Sneak Peek: Mitchell’s Ice Cream in Ohio City, Opening April 21
It’s been a long wait, but come April 21, it will all be worth it. That’s when the new Mitchell’s Ice Cream on West 25th Street will open its doors and start slinging scoops of their famous ice cream in the heart of Ohio City. The highly anticipated opening has been over two years in…
Marc Maron Is Not a Fan of Rover’s “Puke Cannon”
Marc Maron played a set of shows this weekend down at Picwick & Frolic, and like any comedian making his way through town, he was shuffled off for promo slots on local morning drive-time radio. It’s the sort of venue when comedians are their best — early morning, egged on by the antics of shock…
‘Enchanted Unicorn’ and ‘Mystical Mermaid’: The Ridiculously Named Slot Machines of the Recently Busted Canton Casino, Ranked
via Flickr user Ragingwire Three Stark County residents were indicted in federal court last week for running illegal casinos in the Canton area and then laundering the cash proceeds into their bank accounts. The trio — Jerry Warren, 70; his daughter, Tracie Warren-Pastore, 45; and Yabacushyanei Bennett, 45 — operated establishments like the Golden Nugget…
RIP Ray Shepardson, Playhouse Square Revival Leader
RIP Ray Shepardson (1944-2014), who passed away on Monday. Without him, we’d have parking lots on Euclid Avenue where brilliant marquees now glitter and gleam. Yes, Ray Shepardson saved the theater district from being demolished in the early 1970s when, as a young man, he provided the vision and energy to save those glorious, unique…
Dock Dicks: ODNR Still Mostly Silent on Edgewater Marina Project
Sam Allard / Scene Edgewater Yacht Club dockage Not one representative from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources attended a community meeting Friday afternoon called by State Representative Nickie J. Antonio to address public concerns about the Edgewater Marina floating docks project. Those docks are currently under construction, flaws and all, and are scheduled to…
Great Show from The War on Drugs; Tough Vibes at the Grog Shop
Hitting and then exceeding all expectations, The War on Drugs rolled into town Saturday night and threw down a colossal set of dreamy, spacey Americana rock. There must have been something in the air, though, as much of the crowd yammered their way through the show, paying little heed to the fact that there was…
Yes to Perform ‘Fragile’ In Its Entirety at Hard Rock Live
Joe Kleon Last year, prog rockers Yes played 1971’s The Yes Album, 1972’s Close to the Edge and 1977’s Going for the One in their entirety in front of a sold out audience at Cain Park. This year, they’re back on the road but for the current tour they plan to play 1971’s Fragile and…
Hashtag: East Cleveland Public Library. Hashtag: Moving Forward
UPDATE: Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine on Monday ruled that William Fambrough and Devin Branch cannot legally be removed from office by the East Cleveland School Board. “Branch and Fambrough can only be removed by court proceedings initiated by a written complaint signed by 15 percent of local voters in the last gubernatorial election,” the…
Cleveland Thief Allegedly Steals $6,500 in Just 78 Seconds
How long does is take to rob two northeast Ohio gas stations and slip away with several thousand dollars? 78 seconds apparently. At least that’s how long it took one Cleveland man to load $6,500 onto pre-paid debit cards at two separate northeast Ohio gas stations recently. 19-year-old Makendy Francois now faces felony theft charges…
Alan Parsons Project to Play Masonic Auditorium in May
Progressive rock producer Alan Parsons hasn’t toured much over the course of his lengthy career. He hasn’t even played a proper show in Northeast Ohio in more than 15 years. But he’s included Cleveland on his Alan Parsons Live Project: Greatest Hits Tour; he’ll play at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, at the Cleveland…
Engelbert Humperdinck Hams It Up During Lively Show at Hard Rock Live
When singer Wayne Newton played his last set shows on the Las Vegas strip in 2010, he called them his “Once Before I Go” shows. He took the opportunity to show old video clips and reminisce about his past. His voice was pretty much blown out and sounded hoarse, but the show was still good…
Five Great Ohio Bike Trails
It’s time to break away from the city and smell that fresh air— and what better way to do that than on a bike? Ohio’s chock-full of bike trails for any kind of rider. And with more bikers than ever before (and less injuries, too), nothing is stopping you from getting out there and speeding…
10 Cleveland Restaurants Where You Can Get Great Dishes for Under $10
You don’t have to empty your wallet to enjoy delicious local food— you just have to look in the right places. After all, Cleveland’s a pretty frugal city. Common eateries have their crowd-favorite menu items, and even at the fancier restaurants, there are lots of surprising deals lurking under the pricier selections. These dishes are…
Ranked: Cleveland Named Among Most Frugal Cities in the Nation
Some think we’re cheap, we think we’re thrifty, and, apparently, so do the folks over at Coupons.com who recently released statistics on the most frugal cities in the nation. Cleveland claimed seventh place for coupon clipping (of the material and digital sort) on this year’s list, in front of two other Ohio cities, Columbus (13)…
Local Graphic Artist Derek Hess to Guest on Tonight’s “Metal on Metal” Radio Program
Derek and his dog Local graphic artist Derek Hess, a longtime presence on the local music scene, is the subject of the new documentary film Forced Perspective. The movie has been making its way to various film festivals and tonight from 8 to 9:30, Hess will be a guest on WJCU’s “Metal on Metal” radio…
Oak & Embers Tavern Steps in to Plug Far-East BBQ Gap
Marc and Gretchen Garofoli have been involved with a number of Northeast Ohio restaurants, but they recently made the plunge with their very own business. Located in Chesterland, Oak & Embers Tavern (8491 Mayfield Rd., 440-729-3480) specializes in three of life’s greatest things: barbecue, bourbon and beer. “My wife and I do all of the…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (April 11 — 13)
This weekend, Cleveland’s got plenty of reasons to get out. Grab a glow in the dark t-shirt and take a jog in the Glow in the Park race. Or, throw on your finest outer space gear and head to Great Lakes Science Center for Yuri’s Night. And don’t forget to attend the opening day of…
Dispatches from Last Night’s Jimkata Show at Beachland Tavern
ERIC SANDY/SCENE Jimkata at Beachland Tavern At times the lights behind the band transformed into some sort of pinwheel thing, gyrating in step with the ascendent jams sprouting outward before them. It was a great sight, and the musicians were locked in with zeal. Jimkata, hailing from Ithaca, N.Y., greeted Cleveland last night with a…
Playhouse Square’s Momentous Star Plaza Chandelier First Light Draws Near
Back in October, Playhouse Square unveiled plans to string a spectacular 20 foot, 8,500 pound crystal chandelier across Star Plaza in downtown Cleveland – this week trusses to support the beast went up and workers continue to plug away on the project in anticipation of the May 2 official first light. “We hope everyone will…
Wish You Were Here: 20 Vintage Cleveland Postcards
Who doesn’t love rifling through a box of old postcards, especially ones depicting vintage Cleveland scenes such as Wade Park circa 1920 or the old Municipal Stadium ’round the mid 1900s? We’ve spent the last few days perusing the Cleveland Memory Project’s virtual postcard collection (do check it out, it’s really quite impressive), and have…
Seymour Ave. Horror to Become Lifetime Movie
According to a report by the New York Daily News, House of Cards’ star Kate Mara has been cast to play Michelle Knight in an upcoming Lifetime movie based on the captivity of Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus on Seymour Ave. Sony Pictures is at the helm, and producers there “are desperate” for Mara…
Scene Podcast: Obnoxious and Harrowing Encounters with Police
And we’re back! The latest Scene Podcast is fresh off the soundboard. Doug Brown discusses this week’s cover story, all about the obnoxious antics of cop block activists, and tells a few harrowing reporting stories of his own encounters with police. Sam Allard and Doug then weigh in on the week’s news: Two new ride-hailing…
Lyft’s Pink Mustache Fleet to Join Uber in Cleveland on Friday
From Lyft’s headquarters in San Francisco, director of communications Erin Simpson says drivers for the ride-hailing app are eager to “hit the road” in Cleveland for their Friday launch. Already on hand as drivers are a local fourth-grade teacher, a chef, a marathon runner, and a handful of medical and dental students from Case Western…
‘The Raid 2’ Takes the Action Film to Another Level
The 2011 Indonesian martial-arts/survival-horror action movie The Raid: Redemption was a violently intense, thrilling journey through a house of mayhem. As groundbreaking a film as it was, director Gareth Evans created it as a prequel to a much more ambitious project — a movie called Berandal (Indonesian for “thugs”). XYZ Films needed money to fund…
KISS Frontman Paul Stanley Addresses Controversy Surrounding Band’s Rock Hall Induction
This week KISS will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There have been no shortage of verbal pyrotechnics and plenty of controversy surrounding the group since its induction was announced last fall. The controversy is largely centered around the decision to induct only the four original members — Gene Simmons, Paul…
Former Mars Volta Bandmates Reunite Alongside Flea
Just a quick bit of Wednesday listening for you all: Texas-bred titans Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala reunited, brought former Mars Volta drummer Dave Elitch onboard, *and* snagged the fine services of the one and only Flea to form a new “supergroup” as Antemasque. The first song from this little collective is out today. “4AM”…
The Incredible, Edible…Michael Ruhlman’s New Book is all about the Humble, Versatile Egg
For his latest cookbook, Cleveland Heights-based writer Michael Ruhlman takes on the fundamental, indispensable egg – a food he asserts is “the world’s most versatile ingredient.” Due to be released April 8 by Little, Brown, Egg manages to cover new ground not simply because of the book’s content, but also thanks to its unique form.…
Ghost Stories: Local Reporter Suzanne Stratford Moonlights as a Producer on The Ghost Inside My Child
Suzanne Stratford is drawn to interesting stories. That’s a driving trait for any reporter, and she’s been working the Cleveland beat since 2000. Won a couple of Emmys along the way too. After one particularly eye-opening assignment, she pitched an idea for a show. The result: The Ghost Inside My Child (now airing Saturday nights…
Film Review of the Week: Draft Day
Draft Day, which opens at theaters areawide on Thursday night, begins bright and early the morning of the NFL draft in Seattle, Washington. The GM of the Seahawks speculates with the team owner on the likelihood of trading away the top pick with 12 hours on the clock. Chances aren’t great, they conclude, unless they…
Also on Stage
Gidion’s Knot This isn’t a play about a school shooting, but there certainly is some psychological carnage left in the wake of this flawed but fascinating piece by Johnna Adams. And None Too Fragile’s two-person cast, Alanna Romansky and Jen Klika, negotiate many twists and turns with emotional clarity. Set in an empty fifth-grade classroom,…
Always Lost: Adam Granduciel’s War on Drugs Merges Sound with Dreams on New Album
Adam Granduciel spent most of the last year locked into an obsessed relationship — always pushing, pulling — with the newest War on Drugs material. That seems to be a natural state for him, though the recording process this time around drove him to sleepless nights and panic-ridden days in the studio. “It just feels…
There Goes the Neighborhood: Kevin Beasley Brings his Immersive Sound Project to University Circle
Last summer, artist Kevin Beasley was part of Realization is Better than Anticipation at MOCA Cleveland, an exhibit that featured 12 artists connected to Cleveland and the surrounding region, including Pittsburgh, Detroit and areas throughout Ohio. While he was in town, he started to explore the idea of creating a sound environment in the Cozad-Bates…
All that Glitters: Sweet Apple’s Tim Parnin and John Petkovic Offer a Track-by-Track Take on their New Album The Golden Age of Glitter
Originally titled Arrivals and Departures, The Golden Age of Glitter, the new album from Sweet Apple, the band that features J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), Dave Sweetapple (Witch, Varlokk) and Clevelanders Tim Parnin (Cobra Verde, Chuck Mosley) and John Petkovic (Cobra Verde, Death of Samantha), reflects the degree to which band members have to commute long…
Soul Man: Chef Joe Mack of Jezebel’s Bayou
Situated along the main drag of Larchmere Boulevard’s antiques row, Jezebel’s Bayou (12718 Larchmere Blvd., 216-721-3877, jezebelsbayou.com) attracts a fantastically eclectic crowd. Spanning many demographics, diners are tied together by one common thread: a love of the hearty, spicy, celebratory flavors of New Orleans-style cuisine. Chef Joe Mack says that when you put the kind…
Freedom Trolls: The Legally Obnoxious Antics of the Activists Behind ‘Cop Block’
The folks whose cars are parked in the restaurant’s lot on the west side of Cleveland want you to know exactly how they feel. There’s the grey pickup truck with a homemade sign taped to its rear window, almost impossible to miss. It shows a giant fist with the middle finger flicked up in the…
Now Hear This
These are troubling times. All around us, zombies lurk and peddle gadgetry and pharmaceuticals and the likes of Katy Perry. If you’re not armed with a cache of dabs and some good music, you’re donezo. From the opening churn of alternating technological growls and deep, deep bass bombs, EMA’s The Future’s Void is an ear-catching…
Film Spotlight: Spike and Mike’s Festival of Animation
Craig “Spike” Decker can still remember the first Spike and Mike Festival of Animation. It took place at Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif., in 1977. “It was very strange because we hadn’t done a full-on 100-percent animation festival with all shorts,” he says. “We were fighting a really bad stigma. People thought it was…
Band of the Week: Freekbass
Meet the band: Freekbass (bass, vocals) Bass in your face: Freekbass started off as a drummer when he was a kid and then moved to guitar. When he saw the bassist in the Oberlin College jazz band perform, he knew he had found his instrument of choice. “The first time I heard the tones coming…
Chief Wahoo’s Waterloo: A Photo from Protests Outside the Indians’ Home Opener Goes Viral and the Debate Over the Team’s Logo Grows
The Indians’ home opener last Friday made local and national headlines, but not for baseball. Photos of a fan in redface talking to a Native American who was protesting the Tribe’s Chief Wahoo logo outside of Progressive Field went viral before the game’s final pitch had been thrown. The photos showed up promptly and prominently…
Your Complete Guide to Cleveland Concerts (April 10 -16)
thu 04/10 Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Brand New Hat/Prime Directive: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Chris Hatton (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. In Heat/Finished/Valley Girls/Drunk Meat: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. The Knock Outs/Hot Ham and Cheese/Darling Waste/Falling into Fire: 7 p.m. The Foundry. The Men/Public/Chin Shoda: 9…
All Flash, No Heat: Flashdance, The Musical Fizzles by Trying Too Hard to Sizzle at Playhouse Square
It always feels a little uncomfortable being around people who are trying too hard to be liked, or to be the life of the party. That’s how it feels when watching the pushy and fairly brain-dead Flashdance, The Musical at Playhouse Square. This is a production that seeks to pummel the audience into submission with…
