Eye Theatre Company Presents The Spooky And Macabre Musical “The Addams Family”
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky… and they’re coming to a stage near you beginning this weekend. “The Addams Family” musical takes the classic spooky and dark American family and introduces young love between Wednesday Addams and a new kid in town named Lucas. After telling their families during dinner of their desire…
Avoid the Rain! Celebrate Thunder Indoors at Kentucky Performing Arts’ Thunder at The Kentucky Center
The kickoff of Kentucky Derby Festival is upon us, starting Saturday, April 22, with Thunder Over Louisville. Kentucky Performing Arts offers Thunder-goers an opportunity to view the show from the comfort of The Kentucky Center — and avoid the potential rain forecast — at 501 W. Main Street. The event begins at 2 p.m. The…
10 Things Under $10 To Do In Louisville This Week (4/17-4/22)
MONDAY, APRIL 17 Louisville Taco Week $2.50; All week long 17 Local Restaurants Louisville Taco Week is back for its third annual tour! From today until Sunday, April 23, enjoy $2.50 tacos at 17 participating establishments. Three taco minimum; join the app to win prizes and mech. Trivia Night At Gravely Gravely Brewing Co., 514…
![[Video] Here’s Everything We (And Others) Saw At KMAC Couture On Saturday, April 15](https://i0.wp.com/www.leoweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/kmac-couture.webp?resize=1200%2C900&ssl=1)
[Video] Here’s Everything We (And Others) Saw At KMAC Couture On Saturday, April 15
KMAC Couture was held this past Saturday, April 15, in Paristown. The event is the biggest fundraiser for the museum and each year, chooses several independent artists and designers to create fashion looks for the “Art Walks The Runway” fashion show. The event raised more than $250,000 that will be used for programming, education and…
Record Store Day Returns This Saturday, April 22, With Its Usual Fun and Sales
On Saturday, April 22 independent record stores around the world will once again celebrate Record Store Day, celebrating the culture of independent record sellers and the experience of the brick and mortar record store. Louisville indie record stores will also be taking part in the celebration again this year. The Great Escape (2433 Bardstown Rd.)…
Goodbounce Pickleball Yard Opens Today, April 17, On The Louisville Waterfront
Calling all pickleball enthusiasts: Goodbounce Pickleball Yard, a new outdoor pickleball court and dining/cocktail concept, opens today by the river at 1515 River Shore Drive. The venue has six pickleball courts, a 14,000-square-foot gameyard with lawn games such as cornhole and bocce, a picnic area with tables, shade shelters and swings and a 2,600-square foot…
‘Ain’t That America’: John Mellencamp Brings Two-Night Tour To Louisville This Monday And Tuesday
“Only in America, and I mean only, in America, can 21 people be murdered and a week later be buried and forgotten, with a flimsy little thumbnail, a vague notion of some sort of gun control law laying on the senators’ desks. What kind of people are we who claim that we care about pro-life?…
Cheers! Louisville Ale Trail To Celebrate Third Annual 502 Beer Appreciation Day
Hop on out to Louisville’s numerous breweries to show your love for locally crafted beer during the Louisville Ale Trail’s Third Annual 502 Beer Appreciation Day on Tuesday, May 2. Twenty-seven participating breweries will offer a wide selection of special releases and pint specials for $5.02 in this day-long event. In conjunction with Derby-time excitement,…
Speed Cinema To Screen “Master of Light” And Q&A With Black Classical Oil Painter George Anthony Morton
Speed Cinema (2035 S 3rd St.) will screen “Master of Light,” a documentary about classical American Black artist and oil painter George Anthony Morton, at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 16. The film, directed by Rosa Ruth Boesten, follows Morton’s artistic journey from his time in prison for dealing drugs to his later efforts at…
Soapbox: Where We Know What You’re Thinking
We like it when you talk to us, even if you’re upset. This space is for you. Sometimes, we talk back. Married priests I listened to a “news” story on WDRB that Pope Francis is entertaining the idea of MARRIED priests. I always find it interesting that the Church denies the married priests already in…
3 Concerts To Catch In Louisville This Weekend (4/14-4/16)
FRIDAY, APRIL 14 The Four Horsemen – Tribute to Metallica The Mercury Ballroom Tickets start at $15 | 9 p.m. This national touring act from Akron, Ohio will perform ‘album quality’ Metallica songs until early Saturday morning. So break out the leather and studs, tease your hair and get ready to thrash. SATURDAY, APRIL 15…
Ask Mayor Wando: Going to a Dispensary in a Legal State, An Abbreviated Guide
Get your bags packed, get ready to hit the high road and travel to a state where recreational cannabis is legal… aaand GO! As it stands right now, cannabis is currently illegal for recreational consumption in Kentucky. That’s also true of some of its neighbors. It’s currently illegal in Indiana and Tennessee. In Ohio, West…
5 Things To Do In Louisville This Weekend (4/14-4/16)
FRIDAY, APRIL 14 Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts $46.80-$134.55 | 8 p.m. This touring Broadway musical about The Temptations and their rise to fame will feature plenty of the group’s best hits. “The Rocky Horror Show” – Halfway to Halloween (18+) Play Louisville…
KMAC Couture Presents “One for the Books.”
KMAC Contemporary Art Museum (715 W. Main St.), will host its 11th annual KMAC Couture event on Saturday, April 15. The theme for this year’s couture is “One for the Books,” and is inspired by treasured literature. It’s like Louisville’s own mini Met Gala. This year’s event will take place at a new venue in…
Center For Interfaith Relations Young Authors Essay Contest Winner: ‘Sanctum of Healing’
The Center for Interfaith Relations recently solicited essays from emerging young authors (ages 13-18) as part of its Young Authors Essay Contest. The nonprofit asked participants to reflect on the theme of “one human family” and how people relate to each other despite differences. Miss Della had a calm, soothing voice. There was work to…
Actors Theatre’s ‘Party People’ Looks Back At The Black Panthers And Young Lords
Actors Theatre presents Party People, a play paying homage to the Black Panthers and Young Lords. Three shows remain for Actors Theatre’s production. Today, Friday, April 14 at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 15 at 7 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, April 16, at 2 p.m. Join the party in the Pamela Brown Auditorium for…
Kentucky Lantern: Hundreds gather to mourn those lost in Louisville mass shooting
This story is by the Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. More of Kentucky Lantern’s work can be found at kentuckylantern.com. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter. For help coping with Louisville’s mass shooting, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988…
RAIN, The ‘Ultimate’ Beatles Tribute Band, Takes Brown Theatre ‘Across The Universe’ of Beatles Music
On Tuesday, April 18, RAIN, the “ultimate ” Beatles tribute band, takes the stage at the Brown Theatre (315 W. Broadway) for a night sharing live, “note-for-note’ performances of The Beatles music. The show starts at 7:30 p.m and will transport audience members through The Beatles career spanning their earliest hits to the songs they…
Derby Festival Block Party Gathering Offers Food and Family Fun in Louisville’s West End
The Kentucky Derby Festival will host its annual community Block Party this Saturday, April 15, at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center (3029 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The free celebration will bring the West Louisville community together with inflatables, face painting, live entertainment, works by visual artists, and…
Tracy Likes This One: At The Speed Cinema
“Hilma” Hilma af Klint was a Swedish artist whose gender and spiritual practices kept her from being recognized as the inventor of abstract art. She painted throughout her long life (1862-1944) despite the lack of encouragement from the art world at large, and left behind a massive body of work. That work was put in…
Title IX Guy: Community Spotlight On Walden And St. X
Each April the teal ribbons are pulled from their drawers, social media campaigns are launched, and Take Back the Night candles are lit. Established in 2001, Sexual Assault Awareness Month has raised public awareness and educated over two decades worth of college students on sexual assault prevention. While prevention trends in the month of April,…
Thorns and Roses: Mass Shootings, Kelly Craft And The Tennessee State House Debacle
Thorn: A big BOO to the Republican-led hatred campaign across the United States but, in particular, the blatantly racist behavior of our neighbors to the South in the Tennessee State House, which expelled two Black Democratic representatives for holding a protest for stricter gun regulation after six people were killed at a Tennessee school last…
Is This Paradise? Indian Buffet Is Back
Remember back before Covid when restaurant buffets were commonplace? Lots of people love a buffet meal, and why not? You get abundant choice, all you can eat, and there’s no wait for a server and chef to do their work before you can pitch in. That’s a lot to like, but a lot of people…
‘Let It Resound Loud As The Rolling Sea: Ida B. Wells In Louisville’ takes off at First Unitarian and Southwick Community Center
According to an old saying, “history is written by the winners.” I think it’s more accurate to say that history – the real stuff – is more likely to be erased by the winners. There is plenty of evidence for that in the legacies of exclusion that have marginalized non-white, non-cis-male history in US education,…
An Update About Medical Marijuana In Kentucky: Where We Are
Kentucky became the 38th state to approve medical marijuana during the 2023 General Assembly, a years-in-the-making win for advocates, although the Commonwealth’s program is expected to be one of the most restrictive in the country. Senate Bill 47 cleared Kentucky’s Republican-controlled legislature on the final day of this year’s session, March 30, and was signed…
Following Louisville Shootings, Speed Art Museum Announces Free Admission Through Sunday
The Speed Art Museum announced this morning that it is waiving all admission fees through Sunday, April 16, to create “a safe space where people can grieve the lives lost and hold the victims and their families in their hearts” following Monday’s shootings in downtown Louisville. In a press release, museum director Raphaela Platow said,…
How To Avoid Scams And Help Victims Of Monday’s Mass Shooting In Louisville
On Monday, April 10, Louisville experienced its first mass shooting since Standard Gravure printing plant in 1989, and where nine people died and a dozen were injured. Monday’s shooting at Preston Pointe in downtown Louisville, left six people, including the shooter, dead, with eight other victims being injured, including two Louisville Metro Police Department officers. …
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Kelly Craft’s New Ad For Governor Is Almost Too Bonkers To Believe [VIDEO]
Kelly Craft’s campaign for governor of Kentucky has made some ridiculous plays. In her bid to get attention and become the 64th governor of the state, the former ambassador to Canada seems determined to have the most embarrassing and meme-worthy campaign that she can. From the very awkward Jack Harlow tweets…. For @jackharlow – it’s…
Sis Got Tea: New LGBTQ-Friendly Tea Business Opens In Germantown
Sis Got Tea (976 Barrett Ave.), a Black, queer, and woman-owned tea shop that aims to provide a safe and sober gathering place for the LGBTQ community, is open in Germantown. The first brick and mortar location for the business opened Sunday, April 9. After three years of applying for grants and trying to make…
