“Have a Ball” at the 2014 Tiro Testicle Festival
Wikimedia Commons What began as a small menu addition at Tiro Tavern has escalated into a full-fledged annual Testicle Festival, an event for all kinds of nut sack connoisseurs to be held again this year, May 9 — 10. Last year’s Testicle Festival was full of entertainment, beer and, of course, testicle fries. And, if…
10 Awesome Northeast Ohio Kickstarter Projects
Kickstarter.com is a site filled with a plethora of interesting inventions, bizarre projects, and artsy ideas. Anyone can start a project and ask for funding, but it’s up to site visitors to decide which projects deserve a donation and which projects don’t. Past Cleveland-based projects have spanned a variety of areas. Sometimes, they help the…
Cain Park announces summer concert schedule
Nickel Creek Cain Park has just announced its summer schedule of concerts and events. Notable concerts slated to hit the outdoor venue in Cleveland Heights include: Carolina Chocolate Drops (June 12); the Heights High School Barbershoppers and Eh440 (June 13); Judy Collins (June 14); David Francey and Ashley Condon (June 19); the Average White Band…
Keith Sulzer Rally Foreshadows Upcoming Community Meeting
ERIC SANDY/SCENE Keith Sulzer supporters gather outside City Hall on March 31. Tonally, yesterday’s rally in support of former Second District Commander Keith Sulzer kept in line with last week’s gathering on the near west side. This week, Sulzer supporters met on the steps of City Hall to march, chant, and share their concerns about…
Sterle’s Rick Semersky Divulges Plans for St. Clair Superior Based Brewery
Rick Semersky, owner of the historic Sterle’s Country House in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, has big plans for the adjacent property. At present, the buildings at 1361 E. 55th Street house VIP, Semersky’s building exterior contractor company. But he’s been quietly working to redevelop much of that property. “We’re repurposing the building next to…
Browns Fans Won’t Burn Effigy of Costner in Draft Day
The NFL has a line, it turns out. And Draft Day, the upcoming film starring Kevin Costner as a Browns’ general manager, crossed it with a scene in which fans burn an effigy of the GM. The league stepped in and demanded that the scene be cut. “I think the NFL’s really cracking down on…
Cleveland on Short List of Most Underrated Food Cities in America
Thrillist, the digital magazine for men, recently published a feature on the “The 7 most underrated food cities in America.” Writer Dan Gentile included Cleveland in the listing. “What makes a great food city isn’t necessarily Michelin stars or food trucks per capita,” he writes. “While NYC, LA, and Chicago have always shined brightest, and…
Mac DeMarco brings weirdness (and fun) to Beachland Ballroom
Stepping into the Beachland Ballroom last night was like entering a new world where people didn’t take themselves seriously. Before singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco even took the stage, weirdoes in flat-brimmed hats were clearly ready to dance. I expected a set of super-chill songs with gooey guitar and a good deal of funk. What I got…
38th Annual Cleveland International Film Festival Draws Record Number of Attendees
The 38th annual Cleveland International Film Fest, which wrapped up on Sunday, drew nearly 100,000 attendees this year, breaking all previous attendance records and boasting a 5 percent visitor increase from last year’s fest. The CIFF reports that 97,804 movie goers stopped by between March 19 and March 30 to catch at least one of…
Tuesday Reading: ‘How a little-known conservative Ohio congressman changed American history’
Just wanted to pass along this little nugget of Buckeye-based longform today. Politico writer Todd Purdum chronicles the work of William Moore McCulloch, an Ohio congressman from just north of Dayton who helped spearhead the 1964 Civil Rights Act in Washington. First, a quick footnote about McCulloch (whose district is represented in the present day…
Rock Hall Announces presenters for Inductions
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Nirvana The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has just announced the special guests who’ll be on hand to induct Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall and John Oates, KISS, Nirvana, Linda Ronstadt, Cat Stevens, the E Street Band, Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham at the…
Riding high on sudden success, SKATERS to play Grog Shop tonight
When SKATERS drummer Noah Rubin first met guitarist Josh Hubbard, he didn’t care for the guy. But singer Michael Ian Cummings convinced him that once he got to know him, he would like him. And he was right. Rubin, Cummings and bassist Dan Burke all gelled quickly after they formed the band in 2012 with…
Butcher & Brewer Adds Executive Chef Jim Blevins to Growing Roster of Talent
As the Butcher & the Brewer closes in on its summer opening in the former Dredger’s Union space on East Fourth Street, management continues to add key personnel to the team. The latest addition: Executive Chef. Jim Blevins is leaving his post as executive chef at Hodge’s, which he held for just over a year,…
Bad Dates play Scene Session
Detroit-based indie rockers Bad Dates recently drove down from the Motor City to play a Scene Session at our office. The group played a few songs from its new self-titled album. Check out previous Scene Sessions with the Promise Hero, Zach, Stephanie Trivison, Diana Chittester, One Day’s Notice, Taylor Lamborn, Unsaid Fate, Hey Monea!, Joshua…
Cloud Nothings’ Dylan Baldi offers a track-by-track take on his new album
A couple of years ago, the local indie rock outfit Cloud Nothings’ manager suggested the group make an album with producer John Congleton (Modest Mouse, St. Vincent). That manager no longer works for the band, but the band finally got to work with Congleton. He produced its new album, Here and Nowhere Else, which the…
There’s a 70 Percent Chance that it’s Going to Rain on Opening Day in Cleveland
According to weather.com, there’s a 70 percent chance that it’s going to rain on Opening Day in Cleveland. Well, shoot. Still can’t say it’s the worst Opening Day weather we’ve had.
‘Coalition Against the Sin Tax’ Asks: “What Would You Do With $260 Million?”
The folks behind the Coalition Against the Sin Tax (C.A.S.T.) posed a nifty question to Clevelanders who aren’t billionaire sports franchise owners: What would you do with $260 million? That’s the amount of money that the sin tax extension is estimated to generate over the next 20 years, were the voters to approve such a…
An interview with Dom Hemingway writer-director Richard Shepard, who’s in town for CIFF
British actor Jude Law pulls out all the stops in Dom Hemingway, a gritty black comedy about a former thief who tries to get his life back on track after serving a 12-year term in prison. The movie shows tonight at 7 at the Cleveland International Film Festival and then opens in New York and…
An interview with Back Issues: The Hustler Magazine Story producers John Torrani and Flynn Hundhausen, who are in town for CIFF
In Back Issues: The Hustler Magazine Story, director Michael Lee Nirenberg documents the rise of Larry Flynt’s pornographic magazine. Because his father Bill was the magazine’s art and creative director for many years, Nirenberg had unprecedented access to the many employees, models, photographers and lawyers who have worked for the magazine. He was even able…
Cleveland Metroparks Brings Footgolf to Cleveland
Photo via Wikimedia Commons Hey there Clevelandites looking for a thrifty and active new spring hobby, the Cleveland Metroparks has just announced its plans to bring two footgolf courses to nearby golf facilities next month. Footgolf, for those unfamiliar, is a combination sport of soccer and golf, played with a soccer ball on a golf…
Super Pimp Is Opening His Own Club
Super Pimp (real name: Mike Toth) has been the master of ceremonies on West Sixth Street for over a decade. (Do read our fabulous 2012 cover story on Cleveland’s famous face — and suit — here.) So it was only natural that Super Pimp venture out on his own: “I am pumped to announce my…
What is the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Website?
What is the website for the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper? And if you’re looking for news on Cleveland sports, the Cleveland Browns, the Cleveland Indians, the Cleveland Cavs, Cleveland football, Cleveland baseball, Cleveland basketball, Cleveland news or Cleveland entertainment, where do you find it online? Cleveland.com is the website that publishes all of the Cleveland…
Nelsonville Music Festival Adds Heavyweight Bands and Artists to 2014 Lineup: UPDATE
Nelsonville Music Festival got a bit meatier today with the latest round of lineup additions. Dig it: Shovels & Rope (Sunday)Kurt Vile & The Violators (Friday)Valerie June (Sunday)LuciusSt. Paul & The Broken BonesWooden Indian Burial GroundThe TillersJustin GordonTodd BurgeUnmonumentalWeedghost. ***Originally published Feb. 7 Damn. The good folks behind the Nelsonville Music Festival dropped major headlines…
Singer Demi Lovato plays it safe at Quicken Loans Arena
Singer Demi Lovato is the nicest rock star you’ll (n)ever meet. During a 90-minute performance last night at Quicken Loans Arena, she graciously thanked her fans, saying things like “you guys are so awesome” and “I’m so excited to see all you guys here.” The platitudes sounded heartfelt too. And during “Let It Go,” she…
10 Cleveland Food Trucks We’re Totally Stoked for this Spring
As winter gives us one final kick in the teeth before departing, it’s tough not to think about food truck season. (Events like Walnut Wednesdays bring a smile to our face.) And, as Cleveland’s culinary scene continues to explode, so does our mobile offerings. Here’s a list of food trucks we’re totally pumped about this…
Winks Is Throwing a Game of Thrones Beer Party Saturday Night
You don’t have to be a noble to appreciate what will transpire this Saturday at Winks Bar and Grille in the Galleria. The restaurant’s transformation to medieval times marks the exclusive launch party for Brewery Ommegang’s new Fire and Blood Red Ale, a beer inspired by HBO’s Game of Thrones and character Daenerys Targaryen’s three…
“KILLINGSPREECOMING”: Feds Indict Broadview Heights Man For Social Media Threats Against President Obama, Others
A 27-year-old Northeast Ohio man with previous illegal explosives manufacturing, weapons possession and drug trafficking convictions was indicted in federal court on Wednesday on charges he threatened to kill President Barack Obama and for “threats made in interstate commerce” when he used social media to threaten the lives of others. “Through multiple postings on Facebook,…
An interview with Slingshot director Paul Lazarus, who’s in town for CIFF
In Slingshot, his new documentary film about inventor Dean Kamen (he’s the guy behind the Segway), director Paul Lazarus documents the trials and tribulations Kamen encountered when he tried to distribute the Slingshot, a water purification device that can make filthy water into clean water. The film provides a fascinating look at both Kamen’s invention…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (March 28 — 30)
Cleveland might not understand this whole “spring” concept yet, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting out. There’s too much going on this weekend to stay cooped up, anyway. For starters, vicious female wrestlers will duke it out in two super-intense AIW matches, a mini-festival film fest will show cult-favorites, and the Cavs will take…
VIDEO: Tony Rizzo’s Day In Court
Top left: Tony Rizzo’s booking photo after his domestic violence arrest in December. Bottom: Rizzo in the Medina Municipal Court this morning, where he pleaded to a lesser charge of persistent disorderly conduct. Tony Rizzo, the longtime Cleveland sports radio and TV fixture, took off from his spot as host of ESPN Radio’s The Really…
The Taco Bell Breakfast in Photos
This morning, March 27, 2014, Scene traveled to the Taco Bell on Steelyard Drive to experience firsthand the the fast food chain’s new breakfast menu. (Spoiler: We survived our maiden voyage, but do not feel very good at all). You’re not dreaming, folks. Taco Bell now has a breakfast menu, including the pictured Waffle Taco,…
Ohio Innocence Project Files Motion With New Evidence, Following a Scene Investigation, to Free Wrongfully Convicted Man Imprisoned for 39 Years
The scene of Harold Franks’ 1975 murder, for which Ricky Jackson was wrongfully convicted By Kyle Swenson Back in 2011, Scene published an investigative story on a 1975 robbery-homicide that sent three young boys to prison. Although the low-profile shooting barely dented the newspapers at the time, 35 years after the fact, the case would…
Larry and His Flask Ravages the Grog Shop with Punk-Ass Bluegrass
ERIC SANDY/SCENE Jeshua Marshall stands on his bass, while Andrew Carew shreds the banjo. ERIC SANDY/SCENE Always in motion. First observation: I’ve never seen a bass player — playing one of those massive upright basses, no less – move as nimbly as Jeshua Marshall. Larry and His Flask, some wild-ass punk/bluegrass outfit from central Oregon,…
Tony Rizzo Arrested For Domestic VIolence (Updated)
Update (3/27/2014): Tony Rizzo pleaded no contest to a lesser charge this morning, a fourth degree misdemeanor of “persistent disorderly conduct.” *** Original story (12/9/2013): Tony Rizzo, the 52-year-old host of The Really Big Show on ESPN Radio in Cleveland and the Rizzo Show on Fox 8 on Sundays, was arrested at his home in…
Backstage Pass: The guys in the ’80s-obsessed dance-pop duo Cherub talk about their influences
The dance-pop duo Cherub sounds out of sync with most of the music that comes out of Nashville. But the guys in the group certainly don’t mind. Songs such as “Monogamy,” “Doses and Mimosas” and “XOXO” shamelessly draw from the ’80s. And when the guys play the tunes live, the venue erupts into a wild…
Video: Jim Breuer Talks to the Cleveland Man Behind AOL’s “You’ve Got Mail” Voice
Forgive us if you knew this already, but we’re just finding out. Three of the most famous words ever spoken — “You’ve got mail.” — were voiced by 1) an actual human being, and 2) an actual human being who lives and works in Cleveland. His name is Elwood Edwards and he now works at…
East Cleveland Public Library Interim Director in Intensive Care at Cleveland Clinic
Monisa Ramseur, interim director of the East Cleveland Public Library, is in intensive care at the Cleveland Clinic. Sources on the library board think that Ramseur has suffered a cerebral aneurysm. The news comes at a pivotal point for the ECPL board. That body has lately been home to little more than turmoil and finger-pointing.…
Kid Cudi Performance at Wolstein Center Feels Forced
Kid Cudi’s come a long way since his beginnings here in Cleveland. Since leaving Cleveland in 2003, the rapper joined the ranks of Will Smith, LL Cool J, Mos Def and a host of others in the prestigious “rapper/actor” club. Releasing outstanding rap albums like his debut Man On The Moon: The End Of Day,…
West Side Residents Rally for Keith Sulzer to Return to Post as Second District Commander
ERIC SANDY/SCENE City Councilman Brian Cummins addresses the crowd. Following the police department’s abrupt announcement on Monday that Second District Commander Keith Sulzer would be “stepping down,” hundreds of area residents gathered Tuesday evening to demand his reinstatement. The crowd was agitated and curious. “If the new chief wants to rearrange his leadership, then tell…
Savage Love: Answers from the Road
Readers: A crowd of smart, engaged students packed a theater for Savage Love Live at Centenary College of Louisiana last week. Centenary students submitted more Qs than I could possibly A in the 90 minutes I had with them. So here are some bonus answers to questions I didn’t get to during my time there. …
He’s Alright: Classic Rocker Eddie Money Talks About his Annual Trip to Town and Why he Hates Kenny Loggins
Eddie Money’s a pretty easygoing guy, something which comes through in the lyrics of his many ’80s hits, from “Where’s the Party” to “Two Tickets to Paradise.” The Money Man (as he calls himself) is always looking for a good time. But as we discovered in a conversation a couple of years ago, he’s not…
Weird and Wacky: Mindless Self Indulgence’s Jimmy Urine Talks About the Joys of Having no Constraints and Explains why he Refuses to Play ‘Freebird’
Since 1997, Mindless Self Indulgence has been defying genres by creating music that’s oddball, off the wall and madcap enough to avoid cookie cutter definitions. Nu-metal was all the rage when the band, led by Jimmy Urine (Ma and Pa Urine must be proud), emerged, and so they played a lot with bands like Korn…
Band of the Week: Purveyors of Fiction
Meet the band: Nick Pecone (bass/vocals), Drew Minor (guitar), and Luke Heberle (drums). Blame it on the booze: Band leader Nick Pecone moved to Cleveland four years ago and instantly started playing in a variety of bands. One night at the Agora, he got drunk and decided right then and there to put a band…
Also on Stage
The Elaborate entrance of Chad Diety This is a play that desperately - wants to be a satire on American values, reflected through the faux posturing (and faux everything) of pro wrestling. Written by Kristoffer Diaz, it has all the elements of a potentially incisive look into the myths we all share (about race, among…
Your Complete Guide to Cleveland Concerts (March 27 – April 2)
thu 03/27 Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge. The Brothers Kaschak/Seasons/Tom Evanchuck: 8:30 p.m., $8. Beachland Tavern. Vicki Chew/John McGrail: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. The Dope Show featuring Ski Mask Malley/Doxxbaby/Astronut K.I.: 8:30 p.m., $10. Grog Shop. Chris Hatton (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Demi Lovato/Cher Lloyd/Fifth Harmony: Twenty-one-year-old singer…
Film Review of the Week: Bad Words
Child actors often have a hard time making the transition from TV sit-coms to the silver screen. Not Jason Bateman. The kid from Little House on the Prairie has done all right for himself (a regular role on Arrested Development certainly helped give him some credibility). He successfully tests the limits of his talent with…
Film Spotlight: Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies
When director Cody Knotts recently appeared on The Alan Cox Show, Cox asked him whether his new film, Pro Wrestlers vs. Zombies, was anything like The Walking Dead, the popular dramatic AMC series about a group of humans trying to fend off zombies in post-apocalyptic America. Knotts, who’s billed his film with the tagline “good…
Suicide in Plain Sight: A Middle-Aged Woman Decides to End it All in ‘Night Mother at Beck Center
Contrary to the lyric in the theme song for the movie M*A*S*H, suicide isn’t always painless. In fact, the pain is often profound for the friends and loved ones who are left behind, especially since many suicides happen in private and are therefore mysterious and agonizing. Not so for the impending tragedy that sits at…
Kiss the Sky: ‘Experience Hendrix’ Tour Celebrates the Life and Legacy of that Most legendary Guitarist
For decades now, guitarists of all ilk have referenced Jimi Hendrix most often as the alpha and omega of the instrument. They’ve got a point. Since the initial summer 1995 Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Festival in Seattle, the Experience Hendrix Tour has grown exponentially, reeling in musicians from across the rock, blues and jazz spectra.…
The Battle for East Cleveland
When East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton delivered his State of the City address to residents on March 8 in the L. Reese Performing Arts Center at the East Cleveland Public Library, he tapped into equal parts percolating excitement and historic civic pride as he described the successes of East Cleveland leadership. More importantly, he touted…
Now Hear This: Holding Dreams Steady
Coming out of years of tu-mult among band members, The Hold Steady emerge into 2014 with one hell of an album to present. Teeth Dreams is, in sum, a coherent, adventurous ode to despair. It’s a wild ride. “The new album exceeded any expectations that I had, and Craig really outdid himself,” guitarist Tad Kubler…
Regional Beat: The Baker’s Basement
Island (Self-released) thebakersbasement.com The latest release from the experimental duo the Baker’s Basement begins with “Step Away from It,” an instrumental song that commences with a dull drone that slowly escalates into a shimmering guitar riff. The song isn’t indicative of the album as a whole. The rest of the music here from the multi-instrumentalist…
Nemo Grille: 13 Years and Still Going Strong
Many restaurants are known for a select number of signature dishes, but Bob Nemo of Nemo Grille aspires well beyond that. “Everyone asks me what my best dishes are, but I don’t really have an answer,” says the chef. “My goal is to offer a great menu where no matter what catches your eye, it…
A Snazzy Eastern Addition: XO Prime Steaks Plants a Flag in Pepper Pike
Just as Red, the Steakhouse was planting its flag downtown after a decade of brisk business in the burbs, XO Prime Steaks was busy with its own expansion plans – but in the opposite direction. In January, XO opened a second location in Pepper Pike after a decade spent as downtown’s unchallenged leader in the…
