Fitz and the Tantrums Frontman and Young the Giant Drummer Talk About Their Co-Headlining Tour That’s Coming to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Two bands from Southern California known for their high-energy live shows, Fitz and the Tantrums and Young the Giant have teamed up for a co-headlining tour that brings them to town on Sunday, June 30, to perform at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. A neo-soul group, Fitz and the Tantrums are currently finishing a new album…
Croatia, Ireland Among Most Popular Vacation Destinations for Clevelanders This Summer
With summer officially kicking off Friday, we at Scene wanted to know where Clevelanders are most likely to vacation when they choose to hit the road. As Lisa Fuard, the owner of Cleveland’s Kaufman Travel, tells Scene, the determining factors in summer travel are affordability and how much time vacationers have available — essentially, the old…
The Baseball Project to Perform at the Rock Hall On July 7, 8 and 9
A few years back, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills formed the Baseball Project, a band that was a way to “musical tribute” to our national pastime. The group also includes Steve Wynn of the Dream Syndicate and Steve Wynn & the Miracle 3 and drummer Linda Pitmon. The sideproject has flourished; it’s released three…
Jazz Bassist Christian McBride Talks About His Upcoming Tribute to Soul Singer Bobby Womack
Christian McBride, who’ll pay tribute to the late, great soul singer Bobby Womack next week as part of Tri-C’s annual JazzFest, had an opportunity to meet Womack, but he chickened out. “I came very close to meeting Bobby Womack, but I got nervous,” he says via phone from his New York office. His tribute to…
6 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 Over the Rhine/Scott Mulvahill This year signifies 30 years since the alternative rock act Over the Rhine first formed in Cincinnati. To celebrate, the band has hit the road this summer and brings its anniversary tour to the Kent Stage, a venue that the group has played many times, tonight. The tour…
Former Clevelander Romero Mosley Releases the First Single From His Forthcoming New Album
Six years ago, local producer Romero Mosley he had just released his terrific debut, Lucid Dreams, a mixtape of sorts that features vocal contributions from some of the city’s best R&B singers and rappers. Now based in L.A., Mosley is putting the finishing touches on his new album, Forever Is For Dreamers. The album is…
Akron-Based EarthQuaker Devices Teams Up With Hard Rock Act SUNN O))) To Create a New Guitar Pedal
Akron-based EarthQuaker Devices has just announced that it has collaborated with the hard rock act SUNN O))) to create Life Pedal, a limited, hand-numbered tube amp designed to “crush octave fuzz and distortion with boost.” Life Pedal provides the kind of “full spectrum overdriven sonic palette” as found on SUNN O)))’s recent Life Metal. According…
Poetry for People Who Hate Poetry, No. 10
This is the tenth column in a monthly series by Dave Lucas, the Poet Laureate of the State of Ohio. You can read his previous columns here. *** But does poetry actually change anything? Does it need to? Maybe poets are, as Percy Bysshe Shelley writes, “the unacknowledged legislators of the world.” Or maybe W.…
Geraci’s Gears Up for Restaurant No. 3 in Mayfield
Isn’t that always the case? Geraci’s waits 63 years to open its second restaurant and the next thing you know… The family behind the legendary Italian restaurant, which opened its original spot in University Heights (2266 Warrensville Ctr. Rd., 216-371-5643) in 1956, and its second location last year in Pepper Pike (29425 Chagrin Blvd., 216-831-1595),…
Meek Mill and Future To Bring Their Co-Headlining Tour to Blossom in September
Earlier today, rappers Meek Mill and Future announced they’ll hit the road together for the first time ever this fall on their co-headline Legendary Nights Tour. They will be joined by special guests YG, Mustard and Megan Thee Stallion. The tour stops at Blossom on Sept. 4. Citi is the official presale credit card of…
Wait in Line Virtually with Ohio BMV’s New Electronic Queuing Service
While you’ll never get back time spent waiting in line at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), a new online check-in system could eliminate future losses. On Monday, Gov. Mike DeWine introduced a pilot program that allows BMV customers to reserve their spots online, rather than braving in-person wait times. The “Get in Line, Online” program, rolled…
State Lawmakers Urge Reforms to How Ohio Enforces Local Jail Compliance
Ohio state Senator Nickie Antonio and Ohio state Rep. Jeff Crossman spoke today in advance of planned but as-of-yet unwritten legislation the pair of Democrats says is needed to help the state enforce compliance and safety in local jails. The backbone of the policies, which were announced at a press conference this morning, would allow…
Cuyahoga County Dems Violated Their own Bylaws in Lakewood Endorsements
Lakewood’s members of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Executive Committee met Saturday at the Lakewood Public Library to vote on candidate endorsements for mayor and four city council races. Scene reported Monday that mayoral candidate Sam O’Leary received the party endorsement despite turning in a candidate questionnaire late, after his opponent Meghan George’s answers had…
Cleveland Garlic Fest Turns 10 This Summer, Still Worth the Bad Breath
After eating a bulb’s worth of garlic, your breath turns rank and your skin reeks. But it’s completely worth downing a bunch of garlic-laced food at the 10th annual Cleveland Garlic Festival, running Sat, Aug. 24-Sun, Aug. 25 at Shaker Square — especially if the person you like to get closest with also imbibes — because it…
A Magical Production of ‘Man of LaMancha’ at Porthouse Theatre
In their production of the classic Man of LaMancha, the folks at Kent State University’s Porthouse Theatre have not only tapped into the show’s theme but have embodied it completely. In Dale Wasserman’s 1965 musical, playwright Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant, Sancho Panza, have been thrown in a jail cell to wait judgement from…
Maura Rogers and the Bellows to Donate Proceeds From Thursday’s Show at the Beachland to Friends of the Cleveland Kennel
Local filmmaker Dan Krivenki, a senior video editor for Think Media Studios, directed “June,” the fantastic new music video from local rockers Maura Rogers and the Bellows. “Working with Maura Rogers and the Bellows was wonderful,” he says in a press release. “This group shines on camera, living every moment of their performance, and they…
The Paradox Prize Aims to Address the Gap Between Transportation and Jobs in Northeast Ohio, But Is the Problem Really a Paradox?
The folks at the Fund for Our Economic Future and other organizations want to hear from you. Well, more specifically, they want to hear your ideas for new and innovative solutions for one of the region’s most wicked problems — spatial mismatch. Over the next few years, the Fund plans to allocate up to a…
Cleveland History Days Return For the Second Time This Weekend
For all the history buffs and Cleveland evangelists out there, the second annual Cleveland History Days kicks off on Friday. This 10-day series, which boasts 37 events, explores the city’s vibrant history primarily through behind-the-scenes tours of Cleveland’s historical landmarks. It also includes lectures and festivals. The series begins with with an induction ceremony at…
‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ Coming to the Hanna Theatre in January
An unauthorized parody of the hit TV sitcom, The Office, The Office! A Musical Parody centers on a typical morning at Scranton’s fictitious paper company and includes moments from all nine seasons of the sitcom. The show comes to the Hanna Theatre on Friday, Jan. 23, Saturday, Jan. 24 and Sunday, Jan. 25. Tickets go…
Mahall’s 20 Lanes to Host Rock the Lead Out: A Lead-Safe Housing Initiative Fundraiser on June 26
The Ohio Student Association has teamed up with the Cleveland Lead Advocates for Safe Housing (CLASH) to host Rock the Lead Out: A Lead-Safe Housing Fundraising Concert. The event takes place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26, at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood. CLASH is in the midst of collecting signatures for local legislation…
Stone Temple Pilots and Rival Sons Coming to the Agora in September
One of the biggest bands in the ’90s, Stone Temple Pilots have somehow found a way to forge ahead without singer Scott Weiland, who died four years ago. Last year, the band issued its seventh studio album, its first with new singer Jeff Gutt, a veteran of the Detroit music scene. “The chemistry was there…
Cuyahoga County Dems Endorse Sam O’Leary for Lakewood Mayor Under Questionable Circumstances
On June 15, the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party endorsed Lakewood City Councilman Sam O’Leary in the Lakewood mayoral race. O’Leary’s council term will end in December of this year, so losing the mayoral election would also mean the loss of his elected position. In emails revealed to Scene, it appears that O’Leary not only submitted…
Improv Death Match Celebrates Its One-Year Anniversary with Thursday’s Show at Mahall’s
Produced by Sam Dee, the founder of Mass Hysteria, Cleveland’s “female-focused” comedy festival, Improv Death Match celebrates its one-year anniversary with a special show that takes place at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood. In the competition, each troupe performs a 20-minute set based on an audience suggestion. One prevails as…
Rancid to Play the Agora in September
Two years ago, the veteran ska/punk band Rancid issued its ninth studio album, Trouble Maker. Now, the group has just announced more tour dates in support of the disc. The San Francisco Bay Area band comes to the Agora on Sept. 19 with Pennywise, the English Beat and Angel Du$t. A special presale takes place…
Northeast Ohio Survived Another (Tiny) Earthquake Over the Weekend
Following the shake up that felt something like a large concrete truck driving by last week, the United States Geological Survey reports that another earthquake has hit Northeast Ohio. While last week’s quake hit 4.5 on the Richter magnitude scale and was barely felt, the one that rolled out in Lake County around 10:30 p.m.…
Ohio City to Get a Combined 16-Bit and Pins Mechanical Co.
Since launching, in 2013, the popular 16-Bit bar-cade concept built around the nostalgia of classic arcade games, Troy Allen has been on an absolute tear. Under the banner of Rise Brands, Allen and his team have gone on to open three additional 16-Bit locations in Ohio (including Lakewood) and have units under construction in Charlotte,…
Feds Reach $32.5 Million Settlement With Quicken Loans in Mortgage Fraud Lawsuit
Almost four years after the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Quicken Loans alleging that the mortgage lender violated underwriting rules, causing tens of millions of dollars in losses to the government in FHA-backed loans, the two sides have reached a settlement. While the Feds had been targeting a number as high as…
Hozier to Perform at the Akron Civic Theatre in November
Currently on the festival circuit, singer-songwriter Hozier has announced a set of dates for the fall, and the jaunt includes a November 7 stop at the Akron Civic Theatre. The Irish singer-songwriter had a hit with his debut album that yielded hits such as “Take Me To Church,” “Someone New,” “Work Song” and “From Eden.”…
Indie Rockers Vampire Weekend Take an Adventurous Approach at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Improbably, at least by the standards of the bleak start of summer in Cleveland, Vampire Weekend’s stop at Jacob’s Pavilion at Nautica last night couldn’t have landed on a better night, as a mostly millennial crowd of fans caught a sold-out show of tunes as breezy and fun as the Lake Erie waves that backdrop…
This Weekend’s First-Ever Cleveland Lantern Fest Postponed Due to Rain
The lake shore of Voinovich Park were supposed to get lit this Saturday with Cleveland’s first-ever Water Lantern Festival. But due to a rainy and stormy Father’s Day Weekend forecast, event officials have opted to postpone to Saturday, August 17. Tickets that were previously purchased will still be honored for the rescheduled date. The event schedule is…
Trisha Yearwood to Perform at the State Theatre in October
Over the course of a career that stretches back three decades, country singer-songwriter Trisha Yearwood has won numerous Grammy, Country Music Association and American Country Music awards. A singer, actress, author, chef, personality and entrepreneur, she just released her first solo full-length since 2007, a collection of Frank Sinatra covers and one original tune. She…
GCP Supports State Ban on Plastic Bag Regs, Reminding Us That They Are a Business Lobby
Plain Dealer editor George Rodrigue, appearing Friday on WCPN’s Reporters Roundtable, reminded listeners that the Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP) is first and foremost a Chamber of Commerce. It’s the state’s largest chamber, in fact, with about 11,000 constituent businesses — businesses like the local grocery chain Heinen’s — and GCP’s central purpose is advocating on…
Dee Jay Silver to Perform at FWD Day + Nightclub on July 4
Dee Jay Silver’s first gig with country superstar Jason Aldean took place in Little Rock, Arkansas some ten years ago; the two have been tour mates ever since. Now, Silver, who recently released a new single, “Getaway Driver,” has announced a special Fourth of July appearance at FWD Day + Nightclub. The FWD event will…
‘Toy Story 4’-Themed RV Coming to Crocker Park on Tuesday
An RV figures prominently in the forthcoming Pixar film Toy Story 4. And to build anticipation for the film (it arrives in theaters on June 21), a Toy Story 4-themed RV has hit the road and will stop in 20 cities. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, it’ll arrive at Crocker Park (near…
Trump Campaign Hasn’t Paid Security Invoices for Ohio Rally Last Year, Other Major Campaign Events
President Donald Trump’s Oct. 12, 2018 campaign rally in Lebanon, Ohio brought a lot of excitement. But, according to a report published yesterday by the Center for Public Integrity, the campaign left something else behind — a $16,191 bill for security services fronted by city taxpayers. According to the report, the bill — which includes…
Lakewood Also Allows a 4 a.m. Last Call for MLB All-Star Game Week
Not to be left behind, the city of Lakewood has also chosen to allow certain bars the privilege of extending last call to 4 a.m. during the MLB All-Star Game week. While Cleveland allowed 76 bars to run late into the early morning, Lakewood chose only seven spots (which were the only to apparently apply…
The Opening of Cleveland’s First White Castle in 1987 Was the Place to Be
Thanks to Redditor gawdlygoo, we can all now watch and enjoy a snippet from Channel 5’s coverage of White Castle’s Cleveland-area debut in 1987 as the burger chain opened its doors in Parma. The magic starts pretty early — a scruffy looking Lake County resident who drove to Parma and waited in line for an…
Cleveland Stonewall Dems: Bill Mason Appointment Puts County on Wrong Side of History
The Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, an organization dedicated to promoting political candidates who support LGBT rights and social justice, are evidently unmoved by the early rhetoric from Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish’s new Chief of Staff, Bill Mason. In comments to cleveland.com — the only local outlet to celebrate the malodorous move — Mason said that…
Here’s the New Music Video From Local Indie Rockers Suitcase Runaway
Local indie rockers Suitcase Runaway are in the process of wrapping up work on a new EP. In advance of that release, they’ve reissued “Strike a Nerve,” a song from their first album, 2017’s Short Stories Vol. 2. The rerecorded the tune, and they’ve also filmed a music video for the track. “The music video…
Swensons Drive-In Plans to Add A New Location in Brooklyn
Swensons Drive-In continues its takeover of the Cleveland area, recently announcing plans for another new location. This time around the renowned Akron-based cheeseburger company is adding a spot in Brooklyn at 4660 Ridge Road. The Brooklyn Planning Commission recently approved the restaurant group to tear down an old plaza and put up a 1,700-square-foot building in its…
Canton Native to Appear on Next Week’s Episode of ‘Songland’
An Ohio native who grew up in Canton, singer-songwriter Rynn left Northeast Ohio a few years ago to study at Belmont University. While there, she released her debut EP, Nightfire. That EP spawned the hit “Islands,” a song that’s been streamed on Spotify more than 8.5 million times. Two years ago, Rynn moved to L.A.…
Cleveland.com’s Insulting and Surprising Endorsement of Bill Mason
To read Cleveland.com’s ecstatic, full-throated endorsement of Bill Mason’s appointment as chief of staff to beleaguered and incompetent county executive Armond Budish, one would assume that its author not only did not work at the region’s largest news organization during Mason’s tenure as prosecutor and the first county corruption scandal, but that the author was…
Edgewater Live Canceled Again Due to Weather, Makeup Concert Now Added to August
Just two weeks after the popular Edgewater Live concert series at Edgewater Park Beach was supposed to debut, the event is once again canceled today due to potential rain and/or storms. While last week’s kick off event went off without a hitch (you can see photos from that right here), that’s two weeks of overall…
Watch This Dump Truck Get Stuck Under a Lakewood Traffic Light
There are days when you forget where you put your car keys and your phone and even where you parked after leaving the grocery store. But at least you can feel better knowing you aren’t as forgetful as this dump truck driver who failed to put his/her back bed down before attempting to head through…
In Advance of Her Upcoming Music Box Supper Club Show, Juliana Hatfield Talks About Her Terrific New Album
A couple of years ago, singer-songwriter Juliana Hatfield was struggling to write songs for a new studio album. But then Donald Trump was elected president, and the songs quickly came to her as she tried to capture her outrage for what would become her 2017 album Pussycat. So did it feel cathartic to release that…
Josh and Maria Cribbs to Host New Cleveland Talk Show on Channel 19
Cleveland’s WOIO Channel 19 has announced that former Browns receiver and Kent State alum Josh Cribbs and his wife Maria Cribbs, a local writer, producer and activist, will together host a morning talk show beginning Sept. 9. “Cribbs in the CLE: Josh and Maria Live” will air on weekdays from 9 to 9:30 a.m. on…
Singer-Guitarist Erika Wennerstrom, Who Plays the Beachland Ballroom Next Week, Talks About Her Introspective Solo Debut
Formed back in 2003, the garage rock band Heartless Bastards emerged from the ashes of the Dayton-based garage rock act Shesus. With a little help from Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, a fan of the band who passed their demo on to the folks at the Fat Possum label, the group inked a record deal…
Proposal in Ohio Senate Would (Slightly) Boost Local Government Funding. But There’s a Catch
As state lawmakers work to put the finishing touches on the state’s budget, a proposal in the Ohio Senate would boost somewhat the amount of money from state tax revenues that go to municipalities. The state’s biennial budget is in the final stages of completion ahead of the June 30 end of the fiscal year.…
Wade Oval Wednesday Returns to Cleveland Tonight
Wade Oval Wednesday is celebrating its 15th year at University Circle tonight, the first of several WOW nights throughout the summer. Free to the public, this Cleveland tradition features weekly concerts in a whole host of genres, as well as movie screenings, theme nights, vendors and food trucks. Concerts generally go from 6 p.m. to…
Cavaliers Make Landmark Hire With Female Assistant Coach
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavaliers are making history with the hiring of Lindsay Gottlieb, formerly the head coach of the women’s basketball team at University of California-Berkeley. While Gottlieb isn’t the first female assistant in the NBA (Becky Hammon with the San Antonio Spurs was the first female to be a full-time assistant)…
Here’s the Schedule for the Cleveland Museum of Art’s City Stages Series
The Cleveland Museum of Art’s City Stages, a summer concert siers that takes place in front of the Transformer Station will return on three Wednesday evenings in July. The series kicks off on July 10 with Tal National, a group that relies upon traditional arrangements of West African folk songs and incorporates hemes of “love, tolerance,…
DeWine: Ohio Will Request Federal Help for Memorial Day Tornado Damage
The damage caused by 21 tornadoes that tore through Ohio two weeks ago is more than state and local governments can handle on their own, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said yesterday as the state requested help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those storms left one person dead and dozens injured and resulted in at…
Finals, Father’s Day and (American) Fireworks — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac recap a wild game 5, play a little Glory Days, caution against overreaction and send out Father’s Day wishes. Subscribe on iTunes here or stream below.
Armond Budish is Appointing Former Prosecutor Bill Mason — BILL MASON — as Chief of Staff
Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish is reportedly poised to appoint former County Prosecutor Bill Mason as his Chief of Staff. Channel 19 broke the story Tuesday evening that Mason would be appointed today, and while the county would not officially confirm for Scene, a spokesperson did say that an “announcement” would likely be made in…
How I Accidentally Wound Up Running an Outlaw Biker Gang in Ohio
I knew something was wrong the second I heard Willie Beard’s voice. For one thing, he was calling the landline; he’d never done that. For another, I’d gotten to know him over the past several months, and the dude was almost 100 percent night owl, but now he was reaching out on a Sunday afternoon.…
Thyme Table Trades ‘Ambitious’ for ‘Approachable’
By the time you get off work and make your way to Thyme Table in Bay Village, the “Bay Moms,” as one staffer affectionately called them, have been merrily sipping white wine at the bar for at least an hour. Stroll in at the uncivilized hour of 6 p.m. and already the dining room is…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (June 12-18)
WED 06/12 Dear Evan Hansen The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen makes its way to Cleveland this month amidst lots of hype. The story centers on a man who wants to fit in and features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony and Academy Award winners Benj Pasek…
This is a Movie Review About the New Jim Jarmusch Film, ‘The Dead Don’t Die’
Shortly into the second or third scene of the Jim Jarmusch meta zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die, singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson’s “The Dead Don’t Die,” begins playing on a car radio belonging to police chief Cliff Robertson (Bill Murray). His deputy, Ronnie Peterson (Adam Driver), notes matter-of-factly that Simpson’s country ballad is the theme song.…
Emma Thompson Shines in ‘Late Night,’ the Feel-Good Film of the Month
Late Night, written by The Office and The Mindy Project writer-star Mindy Kaling and starring Kaling alongside Her Majesty Emma Thompson, is a buttery, oven-ready PG-13 comedy of a sort that has been displaced in recent years by raunchier R-rated fare. Bursting with the same effervescence that Kaling herself projects, Late Night is worthy of…
Band of the Week: The Allman Betts Band
Meet the Band: Devon Allman (vocals, guitar), Duane Betts (vocals, guitar), Berry Oakley Jr. (bass), Johnny Stachela (slide guitar), R. Scott Bryan (percussion) and John Lum (percussion). A MUSICAL FRIENDSHIP: Allman and Betts originally met in the late ’90s and have played together numerous times since then, but they only formally assembled the Allman Betts…
Savage Love: Shop Around
I’m a straight cis woman in my early 40s and a single mother. I have not dated or hooked up with anyone in years. While I miss dating, the biggest issue right now is that my sex drive is off the charts. While watching porn and masturbating once my child goes to sleep helps, I…
