Thai Thai Will Shut Down for November As It Relocates to New Space on Madison
Update: As Thai Thai prepares to relocate to roomier digs two blocks down on Madison from its current home, the popular Lakewood restaurant will be closing up shop on Oct. 28 through all of November. Come December, it’ll reopen at 13415 Madison with more seating (details on all that below.) So, if you want to…
Update: Jackson Browne and Valerie June Added to the Rock Hall’s Upcoming Tribute to Mavis Staples
Update: Earlier today, the Rock Hall announced that 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee Jackson Browne and singer-songwriter Valerie June will join Mavis Staples for her appearance on Sept. 20 as part of the Honors Award Series. The day before the concert, the Voice: A Symposium on Mavis Staples will be held at Tinkham Veale Ballroom…
The Zombies to Celebrate Their Induction at Upcoming Rock Hall Concert
A British rock act that formed in the early ’60s, the Zombies had been nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a couple of times prior to this year, when they were finally enshrined. Singer-guitarist Colin Blunstone admits he had started to doubt the band would ever make it in. “We…
Local Indie Pop Act TLNGO Releases Two New Singles
TLNGO – The Light Never Goes Out – is the nom de plume of Jeremy Willets, the chief songwriter in mid-2000s alt-rock act the Rails. A former Scene contributing writer, Willets took a hiatus from music to start a family, but he’s recently started recording again and has just released two new songs, “Young + Restless”…
10 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, AUG. 9 Interpol/Surfbort Drawing inspiration from post-punk acts such as Joy Division, New Order and the Cure, Interpol has been an indie rock stalwart since the early 2000s. The group helped kick-start the post-punk revival that has endured well into the present day. It brings its summer tour to the Rock Hall tonight and…
Cleveland Declares, for Billionth Time, that ‘Excitement and Anticipation Surround’ Upcoming Sporting Event
Members of the Cleveland media received Tuesday, as we often do, a press release from the Mayor’s Office. The purpose of the release was to publicize rules and regulations for parking and tailgating at the upcoming Browns preseason opener against the team from Washington. No alcohol is permitted in the Muni Lot, to take one…
Director Anthony Russo to Appear at Parma Best Buy to Promote DVD Release of ‘Avengers: Endgame’
To celebrate the DVD release of Avengers: Endgame, which arrives in stores on Tuesday, Aug. 13, Marvel Studios and directors Anthony and Joe Russo, both of whom are Cleveland natives, have teamed up to launch the We Love You 3,000 tour as a way to “thank the fans who have invested so deeply in the…
Cedar Lee to Screen Toni Morrison Doc to Honor Passing of Ohio Legend
Cleveland Cinemas’ Cedar Lee Theater has made a last-minute addition to its weekend slate of films. The Cleveland Heights movie theater will show the 2019 documentary Toni Morrison: Pieces I Am to honor the passing of an Ohio legend. Cleveland Cinemas’ Marketing Director Dave Huffman told Scene that the film will be playing daily at…
12 Farmers’ Markets Keeping Summer Fresh in Cleveland
With the end of summer looming (say it isn’t so!), it’s time to stock up on fresh produce at your nearby Cleveland farmers’ markets while you still can. Here’s a rundown of all the neighborhood markets here to help you make the most of this season and beyond. The Shaker Square Market (North Union) The original location…
Even Some Republicans Want Ohio Rep. Keller to Resign Following Mass Shooting Post
In a surprise move Monday, Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken publicly called on State Rep. Candice Keller of Middletown to step down, following a social media post of Keller’s that blamed the recent mass shootings in Texas and Ohio on legalized weed, “snowflakes,” Obama, “drag queen advocates” and a whole host of other mind-boggling items. “Candice…
A Day to Remember Coming to Wolstein Center in November
Earlier today, the metalcore/pop-punk act A Day To Remember announced the dates of its fall Degenerates Tour featuring special guests I Prevail and Beartooth. The 30-city trek will kick off on Sept. 6 in Buffalo. It comes to Wolstein Center on Friday, Nov. 15. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday. Sign up…
Swensons Celebrates 85th Anniversary This Week Giving Away Gift Coins At All Locations
Swensons Drive-In Restaurant has officially been slinging Galley Boy burgers in Akron for 85 years. In celebration of the milestone anniversary, the eatery is handing out free Swensons money (in the form of their golden dollar gift coins) at all 12 of its locations throughout Ohio this week. Running through Sunday, Aug. 11, the 85th…
Lorain Native Toni Morrison Has Died at 88
Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison died yesterday at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, the Associated Press has reported, saying she passed away following an illness. The 88-year-old won the Nobel prize for literature in 1993 and was the first black woman to do so. Most known for her novels Beloved, The Bluest…
The Cleveland Orchestra’s Star-Spangled Spectacular and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Month
Classical music events begin spiraling down into the Dog Days of August this week, beginning with Ohio Light Opera, which will present final performances of Perchance to Dream and Girl Crazy on Wednesday the 7th at 2:00 and 7:30 pm, The Devil’s Rider and Music in the Air on Thursday the 8th at 2:00 and…
Opponents Fight to Protect Ohio Wetlands from Development
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio has lost 90 percent of its wetlands, and a proposed project could destroy even more. The Army Corps of Engineers is reviewing a permit for the filling of roughly 15 acres of wetlands for the development of a medical campus in Trumbull County. Colleen McLean, an associate professor of geological and…
Local Rock Acts Pillärs and Wallcreeper to Release a Split 12-Inch LP
The local hard rock band Pillärs [pictured] has just announced that it’ll release a split 12-inch LP with Akron’s Wallcreeper. The album will come out on Friday, Aug. 16, while Pillärs is on tour with Philadelphia’s God Root, and the release party will take place that same day at the Happy Dog. “We feel that this is…
Christ Community Chapel Releases Abuse Report, Pastor Tom Randall Forced to Resign over Fake Emails
Pastor Tom Randall, the subject of a Scene investigative story last week, has resigned from Christ Community Chapel (CCC), a nondenominational Christian church based in Hudson. A 27-page report produced by former FBI agent and current CCC member Suzanne Lewis-Johnson revealed that during her review of sexual abuse allegations at Sankey Samaritan Orphanage, the children’s…
Ohio Rep. Gets Threats After Posting Mass Shootings Caused by ‘Drag Queen Advocates, Obama, Open Borders’
State Rep. Candice Keller of Middletown stirred controversy over the weekend with a social media post claiming that mass shootings are caused by same-sex marriage, marijuana use, violent video games, former President Barack Obama and protesting, among other things. Keller says she has received threats due to the statements and is staying away from the…
Data Breach by Dan Gilbert-Founded Online Sneaker Marketplace StockX Exposed Millions of Customers’ Data
StockX, a Detroit-based online marketplace for sneakers, experienced a data breach — and the breach may have exposed its customers’ personal information. The company said in a message on its website on Monday that it launched a forensic investigation following the incident. “Though our investigation remains ongoing, forensic evidence to date suggests that an unknown…
Diversity Takes Center Stage at This Year’s Lollapalooza
Compared to some of the acts who have headlined Lollapalooza in the past decade, the artists that received top billing at this year’s incarnation of the annual four-day festival that just concluded at Chicago’s Grant Park yesterday, didn’t stack up. In the recent past, Rock Hall inductees such as Metallica, Green Day, Radiohead, the Cure…
Here’s How to Donate to the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund
On the heels of a deadly mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, the country was ravaged with another tragic slaying in downtown Dayton, Ohio, early Sunday morning, leaving at least nine murdered and 27 wounded. For fellow Ohioans who want to help the victims and families affected by this senseless tragedy, the non-profit organization Dayton…
Local Psychedelic Rock Act Zip-Zapp to Release Its New Album This Week
The local psychedelic rock band Zip-Zapp will issue its debut album this week. It’s a delightfully weird one too. The disc begins with the sound of chirping birds and then includes everything from spacey jazz segments to trippy psychedelic rock interludes. It arrives on all streaming services on Friday. On Saturday, the band performs at…
9 Dead After Mass Shooting in Dayton Early Sunday Morning
A shooter opened fire about 1 a.m. Sunday morning in Dayton’s Oregon District, killing nine people and injuring 26, Dayton police say. In a news conference this morning, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley told reporters that the shooter was wearing body armor and carrying extra magazines. No other details about the shooter or the victims has…
Free Period Press Wants Everyone to Try the New Cleveland Metroparks Challenge
Clevelander Lora DiFranco wants people to put down their cell phones, look away from screens and take a big look at the great outdoors. She gets the irony in this, of course, as we’re talking over the phone for an article that will end up online for people to read. “Everything in moderation,” she says.…
In Advance of Next Week’s Agora Show, Bad Religion Guitarist Talks About the Punk Rock Band’s First New Album in Six Years
Bad Religion guitarist Brian Baker wasn’t a member of the punk rock band when it formed in Los Angeles in 1980. But he wasn’t just sitting idle. Rather, he played in Minor Threat, the great Washington D.C.-based hardcore act that had a short but impactful run. After moving to Los Angeles, he lobbied to join…
Bay Village Haunted Garage Sale and Hearse Cruise-In Brings Halloween to August
It’s never too early to kickstart the Halloween season, or at least that’s what Jeff Hartz and his crew at the Cleveland Haunt Club believe. Saturday, Aug. 17, the club hosts the fourth-annual Haunted Garage Sale and Hearse Cruise-In in Bay Village. Yes, hearse cruise-in. Hartz, creator of gothic artwork site Zombie-works.com, tells Scene the inspiration…
EDWINS Bakery to Join EDWINS Butcher Shop on Expanding Campus in Buckeye-Shaker
Brandon Chrostowski isn’t one to sit on his hands. Since launching the pioneering EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, the chef, restaurateur and philanthropist has expanded the scope of his skills-based program for formerly incarcerated men and women to include EDWINS Second Chance Life Skills Center and EDWINS Butcher Shop. He also is a consultant on…
Cleveland Heights Pro-City Manager Group Gets Funding Boost from International Association
The Cleveland Heights political action committee dedicated to retaining the city manager form of government will receive up to $25,000 in matching funds from a global city management organization. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) has pledged to donate up to $25,000 to the Cleveland Heights Citizens for Good Government, a group created to squash…
Trump Campaign Rally in Cincinnati Draws Big Crowds, Protests — and Scuffles
Almost a year and a half before the 2020 election, Cincinnati got a taste of the intensity that will come with the next contest for the nation’s highest office. A campaign rally for Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence almost filled U.S. Bank Arena’s 17,550 seats — and also brought occasional tumult…
The Trevor Bauer Trade and Browns Training Camp — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk social media, happenings at Browns camp and why the Indians felt they had to trade Trevor Bauer. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below. Sign up for Scene’s weekly newsletters to get the latest on Cleveland news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to…
‘Hobbs & Shaw’ Has a Heart of 24-Karat Gold
Much like the franchise off from which it spun, Hobbs & Shaw — the official title of which may actually be “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” — has about as much nuance and depth as an episode of Barney. The various morals and lessons it imparts are simple, yet powerful: Family comes first! Forgiveness…
Update: Scotti’s Italian Eatery in Collinwood May Not Close Up Shop Aug. 16
Update: Following yesterday’s announcement that Scotti’s Italian Eatery would close in the middle of the month, owner Scott Nathanson took to Facebook today to say that thanks to an outpouring of support, the 20-year-old spot may not have to shutter after all. We’ll keep you updated on the eatery’s status in two weeks. *** (Original…
79-Year-Old Cat Lady Might Not Face Jail Time for Feeding Stray Cats in Garfield Heights
A 79-year-old Garfield Heights woman is facing potential jail time for feeding stray cats. Nancy Segula, a self-proclaimed “cat lover,” feeds about eight stray cats, plus kittens, daily outside her home. However, feeding strays violates a Garfield Heights City ordinance, according to a press release from the city. Segula has been convicted of multiple charges…
Gibbs Butcher Block to Expand Brand with Restaurant in Olmsted Falls
For 20 years, Jim Dixon was content with running Gibbs Butcher Block (9858 E. River Rd. N., 440-235-2766) in Columbia Station, home to an endless array of gourmet sausages, hotdogs and burger blends, among many other meaty delicacies. The next thing you know, he’s getting into the restaurant business. “This all came about really fast,”…
The Winners of the 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize Include Poets, Directors and a Jazz Musician
The 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize recipients were announced this morning, awarded to local artists at varying points in their careers. In the emerging artist category, the poet, educator, coach, and mentor Kisha Nicole Foster won for literature and Inlet Dance Theatre’s Dominic Moore-Dunson for theatre and dance. For the mid-career awards, poet, editor, and professor Mary…
The Lumineers to Perform at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in February
The Lumineers have announced a 2020 headlining North American tour of arenas and amphitheaters that includes a stop at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Feb. 8. The tour dates are in support of their upcoming album III. The band has partnered with CID Entertainment to offer fans the opportunity to pair a premium concert ticket with…
In Advance of Next Week’s Blossom Concert, Singer Andy Vargas Reflects on Two Decades of Performing with Santana
After the Latin rock band Santana released Supernatural in 1999, bandleader Carlos Santana put out a casting call that he needed a singer. Andy Vargas, a guy who grew up listening to both mariachi music and R&B responded, thinking he had the right kind of musical background to get the gig. He figured right. He’s…
The Reincarnation of Rolling Acres, One of America’s Most Infamous Dead Malls
Rolling Acres Mall in Akron opened in 1975. I was three years old. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of going to that mall. The mall had only been there for two years, but to a five year old in 1977, it was as permanent and impressive as the pyramids of Egypt. The mall…
Gov. DeWine Says Ohio Can’t Find Execution Drugs
Ohio officials are unable to secure the drugs necessary to put inmates to death via lethal injection, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday, and must cease using them or risk being unable to buy the drugs for other purposes. Companies that sell the drugs have balked at the state using them for executions without telling…
10 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, AUG. 2 Waco Brothers A member of kick ass indie rock acts such as the Mekons and the Waco Brothers, singer-songwriter Jon Langford is also a visual artist. He created all the logos for the Music Box Supper Club, and he also did the artwork you see on the stairs as you walk up…
Cleveland Entrepreneur Has Created a Healthy Cookie Dough Snack Bar
You’d think “healthy foods” and “cookie dough” were mutually exclusive categories, but a new Cleveland-based snack bar company is defying those odds. Whoa Dough, which hit the market a few weeks ago, offers a guilt-free and surprisingly nutritious snack experience. The company is selling five cookie dough bars, all made from simple ingredients and categorized with…
First Cleveland Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens Thursday
The wait is nearly over. Yesterday, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy gave the green light to Rise medical marijuana dispensary to officially open its doors downtown this Thursday. Located nearby Public Square at 1222 Prospect Ave. E., the Dispensary Certificate of Operation allows the shop to offer its wares to those with proper identification and…
A Hudson Megachurch, a Beloved Pastor and the International Sex Abuse Scandal They’ve Tried To Hide
One * * * For a man who purports to be so boldly committed to truth, American missionary and Christian pastor Tom Randall has been at the center of – in fact, may be the chief architect of – a long and wicked deception. Randall is a gregarious man with an earnest, unsophisticated preaching style.…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (July 31-Aug. 6)
WED 07/31 Against the Current You can now head to the Rock Hall plaza on Wednesday nights to see the “bands you need to hear right now.” Part of the Rock Hall’s Summer in the City series, the free concerts begin at 7 p.m. on the PNC main stage. There will be an onsite All-Access…
Awkwafina Shines in Lead Role in ‘The Farewell’
Awkwafina, the New York City rapper and comedian known for her 2018 turns in Ocean’s 8 and Crazy Rich Asians, shows off her range in writer-director Lulu Wang’s masterful family comedy The Farewell. Its subject matter, a family’s collective decision not to tell the matriarch that she’s dying of cancer, doesn’t seem particularly suited for…
It’s Hard to Take Nicolas Cage Seriously in ‘A Score to Settle’
Nicolas Cage has turned in so many over-the-top performances over the years that when he tries to dial things back, like he does in A Score to Settle, a gritty by-the-numbers revenge flick, it’s hard to take him seriously. As a result,A Score to Settle struggles to become the compelling drama it aspires to be.…
A Dozen New Openings Await Cleveland Diners Before the Year is Over
If you’re the type of diner who’s eager to sample new places, you’re in luck. Cleveland will welcome a handful of fresh spots over the next few months. On the front burner is a pair projects from two well-known Cleveland chefs. First up is Jonathon Sawyer, who will open Sawyer’s at the Van Aken District…
Band of the Week: The Regrettes
MEET THE BAND: Lydia Night (vocals, guitar), Genessa Gariano (guitar, backing vocals), Brooke Dickson (bass guitar), Drew Thomsen (drums) SHE LOVES ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: Night, 18, says she can remember listening to the Ramones and Joan Jett when she was just a child. Both acts left a lasting impression. “I was really obsessed with [Joan…
Savage Love: Hard Truths
I’m a woman who married young (21) and I’ve been with my husband for seven years. Within the last year, I’ve realized that my falling libido probably comes from the fact that I am not turned-on by our boring vanilla sex routine. I get so little fulfillment that I’d rather not even do it. I’ve…
