ICYMI, the Cavaliers Refurbished Sterling Recreation Center Basketball Court as Part of Q Deal Commitment
The Sterling Recreation Center received a refurbished basketball court from the Cleveland Cavaliers last week. Mayor Frank Jackson officially christened the new space alongside Cavs legends Austin Carr and Jim Chones. A basketball clinic led by Cavs Academy coaches immediately followed the ribbon cutting for 50 nearby kids who frequent the gym. As part of the controversial…
Blossom Aims to Achieve Zero Waste by 2020
In 2014, Live Nation began trying to find ways of reducing waste at its concert venues. Just last week, it announced that it has accelerated those programs with the goal of achieving Zero Waste (meaning all waste is either recycled or composted) at several of its venues, including Blossom. “[In 2016], we began to switch…
Cleveland Area Mortgage Lenders Are Perpetuating Redlining With Current Lending Patterns, According to Study
A report published this month by the local Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research examined mortgage lending data from the 10 largest lenders in Cuyahoga County between 2012-2016. The mortgages from these 10 companies account for more than half of all home loans originated during that time frame, and what they demonstrate, say the…
Live Nation Club & Theatre to Begin Booking Concerts at the Masonic Auditorium
The same week that its rival promoter AEG Presents revealed millions of dollars of improvements to the Agora Theatre, Live Nation Club & Theatre, a division of Live Nation, has announced that it will start booking shows at the Masonic Auditorium. Located in Midtown, the Masonic is literally walking distance from the Agora Theatre and…
Harry Potter Party Returns to the Side Quest this Saturday
Get ready, muggles, as Lakewood is converting into a magical world this Saturday with the return of The Side Quest’s annual Harry Potter Party. Bust out your Hogwarts robes and polish your wands because once the doors open at 4 p.m., all attendees should look the part. The Side Quest Kitchen is offering wizard-themed food…
Brooklyn-Based Charming Disaster to Join Local Vaudeville Duo Pinch & Squeal for Special Show at Good Goat Gallery
Earlier this year, the Brooklyn-based folk-noir duo Charming Disaster [pictured] came to Cleveland for the first time and performed at the Euclid Tavern with local author Brandy Schillace. The band’s songs address themes like love, death, crime, ancient mythology and the occult, and the group cites the gothic humor of Edward Gorey and Tim Burton,…
‘Stand Up Together: A Night of Comedy Honoring Nick Ramsey’ Raises Awareness for Suicide Prevention This Saturday
Nick Ramsey, a Cleveland based comedian, United States Army Infantryman, National Guardsman, state qualified wrestler, graduate of Lakewood High School and Baldwin-Wallace University and friend to many, took his own life at the age of 25 last January. Ramsey’s passing hit close to home for many comedians in Cleveland, because, as show producer Jeff Davis…
Minus the Bear’s Farewell Tour Coming to the Agora in October
Earlier today, indie rockers Minus the Bear announced they’ll call it quits at the end of 2018. The Seattle-based group, which released its most recent full-length, VOIDS, last year, will embark on one last tour before splitting up. The jaunt comes to the Agora Theatre on Friday, Oct. 19. Tickets go on sale at 10…
Indie Rockers Wilder Maker Seek Help in Recovering Stolen Gear
While backed into a spot in a Cleveland parking structure this weekend, the Brooklyn-based indie rock band Wilder Maker, who played CODA during Taste of Tremont on Saturday and then played Stone Tavern in Kent on Sunday, was robbed. “We would love to recover our gear,” the band tweeted, adding that the stolen items include…
Akron’s Former Rolling Acres Mall May Soon Get $100 Million Redevelopment
The former Rolling Acres Mall property, owned by the city of Akron since 2016, is potentially getting a new lease on life. Last night, the Akron City Council handily approved a measure that would allow an undisclosed developer to purchase the land for $600,000, which is essentially $1 per square foot of the former facility. Since…
Eighth Annual Ohio Burlesque Festival to Take Place at the Beachland in August
International and national burlesque stars will celebrate burlesque heritage at the eighth annual Ohio Burlesque Festival that comes to the Beachland Ballroom next month. This year’s theme is “motion is power.” More than 70 performers will be on hand for the three-day event which will feature burlesque, vaudeville, sideshow and variety acts. It all kicks…
Cleveland Police Officer John Kraynik is Totally Cool With Using the N-Word
[image-1] Months after Cleveland.com reported that two Cleveland police officers were under investigation for using racial slurs in text messages, the existence of which was revealed after the police union filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent them from being disciplined because they were not the target of the initial investigation, had sent the messages on…
Akron Recording Company to Host an Open House on Friday
An analog recording facility that prides itself on “combining the beauty of analog recording with the industry standard digital recording mediums to create a timeless sound,” Akron Recording Company will host an open house event at 6 p.m. on Friday. The event will feature performances by White Buffalo Women, Floco Torres, the Beyonders and Time…
Cleveland’s Tecmo Superbowl and NBA Jam Tournament Celebrates Retro Gaming Once Again
Now in its ninth year, the popular retro gaming tournament is returning, and is heating up into a two-day Tecmo Super Bowl and NBA Jam tournament the first weekend of August. What started out as a 5-10 player tournament vying for the Tecmo Super Bowl crown has grown into a semi-annual event much larger than…
Dunkin’ Donuts Worker Refused to Serve Officer Involved in Tamir Rice Shooting and Got Fired
The Cleveland Police Union, distended with moral righteousness, is pleased as punch that the Dunkin’ Donuts on W. 117th Street has fired a worker who, in their view, did not perform his job appropriately. “It’s pathetic this attitude is out there,” said Union president Jeff Follmer, in reference to the Dunkin’ worker who refused to…
Indie Rockers Snail Mail Transition from Opening Act to Headliner
Lindsey Jordan isn’t your typical 19-year-old. Sure, she grew up in the suburbs, played sports, went to parties, graduated from high school and plays in a band, but she couldn’t be further from your average American teen. Her full-length debut, Lush, is one of the strongest indie rock debuts in quite a while, and she…
Alice Cooper Appears at the Rock Hall to Officially Open the New Pinball Machine Exhibit
Earlier today, shock rocker Alice Cooper and bassist Dennis Dunaway, who played in Cooper’s band, both of whom were inducted into the Rock Hall in 2011, stopped at the Rock Hall where they held a press conference to announce the official opening of the new exhibit, Part of the Machine: Rock & Pinball. The interactive…
Ohio Has The Highest Number of ‘Hot Car’ Related Deaths in the Northern Continental U.S.
An unthinkable tragedy occurred this weekend in Medina after a six-month old baby girl died after she was accidentally left in a car during a baseball tournament. Authorities responded around 2:15 p.m. to Ray Mellert Park, and the child was taken to Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital, where efforts to revive her were unsuccessful. According to the National…
Cleveland’s Goth Community to Cry More Than Usual With Selling of Phantasy Nightclub in Lakewood
After nearly three years on the market, the Phantasy Cleveland (which includes The Chamber nightclub) has been purchased by an unidentified buyer as first reported on Friday. A real estate source told NEOtrans’s Ken Prendergast that the buyer will likely be ending the property’s run as a performing arts venue and will remove its three…
Here’s What You Need to Know About Ohio’s Sales Tax Holiday Coming in August
Joining 16 other states, Ohio is once again embracing this year’s sales tax free holiday the first weekend of August. With a “back to school” theme, all sales and use tax will essentially vanish from purchases of clothing $75 or less, and school supplies and instructional materials $20 or less. The exemption applies per item,…
First Night Akron Won’t Continue, After 22 Years as NYE Staple
Northeast Ohioans have a lot of choice in how they ring in the New Year. And for the last 22 years, that’s included the family-friendly First Night Akron event in the Rubber City’s downtown. Today, the non-profit Downtown Akron Partnership announced it would no longer host the New Year’s Eve party, citing declining revenue and…
Shontel Brown Taps Young Dems President, 28-year-old Ryan Puente, to Direct County Party
Ryan Puente has been named Executive Director of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, the party’s chairwoman Shontel Brown announced today. The 28-year-old Puente currently serves as the president of the Cuyahoga County Young Democrats and will replace the party’s interim Executive Director, Helen Sheehan, who has served in her role voluntarily since January. Puente officially…
Kent State Makeup Artist Has Made the NYX Face Awards Semi-Finals
Back in May, Kent State student and North Royalton resident Carrie Esser provided Scene readers with an exclusive makeup tutorial for a bright summer eye based on her finalist competition entry for the NYX Face Awards. At only 20 years old, the self-taught makeup artist has gained 13.3k followers on Instagram for her makeup and body…
Barenaked Ladies Pepper Their Feel-Good Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica Concert With Cleveland References
Early in last night’s nearly two-hour concert at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, Barenaked Ladies singer-guitarist Ed Robertson talked about how much he enjoyed spending the day in Cleveland. After telling the audience that he remembers when Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica was just known as “Nautica,” he talked about taking a dip in the river and…
Cleveland.com Introduces Editorial Board’s New Community Members
In April, Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn announced that the digital outlet was accepting applications for its editorial board. In the wake of company buyouts, which saw the departure of, (among other senior staffers), Sharon Broussard and Karl Turner, the editorial board’s only two members of color, Quinn said Cleveland.com was looking to diversify its membership…
Opening Day Announced for Hyde Park’s Bull & Bird Steakhouse in Chagrin Falls
It’s been a little more than six months since Hyde Park Restaurant Group took stewardship of Gamekeeper’s Tavern, the iconic Chagrin Falls restaurant that closed last year after 40 years. Following significant interior and exterior renovations, Bull & Bird Steakhouse (87 West St., 440-528-3180) is nearly ready to serve its first customers. That will take…
Check Out These New Images of the Agora After Its $3 Million Renovation
The world famous Agora Theatre and Ballroom has been a staple of Cleveland’s nightlife since its birth as the Metropolitan Theatre in 1913. The venue has played host to iconic musicians like Lou Reed, the Clash, Duran Duran, Metallica, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Marley, Nine Inch Nails, GWAR, The Police, U2, Patti Smith, Smashing Pumpkins, The…
The War on Drugs Subsumes The Agora With Massive, Unrelenting American Rock
The brass sealed the deal for me. For my money, Jon Natchez’s droning ambience on sax took most of last night’s set from The War on Drugs to another level of heavy, all-encompassing American rock. Never overdone, it was properly placed in the context of each tune, each jam. That’s essentially how the band works…
New $28 Million Cedar Point Indoor Sports Complex Coming to Sandusky
In a move to help make Sandusky a year-round destination, Cedar Point started construction on a new $28 million indoor sports complex earlier this week on Cleveland Avenue. The land, bought by Cedar Point two years ago, is next door to the already open outdoor complex Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point Sports Center, mere miles…
Celebrate Friday the 13th Tonight at These Eerie Northeast Ohio Attractions
With Friday the 13th descending upon us for the second time this year, it’s a perfect weekend for early Halloween celebrations. Luckily for us, two haunts in Northeast Ohio are offering up the best frights for the night. The Haunted Barn 1053, Bellus Rd., HinckleyVenture down to the Haunted Barn tonight whose theme centers around…
Saltine Cracker Portrait of President Trump to Go On Display at 78th Street Studios
Known for his pointilist works, Christain Faur, an artist who often uses crayons as a medium, relocated from New York to Granville, Ohio in 2000. He works there on the faculty at Denison University. Now, one of his pieces is coming to Cleveland. His portrait of President Trump will be on exhibit by Columbus-based Sherrie…
Lakewood is Getting a World-Class Oddities Shop with Cleveland Curiosities Opening Aug. 4
Clement Kunkle and Hallie Wallace are doing their part in “Keeping Cleveland Weird” with the introduction of their antiques and oddities shop, Cleveland Curiosities, set to open in August in Lakewood. Kunkle has been dabbling in the world of oddities for nearly eight years, and his taxidermy and supplies have been used in both My…
An Ohio Judge Denied a Transgender Teen’s Name Change and His Parents are Fighting Back
When a 15-year-old transgender teen named Elliott went with his parents to obtain a legal name change in order to apply for colleges and receive a driver’s license that matched his true identity, it seemed like nothing more than a formality. Warren County Judge Joseph Kirby, however, denied the request this week claiming that teens lack…
Singer Grace Jones Puts Her Remarkable Talent on Display in New Documentary Film
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, the new documentary about the talented singer, actress and model, begins with a lively concert clip that finds Jones crooning “I’m a slave to the rhythm” while wearing an elaborate golden mask and a black leotard. Afterward, she meets and greets her adoring fans and graciously signs as many autographs…
The Connect Podcast With Special Guest Bill Squire
This episode I got a chance to connect with Bill Squire, a comedian and radio personality on the Alan Cox Show (WMMS 100.7). Bill is hilarious but in this conversation you’ll get to hear another side of his personality. Our conversation went deep and it traversed many wide-ranging topics including: -How decisions influence our lives -How…
Pension Crisis Showdown Comes to Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Statehouse will be flooded with thousands of people this Thursday fighting to preserve their pensions. The rally comes a day before a congressional committee meets to discuss a solution to the multi-employer pension crisis. The retirement of the baby boomer generation, the recession and corporate bankruptcies are testing the solvency…
Happy Dog to Celebrate Its Tenth Anniversary with Special Shows and New Menu Items
A self-described “beloved neighborhood bar, comfort food trendsetter and Cleveland cultural landmark,” the westside Happy Dog is about to turn 10 years old. To mark its anniversary, the bar/restaurant that hosts live music, panel discussions and trivia nights will feature a series of special events. The celebration commences at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, with…
Kids Ride Free (with Fare-Paying Adult) on RTA Buses and Trains Until Aug. 11
Quick PSA here: Until Aug. 11, up to three children under the age of 12 may ride for free on Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) buses and trains when they are accompanied by a fare-paying adult. The “Kids Ride Free” summer promotion is in its second year, and RTA says ridership has significantly exceeded…
Cleveland Review of Books to Launch This Year, Founder Envisions Outlet as Region’s n+1
In the Cleveland arts & culture media landscape, there’s Scene — hello there — the alternative news and entertainment weekly; there’s Cleveland Magazine, the service-oriented monthly glossy; there’s CAN Journal, the visual arts quarterly produced by the titular network; there’s Belt, the online destination for essays and reporting of a certain regional sheen; and there’s…
Here are the Cleveland Shops Offering Flash Sheet Tattoos for Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th is “Black Friday” for tattoo parlors. And up to potentially three times a year, many tattoo shops offer a themed flash sheet (a group of designs to choose from but usually not open for modification) for a severely discounted rate in honor of the holiday. The tradition is widely credited to Ink…
‘Three Identical Strangers’ is Your New Favorite Psychological Documentary and Opens Tomorrow at the Cedar Lee
On his first day of college in 1980, 19-year-old Bobby Shafran was immediately shown kindness and friendship by people he’d never met before. As it turns out, Shafran was being confused for another person, triggering a classmate to inquire about Bobby’s birthday and whether or not he had been adopted. When it was uncovered that…
The World’s Largest Rubber Duck Sails Through Lake Erie This Weekend
The largest rubber duck in the world will make Lake Erie its own personal bathtub this weekend as it sets sail for the Bicentennial Celebration and Festival of Sail in Sandusky. Standing at 61 feet tall and 68 feet wide, Mama Duck, as she’s known, is about the height of a six story building. Unfortunately, the…
Fresh Brewed Tees Coming to Ohio City with First Flagship Retail Store
After more than 10 years of selling Cleveland-themed T-shirts online, at kiosks and out of trucks, Fresh Brewed Tees is finally getting a permanent location later this summer at 2515 Jay Ave. in Ohio City. You can expect the store to carry Fresh Brewed shirts and sweatshirts along with socks, hats and jerseys. But that’s not…
8 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, JULY 13 Old Crow Medicine Show/Dom Flemons Old Crow Medicine Show singer-multi-instrumentalist Ketch Secor and singer-guitarist Critter Fuqua started playing music together when they were in seventh grade. Back then, however, the guys didn’t play the old-time folk and fiddle music for which Old Crow is known. They both picked up the guitar when…
Weezer Focuses on the Hits for Its Blossom Show
“My fellow Ohioans!” shouted Weezer bassist and Toledo native Scott Shriner to a packed crowd that filled Blossom last night. “That’s my people right here!” It was just one of many great moments during the enthusiastic, hit-filled set the group played. You can see a slideshow of photos from the concert here. Last year, the…
Buenos Aires-Based Bluegrass Band to Play G.A.R. Hall in September
A four-man string band based in Buenos Aires, Che Apalache features members from Argentina, Mexico and the United States. A North Carolinian multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and composer, founder Joe Troop formed the group after he moved to Argentina in 2010 and taught himself to play bluegrass and old-time music and started teaching others how to play…
Ohio Doctors Are Still Overprescribing Opioids Despite Public Health Emergency, New Report Finds
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General recently released a report showing that despite categorizing the opioid crisis as a public health emergency, Ohio doctors are still overprescribing opioids. In looking at opioid prescriptions for Medicaid participants in Ohio between June of 2016 and May of 2017, nearly one in six…
Target’s Carside ‘Drive-Up’ Delivery Has Come to Cleveland
The days of going to Target with the intention of buying a box of light bulbs and instead coming home with a month’s worth of groceries and a new wardrobe, all while entirely forgetting the light bulbs, are coming to an end. As of this week, Cleveland fans of Target can now enjoy the fastest…
Urgent Call for Blood Donors in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the busy July 4 holiday week over, emergency officials are hoping Ohioans have some time to help save lives in their community. The American Red Cross has issued an urgent call for eligible blood donors as donations are being sent to hospitals faster than they are coming in. Rodney Wilson, the…
Ohio Communities Join the Call for Cleaner Cars
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio businesses and cities are being invited to become part of a global vision for a cleaner future. The Zero Emissions Vehicle Challenge, announced on Tuesday, is encouraging companies and communities to use their purchasing power and policy influence to speed up the adoption of electric vehicles. As mayor of Bexley, near…
Here’s a Guy Popping a Wheelie While Shooting Off Fireworks on the Innerbelt Bridge
Think you did proper justice to America’s birthday last week? This fella will take your American flag tank top, overcooked brat and six pack of domestic swill and raise you one scorching wheelie on the Innerbelt Bridge while shooting off fireworks at the same time.
Oberlin Honors the Late Great Jazz Bassist and Photographer Milt Hinton, And the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
The late, great jazz bassist and equally famous photographer Milt Hinton will be honored at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music this week during the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass with a faculty concert on Wednesday, July 11 at 7:30 pm, and a final concert featuring faculty-student ensembles and an orchestra of double basses on…
Twenty One Pilots Coming to the Q in October
One of the great Ohio rock ’n’ roll success stories, Columbus-based Twenty One Pilots (singer-guitarist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun) have risen from the clubs to the arenas. The band just released two new tracks today, and the group also announced a tour in support of the forthcoming new album, Trench. The band will…
Machado, Boogie and Summer Vacation — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac are back. They discuss baseball’s looming trade deadline and All-Star break, why the Cavs don’t need to know what’s next just yet and their summer field trips. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here.
An Essay on the Failed Amazon Bid and the Defective Philosophy Undermining Cleveland’s Progress
Big dreams create the magic that stir men’s souls to greatness. — Bill McCartney Here I sit, broken-hearted. Paid a dime and only farted. — anonymous (1) Like others in the ramshackle local press corps, I assumed that Cleveland’s heavily redacted Amazon bid, released last month after no shortage of fuss, wouldn’t have much journalistic…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Weekend (July 11-17)
WED 07/11 Cuyahoga Valley National Park Summer Concert Series Each summer, the National Park Service teams up with the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park to produce a free summer concert series at Howe Meadow in Peninsula. This summer’s schedule includes several terrific local acts such as singer-songwriter David Mayfield, who performs tonight. The concerts…
‘Sorry to Bother You’ Takes on Issues of Race and Class
About 10 years ago, Sen. Harry Reid triggered a controversy when he said Barack Obama had become successful because he spoke with “no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.” Outraged, critics denounced the statement (and Reid would apologize to Obama). English professor John McWhorter, who wrote Talking Black: Truths About America’s Lingua Franca,…
‘The Night Eats the World’ is a Moody Thriller That Just Happens to Have Zombies
As a subgenre that is more than oversaturated, stories of walking corpses and flesh munching undead require serious skill if they are to transcend the cliches we’ve been beaten over the head with for the past decade. George A. Romero’s resurrected ghouls invented what we consider to be the modern zombie in Night of the…
Once Again, the Highs and Lows of ‘Next to Normal’ are Explored, This Time at Porthouse Theatre
No matter how good a play or a musical is, you’re eventually going to see an awful production of it. Every week there is probably an execrable production of Death of a Salesman or My Fair Lady being foisted upon people somewhere in the U.S. Given enough years, the same fate even will be visited…
Steel Reel Keeps the Cleveland Film-Production Community Well Fed
At 1:30 p.m., the basement of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights goes from largely empty to positively teeming, thanks to the 120 or so people who have descended the narrow stairwell in search of lunch. Waiting for them in the modest banquet space is a buffet of epic proportions. A 12-foot salad bar…
Band of the Week: Kate Tucker
MEET THE BAND: Kate Tucker (vocals, guitar) BACKGROUND: Born in Akron, Tucker started singing and songwriting with a hard-rock band while in high school. That group recorded while she was in college and played in the area. “At the time, there was a lot of hardcore and metal happening in the Cleveland area,” she says.…
Savage Love: Lopsiders
Dear Dan, Longtime “Savage Love” fanboy with a bit of a conundrum — and it’s your fault! I’m a bi man in my 30s. To use Charles M. Blow’s word, my bisexuality is “lopsided.” This means that I fall in love with women exclusively, but I love to have sex with men occasionally. My current…
