The Force Be With You

Twenty-three-year-old businessman Jake Johnson has given himself a yearlong crash course on how to be a rock and roll entrepreneur. And the North Royalton native's first self-taught lesson has led his fledgling indie-record label to foot the bill for well drinks and draft beer for the prettier half of the clientele at his nightclub's Full Force Ladies' Night every Thursday. "As long as I keep the girls happy, the guys will come," laughs Johnson. "It's also helping me get the record label's name out there, because it's attracting more bands to me, so I don't have to search for them as hard." It must be working. Since the bar's August opening, word has spread about its specialty nights, from its open-mic nights for aspiring rockers on Tuesdays to its $4.99 steak fries on Wednesdays. Along with ladies' nights with DJ Pheonix, Johnson books alt-rockers like Pretty Vegas, Forget Failing, and Shame to pack the dance floor on most weekends. "I'm looking for bands that have followings," says Anderson, who's a freelance recording engineer at Cleveland's Lava Recording Studios. "If they don't seem like sleazeballs and they have decent music, I book them."On the side, Anderson runs his Full Force record label, which is in search of its first band to sign to a contract. While he expects to ink the deal sometime this year, he remains "picky" about choosing which group to represent. "I don't do hip-hop, because I don't like the baggage that comes with it," says Anderson. "I like anything that's catchy and will appeal to a broad range of listeners. That's what I'm looking for." Full Force Ladies' Night starts at 7 tonight at Full Force Rock Shop, 7835 Broadview Road in Seven Hills. Admission is free. Call 216-236-6110 or visit www.fullforcerockshop.com
Thursdays, 7 p.m.-2:30 a.m., 2008