Update: Bikini Kill Postpones Upcoming Agora Concert
Update: The feminist punk act Bikini Kill originally intended to bring its reunion tour to the Agora in 2020. COVID wiped that date out, but the band had rescheduled the concert for July 22. Now, that date has been postponed after a band member has come down with COVID. The group announced the postponement on…
Update: The Black Crowes Now Slated to Play Blossom in 2021
Update: This summer, the Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson were set to mark the 30th anniversary of their landmark quintuple platinum debut album Shake Your Money Maker with a world tour that included a stop at Blossom in August. COVID-19 derailed those plans, but the band just announced a new set of dates for 2021.…
Bobby George Says He’ll Develop Parcel on West 25th He Bought That Was Intended to be Part of Irishtown Bend Riverfront Park
The long-envisioned Irishtown Bend Riverfront Park project made significant progress in the last year. Nearly $40 million has been secured from various sources toward the project, which was granted glowing approval from the Cleveland Planning Commission in Sept. 2017. The Port of Cleveland — which along with LAND Studio, the city of Cleveland, Ohio City…
Cleveland’s Holy Mattress Money Releases a New Song With Seafair’s Chayla Hope
After 10 years in Los Angeles, singer-songwriter Jesty recently moved back to Cleveland “in an effort to reconnect with the environment that helped originally shape [his] musical perspectives.” As Holy Mattress Money, the songwriting project/band he’s formed here, he’s released a song every other Monday via Spotify, Apple Music and other outlets; he says he’s currently averaging…
‘The Report’ is Critical Reminder of Horrors and Lies of U.S. Torture Program
Twenty-nineteen is a big year for the good, tall actor Adam Driver. As emo villain Kylo Ren in the forthcoming Star Wars finale, he’ll star in what will be the highest or second-highest grossing film of the year, (which is also to say, the highest or second-highest-grossing film of all-time worldwide). Opposite Scarlett Johansson in…
Mysterious Snow Artist Draws Enormous Spider Web on Cleveland Mall Lawn This Morning
Scene has yet to crack the case of the mysterious snow penis artist from last year, but we may be a little closer to finding out his or her identity. This morning in Cleveland, during the first real snowfall of the year, one lone snow painter was caught on camera creating a huge spider web…
Lottery League Record Release and Reunion Events to Take Place on Dec. 13 and 14 at the Happy Dog
Local musician/artist/poet and four-time Lottery League veteran Bob Olexa, better known as Robert Darkmatter, has put together a special Lottery League reunion and record release event that will take place on Dec. 13 and 14 at the Happy Dog. The event will showcase bands from past Lottery Leagues. A tri-annual music festival, the Lottery League…
A Hard Seltzer Festival is Bubbling Up At the Agora in March
If this last summer in Cleveland was any indication, hard seltzers have officially taken over the adult beverage industry. Something about their crisp taste and microscopic calorie-count speaks to hipsters and basic B’s alike. Now, Cleveland is getting its own festival that celebrates the gluten-free drink. Dubbed All Fizzed Up, the boozy event, which includes more…
Talking Browns, Steelers and November Football — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk Jarvis Landry, Freddie Kitchens, the state of the Browns and Thursday night’s big game. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Fresh Perspectives Goes Green to Start the Season and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Fresh Perspectives is back, now styled as FP Creative, with its first happening of the season. On November 14 at 7:00 pm, “Pretty in Green #galaforthepeople” encourages you to come to Snap House Studios in Midtown clad in green or in nature-inspired fashion (prizes!) to enjoy interactive installations and hear Catharsis Winds, FP’s inaugural emerging…
Sloan to Play 1998’s ‘Navy Blues’ in Its Entirety Next Week at the Grog Shop
Few indie rock acts can claim the kind of longevity that Sloan can claim. “We’re a band that’s been together since 1991,” says singer-guitarist Chris Murphy in a recent phone interview. The band performs at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Grog Shop. “We have a long, uninterrupted history. As recently as 2018,…
Elton John Just Played His Final Concert in Cleveland Ever, And That’s OK
It’s always a tiny bit tragic when a great musician or band stops touring. The part where fans can go and connect physically with their favorite artist is cut off, leaving only albums and YouTube videos and memories from concerts past. Elton John, who came to Cleveland for the second time last night as part…
Prosperity Social Club’s Annual Prohibition Repeal Party to Kick Off on Dec. 5
We weren’t alive in December of 1933, but we can only imagine the jubilation felt around the country after the ratification of the 21st Amendment put a stop to Prohibition and ended a 13-year “noble experiment” that criminalized the production, sale and transport of alcohol. From 4 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, Dec. 5, Prosperity…
Ohio Lawmakers to Consider Bills Targeting Those Who Pay for or Profit From Sex Workers
In the past, Ohio — like many states throughout the country — focused law enforcement efforts against prostitution on sex workers themselves. But two bills introduced in the Ohio General Assembly today are aimed at shifting that focus toward johns and pimps — those who pay for sex and those who profit off of sex…
Honoring Ohio’s ‘Invisible’ Veterans
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Veterans Day parades, ceremonies and service projects are taking place across the state to honor those who have served. And some of Ohio’s so-called invisible veterans may soon have their own observance. A bill on Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk would designate June 12 as Women Veterans’ Day, to pay tribute to the…
Snow Day Bar Crawl Returns to the Flats This Weekend
Clevelanders hardly need an excuse to drink, but just in case you do, the Snow Day Bar Crawl is coming back to the Flats East Bank this weekend. The event, which encourages its 21-and-over-only participants to dress up in the best vintage ski/snowboarding gear possible, is held in celebration of the opening day at Breckenridge…
MinuteMen Staffing Expected to Buy Plain Dealer Building at 1801 Superior Ave.
MinuteMen Staffing is expected to close on a purchase of the Plain Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., according to a report published last week. Sources have previously told Scene negotiations were ongoing for months and advanced in nature. Those negotiations, of course, could fall apart. The City of Cleveland had announced in June 2018…
The Cleveland Orchestra Plans to Reel You In With Harry Potter Once Again at Blossom Next Summer
It’s hard to think about sitting outside at Blossom Music Center this time of year, but next summer, when the weather is worthy of sitting outdoors, the Cleveland Orchestra is once again providing the soundtrack to an important family-friendly film. This time bringing Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets to Blossom, the Cleveland Orchestra is…
Lawsuit: Rep. Jim Jordan Knew About Strauss Sexual Abuse During Coaching Tenure at OSU
In a federal lawsuit filed last Thursday, a professional wrestling referee claims in 1994 he told now-U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan — at the time an assistant wrestling coach at the school — about an incident of alleged sexual misconduct by former Ohio State University doctor Richard Strauss. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, contradicts…
Amidst Office Move, Akron Beacon Journal’s Pulitzer Prize Medal Has Been Stolen
Employees of the Akron Beacon Journal have been moving to the paper’s new offices on South Main Street this week. Furniture, files and computers have been organized and shuffled from the ABJ’s home of more than eight decades to its new digs. Missing among its prized possessions: the Pulitzer Prize medal the paper won in…
Multi-Talented Singer-Songwriter Nellie McKay to Play Two Shows at Nighttown Next Week
A British-American singer-songwriter who made her Broadway debut nearly 15 years ago in The Threepenny Opera, Nellie McKay has amassed numerous accolades during her career. She’s seven acclaimed albums, won a Theatre World Award for her portrayal of Polly Peachum in the aforementioned The Threepenny Opera, co-created and starred in the award-winning off-Broadway hit Old…
U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib Joins Those Calling for Investigation Over Whether Political Donations from Dan Gilbert Influenced Tax Break
Rep. Rashida Tlaib joined calls for an investigation into whether political donations from billionaire Dan Gilbert influenced the designation of “opportunity zone” tax breaks in Detroit following a lengthy ProPublica report published last month. Three swaths of land where Gilbert owns dozens of properties got the opportunity zone designation after Gilbert’s organization gave $750,000 to…
Reports: Electric Vehicle Startup Lordstown Motors Purchases GM Plant
A startup electric truck company affiliated with Greater Cincinnati’s Workhorse Group has purchased the former General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, according to multiple media reports. That 6.2 million-square-foot plant, which employed 4,500 workers before GM shuttered earlier this year, has become a symbol of the fate of manufacturing in the Buckeye State — something…
The Popularity of Hobo Johnson and the Lovemakers, Who Play House of Blues Next Week, Continues to Rise
After he got kicked out of his parents’ house at age 19 and had to live in his 1994 Corolla, singer/rapper/poet Hobo Johnson (aka Frank Lopes) decided to do something with his life. He got his act together and self-recorded and self-released his debut album, The Rise of Hobo Johnson, three years ago. In the…
Cleveland Flea’s Holiday Pop-Up Shop Opens Nov. 12
The Cleveland Flea is soon coming back for another round of seasonal holiday cheer. Over the years, the Flea has bopped around to various vacant spaces to sell its wares to the good people of Northeast Ohio during the holidays. This year, the pop-up shop event is taking over the Market Hall at the Van Aken…
Scuba Claus to Return to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium has just announced that its annual Scuba Claus event will return on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 29 through Dec. 22 and on Monday, Dec. 23 and Tuesday, Dec. 24. Check the aquarium website for ticket prices. “Scuba Claus drops by at the end of every year to visit sharks,…
‘Hamilton’ is Returning to Cleveland Next Year, and You Can Get Your Shot at Tickets Monday
The smash-hit hip-hop musical Hamilton is coming back to Cleveland next year, Playhouse Square just announced. “My absolute favorite question that people ask me is will Hamilton ever come back?” said Gina Vernaci, Playhouse Square President and CEO, in a statement. “Yes. For the rest of our lives Hamilton will be coming back. We were…
WJCU’s 14th Annual Blizzard Bash to Take Place on Nov. 30 at the Beachland Tavern
The fine folks at WJCU 88.7 FM have just announced that their 14th Annual Blizzard Bash benefiting the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Beachland Tavern. Local acts such as Corry Michaels, Top Hat Black, Jul Big Green and Apostle Jones will perform. All…
CSU Offering Free Tickets, Free Popcorn, $1 Hot Dogs, $2 Beer for Home Opener Saturday
In what’s being called a “fan appreciation” event, Cleveland State University is trying to entice fans to its first home basketball game of the season Saturday with a slate of ludicrous deals. Tickets are free, first of all, if you reserve them online. Popcorn is also free. (Though we encourage taking public transit, parking is…
Frank Jackson, Calvin Williams Sued for Wrongful Death, Obstruction of Justice
The mother of a 30-year-old man gunned down in August on Cleveland’s West Side has sued Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams for wrongful death and obstruction of justice. Andrea Parra, mother of Antonio Parra, has alleged in a fiery legal complaint filed Thursday morning that Jackson’s repeated interference in the prosecution of his…
Pianist Soyeon Kate Lee to Give a Free Recital at the Cleveland Museum of Art on Nov. 24
Internationally acclaimed pianist Soyeon Kate Lee returns to town this month as part of the 2019-2020 Performing Arts Classical Piano Series presented by Cuyahoga Community College. She’ll give a free performance at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24, in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium. Seating is on a first-come basis the day of…
Ohio Gov. DeWine Signs Bill Ending ‘Pink Tax’ On Feminine Hygiene Products
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine yesterday signed into a law a bill that, among other measures, eliminates state sales tax on feminine hygiene products. The move is expected to save consumers in the Buckeye State about $4 million a year. State Rep. Brigid Kelly of Cincinnati, a Democrat, sponsored legislation removing the pink tax with Republican…
Ohio Senate Passes Bill Requiring Physicians to Tell Patients Chemical Abortions are Reversible
The Ohio Senate yestesrday approved a bill that would require physicians to tell patients that chemical abortions are potentially reversible. Some pro-choice groups and medical professionals have cried foul about the bill, however, saying it forces doctors to give patients misleading and incorrect information. Senate Bill 155 requires doctors who prescribe chemical abortions — a…
Plastic Bag Ban Debate Heats Up Again in Ohio as State Senate Considers Banning Bans
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The plastic bag ban debate is once again heating up in Ohio. A state Senate committee held its first hearing Wednesday on SB 222, which would preempt local governments from banning or taxing single-use plastic bags. Cuyahoga County passed such a ban that goes into effect Jan. 1, and a few other…
TOOL Thrills a Capacity Crowd at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with an Aggressive, Visually Immersive Set
Fear Inoculum, the terrific new album from the prog metal act TOOL resonates right from the start. The opening title track, a song that begins with spine-tingling percussion and a gentle hum before the heavy guitars kick in, sets the tone for the album, the most nuanced record in the band’s catalog. Appropriately enough, last…
The Cleveland Chamber Choir Celebrates Women Composers and Poets and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
One of Shakespeare’s most amusing comedies comes to Oberlin Opera Theater this week magically transformed into a music drama by Benjamin Britten. Jonathon Field’s staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens in Hall Auditorium on Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Oberlin graduate and countertenor Andrew Lipian stars as Oberon,…
9 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, NOV. 8 Shemekia Copeland/Sam Hooper Group (in the Supper Club) America’s Child, the latest album from singer Shemekia Copeland, won the 2019 Blues Music Awards for Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year. The record was also named the #1 blues album of 2018 by MOJO magazine. Produced by multi-instrumentalist…
Cleveland Heights Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Issue 26, City’s Mayor Will Become an Elected Position
On Tuesday, November 5, Cleveland Heights residents voted to pass local Issue 26, an effort to change the form of government to allow residents to elect their chief executive. According to the unofficial count from the Board of Elections, the issue passed with over 64% of the voters supporting it (6,922 individual ballots). At 9:45…
Apparently 16 Percent of Ohioans Don’t Believe Childhood Vaccines Should be Required
Scientists and health professionals agree — immunizations protect individuals and groups, especially the very young, from infectious diseases and should be required in most cases. A recent poll conducted by Cincinnati-based Interact for Health revealed that most — but not all — Ohioans agree with the experts. The nonprofit’s 2019 Ohio Health Issues Poll asked…
In Advance of Next Week’s Show at the Ohio Theatre, Comedian Ryan Hamilton Talks About His New Netflix Special
Thanks to the success of his recently released stand-up special, Happy Face, comedian Ryan Hamliton’s career has picked up some traction. The one-hour Netflix original came in the wake of numerous TV appearances. Like Jerry Seinfeld, Hamilton likes to joke about the trials and tribulations of everyday life. In addition to his own headlining gigs…
Blue Note Records 80th Birthday Celebration to Take Place at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus on Nov. 13
Blue Note Records artists Kandace Springs, James Carter and James Francies will commemorate the iconic record label’s 80th birthday on Nov. 13 with a performance at the John P. Murphy Foundation Theatre at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus. The event is part of the Tri-C Performing Arts Series presented by Cuyahoga Community College. Each artist will perform…
Now Open: Gually’s Bakery & Restaurant
We can now add Gually’s Bakery & Restaurant (6201 Denison Ave., 216-862-1441) to the growing selection of quick-serve Puerto Rican delis and bakeries in Cleveland’s Tremont, Clark Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods. Gually’s joins relative newcomers like Panaderia Las Villas & Deli (3216 W. 41 St., 216-651-9610), Rincon Criollo Take 2 (7403 Denison Ave., 216-331-4525) and…
Meghan George Wins Narrowly in Lakewood Mayoral Race
Lakewood City Councilwoman Meghan George defeated Sam O’Leary in the race for Mayor of Lakewood Tuesday. George will succeed Mayor Mike Summers and assume leadership in one of the region’s largest and densest suburbs. In an evening full of narrow victories across Cuyahoga County, George’s over O’Leary was one of the narrowest. George tallied 5,716…
Hotspot Café is Closing in Downtown Cleveland Nov. 15
The “healthy, hip and wired” Hotspot Café is officially closing in downtown Cleveland next Friday. After six years of serving up breakfast and lunch to nearby workers and visitors on 1332 Carnegie Ave., the cafe owners announced the news on Facebook (see below) earlier this morning, citing a lease expiration as the reason for the…
Bloom Bakery Closing Both Locations as of Today
In sad news, Bloom Bakery and Towards Employment, the nonprofit that launched and operated the bakery, announced that both Bloom locations (Public Square and Campus District) will permanently close at the end of today’s business day. Bloom debuted in the spring of 2016 with a core mission of training and employing those who faced barriers…
Local Runner Picked to Be Part of the St. Jude 2020 Boston Marathon Team
About four years ago, Josh Szczepanski, who lives in Mentor, got in a car accident and received a significant head injury. He had to stop working and battled depression. “I spent the following two-and-a-half years hardly leaving the house and gaining a ton of weight,” he says. After some bad bloodwork last summer, he knew…
Timothee Chalamet Stars in Dry New Historical Epic ‘The King’
Timothee Chalamet’s bowl cut in the new 15th-century British epic The King instantly becomes the second-most iconic male haircut in Netflix’s history, trailing only Cillian Murphy’s dramatic undercut on Peaky Blinders. Chalamet leads an all-star cast that also includes Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, Ben Mendelsohn, Sean Harris and Lily-Rose Depp in the Netflix original that’s…
‘Pain and Glory’ is a Character Study in Retirement
Pain and Glory, the latest film from writer-director Pedro Almodóvar, finds the veteran Spanish director looking inward for inspiration. The movie centers on Salvador (Antonio Banderas), a filmmaker and writer who has decided to retire. “What will you do?” a friend asks him when she hears of his decision. “Live,” he dryly retorts, suggesting the…
For Vegans, Foodhisattva is a Welcome Addition to the East Side
The absurdity isn’t lost on our dining group. To enter Foodhisattva, a new vegan eatery in Cleveland Heights, you must first walk through a small vestibule that is shared with a neighboring butcher shop. Given that you can smell Mister Brisket from down the block, it’s not surprising that the heady, sweet and, well, meaty…
Band of the Week: Laura Rain and the Caesars
MEET THE BAND: Laura Rain (vocals), Steven Bostik (bass), Scott Veenstra (drums), George Friend (guitar) A DETROIT SOUND: Rain grew up just south of Detroit,, listening to Motor City acts such as Aretha Franklin. “I have been singing ever since I can remember,” says Rain. “It called to me. It was a seed planted inside…
Savage Love: The Man Show
I am male. A close female friend was raped by an old acquaintance of mine. I knew this guy when we were tweens, I didn’t really care for him as we got older, so it goes. It turns out that a few years ago, he raped my friend in an alcohol blackout situation. I don’t…
State and Local Officials in Ohio Provided Millions of Dollars in Subsidies to Amazon for Jobs That Would Have Come Here Anyway
On a recent Wednesday morning, as Alexa played a piped-in stringed version of U2’s “All I Want is You” in front of a display of Amazon shipping boxes, several dozen Northeast Ohio leaders gathered to celebrate the official opening of Amazon’s new 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in North Randall. The ebullient politicians praised Amazon for creating…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (Nov. 6-12)
WED 11/06 The Band’s Visit This critically acclaimed Broadway smash-hit musical won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It also nabbed a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. The play “rejoices in the way music makes us laugh, makes us cry, and ultimately, brings us together.” Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace.…
