New action film Need for Speed isn’t fast or furious enough
When we first see Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul in Need for Speed, the new action flick from director Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) that opens on Friday, he turns around and scowls. It’s a look we got accustomed to seeing in Breaking Bad, the terrific TV drama in which Paul played the conflicted drug addict…
East Cleveland’s New Chief of Police is Michael Cardilli
East Cleveland has a new police chief as of yesterday, news which has kind of flown under the radar around Northeast Ohio. Mayor Norton According to Mayor Gary Norton’s chief of staff, former police chief Ralph Spotts’ last day was yesterday. He had previously announced his plans to retire about a year ago. Michael Cardilli…
Beck returns to PlayhouseSquare on June 19
Musical chameleon Beck Hansen is set to return to PlayhouseSquare on Thursday, June 19 when he plays the State Theatre. He last visited the facility in 2002 when he embarked on a national tour with psychedelic rockers the Flaming Lips as his backing band. His low-key new album, Morning Phase, has gotten rave reviews and…
Analysis: City’s Lawyers Respond to Federal Lawsuit Filed by Unarmed Man Shot by Police in Warehouse District (Updated)
Cleveland officer Vincent Montague, right, shot Greg Love in his Range Rover, left, on June 23, 2013. Cleveland’s lawyers responded to Love’s lawsuit filed in federal court Original story posted at 1:12 p.m. on March 11. Updated with comments from the plaintiff’s attorney, Nicholas DiCello, below. Last week, we brought you “A Traffic Ticket and…
This Video of Lakewood Park Improvements is Wonderful: UPDATE
UPDATE: Lakewood will break ground on this dynamite project sometime this fall, with plans to complete everything by next summer. ***Originally published Feb. 12: Structural improvements to Lakewood Park – focusing mostly on the promenade – have been discussed for a few years now. Last week, the city quietly posted an interesting video rendering from…
Frontier Airlines to Add Six New Nonstop Destinations from Cleveland Hopkins in June
Hey you cash strapped travelers thinking about taking a red eye Mega Bus for a weekend beach getaway, we’ve got news for you: Frontier Airlines today announced that the company is adding six new nonstop destinations from Cleveland including Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, and Tampa beginning June 13. Frontier is offering some…
Cleveland Gets Serious About Pothole Problems
ERIC SANDY/SCENE It’s mid-March, and – oh, look – the city of Cleveland is doubling down on pothole patching, kicking off its renewed efforts with a newly hired private pothole crew near the intersection of Clark and Lorain. It’s Tuesday, March 11. TV news crews are out in full regalia. The city has contracted Pennsylvania-based…
Ken Lanci Saves Sick Strangers While Vacationing Abroad
Former Cleveland mayoral candidate Ken Lanci went full on Good Samaritan last month when he apparently paid for the medical treatments of two complete strangers while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. From what we gather via WOIO, Lanci and his wife were seeking care at a private clinic after she came down with particularly vicious…
You Can Actually Sign Up to Physically Pulverize a Gas Chamber Once Used to Kill Cats
Kinda like this The Medina County Animal Shelter (sic) is giving up its gas chamber, which will be destroyed this month with your help. All due props to the Medina County SPCA for taking on the inhumane euthanasia tactics at this “shelter.” Stephanie Moore, director of that local SPCA chapter, says that anyone who donates…
The Naked and Famous puts split personality on display at House of Blues
There were essentially two different versions of the Naked and Famous on display last night before a capacity crowd at House of Blues. On the one hand, you had the band that opened with the dark and brooding “A Stillness,” a sparse synthesizer-driven tune that found rail-thin, clad-in-black singer Alisa Xayalith, who came off a…
Winking Lizard Avon to Relocate
In the Fall, the Winking Lizard at 32045 Detroit Rd. will relocate to a new address in Avon. This upgraded Lizard will be a newly constructed restaurant situated next to the popular Avon Commons Shopping Center. “We need a new facility to accommodate our guests and staff better. We love the existing patio at the…
Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica announces three new shows
Skrillex Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica has just announced three new summer shows. Dubstep sensation Skrillex brings his Summer Mothership Tour 2014 to the venue on May 27. His tour officially kicks off in Oklahoma City on May 23 and then hits the festival circuit after the Cleveland show. Dillon Francis, What So Not and Milo…
First “Shake the Square” Week Kicks Off Tonight
Like a mini Restaurant Week devoted to Shaker Square, the first ever Shake the Square event kicks off tonight, March 10th, and runs through March 17th. As in the case of those other Restaurant Weeks, participating eateries will be offering special $33, three-course prix fixe menus. “It was just a thought we had to make…
Designing My Last Meal at D.C. Pasta Co.
I’m sure you’ve been asked on more than one occasion, the somewhat morbid yet endlessly fun question, “What would you choose as your last meal?” It’s a tough one — the possibilities are so very endless. Narrowing the scope of this question down to one specific restaurant certainly makes the decision a lot more manageable.…
Ford Brings Some F-Series Production to Wounded Avon Lake Plant
Mere weeks after Ford announced a new employment structure at its Avon Lake plant (complete with “early retirement packages”), the massive automobile manufacturer is now discussing the impending move of some of its truck production from General Escobedo, Mexico, to that very same Avon Lake plant, otherwise known as the Ohio Assembly Plant. Both the…
Cleveland Potholes as Seen on a GoPro Camera
Cleveland’s crazy-deep potholes have been (and caused) all the rage this late winter, and it’s not difficult to see why. Youtube user “Tiny” Tim Rauscheder — who happens to be “Cleveland’s chicken wing king,” apparently — mounted a GoPro camera on the hood of his car yesterday and went for a lovely Sunday drive on…
Hard Rock Rocksino announces line-up for new comedy club
This morning, the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park announced that Club Velvet, its new venue for comedy, magic and acoustic acts, will open on March 20. The club was originally scheduled to open last month, but construction delayed the opening by a few weeks. The rocksino has partnered with the Comedy Zone to bring big-name…
Willoughby Hills Movies 10 Has Closed
It’s oldish news at this point, but Scene has just learned that the Willoughby Hills Movies 10 — the cheapest of all Cleveland’s cheapies — shut its doors for good at the end of February. Execs from the Phoenix movie chain alerted the Willoughby powers-that-be a few months back that the theater would be shuttering…
Help Decorate the Sawyers’ New Cleveland Restaurant
Chef Jonathan Sawyer and his wife Amelia could use your help decorating their new restaurant, Trentina, which is slated to open later this spring. Trentina is taking over the former Sergio’s restaurant spot in University Circle and the Sawyers are looking to change up the decor a bit; they plan to make a hand-beaded chandelier…
Personable Amos Lee delivers soulful show at Lakewood Civic Auditorium
Early in last night’s two-hour concert at Lakewood Civic Auditorium, singer-songwriter Amos Lee talked about his recent appearance on The Tavis Smiley Show. He said that Smiley was impressed by the fact that Lee had such a great fanbase and could fill mid-sized concert halls without having anything that resembled a hit. Lee explained that…
Travis Tritt shows off charisma during Hard Rock Live performance
By contemporary country music standards, singer-guitarist Travis Tritt, who played Hard Rock Live last night, is anything but cool. Tritt, who emerged at about the same time as Garth Brooks and Clint Black, was a huge star in the ’90s but hasn’t maintained the same level of popularity. He doesn’t have the chiseled frame of…
Greater Cleveland Film Commission president advocates for more infrastructure
Ivan Schwarz, the president of the Greater Film Commission, used a speaking engagement at a Cleveland Executive Association luncheon today at Lockkeepers in Independence to advocate for a higher cap on the allotment of the film incentive that the state offers to filmmakers who bring their projects to Northeast Ohio. Schwarz, who moved from Los…
Señor Tequila Mexican Restaurant to Open at Shaker Square
All systems are go for a March 19 opening of Señor Tequila, a casual Mexican restaurant taking the place of Zanzibar Soul Fusion at Shaker Square (13114 Shaker Sq., 216-991-2035), which moved into the former Sarava spot. Owner Marco Mendoza, who managed other Mexican restaurants, including Don Tequila in University Heights, says that diners can…
The Pro-Chief Wahoo Community Is Totally Crazy and the PD is Super Progressive
Illustration by Aaron Sechrist Last week, The Plain Dealer took an “historic stance” (that’s the paper’s term) in opposing Chief Wahoo as a logo for the Cleveland Indians (they were mum on the team name and, uh, all relevant cultural context). Pretty forward-thinking stuff, really, and they self-celebrated in due fashion with just a smidge…
Cleveland Ranked Among Top 50 Hardest Working U.S. Cities
Wikimedia Commons Anyone who takes the RTA in the morning or drives down Euclid during rush hour can tell you: Cleveland works hard. Our efforts were recognized by Locality.com, who ranked us the 48th hardest-working city in the U.S. The website calculated these ranks by averaging local business workers’ hours per week, especially emphasizing service…
10 Cleveland Fish Fries Worth a Visit this Season
Lent. For some, it’s the time of year to make sacrifices and to reflect. But for all, it is fish fry season. Regardless of your palate, grilled or fried, perch or haddock, we have the ultimate fish lovers list.
Update: Clevelander Claims to be Michael Jackson’s Long Lost Son
Michael Jackson Update: The tests on Brandon Howard’s parentage are in and — here’s a shocker— the DNA results are total bogus. First, TMZ reported yesterday that Alki David from FilmOn.com’s claimed he had results proving there was a “99.99999%” that B Howard was the legitimate son of Michael Jackson. Then, TMZ did a little…
Armond Budish’s Golden Opportunities
“They pay nothing to me,” Armond Budish told a crowd of Democratic supporters in Shaker Heights last month. He was talking about MetroHealth Medical Center’s sponsorship contributions to Budish’s weekly television show, Golden Opportunities, which airs on WKYC. During the broadcast, Budish is joined by a guest in a fairly upscale kitchen-type setting, because conversations…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (March 7 — 9)
The weekend’s here, and it’s time to party. But only if you want to— there’s always other stuff going on. On Friday, make sure to hit up Scene’s vodka tasting event. Then, reminisce with a cult-favorite (but still really bad) movie on Saturday over at the Cedar Lee Theater. Or, you could cheer on your…
15 Photos of the Abandoned Canton Centre Mall
The Canton Centre Mall, formerly Mellet Mall, was one of the many Ohio shopping complexes that thrived during the 80s and 90s, but slowly began losing tenants and eventually closed its doors during the early 2000s. (See photos from Akron’s abandoned Rolling Acres Mall here and photos from the re-landscaped Parmatown Mall here.) Though there…
Beachwood: Mayor Gorden Still Uselessly Trying to Pretend He Doesn’t Use Public Money For Meals
Here’s the latest in an eternal stream of Beachwood Mayor Merle “FREE SANDWICH” Gorden’s spending improprieties. City Councilman Martin Horwitz, on Tuesday, told the Northeast Ohio Media Group that Merle “FREE SANDWICH” Gorden had picked up the tab for him and his wife at the Cedar Creek Grille’s grand opening in November, 2012. They were…
Anthony Hairston Appointed to Vacant County Council Seat
From literally out of nowhere, Anthony Hairston was appointed to helm the County Council’s 10th district last week. The news was answered with a thunderous “huh?” from the tens of people who diligently follow county politics. Hairston’s stated goals revolve around restoring confidence to the council, as well as to the county as a whole.…
Supervillain Superintendents Strike Again
Robert Moore II This could almost be a regular feature here in Northeast Ohio: the heinous egos heading up public school districts around the region. We’ve run long investigations on some of them, but it’s time yet again to look into the dastardly deeds committed “for the children.” In Richmond Heights, Superintendent Robert Moore II…
Founding Chef-Partner of Bogtrotters Doorstep Moves On
Chef Nate Williams has left the kitchen of Bogtrotters Doorstep (1848 W. 25th St., 216-861-5515), the amazing hoagie shop that he launched three years ago next to Old Angle Tavern. His last night was two weeks ago. “I just moved on from Bogtotters,” Williams says. “It was an amicable split. I wanted to do some…
Rock Hall to host induction simulcast
If you’re like us and you can’t afford to drive/fly to Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York to see the 29th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Thursday, April 10, then you’re in luck. Beginning at 7 p.m. that night, the Rock Hall will host a live simulcast. According to the…
Jay-Z producer coming to Rock Hall and Tri-C
Courtesy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Young Guru The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cuyahoga Community College will host a three-day series of events with Jay-Z engineer Young Guru, who’ll participate in several student workshops, a panel conversation and a live performance. First, Guru will first be the…
This is a Story About the New Branding Effort Here in Cleveland
This is the first sentence of a blog post about the new branding effort from Positively Cleveland. “This is Cleveland.” This is the new slogan for our city, meant to boost tourism on some level and ostensibly stir civic pride. This is the resounding “huh?” you’ll hear throughout the month, leading up the big reveal…
Slyman’s Turns 50 This Year
Venerable deli and purveyor of all that is delicious and corned beef, Slyman’s turns 50 years old this year. “We are very excited and in awe that it has been 50 years,” says co-owner Freddie Slyman. In 1964, the journey to becoming corned beef kings of the north shore started when Slyman’s uncle, Rafic Abdallah,…
Lakewood to Snag One of Ohio’s Hottest Barcade Concepts
Sometime this summer, Lakewood will see the opening of 16-Bit Bar + Arcade, the second location for the popular Columbus-based bar. Voted Best New Bar in Columbus last year by readers of Columbus Underground, the adult-themed arcade is operated by Stow native Troy Allen. To be located in the old Five Guys spot on Detroit,…
Film Spotlight: Skinless
Toledo isn’t exactly known as a mecca for filmmakers. But horror film writer-director Dustin Mills hasn’t had any problem making movies. To date, the guy has released a handful of videos and films. He’ll be in town with the cast to attend the screening of Skinless, which shows at midnight on Saturday at the Cedar…
Gone Twangin’ – Les Claypool and Bryan Kehoe Team Up for Some Pickin’ Around the Campfire
It was the sort of scene one might imagine when pondering the comings and goings of bass legend Les Claypool: He and his son were surrounded by fishing poles, hunting rifles, metal detectors, and the crackle of a warm campfire. The atmosphere was evocative, so they grabbed their instruments and started pluckin’ beneath the setting…
Band of the Week: Forever in Terror
Meet the band: Chris Bianchi (vocals); Johnny Burke (guitar/vocals); Glenn “Glizzy” Moore (guitar); Chad Lundgren (bass); Nick Borukhovsky (drums). In the Beginning: The band came together in 2006. “I don’t remember the exact time frame but we all played in local bands on the scene,” says Bianchi. “We meshed well together.” In its second week,…
Almost Famous: Singer-Songwriter Amos Lee Takes an Old-School Approach
Anyone old enough to remember when record stores were places where you could hang out, discover new music and meet people who shared a passion for music can appreciate singer-songwriter Amos Lee. He’s an old-school guy who confesses to his love of actual albums. You know, the things that came in cool gatefold sleeves and…
Man on a Mission: Singer-Songwriter Aaron Hendra has Lofty Goals for his Full-Length Debut
Up until now, a series of near misses has characterized the career of Aussie singer-songwriter Aaron Hendra. A few years ago, he inked a development deal with Warner Bros. But that fell through. After that, he started to record an album for Hollywood Records. That got shelved. And then he recorded a tune for the…
Movie Marathon Man: Cleveland International Film Festival’s Patrick Shepherd on the Beast that is 12 days of Movie Magic
Patrick Shepherd is the associate director of the CIFF. Though it runs just 12 days each year, the job is a year-round, full-time gig. It takes all that time (and more) to entertain about 100,000 moviegoers and make their experience stress-free. This year’s festival kicks off on March 19. Shepherd took a few minutes to…
Regional Beat: Asound
Feel Out (self-released) Matthew Ryals, the guy behind this electronic project, holds a degree in classical guitar performance, but you wouldn’t know it from listening to this esoteric EP, which he recorded on a laptop in his small home studio. Album opener “Clearing” begins with what sounds like air escaping a hose before the soothing…
Your Complete Guide to Cleveland Concerts (March 6 -12)
THURS 03/06 America: 7:30 p.m., $22.50-$50. Hard Rock Rocksino. Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge. The Can’t Tells/New Age Remedy: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang: 8 p.m., $22-$25. The Kent Stage. Noah Gunderson/Kris Orlowski: 8 p.m., $10. Musica. Chris Hatton (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.…
Moist Toilette
Dear Dan, Straight female with a question. It’s about something that sometimes happens to me that I’ve never really told anyone about because it’s so weird and gross. It involves my bowel movements, so it’s not very sexy. (No offense to scat lovers, but I have zero interest in “poop play.”) After I have a…
ODNR Ignored Local Experts to Fast-Track an Edgewater Marina Project Bound for “Catastrophic Failure”
Local maritime experts warn that the floating docks currently under construction at Edgewater Marina are a disaster waiting to happen. The docks represent a quick (and to that end, imprudent) fix by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for a marina that has been closed to dockers since Superstorm Sandy obliterated it in October 2012,…
![[sic] Stuff: The Ridiculous Quest for Clarity](https://i0.wp.com/www.clevescene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/stage1.png.png?resize=600%2C450&quality=80&ssl=1)
[sic] Stuff: The Ridiculous Quest for Clarity
Theater Ninjas, your friend- ly nomadic theater company, has landed in the West 78th Street Studios with a comedy named [sic] by Melissa James Gibson, a play that might accurately be subtitled, “the ridiculous quest for clarity.” Three thirty-something singles live in closet-sized apartments across the hall from one another. They have, by virtue of their…
Now Hear This: Drive-By Truckers Flash their Roots
Different types of music and different bands often work well against different seasonal backdrops. There’s something alternately brooding and rocking about the first two bands we’ll feature this week, which makes them terrific listening during this eternal winter. The stripped-down roots of Drive-By Truckers’ alt-country sound are on full display throughout English Oceans, making the…
A Traffic Ticket and a Bullet Through the Chest
One year ago this month, the U.S. Justice Department announced it had opened an investigation into the Cleveland police department and its troubled history with use of excessive and deadly force. The investigation, spurred on by the deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, the two unarmed suspects who were killed after Cleveland cops fired…
Cleveland Bagel Co. – Where Montreal Meets New York City
It’s one of our country’s most popular breakfast foods, yet our fine city has been sorely lacking in quality bagels. Luckily, friends and business partners Dan Herbst and Geoff Hardman are seeking to change that with the launch of Cleveland Bagel Co. Founding their company in 2013, the pair was seeking to fill what they…
Better Know Your Gin: Not All of it is the Crystal Palace Well Gin that Wrecked You in College
In 2015, Melt bartender Eric Ho will open Cantina Distillery in Lakewood, and if all goes to plan, he’ll release an American-style gin shortly thereafter. We chatted by phone about the oft maligned juniper-infused spirit. Genever & London Dry Gin Though people were infusing juniper berries into wine for medicinal purposes more than 1,000 years ago,…
Film Review of the Week – 300: Rise of an Empire
A sequel of sorts to 2007’s 300, a film based on a Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s, 300: Rise of An Empire, which opens areawide on Friday, is a retelling of the plot of its predecessor. The violence is harsher; the sex is rougher (and the bare breasts are even bigger). The scenes of hand-to-hand…
