Cover Story
Youth violence: The Secret Geography of Louisville
This is the second in an occasional series of stories about Louisville’s youth violence problem and the record homicide rate, examining their causes and the ways in which the city and community are fighting for peace. Darin Ware grew up around gangsters. His uncle led an ‘80s-era crew, the Chilly Boyz, and other family had…
10 things to do under $5 this week in Louisville (4/10)
MONDAY Yoga + Beer Goodwood Brewing $5 donation | 5:30 p.m. This event combines two fantastic after-work activities, yoga and drinking beer from Goodwood Brewing. Just bring a yoga mat and your yogi friends for an all-levels session with instructor Abbey Brooks. Bring a $5 donation for the instructor (and don’t forget your beer money!).…
How the play ‘Airness’ and meeting Lt. Facemelter led to an epic air guitar weekend
Last Friday, I opened my email, and there was a message from someone named Lt. Facemelter, who informed me that he was coming to Louisville and wanted to talk to me… about competitive air guitar. Now, obviously, there is setup to this story, and some other great moments along the way, including a rad climax…
My Brush with Chuck: Former GonzoFest keynote speaker, poet Frank Messina recalls meeting Chuck Berry
In the summer of 1996 I was invited by the Oglala Sioux Tribe to perform at a benefit concert at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The Badlands. I was the only poet. Musicians such as Taj Mahal, Whitesnake, and Dub Syndicate were on the bill. Major acts. But none bigger than Chuck Berry.…
A Q&A with fiber artist Vallorie Henderson
If you think artists are real-world challenged and flighty by nature, you need to meet Vallorie Henderson (valloriehendersontextiles.com). She is a creative that is so organized and business-minded that she teaches other artists how to be as well through the Kentucky Small Business Development Center. But first came her own art discovery. LEO: What type…
5 Things To Do This Weekend in Louisville (4/7)
FRIDAY A Weekend of Love & Resistance (April 7–9) Fresh Start Growers Supply Times vary | $5-$10 suggested donation Join over 35 local musicians as they play their hearts out in the name of love and resistance. This music festival is for those who “believe in the power of the arts to speak truth to power…
Stories from Trump’s banned countries: Iraqi immigrant, ‘We live real life of freedom’
This is the first of seven stories LEO will publish about immigrants in Louisville who came from the seven countries — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen — that President Trump initially targeted with bans. Documentary photographer Amira Karaoud said about her series of photographs and interviews: “‘Keep the American Dream Alive’ tells…
Thorns and Roses: The Worst, Best and Most Absurd
Trump can’t ‘Get ’em out’ | Rose Congratulations to local lawyers Dan Canon, David Ward, Camille Bathurst and Greg Belzley and the three protesters who are suing Donald tRump, claiming he provoked violence against them at a rally here in March 2016. A federal judge agreed enough evidence existed to advance the lawsuit, in which…
Learn to Be a Trans ?and Queer Ally
When members of the LGB community hear of events that bring awareness to, or fundraise for, the T and/or Q community, they often think of big celebrations at PLAY Louisville or Nowhere Bar that feature drag shows and speakers. While there’s nothing wrong with those events, Derek Guy, social outreach chair for Louisville Trans Man,…
The end of the road: I Have A Knife talk about their second and final record
For the last three years, I Have a Knife has been creating a beautiful ruckus through punk sneer and hardcore fury. The band, with local luminary Sean Garrison on vocals, Greg Livingston on guitar, Gabrielle Kays on bass and Evan Wallace on drums, recently released their second — and final — record, Of Criminals and…
Don Was talks about The Last Waltz 40 Tour
On Thanksgiving Day 1976, the iconic rock-‘n’-roll ensemble known simply as The Band bid farewell through a high-profile concert dubbed The Last Waltz. The event was filmed by Martin Scorsese and captured in the now-legendary music documentary of the same name. In anticipation of The Last Waltz 40, an all-star celebratory tour that comes to…
White Reaper does it again: Another subtle shift results in their? biggest record yet
White Reaper, for a few years now, has been moving slowly toward the sound that they have achieved on their new record, The World’s Best American Band. As they’ve grown with the band, they’ve naturally become more thoughtful in terms of what they want to get out of their sound. But they haven’t lost the…
Relax with upscale comfort food at The Blackstone Grille
Let’s see … Mexican, Mayan, Venezuelan, Nigerian, soul food, Indian. What culinary genre haven’t I tried lately? Oh, wait, how about some good, old-school American food? My first thought upon this realization was negatory: Nah. Let’s face it, I don’t like what we describe as American food as much as I do food from other…
The Louisville Bats get a beer, Pints for Parkinson’s
It seems like not so long ago when local beer enthusiasts were grumbling about the lack of selection at Slugger Field during Louisville Bats games. While many don’t mind knocking back a light beer or two on a hot summer afternoon, there are plenty who prefer not to sacrifice quality and taste. Well, this year,…
The Humana Festival of New American Plays is thoughtful and superb
This year’s Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival of New American Plays runs through Sunday, which means you still have time to see all of the productions. In fact, if you have the stamina, on Saturday and Sunday you can see the entire lineup. This year’s bill has been extraordinarily strong — and unusually free…
Rupees & Shekels Tour, corny jokes meet really important topics
Krish Mohan and Garrett Titlebaum aren’t household names yet, but when their Rupees & Shekels Comedy Tour makes a stop in Louisville you will want to be in the room. Both hailing from the Pittsburgh comedy scene, the two comics couldn’t be more different. Mohan is a high-minded political commentator, while Titlebaum is the silly…
Behind The Seams: As winter wanes, fur and the future
“She doesn’t wear fur because she is cold, she wears fur because she is glamorous.” —Ken Downing, vice president and fashion director Neiman Marcus It’s spring again in Louisville, when you don’t know if you’re going to step out of your door and experience a sunshine-warmed morning, or the chill of 15-degree weather. On the…
Minda Honey vs. Dan Savage: Relationship Advice Rivals
In a relationship or life jam? Lemme unstuck your life: AskMindaHoney@leoweekly.com. Hey Louisville, believe it or not, being your relationship advice columnist requires a fair bit of hustle on my part. Your questions don’t just turn up in my inbox — P.S., Please send me questions. It’s like I’m a hustler of the heart, but…
Savage Love: Domme and Dommer
Q: I’m a woman in my late 40s. In my early 20s, I married a much older man. We did all the requisite things: kids, house, intercourse once a week. When the sex fell off due to his declining health, he surprised me by suggesting we open our marriage. He said I was too young…
Bevin’s four veto overrides, he’s a tool for lashing his ship to Trump
‘Ello, stranger. It’s been a long and happy break from seeing your Bertie Wooster boat race, as we authentic faux cockneys say. Why happy? I just answered that. And yet, like Obamacare, I’m going nowhere. So suck it up, Verne Troyer. Hilarious. I’ll tell you what is funny, though: Just the other day, I was…
Change what you can’t accept
When I read Margaret Atwood’s explanation of what prompted her to write “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I began to wonder how quickly a country or a place or a life could be altered in a political or religious coup. That kind of overnight change hasn’t happened to white Americans in my lifetime. Or has it? Is…
Outside pressure, UofL backs down and abortion chess in Kentucky
The Abortion debate underscores that our healthcare system operates on three priorities: Making profits for not-for-profit hospitals, religious dogma — and actual medical care. Make no mistake, that is the order, and care is a distant third. To be clear, that is not a criticism of any doctor, nurse or caretaker of any kind. They…
