Ohio Veterans Banding Together In Support of Legal Marijuana
[image-1]After serving in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, Shane O’Neil left the service in 2009 with a lower spine injury and confirmed PTSD. In between and during fits of insomnia, his life was wracked with anxiety and pain. His story is not unique. Treatment from the Veterans Administration clinic brought opiates, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and…
Review: Cleveland POPS with Carl Topilow, The Genius of John Williams
[image-1]By Daniel Hathaway Cleveland POPS music director Carl Topilow called in extra forces to celebrate the genius of composer John Williams in Severance Hall on Saturday evening, January 30. To his excellent POPS Orchestra, he added the 50-voice Cleveland Orchestra Children’s Chorus, more than 40 members of the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, and three local heroes…
Review: Understanding Spiritual Nationality; Apollo’s Fire — Sephardic Journey
By Christine Jay One of the most remarkable elements of mankind is its ability to endure. History is filled with stories of people struggling, failing, succeeding, and surviving, but few have endured the centuries of exile and forced displacement experienced by the Jews. Performing an inspired program devised by artistic director Jeannette Sorrell, soprano Nell…
Video: ‘Star Wars: Cleveland Awakens’ (a.k.a Star Wars in Cleveland)
A teaser for the Cleveland and Star Wars mashup was released back in December, and now the full video has arrived. What is it? Basically a two-minute version of The Force Awakens set in Cleveland (over the lake, over the city, dodging in the skyline). Star Wars: Cleveland Awakens was released via YouTube today. It’s…
Former Browns WR Reggie Rucker Used Charitable Donations To Pay Off Gambling Debts, Personal Expenses
Reggie Rucker, the former Cleveland Browns wide receiver and head of two local “violence interruption” organizations, was charged in Federal Court for using charitable donations to pay off gambling debts and other personal expenses. Law enforcement officials said that Rucker used the money for his mortgage, meals, entertainment and travel expenses, and then lied about…
Raving Med, a Fast-Casual Middle Eastern Concept, to Open in Playhouse Square
It’s been three and a half years since Acapella restaurant closed in the Playhouse Square neighborhood, but the space finally will reopen this March. Restaurant owner Seth Bromberg, who also operates the nearby District (1350 Euclid Ave., 216-858-1000), will open Raving Med, a casual eatery that will specialize in Israeli street food staples like falafel…
Local Rockers Wish You Were Here Present Check to Akron Children’s Hospital and Cassidy’s Hope Foundation
Way back in November of last year, the local Pink Floyd tribute act Wish You Were Here played a benefit concert at the Akron Civic Theatre. Yesterday, band leader Eric Sosinski presented a check representing the proceeds of that concert to Dr. Sarah Friebert of the Akron Children’s Hospital Palliative Care Center and Pam Czech…
Winter Warmer Fest 2016 Coming to The Flats in March
This year’s Winter Warmer Fest by the Ohio Craft Brewers Association is coming to town next month. The 10th annual festival will be held Saturday, March 5, at Windows on the River in the Flats. This year more than 40 beer breweries from all over Ohio are attending, featuring winter seasonal and limited edition beers.…
New Drone Flyover at Abandoned Geauga Lake Amusement Park is Depressing
It’s not pretty. But you could probably guess that. After shuttering its doors in September of 2007, the remains of Geauga Lake Amusement Park have been anything but a sight for sore eyes. Its owners, Cedar Fair, continues to operate the Wildwater Kingdom water park but the remnants of Geauga Lake are nothing more than…
No Clear Path for Lakewood Hospital Referendum, City Maintains Its Stance
[image-1]As we know now, Lakewood City Council opted not to place the Lakewood Hospital referendum on the March ballot. What that means for the future is unclear. On one hand, the Save Lakewood Hospital crowd has pointed out that 2,868 certified signatures remain on file and in support of a ballot issue. With the March…
NBA All-Star Weekend, the Sports Calendar, and More — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac on NBA All-Star Weekend, the sports calendar, trade deadlines and the usual nonsense. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Review: Nkeiru Okoye’s Opera ‘Harriet Tubman: When I Crossed the Line to Freedom’
By Nicholas Jones Opera is a great medium for exploring the courage of acting for freedom and the personal cost of heroic resistance. There is something built into the art form that deepens our view of even the most resolute of actions, showing us the often tragic consequences of taking the courageous path. We can…
Cheap Trick to Headline Rock Hall Benefit Concert
Recently announced as inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, veteran power pop act Cheap Trick will perform at the Rock Hall’s 13th annual It’s Only Rock and Roll Spring Benefit on Friday, May 6, at Public Hall. Reserved balcony seats cost $17.50 and $27.50 and $55. Tickets go on sale…
Police Situation at Krush Clothing Store on W. 9th Resolved
Update: Homa Bash and others report the situation has come to an end: “UPDATE on Warehouse district ‘hostage situation’ — CLE police say no one shot, no known injuries. FOUR people taken in for questioning.” *** Cleveland SWAT units have been called to Krush clothing store at W. 9th Street in the Warehouse District. Police…
Hope Springs Eternal in ‘In The Heights’ at Beck Center
Now that composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda has commandeered the attention of the world with his gigantic Broadway hit Hamilton, it seems a good time to revisit his first hit show. And happily, the Beck Center production of his In The Heights is everything you could hope for, carrying this often saccharine-sweet musical over the…
Plan a Special Date Night and Fall in Love — With Akron
I’m reminded now of a project that had people write love letters to their cities. One time, a child wrote, “Dear Akron, you’re the best planet in the world.” The boy’s mom corrected him: “Akron’s not a planet.” “I don’t care,” replied the boy, “it’s the best.” [image-1]Akron is the best planet in the world, and…
Hilton Cleveland Downtown Hiring 300 Positions
Time is inching closer to the June 1 grand opening of the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. That means it’s time for the Hilton to begin hiring employees. The hotel plans to hire 300 people for the 600-room hotel. Positions will be filled throughout March and April; no hospitality experience is necessary to apply. Among other benefits, employees…
Vintage Video: Cleveland Preps and Releases 1.5 Million Balloons in 1986
[image-1] We’ve all probably seen pictures before detailing the harrowing and embarrassing day back in 1986 when Cleveland and the United Way released 1.5 million balloons into the sky from Public Square. It was an effort to set a Guinness World Record and raise awareness for the organization’s cause. It ended, thanks to a weather…
Review: String Orchestra Plays John Luther Adams at St. Paul’s
By Daniel Hathaway The music of John Luther Adams, perhaps one of the most widely-appreciated of contemporary composers, has been performed with some frequency in Northeast Ohio. His Drums of Winter, Wail, Inuksuit, and Veils and Vesper have recently been heard in venues ranging from concert halls to Lake View Cemetery. On January 29, David…
Dropkick Murphys Drummer Matt Kelly Reflects on the Band’s 20-Year Run
This week, Quincy, Mass.-based Irish punk band Dropkick Murphys kicks off its 20th anniversary tour with two shows at House of Blues where there’s a Green Room, a kick-ass sound system and attendants in the bathrooms. The guys have certainly come a long way from their humble roots. Early on, the band played basement parties…
Lolita Probably Closed for a Year
Just about a week after the calendar ticked to 2016, a fire crippled Michael Symon’s restaurant Lolita in Tremont. At the time, there wasn’t much word on when things would get back to normal at the corner of Professor and Literary. Symon, of course, had/has plenty of other things on his plate, including finishing up…
Pop-Punk Bill at Agora Draws Capacity Crowd
Last night’s white-out blizzard couldn’t keep fans away from the Agora. Two of the hottest bands in the pop-punk scene, State Champs and Neck Deep, played to an absolutely jam-packed theater and didn’t disappoint. Knuckle Puck and Like Pacific also shared the bill. All bands sounded flawless, and the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd fed off the energy…
After Tamir Rice Billing Debacle, City Crafts Confusing Policy Change
In the wake of a public-relations SNAFU in which the City of Cleveland filed a $500 creditor’s claim to the estate of Tamir Rice for emergency transport services, Mayor Frank Jackson is trying to make good on his promise to address “the process” he hinted was at fault. “When you get into a bureaucratic routine,”…
Hingetown Developer Graham Veysey Selected as 2016 Presidential Leadership Scholar
Hingetown developer Graham Veysey has been selected as one of 61 participants in the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, an initiative sponsored by the U.S. presidential libraries of Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and the Bushes. Veysey is the only representative from the state of Ohio in the program’s second class. The sixth-month “executive style” program will…
Actor-Director Ben Stiller Struggles to Generate Laughs with ‘Zoolander 2’
Fifteen years ago, Ben Stiller thoroughly satirized the fashion industry with Zoolander, a comedy that centers on Derek Zoolander, a top male fashion model that could stop a shuriken with his piercing “magnum” gaze. Reprising that role in Zoolander 2, Stiller struggles to recapture the magic of the original in the sequel, which opens area wide…
No Real Depth in ‘Golden Leaf Rag Time Blues’ at Ensemble Theatre
Every idea a playwright has doesn’t actually become a play. And that’s a good thing, because it takes a lot of work to turn a clever idea into an actual functioning piece of theater. Playwright Charles Smith came up with an interesting idea for Golden Leaf Rag Time Blues, but somewhere along the way he…
The E Street Band’s Nils Lofgren Talks About Revisiting ‘The River’
Last year, singer-guitarist Nils Lofgren, a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, put out the solo album UK2015 Face the Music Live, an acoustic collection of his songs, and booked some tour dates for 2016. He knew that Springsteen needed him for a Saturday Night Live appearance in support of the just-released Ties That Bind:…
Cleveland Teen Tweets Detailed Email Explaining Ban From Co-Ed Soccer League
It’s not so much the how but the why when it comes down to a Cleveland teenager’s epic reasons for getting banned from his recreation soccer league. After getting fed up with his bad behavior and antics on the field, Brian Garruto received a very detailed list of all that exactly entailed. His unsportsmanlike behavior…
Cleveland Ranked One of the 10 Most Romantic Cities in America
They’re surprised. We’re not. Cleveland made the cut on the list for the top 10 romantic cities in America according to Groupon. Tis the season, after all, for rankings around the impending Valentine’s Day holiday this weekend. (WalletHub, if you missed it, said we were literally one of the worst in that category. But we all…
“Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage” 50th Anniversary Concert Coming to Cleveland
The “Star Trek” franchise is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a concert tour, and Cleveland is one of its stops. (As it should be: Cleveland has a deep and important role in the history of Star Trek.) “Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage” concert includes music from the original series, feature movies, “Next Generation,” and “Star…
Order Puppies Via Uber Today From 11 to 3
For those still looking for a Valentine this year, Uber has paired up with the Cleveland Animal Protective League to match the would-be lonely with puppies. Only for today, you can find this feature by sliding right in the Uber app to PUPPIES. You can begin requesting a session beginning at 11 a.m. Due to…
Cleveland State University to Buy President a House Because His Apartment at the 9 Is Too Small for Entertaining
The president of Cleveland State University is moving again, this time because his residence at The 9, paid for by CSU, is too small for entertaining. (It was plenty for Johnny, so we don’t see how Berkman was having issues, but whatever.) President Ronald Berkman’s current address at The 9 runs $3,600 a month for…
10 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, FEB. 12 Turkuaz/Ghost Note Not a band that rests on its laurels, funky hydra Turkuaz dropped Future 86 in 2014 — to much acclaim — and immediately began expanding its sound further. The result — for now, at least? Digitonium, an electronic-leaning dance party on a disc. From the infectious “Introduction” (which really could…
Video: Kevin Kiley Announces Resignation from 92.3 The Fan
Kevin Kiley appeared on Channel 19’s broadcast this evening to make an announcement. The simple version: After filling the airwaves with garbage for many years, Kiley will cease doing so. He announced that back in November he had submitted his resignation to Top Men at 92.3, to be effective at the end of this month.…
Film Development Deal in the Works for Locally Produced Comic Book ‘Apama the Undiscovered Animal’
In local filmmaker Ted Sikora’s 2007 film Hero Tomorrow, a pot-smoking comic-book artist attempts to publish his own character, Apama, a masked superhero who’s stronger than a gorilla. The film, in turn, spawned that very comic book. Now, the local creators of the comic have announced a new feature film that is in development based…
The Monkees to Bring 50th Anniversary Tour to Hard Rock Live
Hey, hey, this summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Monkees’ television series and the release of their debut single, “Last Train To Clarksville.” To celebrate, the group has announced an extensive North American tour including a stop at the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park on June 5. The band also plans to issue a…
Artist Martinez E-B Returns to Northeast Ohio with Works First Launched at Beck Center, CIA
After earning his Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College in Chicago last spring, Cleveland native, Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist Martinez E-B returns to Northeast Ohio to reveal just how far he’s come since he left for grad school just a couple of years ago. Martinez E-B’s So, Let Them Have Color opens with an…
Tim McGinty Asks for Special Prosecutor in Murder Case Against Devonta Hill for Kenny Smith’s Death
Even though a federal jury found a Cleveland police officer responsible for the 2012 death of Kenny Smith, Cuyahoga County prosecutors continue their full-court press to hold another young man responsible. Now — after years of this questionable legal blitz — Tim McGinty’s office has asked a special prosecutor to pick up the case. Since…
Emergency Transport Bill Was Never Sent to Rice Family, Mayor Jackson Says
Mayor Frank Jackson and city officials attempted to explain the Tamir Rice billing debacle in a press conference Thursday morning. Jackson stressed that no bill was ever sent to Tamir Rice’s family and that the city had no intention of collecting money from the Rice estate for Tamir’s emergency transport after he was shot by…
10 Bands to Catch at the Brite Winter Festival
Returning to the arts festival’s roots, the upcoming iteration of Brite Winter, which takes place on 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20, will move to the west bank of the Flats. The festival was based in Ohio City for the past four years, where its visual arts offerings and music lineups expanded each year. Brite…
Nine Classical Music Events to Catch This Week
Oberlin is usually buzzing with interesting musical events, but this Friday’s agenda is especially packed. If everything runs on schedule, you can even make it to two of these three events. There are two free concerts that begin at 6:30 pm. New York’s new music group The Wet Ink Trio (a subset of the larger…
Co-Headliners Steve Poltz and Grant Lee Phillips Deliver Memorable Set at Music Box Supper Club
Playing last night in front of a sparse crowd at Music Box Supper Club, singer-songwriters Steve Poltz and Grant Lee Phillips couldn’t stop talking about what a great time they were having together on their first-ever co-headlining tour. At the show’s start, they immediately launched into a bit of banter before Phillips finally said, “Let’s…
Cavaliers’ Best Defense A Good Offense Against Leaky Lakers
The Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Lakers last night without really trying, much as they beat the Sacramento Kings on Monday. It was a very California few days, where everyone could hang loose, listen to Sublime and sharpen their mustaches without much worry. The Kings and Lakers are so lousy they’d have difficulty beating an…
The City of Cleveland Filed a Probate Court Creditor’s Claim Against Tamir Rice’s Estate for $500
If you think that the city of Cleveland and its law department couldn’t handle the Tamir Rice case any worse than it has, well, we have news for you. The city filed a creditor’s notice against the estate of Tamir Rice looking for a past due amount of $500. What’s that $500 for? It’s “owing…
RTA Postpones Fare Hike, Tables Discussion Until Next Month
In a meeting Tuesday, the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority’s finance committee elected to table the discussion on potential fare hikes. The heated conversation, which is being followed closely by area transit activists and commuters, will continue on March 1. In December, the RTA board approved the 2016 budget, which included a one-way base fare increase…
Jill Vedaa to Open Restaurant in Former Pug Mahones Spot in Lakewood
After 20 years of cooking professionally for other owners, chef Jill Vedaa finally will have the opportunity to open her own restaurant. Along with partner Jessica Parkison, Vedaa will open Salt in Lakewood this summer. “This is the logical next step and it’s my dream,” she says. “It’s very exciting and very nerve wracking, but…
Former Creed Singer Scott Stapp to Perform at Kent Stage
At one point in time, the hard rock act Creed was so popular that it filled arenas like the Q. Songs such as “My Own Prison,” “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open” became huge radio hits in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. But then it all came crashing to a halt as singer Scott…
Great American Rib-Cook Off Canceled After 24 Years
This year’s Great American Rib Cook-Off isn’t going to happen, Live Nation has announced. The festival was one of the largest food related festivals in Northeast Ohio and 2016 would have marked its 25th year of celebrating barbecued rib goodness in downtown Cleveland. The four-day celebration was held during Memorial Day weekend at Jacobs Pavilion…
Average Airfare at Hopkins Airport Has Dropped 20%
[image-1]Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has a ton of problems, but the cost of airfare ain’t one. Newly released federal data shows the average cost of booking a flight beats both the national average and the cost to fly out of Columbus. In the second quarter of 2015, Cleveland’s airfare averaged $371.24. The average cost to…
The Scene Podcast With Shawn Brewster of Shawn and Shelby and Oldboy
Shawn Brewster is a fixture in the Cleveland music scene with his various bands and projects. We discuss his band Oldboy, his latest venture Shawn and Shelby and a lot more. We discuss songwriting, the Cleveland music scene and some mistakes not to make in your career. Check out Oldboy here. Check out Shawn and…
Wrapping up the 2015 Browns Season With Scott Petrak — The A to Z Podcast with Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Peyton Manning, wrapping up the 2015 NFL season and Browns talk with longtime Browns beat writer Scott Petrak. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Planned Parenthood Strikes Back at Kasich, Launches Video Ads, #AskDrKasich Hashtag
After John Kasich’s second-place finish in the New Hampshire primary this week, Planned Parenthood is launching an offensive against him. A five-figure video ad buy and a social media campaign will attempt to hold Kasich’s feet to the fire on abortion issues. This is especially critical now that the Ohio House has voted to…
Here Are The Yelp Reviews of the Brook Park Travelodge That Got Shut Down Today
Today, Brook Park Mayor Tom Coyne and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty joined forces and announced that they would be closing the nightmarish Travelodge at 16161 Brookpark Road. WEWS sums up the matter quite succinctly in their morning report: According to Mayor Tom Coyne, more than 600 calls have been made about the hotel since…
Harris Stanton Gallery Brings Together Locally Trained Artists
Harris Stanton Gallery’s Cleveland location presents a special group exhibition showcasing emerging artists locally trained through art programs in Northeast Ohio. New Directions includes work by Charity Thomas (Kent), Phil Soucy (CIA), Grace Summanen (Kent) and Eric Ford (Akron). To celebrate, the gallery will host a free, public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. this…
Indigo Girls to Perform at Music Box Supper Club in March
It’s been more than 30 years since the Indigo Girls independently released their first single, “Crazy Game,” and launched a successful career as folk singers who’re known for their pristine vocal harmonies. Band members Emily Saliers and Amy Ray have a friendship that goes all of the way back to elementary school and were already…
New Reinberger Gallery Hosts CIA Student Exhibition
For the 70th consecutive year, the students of the Cleveland Institute of Art are presenting their annual Student Independent Exhibition this week. This year’s SIE is particularly special, because it is the first to be held in CIA’s new Reinberger Gallery in its unified campus on Euclid Avenue. SIE opens this Friday, Feb. 12, with…
Meet the Band: The Midnight Slander
MEET THE BAND: Dave Conner (vocals, guitar), Mike Gray (drums, keyboards, vocals), Al Rodriguez (bass, vocals) and Drew Maziasz (guitar). STRAIGHT OUTTA SOUTH CAROLINA: Formed in South Carolina in 2012, this Americana/altrock band relocated to Cleveland in 2014. A native Clevelander, Conner was living in South Carolina with the woman who’s now his wife. He…
Locally Made Full Measure Aromatic Bitters to Hit Market
“Five years ago I got super into cocktails,” says Ryan Irvine. “I was buying all these cocktail books and I was buying a ton of bitters.” Around the same time, Irvine also began covering the topic of cocktails for this magazine, a post he performed admirably for about a year. “Jeffrey Morgenthaler, the famous bartender,…
Cleveland Native Launches National Grass-Fed Beef Company
Before Lenny Lebovich moved from Ukraine to Cleveland at the age of 2, he already had roots in the food business. In his small hometown, his grandfather ran the only grocery store in the neighborhood. “You could say it was in my blood,” he says. Last year, the 1991 Beachwood High School graduate launched PRE…
A Cleveland Journey Through Our Favorite Things Between Two Slices of Bread
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a sandwich as … Just kidding. Everybody knows what a sandwich is. Since we were old enough to grip a greasy grilled cheese, we’ve been shoving the blessed things in our mouths and smiling about it. Sandwiches are the ultimate convenience food, requiring zero silverware and sometimes not even both…
Son of Saul and the Atrocities of the Holocaust
“Over the years, the Holocaust has become an abstraction,” said Son of Saul director Laszlo Nemes as he accepted the Golden Globe for best foreign language film last month. “For me, it’s more a face. Let us not forget that face.” For viewers of Son of Saul, the gripping Holocaust thriller opening Friday at the…
Movie Review: Deadpool
Ryan Reynolds’ face in the gleefully R-rated superhero flick Deadpool, which opens widely on Friday, is often obscured by a red mask. Deadpool is the alias of Wade Wilson, a smooth-talking bruiser with terminal cancer. His face has been grotesquely mutated in an experimental procedure, facilitated by generic bad guy Ajax (Ed Skrein), a scientist-cum-weapons…
Savage Love: Intropervert Dumps Extropervert
Dear Dan, Gay male in my late 20s. I recently ended things with a guy. Our relationship started as a strictly sexual one. We’re both involved in the kink scene in our city and have interests that align in a particularly great way. Quickly it became clear there was a real connection. The next two…
Three Characters Reveal Their Deepest Secrets in “Slow Dance on the Killing Ground” at Ensemble Theatre
Fifty years ago, some of us thought that issues such as racism and abortion would certainly have been resolved by now. We were the generation of love, hope, peace and ganja. In retrospect, we clearly should have backed off a bit on the wacky weed, because those issues have only festered and become even more…
The Polish Boy: A Brief History
Google the Polish Boy and you’ll likely spot blurbs crowning it Cleveland’s signature sandwich, or where to score the best version of this culturally significant food, or how this odd mashup of kielbasa, coleslaw, french fries and barbecue sauce in a bun has been praised once again in the national media (by Michael Symon, Food…
Behold the BLT, the World’s Greatest Sandwich
In a world filled with immensely enjoyable sandwiches, it’s pretty foolish to attempt to crown any particular variety as the best. Well, don’t ever let it be said that we here at Scene aren’t fools. The BLT — not even by a little bit — is the World’s Greatest Sandwich. In terms of form and…
Field Guide to Bread
Sandwich Bread This here is your general loaf bread. The saying “best thing since sliced bread” is no meager maxim. Busy places like delicatessens (and kid-filled homes) rely on the efficiency of sliced bread to speed up the sandwich-making process. White, wheat, rye and pumpernickel varieties offer slight textural differences and modest flavor contrasts. Commonly…
