Oktoberfest Season Kicks Off This Labor Day Weekend at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
While we should be hanging on to the dregs of summer for dear life, many are already gearing up for the fall season with Oktoberfest celebrations kicking off in Northeast Ohio this Labor Day weekend. Now in Munich, the homebase of Oktoberfest, official celebrations run from late September though October — meaning, yes, it’s okay to hoist…
Update: Local Indie Rockers Brandtson to Reissue Their Debut Album on Vinyl and Cassette
Last year, Steadfast Records reissued the sophomore effort from local rockers Brandtson, a group that played regularly around town in the ’90s. Steadfast has just announced that it’ll now reissue Letterbox, the band’s 1997 debut, which will be available for the first time ever on vinyl and cassette. Housed in a gatefold jacket, the reissue…
In Advance of His Upcoming Concert at the Kent Stage, Michael Nesmith Reflects on the Monkees Legacy
Best known as a member of the Monkees, singer-guitarist Michael Nesmith also fronted the First National Band, a country rock group that included musicians from Nashville. Nesmith, who just played in town over the summer with fellow Monkee Micky Dolenz, returns to Northeast Ohio next week to perform with the reunited First National Band. They…
No More Tears! The Phantasy Nightclub Lives… For Now
We announced in July that the Phantasy Cleveland (which includes The Chamber nightclub) had been purchased by an unidentified buyer with the intent on ending the property’s run as a performing arts venue and removing its three bars in place of residential, offices and additional parking. After a “phlea” market liquidating some of the rock ‘n…
Serial Season Three is Set in Cleveland, Will Focus on Cuyahoga County Courts
The long-awaited third season of the hit podcast Serial will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, and will focus on a series of cases as they progress through the criminal justice system. After nearly two full years of reporting and editing, the season will debut on Sep. 20. As in past seasons, new episodes will be…
RTA Board of Trustees Will Self-Destruct in Five, Four, Three, Two …
Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, the freshly minted president of the 10-member RTA Board of Trustees, currently presides over a body of eight. Due to two recent resignations, and the inability of appointing authorities to do their jobs in a timely manner, the board that theoretically oversees Ohio’s largest transit authority may shrink further still. It’s…
Just Kidding, No More Iceland Flights From Cleveland This Winter, Icelandair Announces
Back in July, Icelandair announced plans to extend its recently-added service in Cleveland to the winter months. Now the airline is going back on its original decision, much to the chagrin of passengers who’d already booked flights during those months. The airline will now only run from Cleveland to Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik through Nov.…
Owners of the Plum to Open Casual Neighborhood Bar in Battery Park
Partners Brett Sawyer, Jonah Oryszak and Vince Thomascik, chef-owner, owner and chef de cuisine of the Plum, respectively, have just signed a lease on the former Vita Urbana space in Battery Park. That short-lived restaurant and retail marketplace, located at the Shoreway Building, closed this past December. When it opens in the next couple months,…
Lighthearted Survey Reveals Both of Ohio’s Gubernatorial Candidates Have No Taste in Hip-Hop or Alcohol
Midterm elections are a little over two months away and all eyes are on Ohio’s gubernatorial race. Getting to know the candidates via lighthearted surveys are part and parcel of the campaign trail, and this week the Columbus Dispatch released a Q&A with both candidates, in keeping with their tradition dating back to 1998. Both…
Akron Area’s EuroGyro to Bring Its Late-Night Pizza Atmosphere to Lakewood
We can debate the pronunciation of the word “gyro” all day long, but the correct way to say the Akron-area-based pub and pizza spot EuroGyro is “Uro Jyro,” rather than “Uro Uro.” Any way you say it, the Northeast Ohio restaurant chain is coming to Lakewood, its first in the Cleveland area. .@EuroGyro coming to…
90-Degree Days in Cleveland Have Increased 300 Percent in the Last 50 years
“Hot in Cleveland” isn’t just a cancelled television show or a terrible Tinder bio anymore, it’s an apt description of our current climate. Thanks to a new interactive feature provided by the New York Times, readers can compare how many days, on average, cities across the country could expect to see temperatures of 90 degrees…
All Football: Khalil Mack and Official Browns Predictions — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac discuss the Browns’ roster, the ceiling, the Khalil Mack trade and offer their official predictions for the season. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Report Finds Ohio Wages Growing, But Not at Same Rate as in Years Past
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An annual look at how workers in Ohio are faring finds their paychecks were slightly higher in 2017, but the growth in pay is not as strong as it’s been in the past. Policy Matters Ohio’s new “State of Working Ohio” report shows the unemployment rate of 5 percent is very low,…
Poetry for People Who Hate Poetry, No. 1
This is the first in a new monthly column series by Dave Lucas, the Poet Laureate of the State of Ohio. “I, too, dislike it.” — Marianne Moore, “Poetry” *** But you don’t hate it. At least that’s what I hope you’ll discover as you read this column. I don’t want to convince you that you…
City Club of Cleveland Unveils New Mural Near Playhouse Square
The City Club of Cleveland recently debuted a newly commissioned work of public art at the edge of Playhouse Square. Located on the site of the Bonfoey Gallery at the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 17th St. in the midst of the construction of a high rise condo unit, the mural aims to “inspire…
Ohio Department of Education Outlines New Vision: Less Testing, More Work on Social Skills
The Ohio Department of Education wants to turn over a new leaf: less emphasis on testing, and more on building skills that will help students succeed after they graduate. ODE’s new five-year comprehensive plan, called “Each Child Our Future,” purports to focus on “the whole child” in the state’s K-12 education initiatives, which employ 240,000…
Local H to Perform 1998 Album ‘Pack Up the Cats’ In Its Entirety At the Grog Shop
Just over 20 years ago, the alternative rock duo Local H released As Good as Dead, and it would yield “Bound for the Floor,” the band’s biggest hit. In the wake of that breakthrough album, singer-guitarist Scott Lucas and drummer Joe Daniels toured for a good year and a half in support of the album.…
Gold Medalist Aly Raisman to Speak at National Council of Jewish Women in Cleveland on Sept. 26
More than 150 women testified against Larry Nassar, the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics physician who was ultimately sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography and 40 to 175 years in prison for child sexual abuse. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman is one of those women. After publicly recounting her experience…
Cleveland’s Democratic Socialists Are Offering Free Brake Light Repairs in September
The Cleveland chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are holding their first ever Brake Light Clinic, offering free brake light repairs to assist community members in avoiding unnecessary interactions with police by repairing the broken headlights and taillights of attendees for free. With nearly 50,000 members and counting, DSA is America’s largest socialist organization,…
Plum’s Plummertime Cookout Rounds Up Chefs from 13 Restaurants for Good Times, Good Cause
“It’s funny, I started out thinking I would ask a few people to do it with the idea that some of them would say no, but nobody did,” says Plum chef-owner Brett Sawyer. “So we were really lucky.” And so too will be the diners who snag tickets to Plummertime, which will take place from…
Eminem’s Surprise New Album Includes a Reference to His Appearance at Ohio’s Scribble Jam in 1997
Last night, in a surprise move, Eminem unleashed a new album titled Kamikaze, a biting mix of vengeance (for those who’ve attacked and criticized him recently) and nostalgia, with several references to various points on his road to success. An important part of the Eminem mythos is his appearances early in his career at rap…
Survey of Ohio Teens Pinpoints Inconsistencies in Sex Ed
CLEVELAND – While having “the talk” with kids about the birds and the bees is typically a parent’s duty, some researchers say comprehensive sexual-health education is also vital – and it’s information some Ohio kids are missing out on. Shaina Munoz is a policy and planning associate for the Center for Community Solutions. Munoz and…
Local Rapper Vice Souletric Releases New Single
Local rapper Vice Souletric likes to talk about how he grew up in the Golden Era of hip-hop when rappers such as Jay-Z, the Notorious B.I.G. and DMX were popular. He emulates those icons on his 2015 solo debut, Vice for President, and its 2016 follow-up, Vice for President 2, an album that includes a cameo…
Cincinnati Councilman Wants to Hold Bird Liable for Injuries Caused by Scooters
[image-1] As Cleveland continues its conversations with Bird, and probably Lime, on the future of scooters in the city, other cities are also grappling with proposed regulations. If Cincinnati City Councilman David Mann gets his way, the company that provides electric rental scooters could be liable if anyone is injured due to behavior from their…
Politifact Says Mike DeWine’s Attack Ad on Richard Cordray’s Untested Rape Kits is Misleading
Campaigns for the November elections are starting to heat up, and after reporting that both gubernatorial candidates, Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Richard Cordray were both running positive campaigns, DeWine recently dropped a television ad accusing Cordray of letting thousands of rape kits go untested. “While Richard Cordray was Attorney General, 12,000 rape kits like…
Akron Drivers Are Way Better Than Cleveland Drivers, New Allstate Report Reveals
Despite what you may believe about the ability of Cleveland drivers — as no one here seems to know how to use a blinker, merge, go the speed limit or stop texting for one damn minute — the newest Allstate Best Driver’s Report reveals that Clevelanders could be much worse when they get behind the wheel. The insurance…
Western Reserve Distillers and Distill Table Now Open in Lakewood
Distill Table restaurant (14221 Madison Ave., 216-505-5188) quietly opened its doors this week in Lakewood, a year and a half after it was first announced. The “farm-to-glass, farm-to-table” restaurant shares space with Western Reserve Distillers (330-671-0347), a “grain-to-glass” organic spirits producer owned and operated by Kevin and Ann Thomas. The two independently operated entities share a fully…
American Indian Activist Robert Roche Sentenced to Four Months in Prison for Embezzlement
The story of Robert Roche is fascinating, and one that Scene’s Sam Allard did an excellent job of documenting in a story called “Native Cleveland: Robert Roche and the Origins of American Indian Activism in Cleveland.” Most recognize him as the American Indian staring down a man wearing Chief Wahoo face paint outside of Progressive…
Yes Singer Jon Anderson Talks About the Band’s 50th Anniversary Tour That’s Coming to Hard Rock Live
Yes frontman Jon Anderson is always thinking about — and working on — new music. But as you’ll discover when speaking with the legendary frontman, he’s still got his ear to the ground and is constantly consuming new music as well. We’re talking about his desire to go to the “top of the mountain” with…
Pro-Gun Kent State Alumna Kaitlin Bennett Thwarted by Standard Protocol
Kent State University has ordered recent graduate Kaitlin Bennett — she of the viral “come and take it” graduation photos — to cease and desist from advertising a planned pro-Second-Amendment rally on campus scheduled for Sept. 29. Bennett, Kent State said, “has not registered the event and obtained the approvals required by university policy.” In an…
Cleveland Artist Shane Lewis Gives Your Favorite Albums a New Face, With ‘Defiled Vinyl’ Opening Sept. 1
Defiling pictures with mustaches, pairs of glasses or the classic phallus-near-a-mouth is a practice as old as time. For local creative Shane Lewis, he’s taken the concept and turned it into an upcycling art form. Lewis, an illustrator and graphic designer, has worked on projects for Goodyear, as well as his extensive work in the…
Singer-Guitarist Niall Horan Gives a Low-Key, Underwhelming Performance at Blossom
When the boy band One Direction performed at FirstEnergy Stadium three years ago, the guys played on a giant stage that was the width of the football field and included a catwalk that extended to mid-field. The stage featured three huge video screens that regularly projected images of the band members as they performed. It…
Rate of Teen Attempted Suicide Across Cuyahoga County Isn’t as High as CMSD’s, but Still Shocking
New data from the Prevention Research Center (PRS) for Healthy Neighborhoods at Case Western Reserve University confirm and add to shocking statistics about suicidality among the region’s youth. PRS surveyed more than 14,000 students at 45 county high schools in 2017. One in six teens reported that they had seriously considered suicide. Nearly 12 percent had…
New Ohio Law Will Boost School Resource Officer Training
A new Ohio law is making millions available for schools to implement new safety measures, such as training new school resource officers. In addition to authorizing $14 million in grant funds for schools, House Bill 318 requires new school resource officers (SROs) – law enforcement officers who serve full-time in school buildings – to participate…
Ohio Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Cleveland Owes Wrongfully Convicted Man $13 Million Judgment
The Ohio Supreme Court will decide on an issue that has far-reaching implications for how victims can collect monetary judgments against police officers in civil trials. David Ayers spent 11 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of killing a 76-year-old woman in 1999 in a CMHA high-rise where he worked as a security guard.…
Documentary About Blossom Music Center to Air on WVIZ/PBS Next Month
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Blossom Music Center, the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra and a popular destination for touring bands of all musical genres (acts ranging from rapper Wiz Khalifa to metal masters Slayer have recently performed at the facility). A new Ideastream production, Blossom Music Center – 50 Years and…
Report: Cavaliers’ Sideline Reporter Allie Clifton To Leave Position At Fox Sports Ohio
According to reports, Allie Clifton, the longtime sideline reporter for Cavaliers’ games on Fox Sports Ohio, will be following LeBron James to Los Angeles. According to Kevin Kleps, assistant editor and sports business reporter at Crain’s Cleveland, who first reported the news, her new position is not yet known. Some news: According to sources, Allie…
LEGO Fan Convention Coming to Cleveland Next Weekend
The BrickUniverse LEGO Fan Convention arrives in Cleveland next weekend (Sep. 8 and 9), where fans of the popular toy building bricks can view enormous LEGO displays — including a full Chicago cityscape — and buy all sorts of LEGO merch at the Huntington Convention Center. Tickets for the convention are $15 and can be…
Symposium to Host Tap Dance Killer’s Comic Book Cabaret on Saturday
In 1994, local comic book writer and filmmaker Ted Sikora first staged his Nothing Like Vaudeville musical at the Phantasy. Tap Dance Killer, one of the “vaude-villains” in the play, would later inspire some of Sikora’s comic books. With the Phantasy set to close this weekend, Sikora aims to give the venue a proper send-off…
Nearly Two Dozen Guards, Nurses and Inmates Treated for Possible Overdose at Ohio Prison
Nearly 24 people, including officers, nurses and inmates at the Ross Correctional Institution, are currently being treated for possible overdoses after exposure to an “unknown substance,” according to Ohio State Highway Patrol. The state troopers arrived on the scene around 9:10 a.m. Wednesday morning after the impacted parties fell ill. Lt. Robert Sellers told the…
7 Tips to Keep Your Dog Calm This Weekend While the Cleveland Air Show Terrorizes the Sky
Labor Day weekend in Cleveland might as well be Fourth of July 2.0 for our furry friends, with high-flying, death-defying aerial acts from the Cleveland National Air Show ripping through the sky and causing a whole lot of noise. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are set to deliver an impressive performance out of Burke Airport…
5 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Labor Day Weekend
FRIDAY, AUG. 31 Ottawa/Samfox/Spirit of the Bear Singer Dale DeLong and guitarist Tim Czajka formed the local indie rock act Ottawa in 2013 after their previous band, the Royaltons, dissolved. They had a good run with the Royaltons, which played around town from 2007 to 2010. But they’ve had an even better run with Ottawa,…
Browns Linebacker Mychal Kendricks Indicted on Insider Trading Charges
[image-1] Newly acquired Browns linebacker Mychal Kendricks was today charged by the Feds with insider trading, according to U.S. Attorney William McSwain, who announced the charges at his office in Pennsylvania. He’s charged along with Damilare Sonoiki, a writer for the TV show Black-ish who is also a Harvard-educated former investment banker. According to prosecutors,…
Terrestrial Brewing Company to Tap Special Cleveland Collaboration Brew on Friday
Last year, reps from Destination Cleveland went to the Great American Beer Festival to promote Cleveland’s burgeoning craft brewing industry. This year, they’re headed back to the festival, which takes place next month in Denver, and they’ll take a special Cleveland collaboration brew with them. Dubbed Shoreway IPA, it’s a “hazy, easy drinker” that “exudes…
How to Navigate Sexual Consent
Sometimes, especially when you’re young, it can be hard to tell if rape is rape, and I have typed, “Was I raped if…” into Google on more than one occasion. I went to Google because, for me, it didn’t look like how I thought rape looked. It wasn’t a stranger in a bar. It was…
Staying on Campus Over a School Break? It Doesn’t Have to Suck
Can’t spend spring break in Florida because you got called for Cleveland jury duty like I did? Whatever the case may be, you’re going to spend a school break on campus. Which isn’t a bad thing, because when classes end, your falling in love with Cleveland can truly begin. Lake Erie may not be a…
Five Decades in, Balaton Remains an Eastern European Comfort Trip You Shouldn’t Miss
Few menus manage to hamstring me with indecision the way that Balaton’s does. Having to choose between dishes like creamy chicken paprikash and the world’s best weinerschnitzel is like deciding who gets the final rose. It feels so permanent. For decades, my father ran an auto parts store on Buckeye Road, and every single week…
‘The Little Stranger’ — a Darker ‘Downton’ — Spooks Without Thrills
Domnhall Gleason is an actor whose considerable talents are equaled by his artistic discernment. The films in which he appears are eclectic, from The Last Jedi to Peter Rabbit, but they’re always interesting, and they’re generally very good. Gleason is a lot like post-Twilight Robert Pattinson in the respect that he seems to sign on…
‘Juliet, Naked’ Won’t Be a Cult-Classic Like ‘High Fidelity’ Counterpart, But Performances Still Soar
Brit author Nick Hornby understands how we can become incredibly obsessed with rock ‘n’ roll. He captured that perfectly in his 1995 novel, High Fidelity. While Juliet, Naked, a Hornby novel from 2009, doesn’t succeed on the same level, it comes close. That tome forms the basis for the new romantic comedy by the same…
Band of the Week: Racket Man
MEET THE BAND: Tommy Marx (guitar, vocals), Chris Seaman (bass, vocals), Tyler Elwing (keyboards, vocals), Vince Silvestro (drums) Embracing the ’80s: After college, Marx went to South America for a couple of years before moving back to Cleveland and starting the group with Seaman, a high school friend who’d played and toured with bands in…
Savage Love: Quickies
This woman has gone down on me (I’m a man) more than half a dozen times in the last three months. Each time seems to be better than the previous! She does not want reciprocation. She has also turned down all my offers for intercourse. As far as I know, she is heterosexual just like…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Labor Day Weekend
WED 08/29 Accidental Comedy Fest VII What began as a bunch of comedians telling jokes under a bridge is now entering it’s seventh year. The Accidental Comedy Fest returns this week, bringing together some of the country’s most popular performers with the absolute best of Cleveland’s talent for an affordable, five-day festival at Hilarities. Returning…
How Not to Get Fucked Over By Student Loans
It’s supposed to be the American dream: If you wanted to get a well-paying job, you’d have to go to college, and to go to college, you’d probably have to take out a student loan. And so it was that millions of fresh-out-of-high-school, college-bound students signed on the dotted line with hopes for a brighter…
Enjoying Cleveland on a College Student’s Cheapskate Budget
From tuition to books to all the tangential expenses of college, most times there’s little left in the ol’ bank account for fun. But, lucky for us students, plenty of businesses know that and are eager to help us get the most out of living and learning in Cleveland. There are lots of discounts and…
