Experimental Klezmer Artist Coming to Cain Park on June 29
Josh Dolgin An advocate of all things klezmer, local musician Bert Stratton was instrumental in booking the Josh “Socalled” Dolgin Sextet to play Cain Park’s Evans Amphitheater on Sunday, June 29. Dolgin isn’t your typical everyday klezmer musician either. The Montreal-based artist dabbles a bit in hip-hop too. He plays keyboards, accordion and synthesizer, and…
15 Vintage Photos of the Cuyahoga County Fair
The Cuyahoga County Fair has remained a classic Cleveland area event since its founding in 1893, and hasn’t skipped a year since the 1940s (the conditions during the Depression and WWII weren’t exactly ideal to hold a fair). Before you make your visit this summer, check out these 15 photos of the fair throughout the years.
City Council Has Fast Tracked Opportunity Corridor
ODOT In its meeting Monday night, City Council green lit the first two phases of construction of the Opportunity Corridor, the $331 million, 3.2 mile roadway linking I-490 and University Circle. The legislation passed by a vote of 12-3. Councilmen Brian Cummins, Mike Polensek and Jeff Johnson, who spoke out yesterday afternoon against the OpCor…
Local Latino Families Rally Against Immigration Policy
ERIC SANDY/SCENE Now and then, a stone-faced federal employee would sort of emerge from the detritus of desks and chairs only to smear his or her face up against the window and get a look at what in the world was going on out there. Trumpets? Chanting? HOLA Cleveland, an organization uniting Latino families in…
Charges Filed Against Loren Naji Following State Raid on Gallery
Charges were filed today in Cleveland Municipal Court against Loren Naji, the art gallery owner who’s found himself at the center of this crazy storm of local arts policy debate. Naji’s been slapped with “sale of liquor without a permit” (because giving away alcohol to attendees at art events constitutes a sale in wacky Ohio)…
Northeast Ohio Native and Calvin and Hobbes Creator Bill Watterson Has Last Hurrah
Other than the occasional side project, we thought we’d seen the last of Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson with his heart-wrenching segue into retirement in 1995, but it seems the comic strip creator and Chagrin Falls native has made a final comic comeback before returning to his life of secrecy. Comic artist Stephan Pastis had sent in…
Local Noise Band Murderedman to Play First Live Show in Months
The local avant-noise rock band Murderedman formed two years ago and has been frightening listeners ever since. One guy on Instagram aptly described the band’s sound by saying it’s “like if Bauhaus was on Touch and Go in 1989.” In its first year and a half, the band released a 7-inch, three cassettes and one…
13 Places Every Cleveland Art Lover Should Know About
Whether you’re totally saturated within Cleveland’s art community or simply enjoy an occasional art gallery visit, here are the 13 local haunts you’ve got to know about.
RoverFest Sold Out in 11 Minutes
Via NewsNet5 Fresh off a legal battle against the city of Cleveland and a particularly ambitious Cleveland cop, Shane French, aka Rover, gets this bit of good news: Not only did RoverFest sell out again, but it sold out in just 11 minutes. With construction going on down by Voinovich Park, where the event was…
Hard Rockers SHOK PARIS Recording First New Studio Album in 25 Years
Lily Peters The local metal act SHOK PARIS has begun recording Full Metal Jacket, its fourth full-length studio album and first since 1989’s Concrete Killers. The album is scheduled for an early 2015 release via the local imprint Auburn Records. Drum tracks for 11 songs have been completed. Guitars and bass will be tracked next.…
Cleveland in the Running to Host 2016 Democratic National Convention
#171380034 / gettyimages.com If you haven’t yet heard, the Democratic party has announced that six U.S. cities are in the running to host the 2016 Democratic National Convention, and Cleveland has secured a spot on that list. In April, the DNC invited 15 cities to bid, but it has since narrowed the pool down to…
Doomsday May be Imminent for Ohio Traffic Cameras
Like our friend who got out of a ticket for having a Pulp Fiction wallet, those who also choose to take their chances on running red lights may soon be able to relax if new legislative measures come through. Sen. Bill Seitz is sponsoring a new bill that would ban the use of traffic cameras in the…
Country Singer Tim McGraw Shows off Versatility During Two-Hour Concert
“I’m Tim and these are my boys,” said country singer Tim McGraw early in last night’s two-hour show before close to 20,000 fans at Blossom Music Center. “We don’t bullshit a whole lot. We just like to play music.” That sentiment rang true throughout the set as McGraw and his 8-piece band showed off their…
The Modern Electric to Embark on First-Ever Tour
Cleveland indie rockers the Modern Electric have just wrapped recording their new album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, and have embarked on a regional tour to try to drum up some anticipation for its release (it’s slated to come out later this year). “This is our first tour ever,” says singer-pianist-guitarist Garrett Komyati. “We have only…
Scene Podcast: Lakefront Development, the Win Tax, the World Cup, and Because I Said I Would
This week’s podcast is here and ready. Remember to subscribe to the Scene podcast on iTunes here. Download directly here. Stream below. In this installment, we chatted about lakefront development and the city’s plans, the World Cup, this week’s cover story on Because I Said I Would, the “win tax,” and more.
The Lighthouse and the Whaler to Release Remix EP
With 2012’s This Is an Adventure, local indie rockers the Lighthouse and the Whaler established themselves as a national act. Recorded with producer Ryan Hadlock (the Lumineers, the Gossip, Ra Ra Riot), the album features pristine pop music that shows off the band’s sharp songwriting skills. Now, the band’s set to release a remix EP,…
Group Talks About Adding Restaurant/Brewery in Lakewood (Updated)
Update: Good news today, folks. Lakewood has given unanimous approval for the plans for Birdtown Brewery & Pizzeria to go forward. Via Cleveland.com: The planning commission Thursday night gave unanimous approval for developers to move forward with plans to turn a former Birdtown neighborhood church into a brewery and restaurant. Developers Tom Leneghan, Sean Fairbairn…
Poliça Makes the Most of Intimate Show at Grog Shop
While the Minneapolis band Polica has picked up steam lately, and while they won over the crowd last night, most of the room seemed unfamiliar with the music. Frontwoman Channy Leaneagh and her group played a buzzed-about show at Coachella last year, prompting at least a few Clevelanders to come out to last night’s gig.…
15 Vintage Cleveland Beach Photos
If you’re thinking of packing up a picnic and heading to a nearby beach this weekend, you’ll be in good company. Folks have been making the trek to local shores for decades. Though the times (and fashion) certainly have changed, the sun, sand, and shenanigans have not. Here are 15 retro beach images to peruse,…
Chill Pop to Open Bricks-and-Mortar Shop in E. 185th Neighborhood
It’s been just under a year since Elizabeth and Maggie Pryor began selling their line of artisanal popsicles, but soon, Chill Pop Shop will graduate from the Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen to a retail store. “I think it helps that popsicles are pretty timeless — that they seem to appeal to every demographic,” Elizabeth…
Video: Chrissie Hynde on the Colbert Report
The Akron native and Pretenders’ frontwoman stopped by the Colbert Report to talk about her solo album and why oatmeal silos in Akron were key to its musical history. Seriously. The Colbert ReportGet More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive
Old 97’s Deliver Rowdy Set at Sold Out Beachland Ballroom
Mid-way through last night’s 100-minute set before a sold out crowd at the Beachland Ballroom, Old 97’s gray-haired bassist Murry Hammond rolled up the shirtsleeves of his red Western shirt. Ostensibly, it was because, as he put, “it’s a tad hot up here.” But the gesture was also symbolic of the extent to which the…
Announcing “Questionable Culture with Will Burge,” A New Weekly Show on Sports, Comedy and Whatever Else He Wants to Talk About
We’re happy to finally be able to share the details of what we hope will be a fun new project with you folks. On June 18, we’ll be debuting a new weekly live video talk show — Miller Lite Presents Questionable Culture with Will Burge (@WillBurge), which will be found live streaming right here at…
Edgewater Beach to Host Weekly Happy Hours this Summer
Photo via aerosolhalos, Instagram The Cleveland Metroparks has announced its plan to launch a new weekly concert series at Edgewater Beach this summer. The Thursday evening event, titled Edgewater Live, will sport live musical performances by area bands, including The Breakfast Club, Whiskey Kings, and Revolution Pie, among others. Food trucks will park nearby on…
‘Trash Fish’ Dinner Designed to Educate Diners on Tasty (But Less Marketable) Seafood
If you saw “trash fish” on a menu, are you inclined to order it for dinner? We didn’t think so. But if we are serious about sustainability as it applies to our seafood, we need to start thinking about — and eating — fish other than tuna, salmon, halibut and especially “Chilean sea bass,” say…
CSU to Establish Honors College, Thanks to $3.6 Million Gift
Courtesy of Cleveland State University Cleveland State university has received a $3.6 million gift from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation which will establish the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Honors College, the NEOMG reports. CSU President Ronald Berkman is naturally pretty thrilled. “A permanent endowment will provide scholarship support to the best and…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (June 6 – 8)
Kick off Cleveland’s warm weather season with a sampling of summery food fests, concerts, and art shows this weekend, including an Aerosmith concert at Rockin’ on the River, Valley Art Center’s 31st Annual Art by the Falls, and CSU’s all day Veg Fest, among others. We’ll see ya out there, folks.
10 Cool Spots to Watch the World Cup in Cleveland
The World Cup kicks off next Thursday and soccer fans are getting pumped. If you’re among them, check out these 10 Cleveland bars where you can catch the action. Your favorite haunt not included in this list? Give us a holler, and let us know where you’re watching the game in the comment section below.
Local Business Owner Facing Federal Charges After Selling Device on Ebay Loaded With Child Porn
The owner of a Cleveland Heights home contracting business was indicted on child pornography possession and distribution charges in federal court on Monday selling, on Ebay, a media streaming device loaded up with videos and images he thought he wiped clean. According to the arrest warrant affidavit for Robert B. Pullan, the investigation began in…
Richmond Heights Mayor Miesha Headen Under Fire
Mayor Miesha Headen Last week, the NEOMG’s Editorial Board called for the recall or resignation of Richmond Heights Mayor Miesha Headen. Headen, a former auditor and city councilwoman in Richmond Heights, has displayed “such stunning incompetence on the job,” the NEOMG claimed, “that she ought to step down.” The crimes against her? In office for…
2014 World Cup: What You Need To Know And Where You Need To Go To Cheer On The Men’s National Team With Cleveland’s Biggest American Soccer Fans
The world’s greatest and most anticipated athletic competition opens again in just one week when 2014 World Cup host Brazil faces Croatia on Thursday, June 12 (4 p.m., ESPN). The American squad opens against Ghana on Monday, June 16 (6 p.m., ESPN). To get you ready, we spoke with Al DiFranco, passionate soccer writer and…
Lauren Lanzaretta’s ‘Naked Soul’ Lives Up to Hype
Lauren Lanzaretta, Naked Soul (self-released) laurenlanzaretta.com Recently voted “Best Singer” in Scene’s Best of Cleveland campaign and a nominee in multiple categories in the recent Ohio Hip Hop Awards, local soul singer Lauren Lanzaretta generated plenty of hype even before releasing her full-length debut. Recorded locally at Lava Room Recording, the debut hits the mark right…
Hard rockers Heavy Glow mellow out on ‘Pearls & Swine and Everything Fine’
Heavy Glow Pearls & Swine and Everything Fine (self-released) heavyglowmusic.com Singer-guitarist Jared Mullins grew up in Olmsted Falls but moved to San Diego a few years ago to pursue a history degree. While there, he formed the hard rock group Heavy Glow in 2008, but he recently moved back to Cleveland because the central location…
Blackstone brings back the power trio on self-titled debut
Blackstone Blackstone (self-released) reverbnation.com/blackstonemusic Over the course of the past decade, the rock duo has had more success than the power trio. And yet we know from history that the power trio (Cream, Rush) is where it’s at. The Cleveland-based power trio Blackstone generates plenty of noise on its debut. The album’s a showcase for…
Also on Stage
Ancestra The battle for women’s rights, on all fronts, is compelling subject matter for documentaries, speeches and any number of Rachel Maddow shows. It also can be fertile ground for theater, but only when the politics are woven into a story and not a screed. This is the juncture where the world premiere of Ancestra,…
Fiction Writing as S&M: Budding Authors Pay to be Insulted by their Sadistic Tutor in Seminar at Beck Center
If you’ve ever murdered precious hours of your brief earthly existence reading short stories in The New Yorker, enduring those often endless and rambling exercises in plotless navel-gazing, you’ve probably wanted to see such writers tortured in cruel and inventive ways. Well, revenge is at hand in Seminar by Theresa Rebeck, now at Beck Center.…
Band of the Week: Rachel Brown and the Beatnik Playboys
Meet the band: Rachel Brown (singer-pianist), Bill Watson (bass), Dave Huddleston (guitar), Roy King (drums) An Early Start: Brown grew up in Akron then moved between Nashville and Akron. “I started singing when I was a little girl,” she says. “I had stage parents and started playing five nights a week when I was 14…
Film Spotlight: The Fault in Our Stars
Based on a popular John Green novel, The Fault in Our Stars, which opens on Friday areawide, centers on Hazel (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old cancer patient who falls in love with a 17-year-old amputee Augustus (Ansel Elgort). Struggling to cope with the uncertainty of their health, they quickly form a bond that gets tested when…
Film Review of the Week: Edge of Tomorrow
Take comfort, moviegoers, in the ;fact that Tom Cruise, a man now comfortably in his 50s, isn’t purported to be the indestructible action hero in Edge of Tomorrow that he was in 2012’s stink fest Jack Reacher. Edge of Tomorrow, which opens on Friday at theaters across the region, isn’t as “breathtakingly original” as trailer…
Emotional Rescue: Needtobreathe Had to Overcome a Crisis of Faith to Produce its Terrific New Album
When it came time to record its new album, Rivers in the Wasteland, Needtobreathe decided to use a few different studios. It went to its home base, Plantation Studios in Charleston, but it also ventured to Fairfax Recordings in Van Nuys, Blackbird Studios in Nashville and Ed’s in Franklin. It was as if the band…
Split Personality: Hank3 Remains an Unrepentant Punk Rocker and Country Outlaw
Country singer Hank3’s career has been characterized by a series of highs and lows. He was once signed to one of country’s most prestigious labels but had such a huge falling out that he’s no longer on speaking terms with its owner. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his experiences performing in Cleveland…
Frontman Rhett Miller Reflects on the Old 97’s’ Incredible 20-Year Run
Speaking via phone from New Orleans, one of many stops on the Old 97’s tour in support of their new album Most Messed Up, singer-guitarist Rhett Miller regularly answers questions about the band’s incredible 20-year run with anecdotes. The group formed in Dallas in 1993 and it’s safe to say that there aren’t many bands…
Rising Star Chef: Market Garden Brewery’s Maggie Schwenk
A native clevelander, Maggie Schwenk recalls a time when Ohio City didn’t offer much more than the West Side Market. “As a kid, my family would come to the market and we’d go immediately home after,” she says. “There wasn’t much in the area as far as wanting or even feeling safe hanging out here.”…
A Tale of Two Tacos: Two New Mexican Joints Join the Cleveland Food Scene
Who doesn’t love Mexican food? From the salty chips and creamy guacamole to the fiery salsas and complex mole sauces, a Mexican meal is a fiesta for the mouth, plain and simple. That’s why we’re always on the hunt for great new spots, hoping that the latest restaurant on the scene will be our new…
The Promise Ring
“To really make a change in the world, sometimes you have to see the absolute worst that we can do,” says 29-year-old Alex Sheen in the back office of Because I Said I Would’s storefront on Detroit Ave. in Lakewood one May afternoon. Some 1,100 miles away in Tampa Bay, Fla., Julie Powers Schenecker is…
