Rood Food and Pie Now Open in Lakewood
Update: It’s been a year and a half since we first wrote about Brian Ruthsatz’ plans to open Rood Food and Pie in the West Madison district of Lakewood. Well, the doors finally have swung open. Management hopes that guests will be patient during this “soft open” period while they “work through operational hiccups.” Here’s the…
Watch a Sneak Peek of LeBron James Singing Carpool Karaoke With James Corden
Update: In March, James Corden and LeBron James met up in L.A. to film what we expected to be a Carpool Karaoke segment for The Late Late Show. Now we know what that was all about. No longer will the singing skits only be shown on late-night TV, now you can watch Carpool Karaoke: The…
Local Burlesque Troupe Throws Anniversary Bash Tonight at the Beachland
Le Femme Mystique Burlesque, the local burlesque troupe, celebrates its 13th anniversary tonight with a special show that features Miss Aurora Matrix and Bella Sin in addition to local favorites Marley Teenie and Miss Holly Grail, and newcomer Trick Diction. Ken Schneck from This Show is So Gay hosts. The event begins at 7:30 at…
Comedian Steve Byrne to Launch Three-Night Stand at Hilarities
Comedian Steve Byrne, the star and creator of Sullivan & Son, gets laughs by making fun of people based on the types of music they listen to; he also likes to have audience members join him on stage so he can create his own boy band. Next month, Byrne’s new comedy special will premiere on…
Flying Fig Partners with Tom’s Foolery to Host Cocktail Class
[image-1]Ryan Wilkins of the Flying Fig and Lorilei Bailey of Tom’s Foolery will lead a class tonight making cocktails with Northeast Ohio’s best locally distilled spirits. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Flying Fig. If you arrive early, you can take advantage of happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets to the…
Comedian Billy Crystal to Perform Tonight at the State Theatre
A Tony- and Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, producer, writer and director, Billy Crystal returns to his standup roots for his current tour, which includes tonight’s show at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre. Crystal became a household name after roles in films such as When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers and Analyze This. A nine-time host of…
The Zombies to Play ‘Odessey And Oracle’ in Its Entirety One Last Time
More than 50 years after they became one of the first British Invasion groups to top the U.S. singles charts, the Zombies, who were recently nominated for the second time for induction into the Rock Hall (they fell short of getting the votes needed to make the final cut), have announced they’ll embark on one…
Indians’ Senior Vice President to Tell World Series Stories Tonight at the Music Box
Cleveland Stories Dinner Party, a weekly series at Music Box Supper Club that pairs fine food with storytelling, aims to help raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. The club’s owners consider the Cleveland History Center to be “one of the most interesting museums in Cleveland” and…
County Council Passes Q Deal, Will Issue Bonds to Generate $140 Million
One down, one to go, sayeth the overlords: The Cavs and their negotiating team can sleep soundly tonight in the comfort that their brazen backroom dealings didn’t arouse enough skepticism, or indeed, enough outrage, to weaken the cosmic rubber-stamping power of the county’s legislative body. County Council voted 8-3 Tuesday evening to issue the sale…
Classic Rocker Peter Frampton Discusses the Challenges of Performing Unplugged
Singer-guitarist Peter Frampton wrote his classic hit “Baby, I Love Your Way” one day while vacationing at a cottage in Naussau. He likens the experience of playing it for someone for the first time to the approach he’s taken for his current tour, dubbed Peter Frampton Raw: An Acoustic Tour. The tour in support of…
City Council Begins Q Deal Deliberations, Cavs’ Cheerleaders are No-Shows
Welcome to Cleveland City Council, the show where everything’s made up and the points don’t matter. That’s right, the points are just like the costs associated with the proposed Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. Hours before Cuyahoga County Council was expected to vote on the bond sale that will generate $140 million for the project…
North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square Kicks Off Outdoor Season April 1
There are many signs that spring has sprung, but few are as natural as the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square’s annual shift from indoors to outdoors. As is the tradition of the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square – aka the Shaker Market – the outdoor season will kick off with the…
Grapes Under Glass will Pair Matchless Wines with Matchless Setting
[image-1]Given the setting – the stunning column-ringed, stained glass-topped rotunda of the historic Cleveland Trust building – it wouldn’t take much to make Grapes Under Glass a matchless wine-tasting event. But co-sponsors, Heinen’s and The Metropolitan at the 9, have partnered up to make the weekend-long event unforgettable. “This is an unparalleled wine event at…
How Noisy Is It Around Cleveland? A New Interactive Map Has the Answers
Want to know how loud your neighborhood is? There’s now an interactive map for that. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics debuted a noise map last week. As originally reported by NPR, the map was made with tools and information collected by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Aviation Administration to determine average daily noise levels…
Dynomite Burgers and Sushi Uptown is Closing
Dynomite Burgers and Sushi Uptown will sling burgers for the final time Friday. After two years of trying to make a go in University Circle, chef/owner Zack Bruell says he’s closing the location. “The area has foot traffic, but it is the college crowd,” Bruell told Cleveland.com. “And the problem is some of the best…
Now Open: Portion, an All-Day Fast-Casual Eatery Downtown
[image-1]Portion (2013 Ontario St.), a fast-casual restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and early dinner, is now open. Opened by the folks behind East Fourth Street’s Wonder Bar, Robert and Coleen Biehl, the unique eatery features a menu divided into categories for Hot and Cold items. The 2,500-square-foot space, which seats about 50, most recently belonged…
The Browns Already Hate Their New Uniforms, Will Probably Have New Ones in 2020, Because Of Course
The orange was more orange, or something. Two years ago the Browns threw a weird-ass party at the convention center to unveil their new uniforms, which were almost immediately mocked and panned. From the hue of the helmet to the “Cleveland” on the chest of the home jerseys, there was very little in Nike/Cleveland’s redesign…
Counting Crows and Matchbox Twenty to Play Blossom in September
This summer, multi-platinum-selling alternative rock bands Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows will team up for a co-headlining tour. Dubbed A Brief History of Everything Tour 2017, the jaunt includes a Sept. 20 date at Blossom. “No matter what I will ever do, nothing feels like home as much as playing these songs with these guys…
Archival Record Label to Bring Pop Up Store to Cleveland
Founded in 2003, the Chicago-based Numero Group aims to research and preserve obscure releases by artists who had little commercial success. The mission statement: “to dig deep into the recesses of our record collections with the goal of finding the dustiest gems begging to be released from their exile on geek street. No longer would $500…
Policy Matters Ohio Urges City and County Councils to Slow Down Q Deal Votes
Citing financial uncertainty and pressing needs across the city and county, Policy Matters Ohio published a news release Monday afternoon urging patience on the Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. “County and city councils should wait until a state budget has been finalized in June, and more is known about the federal cutbacks that are under…
Here’s Another Indians Hype Video Because the Season Starts One Week From Today
There’s only one week to go until the start of Indians season, so there’s really no better use of your time right now than watching Sports Time Ohio’s 2017 hype video. With Welshly Arms’ not-so-subtle rock tune “Legendary” playing over a barrage of Cleveland highlights sights, you’ll be wanting to run through a brick wall in approximately…
Kevin Kelley: City Council Won’t Be Impediment to Passage of Q Deal
Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley told reporters Monday morning that he expected City Council to pass the Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. In a gathering at his City Hall office, billed as the first in a series of “office hours”-styled press sessions, Kelley confirmed that he personally supports the Q deal, given the information…
Kinsman Shootings Bring Cleveland’s 2017 Homicide Count to 30; Mayor, Police Chief Address Increasing Violence: UPDATE
Four people were shot yesterday on side streets near Kinsman Road; by evening, police had cordoned off three separate crimes scenes. Two people, a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, later died at University Hospitals. The incidents bring Cleveland’s homicide tally to 30 so far this year. Of those, eight victims have been under the…
Cleveland Museum of Art Reaffirms Commitment to Diversity and Unfurls New Banners
[image-1]At a time when the current U.S. President and the cronies in his cabinet have adopted a white nationalist agenda, institutions around the country have worked to affirm their commitments to diversity and inclusion. Today, the Cleveland Museum of Art unfurled new banners that reflect the museum’s inclusive philosophy. “With issues of tolerance and diversity…
Bruce Willis and Crew Are Now in Cleveland Filming ‘Acts of Violence’
This weekend in Cleveland marked the beginning of filming for Bruce Willis’ new action picture “Acts of Violence.” That means you’ll might be seeing some celebs around town, like Sophia Bush for instance, who took in dinner on East Fourth. The actress/activist, who can also be seen on Chicago P.D., said that the two entrees and…
NBC News Covers Corrupt East Cleveland Cops and Tangled Web of Lies, Questionable Convictions
We’ve been following along as dozens of convictions have been slated to be overturned in the wake of the East Cleveland Police Department corruption scandal. Three police officers were indicted in 2015 on charges relating to illegal searches and seizures during the course of their investigations; Torris Moore, Antonio Malone and Eric Jones shook down…
Singer Bryan Ferry Revisits His Roxy Music Days During Engaging State Theatre Concert
Many moments of singer Bryan Ferry’s performance last night at the State Theatre veered toward New Age. With the cooing backing vocals and sprinkles of saxophone and oboe, Ferry and his nine-piece band ventured dangerously close to embracing the somnambulistic jazz-rock fusion that became popular in the ’80s. And yet, the 71-year-old Ferry, who looked…
Indie Singer-Songwriter Allison Crutchfield Goes Solo With Synth-Driven Break-Up Album
Previously a member of Philadelphia alt-punk band Swearin’, singer-songwriter Allison Crutchfield had a long-term relationship with the band’s singer-guitarist Kyle Gilbride. In 2015, Swearin’ broke up, subsequently ending Crutchfield’s long-term relationship with Gilbride. Suddenly, the Philly music scene that fostered and supported Crutchfield’s musical career now became a volatile situation. Crutchfield channels those feelings into her solo debut,…
Comedy Duo Reformed Whores to Perform at CODA in April
The Southern bred/New York-based comedy duo Reformed Whores (aka Katy Frame and Marie Cecile Anderson) have toured the country opening for the likes of musical parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic, bassist extraordinaire Les Claypool, guitar hero Dweezil Zappa and rockabilly vets Reverend Horton Heat. They proclaim their comedy resembles what would happen if “Tenacious D and…
Matthew McConaughey’s ‘White Boy Rick’ Movie Has Begun Filming In Cleveland
[image-1] Today, film crews were spotted at E. 128th Street and Beachwood Avenue in Cleveland filming White Boy Rick, which stars Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern and more. Cleveland 19 nabbed footage of the filmmaking in progress, but McConaughey was nowhere in sight. View that right here. While we already knew the movie, slated for…
Punk Blues Band Boss Hog Continues to Kick Out the Jams With Unparalleled Fierceness
Boss Hog, the scuzzy punk blues band fronted by singer-guitarist Jon Spencer and singer Cristina Martinez, first took the stage in 1989 at CBGB’s and made one helluva debut. The band bio proclaims that its “sexy-dirty brand of bluesy punk” left a “sweaty, immutable mark” on the New York underground. “I don’t remember a lot…
Eugene Johnson, Part of ‘East Cleveland 3’ Wrongful Convictions, Files Suit Against Prosecutor, Detectives
Eugene Johnson is suing the county prosecutors and East Cleveland detectives who had a hand in the wrongful conviction that landed him 19 years in prison. His lawsuit follows co-defendants Derrick Wheatt and Laurese Glover filing a separate civil suit last month. Part of the issue is that prosecutors have refused to dismiss the case…
John Selick Promoted to Senior Culinary Manager of University Hospitals
Inside of the Ahuja Medical Center, part of University Hospitals’ network of campuses, Chef John Selick prepares his plan for the week. His innovative and health-based approach to hospital food, something more often dreaded than appreciated, has helped facilitate UH in its long-term goal of wellness education and preventative practices for patients and their families.…
Cleveland Police Find Local Drummer’s Stolen Car and Drum Kit
We here at Scene love a joyful ending to a story, and we’ve got a nice one for you today. Local drummer Andrade Scovil’s kit has been found — with his stolen car — thanks to the handiwork of Cleveland police officers Friedrich Kaufmann and James Crivel. The car was found near East 55th and Broadway. “Everything’s…
10 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, MARCH 24 Tropidelic/Broccoli Samurai/Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band/Drunken Sunday Regional funk pros Tropidelic return to Cleveland tonight for a hometown bash. Recently, Tropidelic dropped The Hard North, featuring a diverse lineup of slick funk and remixed reggae, dripping with that Cleveland atmosphere. Check out the new take on “Ideal,” which slots an ambient…
MetroHealth Board Approves $1.3 Billion Bond Sale for Hospital Transformation
[image-1]As anticipated late last year, the MetroHealth System board of trustees has approved the issuance of up to $1.3 billion in revenue bonds to finance a massive hospital campus transformation. The board voted unanimously at its regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting. Though other financial arrangements had been considered, MetroHealth CEO Akram Boutros told Scene in November…
Existential Pearls: A Photographic Record from 2009-2017 Opens Tonight at Canopy
Local photographer Adam Jaenke has spent the past eight years documenting both the intimate and the spectacular moments of everyday life in his hometown, along with travel and assorted human interactions. Whether the subjects are familiar shots of Cleveland or exotic locales, Jaenke’s dynamic photos present the world from an inquisitive and exciting perspective. Jaenke’s…
The Nightlight in Akron to Screen Documentary Film about Rock Photographer Mick Rock
[image-1]As part of the New York Film Critics Film Series, a regular series of ongoing preview screenings that takes place in about 50 selected major markets, SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, a new documentary about rock photographer Mick Rock, will screen at 6:30 p.m. on April 10 at the Nightlight in Akron. The movie…
Local Artist Whose Twisted Paintings Appear in Horror Flick Will Introduce Film at Capitol
This Friday and Saturday, the Capitol Theatre will screen the indie satanic possession flick The Devil’s Candy, which we reviewed this week. A local artist whose paintings play a central role in the film will give an introduction before the Saturday screening at 9:45 p.m. In the film, the main character, Jesse (Ethan Embry) is a…
City Council President Kevin Kelley to Begin Holding Regular Press Sessions
Hey look! Transparency! The Cleveland City Council communications team has announced that council president Kevin Kelley will be holding a question-and-answer session with the press Monday morning, one day before a committee hearing where the proposed Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal will be discussed. Kelley will give remarks on the proposed deal, and on the…
Singer-Pianist Andrew McMahon Adopted a New York State of Mind for His Latest Album
When Andrew McMahon takes the stage at this summer as the opening act for Billy Joel’s sold-out show at Progressive Field, it won’t be the first time that the two have crossed paths. McMahon was in the audience on April 1, 1994 as a fan, watching Joel’s concert at the grand opening of Gund Arena.…
Indie Rockers Local Natives Embrace Electronica on Their New Album
After the release of their debut album, 2009’s Gorilla Manor, Local Natives drew comparisons to big-time indie acts like Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. The band’s first album feels bigger than a five-piece band, featuring Beach Boys-esque harmonies, skittery folk arrangements, and even a cover of a Talking Heads B-side. Now, the band…
The Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless is Resigning
[image-1]Brian Davis, the director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, will resign this summer. According to a message he published today, NEOCH seems intent on aligning itself more with the private sector and religious organizations — rather than, e.g., Cuyahoga County — to achieve its housing and protective services goals. Most recently, Davis…
Plain Dealer Right Winger Kevin O’Brien is Taking a Buyout
Right-wing Plain Dealer deputy editorial page director Kevin O’Brien, he of the strenuous climate change denials and assorted jingoisms too dim and troglodytic to bother summarizing, will soon be gone. PD Editor and President George Rodrigue confirmed by email that O’Brien was one of “a handful” of managers to take a voluntary buyout. “I’ll miss…
Someone Replaced Franklin Boulevard Speed Limit Signs, City Takes Them All Down
[image-1]There are no speed limits sign on Franklin Boulevard for now. See, the street has a legal speed limit of 35 mph, but that’s a sore spot for the neighborhood. Has been for years. This week, a resident took action. Posing as a city worker (wearing a safety vest and hard hat), the man took…
Reggae Singer Ziggy Marley to Play Hard Rock Live in July
An Emmy winner, author, philanthropist and reggae icon, Ziggy Marley, the son of the late, great Bob Marley, has just announced a 2017 summer tour in support of his 2016 self-titled album, which was recently won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album. He plays on July 3 at Hard Rock Live. Earlier this month, Marley released…
Los Lobos Multi-Instrumentalist Steve Berlin Revisits What Is Arguably the Band’s Best Album
Released back in 1992, Kiko firmly established Los Angeles-based Latin rockers Los Lobos as an American institution. One of the group’s most diverse and accomplished records, the album opens with the shimmering “Dream in Blue” and then shifts gear to include the roadhouse rock tune “Wake Up Dolores,” the grunge-y blues number “Whiskey Trail” and the…
Nuggets Vaporize Wine and Gold in Cloud of Cavalier Attitude
This is a team that needed to go down three games to one to realize they absolutely had to play defense for forty-eight minutes to win. Sometimes it appears like they’re waiting for history to repeat before they do it again. That’s certainly the impression left by their 126-113 loss to the Nuggets last night.…
Opening Soon: the New and Improved Vault at The 9
“At the old Vault there was bottle service, pedestrian club cocktails, shooters and fireballs,” says Kenny Didier, GM at The 9. “None of that is going to stick around.” Last July, the Vault nightclub was quietly shuttered two years after it debuted in the lower level of The 9 complex, which also includes Metropolitan Hotel,…
All Systems Go for Canton-Based Fat Head’s Brewpub
Last fall, Matt Cole floated the idea of a Canton-based brewpub, but said that the project was contingent on a few local ballot measures. Now that those details have been resolved, the project is moving forward. “It’s past pre-planning into planning, with construction starting sometime mid-summer,” says co-owner and brewmaster Matt Cole. “I like the…
New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Festival Coming to Cleveland
An employee-owned brewery that’s also a Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Business as designated by the League of American Bicyclists, New Belgium Brewing makes some damn good beers, including Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale, Citradelic Tangerine IPA, Citradelic Lime Ale and Voodoo Ranger IPA. And that’s not even mentioning the super-exclusive Lips of Faith beers. The summer,…
Local Singer to Donate Proceeds from New Single’s Sales to Charity That Prevents Sex Trafficking
Ten years ago, local soul singer Lauren Lanzaretta visited a small orphanage behind a pig farm in the village of Krasang, Thailand. While there, she learned about how Thai children have been sold into the sex trade. She channels that experience into her new single, the piano ballad “Something Won’t Let Me Down,” which she…
City Club Accepting Submissions for Outdoor Mural
The City Club of Cleveland is calling all Ohio artists or groups of artists to submit proposals for an outdoor mural to be featured on the west-facing wall of the City Club Building downtown (850 Euclid Ave). All Ohio artists aged 18 or older are eligible to apply. Submissions for the mural, which will be…
Cleveland’s Machine Gun Kelly and Cloud Nothings to Perform at This Year’s Lollapalooza
Earlier today, Lollapalooza organizers announced the lineup for this year’s festival, slated to take place from Aug. 3 to Aug. 6 in Chicago. Headliners include Chance The Rapper, The Killers, Muse, Arcade Fire, The xx, Lorde, blink-182, DJ Snake and Justice. Other notable acts include alt-J, Cage The Elephant, The Head and The Heart, Ryan Adams, Liam Gallagher,…
Great Lakes Brewing Company to Introduce Cans for the First Time Ever This Summer
Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ohio’s oldest and largest microbrewery, will introduce cans this summer for the first time ever. Select beers will be offered in 12-packs of 12 and 16 ounces beginning in May. With new designs by illustrator Darren Booth, the cans will be packaged at the Harpoon Brewery facility in Boston. (Great Lakes entered…
The Cubs-Indians World Series is Going to Be a Movie
[image-1]While there’s really no reason to revisit the thing in graphic detail, Variety reports today that Radar Pictures will nonetheless produce a movie about the Cubs-Indians World Series. To be clear, this will pretty much be a movie about the Cubs. The movie will work off of former Cubs catcher David Ross’s upcoming memoir Teammate:…
Nice Gloss On Taut Satanic Possession Flick ‘The Devil’s Candy’
A young family is tormented by what may be a satanically possessed serial killer in Sean Byrne’s taut, sometimes lovely-to-look-at horror/thriller The Devil’s Candy. The film debuted in Toronto in 2015 and is now being distributed by IFC’s Midnight division. It opens Friday at the Capitol Theatre. The serial killer, a track-suit-wearing gentle-giant type named…
Spotlight: ‘The Last Word’
The Last Word, the new dramedy from director Mark Pellington (Henry Poole is Here), utilizes a rather flimsy premise. It centers on Harriet (Shirley MacLaine), a wealthy retired businesswoman with major control problems. She’s such a control freak that she even feels the need to tell her groundskeeper how to trim the bushes. “It’s top…
The Endless Joys of All-You-Can-Eat Hot Pot and Sushi at Kintaro
“Do you want ice cream?” our server asked. The thought of ingesting one more item of food or drink — even a scoop of free ice cream — not only was absurd, it was physically distressing. After two hours inside an all-you-can-eat Chinese hot pot restaurant, all I wanted to do was burn my pants…
Lakeland’s Annual Women-Only Exhibition Shows Off the Region’s Creativity
Every year for the past 10 years, in honor of Women’s History Month, the Gallery at Lakeland Community College has presented an exhibition featuring only female artists. Given the current political climate surrounding women’s rights, education, and funding for the arts, there might not be a more appropriate time for the arrival of From Woman…
Savage Love: Curious Minds
I recently spoke at Curious Minds Weekend in Toronto at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema. Audience members submitted questions before the show — anonymously — but the moderator, Lisan Jutras of the Globe and Mail, and I were having so much fun talking that we didn’t get to many cards. So I’m going to…
From Superman to Bedpans, 8 of the Best, Strangest, Largest and Most Unique Collections in Cleveland
Sometimes it starts with little forethought and cascades from there. You have one of something and then two and suddenly a couple hundred or thousand. Ok, that’s not exactly how it happens, but for these collectors from around Northeast Ohio that’s sometimes how it feels. One day you’re just going about your business and then…
Where to Get Out This Week (March 22-28)
WED 03/22 Music: Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party, a weekly series at Music Box Supper Club, pairs fine food with storytelling. The series aims to help raise awareness of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. The club’s owners consider the Cleveland History Center to be “one of the most…
The Mac Wellman Homecoming Festival Begins Thursday
Okay, so who is Mac Wellman and why is there a festival dedicated to him? Well, he’s a fellow who grew up in Mayfield Village and went on to become a much-lauded experimental playwright, making a name for himself in the off-off-Broadway world for his dozens of challenging and surprising plays, and one opera. If…
