FiveThirtyEight Runs the Numbers on Cleveland’s Sports Woes
FiveThirtyEight, the brainchild of political data wunderkind and former New York Timeser Nate Silver, set its cross-hairs on Cleveland’s recent Manzielan upswing. “God Doesn’t Hate Cleveland,” goes the headline, which gives us first ontological pause and then a lasting sigh of relief. Well, that’s good news! Our city’s history of sports tragedy is well documented…
VIDEO: Cleveland Hopkins Airport During Last Night’s Flood
Hey, did you hear about the storm last night? Well, if you’ve ignored the news about a road in Bath collapsing or the cars “floating uphill” in Medina, check out this video filmed last night at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport: The video, uploaded by Youtube user tmosc1, shows the insane conditions of Concourse C yesterday.…
Ohio Teens Chop Down Trees as Senior ‘Prank,’ Felony Charges Ensue
May is a transitional month. Not only does it bring temperatures that occasionally rise above 60 degrees, but it instills a feverish excitement in the hearts of many high school seniors: Graduation is just around the corner. And with it come the brash and inevitable attempts by 18-year-olds to “leave their mark” on their alma…
The 225 Vanity License Plates the Ohio BMV Has Rejected Since June 2013
Somehow, “ROB FORD” was allowed. Thousands of Ohioans submit requests to the Ohio BMV each year to personalize their license plates. The vast majority of those are approved and Mom slaps a new plate on her car and gleefully drives around while letting everyone know that she is “NO 1 MOM,” for example. And then…
Downtown Cleveland Employee Appreciation Week Continues with Sports Day Today
#185304460 / gettyimages.com The folks over at the Downtown Cleveland Alliance have declared this week (May 12 – 16) Employee Appreciation Week in efforts to celebrate the 125,000 people who work downtown and showcase the fun and unique perks of working in Cleveland’s epicenter. “Downtown Cleveland is the number one job location in Ohio. And…
Winchester Tavern Cancels Shows as Owner Puts Club Up For Sale
We weren’t really surprised to hear that Winchester Tavern owner James Mileti has decided to put his club up for sale. We’d heard rumors that he wanted to sell the Lakewood club that caters to the classic rock and blues crowd. And the club was only booking live bands a couple of nights a week.…
Court Denies TJ Lane’s Appeal
The 11th District Court of Appeals has denied an appeal by TJ Lane, whose lawyers argued that their client should not have been sentenced to life without parole — three consecutive life sentences — because he was a juvenile at the time of the Chardon High School shooting. Lane shot and killed three students and…
Pittsburgh-based Record Label Looking to Sign Cleveland Bands
When it came time to put out his new album, Pennsylvania Blues Revolution, Christian Groblewski decided he wanted to do it himself. So he formed his own label SuperMonkey Recording Co. A Kent State graduate, Groblewski has lived in Pittsburgh since 1997. But don’t hold that against him. He has fond memories of Northeast Ohio…
Hessler Street Fair Returns to Cleveland This Weekend
We can all use more excuses to eat, drink, and be merry outdoors, and luckily Clevelanders will have an opportunity to do just that this upcoming weekend. The 45th annual Hessler Street Festival will take to the street (Hessler Street, of course), in University Circle, on Saturday and Sunday. The festival runs from 11 a.m.…
Scottish Rockers Mogwai Still Like it Loud
The Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, which plays at House of Blues on Wednesday, has a singular sound and vision. Take “Remurdered,” a song from its eighth studio album Rave Tapes, another set of compelling mood-altering, mostly instrumental tunes. The song has a whimsical feel, yet it was inspired by a gruesome act. “A friend of…
Here’s the Informercial for the 2014 Gathering of the Juggalos
This year, the Gathering of the Juggalos, which brings together the Insane Clown Posse denizens and all manners of debauchery (this slideshow from the 2013 Gathering is a good primer and definitely NSFW), lands in Thornville, OH, from July 23 to July 27. As always, the informercial announces the lineup and gives a brief taste…
15 of the Best Bars and Clubs in Cleveland, As Determined By You
Whether you’re in search of a dollar draft or a costly cocktail, Cleveland’s nightlife scene will leave you feeling like a VIP every time. Here, the bartenders know your next drink before you do no matter what chalice you drink from.
A Browns Fan Has Put His Fandom Up for Sale on eBay
If you wonder why a Browns fan might want to find a new team to root for, look no further than the 24 hours that transpired late last week, from the moment Ray Farmer traded up to draft Johnny Football Manziel to when ESPN broke the news that Josh Gordon is looking at a one-year…
Concert Review: Cloud Nothings at Mahall’s
It would be easy to think of Dylan Baldi as some kind of a fraud if you didn’t know any better. Going into my first Cloud Nothings show I didn’t know what to make of the man responsible for Cloud Nothings. To me, it seemed confusing that one of the most ferocious bands to come…
Hall & Oates Liven Up Rock Hall Benefit
Any time you host a benefit concert that caters to the suits and skirts who can plunk down thousands of dollars for a ticket and thousands more for items in an auction, you run the risk of taking the fun out of things. Last night’s 11th annual It’s Only Rock and Roll Spring Benefit (money…
Charm Quickly Runs Thin in ‘Fading Gigolo’
Despite its flimsy premise, Fading Gigolo, the new romantic comedy written and directed by veteran actor John Turturro, gets off to a pretty good start. Fioravante (Tuturro) and his old friend Murray (Woody Allen) are having a casual chat when Murray tells Fioravante that his dermatologist Dr. Parker (Sharon Stone) is looking to hire a…
Scene Podcast: Will Burge on Last Night’s Draft, Plus More on Case Western’s Law School Troubles
First things first this week: Do subscribe to the Scene podcast on iTunes. It’ll take just a second and it’ll make you and us happy. Second, in the meantime, stream below or download it from iTunes. Here we go: Host Craig Lyndall chatted with Scene contributor Will Burge about last night’s festive NFL draft, breaking…
Neko Case’s Punk Rock Past Informs Her Alt-Country Approach
Singer-songwriter Neko Case was trying to explain to a friend of hers that she was having a hard time finding a name for her latest record, last year’s The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You. “I said, ‘What I’m trying to say is that the…
Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns, Johnny Football, Johnny Cleveland, Johnny Johnny Johnny
Good morning, Manzieland. Last night, the Cleveland Browns drafted a young quarterback from the land of Texas and changed the face of the franchise and the landscape of media coverage in Cleveland. Things are about to get interesting, and if you don’t believe that, just take a look through the stories that have been penned…
Alan Parsons Project to Play Rare Show in Northeast Ohio
If there’s anyone qualified to discuss the quality of digital downloads, it’s British producer Alan Parsons. He’s the guy who engineered Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side of the Moon. Parsons, who got his start at as an assistant engineer at the famed Abbey Road Studios, worked on the Beatles’ Abbey Road and Let It Be…
Jim Tressel Selected for Youngstown State University Presidency
“Weee! I’m President!!!” Jim Tressel, former Ohio State Football Coach, has been selected for the top administrative position at Youngstown State University. Tressel was also a finalist for the presidency at the University of Akron, where Scott Scarborough (former Toledo provost) was announced as president Thursday. In a press release, YSU trustee chairman Sudershan Garg…
Slint Enchants and Entrances at Grog Shop
Had they aged at all? Hearing that Slint would be coming to Cleveland in 2014 was a jarring experience. I had devoured the band’s two seminal albums throughout college, often accenting lazy afternoons with their jangly melodies and capping late nights in Athens, Ohio, with journeys into the quarry. I never really entertained the idea…
10 of Cleveland’s Best Themed Restaurants
Cleveland has a vast supply of dining establishments that are as unique as the city itself. Whether your thing is kickin’ it at a bier garden, knocking out some strikes between appetizers, or watching planes take off while you dine, one thing’s for certain: you’ll never be bored with this list of Cleveland’s awesome themed…
Coventry Villages Announces its Free Summer Event Series Lineup
Photo via Facebook The folks behind the free Coventry Village Summer Event Series have just announced this season’s event schedule, and, as in previous years, it looks like we’re in for a real bang-up summer. The two month series kicks off the week of June 10 with a pop-up market, a live musical performance by…
Sin Tax Voting Breakdown: Wealthy East Side Suburbs Supported, Cleveland Opposed
In what shouldn’t be a surprise, most of Cuyahoga County’s wealthiest east side suburbs voted overwhelmingly in favor of the Sin Tax. Issue 7’s strongest opposition came from the city of Cleveland’s west side wards and its blue collar suburbs to the immediate south, Newburgh Heights, Cuyahoga Heights and Linndale (where only 17 total votes…
This Week in Ohio Man: Shooting Farmhands That Look Like Groundhogs
A groundhog is not a farmhand. Ohio Man sure seems to keep himself busy. Here, we parse through the headlines for Ohio Man’s best and worst as he continues his campaign to unseat Florida Man as the king of internet weirdness. This week: Ohio Man shot and killed one of his farmhands; he thought she…
Bring Johnny Manziel to Cleveland, Please
If you subscribe to the notion that Cleveland remains a blue-collar town enamored with hard work, then you probably think there is no room on the shores of Lake Erie for bravado and showmanship. And you probably think that were the Browns to draft Johnny Manziel, it would go against everything Cleveland stands for. Recent…
Alabama Shakes Draws Upon Classic Rock and Soul for Lively Show
David Kemp While you can’t necessarily judge a concert by the amount of alcohol consumed by the crowd, the fact that most of the beer taps had run dry by the end of last night’s Alabama Shakes concert at Hard Rock Live suggests the extent to which the band’s fans came ready to get their…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (May 8 – 10)
Lots of terrific events going on this weekend, folks: The Tremont Art Walk. A Lakeview Cemetery Tour. The Hooley at Kamm’s Corner. A Mother’s Day Brunch. You get the idea. Have fun out there, and enjoy the warm weather.
Black Keys Coming to Quicken Loans Arena in September
Originally from Akron but now based out of Nashville, the Black Keys are the little band that could. The group, which played its first show years ago in the tiny Beachland Tavern, is now one of the biggest rock acts in the world. The group performs on Saturday Night Live this weekend and its new…
Teens and Tweens Pack Tower City for ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ Fan Event
Emanuel Wallace Yesterday, some 3,000 teens and tweens along with their parents filed into Tower City for a fan event in anticipation of the upcoming film The Fault in Our Stars. They were there to see actors Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort and Nat Wolff along with author John Green as they shared clips and answered…
Here’s a St. Ignatius Student’s Op-Ed on New Drug Testing Program That School Officials Spiked From the Student Newspaper
In late April, three Northeast Ohio catholic schools — St. Ignatius, St. Ed’s and Gilmour Academy — announced new mandatory drug testing for students. Incidentally, as we first reported, the president of the company selected to administer those tests, Psychemedics, is the brother of the president at St. Ed’s and an Ignatius grad himself. While…
Expulsion Revulsion: Shaker Heights Submits its Entry in Cleveland’s Roster of Tyrannical Superintendents
An arbitrator has ruled that the expulsion of Shaker Heights High School Sophomore Isaac Richmond, who filmed an altercation between two female students on his phone on March 19, was excessive and unwarranted. Richmond will return to class Monday, May 12, to the relief of parents (and some teachers) who have increasingly come to view…
Jimmy Dimora Sues NEO Correctional Center After Slipping in a Puddle
Jimmy Dimora slipped in a puddle. And now he’s mad. Former Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jimmy Dimora slipped in a puddle back in 2012 and now he’s suing the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center and the Corrections Corporation of America for some $50,000 in physical, emotional, and financial damages, the Columbus Dispatch reports. Dimora’s lawyers said their…
Concert Preview: ††† (Crosses) Features Another Side of Screamer Chino Moreno
Deftones singer Chino Moreno is known for screaming his head off with the heavy metal act that he’s fronted since 1988. But with ††† (Crosses), which plays at House of Blues on Sunday, he takes a different approach. He practically whispers his way through the 15 electronica-influenced songs on the band’s self-titled debut. “As much…
Concert Preview: The Connection Embraces a Range of Retro Rock Sounds
The Connection singer-songwriter Brad Marino, who took the band’s name from an old Rolling Stones’ song, is about as big a fan of the Stones as you’ll find. “I think from the time you can read or listen to music, you grow up with the Stones,” says Marino, who brings the Connection to town to…
Cleveland Chef Currently Taping ‘Unnamed Nationally Televised Food Truck Race’
A former and current chef at Touch Supper Club in Ohio City has quietly slipped away to compete on an “unnamed nationally televised food truck race.” All that we can divulge is that the chef’s name is Dylan, and he’s competing in a truck called Let There Be Bacon, which (spoiler alert) serves bacon-themed fare.…
What the Raid on Loren Naji’s Studio Gallery Means for Cleveland
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” That’s a startlingly relevant quote from H.L Mencken, who would be such a great addition to the local media landscape here in Cleveland. Yes, even as a rotting bag of carbon six feet deep in Baltimore these days, Mencken’s input is a needed dose of…
Facetime: Hey Mary
Mary Schmitt Boyer, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer for the Plain Dealer, moonlights as the president of the Professional Basketball Writers’ Association. She is the first female to hold that office since its inception in 1972. Amidst one of the most riveting first rounds in NBA playoff history and the historic ban of Los Angeles…
Parker Bosley: Then and Now
Parker Bosley, widely considered to be the godfather of our region’s local food movement, has no doubt enjoyed a long and fruitful livelihood in Cleveland’s food industry. Trading in a career in public education in his late 30s, Parker says his desire to become a chef was born simply. “I came to this not so…
As Good As it Gets: In a Land Bereft of Quality Barbecue, Oak and Embers is a Blessing
When it comes to barbecue, Cleveland will never be an Austin, Kansas City or Memphis. Hell, Cleveland likely wouldn’t even crack the top 20 best cities for barbecue. To compare the local smoked offerings with those found in exalted barbecue burgs is an exercise in futility, frustration and despair. That’s why I’ve simply stopped bothering…
The Mystery Remains: Recently Reunited Indie Rockers Slint Still Have an Aura About Them
David Pajo’s pronunciation of Louisville is distinctly Francophonic. He says, “Louie-ville.” Odd, considering it’s his home town and, as anyone who knows a resident of the city — or even anyone that’s spent any time in Kentucky — can tell you, there’s a correct way to say it: “Lou-uh-vull.” Pajo laughs when he’s called out…
Your Cells are Ringing: Genetic Research Anchors the Drama in Informed Consent at the Cleveland Play House
There are two kinds of people in the world: People who get a pounding headache and jimmy legs watching TED talks, and those who happily sop up those pontificating excursions into arcane corners of science and culture. Count me among the latter group. That may explain why I find Informed Consent now at the Cleveland…
Also on Stage
Swimming in the Shallows Oh no! Senator Rick Santorum’s twisted fever dream of the ultimate effects of gay sex have come true! But it’s worse! Santorum only imagined same sex coupling leading to “man-on-dog” relationships. But in Swimming in the Shallows, now at convergence-continuum, it is man-on-shark sex that is at issue. And as it…
Band of the Week: Jessica Lea Mayfield
Meet the band: Jessica Lea Mayfield (guitar, vocals), Jesse Newport (bass) and Matt Martin (drums) Guitar Hero: Kent-based singer-songwriter Jessica Lea Mayfield took nearly a year to record her new album, Make My Head Sing…; the album shows off her ability to play guitar as she plays lead on all 10 songs. On the disc,…
Film Review of the Week: Neighbors
Producer/director Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) didn’t have anything to do with Neighbors, the new comedy starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne that opens areawide on Friday. But with its awkward sex moments (we see a half-naked Rogen on more than one occasion), witty dialogue, sharp slapstick humor and over-the-top shenanigans,…
Film Spotlight: Only Lovers Left Alive
Akron-born director-writer Jim Jarmusch (Broken Flowers, Stranger Than Paradise) isn’t the first guy you would think would make a vampire movie. And yet his latest art house effort, Only Lovers Left Alive, which opens on Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre, centers on Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton), two vampires struggling to live…
The Seventh Wonder: Mushroomhead Drummer Offers a Track-by-Track Analysis of the Band’s Heavy-Hitting New Album The Righteous and the Butterfly
When the local metal act Mushroomhead first formed in 1993, few critics imagined the group would still be going at it in 2014. And yet the masked band is now more popular than ever. It’s just returned from Australia, where it played as part of the massive Soundwave festival. Percussionist Skinny called us last month…
Hall and Oates Singer John Oates Reflects on the Group’s Long Overdue Rock Hall Induction
It’s been more than 40 years since Daryl Hall and John Oates released their first album. Now, they’re being recognized for their decades of musical accomplishments with their well-deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Believe it or not, the Hall of Fame induction has been a controversial topic for those who…
Sex, Politics and Revenge: Lawrence Mitchell Was Supposed to Bring Stability to Case Western Reserve University’s Law School, Not Treat It as His Personal Pickup Playground
“Great cities have great law schools,” boasted Lawrence Mitchell at the City Club of Cleveland, flanked by the law school deans of the University of Toledo, University of Akron and Cleveland Marshall. It was January 2012, the beginning of Mitchell’s second semester at the helm of the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, and…
