Music lineup Set for Waterloo Arts Fest Saturday
If you missed singer-songwriter Corissa Bragg at Pride last weekend, you can catch her at the Waterloo Arts Fest With transitions taking place at Arts Collinwood, Beachland Ballroom owner Cindy Barber and her staff took on the booking for the Waterloo Arts Fest from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday. She’s assembled one of the most…
The Quality of Cleveland Life Report
Your guide to living in fabulous Cleveland. The New Starbucks: After already setting up shop inside the casino and The Q, Michael Symon and Rocco Whalen announce plans to open restaurants inside Browns Stadium. Next up after that: a B-Spot inside Fahrenheit. We Play Stuff: Another new rock radio station will be launching in Cleveland…
Make Obama and Romney Fight With a Cleveland App Company’s Game
Before Mitt Romney and Barack Obama square off in November for all the electoral college marbles, questions linger heavy in the air like the musty, dead scent that wafts off the Koch brothers: Which way will Ohio swing? Will the economy rebound in time for Obama to ride the wave of revival to a second…
Another New Rock Station Coming to Cleveland
Back in May, Cleveland airwaves were graced with the launch of 99.1, a “new” rock station that sounded a lot like the old rock stations. You want Nickelback? We got your Nickelback. It plays the usual rotation of radio rock, from the Black Keys to Pearl Jam to Smashing Pumpkins. Yawn. Toss it in with…
Louis C.K. is Coming to Cleveland in October
Good news, Cleveland: Louis C.K. is coming to Severance Hall on October 3, the first date on a tour filled with mirth and new material. Not shockingly, some of the shows are already sold out. Not Cleveland. Not yet at least. He’s selling tickets only through his site for a bunch of reasons, lots of…
Cedar Point Does ‘Call Me Maybe’
Carly Rae Jepsen will be performing “Call Me Maybe” and whatever else she sings — “Call Me Maybe” a second time? — at Cedar Point on July 7. The park did a lip-dub of the infectious song to pump up the jams and excitement for her appearance. It’s not Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, but…
Recapping the Super Important Tater-Tot Eating Competition
At 6’ 7”, Chance DeWerth, 29, probably doesn’t need a strategy for eating. But he has one anyway. “It’s all mental. Your mind tells you you’re full, but you have to push on. I just put music on and don’t think about it,” he says. You might assume he can’t ignore the aftermath (to put…
A Perfect Pride
Fred Phelps must be wrong, because the weather was perfect for the 24th annual Cleveland Pride Parade and Festival at Voinovich Park Saturday. Costumed “angels” spread their wings to hide the haters near the Free Stamp from view, and love was in the air everywhere, as people of every age, color and gender and combinations…
Video: Stuff LeBron Haters Say
Might have heard a few of these around town in the last few weeks.
Carlos Jones Is Making a Video, and You’re Invited
It sounds like the quintessential summer experience: a summer evening on the beach and the warm and sunny music of popular Cleveland roots-reggae ensemble Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band — for free. It’s not an “official” gig on their schedule — but Carlos and the group will be filming a video at 6:30 p.m.…
Singer Pays Tribute to Chardon Dead With Horribly Titled Song
We’re sure singer Howard Washington II had good intentions when he penned a tribute to the three Chardon High School students killed by a gun-wielding classmate on February 27. But did he have to call the song “Pardon Me Chardon”? Off the top of our head, “garden” is the only other word we can think…
Art Fur Animals Raises a Record Amount; Needy Animals Rejoice
A former Cleveland Kennel client Art Fur Animals benefits Friends of the Cleveland Kennel’s efforts to care for and re-home neglected, abused and stray animals. This past Friday’s 8th annual event, which took place at the 78th Street Galleries SmART Space, was its most successful yet, raising an estimated $25,000 between admission, the silent auction…
Cleveland Weatherman’s Forecast Turns Into Vent Session for Heat/Thunder Game
Yeah, the Heat beat the Thunder last week. If you haven’t seen it yet, WEWS meteorologist Mark Johnson’s forecast that evening devolved into a metaphor-laden vent session over the outcome.
Pic of the Day: New Art from Bill Watterson
Behold this painting by the hand of Bill Watterson, the first new art his people have seen from the Calvin & Hobbes creator in 16 years. It’s part of Team Cul de Sac, a fundraiser compilation for Parkinson’s research centered around Cul de Sac, the comic starring Petey Otterloop. Via the Washington Post: “Let’s just…
Bullets Were Flying In Cleveland This Weekend
If you keep up with the news you might have noticed an uptick in gunfire over the weekend — or, to be specific, an unusual amount of headline-grabbing violence breaking out in a relatively small geographic area (the near East Side) over a short time span (Saturday-Sunday). Of course, we’ll concede the unfortunate given that…
Drunk Man Skinny Dips in Public Fountain
With temperatures hovering around 147 degrees (approximate) this past week, folks were looking for any and all ways to get out of the sun and cool off. Public pools were packed, ACs were maxed out, and sprinklers and hoses were out in full force. All acceptable ways of beating the heat. Not acceptable: drinking two…
Cloud Nothings Live at the Grog Going World Wide
Cloud Nothings’ Dylan Baldi, Live at Music Saves Records If you didn’t make it to the April 5 Grog Shop show by Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings, you can still catch the show, or part of it anyway. On July 17, Carpark Records will release a limited edition (1,000 copies only) white 12″ called Live at the…
Spice Kitchen Grows Its Own
Spice Kitchen + Bar (5800 Detroit) chef/owner Ben Bebenroth has a real passion for locally sourced food, and grows much of the restaurant’s produce at his home in Broadview Heights. Now Spice has gotten even more local. They built a bunch of raised beds adjacent to their parking lot a few weeks ago and planted…
Concert Review: Nada Surf at the Beachland Ballroom
Not many bands have had the track run of Nada Surf. The New York indie rock act followed the typical trajectory of starting small and then blowing up after one of its tunes (“Popular”) became a hit in the mid-’90s. A feud with the record label, which wanted more hits on the follow-up album, followed…
Four Score and Seven Fangs Ago
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’s concept is even more mind-blowingly awesome than Cowboys & Aliens’: It turns out that before he became our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) was a kickass slayer of the undead. And these aren’t just your average vampires out for some blood or whatever; they’ve been trying to take over the…
It’s a Small World
Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) has a problem with authority, especially her nagging mom, who just wants her to settle down with a nice boy from one of the neighboring clans in their medieval Scottish village. But she’s a super-strong heroine who can show the guys a thing or two about charting their own…
Struggling For Vacation Ideas? Frommer’s Says Stay Home
NEO is just as good as this We here at Scene are very fond of rankings and such. So, here’s one that’s sure to inspire a stay-put summer vacation instead of a far-flung one. Frommer’s, whose travel guides are to the intrepid what Zagat guides are to foodies, rates Northeastern Ohio as a top 20…
Trent Richardson Responds to Jim Brown
Jim Brown opens his mouth from time to time. Alright, he does so frequently. And for some reason people are still interested in hearing what he has to say despite the fact that he’s a cranky old man with an agenda and a long history of violence against women. In one of his vomit sessions,…
City Workers Can Now Call Off Sick in Lorain Without Worrying About Someone Checking Up On Them
Back in February, Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenaur put a damper on the time-honored tradition of calling off work sick when you’re not really sick. After a noticeable uptick in city workers ducking out with coughs and migraines and whatever other ailments one could dream up as an excuse to stay home, Chase Ritenaur decided he…
Akron Business Was a Front for Large-scale Pot Operation
The family that grows together . . . It’s one of those quintessential urban living experiences – you’re walking around town, come face-to-face with a building or business that’s shambling to ruin, and something about the location you can’t put specific words around throws a flag in your head: shady shit is going down within.…
Backstage Pass: Aerosmith keyboardist jazzed about his new solo album
When keyboardist Russ Irwin played with Aerosmith last night, you could barely see him because he was practically hidden behind stacks of amplifiers. Singer Steven Tyler did introduce him along with all the other band members, but Irwin wasn’t exactly in the spotlight. Talking to the soft-spoken guy backstage before the show, it was apparent…
Inside the Newly Remodeled Cleveland Sight Center
The word “remodel” usually sparks a discussion about aesthetics. “How can this building become prettier?” But when the Cleveland Sight Center, a local non-profit serving the visually impaired community, began construction in 2011, the approach had to change; some of the clients simply couldn’t see the changes. But the center planned to make $8 million…
Power Ranking: The Five Most Important People in Town Right Now
A Scene weekly feature ranking local newsmakers. 1. U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach 70 arrested in record-setting crack down on local drug runners, meaning there’s a lot less blow on the streets. In unrelated news, West 6th has spontaneously combusted. 2. County Councilwoman Sunny Simon Her gutsy push for an alternative flow for casino funds would…
Video: Umpire Eats Dirt at Yesterday’s Indians Game
Nothing raises the spirits like a good tumble caught on camera. Here’s some footage showing umpire Derryl Cousins eating batter’s box dirt thanks to Carlos Santana’s foot at yesterday’s Tribe game. Got to love how Carlos brushes Cousins off following the fall. Polite guy. Your browser does not support iframes. (Via Deadspin)
CD Review: Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue has always been sorta like the Aussie version of Madonna. From her super-fluffy first singles in the ’80s (“I Should Be So Lucky”) to her powerhouse hits years later (“Can’t Get You Out of My Head”) to becoming an icon for millions of gay men around the world, Minogue’s career has practically mirrored…
At the Screw Factory
As Northeast Ohio shakes off the rust of its history, it is left with the question of what to do with its energies — and with its considerable but now obsolete manufacturing infrastructure. Area artists have seized the opportunity to reclaim the spacious workrooms and slop sinks of industrial buildings, converting them into artists’ colonies.…
We Get Mail
You Caught Us Wow, for someone who writes “I fucking hate American Idol,” and “I’m pretty sure I’ve never made it through an entire episode of the show,” you sure know a lot about it [“Schlock This Way,” June 13]. Don’t worry man, your friends will still like you if you told them you like…
On View This Week
Survival Kit Gallery Character Split. Local artist Tyler Zeleny uses images of human-animal hybrids (left) to craft a modern myth dramatizing and condemning consumer culture. Austin, Texas-based Clark Curtis’ elaborately detailed prints look like illustrations from unpublishable children’s books. The exhibition continues through August 17 at 1305 West 80th St., Suite 303. Call 216-533-4885 or…
Local Band in Focus
Meet the Band: Leah Lou (vocals, guitar) and Daniel Lee (bass) Dynamic Duo: Lou started off solo before adding and subtracting band members until it was just her and Lee. “We had to think fast because we had a show coming up,” she recalls. “A garbage can was stolen, tap shoes were purchased, and our…
D’Vine Times
With Heck’s Café rolling merrily along in Ohio City and BRGR 9 doing “better than expected” in the Warehouse District, owner Fadi Daoud has made another move. Earlier this month, he purchased D’Vine Wine Bar from the original owners who opened it about 14 years ago. “The place has a great reputation,” Daoud offers as…
CD Review: pOUT
Calling yourself “Ohio’s party dance band” is just asking for trouble. But pOUT admirably blend genres on an album of originals and covers that isn’t exactly dance music in the sense that every track makes you want to get up and jump around. More than anything, that’s a compliment to the group’s versatility. For Real…
At the Arthouse
4:44 Last Day on Earth Willem Dafoe stars in director Abel Ferrara’s new movie about an actor and his painter girlfriend waiting for the end of the world. But unlike most other apocalyptic thrillers, 4:44 Last Day on Earth is a quiet and meditative look at two people among billions living their final hours on…
10 x 3 Turns 1
It would be easy to mistake singer-songwriter Brent Kirby for a roadie. As he quickly strides into the Brothers Lounge, he carries a couple of amps. He has his shaggy grayish brown hair stuffed up under a tan snap-cap and wears a black T-shirt emblazoned with the logo for the Town Fryer, the now-defunct local…
Cheap Eats
Amid a Warehouse District still geared mostly toward destination dining and drinking, simple lunch stops remain a rarity. Happily, a new option has settled in at the northern end of West Ninth Street that could ease the daily quest for noontime sustenance. Occupying the former Water Street Grill, Charkha Exotic Indian Cuisine opened on May…
Savage Love
Dear Dan: Is it normal for my man to be so attracted to boobs that even though mine are beautiful and perfect, my boyfriend still wants to look at every other woman with a set of big boobs that he can? Aren’t mine enough? Boyfriend Ogles Other Breasts You sound like a new reader, BOOB,…
Powering Up
When Akron guitarist Dave Hammer and Cleveland-area bassist Matt DeRubertis met in the University of Akron jazz program, they bonded over their common non-jazz musical interests. “We didn’t fall into the jazz idiom, so we were always jamming with each other,” says DeRubertis. “I don’t want to sound like a jazz badmouther though, because it’s…
Crowe Flies High
After the Black Crowes decided to take another hiatus last year, frontman Chris Robinson and keyboardist Adam MacDougall began working on a new project. But instead of heading straight to the studio, they assembled a band and toured the country testing out some new songs. Chris Robinson Brotherhood just released their first album, Big Moon…
Concert Calendar
Dream Theater/ Crimson ProjeKct Ask fans of longtime prog-metal heroes Dream Theater, and most of them will tell you that the band’s latest album, last year’s A Dramatic Turn of Events, is a resounding failure. The LP’s title is a reference to the recent departure of founding drummer Mike Portnoy, the guy who gave Dream Theater…
Fabulous Hand Jobs
Nobody is ever ready for the onslaught of adulthood that leaps on you, like a rabid raccoon, soon after you graduate from college. But this is the trauma that’s expertly rendered in Avenue Q, the 2003 musical that is now providing laughs aplenty at Cain Park’s Alma Theatre. This adult and unauthorized spinoff of Sesame…
Exotic Theories
“It’s a ticking time bomb, because if someone thinks they’re going to walk in here and take my animals away, it’s going to be a small Waco.” In the wake of last year’s exotic animal tragedy in Zanesville, you could imagine such words having come from Terry Thompson, the 62-year-old who released 56 exotic animals…
On Stage This Week
Mercury Summer Stock presents Cats: Here Kitty, Kitty Mercury Summer Stock opens its 2012 season with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s feline-friendly musical Cats. Performances continue Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, through June 30, at Regina Auditorium at Notre Dame College. Tickets are $15 to $18 by phone or online. At 4545 College Rd., South Euclid, 216-771-5862, mercurysummerstock.com.…
Home Movies
Louie: Season Two (Twentieth Century Fox) – Sometime during the second season of Louis C.K.’s FX show, it became the best comedy on TV. The seeds are planted in the second episode, when a crazy homeless man chasing Louie is decapitated by a truck — possibly the single funniest moment of the entire series. But…
Culture Jamming
TOP PICK Dragon’s Dogma (Capcom) Like The Elder Scrolls, this RPG-adventure video game (for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) is set long ago in a land of fierce warriors and mythical monsters, and it offers a huge world open to hours of exploration. The levels of gameplay come close to those found in the…
Time Traveler
I walked into Seven Roses expecting to find a restaurant. What I discovered was more along the lines of a time machine. Cross the threshold of this tidy Slavic Village shop and you're transported to another time and place. It's a rare and pleasant treat to feel like a traveler in one's own town, and…
Film Capsules
Seeking a Friend for the End of the WorldWhether he’s a newly single man getting his horndog on in Crazy, Stupid, Love, or about ready to give up his title as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Steve Carell takes your most awkward, embarrassing, and downright regrettable love stories and turns them into something funny, touching, and downright…
Happy Trails
The characters in Wes Anderson’s movies live in a fantasyland. Going back to his 1998 breakthrough Rushmore to 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox (a stop-motion animated film about woodland creatures that takes the whole fantasy thing to the extreme), the boys, girls, men, women, and assorted animals who populate the writer-director’s movies exist in a world…
CD Review: Fiona Apple
What’s less surprising: that Fiona Apple’s new album reads like a diary of a very scarred girl, or that its title is a whopping 116 characters long? They’re not mutually exclusive, as anyone who’s followed the 34-year-old singer-songwriter over the past 16 years can tell you. Her first album since 2005’s excellent Extraordinary Machine peels…
Cheap Eats
Fired up taco Truck What do you get when you combine two muscular, tattooed guys, an old S.W.A.T. truck, and tacos? Either an episode of Cops shot in Mexico or the Fired Up Taco Truck. Chef Brian Finks and Gaven Rupert partnered up last year after working the Cleveland restaurant scene together, including stops at…
CD Review: Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard could pen a musical adaptation of the alphabet and fill it with enough emotional drama that you’d be exhausted by the time he reaches QRS. Not so surprisingly, the Oscar-winning leader of the Frames and the Swell Season wears his heart proudly on his sleeve on his first solo album. Rhythm and Repose’s…
