Writing

Dayton Music Insider: What it means to be a true fan

“If you’re reading this, you know what it means to be a true fan. It’s a completely unique relationship. It’s initiated by the goosebumps you get the first time you hear that special song, which seems like it was written just for you. It’s fulfilled when you hear that song live, reciting the lyrics that are now burned into your heart. You know what I’m talking about.”

Dayton Music Insider: 7 great music documentaries to enjoy at home

Life comes at ya fast. Who would’ve thought we’d all be stuck in the house just as spring is turning the corner? Nothing we can do but make the best of it, and try to make it interesting, right? So instead of encouraging you to go out, I’m asking you to stay in and collectively get a music education together, while enjoying the best of American music from the comfort of our homes!

Reflections on a City of Epic Proportions

We demonstrated incredible courage, fortitude and empathy, that would make the likes of Patterson and Kettering proud. It’s time to take that new found spirit and apply it to the deeper and older wounds that continue to hold us back. I’m confident, as I write my thoughts at the end of 2029, I’m going to swell with pride once again, thinking about how far we’ve come.

A tribute to Norman Paraskevas Dimitrouleas

“To those who knew him well, of which there are many, I share your grief. He took up a very big, and utterly irreplaceable place in all of our hearts. That’s why it hurts so badly. We all wish we could have saved him, but Norman blazed his own trail. He lived like a comet, and there is nothing we could’ve done to restrain that kind of star. That same quality is what we all loved about him, so we can’t blame him either. All we can do is love, celebrate and remember him, and boy did we ever.”

Space Makes Us Safer: The story behind the Dayton-made video that went viral

This was Libby’s first front-page story! When we caught up with Nick about the video going viral, he said, “We're really happy with the response! We do a lot of work that we love, and we get to work with a bunch of awesome brands, but helping the state of Ohio during this crazy time — that takes on a totally different meaning. Of all the projects we've done lately that have really blown up, we couldn't be more proud that it's this one.”

Daytonian of the Week: Jeremy Ganger, Dayton’s Protector

“I did my job that night,” Jeremy Ganger tells me when I asked him about the Oregon District mass shooting last summer. His humble demeanor, coupled with his heroic efforts to save people that fateful night, have endeared him to the Dayton community.

So it’s only fitting that one year after that fateful day, Aug. 4, we recognize Jeremy Ganger as this week’s Daytonian of the Week.

What it was like being part of Dave Chappelle’s star-studded July 4th weekend celebration in Yellow Springs

When I thought back to Dave’s original question, “what can we give America for it’s birthday?” This year, maybe a diverse group of artists and people congregating in a cornfield and creating a magical moment of unity amidst a pandemic and nationwide protests, is exactly the gift it needs.

Meet the woman behind Wild Hearts African Farm & Petting Zoo, a little piece of paradise

What would make a marketing professional quit a 9-5 job and build a zoo? That’s what I wanted to find out when I first visited her property a few years ago…

Dayton Pride: A short history of one Dayton’s most famous lesbians: Natalie Clifford Barney

Natalie Clifford Barney, who was born here in Dayton, Ohio. She was a playwright, poet, novelist and proud lesbian. Her fascinating story has recently been detailed in the book "Performing Antiquity: Ancient Greek Music and Dance from Paris to Delphi" by Sam Dorf, a professor of Music in the Department of Music at the University of Dayton.

Dan ‘Sully’ Sullivan, aka the Flyers’ biggest fan, is our honorary Daytonian of the Week

The "lowdest" voice online, and one of the Flyers' biggest champions, isn't actually from Dayton. Dan "Sully" Sullivan was born in Pittsburgh to a UD graduate and lifelong Flyer basketball fan. Sully's family regularly made road trips to Dayton for games, and remain season subscribers to this day. Now based out of Chicago, Sullivan regularly releases podcasts and blogs about Flyers basketball on Blackburn Review, which has become a staple to UD fans.

Dayton scores some celebrity love from Zooey Deschanel, Sam Neill

Humble-but-mighty Dayton, Ohio is basking in a little celebrity love lately, courtesy of a couple of Hollywood stars, Zooey Deschanel and Sam Neill, and a song written nearly 50 years ago.

Local beauty brigade, party rental company to be part of new Netflix series

A Clark County traveling beauty brigade and one of Dayton’s largest party rental companies will be featured on a new Netflix series premiering July 1.

Excuse me while I kiss the Sky

This week's blog is dedicated in loving memory to my lifelong best friend, Sky Emmanuelle Crume Noble. In high school, she took me under her wing my first day of freshman year and introduced me to rock'n'roll, from Black Sabbat ...

Dayton Music Insider: Reflections on losing Dayton music legend Mick Montgomery

This week the Dayton music community suffered an absolutely heartbreaking loss. Mick Montgomery, beloved owner of Canal Street Tavern , passed away in his sleep.

David Letterman appears on stage with Dave Chappelle in Yellow Springs

Legendary American television host and comedian David Letterman was spotted out and about with Dave Chappelle in Yellow Springs during the day on Wednesday, July 29. He later made an appearance on stage at Chappelle’s event that same evening.

Daytonian of the Week: Caitlin Cartwright makes an impact through her art

American painter Thomas Kinkade once said that "art transcends cultural boundaries." Dayton visual artist Caitlin Cartwright learned that first hand through her extensive travels and community building, which helped shape her approach to her painting ...

Daytonian of the Week: Neah Rainey never stopped feeding people after the tornadoes

Daytonians came out in force to help each other clean up and recover after  the destructive string of tornadoes that swept through on Memorial Day last year. Most volunteers shifted back to their normal lives, but Neah Rainey is one of the few people ...

Dayton music you should listen to: Dayton Funk edition

Guided By Noises creators Vivienne Machi and Libby Ballengee. Contributed photos.

Cold weather be damned; we're getting funky in February.

It's always a good time to celebrate the Dayton music scene's much-acclaimed funk legacy. But for Black History Month, we chose to take a a concerted step away from our typical rock-oriented playlists and really dig deep into some more bass-rolicking, brass-heavy, funktastic jams. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, southwestern Ohio became a hotbed for a whole host of funk bands, and west Dayton in particular was home to many extremely talented musicians and performers who are still touring today. Their lasting contributions to the funk genre are ones we cherish and are proud to represent in our city.

Daytonian of the Week: Dr. Christine Ballengee-Morris

You can tell by our shared last names that I have a particular bias towards this week’s Daytonian of the Week. Dr. Christine Ballengee-Morris is not only a fantastic sister and personal role model, but an acclaimed professor, a National Art Education Fellow and an internationally-recognized champion of indigenous populations around the world.

Portraits during a pandemic: Art teacher re-creates masterpieces to delight her students

It all started when the Getty Museum in Los Angeles asked its followers to re-create their favorite works of art with whatever they could find in their own home while under quarantine.

Dayton music you should listen to: Dayton Musician's edition

Guided By Noises creators Vivienne Machi and Libby Ballengee. Contributed photos.

Happy 2016, one and all! 

Like many of you, we were a little drained after the holidays. January is Struggle City when you're catching up on emails, trying to find that really important Post-It you misplaced in the depths of your desk drawers, and still unpacking from vacation three weeks after your flight home. 

Too much stuff? We asked a local organizing expert how to start purging

After decades of consumerism, many Americans are finding themselves living with some level of clutter. Although minimalism is now trending, actually finding the time and energy to deal with all our stuff continues to be a challenge.

Dayton Music Insider: Have a dance party to this all-Ohio cabin fever playlist

Boredom setting in? Barely getting off the couch? This week I’m encouraging you to get up and start movin’ with this cabin fever playlist, which celebrates some seriously cool music to come out of Ohio. So put on your slippers and turn up the volume! ...

Front Street artists have big plans to bring art experience outdoors

The coronavirus pandemic has hit arts communities around the nation particularly hard. In Dayton, the artists at Front Street Art Studios and Galleries, have decided to double down in response, and get more creative than ever.

Dayton music you should listen to: Americana edition

Guided By Noises creators Vivienne Machi and Libby Ballengee. Contributed photos.

As we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, and the once-yearly food coma-to-end-all-food-comas that comes with it, it dawned on us that Thanksgiving lacks a proper musical playlist. It's too early for Christmas music; spooky tunes are way over nearly a month after Halloween. This holiday celebrates the first American settlers' initial successful harvests in the early 17th century, and the foundation of our entire nation. The holiday deserves something patriotic, though not in the Independence Day, National Anthem, "America the Beautiful"-vein of patriotic music.