By Jud Yalkut

Two accomplished women portrait artists are showing in the two-person “Capturing the Essence of the Soul” at the YWCA Women’s Art Gallery at 898 Walnut Street in Cincinnati through September 27. Dr. Lois Fortson of Dayton (shown) does magnificent and feeling portrait busts and credits her training at the Dayton Art Institute for her interest in ceramic sculpture. Most of her subjects are women and men who have contributed significantly to our community. Painter Carin Hebenstreit was born and educated in Europe studying the Renaissance masters, and she glazes layers of paint over underpainting to create inner luminosity, as in her portrait of Maestro Paavo Jarvi at Cincinnati’s Music Hall. For hours and information call (513) 241-7090 or visit ywca.org/cincinnati.

By Emma Jarman

Viva Mexico

Cinco de Mayo comes but once a year so celebrate the 2011 fiesta in the Oregon District with the Cinco de Mayo Barre Crawl. Sponsored by the Dayton Ballet Barre, the event will launch May 5 at 5:30 p.m. from the Oregon Express. Participating establishments include Tunbleweed’s, Lucky’s Taproom and Grille, the Trolley Stop and the Dublin Pub. Strap on your sombreros and shake your maracas all the way down 5th Street in the Historic Oregon District to celebrate the historic annual celebration of the 1862 Mexican defeat of the French. Chips, salsa and a few drink especials here and there certainly won’t hurt the cause. There is no cost to participate and most bars in the area will not be charging a cover, but you must be 21 years or older.

By Kyle Melton

Astro Fang

Although the once-formidable label has taken a hiatus over the past 18 months, Squids Eye Records recently returned to active status and will celebrate its contributions to the local scene with an anniversary show at South Park Tavern this week. The show features two of its flagship acts, Yakuza Heart Attack and Astro Fang, as well as special guests from Cincinnati, the Chocolate Horse, who recently finished work on the follow-up to their 2009 release, We Don’t Stand on Ceremony. Although SER has no immediate plans to resume an active release schedule, they will continue to offer their back catalog at extremely low prices. Squids Eye Records will celebrate their fourth anniversary with a show on Friday, May 6 at South Park Tavern, 1301 Wayne Ave. Scheduled to perform are Astro Fang, Yakuza Heart Attack and the Chocolate Horse [Cincy]. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $5 for all ages. For more information, visit www.squidseyerecords.com.

By Nicole Wroten

Color of Energy

Color of Energy Gallery will host a Kentucky Derby preview party to the premiere the best two minutes in sports on Wednesday May 4. Festivities start at 6:30 p.m. Local celebrities Tom Archdeacon (sports writer) George Smith (horse owner) and John Emgelhardt (of River Downs) will all be in attendance. Emgelhardt, a Kentucky handicapping pro, will give an overview of what to look for and who to bet on, plus a little Derby history and lore. A live horse will even be outside the gallery greeting guests. Jockey silks and ladies’ Derby hats will be on display, plus Englehardts photography entitled ‘And They’re Off’ will debut. Sidebar will have a cash bar with famous mint juleps. Come visit the gallery at 16 Brown St. (formerly 8 Brown St.) in downtown Dayton’s historic Oregon District, located adjacent to Pacchia and across the street from Thai 9. Cost is FREE. Visit www.colorofenergygallery.com or call (937) 266-3491 for more information.

By Khalid Moss

Byron Stripling

No one can accuse the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra of dereliction of duty when it comes to tickling the ears of Miami Valley music lovers. The latest proof is the DPO’s presentation of “Satchmo, Fats and The Duke” at Schuster Center, May 6 and 7. Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Duke Ellington were transcendental artists during the Jazz Age but the popularity of their music has not flagged. They will be expertly represented by multi-talented musician/vocalist Byron Stripling. Since portraying Armstrong in the musical, “Satchmo: America’s Musical Legend” demand for Stripling’s music has gone through the roof and he has performed with the Boston Pops, the National Symphony Orchestra and many others. Tickets for the concert range from $22 to $76 and are available by calling (888) 228-3630 or visiting www.daytonphilharmonic.com.

By Kevin J. Gray

Cask AleFest returns to Chappy’s Tap Room & Grille in Moraine this Saturday, April 30, from 1-5 pm While most modern beers are pasteurized, filtered and carbonated by force, with brewers pumping CO2 into the keg to give it fizz, cask ales are a nod to brewing tradition, where the beers are left relatively untouched and are carbonated naturally, using only yeast to produce the carbonation. Rather than use CO2 to force the beer from the kegs, cask ales rely on beer engines and air pressure to draw the brew from the cask. Cask AleFest claims the largest selection of these rare beers in Ohio, with entries from Bell’s, Great Lakes, Hoppin’ Frog, Sierra Nevada and many others. Tickets are $40 and include free appetizers, but are limited to the first 300 customers. Get tickets at Chappy’s will call (937.299.RIBS) or online at www.AleFest.com.

By Kyle Melton

Hailing from the unlikely locale of Huntsville, Ala., surf-rock quartet Daikaiju deliver a beautifully twisted take on one of rock’s most invigorating strains. Appearing live in Kabuki-inspired face paint, the band mutates traditional surf-rock idioms by employing a variety of beats and dynamics as backdrops alongside punk and prog flavors, resulting in a high-octane idiosyncratic blend. Daikaiju issued two new releases last year, the Flight of Garuda 7” and Phase 2, both of which they are currently touring to support. With a handful of tour stops in the Dayton area over the past couple of years, it’s likely that their appearance at Blind Bob’s could be an exceptional opportunity to catch a band at the peak of their powers. Daikaiju will perform on Sunday, April 24 at Blind Bob’s, 430 E. Fifth St. Also on the bill are Idolss. Admission is $5 for 18 & up. Doors open at 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.daikaiju.org.

Calling all creatives . . . . . . . . . . .

By Maha Kashani

Can a young professional with a creative mind really help make a difference in this community? The answer is YES! The 2011 UpDayton Young Creatives Summit is your opportunity to make your voice heard on issues that matter to you. Come meet the next generation of leadership in Dayton. Participate in breakout sessions covering topics like: diversity, jobs, entertainment and neighborhoods. Hear expert advice on everything from social media, to personal branding, to leadership development. Help identify actionable items to include in the 2011 action plan. Then wrap up the day with an after party at the new Excelsior Lofts in the Oregon District with complimentary food and beer. The time to come together and build a better Dayton is now. Friday April 15, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Dayton Convention Center. Cost is $15; $5 for students. Visit www.UpDayton.com for more information and to register.

By Kyle Melton

John Gassett

Having served in such notable Dayton bands such as the Fire Science and Goatherd, local scene stalwart John Gassett turned a musical corner last year with his self-released Makeher disc. Centered around his haunting vocals and lyrical themes both direct and abstract, the three songs takes numerous cues from the esoteric offerings from Radiohead, resulting in a deeply atmospheric presentation. Standout “On the Decline” is a seething screed, which melds delicate acoustic guitar work into an epic guitar meltdown conclusion. As recorded by Nik Wells, Makeher reveals an excellent songwriting talent among the field of Dayton hopefuls. John Gassett will perform on Thursday, April 14 at Blind Bob’s, 430 E. Fifth St. Also on the bill are Israel Parker, Chris McCoy, Henry Daggs and Brandon Hawk. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $5 for 21 & up. For more information visit makeher.bandcamp.com.

By Emma Jarman

Get your appetites ready and your elastic waistbands on standby because it’s time, again, for the 14th annual Taste of Greene County. For less than the cost of a one-month gym membership and the amount of gas it takes you to get to the Nutter Center, you can devour four hours worth of foodie fun on a bun. Residents of Greene County and beyond are invited to participate in this convention of culinary confines, tasting and testing dishes from the finest restaurants the area has to offer, not to mention some damn good pizza. There will also be voting for fan favorite dishes, a prize raffle and entertainment for all ages including a children’s play area. Participants in this year’s event include BD’s Mongolian Grill, Quaker Steak & Lube and Brio, to name a few. The event is April 10 from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets are available for $20/door or $18/advance at Wright State University’s Nutter Center Box Office or www.beavercreekchamber.org.