7 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, DEC. 22 Machine Gun Kelly XXMAS Show At this year’s Lollapalooza, local rapper Machine Gun Kelly put on a rousing performance in front of an enthusiastic audience of teens and twentysomethings, delivering one of the most aggressive sets of the entire festival. Wearing a silver jacket, skinny black jeans and loafers, MGK clearly enjoyed…
Felice Urban Cafe Has New Owners, But Stays in the Family
In 2008, Margaret Mueller opened her first restaurant, Felice Urban Café (12502 Larchmere Blvd., 216-791-0918) on Larchmere Boulevard, just around the corner from Shaker Square. The fact that she did so at the tender age of 79 years old surprised nobody who knew her well. Over the long course of her remarkable life, Mueller has…
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Will Post Up in Cleveland for Two Funky Nights
Cleveland remains a pivotal touring stop for many bands working the East Coast and Great Lakes routes. It is city assembled by the bricks of music and art, poetry and experimentation. For a young band from, say, Baltimore, Cleveland may as well be a home away from home. We’re talking about Pigeons Playing Ping Pong…
Charlottesville Killer, Ohio’s James Alex Fields, Indicted on 10 Counts
James Alex Fields, the Ohio man who drove his Dodge Challenger into a crowd at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville this summer, has been indicted on 10 counts, including first-degree murder. Fields drove from Ohio to the Virginia to hear a speaker at the weekend rally. His actions resulted in the death of…
The 10 Most-Read Restaurant Reviews of 2017
2017 saw our food critic(s) travel culinary terrain recently arrived and long-established, near and not so near, entirely traditional and on waves of incoming dining trends, which is about the perfect encapsulation of Cleveland’s ever-evolving scene. What did you love most? Well, news, for sure. Anticipation is high for every new opening, especially if the…
Ernest Angley, Full of Grace, The Loan is With Thee
[image-1]Ninety-six-year-old televangelist Ernest Angley, the charming religious fundamentalist who for years has (allegedly) examined the genitals of his Cuyahoga-Falls-based Grace Cathedral flock, is now on the hook for a fat $3.6 million after his church’s broadcasting network defaulted on a loan, Cleveland.com reports. Ravenna-based Beck Energy Corporation, the oil and gas company that loaned Angley’s…
Beachland Tavern to Host Blue Lunch’s 10th Annual Christmas Night Holiday Latke Party
The veteran local blues/swing band Blue Lunch has the antidote for anyone who needs to take a break from the family on Christmas day. The group will celebrate the holidays with its 10th Annual Christmas Night Holiday Latke Party at the Beachland Tavern. Latkes and other food and beverage will be available for purchase. Musical…
Cleveland Confirms It Has a Plan for Backlog of Citizen Complaints Against Police
With a court filing late last week, the city of Cleveland followed through on its word to deliver some sort of plan by mid-December — a plan to tackle its years-long backlog of citizen complaints against the Division of Police. The plan follows up on what Law Director Barbara Langhenry said in federal court last…
Vita Urbana in Battery Park Has Closed
Facing another long, cold winter, the owners of Vita Urbana in Battery Park’s Shoreway Building have decided to pull the plug. The all-day gourmet market and café, operated by owner Mike Graley and chef-partner Scott Popovic, had been open for a year and a half. This shuttering follows other nearby closures at Graffiti Social Kitchen…
One Alt-Weekly Schmuck’s Top 10 New Albums of the Year
To borrow some perspective from Uproxx’s Steven Hyden (one of my favorite music writers), the whole idea of “top 10” lists at the end of the year is sort of an intellectual non-starter. “Ranking albums is dumb,” he writes, “but it’s kind of fun … because it’s really about discovering an album or two (or…
Gentrification: What it Means in the Context of the Rust Belt
Gentrification (noun) – the process by which people of (often modest) means who were once castigated for abandoning the city are now castigated for returning to the city Gentrification. It is a word that we hear with increasing frequency in contemporary discussions about American cities. But what does that word really mean? And, even more…
Local Punk Rock Act the Unknown to Play Reunion Show
An annual reunion show that brings together the best Cleveland punk bands from the ’90s and today’s local punk rock bands, Home for the Holidays Showcase: A Punk Rock Reunion has brought back bands such as the Vermin, the Librarians, the Hooligans and the Atomix. Now in its fourth year, this year’s event, which takes place at…
Devoted Browns Fans Get Married at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday
For most Browns fans, Sunday’s final home game of the season was filled with resolute despair. For one couple, tears came for a different reason. Congrats to these two on tying the knot today at @FEStadium! ❤️ #BALvsCLE pic.twitter.com/GOzpfWSmbX — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2017 Getting married before the game at FirstEnergy Stadium, two…
Beloved Saxophonist Ralph Carney Dies at 61
An Akron native, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Ralph Carney’s career stretches back to the mid-’70s when he played with local proto-punks Tin Huey. During his 30-plus years of playing, Carney performed with the likes of Elvis Costello, the B-52’s, Les Claypool and They Might Be Giants. Most famously, he was Tom Waits’ sax man on classic albums…
Original Chief Wahoo Creator Dies at 88
[image-1]Walter Goldbach, the man who created the original Chief Wahoo logo as a teenager in 1947, has died. Goldbach, who lived in Medina Township, designed the logo when former Indians’ owner Bill Veeck organized an impromptu competition via his uncle’s graphics store. Goldbach’s version is the hooked-nose precursor to the modern, red-faced logo. The 88-year-old artist…
Cleveland Will Pay $375,000 to Victim of 2014 Police Shooting
This week, the city of Cleveland paid $370,000 in a legal settlement with Kipp Holloway, who had sued the city and the police department over accusations of excessive use of force. Sgt. Timothy Patton shot Holloway during a 2014 response to a robbery report. From our earlier story: As Holloway explains in his civil complaint, he…
Darnold, Lavar and How Much Football Is Too Much? — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac ramble and argue on Lavar Ball’s mission, the importance of football in Northeast Ohio and how the NFL views Sam Darnold.
Charlottesville Killer James Alex Fields Now Faces First-Degree Murder Charge
James Alex Fields, the Ohio man who drove his Dodge Challenger into a crowd at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville this summer, now faces a first-degree murder charge for the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A Charlottesville district court Judge announced the new, upgraded charge at a hearing yesterday. Many of Heyer’s family,…
Treading Dangerously: Lax Safety Inside Goodyear’s Tire Plants
This story was originally published by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit news organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn more at revealnews.org and subscribe to the Reveal podcast, produced with PRX, at revealnews.org/podcast. Facebook Twitter Mail iTunes As daylight faded, Matthew Smith and Kerrybeth Hall were in rural West…
Local Singer-Songwriter David Curtis Releases New Music Video
A Cleveland native, singer-songwriter David Curtis received his first acoustic guitar as a Christmas present when he was 14. The guy’s been writing songs ever since. Two years ago, he released his debut, It Is What It Is, an album of pop rock and alternative tunes. He followed it up last year with another full-length.…
5 Reasons Boy Bands Still Matter in This Twisted World
Cleveland still loves boy bands, as seen with the parade of nostalgia-heavy acts rolling though the city all year long (and mostly selling well). Bands like Hanson, Boyz II Men and New Kids on the Block have already performed, and tonight, Ohio’s own 98 Degrees takes to the Hard Rock Rocksino stage. Armed with a…
No Conga Beat Unsung, No Dancing Spin Un-spun in “On Your Feet” at Playhouse Square
Is it ever proper to set your critical thinking aside and just immerse yourself in a show for the sheer pleasure of it? After all, every show that raises its curtain doesn’t have to carry a big message or leave you with indelible characters, does it? These are the thoughts that go through one’s mind…
SZA Gives Powerful Performance at House of Blues
It was around the time when a concert-goer near me last night practically fell to her knees, palms outstretched and grasping, belting along to SZA’s “Drew Barrymore” — “I’m sorry I’m not more attractive/I’m sorry I’m not more ladylike/I’m sorry I don’t shave my legs at night” — that the power of the 28-year-old New…
NBA Awards 2021 All-Star Game to … Indianapolis, Local Officials “Hopeful” for Future
Ever since the lavish renovations to the Quicken Loans Arena were first sold to the public at a press unveiling in December, 2016, the promise of a future NBA All-Star game was part of the package. In fact, other than a modest lease extension, which will keep the Cavaliers’ in Cleveland until 2034, the All-Star…
Folk Singer Sixto Rodriguez to Perform at the Akron Civic Theatre in March
A few years ago, the folk singer Sixto Rodriguez experienced a resurgence thanks to the release of the art house hit movie Searching for Sugar Man, a documentary about his life that centers on the rumors of his death that circulated in the ’90s. In the wake of its release, Rodriguez has appeared on The…
Singer-Songwriters Lyle Lovett and Shawn Colvin to Perform at the Goodyear Theater in March
Four-time Grammy Award winner Lyle Lovett and three-time Grammy Award winner Shawn Colvin have just announced they’ll embark on a co-headlining acoustic tour in 2018. The two veteran singer-songwriters plan to “share songs and stories” as they perform together. The tour will include a March 22 stop at the Goodyear Theater in Akron. Friends of…
7 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, DEC. 15 Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives With his latest tour, country singer-songwriter Marty Stuart will finally play his way out of the woods. He’ll land at House of Blues tonight for an intimate show in support of Way Out West, his newest record. The tour represents the culmination of a vision that…
Ohio Statehouse Approves Down Syndrome Abortion Ban
State lawmakers have passed a ban on abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. Gov. John Kasich is expected to sign the bill into law. Ohio would follow legislative luminaries like Indiana and North Dakota in advancing this cause. (A federal judge blocked Indiana’s law, and an appeal remains pending.) The Ohio bill would make…
Sister Hazel Blends 90s Jangle Rock with Introspective Country Twang at Music Box Supper Club
Bringing the sounds of 1997 and then some into Music Box Supper Club last night, Sister Hazel dazzled an attentive audience and touched on all corners of a deep catalog. I’ll admit: I didn’t know much beyond Sister Hazel’s wildly popular single “All For You,” which I’d recently performed as part of a very classy…
Here Are All The Addresses in Cleveland That Applied for a Marijuana Dispensary License
Before going any further: Let’s stress the headline and reiterate that that no dispensary licenses have yet been awarded in Ohio. Through a public records request with the city of Cleveland, though, we’ve obtained all the addresses that are attached to applications for medical marijuana dispensary licenses. Some will win those licenses, and most will…
Bigmouth Donut Co. Plants Flag at Hub 55 with Production Kitchen, Retail
Even as partners Courtney Bonning and Kelly Brewer were gearing up to open their Bigmouth Donut Co. shop in the Hingetown area of Ohio City (1418 W. 29th St.), they knew it wasn’t going to be the perfect fit. Not only would the wee 650-square-foot space require a new kitchen, it would never support the…
The Authentic Audio Podcast With Mark Klaus, Creator of Castle Noel
Happy Holidays Authentic Audio Pod listeners! This special festive episode features a conversation with Mark Klaus. Mark is an eccentric personality and the brilliant mind behind Castle Noel, the largest indoor Christmas attraction in the country. Castle Noel is located in my hometown of Medina, Ohio, located about 30 minutes south of Cleveland. Mark…
2017, or the Year We Achieved Peak Doughnut
It’s like they were patiently waiting for somebody to invent Instagram. All rainbows, sprinkles and bubble gum-pink glazes, doughnuts jump off of our social media feeds and into our consciousness like a delicious earworm, setting in motion an unstoppable craving for the airy confections. Sure, doughnuts have been around in some form or another for…
What Happened to the Pastry Chef?
In the not-too-distant past, every great restaurant meal began with a basket of warm, house-baked bread and was capped off by a sweet, elegant flourish, both of which sprang forth from the hands of a skilled in-house pastry chef. These days, that bread and dessert more than likely began life as a frozen product that…
On the Appallingly Low Percentage of Black Chefs in Local Kitchens
Since launching Dinner in the Dark in 2010, Brian Okin and his partners have hosted monthly culinary events like clockwork. At each one, no fewer than six area chefs are invited to prepare a course for the crowd’s enjoyment. Over the years, Okin estimates that more than 100 different names have graced those now-familiar multi-course…
There’s Always Been a Lot to Love in Larchmere. There’s Just Even More of it Now
For years, it seems, the Larchmere neighborhood that straddles Cleveland and Shaker Heights has been perched a few pounds light of the tipping point. Online and in print, enthusiastic articles have christened the eclectic district “the next hot thing” or “the best-kept secret” or “where to live next.” And for good reason: The dense urban…
For Four Decades, Photographer Barney Taxel Has Captured and Chronicled Cleveland’s Evolving Food Scene
Scrolling through the photographs on Barney Taxel’s laptop is like viewing a pictorial encyclopedia of Cleveland’s culinary awakening. There’s a shot of the Godfather himself, Carl Quagliata, looking dapper in a suit and tie. Young brothers Patrick and Dan Conway are snapped inside Great Lakes Brewery soon after it opened. Dressed in crisp chef’s whites,…
Cleveland Chefs and Foodies Dish on Their Favorite Meals
Vishwatej Nath, Executive Chef, Urban Farmer When he’s on the hunt for a little comfort food, Vishwatej Nath heads over to Bombay Chaat, an excellent Indian spot near the Cleveland State University campus. If he’s there at midday, he can’t pass up the expansive buffet. “For lunch they have a delicious buffet that touches both…
A New Year Means New Dining Options in Cleveland
Is the bubble bursting or just slowly leaking air? After five to eight years of unabated growth, Cleveland’s frothy restaurant scene appears to be reducing to a simmer. What’s more, we’re starting to see restaurants – both old and not-so-old – close their doors at a quickening pace. Places like Gamekeeper’s Taverne, Rick’s Café, Graffiti,…
Eat Like a Local With Five Easy Meals in One Easy Stop
Cleveland is blessed with a broad and deep pool of local, independent food startups – from sauerkraut to hot sauce. One of the best spots in town to shop for many of those items in the same place is Tremont General Store, one of the closest things we have to an old-fashioned corner market. Since…
Three Businesses That Were Transformed After the Second Generation Got Involved
Kids these days, am I right? Each new generation typically is denigrated as lazy, entitled and so self-centered they can’t see past the front-facing camera on their iPhones. But look around at some of Cleveland’s most notable food businesses and you’ll see an enterprising collection of young entrepreneurs who not only stepped up to help…
Alt-Cuts, They’re What’s for Dinner
Now that we’re blessed with butcher shops like Ohio City Provisions, Saucisson and NaKyrsie Meats, three newfangled shops that join a host of longstanding neighborhood favorites, we’re starting to see exotic new products in the display coolers. Unlike grocery store shelf-stockers, who simply open boxes of pre-cut meat, today’s craftspeople start with whole animals or large…
Buy, Sell, Hold: The Dining Trends We Loved, and Hated, This Year
Buy: Plant-Based Foods I still don’t fully grasp the distinction between “vegan” and “plant-based,” but I’m willing to explore the concept a little deeper if the food tastes at all like the Impossible Burger I enjoyed at B Spot. Unlike the typical dry and disappointing veggie burger, this plant-based patty has the look, feel and…
The Best Things We Ate in Cleveland in 2017
Unfortunately, every meal out is not going to be a homerun. But fortunately, it’s the best ones that linger, lodged in the brain like a compulsion on a string tugging you back to the source. For me, these are the meals of 2017 that I hope to never forget. Ribs and Brisket (Don’t Make Me…
Folks Behind Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen Are Set For a Major Expansion, in Space and Services
For the past four years, the Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen (CCLK) has helped small food startups make the transition from dream to reality, spinning out success stories like Cleveland Kraut, Randy’s Pickles, Chill Pop Shop and Saucisson, to name a few. Under one roof, food-focused entrepreneurs have access to shared prep and cooking facilities, dry,…
An Argument Against Luxury Seating at the Movies
The luxury lounge chair is decadent and depraved The increasingly popular luxury reclining chair is a scourge on the moviegoing experience. Featuring heated seats, padded footrests and leather upholstery, these reservable, oversized, electric-powered armchairs have been installed incrementally at the country’s major movie theater chains. In Greater Cleveland, one can “kick back” and “immerse [oneself]”…
Get Out: Everything You Should Do This Week in Cleveland (Dec. 13-19)
WED 12/13 Aaron Kleiber Voted class clown in high school, comedian Aaron Kleiber has built up quite the resume. He received some terrific exposure when he embarked on the #Deathsquad Tour with Doug Benson, Tom Segura, Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban, and he’s appeared on the very funny podcast Doug Loves Movies with Doug Benson.…
The Latin Flavors of Cleveland You Should Know About
We here at Scene have always had a soft spot for out-of-the-way ethnic eats, those affordable mom-and-pop spots that open our eyes, minds and hearts to new cuisines. Lately, we’ve been pleasantly awash in the flavors of Latin America, from El Salvadoran pupusas to Guatemalan garnachas. Here are some of our new (and not-so-new) favorites.…
Band of the Week: Petula Clark
MEET THE BAND: Petula Clark (vocals) NOT A NORMAL CHILDHOOD: Born in England in the 1930s, Petula Clark originally sang in her church choir. “The first time I sung in front of an audience was in front of a congregation in Wales,” says the 85-year-old singer. “I had never sung in front of an audience.…
Savage Love: Neurodiverse
Dear Dan, As a 36-year-old straight woman with autism, I am often misidentified as lesbian because my social signaling must read as masculine. I am not bothered by this. However, it is annoying when someone who should know better thinks I would hide it if I were LGBTQ. I’m very direct and honest — sometimes…
Guillermo del Toro Brings Yet Another Strange, Beautiful Monster Story to Life in ‘The Shape of Water’
Mexican auteur Guillermo del Toro has always been regarded as something of a curiosity, a man with a voracious visual appetite and an imagination that sometimes transcends his film crews’ skills. He produces weird and unique visual delights, and it can be said about Guillermo del Toro — something that can be said about very…
Darius Steward Opens Up Life’s Handbags at Tregoning & Company
The handbag is its own metaphor. It has long been recognized as the accessory within which, traditionally, women have held their lives. This article, made from so many different materials, is indeed cross-cultural. It is a symbol of status and necessity at once. Some bags are highly organized, while others act like the abyss, a…
Get Your Biennial Santa Stiffy With the Loush Sisters at Cleveland Pubic, Er, Public Theatre
Grab your balls, Ben Wa or otherwise, and prepare yourself for another dip into the jazzy, jizzy pool of double entendres and song fragments that is the Loush Sisters franchise at Cleveland Public Theatre. Warning: A drink or two, or five, might help this experience go down more easily. Yes, the woozy-boozy gals are back…
Known Sexual Assaulter Woody Allen Has Made Yet Another Movie, and It’s Not Great
Wonder Wheel, the bad new film starring Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple and Jim Belushi, was written and directed by Woody Allen, a known sexual assaulter. Allen writes and directs a new movie every year — he is as prolific an artist as any Hollywood has produced — and does so with the happy…
