What to Do Tonight: Young Widows
Um, yeah Young Widows may call Louisville home, but one listen to the band’s noise-rock discography will surely bring Chicago to mind. For starter, you can hear shades of the Jesus Lizard in the way guitarist Evan Patterson abuses his instrument. The noises he strangles from his guitar are sharp and dissonant cries for help…
What to Do Tonight: Todd Rundgren
A wizard, a true star, and a guy who likes to wear sunglasses indoors Unlike Ric Ocasek and the rest of the country, Northeast Ohio has forgiven Todd Rundgren for the New Cars. It stands to reason: Rundgren’s regional following is as famous as he is. So naturally he would get a free pass for…
What to Do Tonight: Rock of Ages Featuring Alice Cooper
Our nightmare is Alice’s opening band Alice Cooper, the godfather of all theatrical rockers, doesn’t get to headline arenas, sell truckloads of merchandise, or star in soda commercials like his bastard offspring Kiss. Instead, he’s headlining a show at the home of the Lake County’s minor-league baseball team. But Cooper’s greatest songs — “No More…
What to Do Tonight: A Wilhelm Scream
They thought about calling the band Thumbs & Hoodies Why is it that the most technically adept artists seem interested in playing only abrasive metal or avant-garde music? These virtuosos’ albums are often displays of freeform flamboyance rather than showcases of spot-on songwriting. But Massachusetts punks A Wilhelm Scream are capable of writing tight little…
What to Do Tonight: Disco Biscuits
Get ’em while they’re hot! Since forming at the University of Pennsylvania in 1995, the Disco Biscuits have become the kings of trance fusion. But it seems a little trite to stuff them into just this one category. In a way, the Disco Biscuits’ music has no boundaries. Over the past 15 years, they’ve injected…
What to Do Tonight: Built to Spill
Built to Spill: drawn from life Smart choices often outpace ability. That could be Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch’s personal motto. The small decisions made a huge difference on his band’s seventh album, There Is No Enemy. For example, Danny Levin added a conquering trumpet solo to “Things Fall Apart,” an epic six-minute head…
What to Do Tonight: Ozomatli
There are actually 17 other people in the band, but they couldn’t fit on the dock After 15 years of urban collision music, wildly inventive culture-mashers Ozomatli should be a household name. The global grooves emanating from this Los Angeles collective speaks to the melting pot and harmonic cacophony found in the group’s hometown. Ozo’s…
What to Do Tonight: Xavier Rudd/Good Old War
Xavier Rudd wants to give you a hug Sustainability hero, surfer, and singer-songwriter Xavier Rudd wears a lot of labels these days. But don’t let things like a 2007 PETA award for “World’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity” throw you. Rudd’s blend of blues, roots, and world beat — not his love of leafy greens, animal rights,…
What to Do Tonight: Lou Barlow
Barlow, lamps, and amps To paraphrase John Waters: If you’re still full of the same piss and vinegar at age 50 as you were at 20, you’re probably a jerk. While Lou Barlow is six years away from that 50-year mark, he isn’t quite stuck in the indie rock and low-fi limbo of his past.…
What to Do Tonight: Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria contemplate their next album, Desolate Unicorn in Unhappy Fairyland If Coheed and Cambria weren’t such geeks, they’d be overbearingly pretentious. The New York-based indie-prog-rockers have released five albums since 2002, all of them telling the story of “The Amory Wars,” a sci-fi concept conceived by frontman Claudio Sanchez about a galaxy far,…
What to Do Tonight: Brooks & Dunn/Merle Haggard
Brooks & Dunn: Boot-scootin’ boogiers After 20 years together, country duo Brooks & Dunn are calling it quits after one last tour. And there are only a few dates left: The final show is scheduled in Nashville next week. Their “Last Rodeo” pretty much started a year ago, when Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn released…
Out Today: Ra Ra Riot
Ra Ra RiotThe Orchard(Barsuk) It’s not totally fair to call the Syracuse-based chamber-pop group Ra Ra Riot a junior Arcade Fire. For one thing, there are only five people in Ra Ra Riot. For another, they don’t aim quite as big as the way more popular Montreal collective. And that’s often a good thing. Without…
What to Do Tonight: The Black Crowes
Probably high Roughly halfway between the 1970s arrival of Southern rock (in the form of the Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd) and the genre’s remake this past decade (most notably via the dark Dixie mythos of the Drive-By Truckers) emerged a raucous rebel sound that was unexpected at the time and, in retrospect, one of…
Out Today: The Sword
The SwordWarp Riders(Kemado) Austin metal band the Sword has always had great riffs, but the execution was usually more about passion, not precision. Until now. On their third album, the Sword tighten their game. The most immediate change involves frontman J.D. Cronise, who’s learned how to sing. Warp Riders is a sci-fi concept record —…
Pre-Show Q&A: Robert Kidney of 15 60 75 The Numbers Band
15 60 75 turn 40 15 60 75 The Numbers Band is celebrating its 40th anniversary Saturday night with a concert at the Kent Stage. Our friend Matt Wardlaw at Addicted to Vinyl had a nice long chat with frontman Robert Kidney about the group’s history. Enjoy. When you look back at 40 years of…
How to Deal With Coyotes
Do not shoot rockets at coyoytes, they are more versed in that version of firepower than you are. Last week we shared the tale of a pack of vicious wild dogs hounding an Akron neighborhood [“Menace in the Woods,” by D.X. Ferris].This week’s canine catastrophe comes courtesy of Erie County sheriff’s deputies, who killed one…
Journalism For Sale at The County Reporter
Truth is for sale at The County Reporter. These are frightful days to be dabbling in print journalism, what with everybody being broke and the interweb offering a free alternative that tends not to stain your hands. But Richard Andrews, proprietor of the local political blog Real Deal, has decided to climb onboard with the…
This Just In: Cleveland Concert Announcements
John Mellencamp will sing a little ditty about Jack and Diane in November Allstar Weekend/Action Item/Into the Crowd: Sun., Sept. 12, 4 p.m., $10/$30 VIP. Grog Shop. As I Lay Dying/Unearth/Carnifex: Wed., Sept. 22. 7 p.m., $20 ADV/$24 DOS. Peabody’s. Big Brother & the Holding Company: Sat., Oct. 16, 9 p.m., $20. Wilbert’s. Bizzy Bone/T.…
Here Are the New Cavs Jerseys on NBA.com
The NBA store has what looks to me like the new Cavs jerseys for sale. I’ve seen official templates and these match. Thoughts: I hate the piping, especially on the white, I miss the integration of the blue, and they are totally blah. (Via @dan_labbe)
Morning Brew: Too Many Pigs in Ohio, Church Defies Bishop, Little Italy Land Squabble, and Obama Heading to Ohio
“I think the Buckeyes will go undefeated.” Good morning, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you curse I-271. — Obama will be visiting a family near Columbus during a swing through the Buckeye State. They will be discussing their love for Jim Tressel. (Columbus Dispatch) — St. Peter’s was ordered closed, but the parishioners…
Arthur Elk, of Elk & Elk Personal Injury Lawyers, Sued for Personal Injury and Loses
Elk & Elk. (The second Elk is his hairpiece. He’s named it.) You’ve seen Arthur Elk. He’s the Elk with the bad hairpiece in the Elk and Elk commercials. You know the ones: “Serious lawyers for serious injuries.” Well, seems that Arthur Elk himself was in need of a good lawyer because he was taken…
Pro Tip: Don’t Rob the Bank Where You Do Your Personal Banking
Artist’s rendition of Alan Garrett. There’s a lengthy list of suggestions one could compile as tips for would-be bank robbers. Don’t shoot anyone, that’ll get you in more trouble. Have a getaway vehicle or escape route ready. Perhaps wear a mask. Those basic tenets of honorable thievery are advanced studies, however, compared to the lessons…
Everything Wrong With Cuyahoga County Government In 126 Words
You, my friend, are an idiot. Things to know before reading further: 1) An audit recently found that Frank Russo’s Auditor’s office is overstaffed, mismanaged, and spends about $2 million more a year than comparably sized auditor’s offices around the state. In short: there are already too many people making too much money doing too…
Ohio Part of 675-Mile ‘World’s Longest Yardsale’
The World’s Largest Yardsale is this… times, like, 10,000. 23 years ago, residents along Route 127 decided that there should be one official weekend when they could plop used shoes, old clothes, nonworking television sets, and the assorted detritus you normally find at garage sales on their lawns all at the same time. It would…
Concert Review: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings at the Rock Hall
Sharon Jones tells a dirty joke After an enthusiastic introduction from Rock Hall President and CEO Terry Stewart, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings took the Rock Hall stage Friday night the way an old school soul/R&B group would have. The eight-piece band came out first and warmed up by playing a few old-school soul covers,…
Rednecks Go Fishing For Carp in Illinois Competition
At least they’re not using guns. The threat of an Asian Carp invasion into the Great Lakes has been well-documented and discussed. Scientists worry that if the fish manages to break the barrier from waterways in Illinois into the world’s largest supply of fresh water, the very hungry, very big and annoying Carp could do…
Ketaan Wyatt, Ohio 3rd-Grader, Next LeBron?
Ketaan Wyatt is a 3rd-grader. Ketaan Wyatt is also straight baller. The Hoop Doctors have the details on just about the best 8-year-old basketball player you’ve ever seen. Ketaan is a rising 3rd grader for Martin Luther King Academy in Toledo, and is so much better than his own age group that he regularly plays…
Ketaan Wyatt, 3rd-Grader in Ohio, Is a Freaking Baller
(Background to this 3rd-grader’s awesomeness here.)
Car Chase, Shootout Caught on Video, Suspect Dead
Ricky Diamond Jr. led police in Union County, Ohio, on a slow speed chase Tuesday before ditching his truck and opening fire on the cops with a shotgun. Dashcam video from the police shows the pursuit and the shootout.
eBay Item of the Day: Dawg Pound Mike’s ‘Charlie’s Fryes’ Costume
I don’t particularly like Dawg Pound Mike. I disagree with just about everything he’s done and said in recent memory, including but not limited to his skeezy search for half-naked Browns fans willing to send him pictures. However, Dawg Pound Mike is an undeniable part of Cleveland Browns history, even if many other fans would…
Bus Strikes Again
Nothing good can come of accidental bus-human contact Those pesky buses have struck again. Fox 8 News is reporting that a man trying to cross the street at East 14th Street and Prospect Avenue was mowed down by a Lakefront Lines motor coach Thursday evening. The man was able to be removed from underneath the…
Man Claims Mouse Attack Led to Car Accident
We see no signs of a mouse attach. Do you? Let the tale of Kenneth Henry’s recent car accident serve as a vital reminder: If you are transporting mice purchased to feed a friend’s snake, make sure they are securely packaged in your car. There are two versions of this story: Henry’s and the cops’.…
Wale, iLTHY and Eighty81 Put on a Great Event
Hey, that kid looks a bit like me! I have always been into hip-hop music, ever since I snuck a listen to Eminem’s extremely vulgar Marshall Mathers LP in middle school. After broadening my musical scope from just that of an angry, blond-haired white guy, I became intrigued by the fashion that accompanied hip-hop culture,…
Cleveland Clinic Designs a Better Hospital Gown
So freeing, so comfy, so… feminine. If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital then you’ve undoubtedly worn a hospital gown. The “Johnny gown” has been around forever, exposing buttocks, breasts, back fat, and every other unseemly and intimate part of a patient’s anatomy for just as long. Besides being unflattering, the gown is also…
Tear-Jerking Story of the Day: Bystanders Rush to Help Victim of I-90 Crash
Scott Wetmore’s truck crashed in grizzly fashion yesterday on I-90 in Lakewood. The mangled machine was wrapped around a pole and on fire with Wetmore, a 29-year-old from Parma, trapped in the truck with critical injuries. Wetmore, sadly, passed away, but the effort of Good Samaritan Clevelanders who witnessed the crash was nothing short of…
Ohio Liquor Sales Hit Record Numbers
Normal people select one bottle. Ohioans look at the selection and say, “We’ll take it all.” Ohioans love their booze. Good times, bad times, boring times, exciting times — you bet we’re enjoying whatever we’re doing with a healthy quantity of libations. Hell, you’re probably reading this while drunk. Which is why it shouldn’t surprise…
Geek Out
In a world of comic-book heroes, Scott Pilgrim is even less super than the caped crusaders in Kick-Ass. In fact, he isn’t super at all. And in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – based on a six-volume graphic-novel series – the nerdy, 22-year-old protagonist (Michael Cera, who really needs to look into expanding his résumé…
If the ‘Most Sober’ Guy in the Car is Still Legally Drunk, He Probably Shouldn’t Be Driving
But I’m not the drunkest person in the car, officer. There are many excuses drivers haul out when being pulled over for a DUI. They only had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner… they’re so close to home… they know the chief… they’re perfectly fine to drive… they’re chewing 18 pieces of gum…
Michael Onder, Arrested Dog Walker, Seeks Revenge from Parma, Officer Wayne Mockler
If only he’d had this many dogs the cops wouldn’t have bothered him. In a town that loves its booze as much as Cleveland, cops are always on the lookout for motorists driving under the influence, boaters under the influence, bicyclists under the influence — if it’s a form of lateral movement, chances are a…
Tickets for December Cavs/Heat Matchup Are Gonna Be Pricey
If you want tickets to LeBron’s return to Cleveland on December 2, be prepared to pay a pretty price. If you have tickets to LeBron’s return and are intent on unloading them, be prepared to make a tidy profit. The cheapest seats on StubHub right now are going for $185 each, and those are way…
Dennis Kucinich, John Boehner Argue Over Net Neutrality, Whatever That Is
The orange man is not an authority on net neutrality. A rumored pact between Google and Verizon — one of Northeast Ohio’s top wireless providers — has the nation abuzz about net neutrality, the informal doctrine that everybody deserves the same speedy (or not so speedy) access to the information superhighway. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski…
Scuffle in Tremont Leads to Assault Claims, Brush-off From Cuyahoga Prosecutors
The fight looked nothing like this, in case you were wondering. One of a small group of Tremont residents (“Tremonsters,” as some appropriately call them) who are upset because the whole city aren’t sharing their indignation over a spat between two local residents has brought her high dudgeon to clevescene.com. Lily Miller appended off-topic posts…
Morning Brew: The Tale of the Anti-LeBron Billboard, Serial Killer Arrested, Missing Cocaine, and a Deadly I-90
Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you consider never using a babysitter again. — A deadly crash on I-90 in Lakewood has left the highway closed, at least as of noon. The truck driver died at Lakewood Hospital. Think about that the next time you’re bitching about a traffic jam caused by…
New Game: Mike Hegan or Crocodile
Ready for a new game, everyone? Simply look at the picture and guess whether this is Mike Hegan or a crocodile. That’s a toughy. We’ll wait for your guesses. The pic, by the way, comes from a TwinsburgBulletin.com story on Hegan and his father Jim and their time in the majors Also, I don’t think…
Ric Bucher Set to Write Behind-the-Scenes Account of Heat’s LeBron/Bosh/Wade Score
Hopefully it will be better than this book. It’s not just Cavs fans. Everywhere across the NBA universe people are obsessed with how the Miami Heat managed to land LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. We’ve already had Brian Windhorst’s initial foray into explaining the behind-the-scenes actions, talks, and meetings that help to explain…
Hamza Abduhamdeh, Wish-Killing A-hole, In Court Today.
Dick Along with killing kittens or mugging old ladies, nothing really racks up knee-jerk public enmity like screwing around with a dying girl’s last wish. This is the lesson Hamza Abduhamdeh is learning today. According to 19ActionNews, the North Olmsted man is facing three counts of grand theft after allegedly bilking donations from the family…
Ben Roethlisberger is Confused About Ohio Geography, His Hometown
He’s sorta from Findlay, sorta from Never Never Land. Ben Roethlisberger is a Findlay boy. Has been for years. He’s called Findlay his hometown, played high school football there, and been celebrated there. In the latest Steelers’ media guide, however, Big Ben lists his hometown as Cory Rawson, OH. Why the change? Who knows. The…
Ben Roethlisberger is Confused About Ohio Geography, His Hometown
He’s sorta from Findlay, sorta from Never Never Land. Ben Roethlisberger is a Findlay boy. Has been for years. He’s called Findlay his hometown, played high school football there, and been celebrated there. In the latest Steelers’ media guide, however, Big Ben lists his hometown as Cory Rawson, OH. Why the change? Who knows. The…
Jon Stewart Takes John Boehner and Other Republicans To Task for Deficit/Tax Cuts Stupidity
Republicans are up in arms this year about the skyrocketing deficit. Of course, once the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of the year the deficit would immediately shrink by 30%. What does the GOP want to do? Extend the Bush tax cuts, naturally. And then still bitch about the deficit. As you would…
Ohio Man Claims He Was Hit By Meteorite
Pat Foraker was hit by a meteorite, or an alien beanball. Pat Foraker of Quaker City, Ohio, doesn’t believe that a neighbor or a prankster threw a rock at him. He believes that the small rock that struck his shoulder was a meteorite. Details from his account seem intriguing, though according to a WEWS report…
Simeon Soul Charger Hold a Coffin Party
Akron’s Simeon Soul Charger dabble in awesomely creepy cosmic rock. In mid-April, the band released its second EP All Rather Dead, inviting listeners to join the “Coffin Party” and “A Dance for the Moon God,” gothic alt-rock orchestras built on titanic guitar riffs, symphonic suites, multi-layered melodies, and frontman’s Aaron Brook’s sky-scraping tenor. The group…
Afternoon Brew: Swimming the Ohio River, 690-Pound Woman, Exotic Dancer is a Killer, and Microwaves
Someone hired her to strip. Really. We’re not joking. Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you apply for a job with Cuyahoga County’s Board of Revision. — Kristina Hensley is an exotic dancer, despite what she may look like in her mugshot. A lonely gentleman in Cincinnati hired her to come to…
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Will Welcome 8,000,000th Visitor This week
Yes, Clevelanders, people still go here. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is nearing two huge milestones. One is the Hall’s 15th anniversary, which will be later this summer. The other is the 8,000,000 millionth visitor, which should happen this week. As it turns out, people actually enter the Rock Hall and…
Arthur Gugick, Cleveland Math Teacher, is a Lego Hero
Bet your kid couldn’t do this. By day, Arthur Gugick teaches math to Cleveland’s children. By night, he constructs elaborate and praise-worthy LEGO structures. It’s unknown what his wife does at night while he’s playing with toys. Gugick is a bit of a hero among the Lego crowd. At the largest national Lego convention, Brick…
Rock Hall to Surprise Eight Millionth Visitor With Way too Much Cool Stuff
This is how excited you will be if you win all these prizes If you happen to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the near future, and suddenly flashing lights, bells, whistles and screaming surround you, do not be alarmed. You are not suspected of stealing Gene Simmons’ tongue from his mannequin.…
Concert Review: Javelin at Grog Shop
Play that funky music, white boys Last night at the Grog Shop, the small crowd threatened the integrity of the club’s floor as they hopped and danced to Javelin’s eclectic funk amalgamation. The duo’s songs incorporate elements of hip-hop, chillwave, and a hell of a lot of fun. They took hold of the audience early…
Man Breaks Into Home, Crawls Into Bed With Owners
What we imagine the crowded bed scene looked like, but with less Golden Tickets. 22-year-old Michael C. Phillips, who told police he also goes by “Snake Eyes,” broke into a Canton residence early Tuesday morning. Nothing out of the ordinary there, at least as far as normal criminal activities go. Phillips, who apparently is homeless,…
LeBron James Heckled at Cedar Point
LeBron James might have escaped his most recent public appearance at his annual bike-a-thon without any heckling, but that wasn’t the case earlier this week when James stopped by Cedar Point. The first video below shows LeBron James partaking in a hoops game. While the crowd was largely tame and restrained, there were a few…
LeBron James Heckled at Cedar Point
LeBron James might have escaped his most recent public appearance at his annual bike-a-thon without any heckling, but that wasn’t the case earlier this week when James stopped by Cedar Point. The first video below shows LeBron James partaking in a hoops game. While the crowd was largely tame and restrained, there were a few…
Get Out!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11 COMEDY The Clean and Memorable Dan Grueter! You might know Dan Grueter’s face from his appearances on The Late Late Show and Comedy Central. The Cleveland native once worked at Pickwick & Frolic, and the East Fourth venue is glad to have him back this week. “He is a clean comic and…
Bites: Burntwood Tavern in Chagrin
If we’ve learned anything about the Chagrin Falls dining scene, it’s that fire-themed restaurant names are bad luck. Blazin’ Bills, Timberfire, Firefly — all consumed by flames. So somebody knock on wood that Bret Adams’ soon-to-open Burntwood Tavern (504 E. Washington St.) is free of fiery misfortune. Truth is, it’s a tinderbox. After gutting the…
When Rambo Met Ah-nuld
The Expendables will probably turn out to be the summer’s most meta movie. It’s a balls-to-the-wall action flick that never lets you forget — wink-wink, nudge-nudge — that it’s an action flick. I’m surprised director-star Sylvester Stallone didn’t go the extra yard and hire Adaptation’s Charlie Kaufman to write the script. Of course, making an…
Apples of their Eye
It’s Saturday afternoon, and Tom Herbruck is tinkering in his Bainbridge Township garage. Outside, chickens roam about the leafy estate in a loose pack, scratching at worms and wild clover. Every few minutes, another of Herbruck’s children pops into the shed to say hi, but the man will not be diverted from his task. Crouching…
MOVIE STARS MAKING RECORDS
Cleveland’s Filmstrip are featured in Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam, a documentary about Islamic bands that’s received heavy exposure on the festival circuit over the past several months (it showed at the Cleveland International Film Festival earlier this year). The group recently released its debut album, the hard-hitting and melodic Everything Can Change. Find…
Film Capsules
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (PG) — This hyper kiddie flick has the best opening title sequence going right now: a terrific spoof of James Bond-style credit montages, with lots of feline silhouettes and iconic balls of yarn, etc. And there’s a guilty-pleasure closing-credit crawl of YouTube lolcats and canine shenanigans. In…
NAILS IN THE COFFINBERRY
It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon in late July, and Tony Cross and Pat O’Connor are relaxing at their West 117th Street headquarters. They’re drinking champagne spritzers and Blood Marys, and reminiscing about eight years of playing music in the Cleveland rock quartet Coffinberry, talking about blasting out fuzzy rock grooves at breakneck speeds with their…
Stay In!
TOP PICK — DVD Piranha: Special Edition Blu-ray (Shout! Factory) Just in time for the bloody 3-D remake opening next week, Roger Corman’s 1978 low-budget Jaws rip-off comes to Blu-ray in a set that includes tons of extras. There’s behind-the-scenes footage, outtakes, and best of all: scenes that were added to the TV version. The…
The Mayer of Simpleton
With his résumé that includes a Berklee College of Music education, platinum record sales, hot girlfriends, and a mantel lined with Grammys, John Mayer is easy to hate. And when he airs his cluelessness for the world to see — in the pages of Playboy, in off-the-cuff tweets, or to the media at large —…
Pilgrim’s Pride
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World hits theaters on Friday, it’s opening against two other big end-of-the-summer movies: The Expendables and Eat Pray Love. In Scott Pilgrim, the nerdy title character — played by nerdy actor Michael Cera — must defeat his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes before they can take their relationship to the next…
Super Fop
There’s a fascinating thought at the center of the Clark Kent/Superman myth, that even the most bland-looking person could be harboring a dashing hero inside. That means the nose-picking, phantom-farting schlub sitting next to you might be able to save the world in a different guise. Yeah, probably not. But still, it’s fun to imagine,…
At the Arthouse
Behind the Burly Q The swanky Capitol Theatre lets its hair down this week when the Cleveland Cinematheque presents this new documentary about classic burlesque shows. Before pierced, pale, and tattooed hipster girls made burlesque just another groan-worthy offshoot of internet porn, these road shows packed strippers, dancers, and comedians into a risqué package of…
MENACE IN THE WOODS
It was around 2:30 on a Friday night in May when Rick Bahry let Jersey Girl out into the backyard of his home in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood. As he waited on the back porch for his brown and white Sheltie to return, Bahry heard an odd noise in the darkness that sounded like a bunch…
On Stage This Week
Hunter Gatherers — The weirdest dinner party you will ever attend. Pam and Richard have their friends over for dinner, complete with animal sacrifices, sex, and wrestling. Through August 14 at The Liminis, 2438 Scranton Road. Tickets are $12-$15. Call 216-687-0074 or visit convergence-continuum.rg. King Lear — King Lear is considered by many Shakespeare’s greatest…
CD Review: The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes’ mastery at obliging both Jimmy Page’s and Widespread Panic’s fan bases works against them on Croweology, two CDs of favorites performed acoustic. There’s already a popular unplugged version of “She Talks to Angels” out there, but “Jealous Again” still has a headshaking swagger and killer chord change. This is mostly wallpaper, with…
Femme Fantasy
It is what it is, goes the cliché. And given that this is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling New Age chick-lit memoir starring Julia Roberts, it’s about as good as could reasonably be expected. Faithful to Gilbert’s intelligent confessional prose, Eat Pray Love finds our materially successful but spiritually empty N.Y.C. writer/heroine ditching her…
CD Review: The Love Language
Stuart McLamb recorded the Love Language’s self-titled 2009 debut low-fi style out of necessity. Its follow-up sinks in sonic hugeness. Libraries’ opening “Pedals” sets the tone — a grand, sweeping track that struggles under the weight of its wall of sound. There are times when all the bigness serves McLamb’s songs, like in “This Blood…
Things That Go Boom
There’s no denying that The Expendables boasts an awfully impressive cast for an action movie: Sylvester Stallone (who also wrote and directed), Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Mickey Rourke all show up. If that’s not enough bad-ass for you, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis make cameos. And that’s not…
CD Review: Eli “Paperboy” Reed
Eli “Paperboy” Reed was introduced early to R&B legends like Solomon Burke, Sam Cooke, and Johnnie Taylor. He began performing at age 18 in Mississippi lounges and blues bars, followed by time in Chicago. There’s just one problem: Reed often sounds as white as Justin Bieber. But Reed pours himself into this music, wailing with…
CD Review: Wavves
After Wavves’ second album became one of 2009’s breakout records, frontman Nathan Williams said he was going to explore more grown-up directions. He’s barely old enough to drink, so why would he want to make his band sound more mature? It probably would have been a better decision to release another album of noisy sunshine-ridden…
Downtown on the Farm
The vision came to Tim Smith early last year. He and his wife Dani, both film buffs, were screening documentaries for the 2009 Cleveland International Film Festival. One of the films, Fresh, featured a large-scale, sustainable urban greenhouse project in Milwaukee called Growing Power. Founded by a former pro basketball player, it aims to teach…
Art Exhibits Galore
BEYOND THE APEX Ian P.E. and Leigh Ring came back to Cleveland from San Francisco in 2007 and launched Pink Eye, a glossy magazine dedicated to the local visual art scene, with interviews and plenty of color. The magazine is on hiatus until winter, but this week they celebrate two years in business with Beyond…
Live Music is Good Music
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings A few songs on Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ latest album, I Learned the Hard Way, sound so old-school R&B, they distract from the great singer and band playing them. The group’s 2007 breakthrough, 100 Days, 100 Nights, sounds like it was made in the late ’60s too, but things…
Street Artist Hits East Bank of the Flats (Updated)
Who are you? Update: Mystery solved. First, it looks like the picture is of Barnabas Collins, a vampire played by Canadian actor Jonathan Frid in the 60s goth soap, Dark Shadows (props to commentor Vern Morrison for catching that one). Also, it looks like the street art is the work of FACE, a Cleveland-based art…
