Kurt Cobain Would Have Turned 52 Today; Here’s Nirvana Performing in Cleveland in 1991
Kurt Cobain would have been 52 years old today. (Imagine!) All over the world, surely, fans are sharing memories and videos and music from the days when Nirvana stood atop the rock ‘n’ roll summit for a brief moment in history. We’ll never forget his daughter, Frances Bean’s nice little memorial to her father on…
Headtrip, a Nano Brewery at Hudson-Stow Border, Eyes December Opening
[image-1]Update: Some good holiday beer tidings from Stow/Hudson as the ABJ reports Headtrip Brewery is just weeks away from its official debut. Partners Nick Seagle and Tom Mitchell are currently in the midst of a series of soft openings for their nanobrewery. Featuring a three-barrel system, Headtrip will be serving up four beers to start,…
Body of Missing Lafayette Township Trustee Bryon Macron Found in Chippewa Lake
The body of missing Lafayette Township Trustee Bryon Macron was found in Chippewa Lake Tuesday. The Medina County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the news to Macron’s family and to local news media yesterday. Frank Webber was kayaking on the lake when he came across what seemed to be a large mannequin, as he told Cleveland.com. Law…
Why One University of Akron Student Longboards Around Campus Dressed Like Jesus
Fellow University of Akron students called him Longboard Jesus long before he ever donned a white robe and sandals. “I didn’t think it was just me, because other people look like Jesus, too, around campus,” says Joe Gerin, a 20-year-old University of Akron student who’s currently taking off a semester. But it turned out it…
Local Psych-Rockers Coup de Grace to Play CD Release Show at Musica
Over the years, Coup de Grace singer Nick Reese has played with several local acts and often filled in with others when needed. But all the while, he and drummer Tig have consistently worked together, originally in the George Harrison Ford Explorers and then in various side projects. In the early 2000s, Reese toured with…
Local Indie Rockers Chil to Play Special 10-Year Anniversary Show in April
Formed in 2007 by brothers Nick and Ben Batton, the Akron-based indie rock act Chil eventually expanded its lineup to include lead guitarist Ian Minnick, drummer Ben Batton and bassist Justin Solitro. The band issued its debut, Only Good Karma, in 2012 and followed it up two years later with Keep Us from Sinking. Between…
There Are 7,405 Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Cleveland, According to New Report
A report released today by New American Economy and Global Cleveland helps paint a vivid picture of how the local immigrant population intersects with the local economy. Among the choice data points: There are 7,405 immigrant entrepreneurs in the Cleveland metro area, and the immigrant population as a whole (113,252 strong) boasts $3.2 billion in…
Cleveland.com’s Chris Quinn Elevated to “Editor and President” of Advance Ohio
Chris Quinn, Vice President of Content for Cleveland.com, has been elevated to President and Editor of Advance Ohio, the site announced this morning. The release noted that Quinn has successfully spearheaded the news output and strategy at the digital half of Advance Ohio’s operation, and that he was a reporter and editor for 17 years…
The Menzingers Emphasize the Pop Side of Their Pop-Punk Sound
The pop-punk band the Menzingers formed in Scranton just over ten years ago with modest aspirations. So when the band had the opportunity to sign a deal with Epitaph, a SoCal punk label that has been home to iconic acts such as Rancid and Bad Religion, the guys jumped at the chance. “Epitaph was our…
No Thrills, No Chills in ‘Wait Until Dark’ at Great Lakes Theater
Boo! Did I scare you? Evidently not, since you’re still reading this paragraph and not shivering and weeping in a corner. Actually, it’s kind of hard to really scare people, which is what the old chestnut Wait Until Dark aspires to do. But in this misbegotten production at Great Lakes Theater, there are virtually no…
Now Open: Water Garden Cafe in Lorain Avenue Antiques District
The on-again, off-again project known as the Water Garden Café is not only on again, it is open. The restaurant (7646 Lorain Ave., 216-417-8553), located within the Lorain Avenue Antiques District, began serving customers this week. It has been under construction since last summer. “I run four other businesses,” owner Mike Colenich says with respect…
R&B Singer Chris Brown to Bring His Party Tour to the Q
Earlier today, Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum-selling R&B singer-songwriter Chris Brown announced his upcoming the Party Tour will feature a multi-act bill that includes 50 Cent, Fabolous, O.T. Genasis and Kap G. The seven-week run commences on Friday, March 31, in Baltimore, and Brown and crew come to Quicken Loans Arena on April 6. A fan club…
Billy Bragg Brings Invigorating Presidents Day Show to Music Box
“What a nice way to stress-test your constitution!” Billy Bragg, tongue-in-cheek all the while, brought out the best in the audience last night at the Music Box. It was Presidents Day — one month into the administration of Donald Trump — and there was much to talk about. There was also the music. Across some…
RTA Plan: Have Buses on Public Square by March 6
UPDATE (2/21, 10:20 a.m.): RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese announced at a board meeting Tuesday morning that if all goes according to plan, buses will be allowed on Public Square at last by March 6, one day before the FTA’s final deadline. Buses were spotted, and so was Frank Jackson, on Public Square…
Donald Trump is an ‘Abomination,’ Says New York Times Columnist Charles Blow in Cleveland
While President Donald Trump was basking in adulation last Saturday in a campaign stop in Melbourne, Fla., he was being denounced by New York Times columnist Charles Blow in Cleveland. Blow told about 300 people in an approximately 40-minute speech at the Cleveland Public Library that he respects the presidency, but not the president. “He’s…
Mandel Jewish Community Center in Beachwood Among 10 Jewish Centers That Received Bomb Threats Yesterday
The Mandel Jewish Community Center in Beachwood received a hoax bomb threat yesterday around 11:17 in the morning. No evacuation was ordered and police with bomb sniffing dogs quickly determined the threat was false. “Like many JCCs around the country, the Mandel JCC received a noncredible bomb threat via phone call earlier today,” JCC president…
A Centennial Celebration of Thelonious Monk and Four More Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
German composer-conductor Matthias Pintscher visits The Cleveland Orchestra this week with one of the most varied programs of the Severance Hall season. It begins with Pintscher’s own Ex Nihilo, a twelve-minute score that reflects his all-too-common experience of “waking up jetlagged in a foreign city, eyes starting to see shapes in the hotel darkness.” French…
Seafair’s Chayla Hope to Headline Her First Solo Show
Formed in 2012, the local indie rock act Seafair created lush soundscapes that drew apt comparisons to Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene. Last year, Seafair sadly called it quits after a performance at the Burning River Fest. And yet, singer-keyboardist Chayla Hope has continued on with a solo career. On Friday, she headlines her first show…
The Nightlight Cinema in Akron to Host a Special Screening of the New Comedy/Drama ‘All Nighter’
As part of the New York Film Critics Film Series, a regular series of ongoing preview screenings that takes place in about 50 selected major markets, All Nighter, a new comedy/drama starring Emile Hirsch, Analeigh Tipton and J.K. Simmons, will screen on March 20 at the Nightlight in Akron. The movie centers on the hijinks…
Four Northeast Ohio Restaurants Land on OpenTable’s Ranking of Most Romantic in the Country
The actual criteria and methodology for OpenTable’s list of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants for 2017 is a bit nebulous, but the site claims the 100 honored restaurants were chosen based on an analysis of 10,000,000 user-submitted reviews of about 24,000 American eateries. What makes these places exceptionally romantic — Tons of candlelight? Perfectly dark and…
GCC Calling on Dan Gilbert to Invest $35 Million in Community Equity Fund
Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC) has asked Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert to personally contribute $35 million to a Community Equity Fund that would match, dollar-for-dollar, all $160 million of the publicly financed portion of the Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. In a meeting with Cavs’ corporate leadership Feb. 6 (a meeting that included Cavs’ President Len…
Maple Grove to Host Annual WJCU Radiothon Benefit
For 47 years now, WJCU 88.7 FM has delivered ad-free independent-minded programming. Since the on-air staff are unpaid volunteers, there are significant expenses involved in keeping the station running. This week, the station has entered fund-raising mode. It pledges that every penny of the money donated during its week-long Radiothon will go toward operating expenses. The…
Emotionally Powerful Play About Tamir Rice Shooting, “Objectively/Reasonable,” Gets a Revival From Playwrights Local
The locally written and produced play about the Tamir Rice shooting, Objectively/Reasonable, played here a few months ago. And now it is getting another life under the auspices of Playwrights Local. This is a well-deserved “revival,” since it is a powerful and resonant piece of theater. As my review said at the time: “The playwrights—Mike…
Several Local Musicians Guest on Adam Rich’s Latest Offering
A fixture on the local music scene for more than 20 years, bassist/guitarist Adam Rich has just issued his latest studio effort, Sunshine & Puppies. The album features nearly 20 local guest musicians including members of Beau Coup, First Light, I-Tal, Outlaws I & I, 1000 Hours, Open Range Torch Songs, Xtra Crispy and more.…
Cleveland Cannabis College Opens Door to Budding New Industry in Ohio
Tucked into a nondescript office building on the industrial side of Independence, the Cleveland Cannabis College is offering prospective retailers, hopeful horticulturists and seasoned physicians a shot at the experience they’ll need to lead Ohio into the medical marijuana vanguard. To hear CEO Richard Pine tell it, our state is poised to revolutionize how medical…
‘Let It Be’ Star Talks About the Challenges of Portraying a Beatles Reunion
A hit from London’s West End and Broadway, Let It Be, a musical based on the career of the Beatles, features a new production that attempts to create the concert the band would have given had it reformed on October 9, 1980, John Lennon’s 40th birthday. Expect to hear classic tunes such as “Hard Day’s…
Backstage Pass: An Interview with Monster Truck Driver Bari Musawwir
Discovered by Monster Jam producers in North Carolina in 2006, monster truck driver Bari Musawwir, who grew up in Cleveland Heights, admits the huge vehicles represent a departure from the radio-controlled trucks he raced as a kid. After four years of training, he earned a spot on the Monster Jam tour in 2010 and hasn’t…
Country Singer Chris Stapleton to Bring his All-American Road Show to Blossom
Country singer Chris Stapleton has recruited several of country’s newest stars to join him on this summer’s All-American Road Show. The tour will feature Brothers Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Anderson East, Brent Cobb and Margo Price as special guests. It comes to Blossom on Aug. 18. Stapleton emerged as a superstar at the 49th Annual CMA…
UFC Heavyweight Champ Stipe Miocic — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic joins the A to Z Podcast. Miocic discusses his newfound celebrity, guys with “beer muscles,” training for his May 13 title defense, keeping his “real job” as a firefighter and his love for Swenson’s cheeseburgers. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here.
Incubus to Perform at Blossom in July
Since forming in 1991, Incubus has become one of the rare bands to appeal to a truly diverse fan base. Though they started out as rap-rock group, they gradually progressed to the point where their energy and volume attract metalheads; the funk elements and sinewy live presentation give the jam community plenty to love; the…
Berea Couple Facing Charges After Their 7-Year-Old Son Overdosed on Heroin
Charles Dowdy and Danielle Simko appeared in court today on felony charges of endangering children and several drug possession charges in the wake of their 7-year-old son’s Jan. 11 heroin overdose. They’re being held on a $150,000 bond, and for now they’re barred from any contact with their son. Police and paramedics arrived at Dowdy and…
WRUW to Celebrate 50th Anniversary with Free Concert and Special On-Air Programming
Commercial radio in Cleveland doesn’t have much going for it, but our local college radio stations continue to spin new music and offer something other than a 20-song rotation of songs you’ve already heard and boring talk shows. This year, WRUW 91.1 FM celebrates its 50th anniversary. On Feb. 26, 1967, the station officially went…
Singer Mike Doughty Offers His Takes on the Tracks on His New Album
A jazz club doorman turned beat poet-inspired frontman, singer and poet Mike Doughty has carved out a singular niche for himself over the course of a career that now spans two decades. While he certainly had the most notoriety leading Soul Coughing, the New York-based avant-jazz act that appealed to hipsters and jam-band fans alike,…
L.B.M. Pop-Up at Porco Lounge to Offer Taste of What’s to Come
[image-1]In one week, the Porco Lounge and Tiki Room crew once again will set sail for the shores of sunny Florida, where they will represent Cleveland at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. There, they will be defending their People’s Choice award (and vying for top honors) at the third annual The Art of…
Upcoming Short. Sweet. Film Fest to Screen 96 Films
In 2012, local film aficionado Michael Suglio successfully launched his Short. Sweet. Film Fest at Ohio City’s Market Garden Brewery. Over the years, the festival has grown bigger and bigger, so Suglio moved it to the Alex Theater at the Metropolitan at the 9, where it’s set to return the first weekend of March. From…
Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor Named the ‘Sexiest Couple on Earth’
It seems the country can’t get enough of Cleveland ballplayers, yes, even ones not named LeBron. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day this week, GQ recently dubbed Iman Shumpert and his wife, R&B singer Teyana Taylor, the ‘Sexiest Couple Alive.’ Perhaps no couple could live up to such a title, and there are certainly good…
A New Ohio Bill Would Ax the ‘Tampon Tax’
Ladies, are you tired of paying so much of your hard-earned dough on tampons and pads? Two Ohio congresswomen have your back. Democratic State Reps. Greta Johnson of Akron and Brigid Kelly of the Cincinnati area have proposed a bill that would eliminate a tax on feminine hygiene products, frequently referred to as the “pink…
Dates Announced for Cleveland Restaurant Week
Cleveland Restaurant Week, a two-week long promotion organized by Cleveland Independents, will take place March 3-16. This year, more than 40 locally owned, independent restaurants will participate. “This is the real deal,” says John McDonnell, President of Cleveland Independents and owner of Merchant Street Provisions. “Cleveland Independents introduced the concept 13 years ago.” Participating restaurants…
Khloe Kardashian Loves “Domestic Family Life” in Cleveland
Khloe Kardashian sat down for an interview with the ladies of The Talk this week. She raved about her loving, healthy relationship with the Cavs’ Tristan Thompson. In addition, she said she loved Cleveland. (We can add this to the list of other recent celebrity endorsements.) Like many other West Coast transplants, Kardashian professed a…
Fawaky Burst Cold-Pressed Juice Coming to Cleveland Heights
Muhammad Edwards launched Fawaky Burst Juice two years ago by selling cold-pressed juices in bulk to gas stations in fresh food-starved neighborhoods. He later added a food truck and a stationary location in South Euclid (4441 Mayfield Rd., 216-438-3289). Soon, Edwards will add a spot in Cleveland Heights to his growing portfolio. He is teaming…
Cinematheque to Screen Four of the Worst Movies Ever Made
[image-1]Generally speaking, the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque presents a discriminating selection of films carefully curated by director John Ewing. Often, the Cinematheque will screen obscure foreign movies, new prints of classic films and arthouse movies too arty for Cleveland Cinemas. But for the Cleveland Cult Film Festival, which takes place at the Cinematheque from…
Former East Cleveland Mayor Eric Brewer Entering the Cleveland Mayoral Race
[image-1]”[Frank Jackson] said a lot of people were coming after him,” said Eric Jonathan Brewer in a Facebook post announcing his Cleveland Mayoral candidacy on Feb. 1. “I’m one of them … for real, real. I hope he doesn’t try to hide from me and I ain’t worried about the others. This race will be between…
Cleveland Puppy Mill Operators Plead Guilty to Animal Neglect, Cruelty
For months, dogs that had been adopted from a place called Puppies In Rescue have become incredibly ill soon after arriving at their new home; many have died. The “rescue,” which wary families and adopters are calling a “puppy mill,” is located on Lennox Avenue in Cleveland — far from the rolling hills of Holmes…
Apollo’s Fire’s “Virtuoso Bach” Series and Five More Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
Apollo’s Fire will present five performances of “Virtuoso Bach,” exploring Johann Sebastian Bach’s orchestral music and spotlighting some of its members in solo roles. Oboist Debra Nagy will be featured in his g-minor Oboe Concerto, and the program includes Bach’s first Orchestral Suite and Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 3 and 4. Cleveland’s Baroque Orchestra will cover…
8 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, FEB. 17 COIN Before playing Bonnaroo and some other major festivals this summer, Nashville upstarts COIN will hit small clubs in support of its 2015 debut album. The band seems poised for a breakout this year. The first hit “Run” got heavy alt-radio airplay, and new single “Talk Too Much” recently hit 10 million…
Local Artists to Play Alive Inside Foundation Benefit in March
Earlier this week, locally based Little Fish Records announced it would provide support for a benefit for the non-profit group, The Alive Inside Foundation, an organization that aims to “empower local communities to create meaningful, shared experiences that link generations, and expand aliveness globally.” The benefit, which takes place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 19,…
87-Year-Old Norwalk Woman’s Obit: “Smiling Now, Not to Be Living During the Trump Presidency”
Elizabeth Smith, god bless and rest her soul, seems to have been the absolute salt of the Earth before shuffling off this mortal coil at the age of 87. She volunteered for the Salvation Army and the Girl Scouts, worked as a poll worker, and traveled the world over, among many other things in a…
GCC Choreographs Masterful Opposition to Quicken Loans Arena Renovations
As promised, more than 100 members of Greater Cleveland Congregations packed into the Cuyahoga County Council chambers Tuesday evening to mightily protest the “sweetheart deal” whereby renovations to the Quicken Loans Arena will be funded, in part, by an estimated $160 million in public money. The deal was orchestrated behind closed doors between city and…
Which Emoji Describes Your Cleveland Neighborhood Experience?
As part of the city’s annual action plan outreach survey, Cleveland’s Department of Community Development would like to know which emoji best describes how you feel about your neighborhood. There’s a text box for respondents to elaborate on their emoji selection, blessedly. For those who need a broader range of emojis — those who might…
‘Repairing a Nation’ Shines Light on Legacy of 1921 Tulsa Race Riots
Oddly enough, one of the worst race riots (300 people killed, 35 blocks of businesses and homes destroyed) in our country’s history has become something of a footnote, with many people unaware of what happened. So it is entirely fitting the playwright Nikkole Salter makes the Tulsa race riots of 1921 a central element of…
Here’s Jason Whitlock Comparing LeBron James to Donald Trump
On the heels of Nike’s “Equality” ad campaign, here’s sports commentator Jason Whitlock, the initial force and brand behind ESPN’s The Undefeated (but now dispensing his version of wisdom from Fox Sports 1), railing against black elites and belittling LeBron James. After a detour on the moral dereliction of Tiger Woods — “Can a sister…
YouTube sensation Dan TDM to Play the Akron Civic in March
British YouTube sensation Dan TDM will embark on his first North American tour this spring when he and his “digital friends” hit the road for a 21-city run that includes a March 31 date at the Akron Civic Theatre. Middleton holds the Guinness World Record for most views for a dedicated Minecraft video channel. His…
37-Year-Old Woman Dies in Cuyahoga County Jail
[image-1]A 37-year-old Cuyahoga County Jail inmate named Nadine Stanley died yesterday, a county spokesperson confirmed to Scene this morning. No cause of death has been confirmed as of yet. Sources say Stanley had told guards she had not been feeling well for a couple of days, though they were unable to provide more details. County…
Darkest Hour Continues to Ride the ‘American Vegan/Straightedge/Metalcore’ Wave
When high school friends Mike Schleibaum and John Henry launched the hardcore/metal band Darkest Hour in the D.C. suburb of Fairfax, Virginia, they intended to “ride the wave of American vegan/straightedge/metalcore.” Twentysomething years on, they’re still riding that wave. The band performs with Rotten Sound, Ringworm and Rivers of Nihil at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at…
Band of the Week: Southern Avenue
MEET THE BAND: Tierinii Jackson (vocals), Ori Naftaly (guitar), Tikyra Jackson (drums), Jeremy Powell (keyboards), Daniel McKee (bass) WALKING IN MEMPHIS: An Israeli-born blues player, Naftaly first came to the states with his own band in 2013. “When I came here with my own band, I was touring, and it was awesome and exciting, but…
Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles Dishes Up Comfort, Could Still Use Some TLC
If you did not hazard a visit to the Rathskeller on Prospect Avenue, then it’s impossible for you to comprehend the astonishing transformation that befell that address. In place of the bleak fortress-like facade now sit expansive windows that reveal to all that this no longer is a spot one needs to avoid out of…
Sweet Bean Helps Cleveland Catch Up On Craft Chocolate
As with wine and coffee, chocolate is said to be affected by terroir, deriving certain flavors from the region in which the cocoa beans are grown. The husband-and-wife team behind Sweet Bean (216-912-8822, sweetbeancandies.com), Bob and Kristin Barnes, were inspired to treat Clevelanders to small batch, artisan chocolate after realizing the niche market had not…
Downtown Cleveland Alliance Returns 26 Scene Boxes to the Streets After Confiscating Them Under Very Questionable Circumstances
On Saturday Morning, yellow trucks from the Downtown Cleveland Alliance were seen at various points within the Central Business District, returning the 26 Scene vending boxes that the nonprofit organization had stolen in recent weeks. In independent conversations with Scene’s circulation director Don Kriss, with a Scene reporter and with Cleveland.com, the DCA defended the…
Pirates’ Director Has Never Been Creepier Than in “A Cure for Wellness”
Dane DeHaan is the sickly looking fellow who’s typically called upon to play nebbish teenage outcasts and/or backwoods halfwits (see: Chronicle, Lawless). In Gore Verbinski’s thriller A Cure for Wellness, out Friday, he’s cast against type, as an ambitious financial executive named Lockhart. And his sickliness — those eyes! that pallor! — is here the…
Film Spotlight: “Seasons”
Bears roaring and spitting and pawing in one-on-one combat; wolves chasing down honking boars, teeth bared; deer giving birth; elks moaning in rut; and bison wriggling in the cold. It’s like your favorite YouTube videos from nature, arranged back to back and compiled with minimal voiceover and musical accompaniment, all in an effort to convey…
Savage Love: Aces
Dear Dan, I’ve been reading your advice column in the Coast in Halifax for a while, and it seems that most solutions to relationship problems revolve around sex. Everyone wants it or needs it, we should fuck before dinner, or we can spice up our sex life in this certain way to be happy. What…
Run to Playhouse Square for “The King and I”
It’s a sign of where we are today as a nation when a happy little tune from a Broadway musical practically brings you to tears. On opening night of The King and I, the remarkable touring production now at Playhouse Square, the cast sings “Getting to Know You,” a charming ditty about people from different…
New Collaborative Exhibit from Derek Hess and Scott Pickering Opens at 78th Street Studios
Local artists Derek Hess and Scott Pickering have been friends since the early 1990s, when Hess was booking bands into the basement of the legendary Euclid Tavern, and Pickering was working at Wax Stacks record store on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights as well as playing in several of the bands, such as Prison Shake…
Preparing for Life as a Professional Artist
For 70 years, the students at the Cleveland Institute of Art have independently organized every aspect of their annual Student Independent Exhibition (SIE), from selecting the jurors and organizing artwork drop-off in the gallery to designing the postcards and installing the selected works. Each year, the show features a variety of artwork in a range…
