Here is What “nuCLEus” Actually Means
Developer Bob Stark appeared on WCPN yesterday morning to discuss the proposed $540 million nuCLEus project, a massive mixed-use skyscraper slotted for construction next to the Quicken Loans Arena. The financing of the project remains a complicated jumble of eyebrow-raising “creative” maneuvers (about which readers should consult Plain Dealer reporter Michelle Jarboe’s work for details).…
Foxygen’s Latest Album and Tour Push the Band Deeper into the Theatrical World of Hollywood
In little more than a year, Foxygen has traversed a scope of creativity and work that few bands touch even after decades of writing and performing together. The sometimes-esoteric and frequently baroque duo of Jonathan Rado and Sam France keeps its soul rooted clearly in California, all while exploring different versions of itself. At one…
Annual Akron Ale Fest Returning in August
Cleveland breweries get all the attention, but Akron has a great beer scene too. Following last year’s inaugural Akron Ale Fest, organizers have announced the annual Akron Ale Fest will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Trolley Barn downtown. It will include craft breweries from “greater Akron and beyond.” The event will…
Local Singer-Songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield Speaks Out Against Domestic Abuse
A national artist who regularly tours the country, Kent-based singer-songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield, might be one of Northeast Ohio’s best-known musical exports. The soft-spoken artist recently spoke about against domestic abuse, posting a personal story on Instagram. “I’ve struggled with posting this, but feel it’s necessary,” she writes. “Last week, I had a surgery for…
Tenacious East Cleveland Citizen Journalist Gerald Strothers Has Died
Local activist and citizen journalist Gerald Strothers, who founded the East Cleveland news site 44112News, has died. Strothers was a tenacious reporter intent on exposing the corruption and lies of East Cleveland City Hall, in particular those of former Mayor Gary Norton. More recently, Strothers devoted enormous time and energy to reporting on the ongoing…
Husband and Father of Four Deported From Cleveland, Despite Community Efforts
Despite widespread efforts to prevent it from happening, husband and father of four Jesus Lara Lopez was deported this morning. Lara Lopez, 37, is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who has lived in the U.S. since 2001. After living in Florida, he moved to Willard, Ohio, where he settled with his family and worked at…
Luke Bryan Surprises Cleveland Street Guitarist, Dances to his Own Music
This weekend, Progressive Field wasn’t the only place to catch a performance by Luke Bryan (read our concert review here). The country singer also leapt out of a car Saturday, to dance along with a Cleveland busker playing Bryan’s hit single “That’s My Kind of Night” on Prospect Avenue. The moment was thankfully captured in an…
A Marvelous Production of the Daunting “City of Angels” at the Beck Center
Putting on the musical City of Angels is a daunting task: Present a show that explores the dark side of Hollywood screenwriting in the 1940s by mashing two different stories together—the script as it’s being written and the “real life” of the screenwriter and those around him. And lets do the former story in film…
Portage County Woman Survives 30-Foot Fall After Ex Pushes Her Out a Window
Rodney Curlee, 35, is wanted on a felony charge after assaulting his ex-girlfriend and pushing her out of a window a month ago. The victim, Treena Payne, survived the 30-foot fall, but shattered her pelvis and broke her left leg. “I was in so much pain that I was numb over my whole body,” Payne,…
You Can Now Safely Exchange Internet Purchases at Police Regulated Meetup Spots in Northeast Ohio
Those purchasing items on Craigslist and other online exchange sites now have reason to feel safer in Ohio, as several local police departments are establishing safe exchange zones where online buyers can meet to purchase items like furniture, cars and whatever else you can legally buy on the internet. The Rocky River police force recently…
Pitchfork Music Festival 2017 Brought Out the Masses to See LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest and Solange
Pitchfork returned to Chicago’s Union Park this past weekend for its annual summer music festival, and we were there to experience it all. The music website’s festival has evolved a lot since its early heavy indie-rock leaning origins, and the lineup reflected the change with an eclectic mix of up-and-coming artists spanning multiple genres. In…
Technical Issues Aside, 2017 Alternative Press Music Awards Ceremony Features Its Share of Memorable Moments
The inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards, which took place almost three years ago to the day at Voinovich Park behind the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, set the bar high for the locally based music magazine’s annual event. Backed by Cleveland’s Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Panic! at the Disco singer Brendon Urie opened that show…
Six People Have Died in Cleveland House Fires Since July 9
Three people, including an eight-year-old boy, died in separate Cleveland house fires Monday morning. That brings the total deaths caused by fire to six in the past 10 days, and the city has issued a PSA in response, advising residents to make sure that they have functional smoke detectors installed. Firefighters told a Cleveland.com reporter…
Up-and-Coming Singer-Songwriter Travis Linville Talks About His Breakthrough Album, ‘Up Ahead’
Singer-songwriter Travis Linville grew up in a highly musical family. His grandparents played in a band that performed on a weekly radio show in the 1950s. “They had a room full of musical instruments with a full on stage where they hosted parties,” says Linville via phone from a recording studio in Norman, Oklahoma that’s…
Cleveland Chain Reaction Narrows Search to 10 Slavic Village Finalists
Cleveland Chain Reaction, an economic development program which recently chose to invest in Slavic Village, has narrowed its search down to 10 neighborhood businesses, five of which will ultimately receive an investment. Each of the five businesses will receive at least $130,000. Chain Reaction is an offshoot of the LeBron James/Maverick Carter-produced Cleveland Hustles reality…
In Advance of Retrovirus’s Beachland Tavern Concert, Lydia Lunch Talks About Her Lengthy Career
A few years ago, Lydia Lunch, No Wave icon Lydia Lunch put together Retrovirus, a band that could play the music of her punk rock past, including tracks from Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, 8 Eyed Spy, Queen of Siam, 1313 and Shotgun Wedding. The group, which includes guitarist Weasel Walter (the Flying Luttenbachers), drummer…
Stevie Nicks to Play the Covelli Centre in September
Last year, raspy-voiced Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks embarked on her 24 Karat Gold Tour in support of her 2014 effort, 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault. The album features tracks Nicks had written and had demoed decades ago but had never been included on previous albums. Earlier today, she announced a new set…
Some of this Country’s Best Tacos (No, Really) Are Served at a Seasonal Eatery in Painesville
When the invitation to meet for tacos in Painesville arrived, we blindly assumed that we were headed for El Señor’s, the fabulous taqueria tucked inside La Mexicana grocery store. When we bothered to actually read the invitation more than halfway into the journey, we learned that we were, in fact, bound for La Casita, an…
Local Artist Perris Mackey Will Host Cat Collage Event This Week
Calling all cat lovers! Looking for a fun and creative evening? Create-A-Craft hosts a special adults-only Collage-A-Cat class with local collage artist Perris Mackey from 7 to 9 p.m. this Friday, July 21. Working with Mackey, participants will create an original cat-themed collage using an official “Collage-A-Cat” kit. Guests are encouraged to leave the kids…
A Lunchbox of CDs Inspired Local Hip-Hop Producer and ‘Old Head’ M. Stacks
Cleveland hip-hop producer M.Stacks turned 29 earlier this year and, for the first time, started feeling old. “People in the studio started calling me O.G., old head,” he says one recent afternoon from Bulkley Creative House. “It bothered me at first, but now I’m okay with it. When I was a little kid, I never wanted…
Cleveland Praised, Clinic Scrutinized in Buzzy National Coverage
The only two Cleveland-related pieces worth reading on Monday, it would seem, came from popular national outlets and painted divergent pictures of Northeast Ohio. One, published Sunday in the L.A. Times, was your standard travel piece. It documented the region’s resurgence with familiar narrative constructions and suggestions for visitors: “Cleveland, once called the mistake on the lake,”…
‘Bizarre Foods’ TV Host Approves of Cleveland’s Original Stadium Mustard
Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel’s hit series Bizarre Foods, is known for trying anything (seriously, anything) at least once. From Alaskan sea cucumbers to sautéed tarantulas, he has traveled the globe in search of exotic foods. But even a cultured food enthusiast like Zimmern knows Cleveland does mustard the best. As seen in…
Horse Collapses Downtown, Igniting Renewed Fury Over Horse-Drawn Carriages in Cleveland
Shamrock Carriages does not have a great reputation in Cleveland, and this past weekend saw once again how nightmarish the whole horse-drawn carriage situation can be for animals who have no control over their experience. On Saturday, a horse fell down on the Main Avenue hill while hauling around a massive sleigh for Shamrock Carriages.…
Cracker Celebrates 25th Anniversary with Rousing Show at the Music Box
The story behind the genesis of the alternative rock act Cracker goes a little like this. After beloved indie rockers Camper van Beethoven broke up in the late ’80s, singer-guitarist David Lowery approached childhood friend Johnny Hickman about starting a new band. The duo began writing songs together and even played a few shows as…
Luke Bryan Revels in Party Atmosphere at Progressive Field
Replete with narratives about drinking beer on the front porch and heading out to do some “huntin’ and fishin’,” country singer-guitarist Luke Bryan’s music seems tailor-made for summer. So it was fitting, then, that Bryan had perfect weather for last night’s concert before a near-capacity crowd at Progressive Field. Playing on the same stage from…
Everything You Should Know About Today’s Taste of Tremont
Local eateries hawk their wares today on Professor Avenue from noon to 8 p.m., during the annual Taste of Tremont. Satiate your appetite by sampling dishes from restaurants headed by Dante Boccuzzi and Michael Symon, among others. Listen to live music and enjoy the culture that Tremont has to offer as you make your way…
Billy Joel Delivers Marathon Concert at Progressive Field
A Billy Joel concert is a marathon, not a sprint. The pianist demonstrated that last night at a sold-out, two-and-a-half-hour Progressive Field show that had a few minor pacing lulls but otherwise was a thoroughly entertaining display of musical aptitude and nostalgic revelry. It helps that the setlist found Joel playing everyone’s first favorite Billy…
Singer-Songwriter Andrew Bird Talks About How Much He Loves the Spontaneity of Live Performance
Singer-songwriter Andrew Bird originally learned to play the violin by ear. While in high school, he spent hours practicing and refining his ability to play the instrument. He can still remember how much time he devoted to practicing. “That’s a tough time for most people, and some of it’s driven by social awkwardness and escapism,”…
Update: AEG Presents CEO Promises an ‘Uptick’ in Concerts at the Agora in the Wake of a New Agreement
Update: Earlier today, Agora Theatre and Ballroom Operator Chris Zitterbart, AEG Presents Chief Operating Officer Shawn Trell and City of Cleveland Councilman TJ Dow met with reporters at the Agora Theatre and Ballroom to announce that AEG Presents, one of the country’s largest concert promoters, has entered into an agreement with Zitterbart and the Agora…
In Advance of His Kent Stage Concert, Steve Earle Talks About What It Means to Be an ‘Outlaw’
Last year when Steve Earle performed at the Music Box Supper Club on his tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his seminal album Guitar Town, he left the audience with a warning. The left-leaning singer-guitarist cautioned “don’t fuck up” as he encouraged patrons to get out and vote for the next U.S. president. What…
Meet the Cleveland Guys Behind the ‘Worst Wal-Mart in America’ Video
By now you’ve probably seen the mockumentary exposing the Steelyard Wal-Mart as “the worst Wal-Mart in America.” The guys behind it are Jake Barcus, Paul Schultz and Mike Clum of Taco Truck, a local comedy video production company. The Steelyard Walmart video initially started as a joke, but the pair soon began working on it…
‘The Nation’ Calls Out Dan Gilbert and the Q Deal
You can flip through the Scene archives and catch up on Sam Allard’s reporting on the Quicken Loans Arena renovations funding deal — and you should — but do also check out The Nation’s latest Edge of Sports dispatch, which blasts the corporate welfare sustaining the Cavs’ owner. From the cheerleader-stacked public meetings to the referendum…
This Comically Huge Roll of Ohio Toilet Paper Could Soon Be Yours
For anyone headed to Toledo this weekend, there’s one awe-inspiring Craigslist item you’ll probably want to know about. A Toledo man is giving away “comically large rolls of toilet paper.” Provide a vehicle larger than a Jeep Liberty, and the 3,5000 pound rolls (so large they fit on one pallet each) can be yours. According…
Scientists Predict Potentially Harmful Algae Bloom on Lake Erie This Summer
Bad news just keeps coming for Lake Erie, as scientists have now predicted that the shallowest of the Great Lakes will most likely see a significant, nasty green algae bloom back again this summer on its west side. Already this summer paint primer was leaked into the lake, a government report described the great lakes as being…
Avon Man Who Stole 500 Yard Signs Receives Jail Time, Forced to Apologize
Back in June, Avon Police arrested 62-year-old John Hoelzl for stealing more than 500 yard signs in the Avon Lake area. Hoelzl has now been sentenced to five days in prison and must serve 100 community hours. In addition to his sentence, Holzel must also apologize to the organizations the lawn signs represented. The signs were…
Vagical Mystery Comedy Tour Comes to Mahall’s Tonight
Last year at the conclusion of the Republican National Convention, The Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead and NARAL Pro-Choice America came to town to host a party with Cleveland abortion activists during Donald Trump’s official acceptance speech. Winstead and a panel consisting of Alonzo Boden, Frank Conniff and Sharron Paul, added satirical commentary during the various speeches.…
Book of ‘Lost’ Dead Boys Photos to Be Published in September
One of punk rock’s most significant acts, the Dead Boys emerged from Cleveland in the late 1970s and would go on to achieve national (and even international) acclaim before quickly imploding. Photographer Dave Treat captured the band during that time period. Dead Boys 1977: The Lost Photographs of Dave Treat, a book edited and designed…
LeBron James Crowned Best NBA Player of the Year at ESPYs
Despite not taking home the championship this year, LeBron James is still the NBA’s most talented player, ESPN concluded last night — when the media company named King James the Best NBA Player at its ESPY Awards. This is the fifth time James has won the award, bringing his ESPY total to 14. James won over competition like…
Hot Water Tank Explodes at Justice Center, Several Floors Flooded
[image-1] A hot water tank exploded this morning at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center, flooding several floors high up in the tower. The water tank, located on the 24th floor, ended up bursting and flooding floors 21-23. Trials will take place today in courtrooms not affected by the flooding, though those trial proceedings on floors…
Coming Soon: The City Diner in Old Brooklyn
The Expressway Diner closed in 2009 after a too-brief run of just five years. In fact, the property has sat fallow for longer than it was open. That will change in the next few weeks as The City Diner (5109 Memphis Ave., 216-400-7529) prepares to open its doors after months of renovations and improvements at…
Jordan Wong Blends Chinese Heritage into Latest Works at Lava Lounge
As a talented and hardworking independent graphic designer, Jordan Wong has already made an impact on the city since moving to Cleveland from Pittsburgh just two years ago. Within months of arriving Cleveland, Wong landed a position at Cleveland’s Go Media, and was immediately tasked with branding the company’s annual Weapons of Mass Creation Fest,…
Rapper Michael Christmas to Headline Lemur Fest at the Grog Shop
“I want to be like Shaq,” Michael Christmas says in a recent phone interview, speaking about the former basketball star’s seeming omnipresence across media and pop culture, “He’s even DJing now! I’m not saying I’m going to be a DJ… But I’m not gonna say I’m not gonna be a DJ.” The 23-year-old has multi-platform…
Members of the Zombies Participate in the Opening of Their New Rock Hall Exhibit
Hugh Grundy, Chris White, Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, surviving members of the classic rock act the Zombies, dedicated a new exhibit about their band yesterday at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A crowd that included members of the band’s official fan club gathered to hear them speak and then participate in a…
Ohio Supreme Court Rules Coalition Opposed to Q Deal Can Be Part of Legal Battle Over Referendum Signatures
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled 6-1 today that petitioners representing a coalition of groups opposed to the city of Cleveland’s part of the deal with Cuyahoga County that would contribute millions of dollars of taxpayer money to the renovation of Quicken Loans arena can join the legal party that will play out as the court…
5 Concerts to Catch This Weekend in Cleveland
[image-1]FRIDAY, JULY 14 Billy Joel Mid-way through a two-hour concert at Quicken Loans Arena in 2014, singer-pianist Billy Joel made a passing reference to a time in the ’90s when a record exec told him he had to “stay on the charts” if he wanted to sustain a career. “I guess I don’t know anything,”…
Republican-led House Bill Rejects Trump’s Great Lakes Cuts, Fully Funds $300 Million Initiative for 2018
The Republican-led U.S. House Appropriations Committee released a draft bill Tuesday that would push back against President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts to the Great Lakes. The bill would fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with $300 million for 2018. Earlier this year, the Trump administration proposed eliminating the clean-up program. The legislation would…
Singer-Songwriter Anne E. DeChant to Play PAND Benefit Concert at Mahall’s
For decades now, singer-songwriter Anne E. DeChant has been a fixture on the local music scene. Her music has always had an element of activism to it. She’s just announced that on Aug. 9 at Mahall’s she’ll join members of the Cleveland Orchestra, Ioana Missits, Emma Shook, Dane Johansen, Frank Rosenwein, Carolyn Warner, Yun-Ting Lee and Analise Kukelhan in a concert to benefit Performers…
Whole Foods Brings Modern ‘365 Market’ to Akron Location
The soon-to-open Whole Foods market in Akron will be the first of its kind in Ohio, serving the same products, but with a more unusual approach. The so-called ‘365 Market,’ opening Sept. 14, is geared toward millennials, so naturally an app is involved. This new market will include in-store app communication, lower prices, a rewards…
Photographer Captures Lightning Striking Terminal Tower and Key Bank Building in Awesome Shot
If anything good has come out of this week’s unrelentingly gloomy weather, it’s this photo. Justin Silberman, who works between the Terminal Tower and Key Bank building, managed to capture the stunning shot on Monday using a time lapse feature on his phone. He then posted it on the Facebook page of Earth & Aerial,…
Alt-Country Duo Swearingen and Kelli to Perform at Blossom with the Cleveland Orchestra
The alt-country duo Swearingen and Kelli plays music steeped in the sounds of Americana and country-folk. It echoes the singer-songwriters of the ’70s. Later this month, the group will embark on a tour to support its newest album, The Marrying Kind. It will perform on July 23 at Blossom with the Cleveland Orchestra. “We…
Chicago-Based Funk/Soul Band Bassel and the Supernaturals to Headline Save Syria Benefit at the Grog Shop
Bassel Almadani, the singer who fronts the Chicago-based soul/funk/R&B group Bassel & the Supernaturals, has deep ties to Northeast Ohio. Born and raised in Kent, he blossomed as a songwriter here, where he regularly attended shows at the Grog Shop. “I was really engaged in music in Northeast Ohio,” says Almadani via phone from his…
Man Assaulted At Cleveland Gas Station, Stomped Unconscious
Cleveland resident Tshaka Mustaquim repeatedly stomped on a 50-year-old man’s head Thursday at a Cleveland gas station on Superior Avenue. The man was found unconscious and suffered facial injuries and bleeding in his brain, after Mustaquim punched him in the back of the head and proceeded to stomp on him about 17 times. At this time,…
Local Rockers Ray Flanagan & the Authorities Announce Plans for a Euclid Tavern Residency
Ever since Ray Flanagan & the Authorities launched in late 2012, the group has emerged as one of the better indie acts on the local circuit. Now, Flanagan has just announced that starting next month the group will perform on the first Sunday of each month at the Euclid Tavern. “My vision is to do…
Undeniably Great Tunes But Uneven Energy in ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Porthouse Theatre
There are some undeniably great tunes in this show, which is a compendium of songs written by the incredible Fats Waller, a man who could play jazz piano like no other. But since there is no book to tie the tunes together, it falls to the director and cast to keep the energy and momentum…
Get Out: Everything You Should Do This Week (July 12-17)
WED 07/12 Bud & Burgers CLE Anheuser-Busch and Cleveland Scene present the inaugural Bud & Burgers CLE pop-up diner, a national burger-and-beer-centric event. Cleveland chefs will create unique burger pairings to match the “smooth, crisp taste” of a Bud. There will be various burgers and french fries for attendees, and some vegetarian options too. The…
At the All-Star break, a Conversation With Jason Kipnis on the Team’s Struggles, His Struggles, and How They Can Get Back to the World Series
Hey, have you heard Jason Kipnis is from Chicago? “If you watched any of the [World Series] games last year, they must have said it a hundred times,” Kipnis says over lunch at Banter in Detroit Shoreway one recent June afternoon. “They said it every 20 minutes.” He’s explaining the origins of “Let’s Do This,…
‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ Rocks and Should be Finale to Splendid Trilogy
One of the many joys of the new Planet of the Apes films — Rise, in 2011; Dawn, in 2014; and now, the breathtaking War for the Planet of the Apes, which opens areawide on Friday — is that they function independently. Rise was the story of a scientist (James Franco), who, in his effort…
The Mother of Jesus is at the Center of a Dust-Up With Some Catholics in ‘The Testament of Mary’
Every parent knows how it feels when you see your kid running around with what you feel might be the wrong crowd. But when your son is Jesus Christ and you’re his mom, the stakes are raised a bit higher than usual. For the protesters outside “The Helen” Theatre at Playhouse Square, who are registering…
Places to Go and Things to See On an Amish Country Road Trip
It was during our search, six years ago, for a sturdy Amish-built chicken coop that we began to truly discover and, thus, fall for picturesque Holmes County and the surrounding area. It goes without saying that while many Amish and Mennonite residents are matchless carpenters, they are lousy when it comes to maintaining an online…
Band of the Week: Smoke Screen
MEET THE BAND: Chemist (vocals) and Mooke (vocals) JUST THE TWO OF THEM: Chemist (Thomas Sheridan) and Mooke (Rodney Mynatt), the duo that formed the local hip-hop group Smoke Screen some 10 years ago, were friends long before. “We grew up together,” says Sheridan. “Mooke’s uncle’s band the Slick got a show at Peabody’s and…
Marie’s Restaurant of St. Clair-Superior is a True Neighborhood Spot
Poke your head into one of the quiet, low-lit bars on St. Clair Avenue sometime and ask one of the regulars where to find good Eastern European food in the neighborhood. If you’re lucky, they’ll clue you into Marie’s Restaurant. Marie’s, at 45th and St. Clair, is relaxed and homey, with a carpeted floor that…
Savage Love: Scrubs
Dear Dan, I’m a gay medical student with a medical fetish. I think the fetish started when I was young; I was once in the hospital and given a suppository for a fever. Then one time I was given a Fleet enema. I don’t think the “butt stuff” turned me gay, but my fetish may…
Cleveland Photographer Bryon Miller Revisits Latest Work While Hanging First Solo Exhibition
There is only one diptych hung on the wall when I arrive at Maria Neil Art Project. I’m catching up with photographer Bryon Miller, who has just begun to install his first solo exhibition in 10 years, Packaging materials, tools and a ladder create an almost ikebana feel to this boxed-in landscape. There are photographs…
