Johnny Manziel Went to Two Bucks Last Night
The Browns have an off day today, which meant no curfew last night, which meant Johnny Manziel could finally enjoy the rich bar culture that Middleburg Heights/Berea has to offer. His choice: Two Bucks, according to a fan who posted some pics on Twitter. (Hat tip to Busted Coverage.) We’re more of a Mike’s Bar…
Cleveland’s Honey Hut Named on BuzzFeed’s List of Ice Cream Shops To Visit Before You Die
The BuzzFeed team recently put together a list of ice cream shops to visit before you die and Ohio, it seems, is well represented. Cleveland-based Honey Hut came in at number 13, hailed for both its classic and modern varieties. Why we’re screaming: Cleveland isn’t just for LeBron fanatics and disappointed football fans. Ice cream…
Video: Here’s the Pro Gay Marriage Ad That Will Air Across Ohio on Wednesday
For the first time in years, a pro gay marriage ad will make its way across Buckeye airwaves on Wednesday. The deets, via Cleveland.com: The ad, from Why Marriage Matters Ohio, features former Cleveland Museum of Art curator Henry Hawley and Cleveland Institute of Music instructor George Vassos. The couple, who live in Chagrin Falls,…
15 Cleveland-Area Dogs Looking for a Home
Looking to add a furry friend to the family? Look no further; these 15 adorable pups would love to go home with you. All of them are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, and can be applied for here at Paws and Prayers Rescue. Check out their precious faces and some fast facts below.
Edgewater Marina Floating Docks Show First Signs of Frailty
Scene wrote an in-depth story earlier this year attempting to clarify why exactly the flimsy new floating docks at Edgewater Marina may represent not only a waste of money, but a very serious safety hazard. The floating docks were constructed too quickly after Superstorm Sandy with less-than-optimal materials and less-than-unimpeachable bidding/contracting tactics (if we’re going to paint the…
Scene Podcast: Movies, Mergers, and LeBron!
This week, host Craig Lyndall chatted with Sam Allard about a whole bunch of fun stuff: what kid movies adults like, Guardians of the Galaxy, two recent forums where residents and leaders discussed how no one wants a merger with East Cleveland, and the LeBron beat writing gig that NEOMG is currently looking to fill.…
Gogol Bordello Delivers Manic Performance at House of Blues
In a recent interview in which he talked about the “wildness” of Gogol Bordello’s live shows, singer Eugene Hutz explained that his approach to performing live isn’t just about running around stage like some kind of animal that had just been let loose from captivity. “The other aspect is actual craft,” he explained. “That craft…
The Fashion Meets Music Festival R. Kelly Concert Has Been Canceled
Update: After a strong backlash (see details below), the R. Kelly concert has been canceled by promoters. Via the Columbus Dispatch: An R. Kelly concert scheduled to open the inaugural Fashion Meets Music Festival next month at Nationwide Arena has been canceled because of backlash over the R&B singer’s past. “We wanted to make sure…
NEOCycle Music Fest Taps Locals Cloud Nothings and Jessica Lea Mayfield
Cloud Nothings It’s been a great year for local music and Cloud Nothings and Jessica Lea Mayfield, two artists who’ve put out albums that have received national attention, will perform at the inaugural NEOCycle Music Fest, a free festival that takes place at the Hub at Edgewater Park on Saturday, Sept. 27. The fest’s promoters,…
Beachland to Honor Local Bassist Patrick Christopher
Local bassist Patrick Christopher died suddenly on June 7 and to honor him, the Beachland Ballroom is hosting an open invitation music memorial from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9. With acts such as Hayshaker Jones, the Jack Fords, Lonesome Bones, Bop Dead and most recently Code Blue and the Forgotten Souls of…
Wilco to Play Akron Civic in September
We can’t remember the last time alt-country icons Wilco came through town, so anticipation should be high for the band’s appearance at the Akron Civic Theatre on Sept. 4. Though singer-guitarist Jeff Tweedy and co. don’t have a new album out (they haven’t released a studio album since 2011’s The Whole Love), the guys are…
Columbus Road Lift Bridge on the Move
This photo was taken moments ago from Scene HQ on W. 9th St. downtown. The Columbus Road Lift Bridge, which has been under construction for more than a year, is at this moment being transported by barge along the Cuyahoga to its final resting spot, where it’s expected to arrive sometime after 2 p.m. The…
Ensō Lets Diners Design Their Own Sushi Rolls and Stir-Fry Bowls
When the folks at Stark Enterprises travel, they don’t return with souvenirs and gifts — they come home with new restaurant concepts. At Stark properties like Crocker Park in Westlake and ETON Chagrin Boulevard, both national and proprietary retail concepts attract diners looking for something not often provided by the local, independent restaurant scene. The…
Jerry Seinfeld Loves Cleveland’s Hilarities 4th Street Theatre (And So Do We)
Last week, funnyman Jerry Seinfeld hosted an Ask Me Anything on reddit and dished to the social sharing site that he loves performing at Hilarities. Nice choice, Jerry. We love Hilarities too. Thanks to redditer paxprobellum for bringing this to our attention.
Ohio Ranked Proudest State in the Nation
It’s true. Movoto (the “fun” real estate blog) has ranked Ohio as the proudest state in the nation. To come up with these rankings Movoto analyzed data from Facebook to determine what percentage of the population in each of the 50 states “liked” their home state on the social sharing site. Ohio beat out other top contenders…
James Taylor Digs Deep Into His Catalog for Blossom Concert
Just moments into his headlining appearance last night at Blossom Music Center, James Taylor shared the story behind his opening number, “Something In the Way She Moves.” He recalled playing the song for Paul McCartney and George Harrison in a small room in London in 1968 at a time when they had just started Apple…
The Fray Gives Spirited Performance at Jacobs Pavilion
After opening last night’s 90-minute concert at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica with mid-tempo rockers “Closer to Me” and “Heartbeat,” the Fray singer-pianist Isaac Slade, who, with his shaved head, looked a lot like former R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, apparently decided the crowd of about 3,000 wasn’t properly engaged with the music. Judging by the fact…
John Waters is Coming to the Cleveland Cinematheque
Guys! Guys! John Waters is coming to Cleveland on Sept. 27 for a 90-minute one-man show. Deets below. Tickets here. John Waters, the Baltimore underground filmmaker (“Pink Flamingos”) turned American cultural icon, appears in person to present a unique one-man show that has delighted audiences around the world. Waters’ “vaudeville act” (as he calls it)…
The Struggles and Hopes of the Nascent Video Game Development Community in Cleveland
When Cleveland investors listen to pitches for video game companies, skepticism is typically their first reaction. “I pitched everywhere I possibly could have, and I had to fight for every dollar,” CEO and founder of Handelabra Games Jeremy Handel told me. “In general, this area of the country tends to be more… conservative. There isn’t…
Kill the Merger Talks, Say East Clevelanders
Thursday’s forum in Ohio City on the pros and cons of a potential Cleveland / East Cleveland merger focused on the benefits of regionalism in a general way, and Cleveland’s existing segregation problems. It was the second of two such salon-style discussions hosted by the Civic Commons, Ideastream’s civic engagement arm. The first iteration, held…
Michael Symon Unveils New Restaurant Concept for Cleveland’s E. Fourth Street
Despite assumptions to the contrary, Michael Symon’s new restaurant on East Fourth Street, in the space formerly occupied by La Strada, will not be another B Spot. Instead, it will be a barbecue joint. “We had no limitations with what we could do with the space,” says Symon. “But at the end of the day,…
It Took An Hour and 40 Minutes for a Man To Die in Arizona’s Latest Execution, Which Used the Same Lethal Injection Cocktail as Ohio
Yesterday, the state of Arizona executed Joseph Rudolph Wood III, a convicted double murderer. It took an hour and 40 minutes for Wood to die, as his lawyer said Wood gasped and snorted for the duration of the execution. Prison officials contended Wood was in no pain, though reporters’ accounts contradict those claims and describe…
No One Wants to Answer Questions About Security at the Jason Aldean Concert Where Cory Barron Died
22-year-old Cory Barron’s body was discovered in an Oberlin landfill Tuesday afternoon. Barron had been missing since Friday evening, when he wandered away from his family and friends at the Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field. Early statements from police indicate that Barron likely fell through a garbage chute in the northwest portion of the…
Dollar Cat Day Comes to the Cleveland Animal Protective League
If you’ve been waiting for the purrfect time to pick up a new pal, wait no more. Tomorrow, the Cleveland Animal Protective league is offering up Dollar Cat Day (Yes, it’s a play off of Progressive Field’s long-standing Dollar Dog Night). Friday only, folks can take home an adult cat over one year of age for just…
Sevendust Plays Electrifying Show at House of Blues
Hot on the heels of a critically acclaimed acoustic tour, Sevendust plugged back in for the first in a series of electric shows last night at House of Blues. Starting 20 minutes late due to a second sound check, the show began with a long intro tape that fueled the rabid audience with anxious anticipation.…
Matthew Sweet Delivers His Hits at Beachland Show
Scott Sandberg Some stars turn bitter when only a portion of their discography is regularly recognized. Not singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet. Last night, Sweet tore through a raucous set at the Beachland Ballroom, pulling largely from his most commercially successful release, Girlfriend. Sweet and his touring band have spent the past several years banging out tracks…
Yes Thrives on Capacity Crowd’s Energy at Hard Rock Live
David Kemp Like an old man or woman who’s traded in his or her significant other for a younger, more attractive version, prog rockers Yes have really benefited from the addition of singer Jon Davison, who replaced original singer Jon Anderson in 2012. You’ve gotta wonder if the other members of the band — guitarist…
Gund Foundation Also Getting Naming Rights at Public Square for $5 Million Gift
A week after the Cleveland Foundation donated $8 million for the renovation of Public Square, the Gund Foundation has now made a $5 million gift, the PD’s Steve Litt reports. The $30 million project, which will re-imagine the Square’s current four-quadrant configuration and increase green space by 40 percent, is expected to be completed in time for the Republican…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (July 25 – 27)
Lots of summer activities to keep you occupied this weekend from the much-anticipated Great Lakes Burning River Fest, to Councilman Zack Reed’s Family Unity in the Park event, and a smattering of concerts, comedians, and films in-between. Have fun out there, folks.
Scene Podcast: ’60s Soul in Cleveland, Violence Interrupts West Denison’s Little League Summer, and More
This week, host Craig Lyndall chats with Eric Sandy about a few choice stories from the latest issue, including the story of Way Out Records, a small soul label in Cleveland that operated in the ’60s and counted Jim Brown and Don King as investors, and how a neighborhood has reacted after violence interrupted the…
Lend a Hand to Reduce Great Lakes Pollution at Wendy Park
If you’re looking to kick off a weekend of environmental-awareness fun with some good karma, the Alliance of the Great Lakes and the Burning River Foundation are combining forces to combat pollution at Whiskey Island’s Wendy Park on Friday morning. The effort comes in the wake of the discovery that microbeads — those scratchy exfoliation…
Sneak Peek at Ninja City Interior, Menu and Opening Day Deets
Those traveling through University Circle lately might have noticed the bright, bold signage for Ninja City Kitchen and Bar, the new casual concept from Bac Nguyen, who also operates the four-year-old Bac Asian Bistro in Tremont. That sign is just one of the many pieces falling into place in advance of the August 14th opening.…
Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd Deliver Greatest Hits Sets at Blossom
When you’ve been around for more than 40 years, you’re not supposed to sound as good as Bad Company sounded last night at Blossom Music Center. But when you’ve got Paul Rodgers as your vocalist, the deck is definitely going to be stacked in your favor. This year marks the 40th anniversary of their debut…
Watch ‘Questionable Culture With Will Burge’ Live Right Here
Live at noon today: Week 4 of Questionable Culture with Will Burge, and special guest Ryan Dalton! Stream below live, or watch the replay if you’re catching this later. Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
5 Tracks from Way Out Records You Should Listen To
With two discs and over 40 tracks, there’s plenty to choose from in the Way Out Records anthology, available from Numero Group. Here are our five favorite tracks and a little about the circumstances around which they were recorded. While you’re listening, do peruse this week’s cover story detailing how this quirky, historical Cleveland record label gets…
Pic: Brennan’s Colony Reopened Last Night to a Packed House
Just about four weeks after the tragic murder of Jim Brennan, Brennan’s Colony reopened last night for the first time since the killing. Here was the scene on the patio, courtesy of Scene dining editor Doug Trattner.
Film Spotlight: A Most Wanted Man
Anton Corbijn’s high-tensile political drama A Most Wanted Man, which opens on Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as the German chief of an anti-terror unit in Hamburg, Germany. Hamburg, we learn, was where Mohammad Atta and an Islamist terror cell coordinated the 9/11 attacks under the radar of international intelligence…
Film Review of the Week: Wish I Was Here
The 2004 much-adored, much-maligned indie dramedy Garden State established a devoted cult following for writer-actor-director Zach Braff. But the sudden exaltation of Braff as his generation’s scribe, not to mention his debut’s qualified success, weren’t enough to secure him financing for anything at all these past 10 years. (A surprise, frankly). Wish I Was Here,…
So Wrong, It’s Right: After a Break from Touring and Recording, Veteran Punk Rockers 7Seconds Return with a Terrific New Album
As a teenager living in Reno, Nev. in the ’70s, Kevin Seconds, leader of the veteran punk band 7Seconds, didn’t have many options. The gambling town didn’t cater to teens, and Seconds couldn’t just do what all the other kids did. “The big thing to do on weekends was cruise the main drag on Friday…
Street Smarts: Gogol Bordello Front Man Dissects the Band’s Gypsy Punk Rock Approach
Margarita Jimeno’s 2008 documentary about gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello isn’t a great film. But it has one thing going for it: It truly captures the manic energy that frontman Eugene Hutz and his band of merry pranksters bring to the stage. We see Hutz in several different contexts: DJing a basement party, performing on the…
The Grounded Game: The Fray Loosens Up on Its New Album Helios
Fray singer-guitarist Joe King always thought he’d never marry. “I was the one who was going to be single until I was 55,” he says via phone. “I thought I would be that guy who didn’t need a wife and would be free and have a Swedish model or something. Then, I met my wife…
Downtown Upswing: Talking Cleveland With a True Original
As the bell captain at the new Westin hotel at East 6th and St. Clair, Greg Blount gets to talk Cleveland with lots of people. He says each day is wonderful here. And he was saying much the same throughout his decades of work in Cleveland broadcast journalism as Greg Anthony. We caught up with…
Free Base: A Neighborhood Reacts after Violence Interrupts West Denison Little League’s Summer Games
As little leaguers nationwide mourn the sundown of their regular seasons, Cleveland’s West Denison baseball league on the city’s west side has taken back Thrush Field. The green space on Thrush Ave. between W. 105th and W. 107th streets, one of West Denison’s three regular venues, was last month the site of two shootings in…
Old Soul Never Dies: A Quirky, Historical Cleveland Record Label Gets New Life
History is written by the victors. That’s why you’ve heard of Motown or Stax Records and not Cleveland’s own soul upstart, Way Out Records. Housed in a storefront on East 55th St. between Euclid and Chester, the label grew out of an odd-couple partnership between a hustler and a cop. It released 35 records over…
Fun in Aisle Five: Gourmet Grocers are Attracting Customers with More than Well-Stocked Shelves; Join the Crowd at One of These On-the-Cheap Nights Out
Everyone loves a free sample. Those little booths help make obligatory grocery store runs more tolerable, sure, but a paper cup of soup or sausage-on-a-pick will hardly bring in a crowd. So area markets have introduced store events designed to supplement or even replace your nighttime outings. “There aren’t many places you can sample five…
Come on Back: Crumb and Spigot Offers Plenty of Reasons for Diners to Return
Crumb & Spigot is billed as “a tavern where neighbors can eat, drink and gather,” and while that statement might sound plain or even unexciting, I believe it accurately conveys the mission and ambitions set out by owner Karen Gorman. The longtime catering chef saw a gap in the local marketplace for a small, independent,…
Tony Cuda’s ‘Herding Jazz Cats’ Offers a Little Bit of Everything
Tony Cuda Herding Jazz Cats (self-released) reverbnation.com/tonycuda A social studies teacher at Shaker Heights High School, Berklee-educated electric bass player Tony Cuda is a staple on the local jazz scene. He spends most of his free time working with the prog-leaning outfit Cuda, Renko & Cuda but has worked on this solo album for several…
Ray Flanagan & the Authorities Embrace a Wide Range of Music on ‘Same Sky, Different Place’
Ray Flanagan & the Authorities Same Sky, Different Place (self-released) facebook.com/rayflanaganauthorities Produced by Jim Stewart, (Nights, Lauren Lanzaretta, Welshly Arms) the debut from locals Ray Flanagan & the Authorities shows how quickly the band, which only formed last year, has gelled. Album opener, “The Best We Can,” features hushed vocals and brittle, bluesy guitar riffs.…
Wakey! Wakey! Revisits it Gospel Roots on ‘Salvation’
Wakey! Wakey! Salvation (MummaGrubbs Records/Thirty Tigers) wakeywakeymusic.com Wakey! Wakey! frontman Michael Grubbs sang in the choir while he was a kid and that gospel tradition shows up in the band’s music. It’s apparent right from the opening notes of “All It Takes Is a Little Love,” the first track on the band’s first studio effort…
Also on Stage
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Interesting, how time changes our perceptions. Back in the 1960s, when Ken Kesey wrote the book on which this play is based, mental institutions were an accepted fact of life. Sure, they were probably awful, but at least there were places to put people suffering from mental deficits of…
Complex and Compelling: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Gives Your Brain a Vigorous Workout at Mamai Theatre
It’s easy to believe we’re all living on the brink of chaos. Especially after a week in which a commercial airline was shot down and another Gaza incursion began. Of course, as humans we always believe the best way to control chaos is through knowledge, a charming fantasy we cling to despite overwhelming evidence to…
Band of the Week: Sunless Sky
Meet the Band: Juan Ricardo (vocals), Dave Kirk (lead/rhythm guitar), Jocko Jermann (bass), Rob Brandt (drums), Harry Hillock (rhythm/lead guitars) round and round: The band came about two and a half years ago. They did one show with a previous drummer. After that show, Brandt replaced the original drummer and started pushing the group to…
