Video: F**k You Hipsters
There are afternoons for energetic and altruistic pursuits of hearty journalistic endeavors. This is not one of them. Here, from the archives, Mike Polk and “Fuck you, hipsters.” Enjoy.
Help a Local Filmmaker With His Documentary on Stella Walsh
Rob Lucas is a filmmaker out of Akron. He’s working on what he calls, “a small video documentary about the Polish-American athlete Stella Walsh.” Here’s his plea in his own words and how you can help: Stella was born in Poland in 1911, but moved to Cleveland while she was still an infant. She became…
Ohio to Inspect ‘Spray Parks,’ Ask Folks to Stay Away if They Have Diarrhea
“I took my Imodium today, how ’bout you?” And by “spray parks,” the state means splash pads, the fountains of water in parks that kids run through in the summer. Long a mainstay of the outdoor summer season, “spray parks” are not in danger of disappearing, the state just wants to make sure they are…
Pic of the Day: Construction Begins on Flats’ East Bank
Around 6 a.m. this morning, a caravan of trucks began arriving at the Flats’ East Bank with concrete, signaling the official start of construction on the massive Wolstein project. If you’d like to see what this barren expanse of dirt and grass is going to look like when finished, check out the architectural renderings —…
Mom Arrested for DUI With Kids in Car at 3 A.M.
Last year saw a spate of sauced-up moms being arrested for driving drunk with their kids in the car. Unacceptable on every level, especially for those nabbed for DUIs early in the morning while shuffling their youngsters to school. Thankfully, we’ve enjoyed a drought this spring, with few to no mothers recklessly endangering their kids…
Richfield Village Named No. 1 Suburb in Cleveland
Cleveland Magazine unleashed its annual suburb-rating issue, cataloging the various outposts of Northeast Ohio and ranking them on taxes, education, walkability, safety, and proximity to a Sonic. This year, little-known, little-visited Richfield Village took home the top spot. The mag also provided anecdotal evidence from a family of Richfield Villagers as supplemental backup to their…
Official Peyton Hillis Madden Cover Revealed
Here ya go, Cleveland. Notice that downtown Cleveland gets some love in the background. (Via @ChrisLittmann)
Video: Transforming The Q for Basketball, Hockey, and Football
We’re still mustering up the mental energy to begin the workweek after a long holiday weekend — everything still smells like burgers and High Life to us — so here’s a time-lapse video of the crews at The Q getting the arena prepped and changed for a basketball game, a hockey game, and then an…
Concert Review: Neon Trees Energizes House of Blues
A headlining concert by a band with only one album could end up being a rip off, but not when that band is Neon Trees. The funky quartet made a big statement last night at the House of Blues. There was no lack of energy on stage, or in the crowd, from the minute they…
Alleged Drunk Driver Pulls Over, Talks to Cops
Pro tip in the unfortunate and dangerous case that you’ve been drinking and driving: Don’t pull over to the scene of a minor crash to talk to cops, especially if you’ve pissed your pants. Things will probably end badly. From Sandusky: Officers investigating a minor crash in the 1300 block of Camp St. at 8:21…
Cleveland Museum of Art Grabs Curator From Akron Art Museum
When curator Tom Hinson retired from the Cleveland Museum of Art at the end of last year after 38 years, he left some big shoes to fill. He spearheaded the development of the museum’s contemporary collection, which was skimpy when he began in 1973, acquiring the major works that now fill the museum’s spacious new…
An NBA Finals Shirt for Cavs Fans
The hate won’t stop, but we’re not sure whether we’d spend $22 on our hate. If you’d like to, the shirt is available from the fine folks at GV Art.
Norwalk High Seniors Arrested for Prank; Prank Offensively Lame
Less wholesomeness, more wit. The class of 2011 is pretty much treading water at this point, taking the victory lap before marching off into the Real World (or the Not-Quite-Real-World, aka college) diploma-in-hand. As we all know, that loose energy has been known to find expression in what’s become an American past time: the senior…
Clevelander Creates New Premium Vodka
Tom Rini, creator of Crav Vodka It took a 2007 Las Vegas bachelor party to get Clevelander Tom Rini thinking about the vodka biz. Four years and countless experiments later, Rini has found his niche as the developer of a pure, premium, private-label vodka he calls Crāv. Rini, a Fairview Park guy with diplomas from…
How LeBron Uses His Headband to Cover His Receding Hairline
The Heat and LeBron James have advanced to the NBA Finals. Boo. If there’s one morning-after story about King James and Miami you should read to get a proper handle on how the team has grown, come together, and won, it should be this piece on the increasingly odd angles LeBron has worn his headband…
Tribe’s Chris Perez Talks About Girls in Wet T-Shirts, No Shirts
In the fourth installment of chats with Tribe closer Chris Perez about life in the big leagues, Dugout Sports gets Pure Rage to talk about the craziest thing he’s seen in the bullpen: six girls flashing relievers to get balls. Enjoy.
Raw Video: Police Chase Stolen Dump Truck (Updated)
Update: Joshua Jiles, the 17-year-old who led cops on a 50-mile, three-county chase in a stolen dump truck back in December, was sentenced to two and a half years in a juvenile detention facility after pleading guilty to a laundry list of charges. Juvenile Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio designed Jiles a “serious youth offender,” which…
Concert Review: Portugal. The Man at House of Blues
Portugal. The Man performed their brand of indie rock in House of Blues’ intimate Cambridge Room last night. Following two relatively lackluster opening acts, the lights dimmed and Portugal. The Man took the stage, reminding everyone why they are headliners. The crowd went wild as they rocked out, making it look like it was easy…
Layoffs Looming at Key? (Updated)
Update: Unfortunately, we were right on this one. It happened, right on the date we originally reported it might. The Plain Dealer had the details Wednesday on the 64 tech jobs that were cut. *** KeyCorp is a longtime Cleveland institution with a lengthy track record of repping the 216 and giving back. But according…
Pic of the Day: A Vision of the East Bank of the Flats
The Plain Dealer reports this morning that plans for the East Bank of the Flats are moving along. In addition to a burger joint, developers are working on a seasonal nightclub, a Mexican restaurant, and a steakhouse. In other words, the prized land on the banks of the Cuyahoga River will resemble Macedonia or Strongsville.…
Morning Coffee Video Featuring Pre-NIN Trent Reznor
Look hard and you’ll see pre-Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor in this live video shot at the Phantasy in October 1984. The band is Slam Bamboo, and the music is straight outta Spandau Ballet. Reznor is on keyboards — go to about 4:20 in the video for a closeup. Sweet dance moves from the singer…
John Kasich’s Poll Numbers Continue to Plummet
No one likes John Kasich. The governor’s approval ratings now have him somewhere between “Weird kid who eats his boogers and has to sit by himself at lunch,” and, “Weird kid who eats his boogers and sits with one other person at lunch.” Public Policy Polling’s new numbers for Ohio’s embattled leader are not pretty.…
Lorain Man Bites Off Ear, Flashes 3-Year-Old
#hungry No regular bruisers ourselves, we gotta ask — What’s with the ear? We’re always reading these news reports, and invariably every couple of months up pops an incident where someone gripped in a physical clash tries to nosh off the other guy’s ear. They’re usually high on bath salts and Four Loko. What ever…
Vintage Video: Jerry Springer Campaigning for Governor in 1981
NewsNet5 has posted archival video from 1981 when Jerry Springer was campaigning for governor, and for that, we are thankful. Highlights include: Jerry Springer wrestling a bear, Jerry Springer disco dancing, Jerry Springer explaining how installing slots on buses would make more people take public transit, Jerry Springer’s apologizing for his dalliance with a prostitute,…
Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook Page Nets 700th Arrest
While some law enforcement agencies remain blissfully and ignorantly anachronistic, plenty of others have jumped into social media and the digital world to help spread the word about wanted criminals. (There was probably an opportunity for a “social media spurs for digital cowboy boots” joke there, but whatever. We could have just as easily made…
The Mobile App of Cleveland History
Clevelanders, pick up your iPhones, iPads, doohickies, and other assorted mobile devices and download the Cleveland Historical 2.0 app. Immediately. It’s free. The Center for Public History and Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University is the brainchild behind the app, which uses archival footage back from the early 1900s, interviews, maps, over 1000 images, guided…
Disgruntled RTA Rider Breaks Windows at RTA Offices
RTA may have taken home honors as America’s best public transit system a few years ago, but it’s not scoring points with everybody. Exhibit A would be the huge boards serving as patchwork protection on a set of broken windows at RTA’s main offices on West Sixth St. Spokeswoman Mary McCahon confirms that a “disgruntled…
Jones Day Clamps Down on Dress Code
Uber-important law firm Jones Day, which has a strong presence in Cleveland, would like its young lawyers to dress better, and if not, the bosses are prepared to send offenders home to change. “Business casual” is a murky category of dress. Does that mean no tie? Does that mean no underwear? It’s a broad spectrum…
Sloan’s Double Cross Tour Sways Grog Shop Fans
Sloan confidently took the Grog Shop stage last night—pretty much like they’ve been doing for twenty years. If the healthy turnout despite flooded streets and a continuous downpour wasn’t enough to emphasize Sloan’s strong Cleveland fan-base, the reaction to the opening song was. The crowd released a deafening roar within the first three chords of…
Forged in Flame Start New Webisode Series
Cleveland metal band Forged in Flame are hard at work on their new album. How hard? Well, you can judge for yourself in a series of new videos the band will be posting over the next few months as it writes, demos, and records the record. Forged in Flame’s Gary Kane tells us he’s planning…
Kasich’s Casino Consultant Meeting with Developers Today
I think this ran as part of that PD package last week. This morning the Plain Dealer is reporting that the Wall Street firm Governor John Kasich hired to work out the details of Ohio’s gaming industry will be sitting down the state’s two casino developers today. And by “work out the details” we mean…
Tribe Fan Caught Pounding Beer in Front Row
Good morning Cleveland. Turns out Forest City is fielding its fair share of national attention this morning on the interwebs. We decided we might as well launch into the piece of media that you’ll be most proud of first: Deadspin kicked off their morning roundup with this classy screen grab of a Tribe fan taking…
Hollywood Undead’s Revolt Tour Hits HOB
There are some bands that just don’t make sense, yet we love them. Hollywood Undead is among these. A House of Blues show last night was their last stint in Ohio as they wind down the Revolt Tour featuring their classic mix of rock, rap, and scream. There were catchy songs, funny remarks, and a…
Hair of the Dog
Like in the first Hangover, the raunchier sequel starts with most of the damage already done. This time it’s Stu (Ed Helms) who’s getting married, and the “wolf pack” (Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha) heads to Thailand for the wedding. Then comes one crazy night in Bangkok that nobody can recall. The first…
At the Arthouse
Rubber In this new movie, a tire goes on a killing spree in a desert town. The tire has a name. And it’s obsessed with a woman. We shit you not. Is it a joke? Of course. But writer-director Quentin Dupieux isn’t quite sure whether Rubber is a satire, a black comedy, or a parody…
Silent Enforcer
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason put forth an earnest effort to protect the reach of his office when the new county government recently challenged it. Mason’s tenacity prevailed when the state attorney general ruled that he would continue to represent the county in civil matters. It was not the ruling that drew jaundiced attention, but…
CD Review: Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley’s easy charm makes him one of country music’s most likable stars. Even haters give the guy props for his guitar skills. But he’s not a risky artist; you pretty much know what you’re getting by this point. His eighth album, This Is Country Music, sticks to a familiar formula: a couple of traditional-sounding…
Animal Magnetism
When a song breaks through the noise and becomes a hit, you’re bound to hear it in the most unexpected places. Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn was at the dentist’s office when his band’s breakthrough single “Animal” came on the radio. “I hate going to the dentist,” he says. “But hearing it made it a…
In the Club
On the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, the Beachland Ballroom transforms into an oasis of Zen and meditative restoration. Grab your mat and get ready to stretch, as instructor Lyz Bly takes you through the paces. Punk Yoga classes (which cost $13) are open to all skill levels, so it doesn’t matter how…
Fu Fighter
There’s a sort of zen-like tranquility to 2008’s Kung Fu Panda. From roly-poly panda Po’s constant noodle noshing to the gorgeously rendered landscapes, the movie travels a relatively peaceful path not usually found in CGI summer blowouts that come with their own Happy Meal toys. But there’s also all the kung-fu fighting and Po’s 10-ain’t-loud-enough…
Bites: A New Face At Lopez
Not since Rick Bayless departed for the Windy City has Lopez Southwestern Kitchen boasted such a high-pro chef. But that’s precisely what they got when the nomadic Michael Herschman (formerly of Cena Copa, Mojo, and Menu 6) landed at the Cleveland Heights hotspot about a month ago. Already, the chef’s creative imprint can be tasted…
CD Review: Thurston Moore
Think about what you love about Sonic Youth — the scalding interplay among the band, the tipping-point buildup, the noise. Now strip it all away so all you’re left with is the skeletal songs performed on acoustic guitar, violin, and harp. That’s pretty much what this solo album from main man Thurston Moore sounds like.…
Millionaire’s Choice
The last time I stepped foot inside the ballroom of the Heights Rockefeller Building, I was holding the hand of my newlywed bride. We had just gotten married in the back courtyard and were making our way into the grand second-floor space to celebrate with family and friends. “So, does it feel strange to come…
Get Out!
Thursday | 26 For Film Buffs Meet the Makers at CPL Who doesn’t love a good indie flick? Better yet, who doesn’t love award-winning filmmakers talking about indie flicks? Join directors David O. Russell and Lisa Cholodenko tonight with producer Ted Hope as they discuss the ever-evolving film industry and what sets low-budget pictures apart…
We Get Mail
How to Influence Idiots C. Ellen Connally said what she needed to say to get elected [“Botched Snap,” May 11, 2011]. Her opponents were wholly incompetent, as her public record was a clear indicator of how she would act once elected — and that record was there for use against her. It is indeed mind-boggling…
Stay In!
TOP PICK — CD Stax remasters series (Concord) Curiously, the first three reissues in this new series that focuses on one of the all-time great (if not the all-time greatest) soul record companies come from the ’70s, rather than the more celebrated ’60s. No matter, the albums — Booker T. & the MGs’ McLemore Avenue,…
Concert Calendar
Sloan This year marks Sloan’s 20th anniversary, which the Canadian power-pop quartet is celebrating with the release of a new album, The Double Cross. This also marks the 20th year of Sloan failing to make any sort of headway with U.S. listeners, despite their massive success at home and an easily digestible, hook-filled songbook. Sloan…
Life After Death Tax?
Good luck finding a parking space in the Cleveland Heights Community Center’s vast parking lot on some evenings. When armies of young hockey players from around the region schlep their gear through the center’s big glass doors, ready to go to war on the center’s two well-maintained ice rinks, cars are parked up Monticello Boulevard…
Drink of the Week
It had to happen eventually: The sun’s finally shining, the temps are soaring, and your booze-seeking tastebuds are searching for an easy-quaffing drink to cool their cocktail cravings. That’s why you’ll want to belly up to the big, shiny bartop at the Barley House, for a long, tall pour of Barley Fruit Punch. A blend…
Looking Back
Scott Hanson — a veteran of the local music scene who’s played with Boy Wonder, Slam Bamboo, Hanson: The Movie, and Son of Slam — struck up a friendship with Trent Reznor in the late ’80s, shortly before Nine Inch Nails released their debut album. But Hanson pretty much gave up music around 1999, after…
Home Movies
Platoon (MGM) Charlie Sheen probably never would have had the chance to guzzle tiger blood or bend the definition of winning if it weren’t for this 1986 milestone, one of the greatest war movies ever made. Director Oliver Stone goes deep into Vietnam’s jungles and into the minds of a group of scared, stoned soldiers,…
Film Capsules
Meek’s Cutoff (PG) In this hypnotic western, three families follow the advice of Wild West wrangler Meek (Bruce Greenwood) and split from a wagon train on a shortcut west. They’re already lost when the movie begins, walking through arid stretches of Oregon looking for water. But Meek’s Cutoff is less western than road movie, and…
Back Stab
James Donadio is your textbook scene veteran. Since moving from Kent to Cleveland in 1992, the man known around town as Jimmy D has served time in far too many projects to itemize completely. But among them are two of the area’s more formidable underground entities in recent years: Speaker/Cranker, the acid-wash space rockers who…
CD Review: Mechanics of Things
(Twin Electric Death) A stoner-rock band with punk impulses, Mechanics of Things relentlessly flaunt their bad attitude on their swaggering, self-titled debut. On songs like “T.E.D.” and “Earthmover,” Paul Conaway’s gruff voice resides somewhere between James Hetfield and Lemmy Kilmister. The band likes to turn its amps to 11, but it sounds better on the…
CD Review: Art Brut
These cheeky U.K. agit-punks have always mixed sly humor with abrasive riffs and unhinged vocals. It was almost inevitable then that the patron saint of such musical elements would eventually align with the band. The Pixies’ Frank Black, who produced 2009’s Art Brut vs. Satan, returns for Art Brut’s fourth album. Although Brilliant! Tragic! isn’t…
Local Band in Focus
Meet the Band: Grizzle, the Bully, and Blaise Rappers’ Delight: The three rappers grew up together, bonding over their love of the Beastie Boys, OutKast, and the Roots, and their ability to freestyle. As they got older, they went their own ways until recently reuniting to record some demos. “Different songs touch different emotions,” says…
On View This Week
The unique challenges of rendering nocturnal scenes long have inspired artists to use the night as a laboratory for experiments in shading and color. In her newest work, artist and gallery owner Hilary Aurand uses the night to explore pure form. A series of landscape pieces, all drawn from the overgrown cityscapes immediately surrounding her…
OIly Salesman
Ohio residents make appealing business partners for drilling companies that specialize in hydraulic fracturing. The new technology enables the extraction of small bubbles of oil or gas trapped in the layer of Marcellus shale that happens to blanket the eastern half of the state. But the technique has caused an uproar with environmentalists who say…
