Update: Snoop Dogg to Appear at 2017 Rock Hall Inductions
Update: Rapper Snoop Dogg will appear at the upcoming Rock Hall Inductions to pay tribute to the late Tupac Shakur, one of this year’s inductees. While the gossip website TMZ reports that Dr. Dre has also been invited to the festivities, the Rock Hall can’t confirm his appearance. As the event nears, expect the Rock…
Police Make Arrest in Case of Murdered 14-Year-Old Alianna Defreeze
Update: Cleveland police announced in a press conference this evening that 44-year-old Christopher Whitaker of South Euclid has been arrested in connection with the death of 14-year-old Alianna DeFreeze. The teen’s body was found in an abandoned building on Fuller Ave. on Sunday; she’d been missing since Jan. 26. Whitaker was taken into custody and…
The Nightlight Cinema in Akron to Screen New Documentary About Burlesque
[image-1]Promising that it explores “real burlesque,” the new documentary film Glitter Tribe looks at how and why performers got started on the “burlesque trail.” As one dancer interviewed in the movie puts it, “It’s all about telling our stories.” The film addresses the various “demons” that the artists have faced and conquered and includes footage of…
Iranian Kent State Student is in Canada, Barred from Returning Home to Northeast Ohio
Mansoureh Shasti, a Kent State doctoral student from Iran, is currently stuck in Canada with her 1-year -old daughter. Her husband, Morteza Shakeri, hasn’t seen either of them in two months. Shasti had traveled to Iran to visit relatives, and she was passing through Canada to pick up her approved visa paperwork last weekend. The…
Nine International Patients Awaiting Care at Cleveland Clinic Can’t Get Into the U.S. Now
The ongoing fallout over President Donald Trump’s executive order barring travel into the U.S. for citizens of seven countries continues. The Cleveland Clinic, something of an international beacon of health care, has been hit rather hard by the effects. First-year medical resident Suha Abushamma, a Sudanese citizen working in the U.S. with a proper visa,…
Frontier Airlines to Add Non-Stop Flights from Hopkins to Four New Cities
[image-1]Big-wigs from Frontier Airlines are out at Hopkins this afternoon, not to protest President Trump’s travel ban, but to announce four new nonstop destinations for the low-cost carrier. This spring, Frontier will begin offering non-stop flights to San Diego, Charlotte, Minneapolis and Houston. Discount fares, as low as $29, will be offered for a limited…
Deep Purple and Alice Cooper to Play Blossom in September
In the wake of their rather recent induction into the Rock Hall, classic rockers Deep Purple, who have a new studio album slated to come out in April, have just announced details regarding their The Long Goodbye Tour. The farewell tour begins on Saturday, Aug. 12, in Las Vegas; it comes to Blossom on Sept.…
No Exit at SPACES and Four More Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
This week’s choices are almost equally divided between old and new music, but only one event features old and new on the same menu. Enjoy! Like music from the Fjords? David B. Ellis will lead his Earth and Air: String Orchestra in “Norwegian Melodies: Music by Edvard Grieg” on Friday, February 3 at 7:30 pm…
Cedar Lee Theatre to Screen ‘Ordinary People’ in Honor of the Late Mary Tyler Moore
Classic shows that still seem relevant (and funny) today, such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, featured terrific writing and acting as they often took on the social issues of the day. Actress Mary Tyler Moore, who starred in both sitcoms, died last week. To honor Moore, who was also an Oscar-nominated actress,…
In Conversation: Dan Chaon on His New Novel, Cleveland, and What’s Next for the Acclaimed Author
Dan Chaon is the acclaimed author of Among the Missing, a finalist for the National Book Award in 2001, You Remind Me of Me, named one of the best books of 2004 by numerous publications, and Stay Awake, a collection of short stories that was a finalist for the Story Prize. His third novel, Ill…
RTA Bus Driver Behind Wheel During Public Square Collision was Fired
The RTA bus driver who was behind the wheel during a December collision on Public Square that killed a pedestrian has been fired. The driver was initially suspended, but was terminated on Jan. 23, according to an RTA spokesperson. An RTA accident review committee determined that the collision on Dec. 7, which resulted in the…
Mayor Jackson Remains Silent on Trump’s Immigration Order
President Trump signed an executive order Friday that instituted a 90-day ban on travel to the United States by citizens of Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The order suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and blocks Syrian refugees indefinitely. It was the most immediately impactful (that is: enforced) executive order…
Working Class Brewery and Taproom Coming to Kamm’s Corners
“It’s full-steam ahead right now,” Richard Skains says about Working Class Brewery (17448 Lorain Ave., 216-965-2569), a new brewery and taproom that he’s opening with partner Carmen Rusoniello. The former Cleveland teacher and band director is currently building out a 3,600-square-foot space in Kamm’s Plaza. The rear third of the property will be home to the…
Cleveland Clinic Is Still Holding Its Annual Fundraiser at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Resort, Not Committed for Next Year
Caught up in the absolute chaos unleashed last week by President Donald Trump, executives at the Cleveland Clinic have been scrambling to make sense of new orders that forced a first-year medical resident out of the U.S. temporarily on Saturday. The Clinic didn’t outright condemn the policy, but stated that the high degree of “uncertainty”…
The Chainsmokers to Perform at Wolstein Center in April
Earlier today, the artist/producer duo the Chainsmokers announced that they’ll kick off their biggest to tour to date this spring. The 40-city tour launches on April 13 in Miami and continues through June. The group plays the Wolstein Center on April 25. Multi-platinum artist Kiiara will open the show. Every ticket purchased online for the tour includes a copy…
Local Rock Photographer Helps Cat Shelter by Auctioning Concert Photos
Last year, Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley and his backing band the Resonators teamed with local photographer Joe Kleon, a Scene contributor, to raise money for Kitten Krazy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cat shelter in Medina, by auctioning off a few concert photos. The fundraiser took in over $1300. The shelter opened over a decade ago in…
Alt-Rockers Kings of Leon to Play Blossom in August
Just this morning, alternative rock act Kings of Leon announced the second leg of its North American tour supporting its new album, Walls. As part of the newly announced set of dates, the band will perform at Blossom on Aug. 16. Released last year, Walls, the band’s seventh studio album, features a fine collection of arena-rock…
Cleveland Protest of Trump’s Immigration Orders Rescheduled for Friday Afternoon
The lake effect snowstorm that blasted Cleveland overnight and into the morning has caused school cancellations and general delays around the city. It’s also prompted organizers of a Trump immigration order protest/march originally planned for this afternoon to be rescheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. (of course, more Clevelanders can probably make it that day…
Singer Joe Jonas Brings His New Funk/Synth-Pop Band DNCE to House of Blues
A few years ago, singer Joe Jonas and drummer Jack Lawless, both of whom played together in the pop/rock boy band the Jonas Brothers, talked about forming a side project that would focus more on funk and dance music than pop. Both were too busy, however, to pursue the concept. But when the Jonas Brothers…
Los Lobos Coming to Music Box Supper Club for Two-Night Stand
Released back in 1992, Kiko firmly established Los Angeles-based Latin rockers Los Lobos as an American institution. One of the group’s most diverse and accomplished records, the album opens with the shimmering “Dream in Blue” and then segues into roadhouse rockers (“Wake Up Dolores”), grunge-y blues numbers (“Whiskey Trail”) and beautiful ballads (“Saint Behind the…
Global Cleveland: “Closing Doors to Our Refugee Sisters and Brothers is Not Who We Are”
Global Cleveland, the nonprofit economic and social-focused group that serves immigrants and refugees in Northeast Ohio, decried Donald Trump’s executive orders banning visitor travel from seven predominanly Muslim countries and suspending the U.S.’s refugee program. The statement, including remarks from Global Cleveland president Joe Cimperman, in full: Providing protection to people seeking safety is one…
Senator Rob Portman on Trump Order: “Extreme Vetting Program That Wasn’t Properly Vetted”
Senator Rob Portman, in an appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper this morning, finally broke his silence on Donald Trump’s far-reaching and controversial executive order that limited travel to the U.S. from certain countries: “This was an extreme vetting program that wasn’t properly vetted.” .@senrobportman: Trump's travel ban "wasn't properly vetted" https://t.co/lx8AkJKMG2 #CNNSOTU https://t.co/j1Ax4llRAc — CNN…
After Trump Order, 26-Year-Old Cleveland Clinic Resident Forced to Leave Country Shortly After Returning
[image-1] As peaceful protests started to gather attention at airports across the country yesterday, 26-year-old Suha Abushamma was on a flight from New York to Saudi Arabia, forced to leave the country just after arriving and just before a federal judge in New York issued a temporary stay on enforcing Trump’s order on those who…
Bad (Basketball) and Boujee — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Another educational episode! Andre and Zac discuss what happens one of them dies. They also lament the dog days of the NBA and the drama involved, and Andre teaches Zac about Migos. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here.
Rock Hall Announces Schedule for Black History Month
Each year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrates national Black History month with a series of special events and programming. Highlights from the past 20 years include conversations with artists such as Solomon Burke, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ruth Brown, Al Green, Bobby Womack, Bootsy Collins, Chuck D, Rahiem, and Little Anthony and the Imperials. This…
Ohio City’s Crop Bistro Begins Second Act Under New Management
Since Steve Schimoler abruptly shuttered Crop Kitchen, Crop Rocks and Crop Sticks over the course of three months this fall, the question on everybody’s mind has been: What’s the fate of Crop Bistro (2537 Lorain Ave, 216-696-2767), the flagship restaurant in Ohio City? Now we know. Marcelo Fadul, along with partner Tony George, is the…
Increased Fracking and Pipeline Operations in Ohio Threaten Many Animal Species
According to a filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the NEXUS and Rover pipeline projects (and the dozens of other energy infrastructure projects laying claim to Ohio) will “impact habitat for at least 16 federally listed threatened and endangered species” (on top of 56 state-listed threatened or endangered species, according to additional filings). FERC has…
MLB Commish Met with Paul Dolan about Wahoo, but “Nothing New to Report”
At the Cleveland Indians’ press conference Friday morning officially announcing the 2019 All-Star game, the Chief Wahoo logo came up. No surprise there. Wahoo was a black mark on the Indians’ otherwise heroic 2016 playoff run. Its endurance is the object of national scorn and derision. If it were still around in 2019, locals can…
8 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, JAN. 27 Cherry Glazerr On their 2014 debut, Haxel Princess, Cherry Glazerr sang about teenage tomfoolery. Now, the band’s taken a treacherous trek towards maturity on 2017’s Apocalipstick. The first album’s lazy lo-fi shifts to shady alt-rock this time around with cryptic chords and erratic synths mirroring the jarring effect of shattered naivete. Although…
Fox 8’s Stefani Schaefer Has the Biggest Local Social Media Following
Via Adweek, Fox 8’s Stefani Schaefer is the individual with the largest social media following in the Cleveland market. Both Schaefer’s Instagram page (21.3K followers), and her Facebook page (120K+ likes) are rabidly consumed by locals. Her employer, the local Fox affiliate, led all local TV stations in social media engagement as well, with a 48-percent market share.…
Drew Carey’s Son Was the Kid Who Said “Screw Our President” On Fox News the Night Before the Inauguration
Maybe you saw the clip (if not, it’s below) floating around of a kid named Connor being interviewed in DC the night before the inauguration as protests went on outside the Deploraball. “Screw our president,” the kid said after claiming he’d set a small fire “because he felt like it.” Turns out it wasn’t just…
Three Conservation Groups Will Sue the Federal Agencies Who Auctioned Off Wayne National Forest Land
The Center for Biological Diversity, Ohio Environmental Council, Heartwood and Sierra Club plan on filing a lawsuit against the federal agencies that arranged and oversaw the auction of public lands within the Wayne National Forest last month. The groups are challenging the approval process behind the auction, insisting that the federal agencies looked the other…
Local Jam Trio Vibe & Direct Cuts First LP, Brings Third Festival to Beachland
On the right night and in the right state of mind, if you wander deep enough into the woods surrounding the quarry at Nelson Ledges, you’ll stumble on the guys in Vibe & Direct and Wanyama throwing down a 3 a.m. heater for those who aren’t yet done for the night and those who simply…
Indie Rocker Delicate Steve Prefers to Let His Instruments Do the Talking
Steve Marion was still in high school when he signed his first record deal. When that group dissolved, Marion turned to producing other bands and playing on other people’s records. “I was producing records in New Jersey and recording my friends and playing guitar for my friends who are singers and making their records,” he…
Birdtown Brewery Takes Delivery of Brewing Equipment, Eyes Fall Opening
It’s been two years since we last reported on the Birdtown Brewery (2035 Quail St.) project taking form in the old St. Gregory Catholic Church in Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood. Well, there’s good reason finally to post an update. “The brewing equipment is getting delivered,” says Sean Fairbairn, who along with Barrio Restaurant Group partner Tom…
Indie Rockers Guided By Voices to Play Grog Shop in May
Dayton-based indie rockers Guided by Voices just announced they’ll release their new album, August By Cake, on April 7. The band’s first-ever double album, it features 32 songs played by the new line-up that features returning GBV veterans Doug Gillard and Kevin March along with newcomers Bobby Bare Jr and Mark Shue. Gillard is a…
Today: Hearing Under Way on Flag-Burning Charges for RNC Protesters
Today, 12 defendants are seeking a response from a Cleveland Municipal judge who is mulling motions to dismiss the charges against them in relation to a flag-burning protest during the Republican National Convention last year. On Jan. 11, a judge dismissed charges against two defendants. (Greg “Joey” Johnson, the named defendant in the 1989 U.S.…
Fear’s Confections Receives Bomb Threat Over Poop-Shaped Donald Trump Cookies
Donald Trump, like all presidents and governmental leaders before him, is most certainly fair game for utter ridicule. Fear’s Confections in Lakewood gets the idea; the candy shop, owned by Cassandra Fear, has been selling “Trump Dumps” for months now. It’s remarkable how realistic one can get with sugary treats. But among the nation’s fleet…
Federal Judge Rules Ohio’s Lethal Injection Process Unconstitutional, Delays Three Executions
Magistrate Judge Michael Merz ruled today that Ohio’s new three-drug lethal injection process is unconstitutional, the AP reports, capping a week of hearings on a method that’s garnered plenty of doubt and concern across the state. The execution for Ronald Phillips, scheduled to die Feb. 15, has been delayed. (This is not the first time…
Queen + Adam Lambert to Perform at the Q in July
The late, great singer Freddie Mercury simply can’t be replaced, but Queen drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May have found a way to carry on the rock band’s legacy with singer Adam Lambert playing Mercury’s part. The reconfigured group, simply dubbed Queen + Adam Lambert, comes to the Q on Friday, July 21. The…
Rapper Tech N9ne to Bring His Strictly Strange Tour to House of Blues in May
Rapper Tech N9ne (Aaron Dontez Yates) has played Cleveland numerous times over the years, often at the now defunct Peabody’s, a venue that hosted metal and hardcore as much as hip-hop, and recently at the Odeon. Earlier today, the rapper announced he’ll play House of Blues on May 17 as part of his Strictly Strange…
Japanese-Style Ramen Shop the Latest to Join the Lorain Avenue Boom
The independent bar and restaurant boom along Lorain Avenue in Ohio City just keeps on going. Soon, a Japanese-style noodle shop will join Platform Beer, The Grocery, Herb’n Twine, the Plum, Jack Flaps and Ohio City Provisions in that part of the neighborhood. Owner Shuxin Liu, a cook of two years at Momocho, will open…
Leaked Audio Shows Cleveland Hopkins Airport Paranoia; Whistleblowers Threatened with Retaliation
[image-1]In what’s becoming a common refrain around the U.S., newly leaked audio from a meeting called by Cleveland Hopkins International Airport airfield-maintenance manager Robert Henderson showcases a demonstrable paranoia among airport officials. Whistleblowers — and, essentially, anyone who speaks to “the media” — have been threatened with retaliation by Henderson. The audio recording took place Jan.…
Cleveland Couple to Open ‘Cleveland-Style’ Eatery in Sarasota
This spring, a pair of Northeast Ohio expats will open Cleveland Kitchen (2539 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.), a “Cleveland-style” restaurant located in Sarasota, Florida. The full-service 80-seat eatery will offer a full roster of iconic Cleveland comfort foods, many with Eastern European roots. “We’ve been met with a lot of enthusiasm because there are so many…
‘Wayne’s World’ Anniversary Screenings to Take Place in February at Area Theaters
[image-1]Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch of the same name, the 1992 movie Wayne’s World centers on Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey), two metalheads who broadcast a talk-show called Wayne’s World on local public access television. Directed by Penelope Spheeris (The Decline of Western Civilization), the movie grossed $183 million in its theatrical run, placing it as…
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted on Trump’s False Illegal Voting Claims: “No Evidence to Support Any of Those Concerns”
The President of the United States has repeatedly made unsupported and false claims that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election. If you’re tired of hearing about it know that we (reporters) are tired of writing about it. But Trump’s either willfully lying or the most powerful person in America simply doesn’t…
Country Singer Sam Hunt to Kick Off His Summer Tour at Blossom
Prior to releasing his 2014 debut, Montevallo, country singer Sam Hunt wrote hit songs for acts such as Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington and Keith Urban. And yet, he still had plenty of good material left for Montevallo, which delivered a slew of hit singles, including “Leave the Night On,” “House Party,” “Take Your Time,” “Break Up…
Olive Tree Middle East Food & Meat Has Served Cleveland’s Westside Community for Nearly a Decade
Tucked away in the corner of a small brick plaza in North Olmstead, Olive Tree Middle East Food & Meat (27189 Brookpark Rd., 440-734-4790) may be a best-kept secret among Greater Cleveland ethnic groceries. Nearby are other halal stores and an Asian-Indian spice outlet, but Olive Tree stands out for its bewildering assortment of fresh…
The U.S. Wants to Send Humans to Mars by the 2030s. Here in Cleveland, NASA Engineers are Figuring Out How to Get There
Diane Linne was rototilling her garden in a leafy suburb of Northeast Ohio when she figured out how to generate rocket fuel on Mars. She had done this many times before — the gardening, that is — but as she watched the machine bring darker soil to the surface, supplanting dry dirt and distributing nutrients…
Savage Love: ITMFA!
Dear Dan, I am quite the follower on social media — Facebook and Twitter in particular. I make no trolling comments, no #MAGA hashtags; I just look with my male gaze. Like Laura Mulvey says, the male gaze is only natural. I’ve lost interest in pornography, so I use everyday pictures of women, typically selfies.…
Five Characters Confront Good and Evil in Richly Satisfying “The Night Alive”
The intriguing plays by the esteemed Irish playwright Conor McPherson often inspire one to contemplate life from a different perspective. And the current production of his The Night Alive, now at Dobama Theatre, is no exception. For instance: It occurs that everyone has the opportunity to live in either heaven or hell, depending on which…
MOCA Goes Big With Major Shows to Anchor These Cold Months in Cleveland
Opening this week, MOCA Cleveland’s winter/spring exhibitions include Adam Pendleton’s largest solo museum show to date, Lisa Oppenheim’s first solo show in the United States, and a site-specific sound installation, Transport Empty, in MOCA’s Stair A by artists Zarouhie Abdalian and Joseph Rosenzweig. In the Mueller Family Gallery and Rosalie + Morton Cohen Family Gallery,…
Band of the Week: You’re Among Friends
MEET THE BAND: Anthony Doran (lead vocals and guitar), Kevin Trask (bass and backing vocals), Chris Szuch (drums) LETTING THE GOOD TIMES ROLL: Doran was in a band 10 years before forming You’re Among Friends, and Trask joined that band at the very end. Right before the group was to play a show at the…
Brim Kitchen + Brewery Prepped for Launch in Willoughby
If you happen to be one of the 30,000 or so daily commuters who make their way through the intersection of Erie and Vine in downtown Willoughby, you couldn’t help but watch as a substantial brick building rose from the ground over the past year. At night the view becomes even more dramatic: a shimmering…
