Downtown Whistle & Keg Self-Service Craft Beer Bar Opens This Week
Update: Whistle & Keg, a self-service craft beer bar, will open this Thursday in the spot most recently occupied by Prospect Music, which closed last year. (Next to AJ Rocco’s and the Huron Point Tavern, if you were curious.) The cashless operation lets patrons check in with their driver’s license and credit card upon entering.…
Now Open: Sesame and Soy Asian Takeout in Tremont
Update: All systems are go for Sesame and Soy, a new Asian take-out and delivery concept in Tremont. *** (Original story 08/14/18): As bored pre-med students at Case, Paul Yu and John Tran opened Turbo Four Café, which was likely Cleveland’s first source for Taiwanese bubble tea when it opened in 2000. Since then, the friends…
Animal Advocates Rescued More Than 600 Birds From an Ohio Bird Hoarder
Move over, crazy cat ladies, there’s an new queen of excessive pet ownership. After complaints from neighbors about the animals’ safety in the Columbus suburb of Clintonville, advocates from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) arrived to investigate on Tuesday, only to discover more than 600 parakeets, cockatiels, finches, Macaws, African…
Local Comedian Mike Polk Jr. to Headline Club Velvet This Weekend
Local comedian Mike Polk Jr. qualifies as a YouTube sensation. He has 50 million combined views with his viral web videos, including The Factory of Sadness, The Cleveland Tourism Video and The One Semester of Spanish Love Song. Polk’s live performances feature traditional stand-up and variety show production as he incorporates music videos and audience…
Snoop Dogg Musical Coming to Playhouse Square in October
Rapper Snoop Dogg has just announced that he’ll make his theatrical debut this fall in the new stage musical, Redemption of a Dogg. Snoop Dogg has partnered with award-winning writer, director, producer Je’Caryous Johnson for the musical, which comes on the heels of the 25th anniversary of Snoop Dogg’s debut album, Doggystyle. “I get to…
12-Year-old Who Called Out Sexism at 4th of July Parade Got Personal Letter from Hillary Clinton
Julianne Speyer, the 12-year-old Russell Township Girl Scout who made national headlines — and even appeared on the Today Show — for calling out sexist language used at a Geauga County 4th of July Parade, has received a personal letter from Hillary Rodham Clinton. Channel 19 has reported that the former Secretary of State and presidential…
Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham to Perform at the Canton Palace in November
A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and three-time Grammy winner, Lindsey Buckingham is best known as the producer, guitarist, vocalist and chief songwriter for Fleetwood Mac. Since he’s not on tour with the group this year, he’s booked a series of solo shows in support of the forthcoming album, Solo Anthology – The Best…
Slip N Fly Fest Returns to Ohio This Weekend
The highest flying end-of-summer pool party is just around the corner, as Ohio Dreams Action Sports Camp’s (3495 Tugend Rd., Butler) Slip N Fly Fest is set for this weekend. According to Camp Director Justin Travis, the actual Slip N Fly was created in 2008 as a byproduct of the youth action sports training camp.…
Here’s Footage of the Massive Group of Dirt Bike and ATV Riders in Cleveland on Sunday
Nationwide BikeLife, a group of traveling dirt bike stunt riders, uploaded a video to YouTube Monday depicting riders roaring down the Shoreway from the east side of Cleveland, all the way along Clifton Blvd. to Rocky River. On Sunday, more than 100 ATV and dirt bike riders ambushed Cleveland and the west suburbs, with police cars…
Get Your Cameras Ready, Cleveland Just Got Another Script Sign
A sixth Cleveland script sign has landed in our fair city, this time located behind the Foundry rowing and sailing center right along the Cuyahoga River. The rowing company, located at the end of Columbus Road Bridge in the Flats, collaborated with Destination Cleveland to make the new sign, paying half of the $40,000 it takes…
Three Billboards in Lorain County Urge Ban on Confederate Flag Sales at Fair
The battle against the sale of Confederate flags at the Lorain County Fair has heated up once again, as the Fair-minded Coalition of Lorain County with funding from the Lorain YWCA, has posted three billboards throughout the county encouraging the ending of sales. The three billboards can be seen on State Route 58 south of…
In the Rust Belt, a $40,000 House Isn’t Really a $40,000 House
If you haven’t read it yet, please check out Pete Saunders’ excellent new piece For Some, The Price is Too Damn Low over at Forbes. Influential media outlets are chock-full of important, interesting, and shocking tales of skyrocketing real estate prices in Silicon Valley. But outside of the cities where the most influential journalists, pundits,…
It’s Been 15 Years Since Tree Limbs in Cleveland Killed 50 Million People’s Power
Only three days after half of Cleveland’s west side lost power, thanks partially to a backup line that’s been out of service since 2016, we commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the time Northeast Ohio killed power for more than 50 million people in the United States and Canada. The Northeast Blackout of 2003 began when…
Rapper Lil Pump to Play the Agora Theater in October
After a rowdy performance at Lollapalooza that found rapper Lil Pump performing in front of a massive, out-of-control crowd, the up-and-coming hip-hop star has announced a North American headline tour. He performs at the Agora on Oct. 18. CITI pre-sales begin at noon today, a Spotify pre-sale commences at 10 a.m. tomorrow and tickets go…
If Bud Light Had Any Sense of Showmanship, the Victory Fridges Would be Stocked with Bud Light Orange
The marketing folks at Bud Light are savvy. There’s no denying it. They’ve been the finest commercial writers in the beverage sphere since the days of “Dad you’re my dad, and I love you man…” And lately, they’ve been on the cutting-edge of extravagant promotions — remember “Whatever, USA,” where the only (frankly ominous) requirement…
Browns Sign Exclusive Pop Deal With… RC Cola
Fans at FirstEnergy Stadium this year will get to enjoy the sweet, refreshing taste of everyone’s favorite cola product. We’re talking about RC Cola, of course. ESPN’s Darren Rovell reports that the team has signed an exclusive deal with Keurig Dr. Pepper (raise your hand if you knew Keurig, Dr. Pepper, RC Cola and Snapple…
Hot-Car Child Deaths: Yes, It Can Happen to You
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Temperatures continue to be hot and humid in many parts of Ohio, and with that comes the concern for children being left in cars. Already this year, 25 children across the country have died of heat stroke after being left in a hot car, including an Ohio infant who was left for…
What You Need to Know About Saturday’s SPARX City Hop
An annual tradition, SPARX City Hop aims to promote “the best of Cleveland’s cultural offerings.” At the free event, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, visitors can explore galleries and neighborhoods in the city via free trolleys. “Each year, SPARX City Hop is a unique opportunity to explore Cleveland with…
Baseball Urgency and Preseason Overreaction — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk a little “Hard Knocks.” They then discuss what’s ahead for the Indians and what to take from the Browns’ impressive preseason opener. They mix in a little Glory Days, too. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Death of Samantha and the Floyd Band to Play the Final Show at the Phantasy
The Phantasy Nightclub, a Cleveland institution that once hosted concerts by the likes of Nine Inch Nails, the Ramones, Iggy Pop, the Pogues, the Damned, the Psychedelic Furs, the Cramps, Motorhead and the B-52s, will close after 45 years with one final concert. The veteran Cleveland post-punk band Death of Samantha [pictured] will perform, and…
Cleveland Scene is Looking for Editorial Interns
Scene is looking for several passionate interns to join our online editorial team this fall. We’re interested in candidates brimming with ideas, who want to hit the internet with amazing Cleveland stories. Writing is a huge part of this internship, so we’re looking for students with backgrounds in journalism and English. Yes, that means you’re…
What the New York Times Missed about FRONT Triennial’s Tamir Rice Exhibit ‘A Color Removed’
The New York Times recently reported on “A Color Removed,” the exhibit at SPACES Gallery as part of the FRONT Triennial, in an article by Jillian Steinhauer. The article gets much of the history wrong, and although the Times and Steinhauer were contacted for corrections, no change to the record occurred. The inaccurate—and in a…
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Bach Unaccompanied, Lays Bare His Soul at Blossom
Played sitting, the cello is perhaps the most intimate of instruments. A musician wraps arms and knees around its body pulling a warm sound not unlike a human voice from its core. Perhaps then, nothing was more intimate than the most famous cellist in the world, Yo-Yo Ma, playing all Six Suites for Solo Cello…
USA Triathlon’s Swim Portion Was Canceled Sunday, But it Had Nothing to Do with Lake Erie Poop Water or Death
When it was announced that the swim portion of USA Triathlon’s Sunday sprint event had been canceled, our first thought was that Lake Erie’s water had been once again contaminated with sewage. How grim, we lamented! Not only had a 75-year-old tragically died Saturday during the swim portion of the Olympic-Distance event, now poop had…
Dennis DeYoung’s ‘The Grand Illusion’ Anniversary Tour Coming to Hard Rock Live in December
Though he can’t legally tour and record as Styx, singer Dennis DeYoung, who wrote and sang lead vocals on seven of Styx’s eight Top 10 hits including “Babe,” “Mr. Roboto,” “The Best of Times,” “Show Me the Way,” “Lady,” “Don’t Let It End,” “Come Sail Away” and “Too Much Time On My Hands,” continues to…
Meet the Meme Queen Behind the Cleveland Takedowns All Your Friends Shared on Facebook This Weekend
A slew of memes offering savage takedowns of the City of Cleveland began circulating on Facebook this weekend, having been stolen and reposted multiple times, making a count of just how many people have seen these memes impossible. Neighborhood community Facebook groups have been sharing these memes like wildfire, and they’ve even made the jump…
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke to Play the State Theatre in December
Hot on the heels of a Radiohead tour that brought the band to Detroit, Columbus and Pittsburgh but not Cleveland, Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has just announced a series of live electronic performances in the U.S. during which he, Nigel Godrich and visual artist Tarik Barri will perform songs from his solo albums The Eraser…
Near West Theatre Performed ‘Spring Awakening’ By Candlelight on Saturday During Power Outage
Around 7:10 p.m. as the cast of We Will Rock You at Blank Canvas Theatre in the 78th Street Studios were preparing to open the doors for its show, the cast and crew began receiving frantic text messages from the neighboring theatre up the street. “Hey, do you all have power?” On Saturday evening, a massive…
Rock Hall Partners with Quaker Steak & Lube to Host a Special Bike Night
Quaker Steak & Lube has partnered with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a special Bike Nite that takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Rock Hall’s outside plaza. The event represents first time Quaker Steak & Lube has taken its Bike Nite on the road but not to…
Whose Sidewalks? Our Sidewalks! Cleveland Tells Bird Scooter Company to Get Lost
The city of Cleveland waited less than a full day to banish a fleet of electric scooters that arrived Friday morning. The city’s law director sent a letter to the startup scooter company (Bird) asking that all scooters be removed from city streets immediately. “Please be aware that Bird Rides, its agents, or customers, are…
All Time Low and Dashboard Confessional Deliver Crowd-Pleasing Sets at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Last night, Cleveland was the latest stop last night for the Summer Ever After Tour featuring co-headliners Dashboard Confessional and All Time Low. It came to Jacobs Pavilion on a beautiful, breezy night, and fans gathered in Paramore T-shirts and checkerboard Vans to witness the double headliner show. You can see a slideshow of photos…
Do You Realize the Flaming Lips are Coming to the Agora Next Friday?
In the late ’90s, the Flaming Lips were asked to play a New Year’s Eve show. They brought in all the required party tricks, such as balloons and confetti falling from the ceiling and a screaming champagne toast, and when the show was over, they wondered how they could keep the party going. “We fucking…
RTA Audit Shows Major Decrease In Serious Crimes on Buses and Trains Since 2016
The results of an internal safety audit conducted by RTA show a major decrease in serious crimes on the system since 2016, at least for the first half of the year. Compared to January – June, 2016, robberies in 2018 fell by 80 percent and thefts decreased by 50 percent. Transit Police Chief John Joyce…
Unidentified Cleveland Man Went Full Mike Tyson and Bit Off Part of Victim’s Ear During a Robbery
According to Cleveland police, an unidentified man took physical violence to a new extreme and bit off part of another man’s ear during a robbery on Monday. The 51-year-old victim told police that he pulled into a parking space at the Eastside Market convenience store on St. Clair Avenue and East 140th Street when he…
Longtime PD / Cleveland.com Sports Columnist Bud Shaw Joining WKYC
[image-1] Longtime Plain Dealer / Cleveland.com sports columnist Bud Shaw, he of the infamous Spin, has announced that he’ll be joining WKYC next week. Shaw will be writing for the news channel’s website, WKYC.com, and said on Twitter that he’ll still be cranking out his “You Said It” column, featuring reader commentary. Shaw was among…
Bird Scooters Have Landed in Cleveland
Environmentally friendly public transportation just got a whole lot more fun thanks to the arrival of Bird, a motorized rental scooter app that allows Clevelanders to fly around the city at up to 15 mph with ease. The Santa Monica based company, founded by a former Lyft and Uber executive, launched service today in Cleveland.…
Alkaline Trio Delivers a High-Energy Set at the Agora Theatre
Alkaline Trio is the kind of band whose live show reflects just how long they have been doing it, and last night’s show at the Agora Theatre was no exception. With the high-energy performance, the punk rock trio proved that you’re never too old to be angst-ridden. You can see a slideshow of photos from…
ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons to Play the Agora in October
A Rock Hall Inductee, ZZ Top singer-guitarist Billy Gibbons has just announced a fall tour in support of his sophomore solo album, The Big Bad Blues. The band, which features drummer Matt Sorum (Guns ‘N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver), guitarist Austin Hanks, and DJ and harmonica player Elwood Francis, will play two dozen dates, including an…
Netflix Debuts Documentary About Massillon Athlete This Friday
Zion Clark is a wrestler at Kent State University at Tuscarawas. He’s also the subject of a new documentary that’s set to hit Netflix this Friday. Born without the lower half of his body, the athlete gained local and later national attention for his wrestling and track abilities. The 11-minute documentary film, Zion, which recently showed at…
Prosperity Social Club and Western Reserve Distillers to Team Up for Special Vodka Tasting Event
Now with state-wide distribution, Western Reserve Distillers has teamed up with Prosperity Social Club for a special Savor Summer Tremont Vodka Release Party that takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1, at Prosperity Social Club. “As a small, family-owned business committed to locally sourced organic ingredients, it’s only natural we’d want…
Pour Cleveland to Open Small-Batch Roastery in Tremont
Despite his initial reluctance to do so, Pour Cleveland owner Charlie Eisenstat is launching his own small-batch roastery, which will sell a small line of high quality coffees. “It was never really my intention when I started Pour to get into roasting,” explains Eisenstat. “But once we made the switch to being a multi-roaster shop…
7 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, AUG. 10 Keith Urban/Kelsea Ballerini A stellar songwriter and one of the best guitarists in the Nashville, Keith Urban is what country legends are made of. On his new album, Graffiti U, Urban goes more pop country than he’s ever gone before. On“Coming Home,” his collaboration with “Issues” singer and a big player in…
Senior Citizens are the Newest Victims of the Ohio Opioid Crisis
As Channel 5 revealed last night, 14 people have died from drug overdoses in Cuyahoga County in the last week and half of these deaths were people 60 and over. The elderly are more likely to have severe physical illnesses and pains, and are therefore more likely to be prescribed opioids to manage their suffering. A…
Good News! We’re Paying More For Rent in Cleveland Than Ever Before
As development continues at a rapid pace in some parts of the city, the cost of living is making a leap while wages sit at a stand still. Meaning, we’re now paying more for rent without having the income to supplement the difference in cost. According to a monthly report from Rent Cafe, average rent…
The Plain Dealer Has Discontinued New York Times Wire Service
Plain Dealer editor and president George Rodrigue has confirmed to Scene that Ohio’s largest newspaper has discontinued its subscription to the New York Times syndicate service. That subscription allowed the PD to reprint news articles and opinion pieces produced by the Times and its global network. The wire reports are crucial for the PD, which, due…
John Lanigan Abruptly Quit and Retired During Yesterday’s Show on WTAM
Longtime legendary Cleveland radio personality John Lanigan came out of retirement back in 2015 to do The Spew, a daily one-hour “male version of The View,” with Mike Trivisonno on WTAM. Lanigan, who did the show from his home in Florida, told the Plain Dealer that the once combative opponents played off their differences during…
How WMMS, Cleveland and the Agora Created and Preserved One of the Most Important Nights of Bruce Springsteen’s Career
As WMMS marks its 50th anniversary this year, there’s one event that looms particularly large in the station’s history. August 9, 1978, the legendary rock station celebrated its 10th anniversary with a concert featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who had become a cornerstone part of the station’s musical makeup in the preceding…
Here’s Bruce Springsteen’s Legendary 1978 Show at the Agora, 40 Years Ago Today
Here’s the Boss’s whole legendary show from August 9, 1978, which Rolling Stone called “simply the greatest live LP this greatest of live rockers has ever officially released.” We can think of few better ways to spend your Thursday morning.
Little C Music Festival to Take Place in Canton in September
Earlier today, the Canton-based indie rock band Hey Monea, winner of the 2012 Hard Rock Battle of the Bands, announced it will again host the annual Little C Music Festival in Canton on Sept. 14 and 15 at the Auricle. Now in its third year, the festival will feature both national and local acts, including…
Cincinnati Police Issue Statement After Officer Tases 11-Year-Old Girl Accused of Stealing From Grocery Store
An off-duty Cincinnati Police officer yesterday used a Taser on an 11-year-old accused of stealing food from a local grocery store, Cincinnati Police officials acknowledged last night. The incident happened after several juvenile females were reported allegedly stealing from Kroger on Kennard Avenue near Clifton. An officer working as security for the store approached the…
Elite Runners to Participate in This Weekend’s Guardian Mile
Organizers of the Guardian Mile race that takes place at 7 p.m. on Saturday boast that they’ll have the “fastest elite field on Ohio soil ever.” Two-time Olympic medalist Nick Willis of New Zealand and 2016 Olympian Violah Lagat of Kenya will both participate in the race. The elite women and men will race at…
Former Macedonia Mayor Who Allegedly Beat His Girlfriend Issued Arrest Warrant for Breaking No-Contact Order
Joseph Migliorini doesn’t know when to quit. The former mayor of Macedonia was arrested in Florida on charges of misdemeanor battery after people witnessed him verbally and physically abuse his girlfriend outside of a Florida restaurant back in April. In July, he resigned from office by posting an extremely pathetic apology video on YouTube after…
Superelectric Pinball Adds a Full Bar to the Fun
It started with the spot in the 78th Studios, moved down the street to an expanded space in Gordon Square, was amplified by a kitchen that debuted earlier this year, and will now welcome a modest but full bar. Superelectric Pinball continues its evolution when it begins offering craft and domestic beers, ciders, wines, classic cocktails…
‘We Are Triathletes,’ Screening Tonight at Capitol Theatre, Will Get You Pumped for Age Group Nationals
This weekend, Cleveland will play host to USA Triathlon’s Age Group Nationals, the organization’s longest-running National Championship event. More than 4,000 athletes will compete on Saturday and Sunday, and more than 10,000 visitors (along with a projected $6.5 million in economic impact) are arriving in Cleveland this week, according to estimates by local officials last…
Hard Knocks, Indians and the Cavs’ Rebuild — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac are back with their normal, off-the-wall discussion. They talk Browns, Cavs and “Hard Knocks” ahead of the Baseball Minute, then close the pod with Zac’s conversation from early July with Joe Schobert. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
David Byrne Mixes Music and Performance Art at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Annie-B Parson, the artistic director at Brooklyn’s Big Dance Theater, worked with former Talking Heads singer David Byrne on the choreography for his current tour in support of his new solo album, American Utopia. While in the planning stages, Byrne told Parson that she would have a completely empty stage to work with. None of…
Apollo’s Fire Sends ‘Sugarloaf Mountain’ On Tour and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
If you think that classical music goes on holiday in August, consider these events that offer you a wide range of choices this week: Ohio Light Opera has been opening shows on a regular basis since June, and this week, all seven productions are on the boards — and all will receive their final performances…
Cinematheque Celebrates Its 32nd Anniversary With Special Screenings
Since 1986, the Cleveland Institute of Art & Cinematheque has been the go-to place to catch classic, indie and foreign films that the mainstream theaters don’t give a crap about. This week, the theater celebrates its 32nd anniversary with a series of special screenings. Three of the six flicks are exclusive Cleveland premieres, and two…
The 30 Essential Cleveland Restaurants
Every few years we take a step back to do a sort of heat-check on the Cleveland dining landscape. Our motivation is to survey the bounty that we have at our fingertips and call attention to the places that we’re excited about at this particular moment in time. Some of these restaurants make the roster…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Weekend (Aug. 8-14)
WED 08/08 The Big Lebowski Released in 1998, the Coen Brothers’ flick The Big Lebowski has become a cult classic that regularly makes appearances in the Cedar Lee Theatre’s Late Shift film series. The film centers on the Dude (Jeff Bridges), a slacker/bowler who becomes the victim of mistaken identity when he is assaulted. The…
Even With a Couple Flaws, the Classic ‘Oklahoma!’ Shines at Porthouse Theatre
It’s been almost 75 years since Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein opened on Broadway, yet it still manages to exert a pull on the average audience. The reasons for this are manifold, beginning with the undoubted brilliance of the master song craftsmen Rodgers and Hammerstein. But in addition to all those wonderful tunes…
The Tricky Humor in Spike Lee’s ‘BlackkKlansman’
There’s a scene late in Spike Lee’s BlackkKlansman, which opens Friday, when a young David Duke (played pitch-perfectly by Topher Grace) travels to Colorado Springs to welcome new recruits to the KKK. His bumpkin disciples are arrayed before him at a banquet – they are not yet in their white hoods – and Duke says…
Fat Head’s Set to Debut Its New, Massive Production Brewery, Beer Hall and Restaurant
It’s impossible to miss Fat Head’s massive new brewery while travelling along I-71. The cluster of eight towering stainless steel tanks, visible even at 65 mph, is as clear a signal as to the building’s purpose as the iconic “fat head” logo emblazoned on the façade. Inside each of those silos at any given time…
Band of the Week: Tacocat
MEET THE BAND: Emily Nokes (vocals), Bree McKenna (bass), Lelah Maupin (drums), Eric Randall (guitar) FRIENDS UNTIL THE END: The Tacocat bandmates live in an old Seattle house together. There, they write feminist party punk songs and collect way too many clothes from thrift stores, says bassist Bree McKenna. The four-piece has been together since…
Savage Love: Après Pill, Le Déluge
I’m a 27-year-old woman and I’ve been sexually active and on birth control since I was 16—almost always on the pill. I recently switched to the NuvaRing, which I had a bad reaction to: I had no libido at all and extreme mood swings/bouts of depression I could not live with. My boyfriend and I…
