Cavs-Celtics: A funk LeBron shouldn’t shoot his way out of
During the post-game press conference after Cleveland’s 88-77 victory over the Celtics, coach Mike Brown was asked about LeBron’s poor shooting in the series so far. He responded by saying that King James is going to come out of his current funk, and that he told his superstar that if he’s open for a three-pointer…
Tribe: Great pitching, bad heckling mark double-header
Cliff Lee: the newest proof that selling your soul is totally worth it. Part of the charm of a day game — especially the first half of a doubleheader — is that the stadium is so quite and empty that you can hear every heckle. You sit where you want, tear open a bag of…
What Minneapolis didn’t learn (but should have) from an Ohio bridge collapse
Look, we’re sorry we unleashed Jim Brown upon the nation. But this time, Ohio shouldn’t be blamed for the negligence of others. A story in yesterday’s Minneapolis Star Tribune wonders aloud if the buckling of our state’s I-90 bridge 12 years ago was a warning sign that failed to go off. In 1996, structural engineers…
‘New Yorker’ outlines Alinea chef Grant Achatz’s fight with tongue cancer
Friendly, familiar, and not too far, Chicago has long been a top dining-destination for Cleveland-area foodies, who have flocked to such bar-raising establishments as Charlie Trotter’s, Trio, and most recently, Alinea, where young uber-chef Grant Achatz has mastered the art of molecular gastronomy. So when last year’s tale of Achatz’ Stage IV tongue cancer became…
The LeBron James Leave-o-Meter: With D’Antoni in New York, threat level jumps to ‘Boozer’
The Latest Sign of Impending Doom: The hapless Knicks have hired former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni to right the New York basketball ship. D’Antoni averaged more than 50 wins a season with the Suns, and ran one of the most athletic, entertaining, and successful teams of the past five years. He’ll spend the…
Mic Check: The Mars Volta at House of Blues on Wednesday
They sing about seraph snouts and cruciform limps. The Mars Volta are full of shit. And I think they know it. But some of rock’s best bands were full of shit. Pink Floyd? Full of shit. Led Zeppelin? Full of shit. Radiohead? Full of shit most of the time. But that’s why I love the…
This Just In: American Idols, Zeppelin idolizers lead the week in concerts
Seventy-six new shows this week, from American Idols Live to Led Zep tribute Zoso. And apparently Sisqo — the “Thong Song” dude with the platinum hair (and records) — is still around. Who knew? Read on for a full rundown. – D.X. Ferris
Juror in alpaca case says he was tortured, not ignorant
The jury believed that owner Jerry Forstner inflated the value of his poisoned alpacas. In 2003, Magical Farms owner Jerry Forstner sued Purina Mills after the company delivered a contaminated shipment of feed to his alpaca farm, killing off over 100 of his 1,600 alpacas and permanently damaging the health of hundreds more. Forstner, whose…
Bogus story: Cleveland Museum of Art not returning works to Italy
Countries are demanding works be returned — whether they have proof they were stolen or not. Last Friday, officials at the Cleveland Museum of Art were shocked to see numerous wire stories reporting that they had agreed to give back 16 artworks to the Italian government. The problem with the article: The story is completely…
LeBron goes Chinese
In this Chinese Nike commercial, LeBron is forced to face his greatest fears: hype, temptation, haters, self-doubt, and tipping waiters. He smashes through all of them with confidence – except for the tipping part. But it’s not as easy as it looks, since everyone is talking Chinese.
Filling in for Marc Dann at Case Western’s commencement
With all the hullabaloo surrounding our soon-to-be former Attorney General Marc Dann, Case Western Law School officials decided that Dann might not be the best person to give the commencement address. Last week, Dean Gary Simson sent out an e-mail to students telling them not to worry. He was in talks with other potential speakers,…
Should the Jews abandon Cleveland?
For months now, a debate has been raging in the Jewish community about whether its bedrock agency, the Jewish Community Federation, should move its headquarters from Euclid Avenue downtown to Beachwood. The non-profit organization is basically a United Way for Jews — sponsoring social events, fundraising for Israeli causes, and doing charity work. Since 1965,…
Cleveland schools want teachers to go through metal detectors
It’s been a rough year for Cleveland teachers. Even by the standards of one of America’s most chaotic districts, students are beating on them at unprecedented rates. The district has responded with the usual crime fighting solutions. It’s increased security and installed video cameras and metal detectors. Each day, students pass their way under the…
Buy a condo, get a free car
Buy a Bluestone “luxury loft” in Cleveland Heights, and you’ll get a “free” smart car. As the real estate market tanks in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, ripple effects are being felt throughout the industry. Even in the ’burbs, builders are having trouble selling their wares — and their desperation is making them…
Judge Linda Teodosio & the plague on the American workforce
After reading “Canning Miss A,” our feature story about a model Summit County Juvenile Detention Officer who was fired thanks to dubious office politics, a reader called in to say that it isn’t just the Summit County Juvenile Court that’s plagued by ineffectual bureaucracy – it’s the entire American work force. And it sucks: “Just…
Slate: Vegetarians steamed at chefs
With the possible exception of an entrée that stares back, I’ll eat just about anything. Yet with friends and even offspring of the meat-free persuasion, I take no issue with those who voluntarily restrict their diets. If anything, I feel protective of my vegetarian pals – particularly when we’re dining at a restaurant, where tasty,…
Hello, Cleveland: This week’s concert cheat sheet
Panic at the Disco heads up this week’s list of big shows, small shows, and show everybody’s going to be talking about at work Thursday morning. Read on for a crib sheet: who’s playing, when, and why you oughtta check ‘em out. — D.X. Ferris
Last Night in Cleveland: The Swell Season
In last year’s hit indie film Once, stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová gradually work their way toward making beautiful music together. They eventually get there, in the form of “Falling Slowly,” which netted them an Academy Award. Performing live as the Swell Season, the pair is already at that magical point. Hansard (who fronts…
Cavs-Celtics: LeBron’s mom, Donyell’s awkward homecoming, and other notes
You can take Donyell out of Cleveland, but you can’t take Donyell out of Cleveland. Or something like that. Not that we’re keeping track or anything, but after we watched from a press box in the Q as the Cavs efficiently destroyed Boston Saturday night, the team is 2-0 in games C-Notes has attended this…
Mars Volta show moved to House of Blues, will still feature 20-minute epics
The Mars Volta’s concert scheduled for Wednesday has been moved from the Agora to House of Blues. No big deal: There’ll still be plenty of 20-minute epics about Cassandra Gemini and conjugal burns. –Michael Gallucci
WTF: A Medical Mart by the Lake?
The county has narrowed down the potential sites for its infamously inept Medical Mart project, a project pushed through with less thought than what goes into choosing your cheese on a $5 Subway foot-long. Of the sites, one stands out. It’s the prospect of building the site to the west of Browns stadium, directly alongside…
“Porno Buddhist” to speak, screen documentary
Zero Defex bassist and Suicide Girls columnist Brad Warner will read from his latest lively Zen Buddism book, Sit Down and Shut Up, at Visible Voice Books (1023 Kenilworth Ave., Tremont) tomorrow at 7 p.m. After the talk, he’ll screen his Cle-punk documentary, Cleveland’s Screaming. The event is free. Warner’s tenure as a writer for…
Coldplay coming to the Q
This just in: Coldplay will be playing Quicken Loans Arena on July 6. And even though we’re not too crazy about their new song, they’re a pretty solid live band. Tickets go on sale May 17 through Ticketmaster. –Michael Gallucci
Salt the Wound: Scene says OK, Decibel says Meh
Signed to LA’s Rotten Records — home to underground sensations including Acid Bath, which featured Elphantboy & Deadman mainman Dax Riggs — Salt the Wound is Cleveland’s latest breakout metal talent. Read a review of their indie-label debut, Carnal Repercussions, in this week’s Scene. It’s not just a noteworthy release because they’re local boys. The…
Russell Peters leads the week in Cleveland comedy
Unless you recognize a comedian’s name as That Girl From that Movie or the Dude from That One HBO Special, it can be hard to tell whether a stand-up is worth seeing. Lucky you: Scene did the legwork, and the skinny on this week’s big comedy shows, video included, is just a click away. This…
Mic Check: James McMurtry at the Beachland Ballroom on Friday
McMurtry: hates Bush. Like his dad Larry, singer-songwriter James McMurtry knows characters. But unlike his novelist father – who penned The Last Picture Show and Lonesome Dove, and wrote Brokeback Mountain’s screenplay – the guys and gals who populate James’ work don’t even bother looking for a way out. They’re already down for the count,…
Hello, Cleveland: This weekend’s concert cheat sheet
Glen and Merketa, as seen in the much-beloved movie Once, lead this weekend’s list of really big shows. Read on for a full rundown, with notes and – for a limited time only – scratch-and-sniff entries. Try it! – D.X. Ferris
Kid Rock, rocking Cleveland for cheap
Kid Rock tickets are now priced to move: Visit megaticket.com, where a four-pack of tickets to Rock’s Saurday, May 17 show is a mere $92 (tickets are $35 through $69.50 via Ticketmaster). Also on the bill are Peter Wolf (of the J. Geils Band) and Rev Run (of Run-DMC). Seriously. — D.X. Ferris
C-Notes’ Picks of the Weekend
Every Friday, Scene calendar editor Cris Glaser provides a random but reliable sampling of things to do this weekend. For more options, log onto entertainment.clevescene.com. And check back Monday for C-Notes’ Picks of the Week. Friday: A fusion of denim and dinner jackets rules the dress code at tonight’s Black & Blue Ball in the…
Gas pains equal free food at Local Heroes
Whether you drive a Prius or a Hummer, prices have gotten so wicked that would-be restaurant-goers sometimes have to choose between filling their tanks and filling their tummies. While it’s no cure, here’s a little bit of gas relief from Local Heroes (2217 E. 9th Street, 216-566-8100), the good-looking sports bar across from Progressive Field.…
Scott Wolstein tries to skimp on worker pay in Flats development
The $522 million redevelopment of the East Bank of the Flats was sold to Clevelanders just like so many other publicly-subsidized projects: It will revive downtown! Create new jobs! Hardly anyone could argue with the wisdom of turning a bunch of dilapidated strip joints into thriving offices, shops and condos. In fact, Port Authority leaders…
Slide Show: The Black Keys at the Beachland Tavern
We weren’t the only ones lucky enough to score a wristband to the Black Keys’ “secret” show at the Beachland Tavern last night. Fortunately for you, Scene photographer Walter Novak was also there. Check out his slide show. – Michael Gallucci
Last Night in Cleveland: The Black Keys
When’s a secret show not a secret show? When everyone and his grandma know about the damn thing. The Black Keys’ free “secret” show at the Beachland Tavern last night was ostensibly a thank-you gig from MySpace (which sponsored) to local fans who signed up as a Secret Shows friend. But on Monday, the Beachland…
Restaurant of the Weekend: Trip out at Tommy’s on Mother’s Day
So you say you’ve put off making reservations at those fancy-pants Mother’s Day brunch spots, and now you’re up a creek? Allow us to toss you a vegetarian-friendly life preserver, in the form of Tommy’s, a Coventry Road landmark since 1972. What began as a low-key neighborhood soda shop quickly grew into the unofficial HQ…
Cavs-Celtics: You can only hope to contain Boston’s go-to extra-terrestrial
Tuesday’s loss to the Boston Celtics proved that it’s almost impossible to beat a team full of aliens, one tall, the other old. They intimidate, swarm, and always seem poised to kidnap Moondog, put him in a cryogenic freezing chamber, and keep him there for a decade alongside a collection of dairy cows. We watched…
$13 at … Saucy Bistro
In this weekly feature, C-Notes stretches your dollar at restaurants around the region, because we’re still waiting on that stimulus check. This week … Saucy Bistro 24481 Detroit Road, Westlake, (440) 835-3559, www.saucybistro.com For Scene’s full review, click here. What $13 got us: Lump meat crab cake, with potato salad and roasted red pepper aioli.…
Cleveland Clinic offers free yoga to soothe the embittered nurse
The Cleveland Clinic has taken a lot of flack lately for the way it treats its 35,000 employees — first banning smoking on its campus, then vowing not to hire anyone who lights up. Some saw this health and wellness kick as a bit overzealous, considering how stressed-out Clinic workers might desperately need a delicious…
Pajamagate: Do we really wanna impeach the best attorney general Ohio’s had in a long time?
Governor Ted Strickland is certainly making a statement by demanding the immediate impeachment of Attorney General Marc Dann. On Monday, Dann refused to resign after he admitted to having an extramarital affair with a 28-year-old aide. It came just after two female AG workers accused one of Dann’s top managers and roommate, Anthony Gutierrez, of…
Raise money in your underwear for the AIDS Taskforce
Now this looks like fun, doesn’t it, boys? Members of the Only Undies Club don’t usually need an excuse to socialize half naked. After all, that’s the entire point of this online-based scene, started in Cleveland, where punker twentysomethings prefer to skip the whole clothes thing and mingle in their skivvies. But if the cause…
Tribe: And the award goes to …
In the last seven days, the Cleveland Indians compiled a depressingly mediocre record of 2-4 despite starting pitching that ranged from slightly better than good (C.C.) to absolutely superb (Aaron Laffey). It’s the offense and the bullpen that sunk to new levels ineptitude. That being said, here at C-Notes we like to stay positive about…
Congratulations to Ohio’s most dedicated smoker
When the Ohio Department of Taxation announced this week that they’d be sending out bills to smokers who’d subverted state taxes by buying their packs online, it wasn’t just another chance to kick everyone’s favorite dead horse. It was an opportunity to recognize a hero. Thanks to The Man, Ohioans no longer have to wonder…
Mick Boogie’s a great DJ, but he’s an even better blogger
We’re not quite sure how Mick Boogie finds the time. Besides being Cleveland’s busiest DJ, he also runs what is emerging as one of the best hip-hop blogs in the region. He must own a Blackberry or something. …
Pajamagate: Dann cancels Case commencement address. Guys in SAE house totally bummed
“Class of 2008: It’s my honor to be here. Please point me to the nearest keg.” It was only a year ago that Case Western law school officials landed themselves a great coup when Marc Dann, then a rising star of Ohio politics, agreed to be the school’s commencement speaker on May 18th of this…
Last Night in Cleveland: Ministry
Ministry’s performance at the Agora last night was probably one of the most unusual retirement parties you could imagine. Ringleader Al Jourgensen and crew had little problem drawing a crowd of amped-up metalheads and gangly goth kids for what was heralded as Ministry’s final tour. The occasionally rowdy audience surprisingly skewed toward the younger side,…
Papa Johns can’t buy Cleveland’s affection with 23-cent pizzas. Domino’s, maybe, but …
We want to hate Brendan Haywood, we do. But when you think about it, dude got us some cheap-ass pizzas. Quite the dilemma. Hey, remember last week, when the Cavs were playing some team full of crazy assholes, and Soulja Boy was there, and some guy with an unpronounceable name smacked Lebron, and somebody called…
Brothers Lounge uncorks itself with wine testing
If you haven’t had a chance yet to check out the recently opened Brothers Lounge (11609 Detroit Road), Sunday May 18 could be your golden opportunity. That’s when manager Giuseppe O’Connell is throwing a little “get acquainted” wine tasting and open house in Brothers’ gorgeous Wine Bar, complete with jazz and an assortment of light…
Win an autographed copy of Mogwai reissue
“You sure this is Florida?” Attention Mogwai fans: Our sister paper Riverfront Times scored an autographed copy of the fancy-ass new reissue of the Scottish noisemakers’ 1997 debut, Young Team. And they’re giving it away! And you don’t even have to write a smart-ass comment or anything for a chance to win. Good luck. –Michael…
Prediction of the Day: Black Keys wristbands will go fast
Just a reminder that the Black Keys’ not-so-secret show is happening tonight. The Beachland will start handing out wristbands at 2 p.m. So, you should get there, like, 20 minutes ago. –Michael Gallucci
Marc Dann, Connie Schultz, and in defense of young, smart women everywhere
Marc Dann isn’t a threat to young women. We’re a threat to him. As calls for Attorney General Marc Dann’s resignation grew to a roar yesterday, “The Sound of Ideas” on 90.3 WCPN weighed in on the age-old subject of philandering politicians. I listened, only half-heartedly, as the experts debated whether cheating on their wives…
Public Square: Thoughts on smoking pot & deceitful pizza delivery guys
There’s two things that just completely burn my ass that I had to write in about. Number one: I have on video people getting high at the Cleveland Public Library (across from my house). They do it daily and cops drive by and give no attention to it. It’s right across from all these people…
Maya Help You
As one of Oprah Winfrey’s spiritual advisers, Maya Angelou has been heralded as her generation’s messenger of inspiration, courage, and survival. Celebrating her 80th birthday this year, the author of the acclaimed 1970 autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will wax nostalgic about her career as a poet and playwright, tonight at Playhouse…
DeVotchKa
The three guys and one gal who make up DeVotchKa sure don’t sound like they’re from Denver. Their global-music grab bag includes plenty of gypsy punk-funk, but they also pack it up and head to Europe and Mexico for inspiration. DeVotchKa got a big boost a couple of years ago, when its music showed up…
The Swell Season
There’s a scene in Once, last year’s indie hit about struggling musicians making beautiful music together, where the film’s two stars — touring together as the Swell Season — use a skeletal frame of a song to feel each other out in a music store. It’s a pivotal and glorious moment, and one that audiences…
Mom’s the Word
Bouquets of carnations and handmade cards may make a few ladies giddy with pride on Mother’s Day. But let us suggest a couple of things to do with dear ol’ Mom once the flowers have wilted and the cards have been tucked away in her dresser drawer.For starters, mothers get in free to the Cleveland…
Salt the Wound
Metal bands used to name themselves after extremely painful causes of death. The latest trend, which has taken root in our creatively challenged city, is verb-then-noun bands: Kill the Fall, Lick the Blade, Enthrall the Weak. Add to that list Salt the Wound, which plays a solid if not exactly revelatory brand of death metalcore…
The Bad Plus
With its flair for covering popular rock anthems, Minneapolis jazz trio the Bad Plus could easily be mistaken for gimmick peddlers. But while it’s true that playing a Radiohead song will always get you some automatic crossover cred, the Bad Plus’ take on “Karma Police” still beats the holy hell out of Christopher O’Riley’s hot-selling…
Home Run Records
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has hit the ball out of the park by pairing music and America’s favorite pastime in Take Me Out: Baseball Rocks, which is on display until the end of September. And the concept first materialized at a Tribe game last year, when Rock Hall staffers wondered…
Tokyo Police Club
When only one song on a band’s debut album reaches the three-minute mark, you’d better hope they’re packing a solid punch. Tokyo Police Club strikes hard on Elephant Shell, cramming 11 songs into less than half an hour. And in this bloggers’ age of short attention spans and even shorter buzz cycles, it’s just enough.…
Does It Offend You, Yeah? and Yo Majesty
Big, nasty, and naughty electro may link these blog-approved buzz bands. But that’s where the comparisons stop. Yo Majesty’s Shunda K and Jwl B hail from Tampa, and were duly influenced by Sunshine State bass legends like 2 Live Crew — but with some fierce lesbian pride tossed in. Their debut album is due later…
Pedal to the Petals
Chew on this tidbit of trivia for today’s start of Cleveland Bicycle Week: Because 40 percent of car trips last no more than two miles, you can easily peddle the route in less than 15 minutes. If you keep it up for a year, you can shed as much as 13 pounds. “It’s healthy for…
Zelakhan
City on My Shoulders begins with a speech cribbed from Scarface. It’s a clichéd moment used by dozens of other rappers. Zelakhan then proceeds to spit the n-word as prolifically as Tony Montana dropped the f-bomb. In the opening “Z.E.L.A.K.H.AN.,” Zelakhan flips the epithet 96 ways — as a threat, a term of endearment, and…
Capsule reviews of current area theater presentations
All Hail Hurricane Gordo — Written by young playwright Carly Mensch, this script leans on quirky characters acting in humorous but less than interesting ways. It starts with twentyish Gordo playing a game of Nerf basketball, first by himself and then with his slightly older brother Chaz. It turns out Gordo is developmentally challenged, with…
Sweet!
It’s the food of the gods and the object of late-night cravings all rolled into one. And the world’s favorite dessert is finally taking a bow in Cleveland Heights today for the start of the weekend-long Northeastern Ohio Chocolate Festival. “It’s more universal and more loved than any other food,” says Adrienne Roth, the fest’s…
Mushroomhead’s old frontman returns with a new band
After 11 years on the road with Mushroomhead, Jason Popson — who was known as “J. Mann” back then — made some friends in metal places. He split from Cleveland’s reigning rock kings in 2004, and his new group, Pitch Black Forecast, marks a return to the spotlight. And he’s backed by A-list guests from…
Jon Dee Graham and Matthew Ryan
Jon Dee Graham is one of those guys who’s treasured by his peers. He’s part of the Austin Music Hall of Fame, a veteran roots-rocker who’s just as comfortable leading his own band as he is playing guitar in somebody else’s. In the new DVD Swept Away, friends and contemporaries — like Alejandro Escovedo and…
Lez Affairs
You won’t catch Lena Roberts on the catwalk at tonight’s Bachelorette Auction to promote Black Gay Pride Week, which takes place in August. Instead, she’ll act like a wallflower and watch fellow lesbians put in bids to go out with the ladies on the runway. “I am just an observer,” says Roberts, who helped organize…
The Magpies whip up a new CD with some old ingredients
The Magpies’ woozy, Americana-based swagger qualifies them as the local group most likely to know somebody in the Band. Like Bob Dylan’s legendary backing combo from back in the day, the Magpies fuse blues, R&B, and folk into a plaintive, ramshackle heartland-rock blend. Eastern Standard Time, the Magpies’ debut album, marks a clean start for…
Capsule reviews of current area art exhibitions
NEW Living in Your Imagination — For Spaces’ 30th-anniversary show, curator William Busta selected artists who displayed work there in each of the last 10 years. The resulting exhibition features not the fantastical, as the title might suggest, but mundane, everyday experiences, filtered through artists’ robust imaginations. Florida artist Billie Grace Lynn gives concrete form…
A Bit of R&R
Scandal’s Patty Smyth, Foreigner’s Lou Gramm, and a handful of fellow ’70s and ’80s pop and rock royalty headline tonight’s It’s Only Rock and Roll benefit for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s education fund. The fund-raiser also does double duty as a silent auction, in which you can bid on prizes, including dinner…
Washington label signs Cleveland horrorcore band American Werewolves
Cleveland’s American Werewolves will release their next two albums on the Washington-based indie label Robot Monster Inc. The horror-themed rock group will play a CD-release show for the new album The Lonely Ones on Friday, May 9, at the Pirate’s Cove (2083 East 21st Street, inside Peabody’s). “When [we] founded this label, we put together…
There’s more of the same in Mario Kart Wii, and that just might be plenty
This year marks the 16th birthday of Mario Kart, the landmark Nintendo franchise that consists of eight identical racing games and legions of fans who buy every one of them. And 16 years later, nobody really has a problem with this. True to form, Mario Kart Wii offers no significant change in basic game play,…
Vroom With a View
Although it doesn’t have the flaunt-the-law dangers of the Cannonball Run, the silver-anniversary edition of One Lap of America has enough horsepower to rival the 1970s cross-country street race. But unlike in its predecessor, drivers obey speed limits along the way. “These guys in the ’70s went from Connecticut to California in less than 35…
Letters published May 7, 2008
“Poisoned by Purina,” April 30 Quadruped Condolences Sympathies lie with owner in alpaca deaths: Wow — my heart goes out to you. I cannot even imagine the horror that you have suffered. This is a great sham. I don’t use Purina products, but I will not use them now — that is for sure. No…
When it comes to tipping, LeBron goes Scrooge McDuck
We are all witnesses. But not everything about the LeBron is worth witnessing. Sure, he has the $400,000 car, Jay-Z in his corner, and Phil Knight wrapped around his diamond pinkie ring. But witness how His Greatness treats the little people, and you may begin to see the virtue of Brendan Haywood’s hard fouls. One…
Beer Today, Here Tomorrow
An Akron hot spot is bubbling up again. Really. After a brief hiatus, the Ohio Brewing Company is reopening its 15,000-square-foot pub today to showcase its new 90-foot bar and hand-painted landscapes of some of Ohio’s most picturesque landmarks. Then there’s the beer by brewing-operations director Chris Verich and ex-Great Lakes Brewing Company brewmaster Dennis…
It’s anime in overdrive for the Wachowski brothers’ souped-up Speed Racer
In converting a fondly remembered cartoon series into a prospective franchise, Matrix masters Larry and Andy Wachowski have taken another step toward the total cyborgization of the cinema. Gaudier than a Hindu temple roof, louder than a Las Vegas night, Speed Racer is a cathedral of glitz. The movie projects a Candy Land topography of…
A career con man brings his talents to Cleveland’s art world
Six years ago, Zachary Coleman looked like a godsend to the founders of Arts Collinwood. They were trying to turn the abandoned storefronts and ghostly corners of Waterloo Road into the Tremont of the East Side. Coleman seemed perfect to lead the charge. He was smart and charming, a wealthy lawyer from Bratenahl with an…
Santa Is Coming to Town!
Brit-lit powerhouse Santa Montefiore didn’t always think fondly of her childhood nickname. But to her Anglo-Argentinian mother, the moniker clearly described baby Santa in Spanish as a saint. “I wish the name was something more romantic. But I like it now, because it’s my writing name. But growing up with this image of a big,…
Chefs shuffle kitchens at Cleveland restaurants
Like napkins at a picnic, chefs are always on the move, making Keeping Up With the Kitchen a favorite game among foodies. Here are some changes you may have missed: At Lolita, longtime Michael Symon protégé Matt Harlan continues to wear the top toque. But these days, his right-hand man is Andy Strizak, the former…
Otherworldly voices write the Mars Volta’s new album. That explains a lot
The Mars Volta’s singer is on the phone, and he’s giving our bullshit detector a real workout. He’s recounting the story of how his band’s latest album, The Bedlam in Goliath, was put together with help from a Ouija-like board called the Soothsayer. The oft-repeated tale — which takes up a good chunk of the…
Black & Blue All Over
Dinner jackets mix with denim tonight at the third annual Black & Blue Ball in the Flats. “Most couples don’t have to fight about what to wear at this gala,” says spokeswoman Sharon Howser of the party-throwing Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation. “If the wife wants to dress up and the husband wants to stay in…
Colin Dussault’s Blues Project
If Colin Dussault isn’t the busiest bluesman in town, he may well be the toughest. The harmonica hammerer continues performing while healing from a torn artery, risking life and limb to meet your entertainment needs. Colin Dussault’s Blues Project celebrates its 19th birthday this weekend, with its first show at the recently reopened Brothers Lounge,…
After almost six years, Pickwick & Frolic still fails to score
It was 2002 when entrepreneur Nick Kostis took that defining leap of faith and flung wide the doors to Pickwick & Frolic, his $5 million entertainment complex on then-shabby East Fourth Street. But as anyone who has lately ventured down today’s bustling sidewalks can tell you, his moxie clearly paid off. In fact, with Pickwick…
Jew Ask Your Mom?
Loudmouthed comic Judy Gold weaves anecdotes about being single, lesbian Jew to bump up the funny in 25 Questions for a Jewish Mother. The 70-minute monologue starts with a static-filled phone call from Gold’s mom, who frantically asks if her daughter is in trouble before hanging up with a matter-of-fact “so long.” “She thinks Jeffrey…
Russell Peters
Honestly, we’d never heard of comedian Russell Peters either, but the guy has headlined — and sold out — Madison Square Garden, so we thought we’d give him a chance. And, yes, the dude is funny. He’s more a humorist than a joke-teller; over his 18-year career, he’s scored hit comedy records like Outsourced, in…
Jamie Lidell
Blue-eyed soul singer Jamie Lidell’s Jim ranks as one of the most unabashedly retro albums ever made — an inspired throwback/tribute to late ’60s and early ’70s R&B. Much of the time, Lidell’s smooth, suave voice recalls Stevie Wonder circa “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and pre-What’s Going On Marvin Gaye. Propelled by handclaps and an early-morning…
To B-E-E or Not to B-E-E
As the dorky William Barfee, Lyndhurst native Eric Roediger squares off with five other oddball teens in the touring production of the Broadway hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which is playing on the Palace Theatre stage for a 10-day run.The premise of the James Lapine-directed musical is fairly straightforward: Line up a…
The Replacements’ first four albums top this week’s pop-culture picks
TOP PICK — The Replacements reissues (Rhino) Of all the 1980s Amerindie giants (Hüsker Dü, Minutemen, etc.), Minneapolis’ Replacements were the ones pegged for R.E.M.-size mainstream victory. Too bad they were a bunch of boozing screwups who never got their shit together. The band’s first four albums — reissued here with tons of bonus tracks…
Portishead
Much of Portishead’s third album comes down to what it is not. Geoff Barrow, the mastermind behind the British trio, acidly observed that in the wake of trip-hop’s mid-’90s ascendance, Portishead’s scratchy, introverted anthems were turned “into a fondue set,” their late-night ambience appropriated by advertisers. Easy as it might have been to turn in…
Slapshtick
Naturally, a Canadian comedian would compare his act to his other passion, playing hockey. But Ian Bagg admits that he can’t make a living from making slap shots on an ice rink. “I’m a huge hockey fan, and I really wanted to be a pro hockey player. I went to a couple camps and got…
Blue Mountain
Blue Mountain bassist Laurie Stirratt lowers her voice and explains, without mentioning names, why she doesn’t listen to modern alt-country. “There’s no grit to it, and it’s all real polished,” she says. “It’s been made into this marketable thing. Plus, I just don’t think there are very many good musicians out there.” Then again, Stirratt…
Epic Proportions
Continuous screenings of a 1960 Paul Newman blockbuster help celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel’s statehood today at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Exodus Film Marathon.The movie stars “that nice Jewish boy from Cleveland,” who plays a former captain of the British Army’s Jewish Brigade, trying to smuggle more than 600 immigrants into Palestine…
The Roots
Rising Down is an appropriate title for the Roots’ eighth album. Coming off Game Theory, 2006’s miracle of soundscaping, Rising Down sounds like the Philadelphia hip-hop crew’s weakest record. There are some genuine beats here, but keepers like the spare, slamming posse cut “Get Busy” and the old-school freestyle spit by then-15-year-old Black Thought eventually…
May Daze 3
The eight-hour May Daze dance party boogies on down to Metropolis in its third year with a lineup that covers the spectrum of electronic music. Four rooms of DJs and live performers play house, techno, dubstep, and lots in between. Headliners include L.A. spinner D:Fuse, British drum & bass vet Tech Itch, and New York’s…
With a Thong in My Heart
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Bumpers Bar & Grill can reel in revelers with cheap booze and barely dressed babes for Thong Night tonight. “It isn’t any mystery why Tuesday is our most popular weekday night. Word of mouth has pretty much promoted this night on its own,” says bartender Jim…
Ferras
This 25-year-old Illinois native is best known as the singer and songwriter of “Hollywood’s Not America,” the song that escorts losing American Idol contestants offstage this season. It’s an appropriate kiss-off: “Put your blue jeans back on, girl/Go home,” Ferras sings over the lush, piano-propelled track. The rest of his debut album veers from overcooked…
James McMurtry
Folks in the Bible Belt may have swapped overalls for Wal-Mart smocks, but out of habit or sheer spite, they hang on. This, more or less, sums up a James McMurtry song. With lyrics dosed in both compassion and irony, McMurtry — son of author and Brokeback Mountain screenwriter Larry McMurtry — populates his troubled,…
