WATCH: Recent Toledo GOP Meeting Sparks Brawl, Campaigns Shut Down by Clevelander
GOP members got a little out of hand at a Republican Party organizational meeting in Lucas County last week, according to a cleveland.com article. Supporters of Bill Delaney, who is currently vying for chairmanship of the Lucas County GOP, began hurling accusations of impropriety at Jon Stainbrook, the incumbent chairman, the article said. A brawl ensued,…
Betty Who Displays Undeniable Stage Presence at House of Blues Cambridge Room
It’s a great time to be a fan of female-fronted electropop, what with the abundance of talented artists operating within the genre—to name a few, Charli XCX, Sky Ferreira, Grimes, Banks and Little Daylight. The Australian Betty Who is the latest artist making waves in this style, thanks to the ’80s-reminiscent sugar rush “Somebody Loves…
Mayor Announces New Agenda Because, Duh, Cleveland’s Not Very Safe
Illustration by JP Sandy Cleveland, known in plenty of circles as a dangerous city and in certain sardonic circles as a city that just won’t stay “in the box,” has a problem. Mayor Frank Jackson knows this. He’s always known this. And on Tuesday this week, the mayor rolled out a shiny new public safety…
Richmond Heights Circus Continues: Only One Appointment at Monday’s Meeting
From the moment Monday night’s Richmond Heights City Council meeting began, it was clear that little would be accomplished, government-wise. Council President David H. Roche, accompanied by a graying, well-kept guest attorney from Walter Haverfield, shuffled off to an executive session immediately after calling the meeting to order, pleading the digital incompetence of his council colleagues. (He…
Ohio Police Seize $11.6 Million Worth of Marijuana
Photo courtesy of Ohio State Highway Patrol Last week we penned a story about a $1.5 million drug bust in Geauga County – a raid that will go down as one of the biggest in county history – but all that’s small potatoes compared to this latest bout of Ohio drug confiscation news: On Saturday,…
Near West Theatre’s Moving On
Since 1978, Near West Theatre has called the St. Pat’s club building on Bridge Ave. home. As they prepare the move to a new venue in the Gordon Square Arts District, 66 performers are taking to the stage one last time to celebrate their longtime space, honor the memories and welcome in a new era…
Batali and Symon to Headline this Year’s Autism Speaks Chef Gala in New Setting
The ante has been raised in a big way for this year’s Autism Speaks Chef Gala, the new fundraiser that replaced Rock Til it Stops. In addition to an expanded roster of culinary talent, the setting — the atrium of the Cleveland Museum of Art — sets the stage for an incredible evening of food,…
10 of the Most Famous Paintings at the Cleveland Museum of Art
It’s hot. It’s muggy out. You’ve got a day off and don’t want to just sit at home, but you’re not in the mood to deal with the grotesque humidity weighing down the air, either. What to do for entertainment? Check out the Cleveland Museum of Art’s vast collection, of course! Sometimes, people don’t realize…
Elvis Costello Digs Deep into his Catalog for Palace Theatre Concert
Joe Kleon When singer-songwriter Elvis Costello came through town to play House of Blues in 2005, he emphasized the hits, playing rousing versions of songs such as “Watching the Detectives” and “Pump It Up” much to the delight of a crowd clearly ready to revel in some nostalgia for the ’80s. Last night’s solo show…
Video: Fans In Lakewood React to Game-Winning U.S. Goal Against Ghana
Doug Brown, Cleveland Scene It was wall-to-wall soccer fans inside Merry Arts Pub & Grille in Lakewood yesterday evening as the United States national team team scored a dramatic late goal to beat Ghana in their first game of the 2014 World Cup. It was crazy hot and packed with sweaty people inside the packed…
Comedian Kevin Hart Promotes New Film at Tower City Cinemas Screening
Emanuel Wallace “He’s always on,” said one reporter as comedian Kevin Hart, in town yesterday to promote his new film Think Like a Man Too, made his way down a red carpet to answer questions from the local media before introducing the film at a special Tower City Cinemas screening. The diminutive star fielded questions…
2 Cleveland-Area Teenagers Arrested Twice in Same Night on Kelleys Island
Two teenagers thought they could drunkenly outwit police of Kelleys Island twice in one night, according to an article in the Sandusky Register. Kelleys Island police responded to a bar fight on May 24 at the Casino and arrested six teenagers for underage consumption, two of whom were spotted again later that same night at a…
Eastlake’s B&H Events Party Center Hosts Balkan World Cup Action
It’s an unassuming storefront in Eastlake with a bright blue awning and the grammatically confusing B&H EVENTS PARTY CENTER which beckons us from Lakeshore Drive. It’s here we will happily watch more soccer. This evening’s contest (Sunday, 6 p.m.) will feature a team making its inaugural appearance in the World Cup (Bosnia & Herzegovina) and…
Rapper Biz Markie to Play Rock Hall’s Rock and Soul Festival
Biz Markie To celebrate Black Music Month, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will host the 17th annual Rock and Soul Festival from noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 29. Artists performing include rapper/beatboxer extraordinaire Biz Markie, West Side Community House’s Summer of Sisterhood, Humble G Tha Fiddla and Crybaby Gangsta.…
Cleveland’s Frontier Airlines is Offering $19 Trips to New York, Chicago, and Washington DC – No Joke
Frontier Airlines — the “poor man’s” airline that slinked into Cleveland Hopkins earlier this year to fill the gaping hole left by United — is offering dirt cheap flights to cities like New York! Chicago! and Washington D.C.! Today only, thrifty travelers can score one way tickets to select locations for $19, and round-trip tickets…
Meeting in Richmond Heights Tonight Will Finally Consider Appointments for Finance & Law Directors
After members of Richmond Heights City Council informed Mayor Miesha Headen that they would be unable to present a quorum at special meetings Friday, Saturday and Sunday, meetings to discuss and (Mayor Headen hoped) approve appointments to the positions of city law director and finance director, and after those meetings were thereby canceled, council has…
Pippa Middleton Rides Through Ohio This Week
If you’re one of the millions of Americans obsessed with the royal family, you’re in luck: Pippa Middleton, sister of Duchess Kate, is riding through Ohio this week as part of the Race Across America, and you may be able to sneak a glimpse. Middleton and her cycling team are expected to sweep through four…
Johnny Manziel Can’t Hear You, He’s Got Too Much Money
Johnny being Johnny. It’s going to be a long month until training camp begins. //instagram.com/p/pSmMaahujb
Terry Tarantino Closes La Strada on Fourth Street. Michael Symon to Open Restaurant
After five years in business, La Strada has closed on East Fourth Street. Saturday night was the restaurant’s last night of service. Tarantino says that he prefers to focus all of his attentions on his other restaurant, La Dolce Vita, which has operated for 25 years in Little Italy. “I should have done this a…
Singer-songwriter Ryan Humbert Announces Encore Performance of Tangled Up In Dylan
One of the more talented singer-songwriters in town, Ryan Humbert has paid tribute to singer Roy Orbison and country icon Hank Williams with elaborate stage shows. Now, he’s giving Bob Dylan the same treatment with Tangled Up In Dylan: The Music of Bob Dylan, a tribute show that will feature many of the singer’s most…
Federal Legislation May Help to Alleviate Lake Erie’s Algal Bloom Problem
If Lake Erie’s greenish hue hasn’t given it away, Cleveland has a bit of algal bloom problem. It’s nothing new — the slimy biomasses, fueled by warm temperatures and phosphorous from fertilizers, have been plaguing the Great Lake since 2002 — but the organisms continue to do great damage to the ecosystem by depriving the…
Scene Podcast: World Cup, Edge of Tomorrow and Movies, and a Preview of Summer Guide
This week, we’re all about the World Cup. Host Craig Lyndall talks with Sam Allard about a bunch of things but starts with the World Cup and Scene’s attempts to watch as many games as we can with folks rooting on their home countries. Yesterday, that took us to Eastlake with the Croatians. Today, we…
Feds Seize $1.5 Million Worth of Drugs, Plus Guns and Cash from Geauga County Home
Photo courtesy of WKYC A huge ass drug bust went down yesterday in Geauga County, resulting in four arrests and the seizure of a whole lot of drugs, guns, and cash. WKYC reports that feds were acting on a search warrant for drug trafficking at an upscale, rented Park View Drive home in Newbury, when…
Cleveland Flea to Relocate. Two New Market Concepts Added to Repertory
This Saturday will be the last Cleveland Flea at Sterle’s for the foreseeable future, says founder Stephanie Sheldon. “We are leaving Sterle’s so that we can put our heads together to come up with a better logistical solution for all of us,” Sheldon explains. “Our goal is always to provide the best experience possible for…
Updated: Blues guitarist Johnny Winter to Make In-Store Appearance at the Exchange In Willoughby
(Originally posted 6/11/2014) Blues guitarist Johnny Winter, who’ll be in town to play the Beachland Ballroom on Friday night, will meet and greet fans that afternoon before the concert at the Exchange in Willoughby. He’ll be at the store, which is located at 35101 Euclid Ave., from 5 to 6 p.m. Winter released his last…
Die Hard Croatian Fans Gather in Eastlake, Shout Obscenities
“When I got [to America] I asked, ‘What is the worst curse word you have?’ says Stjepan Jandric, a Croatian national who lives on Cleveland’s west side and goes by Stipo. “And they said like goddammit or something.” He makes a face to indicate that he’s by no means impressed, that he’s almost insulted by…
‘22 Jump Street’ is Good, Dumb Fun
With the exception of Neighbors, the funny Seth Rogen/Rose Byrne movie about a young couple that feuds with the frat boys who move in next door, the summer hasn’t had much to offer in terms of comedy. As a result, 22 Jump Street provides some needed comic relief, even though it’s not particularly sophisticated stuff.…
Tech Talk: A Chat With Big River CEO Ron Cass
We’ve heard it a thousand times: Cleveland is a rustbelt city in transition. There are many paths to reinvention, but one that holds particular promise is technology. With business accelerators like JumpStart, Bizdom, FlashStarts and LaunchHouse, new companies are blooming in Northeast Ohio and the startup scene is beginning to draw nationwide attention. And the…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (June 13 – 15)
Summer is in full swing, and while weather has been inconsistent this week (what else is new), that’s not stopping a diverse range of hoppin’ venues from hosting fantastic comedians, great musicians, colorful parades, and most excellent beer tastings. If standup by Michael Ian Black, jazz by Walter Beasley, the World Beer Festival, and Parade the…
The Origins of Northeast Ohio-Based Inca Tea
During a hiking trip on the Inca Trail back in 2012, Parma native Ryan Florio and his two friends came upon a local drink he knew he wanted to bring back to Northeast Ohio. “Our Sherpa guide made us this ancient Incan tea,” says Florio. “I fell in love with it.” Once back in Cleveland,…
A Year After Shooting Five Kittens, North Ridgeville Officer Back In News For Shooting Young Raccoon In Front of Kids
North Ridgeville humane officer Barry Accorti has a penchant for blasting helpless animals in front of people. Last June, the former detective and SWAT team commander made headlines after a homeowner discovered a feral cat and her five kittens, leading to Accorti pulling out his gun and shooting them all, sending them “to kitty heaven”…
Cleveland-born Actress Ruby Dee Has Died at 91
Acclaimed Cleveland-born actress Ruby Dee, a mural of whom now graces Karamu House, died surrounded by family and friends at her home in New York State today. She was 91. Though Dee’s family moved to New York City when she was still a baby, she returned to Cleveland often during the course of her extensive…
Singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne’s Concert at Nautica Caters to Couples
Give the Black Keys Dan Auerbach credit. Auerbach produced singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne’s new album, Supernova and really lit a fire under his ass, providing some much-needed spark to the man’s tempered music. That energy didn’t entirely translate to last night’s show at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, though LaMontagne did perk up by set’s end. Backed…
Ohio’s Serial Raft Fucker Strikes Again
Edwin Tobergta was arrested on charges of public indecency recently near Cincinnati after folks spotted him near the side of the road having sex with an inflatable pink raft, according to WFLA. That sentence would be strange enough before knowing that this isn’t the first, not even the second, and not even the third time…
Free Summer Concert Series Comes to Lake View Cemetery
Photo via Wikimedia Commons If you’re on the hunt for more free fun this summer look no further than Lake View Cemetery, which just announced plans to launch a new summer concert series. Local musicians will take to the lawn in front of Lake View’s iconic Garfield Monument four Sunday afternoons this summer to perform…
Kevin Knoefel Found Guilty Of Plotting Wife’s Murder
Kevin Knoefel, top left, convinced his foster daughter Sabrina Zunich, bottom left, to kill his wife. The murder was the subject of a September 2013 Scene cover story In Nov. 2012, 18-year-old Sabrina Zunich stabbed her foster mother 178 times, brutally killing Lisa Knoefel in front of the the 41-year-old’s teenage and infant daughters. Today…
VIDEO: Dion Waiters Hosted Swanky Party in Philly
Dion Waiters, Scene’s staff pick for “Best Athlete” in last month’s Best of Cleveland Awards, hosted a glamorous, black-tie party in his hometown of Philadelphia last weekend. No word yet, on whether it aroused the ire of neighbors as his pool party did in 2013. There’s not much newsworthy to report, other than the presence…
9 Local Beers Every Clevelander Should Know About
Forgo the six-pack of Bud, please. You live in Cleveland, and that means you’re privileged with dozens upon dozens of local craft brew options. From the Conway brothers and the birth of Great Lakes decades ago to the ever-burgeoning brewery scene that seems to drop a new operation on Cleveland every month, there isn’t anything…
Northeast Ohio Native Finds Success on New Sitcom ‘Undateable’
Rick Glassman introduces his father Steve while on the ‘Undateable’ set On the bio posted on the NBC website for Undateable, the new sitcom on which he stars as Burski, a dufus who hangs out at the bar frequented by the show’s loveable losers, comic Rick Glassman says he moved from Northeast Ohio to L.A.…
Chris Robinson Brotherhood Grooves Sublimely at Beachland Ballroom
The stage was all bedecked with psychedelic tapestries and eerie imagery (an owl perched atop the amps stage-right). Even before sunset, the crowd numbered some 300 strong, and would grow to near 450 or so. Healthy, but not too packed. Perfect, in fact. We all sort of assembled throughout the room, many of us having…
Cedar Point Season Gets Off to a Rocky Start With Shutdown, Employee Arrests
America’s favorite themepark seems to be off to a rough start this summer. After a water line broke last weekend and caused a two-day long shutdown of the entire park, 16 Cedar Point employees were arrested at 3 a.m. on Sunday after a mass brawl broke out at the park’s rec center, according to the Sandusky Register. 16…
If You Were Leaving Cleveland Forever, What Would You Get For Your Last Meal?
Redditer TPH2 posted a query on the social sharing site last night asking, simply, If you were leaving Cleveland forever, what would you get for your last meal? Oh, how the impassioned responses have flooded in (each more “Clevelandy” than the next). Here are some our favorites: funkmunk3y: Geraci’s large pepperoni rcc13:[Mitchell’s] Caramel fudge brownie…
Keith Olbermann Calls Frank Jackson the World’s Worst Person In Sports
In the midst of the sin tax and win tax and taxy tax talks after county exec Ed FitzGerald proposed some amorphous plan to tie some of the sin tax money allotment to team performance on the field (we don’t fully understand it either), mayor Frank Jackson came out in opposition to the plan. Fitz…
Chrissie Hynde’s First Solo Album, ‘Stockholm’ is Uneven
Chrissie Hynde Stockholm (Caroline) chrissiehynde.com Hard to believe that this is the first solo effort from the Pretenders’ singer Chrissie Hynde. Somehow, despite the untimely deaths of several of her bandmates, the Akron native has managed to keep the Pretenders going for nearly 40 years, but she maintains that it’s a mistake to think of…
Picking up the Torch: The Red Lantern Version 2.0 Will Keep You Coming Back to West Park
Every time it looks as if the West Park neighborhood is growing fit for foodies, another few chains and sports bars come in to spoil the momentum. The latest volley in the ongoing battle has been lobbed by Cory Rowland and his partners, who this past March opened Red Lantern Kitchen and Bar. We should…
Jack White Shows off Guitar Skills on ‘Lazaretto’
Jack White Lazaretto (Third Man Records) jackwhiteiii.com Singer-guitarist Jack White has been sparring with the Black Keys lately. His claim is that they stole his sound and used it to become the multi-platinum superstars that they now are. That argument might have had more validity were White still slugging it out with the garage blues…
Oh Cheesus! – Ohio’s Cheese Renaissance
In recent years, Ohio cheeses have been popping up at an increasing rate at local restaurants, markets and grocery stores. There’s a good reason for that, of course: Ohio’s cheesemakers are producing some really fantastic offerings. Brian Moran, owner of Cleveland’s Lake Erie Creamery, says Ohio cheese producers are enjoying a renaissance for a number…
Film Review of the Week: All the Light in the Sky
Director Joe Swanberg effectively coupled his mumblecore stylistics with a relatable love story and a refreshing setting (a microbrewery in Chicago) in last year’s indie rom-com Drinking Buddies. This year’s All the Light in the Sky, a festival circuit flick which plays at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque is…
Film Spotlight: The Signal
Two summers ago, Tyler Davidson, the Northeast Ohio-based movie producer who was behind Sundance Film Festival hits such as Take Shelter and Compliance, read the script for The Signal, a strange sci-fi flick about a group of teens who have an extraterrestrial experience in the middle of the desert. “I loved the script,” he says…
A Glorious Romp Outdoors: All the Fun and Frivolity of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Achieved in this Traveling, Free-of-Charge Show
This week it is finally, unquestionably, officially summer. So it’s safe to uncurl from your fetal, polar vortex position, put away your electrically-heated Snuggie, and emerge into the sunlight. Another sure sign of summer is that the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival is up and running again, offering free productions of two of old Will’s scribblings at…
Honest Atmosphere: Slug and Ant Keep Kickin’ the Truth into Middle Age
Sean Daley needs to make sure his toilet flushes properly. His kid put “way too much toilet paper in there.” Of course, there’s nothing worse than a clogged toilet. Such are the domestic distractions of the guy who most notably goes by the name Slug — one half of the dynamic hip-hop duo Atmosphere and…
Head of the Class: Kaiser Chiefs’ New Album Education, Education, Education and War has Singles to Spare
The Brit-pop band the Kaiser & Chiefs are a hugely successful act and just played several big festivals in Europe. But the band originally got off to a rocky start. Initially called Parva, it signed a label deal shortly after forming in 2000. Upon issuing their debut, 22, group members figured they’d made it. They…
No Ordinary Remix: Veteran DJ Paul Oakenfold Talks about his Unique Tribute to Trance
The Beatles had such a huge influence on popular music that they even inspired Paul Oakenfold. Yes, that Paul Oakenfold. The guy who’s been playing electronic dance music well before it was cool to play electronic dance music. The guy whose name is synonymous with trance and house music. The guy who partied in Ibiza…
Band of the Week: LiLi Roquelin
Meet the Band: LiLi Roquelin (vocals, piano) The French Connection: Singer-songwriter LiLi Roquelin was born in France and played in a few pop-rock bands there before she moved to Northeast Ohio in 2002. While at Kent State, she met the guys in the hard-rock group Hate Dies Hard and joined the band as a vocalist.…
Star Trek’s Cleveland Roots: Roddenberry at the Cleveland ConCoction
Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, the son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is the Guest of Honor at the Cleveland ConCoction, a sci-fi and gaming convention in its inaugural year at the airport Sheraton Hotel a couple weekends ago. Roddenberry, who’s pictured always with hair cut short and stalagmitically gelled, is today sporting a longer look.…
Big Opportunities: The Opportunity Corridor’s New Director Discusses Project Goals and Controversy
Marie Kittredge, the former executive director of Slavic Village Development, has been appointed the civic liaison for the Opportunity Corridor’s Steering Committee. Basically, she’ll be overseeing everything: community relations; economic, infrastructural, and sustainable development; commercial outreach; fundraising. Kittredge, a longtime neighborhood advocate and public transit enthusiast who has lived in Slavic Village since 1988, starts…
Also on Stage
Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Through Life If you’re lonely for the kind of polished and unabashedly sentimental lounge acts that Vegas is famous for, then you need to take a relaxing dip in Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Through Life, now at the Cleveland Play House. Back in the day, the now 70-year-old Maurice was one-third of the…
Redemption Song: A Portrait of Life at 2100 Lakeside Avenue
Lakeside Avenue quickly but very subtly shifts itself eastward from the addresses of the Jones Day law offices at East 9th Street into a far different world. By the time you reach the East 20s, you’re in another Cleveland, one that people don’t talk about too often and one that houses, among other things, the…
First Aid Kit Distills its Country Folk Sound on ‘Stay Gold’
First Aid Kit Stay Gold (Columbia) thisisfirstaidkit.com It’s not often that YouTube sensations become successful recording artists. First Aid Kit is the exception. After a 2008 music video went viral, the group started touring and recording. Its career picked up when it teamed with Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley) for 2012’s The Lion’s Roar.…
