42 Books Every Clevelander Should Read
With its shortened days and whipping winds, winter in Northeast Ohio is the 10 months each year when we allow ourselves to throw on sweatpants, chug hot cocoa or bourbon and spend long evenings indoors mindlessly scrolling through Netflix’s inane personalized viewing options. But for those of us annoyed by (or morally suspicious of) the…
Update: Alanis Morissette Reschedules Blossom Concert for 2021
Update: After cancelling the summer tour that was to bring her to Blossom in July in support of the 25th anniversary of Jagged Little Pill, singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette has announced new dates for the jaunt that’ll also celebrate the release of a new studio album. She’ll bring the rescheduled tour to Blossom on Sept. 8,…
Update: Jill Scott’s Concert at MGM Northfield Park Postponed Until June
Update: Due to what the promoter says are “unforeseen circumstances,” the Jill Scott concert scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21, at MGM Northfield Park is postponed. The new date is Friday, June 12. All tickets for the original date will be honored. Original Post 12/2/2019: Three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott released her much- anticipated debut record,…
Cleveland Councilman Tony Brancatelli Booted from County Dems for Republican Endorsement
Cleveland City Councilman Anthony Brancatelli, who represents Slavic Village and portions of Tremont and Old Brooklyn, has been removed from the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee for endorsing Republican Ron O’Leary in the race for housing court judge last month. The executive director for the County Dems, Ryan Puente, told Scene that Brancatelli was…
Everclear’s Art Alexakis Plays the Grog Shop on Thursday in Support of His First Solo Album
When he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2016, Everclear singer Art Alexakis had a rather unusual reaction to the news. “I know this sounds weird but finding out that you have a debilitating disease for me was something that made me very grateful for what I have rather than for what I don’t have,”…
The Cleveland Orchestra Rules Them All, Bringing ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ to Blossom Next Summer
Magical Blossom announcements just keep coming. Not only is the Cleveland Orchestra playing the score along with a viewing of the second Harry Potter film, the organization has announced it’s doing the same for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring come summer 2020 at the Blossom amphitheater. The award–winning score, composed…
A Whole Bunch of Christmas Concerts and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week in Cleveland
Before we get into Christmas concerts, there are three attractive events to recommend that have no connection with the holidays. The Cleveland Orchestra welcomes pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and guest conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider to Severance Hall for four performances from December 5-7. Thibaudet will solo in Saint-Saëns’ “Egyptian” Concerto, and Szeps-Znaider will lead the Orchestra in…
A Format Change for 107.3 The Wave Could Be On the Horizon
The beginning of the Christmas season could mark the end of smooth jazz at 107.3 The Wave. Knowledgeable sources say the station is abandoning the format on Friday. Rumors have been swirling for a few weeks. The station’s owner, Rubber City Radio Group, did not respond to a request for comment. The station is presently…
Giving Tuesday: Be Generous Yet Wise in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Be generous with your pocketbook, but also be wise – that’s the advice of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office on Giving Tuesday. Spokesman David O’Neil said while charities use the annual observance to seek support from donors, scammers may also be trying to compete for contributions. “We want people to be generous,…
Tiffany Haddish to Perform at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage in January
Thanks to her performance in the hit comedy Girls Trip, actress Tiffany Haddish has quickly established herself as a star. Haddish, who can currently be seen opposite Tracy Morgan on the TBS comedy series The Last O.G. and as host of Kids Say the Darndest Things, has also just released a new Netflix special. In addition,…
Now Open: Hola Tacos in Lakewood
Hola Tacos (12102 Madison Ave., 216-801-4666), the L.A.-style taco stand in Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood, is now open. Owner Juan Vergara quietly opened the doors last night, he says. Vergara, who also operates with his family Barroco Arepa Bars in Lakewood, Westlake and on Larchmere, has assembled a concise but compelling menu of traditional tacos that…
Freddie Kitchens and the Steelers Game Aftermath — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk Freddie Kitchens and the Browns in the aftermath of their loss in Pittsburgh. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Michael Symon and Doug Trattner’s Latest Cookbook, ‘Fix It With Food,’ Officially Out Today
Michael Symon’s “Fix it with Food” is officially out today. This is the Cleveland chef’s latest – and most personal – cookbook to hit the shelves. As usual, the book is co-authored by Scene dining editor Douglas Trattner. The 256-page hardcover book, published by Clarkson Potter ($27), helps home cooks manage inflammation and pain by…
Night Ranger to Revisit Its First Two Albums for Saturday’s Show at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage
In a scene that seems like it could’ve come out of a National Lampoon’s Vacation film, singer-bassist Jack Blades and the members of Night Ranger were out on tour in 1980 in a vehicle that sounds an awful lot like Clark Griswold’s Family Truckster station wagon. “The station wagon had the phony wood all the…
You Could Get Fined for Texting and Driving in Lakewood Starting Today
As of today, Lakewood police officers can pull drivers over and issue a citation for any cell phone use that takes hands off of the wheel and eyes off the road. A new ordinance, passed by Lakewood City Council in September, makes cell phone use while driving a primary offense within Lakewood city limits. First…
Cleveland City Council Amends Kelley’s Bag Ban Opt-Out, Will Follow County Timeline
Cleveland City Council introduced an amendment Monday morning to legislation that would have allowed the city to “opt out” of a county plastic bag ban, set to take effect January 1. The amendment, sponsored by councilmen Kerry McCormack and Mike Polensek, would allow the city to opt out for six months, in alignment with a…
Proposed Ohio Abortion Ban, Including Suggestion Doctors Re-Implant Ectopic Pregnancies, Draws Widespread Scrutiny
A bill proposing a total ban on abortions now before the Ohio House of Representatives has drawn media coverage from as far away as England over a provision that some say requires doctors to perform the impossible — or potentially face murder charges. House Bill 413 isn’t the first time conservative Ohio lawmakers have tried…
Rep. Rashida Tlaib Introduces Bill to Repeal ‘Opportunity Zones’: ‘The American People Have Been Scammed’
Rep. Rashida Tlaib introduced legislation to repeal the controversial “Opportunity Zones” from the United States tax code in late November, following a series of bombshell ProPublica reports that found billionaires like Detroit’s Dan Gilbert were benefiting from the laws. The Repeal Opportunity Zones Act of 2019 (H.R. 5252) would explicitly repeal the Qualified Opportunity Zones…
Flavor Event Celebrates Cleveland’s Culinary Scene This Thursday
Scene’s annual Flavor event is back this week to help you hunker down for the winter in style. Returning Thursday, Dec. 5, the culinary celebration includes a handful of Cleveland’s best restaurants offering up tasty bites to sample. Expect choice morsels from places like the Fairmount, Bomba, Hecks, Ninja City, Mallorca, Grumpy’s, Urban Farmer and so…
Ohio Could be Hit Hard by Plan to Cut Food Stamps
COLUMBUS, Ohio – As Ohioans prepare big holiday feasts, others brace for a possible hit to their food budgets. The Trump administration wants to cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by $4.5 billion over five years by changing how states use household utility costs to determine SNAP benefit amounts. Analysts say Ohio would be among…
Local Indie Pop Act the Light Never Goes Out Releases Original Holiday Song
The Light Never Goes Out is the nom de plume of Jeremy Willets, the chief songwriter in mid-2000s alt-rock act the Rails. A former Scene contributing writer, Willets took a hiatus from music to start a family, but he’s recently started recording again and has just released the original Christmas song “Put Your Guns Away (For the…
Local Rockers Mr. Carnivore Release Their Cover of ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’
Undeterred by the controversy regarding “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” a song that some radio stations have banned because critics have called it “an ode to statutory rape,” local rockers Mr. Carnivore have just released their cover of the track. The track features Hannah Stak and Cait LaGuardia as guest vocalists and Scott Ladan, an L.A.-based…
10 Exotic Animals Died in Thanksgiving Fire at Port Clinton Safari Park
Three bongos, three giraffes, three red river hogs and a springbok were all killed in a Thursday evening blaze at a barn that houses animals for the Port Clinton African Safari Wildlife Park. The rest of the park’s 300 animals are safe, per park staff, and there were no human deaths or injuries, but the…
Sesame and Soy Asian Takeout in Tremont Has Closed
After little more than a year in business, Sesame and Soy Asian Takeout in Tremont closed its doors for good on Nov. 20. But the space at 2173 Professor Ave. shouldn’t be empty for too long. A note on the door reads: New Concept Coming Soon We would like to thank everyone that has supported…
Stuffed Mushrooms are Apparently an Ohio Thanksgiving Favorite, a New Study Says, But We Call BS
For Thanksgiving dinner this year, you’ll likely be pulling up to a plate of turkey (or tofurky or the protein of your choice) with some green beans, potatoes, marshmallow-covered sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and maybe a few rolls. And if you’re in Ohio, according to Google, there’s a very good chance you’ll also be eating…
Irie Jamaican Kitchen Opens Its Old Brooklyn Location Next Week
The wait is almost over, and those who have enjoyed Omar McKay’s soul-satisfying Jamaican food at his original stall at Richmond Town Square and then at his brick-and-mortar restaurant on East 185th St. know it will have been worth it. Irie Jamaican Kitchen’s Old Brooklyn location will finally open its doors for business next week,…
‘Queen & Slim’ is the Outlaw Story America Needs Right Now
So many of the crimes we see splashed across the nightly news in this country raise a question: What are the motivations of the people involved? And Queen & Slim gets right into the heart of the matter. No more than seven minutes into the film, after an incredibly blah first date at a diner,…
‘Knives Out’ Is Dizzying, Dazzling Whodunit Perfect for Long Thanksgiving Weekend
Structured as a stereotypical whodunit, Knives Out intends to keep you guessing, and it successfully does that and then some. The finely crafted film includes a dizzying array of twists and turns — and a pretty fantastic performance by Daniel Craig as the slow-talking Southern investigator itching to figure out who did what to whom. It’s…
Jeremy Umansky Teaches Cleveland’s Aspiring Foragers About the Wild Bounty of Northeast Ohio
It’s the last Sunday in June, and dull, wooly heat weighs down on an unpaved parking lot outside of Nelson-Kennedy Ledges State Park. In a back corner of the lot, Jeremy Umansky holds court between an irrigation ditch and the rusted wheel well of a silver Dodge Durango. He’s teaching two dozen of us —…
Band of the Week: The Full Counts
MEET THE BAND: Eric Vermillion (bass, vocals), Mike Quinlan (drums), Mark Urbano (guitar), Ethan Winograd (guitar, vocals) A SUPER GROUP OF SORTS: This band that includes ex-members of Gumball and the Cynics came together a couple of years ago when Vermillion started jamming with Quinlan in a band called FOOD. (The name stands for Far…
Savage Love: Bluff Calls
I’m a heterosexual cis woman in a monogamous marriage. My husband and I have always struggled to connect sexually, mostly because he has extreme anxiety that makes doing anything new or different difficult. He’s been in therapy since before I met him, but it doesn’t seem to be helping much. His anxiety has caused him…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Thanksgiving Weekend
WED 11/27 35th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Polka Jam You won’t find people playing Cleveland/Slovenian-style polka just anywhere. It’s a style of music that’s unique to Cleveland, and the musicians who’ll perform at the 35th annual Pre-Thanksgiving Polka Jam that takes place tonight at the Slovenian National Home, all know that. The event serves as an…
‘Live Bodies For Sale’ Brims with Heartfelt Performances
Over the past few years, human trafficking has become fodder for films, TV crime shows and other media as advocates seek to raise awareness on the issue. Some of those stories are also exploitative, featuring flashy, surreal situations and broad generalizations paired with false statistics. That’s not what you’ll find from seasoned playwright, and anti-trafficking…
