Update: Backstreet Boys Reschedule Blossom Date for 2022
Update: The pandemic wiped out the Backstreet Boys tour that was slated to hit Blossom last summer, so the group rescheduled the date for this summer. Now, the “man band” has just announced that it’s bumping the entire tour to 2022. It’ll now play Blossom on July 6, 2022. Original Post 2/10/2020: After last year’s successful…
Update: Rage Against the Machine Again Postpones Reunion Tour, Including Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Date
Update: Fans of Rage Against the Machine will have to wait until 2022 to see the reunited band’s tour come to the Cleveland. For the second time, the group has rescheduled its entire tour, which originally would’ve taken place last year (and was then bumped to this year), citing COVID-19 concerns. The show scheduled to…
Update: Girl Talk Reschedules House of Blues Show for March 2022
Update: Girl Talk (Pittsburgh’s Gregg Gillis) originally intended to launch a North American tour this month from right here in Cleveland. The pandemic wiped out those plans, and Girl Talk has pushed the tour to 2022. Girl Talk will now perform on March 31, 2022, at House of Blues. Original Post 2/10/2020: Girl Talk (Pittsburgh’s…
7 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, FEB. 14 Trixie Mattel It’s not easy being a skinny legend, but somebody’s gotta do it. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3 winner Trixie Mattel (also known as Brian Michael Firkus when she’s de-dragged) has been doing the most in this industry for over a decade, and she’s only 30. A chart-topping queen,…
Boney James Returns to Playhouse Square in October 2021
A Playhouse Square fan favorite, jazz musician Boney James will return to the venue on Oct. 3, 2021, to perform at the Ohio Theatre. Credited with virtually creating the genre of urban jazz, the saxman-keyboardist-producer-songwriter will be on a tour supporting his latest album, Solid. It’s due out in April. Tickets go on sale at…
The Scuttling of Council Reduction is Another Sad Example of Cleveland’s Anti Democratic Leadership
Monday evening, Cleveland City Councilman Joe Jones and Bill Ritter, a leader of the group which gathered signatures to place two council-reduction measures on the March ballot, appeared on a radio show hosted by the Cleveland Clergy Coalition’s Aaron Phillips to discuss the council issues. The show aired only hours after Clevelanders First delivered a…
In Advance of Next Week’s Beachland Ballroom Show, Echosmith Bassist Talks About the Band’s Conceptual New Album
Echosmith just might have been born in the wrong decade. The California indie pop trio known for its smash hit “Cool Kids” comes to the Beachland Ballroom on Tuesday, Feb. 18, on a tour in support of its hard-hitting sophomore album, Lonely Generation. The album chronicles the plight of the youngest ’90s kids, walking the line between millennial and…
Three Career Women ‘Of a Certain Age’ Explore Their Libidos in ‘Sassy Mamas’ at Karamu House
As is true with most theaters in town, they tend to repeat popular shows to help fill their coffers. And if you’ve ever tried to fill a theater coffer, you know that’s no easy task. Trouble is, the re-visited shows are often less successful than the original was. Happily, such is not the case with…
‘The Scottsboro Boys’ at the Beck Center Uses a Minstrel-Type Show to Shine Light on the Disease of Racism
When you’re doing strength training, your fitness instructor will often have you stand on one foot or hold a kettle bell in one hand. The purpose is to destabilize your body and require your core muscles to work harder to compensate. That explains why I hate my fitness instructor. It also serves as a useful…
Cello’s Grill in the Warehouse District Has Closed
Cello’s Grill, a Brazilian steakhouse that opened last year in the spot once occupied by Brasa Grill for 15 years at 1300 W. 9th St., closed its doors recently after just 10 months of service. Owner Marcelo Fadul, who opened Brasa in 2004 and gave Cleveland its first taste of churrasco, had hoped that bringing diners back to…
Celebrating 100 Years of Women Powering the Vote in Ohio
August 26 will mark the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. And this week, a key player in the voting-rights movement also marks a milestone. On February 14, 1920, the advocates and organizations behind the women’s suffrage movement created the League of Women Voters. Just a few months…
Apollo’s Fire Brings the Love With ‘L’Amore — An Old Italian Valentine’ and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Valentine’s Day inspires some of this week’s programming, notably Apollo’s Fire’s performances of “L’Amore — An Old Italian Valentine” beginning on Thursday, February 13 at 7:30 pm at First Methodist Church in Akron. Violinists Olivier Brault, Alan Choo, Adriane Post, and Carrie Krause will pair off in a few of Vivaldi’s concertos for two violins,…
Fast-Paced ‘On Clover Road’ at None Too Fragile Features Cults and Daring Rescues, and That’s Just in the First Act
“It grabs you by the throat in the first line and doesn’t let go.” We’ve all heard someone say that about a book, a movie or play. And sometimes, it’s even true. Well, it’s true in this case. The play is On Clover Road, and don’t be misled by the bland title. This work by…
Committee Withdraws Petitions for Council Reduction, but Issues Will Still Be on Ballot
Cleveland City Council clerk Patricia Britt has received a signed request to withdraw two ballot measures that would have amended the city charter to reduce the size and pay of city council. Clevelanders First, the grassroots council-reduction group backed financially by Westlake restaurateur Tony George, said they would withdraw the petitions after they reached an…
Public Square to Host Free Valentine’s Day Fireworks Show Friday
This Friday, aka Valentine’s Day, you’ll have the chance to fall in love with your sweetie all over again as live fireworks synchronized to your favorite romantic songs blast overhead in downtown Cleveland. The free spectacle is going down at the Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink on Public Square, from 4 to 10 p.m., with fireworks starting…
World-Renowned Pianists to Perform a Duo Recital to Benefit CIM’s Scholarship Fund
Sergei Babayan [picutred] and Daniil Trifonov, two of the most celebrated concert pianists in the world, will perform a special concert at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Mixon Hall. The concert will mark CIM’s 100th anniversary, and proceeds will benefit CIM student scholarships. Babayan, CIM’s Artist-in-Residence since 1992,…
Should Dayton Shooter’s School Records be Public? The Ohio Supreme Court Will Decide
The Ohio Supreme Court will soon weigh in on a huge question sparked by a tragic mass shooting: Should a student’s right to privacy regarding their school records end when that student is deceased? A number of media organizations, including the Associated Press, CNN and The New York Times have requested disciplinary and other records…
Janet Jackson to Perform at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in July
Earlier today, Janet Jackson announced that she’ll bring her Black Diamond World Tour to arenas across North America this summer. The outing will feature an all-new production and new music from her forthcoming album Black Diamond, set for release later this year. The show will also feature a special performance of Rhythm Nation 1814, which…
Trades, Tweets and Taking Chances — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac are back with a discussion on the Cavs’ trade deadline move, Browns’ exhaustion, the XFL, Frankie Lindor’s future and more. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Singer-Guitarist Damon Johnson Comes to the Agora on Sunday to Open for UFO
One of the coolest sounding songs on rock radio in 1993 was arguably Brother Cane’s “Got No Shame,” the lead single from their self-titled debut album which was released that same year. It digs its hooks in right from the get go as the sound of a lone harmonica comes spilling out of the speakers,…
Tributary in Detroit-Shoreway Has Closed
Tributary, the cocktail bar at West 53rd and Detroit that opened in the former Bruno Cassiano Gallery space in the summer of 2018, closed last week. Operator John Burens, a former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court bailiff, had hoped to build a cocktail bar that also served the neighborhood bar crowd in the area between…
After Announcing Feb. 16 As Last Day of Service, Greenhouse Closed Permanently Saturday Night
Greenhouse Tavern had planned on remaining open until Feb. 16th, when the 11-year run on East Fourth would finally end. This would give fans a few weeks to stop in for a last meal, and for folks holding gift cards — which had been sold in BOGO fashion in recent months — a chance to…
Led by the Lumineers, a Diverse Group of Acts Brought a Rootsy Vibe to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Last Night
Americana outfit the Lumineers made a return to Cleveland last night, headlining a great evening of diverse music at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. You can see a slideshow of photos here. As rock has given way to dozens of sub-genres, the Americana label has come to describe, very aptly by the way, bands such as the…
Dante Boccuzzi to Open Goma in Former Chinato Space on E. 4th Street
In the wake of one celebrity chef’s departure from E. Fourth Street, another is announcing that he is staking a claim on a different high-profile location on that same street. Chef Dante Boccuzzi will open Goma in the former home of Chinato at the prominent corner of Prospect and E. Fourth. It will be the…
The Cleveland Orchestra Let It Rip at Last Night’s Celebration of Sibelius, Knussen
The cold didn’t bother anyone inside Severance Hall during last night’s performance of mainly Jean Sibelius-penned works. Yet, on that snowy evening in Cleveland we were transported to the tundras of Finland right from the start. Under the capable baton of Susanna Mälkki (chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and principal guest conductor for…
Mobster Who Scammed Flats East Bank With Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith Restaurants Indicted on Fraud Charges
The Arizona man who masterminded the demise of the Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith-themed restaurant chains, was arrested earlier this week. The Arizona Republic reported that Frank Capri was charged with federal fraud, money laundering and conspiracy Wednesday. The newspaper was the first to break the story about how Capri, a 52-year-old former New York mobster-turned-informant-turned-Arizona-businessman lured…
At Jonathon Sawyer’s Greenhouse Tavern, Staff Says It Kept an Acclaimed Restaurant Afloat While the Celebrity Chef Went AWOL
“I’ve been trying to put my resignation in to Sawyer for the last week, but was not able to get ahold of him,” Ryan Boone, a current employee of the Greenhouse Tavern, told Scene Thursday. “And then he came in yesterday and said we were closing, so there’s really no point in officially resigning.” Boone,…
Grog Shop to Screen Documentary About Rolling Stone Brian Jones on Feb. 23
Rolling Stone: Life and Death of Brian Jones, the first documentary about Brian Jones, a founding member of the Rolling Stones, will screen at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights. The film chronicles how Jones emerged as the “face of the Bohemian Swingin’ London” scene in the 1960s.…
Apparently You Don’t Have to Pay Your Parking Tickets in Cleveland
A third of all parking tickets issued over the last three years by the city of Cleveland remain unpaid, an investigation by News 5 Cleveland has revealed. That means millions of owed dollars that should have gone directly to the city’s general fund (which helps pay for parks, streets and police and fire stations)…
David Mayfield’s Fantastic New Solo Record Showcases How Glad He Is to Be Making Music Again in Akron
This is the most normal David Mayfield’s life has ever been. Most days, there’s a routine: Coffee, dog walking, spending time with his wife and heading over to his recording studio in Canton. Some nights, just for fun, he’ll sit out on the front porch and pick at his guitar. It reminds him of why…
Welshly Arms Has Released a New Single
Welshly Arms, the locally based band that’s turned into a national act, has just released a new single, “Trouble.” The bluesy song references “the universal experience of trouble that people face throughout our lifetimes,” as it’s put in a press release. “This song is about accepting that trouble is something we have to face all…
Ohio House Moves to End Performance-Based School Vouchers
A program that pays for students at some public schools in Ohio to attend private ones could change dramatically soon if the Ohio House of Representatives has its way. But there is disagreement over the measure in the state Senate. The House yesterday passed an overhaul of Ohio’s voucher program that would shift criteria used…
6 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, FEB. 7 The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling/Kristine Jackson Led by singer-guitarist Nick Moss and harmonica player Dennis Gruenling, the Nick Moss Band continues to be a staple on the blues circuit. Kid Andersen (guitarist for Rick Estrin & the Nightcats) produced the band’s new album, Lucky Guy!, a terrific mix of Louisiana…
Capitol Theatre to Screen Parkland Documentary with Discussion on Gun Violence
The Capitol Theatre will host a special screening of the documentary After Parkland Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. to commemorate the second anniversary of the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. The film follows students and their families in the days following the attack which killed 17, and the “Never…
Dead & Company to Return to Blossom in July
Dead & Company formed in 2015 when the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir recruited singer-guitarist John Mayer, Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti to join them for a few shows. They’ve become one of the most successful touring bands of the decade. Since…
Restless Habs to Play a Release Party on Feb. 15 at the Five O’Clock
Ken Blaze and Peter Woodward (both of Cleveland pop-core legends the Unknown) formed the local punk band Restless Habs in 2009 and wrote a few songs but hit a hurdle when the group’s original drummer moved away. The band replaced him in 2010 and has been going strong ever since. Much like the Foo Fighters, the…
$13 Minimum Wage Initiative Continues Progress Toward Ohio Ballot
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An effort to increase the minimum wage for Ohio workers is a step closer to the November ballot. On Wednesday, the Ohio Ballot Board certified the language for the proposed amendment brought forth by Ohioans for Raising the Wage. James Hayes, the coalition’s spokesman, says the measure mirrors the 2006 initiative that…
UCC Denison Homeless Shelter Will Operate Through April After City Grants Continuance
The overflow homeless shelter operated by UCC Denison and the Metanoia Project will operate through the winter and into April after the city issued a continuance this week. After having already resolved some fire code violations (exit signs, fire extinguishers), the church will need to remedy the rest (fire alarms, sprinkler system) by spring. For…
‘The Voice’ Finalist Billy Gilman to Play the Auricle on Feb. 22
Three years ago, singer Billy Gilman became a finalist on season 11 of The Voice. His coach, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, praised him, saying, “You can emote so well. You can draw people in so easily. What you do — you have a very special gift, and I’m just really proud and honored to have…
Greenhouse Tavern to Permanently Close Following Valentine’s Day or, Possibly, Before
Greenhouse Tavern, chef Jonathon Sawyer’s flagship eatery, will close after Valentine’s Day, if not before. The news was shared to staffers today in a meeting and was confirmed by one of those employees. Reasons for the abrupt closure are not known at this time as attempts to reach Sawyer have been unsuccessful. Greenhouse Tavern opened…
Second Annual North Canton Craft Beer Festival to Take Place on May 16
Close to 20 breweries will showcase their beers at the second annual North Canton Craft Beer Festival that takes place on Saturday, May 16, at MAPS Air Museum. “Our community is full of talented, enthusiastic brewers who provide a welcoming, fun environment for residents of Northeast Ohio,” says Christina Weyrick, North Canton Chamber of Commerce…
Sherwin-Williams Will Reportedly Announce Cleveland HQ, Validating Local Blogger
WKYC Channel 3 is reporting that Sherwin-Williams intends to announce Thursday that it will build its new corporate headquarters in downtown Cleveland, “near Public Square,” and that it will build a new research and development facility in Brecksville. If true, the news follows months of speculation and anxiety from regional leaders. It also validates the…
Singer-Songwriter Sam Brenner to Play a Special Benefit Concert on March 14 at Mayfield Village Civic Center
A local singer-songwriter influenced by acts such as John Mayer and Jason Mraz, Sam Brenner grew up listening to Paul Simon, James Taylor, the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and Bruce Springsteen. Brenner, who’s opened for acts such as Lifehouse, the Verve Pipe, Lee DeWyze, Griffin House and Bushwalla, will headline Mayfield Village Civic Center on Saturday,…
Clevelanders First Feared They’d be Labeled Racists in Council Reduction Campaign
Questions swirled late last week in the wake of some surprising news: A group which had gathered signatures to place two city council reduction measures on the March ballot was pulling their petitions after reaching an agreement with a coalition of clergy members. Among the most basic questions: What happened? Word was that Clevelanders First,…
A Canton Native, Rapper Trippie Redd Comes to the Agora on Feb. 15
“Wow I blew a perfect ‘O’ with my blunt,” says Canton native Trippie Redd in a recent phone interview. “That’s crazy.” The 20-year-old alternative rapper will bring his emotional style of music to the Agora for a post Valentine’s Day show on Saturday, February 15. The rap game is more cut-throat than ever, so how…
Reward Now $100,000 For Any Information in Unsolved Rocky River Reservation Double Homicide Case
Eight months ago, Katherine Brown and Carnell Sledge were murdered at the Rocky River Reservation in broad daylight. And so far the investigation into their deaths has garnered few leads. This morning, speaking along with the FBI at a press conference, the Brown family announced they are raising the $30,000 reward to $100,000 for any…
In Advance of Her Upcoming Agora Show, Drag Icon Trixie Mattel Explains Why Being an Adult is so Weird
It’s not easy being a skinny legend, but somebody’s gotta do it. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3 winner Trixie Mattel (also known as Brian Michael Firkus when she’s de-dragged) has been doing the most in this industry for over a decade, and she’s only 30. A chart-topping queen, Mattel is not only a…
New Contemporary Metal-Art Show at KSU Commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Brutal Student Shootings
When Anderson Turner first came to Kent State University in 2005, he was tasked with finding the school’s Commemorative Medallion marking the May 4 shootings. Somehow the artwork, given as a gift, had been misplaced. Two years later, while up in a rickety loft in the old KSU art building, Turner found the piece wrapped…
‘Clue’ at Cleveland Play House is Low-Stakes Whodunit Fun
In the America of 2020, it’s hard to believe anyone would want to see a farce on stage. It would seem that the absurd (and terrifying) antics in our state legislature and in Washington, D.C., might be enough to sate even the most slapstick-hungry farce aficionado. And yet, here we have Clue at the Cleveland…
Caught Between Here and There: Octavius Williams Was Convicted of Attempted Murder in 2011. Now, He’s Free, But Far From Finished With His Case
“Your name’s Tay Tay, right?” It was shortly after midnight on Nov. 1, 2010, at the abrupt end of a Halloween party gone wrong. Drunken backyard arguments became gunshots and blood loss, and now the cops were here. Dozens of friends and assorted cousins were fleeing into the neighborhood by the time Fourth District police…
Tim Roth and Clive Owen Star in Redemptive Classical Music Saga
Last week, the world celebrated the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. The date, Jan. 27, is now formally recognized as Holocaust Remembrance Day. With more than one million people murdered at Auschwitz, the camp is inarguably the poster child for the scale of Nazi atrocities during WWII. The 2015 film…
Rocky River’s Char Offers Pretty Solid, Unsurprising Tavern Fare
The average diner does not leave his or her home in search of adventure. Many hungry folks on the prowl seek not to have their perceptions challenged, their boundaries pushed. What most people crave is a meal that offers few curveballs in terms of food, drink and service, dished up in a generally agreeable space…
Band of the Week: D-Man
MEET THE BAND: D-Man (vocals) IN THE HEIGHTS: Originally from Chicago, local rapper D-Man listened to a wide range of music while growing up in Cleveland Heights, where he moved in 2006. “Hip-hop has been my entire life,” he says. “My father had me listening to Biggie Smalls and Tupac and Master P, and my…
Savage Love: Cam What May
I started reading your column when I was a 20-year-old kid. Now I’m an old married lady with 20 years of (more or less) blissful married monogamy behind me. My oldest daughter, who is 23, just came out to me as a sex worker. She’s been making a slim living as a cam girl. She…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (Feb. 5-11)
WED 02/05 Anastasia Featuring a book by playwright Terrence McNally, a new score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, with direction by Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak, Anastasia rolls into Conner Palace with plenty of hype. The show switches time periods and locations and takes place both in the twilight of the Russian Empire and the…
Rewind: 46 Years Ago On This Date in Cleveland
This July, Cleveland Scene will turn 50 years old, and in advance of the occasion, we’ve decided to dig into the archives on a weekly basis to republish something that appeared in the paper on that date (or thereabouts) during Scene’s first decade. This review of Lou Reed’s 1974 album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal by…
