The “Akron Sound” Museum: Curating a City’s Vaunted Musical Legacy One Piece at a Time
From its inception, the “Akron Sound” was less an actual sound than it was a rather ingenious bit of musical marketing hype. While one might be generous enough to call what followed a movement of sorts — given birth amidst an otherwise dour, industrial Midwestern landscape, a grey and beige world more renowned for its…
The 4th Annual Comics Issue
For the fourth straight year we are handing over the cover slot and feature hole of the year’s first issue to local comics artists. And for the fourth straight year we’ve been overwhelmed by the response and the work of the artists who were picked, with the help of John G., to tell their stories…
Small, Persistent Band of Tamir Rice Protesters Marched All Week Long
All last week, in the wake of Prosecutor Timothy McGinty’s Monday announcement that Cleveland police officers Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback would not be indicted in the shooting death of Tamir Rice, diverse groupings of protesters assembled to march in the streets and voice their displeasure. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (New Year’s Eve), protesters…
Country Singer Brandy Clark Looks Forward to Her Return to Northeast Ohio
When she came through town back in 2014, country singer Brandy Clark had the unenviable task of opening for hugely popular country singer Jennifer Nettles. Armed with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, Clark, who looked like a cross between troubadour and rocker with her snap-cap and tight black pants, didn’t appear the least bit…
Now Open: Brimfield Bread Oven
We first told you about Brimfield Bread Oven (3956 Rt. 43, 330-790-1887), the region’s first wood-fired bakery, back in October of this year when owners Jud and Genevieve Smith were knee-deep into the design-build phase of their new European-style bakery and café. Hard at work since they got the keys last spring, the owners officially…
Forbes Picks Lola’s Beef Cheek Pierogi as One of 10 Best Restaurant Dishes of 2015
The nation’s love affair with Michael Symon is well documented and apparently never ending, as it should be. And while we all already know that it’s still nice to hear it. As year-end lists popped up during the last week, Forbes’ contributor Larry Olmsted lined up his annual listings of his favorite restaurant dishes of…
Frank Jackson Leaning Toward Running for Fourth Term, Larkin Says
The Plain Dealer’s former editorial boss Brent Larkin sat down with Mayor Frank Jackson recently and published a piece in Sunday’s paper which characterized him as being on the precipice of a “gigantic” decision: whether or not to run for an unprecedented fourth term, “What I don’t want to be is like an old fighter…
Video: This Dunk From East Tech’s Markell Johnson Is Pretty Great
Don’t know when this happened but it popped up on Twitter today and since we’ve long had a love affair with East Tech basketball and Markell, we thought we’d share this thunderous dunk. My boy @kells_2017 the best n high school ion care what y'all saying 🖕🏾😥 pic.twitter.com/v3DmAbQevf — GetPluggedIn – RBMG (@DjMac_ThePlug) January 5,…
Comedian David Cross to Play Masonic Auditorium in February
Named one of the Top 100 Stand-Up Comedians of All Time by Comedy Central, comedian/actor/writer David Cross began performing stand-up comedy when he was only 17. By the 1990s, he emerged as a comedian to be reckoned with. Now, he’s just announced his first stand-up tour in five years. Cross will launch the Making America…
‘All Things Considered’ Celebrates Cleveland Play House’s 100 Years
Here’s five minutes of NPR’s All Things Considered delving into the centennial of the Cleveland Play House. You know it, you love it, give it a listen.
20 Under the Radar Albums from 2015 You Should Catch Up On
2015 was a great year for new music — especially new music that wasn’t Adele, Justin or Bruno. Scene asked a few college radio music snobs what they thought was worth listening to in 2015 and here’s what they came up with. Bully Feels Like (Columbia/Startime) Lead singer Alicia Bognanno screams/sings in the best ’90s…
Video: The Browns Get the Sarah McLachlan Treatment
The 2015 Cleveland Browns + Sarah McLachlan’s ASPCA commercial = this.
The Cleveland Browns Clean House — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac sum up the Browns’ hiring, firings and where the team goes from here. Also: -Sashi Brown – Mike Pettine never had a chance – Where’s Alec Scheiner? – Jimmy Haslam’s press conference – Johnny Manziel Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download…
Cavaliers Prey On Raptors As Kyrie Shows Allstar Form
There are many things to be gleaned from the Cavaliers 122-100 victory over the Toronto Raptors Monday night. Foremost was a reminder of the value of good help. Where would Butch be without Sundance? Leiber without Stoller? Jack without Coke? Like a prodigal son returning home (okay, maybe you’ve heard this story before), the Cavaliers…
Maria Neil Art Project Kicks Off 2016 With an Exhibition of Work From Jen Craun
After a New Year’s Day Walk All Over Waterloo last week, the arts district’s various galleries and small business are busy again this weekend. In addition to the Fandom216 Tailgate Kickoff Party at Waterloo Arts this Sunday, John Farina and Adam Tully’s Maria Neil Art Project hosts an opening reception from 5 to 10 p.m.…
RITA Lost a DVD With the Personal Info of 50,000 Taxpayers On It
RITA, which is commonly known as the Regional Income Tax Agency or to most people simply as “That bullshit,” is an annoying, annoying, super annoying thing. If you live in one of the communities that mandates you file regional income tax, then you know that it’s a pain in the ass. If you don’t think…
Gone Too Soon? The 2015 Cleveland Restaurant Scene Casualties
The last 12 months were a banner year for Cleveland restaurant openings – just like the year that preceded it. But it wasn’t all good news for local diners as we had to say goodbye to a sizeable collection of familiar names and faces. Here are some of the big – and not-so-big – causalities…
Cleveland Named One of the Best Cities For Beer Drinkers
Kick back and enjoy your favorite Cleveland microbrew, as if you weren’t already, because Cleveland was named the 18th best city for beer drinkers out of 25 across the nation. In a study by Smart Asset, cities were compared on the basis of total microbreweries, microbreweries per 100,000 residents, bars per 100,000 residents, average Yelp…
Shakespeare’s First Folio Tour Begins, With Planned June Exhibition in Cleveland
As part of a tour that will touch all 50 states, William Shakespeare’s First Folio will be displayed at the Cleveland Public Library from June 20 to July 30. The First Folio is the first published collection of Shakespeare’s plays — all of them. It was assembled in 1623, seven years after his death. This…
Cleveland’s Own Stipe Miocic Will Get UFC Title Shot After Weekend Win
It took all of 54 seconds for Stipe Miocic to put down Andrei Arlovski this weekend at UFC 195. After the bout ended, Miocic ran over to the direction of UFC Top Men seated ringside, including Dana White, and yelled, “I want my title shot!” He also chatted about it with Joe Rogan in a post…
The Beachland Ballroom Launches Themed Dinner Series
[image-1]The Beachland Ballroom and Tavern recently added weekday lunch service, a first for the 15-year-old venue. The Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunches, noted owner Cindy Barber, was in response to heightened demand from neighbors. That new lunch service joined Saturday lunches, popular Sunday brunches and showtime dinners. Next up for the Waterloo destination: a new…
Cavs Prove Immune to Magic, Slay Them With Ball Movement
Don’t call it a comeback because LeBron James’ jumper was never as dead as, say John Travolta’s pre-Pulp Fiction career. Awakened from its slumber, James used the rejuvenated J to defeat the Orlando Magic 104-79 in a game that reached “garbage time” before halftime. For several reasons none of this should surprise you. First, the…
“This issue is bigger than me,” says LeBron in response to #NoJusticeNoLebron Movement
LeBron James responded Tuesday to activists who asked him to use his superstardom to help seek justice for Tamir Rice. In the wake of the decision not to indict the two officers involved in the deadly shooting, James declared that, “this issue is bigger than LeBron. This issue is bigger than me.” James announced that he was not…
Lorain County Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament Canceled After Post-Game Fights Last Night
The Lorain County Holiday Classic basketball tourney that was supposed to continue today has been called off after last night’s festivities that followed Lorain’s 78-62 victory over Elyria at Elyria high school. By 10 pm, the district had quickly announced today’s games were canceled. What happened? Details aren’t plentiful right now, but there was a…
Protesters March Through Cleveland, Call for McGinty’s Resignation
About 100 protesters marched through the streets of Cleveland Tuesday, calling for Prosecutor Timothy McGinty’s resignation and Timothy Loehmann’s badge. Though some smaller demonstrations occurred in the immediate aftermath of Monday’s announcement that officers Loehmann and Frank Garmback would not be indicted in the shooting death of Tamir Rice, Tuesday’s hours-long protest was the first…
Album Review: By Light We Loom, “Caught in the Tide”
In the spirit of full disclosure, I think By Light We Loom is going to be a very big band. I’ve already come to this conclusion after hearing just eight songs from the duo, which rose from the ashes of the acoustic band, Bethesda. I’m a fast fan after hearing their music for the first…
LeBron Finds His Shot, Serves Nuggets on a Platter
Call off the search and cancel the milk cartons: LeBron James’ jumper has been found. Like the missing/malfunctioning detonator that perpetually imperils the payload and mission in action films, James’ AWOL jumper has contributed to the Cavaliers season-long offensive dysfunction in Kyrie Irving’s long absence. Its return keyed King James’ 34 point outburst on the…
The Cleveland Museum of Art rings in a new year with a party, and a look ahead to its centennial
The Cleveland Museum of Art’s 2016 New Year’s Eve party is especially noteworthy this year, as the museum begins its year-long celebration of its 100th anniversary. Beginning at 9 p.m. this Thursday, the party features live performances by DJ MisterBradleyP, followed by King Britt, who is returning to Cleveland for the first time since this…
Michael Symon Dishes on the Menu and Cocktail Program at Mabel’s BBQ
When he isn’t busy crisscrossing the country visiting legendary barbecue joints for the Food Network show Burgers, Brew and ‘Que, Michael Symon is obsessing over the particulars of his own barbecue joint: Mabel’s. It’s been a year and a half since the Iron Chef first revealed his plans to open a “Cleveland-style” barbecue restaurant on…
Rising Star Chef: Zachary Ladner, Executive Chef of Giovanni’s Ristorante
Life moved fast for Zachary Ladner after moving to Cleveland. After just four months on the job, nobody should expect to helm a restaurant kitchen like that of the 40-year-old Giovanni’s (25550 Chagrin Blvd., 216-831-8625, giovanniscleveland.com). But big ambition isn’t a surprise when it’s coming from a young chef from Texas. After two cooks moved…
The 10 Best Films of 2015
Hopefully you saw more than Star Wars and Jurassic World at the movies this year. But if not, here’s a list of titles to get you caught up on 2015’s essential viewing. Though this is technically our “Top 10,” the rankings are in some ways arbitrary and are largely determined by — what else? —…
Savage Love: Other Dicks and Other Doms
Dear Dan, I am a 30-year-old straight man and I’ve been with a 28-year-old bisexual woman for a year. Early in our relationship, after much discussion, we established that it would be open. I would have the liberty to see other women and so would she. We just had to be safe and always keep…
The Winners for the Best of Cleveland Theater in 2015 Are…
Sure, giving awards for creative pursuits is essentially stupid. But we keep doing it because rewarding excellence is better than allowing lame stuff to shuffle around, trying to pass itself off as something better. So in an effort to ward off mediocrity in all its pervasive forms, here are (peal of trumpets and coronets, please)…
14 Bands to Watch in 2016
Cleveland is a rock ‘n’ roll town. It’s a hip-hop town, a blues town, a folk town. To be clear, it’s a music town, and that’s why we love it here. Considering our annual criticisms of the Rock Hall and our regular grumbling over tour schedules that skip our fair city, we’re very much the…
Band of the Week: The Commonheart
MEET THE BAND Shawn McGregor (drums), Ava Lintz (bass), Mike Minda (guitar), Jess Hohman (flute, vocals), Mikey DeLuca (guitar, vocals), Crystal Morgan (vocals), Buddy Rieger (organ), Clinton Clegg (vocals) RETRO-LEANING Singer Clinton Clegg and drummer Shawn McGregor had played in a previous band and “things started to dissipate.” So they wanted to start something “new…
