Quickie Contest: Josh Kelley and Ryan Cabrera
We’ve got three pairs of tickets to Josh Kelley (Mr. Katherine Heigl) and Ryan Cabrera’s show at House of Blues on Friday. The first 25 people to send their name, phone number and e-mail address to freetickets@clevescene.com will be thrown into the hopper. We’ll pick three random winners from those 25 names at 1 p.m.…
CAN’T STOP RUNNING
Sure it was 1964 when perennial candidate Norbert Dennerll last served Cleveland in an elected capacity, but that hasn’t stalled his drive. The former three-term West Side Councilman, educator, Marine captain and insurance man is 79 now. And still he chose to officially kick off his mayoral bid against Frank Jackson with a lengthy stroll…
See Relapse Record’s Contamination Tour for Free
Relapse Record’s Contamination Tour comes to Peabody’s on Wednesday, May 6, and you can get in free. You don’t even have to enter a contest this time. All you gotta do is print out this flyer and bring it to the venue. Viola! You’ll be enjoying the sweet sounds of Obscura, Graves of Valor and…
C-Notes’ Big-Ass Eulogies Giveaway
Eulogies, the Dears and Great Northern are playing the Grog Shop on Saturday, May 9. And we want to send you there in style. The prize pack includes: — A pair of tickets to the concert — Eulogies’ Tempted to Do Nothing on vinyl— Eulogies’ Here Anonymous on vinyl— The Dears’ “Money Babies” / “Threats”…
THE TRUTHINESS HURTS
It’s official, kind of: More conservatives than liberals don’t “get it.” At least when it comes to The Colbert Report, they don’t. And who do we have to thank for this juicy but foregone conclusion? The Ohio State University. And Daddy Reagan, of course. The Huffington Post reports that an OSU faculty member’s study determined…
Wednesday Ticket Giveaway: Fall Out Boy
We got a pair of tickets to Fall Out Boy’s concert at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City on Tuesday, May 12. All you have to do is send your name, phone number and e-mail address to freetickets@clevescene.com. We’ll be picking a random winner at noon on Thursday, May 7.
Christopher O’Riley Covers Nirvana
Classical pianist Christopher O’Riley has covered songs by Radiohead, Nick Drake and Elliott Smith, but his latest venture finds him taking on something far noisier. His cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” came out yesterday as an iTunes exclusive (it gets distributed to other online retailers next week) and it’s probably the most dissonant thing…
NEW HEALTHCARE PLAN: A MEDICAL MART IN EVERY CITY!
From Washington Post’s The Fix: A Kennedy for (Illinois) Senate? Chris Kennedy, the son of late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is seriously considering entering the Illinois Senate race in 2010 — a move that would have a significant impact on the field. Chris Kennedy is the head of Merchandise Mart Properties, a commercial real estate…
For the Record, You’re Only Allowed to Get a “Witness” Tattoo if You are LeBron James
Saw this under a “Ugly Tat Showdown, Who Ya Got” post over at Barstool Sports. Listen, there’s no way you’re allowed to get a “Witness” tattoo if you are not personally LeBron James. Just not allowed. I don’t want to go all crazy on this guy because it looks kind of fake. But if it’s…
Fox Sports Ohio Has to Be Pretty Happy About the Cavs
As the Cavs stomped their way to the best record in the NBA, the Wine and Gold became appointment television. I’d like to think it’s because everyone couldn’t enough of Austin Carr’s lines, but that’s just wishful thinking. I bet it has more to do with losing only two games at home, being exciting on…
Sheffield Wanted CC To Buy His House
CC Sabathia’s monster mansion in New Jersey is old news now. He took his ridonkulous $161 million contract from the Yankees and built a small city for his family. What we didn’t know until today is Gary Sheffield was trying to unload his own monster mansion on CC while the Sabathias were house hunting. From…
Tuesday Ticket Giveaway #3: Disturbed
We got a pair of tickets to Disturbed’s concert at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City on Sunday, May 3. All you have to do is send your name, phone number and e-mail address to freetickets@clevescene.com. We’ll be picking a random winner at noon on Thursday, April 30.
Q&A: Queensryche’s Geoff Tate
Best known for their 1988 concept album Operation Mindcrime, hard-rockers Queensryche opt for something complete different on their new studio album, American Soldier. As its title implies, the CD is all about war, told from a soldier’s point of view. Singer Geoff Tate put on a journalist’s cap for the album and interviewed soldiers who…
Hey There, Remember Randy Newsom? The Minor Leaguer Who Sold Shares of Himself?
He’s back. Randy Newsom, everyone’s favorite side-arming, entrepreneurial minor leaguer has a newish business venture. We’ll get to that in a second. First, a recap. Last year Newsom created Real Sports Investments, where fans could buy shares of minor leaguers (Newsom’s cost $20), and if/when that minor leaguer made it to the majors, investors would…
Kate Bush Is a Hobbit-Lovin’ Freak
Last night, I finally got around to watching The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball from Shout! Factory’s cool DVD box, The Secret Policeman’s Balls. Kate Bush performs “Running Up That Hill” with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. It was her big hit in 1985, a couple of years before this benefit concert was shot. It’s a great…
Tuesday Ticket Giveaway #2: Lady Sovereign
We got a pair of tickets to Lady Sovereign’s concert at the Grog Shop on Tuessday, May 12. All you have to do is send your name, phone number and e-mail address to freetickets@clevescene.com. We’ll be picking a random winner at noon on Monday, May 11.
Layzie Bone Added to North Coast Music Festival
On August 7-9, Cleveland’s hosting a mini music festival. While we usually hate these sorta things, we’re hoping the North Coast Music Festival won’t attract naked guys with ponytails. More than 40 bands will play on three stages. Blessid Union of Souls, Pale Hollow and Layzie Bone, a new addition, are scheduled to perform at…
You, Too, Can Dress Like a Gay Biker
Following in the haute couture footsteps of Diddy and Avril Lavigne, former Judas Priest frontman Ron Halford is launching a clothing company. Metal God Apparel includes plenty of fashionable T-shirts — many of them graced with skulls, wings and demonic-looking creatures, natch — for men and women. Best of all, the new line features some…
Nike Zoom LeBron Soldier III
LeBron’s trotting out another pair of newly designed Nike shoes for the playoffs. Don’t know much about kicks, but Rich “MaZe” Lopez from Sporting News’ First Cuts blog does, so I’ll let him take it away: For the third straight year, Nike and LeBron have come together to create a Nike/LeBron sneaker designed specifically for…
THEY’RE HERE
Stand down, amateur apparition hunters: Cleveland just got its very own Ghostbusters. The non-profit Munroe Falls Paranormal Society, at your service. The seven-member crew includes a historian, an electrical engineer, a psychic and a fear counselor, boasting 40-plus years of investigative know-how. And it just announced in a professional-enough release that it’s expanding its turf…
“Akron Witnessed First” Tees, Now With 300% More Color
Rubber City Clothing, which makes fantastic Akron-oriented tees, has rolled out a whole new colorline for its “Akron Witnessed First” LeBron tee campaign. Previously only available in black, and temporarily in St. Vincent St. Mary colors before they sold out, the shirts now come in old school blue and orange, wine on gold, and gold…
SOMEBODY WATCHED THE WATCHMEN TOO MUCH
Cincinnati man dons mask, fights crime, refers to himself in the plural: He calls himself Shadowhare, and he wears a mask and a cape to conceal his true identity. He’s Cincinnati’s own version of a superhero fighting crime and injustice where he finds it. “We help enforce the law by doing what we can in…
Tuesday Ticket Giveaway #1: The Killers
We got a pair of tickets to the Killers’ concert at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater at Tower City on Wednesday, May 6. All you have to do is send your name, phone number and e-mail address to freetickets@clevescene.com. We’ll be picking a random winner at noon on Friday, May 1.
Mystery of Two Prep New Album
I stopped by the Exit Stencil Studios in North Collinwood late last week to check out the new Mystery of Two album. The disc won’t come out until late July, and the guys just announced a July 31 CD-release show at the Beachland. But the album is pretty much finished, and singer-guitarist Ryan Weitzel let…
Concert Announcements: This Just In
We have 39 new shows for you this week. Tune in every Tuesday for more. —D.X. Ferris ASG: Tavern, Thu., June 25, 9 p.m., $8. Beachland. The Beech Ball: Featuring silent & live auctions, cocktails, eclectic southern cuisine with music by Tony Quarles and the Discovery Band. Fri., May 29. 6:30 p.m., $100 (216-831-2255 beechball@beechbrook.org).…
EAT WITH THE CHAMP
Youngstown middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and trainer Jack Loew will visit Cleveland for a fundraising dinner Wednesday, April 29, at Sterle’s Restaurant (1401 East 55th St.). Proceeds benefit the Lake Erie Association of USA Boxing, part of the amateur ranks that Pavlik and Loew rose through on their way to world renown. Pavlik and Loew…
PEACE WARRIOR
Cleveland Network of Spiritual Peace Activists will host a visit by international peace activist Father Louis Vitale on May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd. Vitale does not mess around: SANTA BARBARA – Father Louis Vitale has lost track of how many times he has been arrested. More than…
Alex Mack Rankings on Madden 10
In case you were curious how the Browns’ first round draft pick stacked up in the Madden rankings. Also, first glance of cartoon Alex Mack in cartoon Browns uniform. (Via Inside EA Sports)
LeBron vs. Kobe — the Vitamin Water Commercial Debate
Continue the debate online here via Facebook.
LeBron’s Rookie Contract With Nike — The Last Mega Marriage of Its Kind for Awhile
Athlete endorsements have always struck me as an odd business practice for corporations. Not in every case, since an endorsement still carries some economic weight to it, I suppose. It’s the mega-mega-mega deals that have always befuddled me, and especially those given to rookies. Does Nike really reap all the benefits from paying Kobe or…
Off Topic: Check Out This Short Film on a Muslim Wrestler, Playing at Tribeca
New York magazine has five short films on their site that are playing at the Tribeca film festival. They’re all terrific, but this one is kind of, sort of, sports-related. Wrestling is a sport, right? For anyone who enjoyed Mickey Rourke and the deserved hype surrounding The Wrestler, there’s this short, entitled Team Taliban, following…
On that Cliff Lee Trade Rumor…
By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard about the rumor that the Indians are considering trading Cliff Lee. Except, they aren’t. The original article, on CBSSPORTS.com, cited “sources.” Here’s the pertinent paragraphs: But multiple officials familiar with the Indians said this week that they wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Lee get traded if…
Stop by the Cleveland Browns Team Shop for Deals, Deals, Deals!
All that needs to be said about the relationship between the Browns fan base and the Browns merchandise department can be summed up in a few words: Droughns. Frye. Rison. Brown. The list can go on, of course, but the point is that it’s pretty damn hard (and expensive) to purchase a replica Browns jersey…
Ohio, Home to Five of the Top 100 Golf Courses in America According to Golf Digest
Golf Digest just released their latest course rankings, and Ohio was well represented as always. Below are the rankings for Buckeye state courses, their designers, and the year they were constructed. 19. Muirfield Village GC — Dublin, OH; Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead; 1974 35. The Golf Club — New Albany, OH; Pete Dye; 1967 40.…
5 Songs That Make Us Sicker Than the Swine Flu
All this talk about the Swine Flu got me thinking about things that really make me sick — like many tracks on iTunes’ Top Songs list. Here are five songs in the Top 20 that make me wanna hurl. 1. 3OH!3 — “Don’t Trust Me”: Goofy, self-referential white guys with synthesizers suck. Goofy, self-referential white…
WE DO WHAT WE CAN
From a press release from social justice organization Community Shares: The Social Justice Reporting Award will recognize Dan Harkins of Cleveland Scene for his report “Disparate Times.” This in depth article uncovered the unequal and unfair drug charges given to white suburbanites versus people of color in Cleveland. Harkins’ report led the way for future…
Ripper Watch: New Tim “Ripper” Owens Track Online
“Starting Over,” the first release from Tim “Ripper” Owens’ solo debut, is now streaming online at his MySpace page. It’s a midtempo chunk of hard rock with vocals that jump into metallic shrieks when the chorus rolls around. Owens’ album, Play My Game, will be released Tuesday, May 19 on SPV/Steamhammer Records. —D.X. Ferris
Years of Fire Get Masochistic
Cleveland extreme-metal quintet Years of Fire, who describe themselves as “100% American Made Heavy Metal,” will introduce their debut album The Masochists at a release party at Peabody’s on Saturday. Fear of Drowning, Solipsist, Cholera and To Envy the Horrid open the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6. The Masochists seems like an appropriate…
Concert Review — Rodriguez at the Beachland Ballroom, 4/24
“I’m honored and pleased and privileged to be here,” Sixto Rodriguez said at the beginning of his hour-long set at the Beachland Ballroom on Friday night. Rodriguez, the 66-year-old Detroit-based singer-songwriter whose career has gotten a second look thanks to a pair of reissues on the indie Light in the Attic label, adjusted his black…
A SAD COMMENTARY INDEED
Brooklyn Police Chief Mark Tenaglia better hope he doesn’t have an armed stand-down go awry in the coming years. Some of his 35 officers might feel they’ve got a license to go all Deer Hunter on the perps. Scene recently obtained a copy of an e-mail that Tenaglia forwarded to to all of his staff…
SAVE THE STREET FAIRS
People from all over the region flock to the annual summer street fairs in Cleveland Heights’ Coventry Village; although low-key and neighborly, they’re not just for the neighbors. People come from all over for the food, crafts, wares, performances, book-signings and kids activities, and even to register to vote. But they’re expensive to organize (police…
MORE LOCAL NEWS BLUES
Plain Dealer management met with representatives from its three unions this week, requesting that they trim $5 million in payroll expenses by June 1 or face more layoffs. The proposed concessions would affect members of the Newspaper Guild, which represents editorial employees; the Teamsters, which represent circulation workers and others; and the pressmen’s union, which…
WE DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR CLOTHES OFF, BUT IT’S FUN!
After decades of drag, several years of burlesque revival and more recently the roller derby resurgence, it must be getting difficult to come up with bawdy stage names. Is there a data base somewhere, to avoid overuse of Q.T. Pie, Moan Eque and Jugs Bunni? Anyway … Creamy Stevens (below), Nasty Canasta, Clams Casino and…
Lady GaGa Covers Coldplay
Hey Coldplay fans! Listen to what Lady GaGa did to one of your favorite songs. It doesn’t sound all that bad without Chris Martin’s histrionics. Then again, a song about dead maniacal world leaders probably merits Martin’s histrionics-heavy delivery. What do you think? —Michael Gallucci
CLEVELAND IN NATIONAL NEWS — AND IT’S NOT ABOUT FORECLOSURES!
Articles touting Cleveland’s best restaurants usually sing the praises of high-end places that not many locals can afford. But USA Today recognized some of the restaurants Scene staffers actually go to, in a piece titled “Cleveland restaurants put a new spin on comfort food.” The list of five establishments is a cross-section of Cleveland old…
Delonte West on Jim Rome is Burning
Delonte West was Rome’s special correspondent and his video yielded some absolutely tremendous material: The Cavs call Dominic the ballboy “McLovin’,” Delonte watches recorded Sponge Bob episodes while getting his hair braided at home, he’s seen carrying some fried chicken with hot sauce and a fruit punch around the practice facility, and Delonte schooling J.J.…
ActiveMuse Looks Back on KSU Shootings
For the fifth year, Kent’s Activemuse is marking the anniversary of the 1970 shooting deaths of four Kent State students by the Ohio National Guard with its annual Peace and Music Fest. The event with take place from 7-11 p.m. Monday, May 4 (the actual anniversary of the shootings), at the Kent Stage. Co-hosts for…
Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson to Play Classic Park July 11
Bob Dylan will play a concert at the Lake County Captains’ Classic Park on July 11. Dylan last played Classic Park in 2005, when he ran through a typical set list featuring oldies (“The Times They Are A-Changin'”), classics (“Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again”) and songs nobody wanted to hear (“Cry…
One More Thought On Tribe’s Attendance During the NBA Playoffs
Yesterday, I took a look at how the Cavs’ playoff run, combined with the economy and the Tribe’s slow start, might effect the Indians attendance through the early weeks of June. What I failed to think of until now is the percentage of fans who might buy tickets but not show up to the game.…
Dylan Playing Classic Park in July
Bob Dylan will play a concert at the Lake County Captains’ Classic Park on July 11. Dylan last played Classic Park in 2005, when he ran through a typical set list featuring oldies (“The Times They Are A-Changin'”), classics (“Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again”) and songs nobody wanted to hear (“Cry…
Matt LaPorta on Twitter
Triple-A slugger Matt LaPorta is supposedly twittering under the account Gator4God. It looks real, but you never know. Check out his full feed here. Below are some highlights, including his thoughts on Percy Harvin and American Idol. (H/T to Lets Go Tribe.)
Pearl Jam Rock “Cold Case”
A whopping 16 Pearl Jam songs will provide the soundtrack to the season finales of Cold Case, a CBS show I’ve never seen. Hot on the heels of the excellent deluxe reissue of their debut album, Pearl Jam hasn’t been this hot since they dragged Tickemaster into court. The two-part finale — “The Long Blue…
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN TIE-DYE LIKE THIS
Sure, it’s kind of an hour and a half drive from Cleveland to Canton, but if you can possibly make it down by April 26, it’s well worth it to catch the special exhibit currently at the Canton Art Museum, Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota. Pictures can’t do justice to the beauty…
New Green Day Video
Green Day – New Music – More Music Videos MTV has the premiere of Green Day’s new video for “Know Your Enemy.” It’s the first single from their new album, 21st Century Breakdown, which comes out on May 15. It’s been five years since Green Day transformed themselves from washed-up pop-punks to Grammy-winning rock ‘n’…
Concert Review: Roman Candle and the Deep Vibration at Musica, 4/23
The all-American-looking Roman Candle had a crowd huddle near the stage before they even launched into the fast-paced “Baby’s Got It in the Genes.” Singer Tim Matheny, a visual cross between John Denver and John-Boy Walton, engaged the audience so thoroughly that no one minded when he thanked them for coming out “on a Wednesday…
Jason Tyner Had a Cup of Coffee With the Tribe, Traded Today To Detroit For Less Than Than a Cup of Coffee
Jason Tyner was a member of the Indians for a brief moment of time back in 2008 before being designated for assignment in May. Today, he was traded from the Brewers to the Tigers, for apparently nothing at all. Dan Lunetta, the Tigers’ director of minor league operations, said the Brewers assigned Tyner’s contract to…
Ohio, Home to Two (And Actually, Probably Three) of the Nicest Minor League Stadiums
Baseball America recently released their list of the top ten minor league ballparks, and Ohio was heavily represented. Fifth Third Field in Toledo, home of the Mud Hens, placed fourth. I’ve always wanted to make it out there for a game, especially to sit in “The Roost,” which made ESPN’s list of one of the…
TO DIE FOR
Zombie Walk benefiting Cleveland Food Bank. ’Nuff said. Video from last year’s walk:
What the Cavs Playoff Run Means to Area Businesses, Including the Tribe
It doesn’t take a genius to tell that a deep march into the NBA Playoffs by the Cavs is good for the city of Cleveland. More people downtown, buying stuff, drinking, eating, etc. According to Tamera Brown of Positively Cleveland, the Cavs bring in about $3.7 million in revenue for every home game, which is…
According to Forbes, Tribe Worth $399 Million, Posted $19.5 Million Income in 2008
Forbes has just released their annual MLB franchise valuation lists and the numbers for the Tribe aren’t surprising. Franchise Value: $399 million (rank: 18th)% Change from last year: -4%Revenue: $181 million (rank: 16th)Operating Income: $19.5 million (rank: 13th) You can check out the full rankings here and details on the Indians here. Two tidbits —…
The Return of Dolson
Those who became fans of Andy Dolson’s rocked-up singer-songwriter music when he released his debut EP Tide in December in 2005 and wonder where he’s been for the past two years, rejoice. The Akron-based musician celebrates the release of a new five-song EP, The Last Thing You Want, at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at Musica in…
Customer Appreciation Night at Hi-Fi
The Hi-Fi Concert Club has extracted itself from the Jigsaw debacle. It’s back in the hands of longtime owners Billy Morris and Jimmy Maler. And it’s going to stay there (contrary to rumors that they’ve sold it again). “We have been put in financial stress,” says Maler. “But closing the doors has never been discussed…
Andrew W.K. resurfaces on Cartoon Network
Remember Andrew W.K.? He had a pretty good album back in 2002 called I Get Wet. You might remember the cover, which featured the long-haired rocker with a wicked nosebleed (no doubt spurred on by a pre-photo session coke binge). He kinda disappeared after that. Andrew’s back as host of a new TV show called…
Why I Hate Music Festivals
Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo. This is why I hate music festivals. Especially ones like Coachella. And I’m talking about Naked Wizard, not the cops who tasered him. How much you wanna bet the dude’s a Grateful Dead fan? —Michael Gallucci
Eminem Gets This Whole Web Thing
Eminem is getting serious about promoting his new CD, Relapse, which comes out on May 19. It’s his first album in five years, and much is riding on it — especially Em’s career. Five years is a long time in the music biz; it’s even longer when you’re a rapper. The album’s first single, “We…
Trendy No More: Simeon Soul Charger’s Aaron Brooks
Aaron Brooks is no longer a Trendy punk. Simeon Soul Charger, his mature new rock band, will release its self-titled debut EP on Saturday at Musica in Akron. If you’re looking for the infectious, wiseassed pop-punk Brooks played as frontman of Trendy, you’ll either be disappointed or impressed. “To make a long story short, I…
NOW WHAT?
Akron Mayor For Life Don Plusquellic is still well-ensconced within the walls of his palatial City Hall, but for how long can he keep up defenses? And for how long will he be made to field the endless public-records requests from the group aligned to depose him, Change Akron Now? The group’s leader, former Councilman…
Zaza, Now Shred Free
Clevelanders whose memories go back a few years might be startled to see the mention of a band called Zaza playing at the Beachland Tavern with the extravagantly named the Pains of Being Pure at Heart on April 30. No, it’s not a reunion of the hard-rocking hair band that sailed to the top of…
This Is a Shakedown Prepare for Their Close-Up
Ante Up Audio/Reversed Image Unlimited’s Jim Quinn stopped by the office today to drop off copies of This Is a Shakedown’s forthcoming album, Love Kills. Due out May 5, the local band’s debut is a heady mix of NIN-like industrial rock that never settles for a completely synthetic sound. Formerly of Cleveland garage-rock icons the…
The Baseball Hall of Fame Did Some Collecting in New York Recently, Including a Record-Breaking Pair of Spikes from CC’s Size 15 Feet
Citi Field and new Yankee Stadium opened recently, and that meant that representatives from the Baseball Hall of Fame were on hand to collect items for shipment back to Cooperstown to mark the historic events. As far as direct Tribe connections are concerned, reps collected a game ball signed by Cliff Lee and the bat…
Mark Shapiro Recommends Eating Pasta, Salads, Rice and Beans and Fresh Fruit
Not only are the Indians on the forefront when it comes to statistical analysis, not only are they on the forefront of ticket pricing policies, they’re also on the forefront of nutrition. From former Blue Jays assistant GM Bart Given’s blog, it seems that the Tribe was among the first to really focus on nutrition…
Master of Buttons
TOP PICK Guitar Hero: Metallica (Activision) The recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees are totally tuned into the hit videogame franchise (for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii). So turn it up loud and get ready to shred something fierce on more than 30 Metallica songs, plus a couple of dozen others…
No Direction Home
The title of the Oscar-nominated documentary The Betrayal refers to the Americans who let down the Laotian soldiers who helped fight their secret war in the ’70s. It also refers to a Laotian fighter who turns his back on his family after being MIA for 15 years. And it refers to that soldier’s betrayal of…
CD Review: Black Dice
Noise-rock bands aren’t supposed to last as long as Brooklyn’s Black Dice. The band has floated from indie label to indie label during its 10 years, including a brief WTF-inducing major-label foray with 2005’s Broken Ear Record. Throughout their existence, they’ve always been a bit of an acquired taste — mostly appealing to people who like…
Reel Cleveland: Found Footage Festival
Eighteen years ago, Nick Prueher was working at a McDonald’s in Wisconsin when he happened upon a custodial training video in the break room. He popped it in the VCR and had such a good laugh, he decided to take it home and show it to his friends. Thus began his career as a video…
CD Review: Sara Watkins
Under the careful production of Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, singer-songwriter Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek, now on hiatus) shines on her self-titled solo debut, which combines country, bluegrass, pop and some Irish-inspired moments in a mix that’s as seamless as it is enjoyable. Watkins opens with the beautiful “All This Time,” a slow ballad…
Happy Hunting
While the world’s changed a lot over the past two administrations, there’s not a huge need for new folk singers. There’s just one reason to applaud the arrival of Safari, a six-month old Cleveland act whose rock swagger possesses a nice mixture of grime and barstool panache. “I want to write music that you don’t…
CD Review: Silversun Pickups
Something about the tangible tension in Silversun Pickups frontman Brian Aubert’s voice makes you believe him. As he howls and moans lines like “So we are all growing old and it’s getting old” and “How many times do you wanna die?/How many ways do you wanna die?,” you find yourself drawn in and experience that…
Letters to the Editor
CHURCH … I read your article concerning the closings and future of several historic Catholic churches due to the diocese’s consolidation plan (“Sacrificial Lambs,” April 8). Your article is not as critical of the diocese’s consolidation plan as others I’ve read, but still it jumped on the Catholic Church-bashing bandwagon. While I agree that it…
CD Review: Agoraphobic Nosebleed
The arrival of a new Agoraphobic Nosebleed album was once cause for much chortling, since the song titles were hilarious and the songs themselves were frequently so short, you barely had time to finish laughing at the title before the track was over. No more. On Agorapocalypse, the band has reinvented itself as a savage…
NOW IT’S PERSONAL
At this point, almost three full weeks into the season, you would think it’s a little late in the game to start hating C.C. Sabathia for signing with the Yankees. But it just struck me, during the Indians’ four-game series at the wind tunnel known as new Yankee Stadium, that as far as his professional…
Film Caps
Opening Black Balloon (Australia/Britain, 2008) Winner of six Australian Film Institute awards (including Best Picture and Director), this soapy, clunky domestic drama stars the estimable Toni Collette as Maggie, a wife and mother valiantly struggling to keep it together in the outskirts of Sydney. Chief amongst her many challenges is teenage son Charlie (Luke Ford),…
Mutha Uckas onstage
Concert Review: Flight of the Conchords On their TV show, Flight of the Conchords, the New Zealand folk/pop/rock duo of Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie seldom play to a crowd that includes anyone other than their one stalker fan. Sunday night at Kent State University’s MAC Center, they played in front of a capacity crowd…
CD Review: The Juan Maclean
Like his label boss and musical compatriot James Murphy, Juan MacLean makes twitchy electro-pop intended more for groove-minded hipsters than your average club-hopper. On his second album, MacLean and his group of robo-soul pals (particularly Nancy Whang, whose voice guides most of these 10 songs) flutter through beat-driven cuts that aren’t as alienated — or…
PRESERVATION JAZZ
The founding mission of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland in 1980 was the promotion and preservation of jazz through education and performance opportunities for students and concertgoers alike. Thirty years later, JazzFest continues on that path, offering free clinics as well as concerts by international stars, up0and-comers and local jazz luminaries during its 10-day run. It’s an…
CD Review: Machinedrum
Machinedrum is the best producer you’ve never heard. Owing more to guys like Prefuse 73 or Boards of Canada than crate-diggers like J. Dilla or Madlib, Machinedrum (Travis Stewart) serves up club-ready, electro-framed jams that would fit easily into a Diplo set. His tracks are grounded in some serious synth-funk, while additional tinkering and filtering…
Local CD Reviews
Circus Devils Gringo (Happy Jack Rock) circusdevils.com The Circus Devils have been around since 2001 and made six other albums. But they’re touting Gringo as their first “acoustic” disc. But it in no way resembles your classic unplugged event. Instead, singer/lyricist Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices fame) and Todd and Tim Tobias craft a…
CD Review: Pet Shop Boys
Pet Shop Boys have been doing their gay Euro-disco thing for almost a quarter century now. On their 10th album, they still sound like sprightly young men. Naturally, the beats have slowed down some and the hooks aren’t as abundant as they were back when the Boys were making great singles in the ’80s, but…
Long Time Gone
Sixto Rodriguez is the centerpiece of one of rock’s all-time fascinating stories. It spans four decades, four continents, two albums and at least three generations of music fans. Yet you probably never heard of him. Then: In 1969, Rodriguez (he makes music under his surname only) recorded Cold Fact — an album of Dylan-like ruminations…
Around Hear: So Trendy
Aaron Brooks is no longer a Trendy punk. Simeon Soul Charger, his mature new rock band, will release its self-titled debut EP on Saturday, April 25 ,at Musica (51 E. Market St.). If you’re looking for the infectious, wise-ass pop-punk he played as frontman of Trendy, you’ll be disappointed or impressed. “To make a long…
ONE GOAL TO LEAD THEM ALL
With the NBA playoffs underway, the Cavs have gone public with their slogan for the year, “One Goal™.” The laudable message of focus and unity beats last season’s “Rise Up.” To us, it sounded OK, but not great — is one goal really enough to take a team all the way? But what do we…
WHO’S DOWN WITH ODB
Jaime Lowe’s biography of Russell Jones — a.k.a. the the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard — is like a portrait of the proverbial train wreck: disturbing, sometimes embarrassing to read and yet difficult to turn away from. She gives a sympathetic reading of an obviously complicated man. The book, Digging for Dirt: The Life and…
Ooh La La!
The four Brooklynites in French Kicks have finally found their cruising speed. Ten years after their self-titled EP, the band has established themselves as lush and chilled indie-pop record-makers, alums of the N.Y.C. school of rock. “It does feel a little bit like a graduate program,” muses singer, multi-instrumentalist and co-founder Nick Stumpf. “It feels…
HOT FUSION
“I think Fusion Festival came of age this year,” says Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom. Now in its fourth year, the festival brings together a range of Cleveland’s performing-arts companies. But in previous outings, while the festival has booked celebrity performers, the city’s most prestigious institutions have been absent — a significant shortcoming…
Bites: Melt Goes East
Since opening a couple of years ago, Melt Bar and Grilled (14718 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216.226.3699, meltbarandgrilled.com) has been one of the most successful restaurants on Cleveland’s West Side. Soon, owner Matt Fish will attempt to duplicate that success on the East Side. In a few weeks, Fish will begin an ambitious renovation project at…
Arts News: Celebrating Slam
For 25 years, Kent State University’s Wick Poetry Center has been a pillar of Northeast Ohio’s poetry community. It presents an annual reading series, publishes chapbooks by Ohio writers and first books by winners of its eponymous prize, and offers scholarships to KSU for student poets. The center was founded in 1984 by sculptor Robert…
HOW WE GOT SCREWED
County Commissioner Tim Hagan hasn’t been looking so good these days. Colleagues have seen him smoking again. And you can’t miss the extra baggage, the tired eyes. And that was before a recent trip to MetroHealth on county business ended with him feeling woozy and being admitted for stent surgery. Again. So no one would…
CLASS WILL TELL
Most scripts about dead-end kids and their downtrodden teachers in urban schools highlight one inspired educator who somehow manages to part the pedagogical clouds and effect an educational breakthrough. Cue the trumpets and everybody leaves feeling better about schools that are, in reality, often nothing short of horror stories. When No Child, now at Cleveland…
NEXT BEST THING TO BEAN THERE
When Heather Haviland added weekend brunch service to Lucky’s Café repertoire, she immediately became the queen of the breakfast circuit. Already a popular midweek coffee-and-pastry stop, Lucky’s, in Tremont, soon found itself besieged by the ravenous bridge-and-tunnel set. Things went so well so fast that the chef finally was able to replace her closet-sized kitchen…
“STATELY, ALOOF DIGNITY”
As one of the giants of photography in the first half of the 20th century, viewers will mostly likely approach the work of Edward Weston with preconceived notions. And truthfully, the conventional wisdom, shaped by years and years of critical study and analysis, is pretty accurate. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t revelations to be…
Local Dirt: Sweeney’s Shrinkage
IN & OUT Council president Martin Sweeney lost two of the most loyal members of his East-Side-heavy majority on April 17, when his majority leader, Glenville’s Sabra Pierce Scott, and South Collinwood’s Roosevelt Coats announced in tandem that the end of the month was their end of the line. According to a few council members,…
CD Review: Neil Young
Neil Young has made some weird records — Trans’ robo-slop, the ersatz rockabilly of Everybody’s Rockin’. So Fork in the Road — which is all about his 1959 Lincoln Continental hybrid — isn’t totally out there. But it is weird. And, filled with the same nondescript sludgy riffs that form the basis of most of…
American Psychos
Set in Los Angeles in the early ’80s, The Informers might as well have been made in the ’80’s. And no, that’s not a compliment. Based on a Bret Easton Ellis novel, Gregor Jordan’s film opens with a shot of yuppies doing what everyone in L.A. supposedly did in the early ’80s: listen to Simple…
