Former 92.3 The Fan Producer J.G. Spooner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Theft Charges
Update: J.G. Spooner pleaded guilty this morning to charges stemming from his previous efforts to scam money from GoFundMe campaigns. He created the fundraisers for a variety of causes, including for one woman with cystic fibrosis, and then skimmed money from the donations. This morning, Spooner copped a guilty plea for felony money laundering charge…
Mother, Grandmother Sentenced in Heroin Overdose Death of Akron Teen
Update: Heather Frye, Andrew Frye’s mother, and Brenda Frye, his grandmother, were each sentenced to nine years in prison Wednesday afternoon in connection to his death from a heroin overdose in April. Brenda Frye previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and trafficking heroin, and his mother pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence and endangering…
Video: LeBron James’ Charity Raises $73,000 From First Rides on Valravn at Cedar Point
UPDATE: Eager Valravn riders have raised $73,000 to be the first to ride Cedar Point’s newest coaster. All of the money will be given to the LeBron James Family Foundation, which keeps kids from James’ hometown of Akron in school. The park and the foundation also teamed up last year at the Rougarou’s debut which…
Bed Bugs and Dubious Management at Gold Coast’s Lake Shore Towers
[image-1]“If you’ll excuse me,” Linda Doll told Lakewood City Council on March 21, “I’m a little tired. I didn’t get any sleep last night because I am required to get my apartment ready for treatment, which means I have to take absolutely everything I own and put it in plastic bags. I might smell a…
You Have to be 21+ to Buy Cigarettes in Cleveland Starting Thursday
The measure Cleveland City Council pushed through in December of last year to raise the tobacco sales limit officially goes into effect this week. Today, retailers begin carding anyone who appears to be under the age of 30. And starting tomorrow — Thursday, April 13 — you’ll have to be at least 21, instead of…
“Love’s Labour’s Lost” Becomes Chutes and Ladders in Great Lakes Theater Production
You’d think that a play that’s all about love would be fairly simple. But when it comes to Shakespeare, nothing is as simple as you might think, or might want. In this Great Lakes Theater production of Love’s Labour’s Lost, a play filled with heightened language and topical references, it’s pretty easy for many details…
Because I Said I Would Gala to Take Place on April 28 at House of Blues
The organizers of because I said I would, a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to “the betterment of humanity,” just announced details regarding their first big event in Cleveland. Set to take place on 7 p.m on April 28, at House of Blues, A Night of Promise: The Because I Said I Would Gala will…
Josh Gordon’s Troubles and MLB Scheduling — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talked Josh Gordon, analytics and gave a big congrat to MLB for their early-season scheduling. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Plain Dealer’s Ted Diadiun: Wahoo Protesters Should “Leave the Rest of us Alone”
Plain Dealer Reader Representative turned right wing editorial writer Ted Diadiun has penned a defiant column, standing up for Chief Wahoo in the face of local protests, liberal zealots and his own employer’s published opposition. “I decided that it was about time somebody around here stood up for the little fellow,” Diadiun wrote of the…
Cuyahoga County Court Will Hear Only ‘Critical’ Cases During RNC
[image-1]Citing “logistical challenges,” the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas announced today that only “critical matters” will be dealt with during the Republican National Convention. The Justice Center will remain open, but it won’t be the bustling center of joy that it tends to be. The RNC takes place July 18-21. The announcement mentions the…
Cleveland Orchestra’s Star Spangled Spectacular Returns to Newly Renovated Public Square This Year
The Star Spangled Spectacular is returning to Public Square this year with the help of a grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. It will also mark one of the first free, public events held on the newly-renovated Public Square this summer. The two-year grant gives the orchestra $175,000 each year to hold the concert. It’s…
Hard Rock Rocksino is Giving Away Burgers on Tax Day, with a Small Catch
Want a free burger on Monday? The Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park is giving away free “Legendary Burgers” for their annual “Sing for Your Supper” on Tax Day. Since nothing in life is ever really free, of course you’ll have to work for it—first, you have to be at least 21, and second, you’ll have…
Preview: A Multimedia Concert Version of “The Fantasticks” Presented by The Musical Theater Project
Try to remember a time when the show The Fantasticks wasn’t around, and you have to go back to before President Kennedy was elected. Weirdly, it almost closed quickly due to tepid reviews and low ticket sales. But once it got rolling it became a behemoth, racking up more than 20,000 off-Broadway performances through the…
A Fake NBA Story, A Weird Commenting Experiment, and Tribe Reporters At Home — Cleveland.com Did Not Have a Very Good Week
It’s been a rough recent stretch for the fine people over at 1801 Superior Ave. Things kicked off when the digital marketing outlet got fooled by a fake story claiming that NBA commissioner Adam Silver threatened to pull the 2017 All Star Game out of Charlotte if North Carolina didn’t repeal its harmful and disgusting…
BW’s Bach Festival and 9 Other Classical Music Events Not to Miss This Week
It’s high season for classical music, with 59 events listed in our calendar for this week alone. There are tough choices to be made by both the editors and the audiences, but here are some standouts on this week’s agenda to help you plan your schedule. The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Performing Arts Series has…
Harris Stanton Gallery’s Art-ini Auction Continues This Week
Bidding continues through Friday for Harris Stanton Gallery’s second annual Art-ini Art Auction at its Cleveland location. The auction has been a 30-year tradition at Harris Stanton’s Akron gallery. Last year’s inaugural Cleveland event benefitted the Cleveland Arts Prize, and the gallery plans to choose a different local nonprofit organization each year. This year, all…
Cavs Blast Hawks Like Clay Pigeons, Clinch East’s Top Seed
The NBA regular season is nearly, mercifully over like a one-note Saturday Night Live skit. Whatever build-up or fanfare might’ve accompanied taking the Eastern Conference’s top seed was overshadowed by months of drama and the Golden State Warriors potential record-breaking run. The best thing is that none of that shit matters after Wednesday. The Cavaliers…
Cuyahoga County Suggests Paypal Come to Cleveland After Company Ditches North Carolina Over Anti-LGBT Law
[image-1]Paypal needs a new place to expand, and Cuyahoga County is offering the company a place to stay after it ditching North Carolina over anti-LGBT laws. (Nice gesture, Mr. Budish!) The company had plans to bring more than 400 jobs and a $3.6 million expansion to the state but then Governor Pat McCrory signed the…
Man Finds Years-Old “Best By” Dates on Meat at Eastlake Walmart
[image-1]The Super Walmart on Vine Street in Eastlake is issuing refunds to everyone who bought what really did appear to be “mystery meat.” A shopper discovered about 20 packages of Sugardale goose liver had “best buy” dates for 06/03/2013 printed on them. Most baffling was that no one else seemed to have noticed the packs…
Off-Duty Cleveland Police Officer Accused of Elbowing Man in the Jaw at Horseshoe Casino
[image-1] After an angry exchange of words and an alleged elbow to the face, the Cleveland Police Department is looking into what exactly happened at Horseshoe Casino in the wee hours of the morning Sunday. Long story short, an off duty police officer is accused of elbowing a Cleveland Heights man in the face. No,…
CIFF Will Stay at Tower City in 2017
Despite initial uncertainty in the wake of the Avenue at Tower City’s sale to Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock Detroit, the Cleveland International Film Festival will indeed be staying at Tower City for its run in 2017. CIFF director Marcie Goodman made the announcement at CIFF’s closing night festivities Sunday. The dates for the 2017 Festival (the…
TechniCLE Speaking 2016 Summit Returns with “Fostering Innovation” Theme
The joint venture between local media, Cleveland City Council and Jones Day Cleveland known as TechniCLE Speaking is hosting a half-day series on everything tech in and around Cleveland. This year’s “TechniCLE Speaking 2016: Fostering Innovation” will be held Thursday, April 14, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Jones Day Cleveland. The summit focuses on…
Video: Heroin Overdose in Fairview Park McDonald’s Pretty Much Shows How Bad the Heroin Epidemic Is In Northeast Ohio
If you’re wondering how bad the heroin epidemic is, the Fairview Park police have some evidence that’ll pretty much answer your question. The department released a video to NewsNet5 showing what happened shortly before an overdose call at a local McDonald’s. A man and woman are seen snorting something. He leaves, becomes ill, and then…
In Advance of Major Expansion, Barrio Hires Pete Joyce as Executive Chef
By all measures, Barrio Restaurant Group is on a roll. Since debuting in Tremont four years ago, the popular Cleveland-based taco concept has gone on to open thriving shops in Lakewood and Downtown. But owners Sean Fairbairn and Tom Leneghan have even grander plans, and in support of those projects they have hired veteran chef…
Local Rockers Johnnie Clampett & the Walkers to Play 35th Anniversary Shows
Some 35 years ago, John Teagle (Walking Clampetts, Vice Royals, Roy Loney) and Bruce Lipski started Red Rocket Gang to pay tribute to rockabilly legend Eddie Cochran who died that year. With the addition of Becky Armstrong and Mike Purkhiser (the Action), the group morphed into Johnnie Clampett & the Walkers. This weekend, the band…
Are You Photogenic? Wanna Be on the RNC Signs?
The RNC Host Committee issued a “casting call” Monday morning for all Cleveland residents who’d like to be photographed for the RNC signage that will temporarily adorn downtown Cleveland in July. The photo shoot will be this Saturday, April 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Global Center for Health Innovation. Only 200…
R. Kelly Pushes Back “Buffet Tour” Date in Cleveland
R. Kelly will be performing in Cleveland a little later than anticipated. The Grammy award winning singer and subject of multiple accusations of sexual assault has pushed back his Cleveland tour date back about two full months to June 25. He was originally scheduled to headline his “Buffet Tour” at the Wolstein Center later this…
Mabel’s isn’t the Only BBQ Joint Opening this Week. Say ‘Hey’ to Lakewood’s Proper Pig
Judging by recent media reports, there’s only one item of note taking place this week in the world of Cleveland food and drink: the long-awaited opening of Michael Symon’s Mabel’s BBQ. Don’t tell that to Shane Vidovic and Ted Dupaski, who also happen to be opening a barbecue spot this week. Building upon the success…
Cleveland Browns 2016 NFL Draft with CBS Analyst Dane Brugler — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
CBS Sports draft analyst Dane Brugler stops by to talk Cleveland Browns, quarterbacks, Buckeyes and the evaluation business. How much do the Cleveland Browns like Carson Wentz, or Jared Goff? Could they go non-QB with cornerback Jalen Ramsey? What do the rest of the Browns’ offseason moves mean to their draft? If you want a…
Bulls Go Fourth, Gore Cavs In Final Frame
The Cavaliers lost two out of three on their final regular season road trip, blowing a ten-point lead in the last three and change of the third quarter. Cleveland retook a three-point lead into the fourth quarter thanks to LeBron, only to go without a field goal for the first eight minutes of the fourth.…
Sci-Fi Flick ‘Hardcore Henry’ Comes Off as Little More Than a Good Gimmick
Hardcore Henry, a new Russian-American science fiction action film written and directed by Ilya Naishuller and starring Sharlto Copley, Danila Kozlovsky, Haley Bennett and Tim Roth, comes off as something like a video game. Almost entirely shot using a GoPro Hero 3 camera, the film possesses a particularly unique look. But with little in terms…
National Beer Mile Event Coming to Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in May
Started in the late ’80s, the National Beer Mile has become an international event thanks to news coverage from outlets such as CNN, ESPN and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Now in its second year, the National Beer Mile event series replaces water stands with beer stands. Runners drink a beer, run a lap and then…
Cleveland’s “Flower House” Brings Neighborhood Squabble to Boiling Point
Some neighbors are super angry about the so-called “Flower House” over on Lakewood Heights Boulevard and West 139th Street. It’s not the first time they’ve voiced their displeasure either. For the past couple of years, the homeowner has mystified and angered neighbors with their fake flower and holiday lights collection. Sounds harmless, of course, except…
Local Metal Act Wretch Adds New Singer Juan Ricardo
Formed in 1983, the metal band Wretch has few rivals on the local scene when it comes to longevity. Not that its career hasn’t been without its ups and downs. After releasing “Life” on Auburn Records’ 1989 Heavy Artillery compilation album, the group disbanded in the wake of an unsuccessful bid to land a major…
Video: LeBron/Ron Spends a Day Working at Blaze Pizza
[image-1] LeBron’s investment in and endorsement of fast-casual pizza joint Blaze Pizza isn’t exactly all that exciting. It’s pizza. It’s LeBron. Good for him! Anyway, what is a little fun and exciting? This video of LeBron as a guy named Ron working in a California Blaze Pizza spot. Some pretty funny lines in here —…
Pop Singer Santigold Takes a Playful Approach on Eclectic New Album
Pop/R&B/hip-hop singer Santigold (Santi White) developed her eclectic approach way back in college. White, who studied music at Wesleyan, learned to play traditional hand drums while taking ethnomusicology classes that exposed her to a wide range of music. “I would take classes on the music of Jamaica and on experimental music like John Cage and…
Backstage Pass: An Interview with the Indie Rock Act Quilt
Formed in late 2008 in Boston, the New York-based indie rock group Quilt embraces a ’60s-inspired psychedelic rock sound on its terrific new album, Plaza. The band came through town last night to play the Locker Room at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood. We caught up with them after their set to ask a few…
4 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, APRIL 8 James McMurtry Produced by John Mellencamp, singer-songwriter James McMurtry’s 1989 debut, Too Long in the Wasteland, couldn’t be classified as bluegrass, but it did have a certain twang to it. And it announced that McMurtry, the son of writer Larry McMurtry, had a good knack for words. McMurtry has nurtured that sensibility…
Actor Kiefer Sutherland to Preview Songs from Forthcoming Album at Grog Shop Show
Some people collect baseball cards or stamps. Actor Kiefer Sutherland collects guitars. “I’ve collected guitars for a long time, mainly because I had a lot of friends who were really great musicians, and they’d be going out on their first tour, and they didn’t have a really good guitar to play with, so I’d lend…
Exoneree Ricky Jackson to Receive $2.65 Million for Wrongful Conviction
The last of three Clevelanders who were wrongfully convicted of murder in 1975 on bogus eye-witness testimony has reached a financial agreement with the state. Ricky Jackson will walk away with $2.65 million dollars from his case filed in the Ohio Court of Claims. Jackson’s case is familiar to Scene readers. Back in 2011, our…
Rock Hall President: Induction to Take Place in Cleveland Every Other Year Beginning in 2018
Cleveland is, of course, home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It made sense then, to Clevelanders at least, that the induction ceremony take place in Cleveland. So when news came that the city would host it every third year, rotating with LA and New York, that was good news, but still not…
Shaking Out the Differences in Ohio’s Two Medical Marijuana Ballot Proposals
[image-1]Today, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified Grassroots Ohioans’ petition summary, which laid out the group’s intended Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp amendment. With that, the state suddenly has two medical marijuana proposals in the works — each with the stated goal of landing on the November ballot. The Grassroots Ohioans amendment is fairly straightforward.…
Singer-Songwriter Andrew Bird’s Personal Life Informs the Songs on His New Album
Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird learned to play the violin at a very young age while growing up in Chicago. Initially, his formal training had a strong influence on the type of music he played. His 1996 debut, Music of Hair, commences with a gentle waltz and keeps things on the traditional side of the folk-y spectrum.…
Video: RNC Committee Promises History and Unity Come July
After more than a year of planning, announcements and a flurry of questions from just about everybody, we’re now only about 100 days out from the Republican National Convention. Which means it’s time for even more RNC stuff. Seriously, it’s going to be RNC overload. Anyway, the RNC itself is in on the game and…
Saucy Brew Works Will Bring Beer, Pizza, Crowds to Hingetown
Tomorrow is Eric Anderson’s last day as lead brewer for the Tremont Tap House and Butcher and the Brewer family. After two years in that post, he is leaving to pursue a business of his own. “It’s exciting; every brewer wants to own their own brewery,” he says. That brewery is called Saucy Brew Works,…
David Gilbert for the Win? Kansas City Comments Testify to Cleveland’s Rehabbed Image
Wednesday afternoon, a contingent of RNC reps visited Cleveland City Council for a good old-fashioned briefing. Safety Committee Chair Matt Zone had convened the meeting to ensure that his council colleagues were adequately apprised of security preparations for the July convention. The proceedings’ first half, witnessed by an army of local media members and various…
Perspectives Exhibition Opens Today at CIFF
For the first time ever, this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival, which continues through Sunday at Tower City Cinemas, features a “perspectives exhibition” that will take over an empty storefront at Tower City Center. It will feature 10 virtual reality films and six other interactive media programs. It’s free and open to the public. “If…
Beachland to Host Release Party for Mr. Stress Blues Band’s Live Album
Smog Veil Records, the label devoted to reissuing albums by some of Cleveland’s best bands, has just announced that a record release party for Mr. Stress Blues Band: Live At The Brick Cottage 1972 – 1973, the next release in Smog Veil’s Platters du Cuyahoga series, will take place on Friday, June 3, at the…
Batuqui Owners to Open Brazilian Foods Market on Larchmere
It’s been a year since the Brazilian-themed restaurant Batuqui (12706 Larchmere Blvd., 216-801-0227) opened up on Larchmere Boulevard. Business has been booming and management is gearing for anniversary celebrations to be held on and around Memorial Day. But before that, likely in late April or early May, the owners of Batuqui will open a Brazilian…
L.A. Times Calls For End of Chief Wahoo
[image-1]The L.A. Times Editorial Board has added its voice to the chorus of those who think that Chief Wahoo ought to be retired. “We’re supposed to be heartened by the Cleveland Indians’ announcement that the team will further reduce its use of Chief Wahoo, an offensive racial caricature that serves as its logo,” the editorial, published…
12 Dead in Six Days: Heroin, Fentanyl Overdoses in Cuyahoga County
[image-1]The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office has essentially been backed into a routine of sending out regular updates on the skyrocketing number of local opiate overdose deaths. It’s a tragic cycle, and one that’s built up a thick and banal workload. (The medical examiner’s office tells Scene that autopsy reports for the many overdose deaths in…
Jane’s Addiction Anniversary Tour Coming to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in July
To celebrate the the 25th anniversary of Ritual de lo Habitual, alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction have announced the Sterling Spoon Anniversary Tour, featuring Dinosaur Jr. and Living Colour on select dates. The concerts will also serve as a tribute to the early years of Lollapalooza and lead up to Jane’s main stage performance at Lollapalooza’s 25th…
Reunited and It Feels So Good — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Dre and Zac are back in the same room and they’re catching up on March Madness, the National Championship game, LeBron James putting up numbers, and the Browns. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
A$ap Ferg, Tory Lanez, Joey Bada$$ and New Breed Brass Band to Headline Inaugural Catch Meaning Music Fest
The Cleveland Foundation’s the Catch Meaning Fund supports “causes that honor the magnetic spirit and boundless potential of two exceptional young men, Alex Doody and Josh Weil,” classmates who died last year in a tragic accident. The inaugural Catch Meaning Fest, which takes place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, at Jacobs Pavilion at…
Cavs Sit LeBron, Roofie D as Pacers Have Their Way
When something goes as afoul as it did for the Cavaliers last night, you lance it, treat with a heavy course of antibiotics, and pray it doesn’t spread. Johnnie Cochran couldn’t defend what happened out there. Hell, Mark David Chapman had a better defense than the Cavaliers last night, at least he was crazy. Best…
City Hall Dispatch: Council Frets Over RTA Service Cuts, Fare Hike
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority CEO Joe Calabrese presented plans for fare hikes and service cuts to Cleveland City Council Wednesday morning. RTA, if you haven’t heard, has the unpleasant task of filling a $7 million budget hole by the end of the year and has proposed an estimated three percent reduction in service and…
Hundreds of Media Members Gather for RNC Logistics Briefing
[image-1]Quicken Loans Arena was abuzz this afternoon as more than 600 members of the local, regional and national media scene gathered for a preview of RNC logistics and a smattering of crab cake sliders. After Mayor Frank Jackson and County Executive Armond Budish welcomed everyone to this wonderful city and joked about our “two home…
Cedar Point Breaks Ground on New Sports Center
Cedar Point is about to be known for more than just the Valravn—the amusement park is breaking ground on a new sports complex. Phase I of the Cedar Point Sports Center includes Sports Force Parks, nine multi-purpose fields, four NCAA regulation baseball fields, a baseball stadium, softball stadium, eight NCAA regulation soccer and lacrosse fields,…
Ramp it Up! Aims to Celebrate Food, Shops and Architecture of Cleveland Heights
Now entering its second year, We Are Cleveland Heights continues to find creative ways to show off the neighborhood and its unique assets. Last year, the philanthropic group hosted an elaborate five-course dinner in the historic Alcazar building. This year, the setting promises to be equally impressive: the Heights Rockefeller Building on Mayfield Road. The…
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Opens New Inductee Exhibit
With a new class about to be inducted into theRock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Rock Hall has opened a new exhibit that highlights the 2016 inductees (Cheap Trick, Chicago, Deep Purple, N.W.A, Steve Miller and Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lifetime Achievement recipient Bert Berns). An interactive discussion about the Class of 2016 takes…
LeBron James’ Production Company Acquires Rights to Viral Fake Draft Video for Comedy Feature
LeBron James’ production company is shaping a comedy from a video that went viral last year during the NBA draft. Humor writer Connor Toole—who happens to be a cool 6’10″—put on a suit and fooled just about everything into thinking he was a second-round pick for the Utah Jazz. The ruse got him free drinks…
Cleveland Bowling Fundraiser Makes Reproductive Rights a Reality for Low-Income Women
Anna Malefatto is Development and Communications Coordinator for Preterm, where she coordinates marketing and fundraising efforts. She is proud to raise funds that make abortion accessible for women in Northeast Ohio. Anna grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida and earned her B.A. at Clark University in 2010. Scene is cosponsoring the April 21 Preterm Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser. When…
County Executive Armond Budish Bans ‘Official Travel’ to North Carolina
[image-1]This week, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish laid out a formal ban on all “non-essential” county employee travel to the state of North Carolina. In case you missed the news, the North Carolina legislature approved the “Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act,” which prohibits local governments in that state from passing anti-discrimination laws that protect the…
Stout It Out Loud Fest Says ‘Goodbye, Winter’ with Stout and Oysters
As we prepare to say goodbye to our winter-friendly porters, stouts and strong ales, one local brewery has decided to host a last hurrah – and from the looks of things, Mother Nature is keen to cooperate. On Saturday, April 23, Butcher and the Brewer (2043 E. 4th St., 216-331-0805) is putting on its inaugural…
JACK Thistledown Racino to Unveil Latest Improvements at Grand Opening on Friday
It’s got a new name, and now the JACK ThistleDown Racino will have some fresh additions too. New restaurants, a plant wall and a sports bar are the latest upgrades under Jack Entertainment’s $70 million expansion project at the Racino. This phase also includes a 1,000-space garage and 235 more video lottery terminals. If you’ve…
Video: A Hastily Made Tourism Video for Case Western Reserve University
In a very timely adoption of a bit of Cleveland cultural history, The Athenian, CWRU’s humor magazine, spoofed Mike Polk’s Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism videos with some jokes about the esteemed university on Cleveland’s east side. There are some choice one-liners in there that Case alums will get a chuckle out of and enough CWRU…
Repurposed Cigarette Machine to Dispense Cleveland Artifacts This Weekend
If you’ve been to 78th Street Studios lately, you may have seen Rich Cihlar’s repurposed cigarette machine outside his gallery, E11even2, which he co-founded with fellow local artists Christina Sadowski and Billy Nainiger. Instead of packs of cigarettes, the machine dispenses original artwork and prints by Cihlar, the size of a cigarette box. For a…
Meet the Band: Nick D and the Believers
MEET THE BAND: Nick D’Andrea (vocals, keyboards), Kerry Henderson (guitar, vocals), Seth Bain (bass, vocals), Joseph Barker (keyboards, guitars), Cory Webb (drums) AN EXPANDED LINEUP: The band started in 2013, after drummer Joseph Barker moved to Columbus from Minneapolis and worked with guitarist Kerry Henderson, a member of the Floorwalkers, on a music video he…
Inside the Mind of Pulitzer Prize-winning Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold
Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold was one of the first in his field to focus equal attention on trendy bistros and on small ethnic eateries in historically ignored communities. By doing so he invites his readers to explore and appreciate the “real” Los Angeles for the beautiful, delicious melting pot that it is. The…
A Look at Luca’s Food and Wine
Luca and Lola Sema met as teenagers in Albania before moving to Cleveland in 1998, where they were frequent guests at Ponte Vecchio. When that restaurant and its replacement, Viaduct Lounge, shuttered, the Semas jumped at the opportunity to reinvent the space as Luca (2100 Superior Viaduct, 216-862-2761, lucacleveland.com), their take on Northern Italian fine…
Murder at the Hippie House: As Ohio Fumbles Marijuana Legislation, a Benevolent Weed Operation Ends in Bloodshed
Tia didn’t think twice when Corey asked her to get him a gun. By then, he wasn’t eating much or going outside. He’d just pace the apartment in Green, every five minutes cracking the blinds to peer at the street down the hill, running the same thoughts on loop. Was that the same white van…
Together Again: Gyllenhaal and Cooper are Dynamite in “Demolition”
After Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, director Jean-Marc Vallée was suddenly identifiable as a filmmaker with a recognizable look and feel, a dude with a sort of personalized Instagram filter. Not only were his movies rich in their character-driven stories (highlighted by the soulful performances of McConaughey, Leto, Witherspoon, Dern, et al.); they were also…
Spotlight: 5 Films Not to Miss at CIFF
1) Coming Through the Rye (Thur. 4/7, 4:20 p.m. @Tower City) We figured we’d mention this one, seeing as it co-stars Chris Cooper (mentioned in Demolition’s review, above) as reclusive author J.D. Salinger. The film is about a young prep school kid (Alex Wolff, brother of Nat) who has adapted Catcher in the Rye at…
Savage Love: Germane
Dear Dan, I am a twentysomething, straight, cis-female expat. How long do I have to wait to ask my German lover, who is übersensitive about the Holocaust, to indulge me in my greatest — and, until now, unrealized — fantasy: Nazi role-play? He is very delicate around me because I am a secular Jew and…
Lonely People Search for Connection in “Shining City” at the Beck Center
There’s a reason you shouldn’t store apples next to onions in your fridge. The apples will soon take on the flavor of the onions, since apples have a lot of air space between the cells, space that is quickly occupied by the onions. Lest you fear you’ve stumbled into a food-storage tutorial by mistake, note…
