Update: In the Wake of the Election, Joseph Arthur Talks About His Anti-Trump Song
Update: Earlier this year, Akron native Joseph Arthur took Donald Trump, who was not yet the president-elect, to task with “The Campaign Song,” a rousing number typified by droning guitars and sneering vocals. The track includes snippets of Trump speeches as Arthur sings, “Trump is a chump.” “My first version of the campaign song was nuts,”…
Update: Tokyo TV Station to Broadcast Live at Prosperity Social Club’s Election Night Watch Party
[image-1]Update: ANNNews Tokyo will broadcast live tomorrow from Prosperity Social Club, which will host an election night watch party. A television news crew from Asahi TV in Japan will be present to cover the watch party and interview patrons. The station also plans to cover the election from the Democratic Campaign HQ, Republican Campaign HQ…
The Cavs Brought Back the Bidding Option on Flash Seats
Update: That was quick. The Cavs opened the 2016-2017 by eliminating the bidding option on Flash Seats. That was in response to Wine and Gold members who voiced some concerns about the process during last year’s regular season and playoffs. After a short “test and learn phase,” the team announced this morning that the bidding…
Comedian Jim Tews to Record a Live Album at Coda in Tremont in November
A former Clevelander, comedian and writer Jim Tews, the man behind the New York Times bestseller Felines of New York, is a rising star in the comedy world. He made his stand-up television debut on Last Comic Standing and has been featured in an episode of Louie. He was one of 2011’s New Faces at…
Vocal Demands Call for Removal of Steve Loomis from Cleveland Police Commission
A contentious debate continues to brew in Cleveland, as the presidential nominees draw their own lines in America’s dust. Here, Steve Loomis, the president of the Cleveland police union who presided over an endorsement of Republican nominee Donald Trump, finds himself shouting down a bevy of city leaders demanding he be ousted from his position…
Guitarist Trevor Rabin Reconnects with His Yes Bandmates for the Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman Tour
It’s been more than two decades since guitarist Trevor Rabin stepped on stage as a member of Yes, touring with the legendary progressive rock group in support of their 1994 album Talk. That album presented what would be the final new music heard from that particular Yes lineup. Featuring singer Jon Anderson, Rabin, bassist Chris…
Trevor Bauer’s Finger and Ben Axelrod on the Buckeyes — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre Knott is in Toronto with the Tribe so he and Zac discuss the Indians’ 3-0 ALCS lead and Trevor Bauer’s injured finger. After hanging up with Dre, Zac catches up with Ben Axelrod to talk about the Buckeyes and their latest win over Wisconsin. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Download the…
Electronic Act Cash Cash to Bring Its ‘Must Be the Money’ Tour to Liquid
Known for “infectious dance-pop original tracks, vibrant remix productions as well as their energetic live DJ sets on festival main stages and clubs spanning across the globe,” the electronic act Cash Cash, a group that features best friends and brothers (Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alex Makhlouf and Samuel Frisch) had a platinum selling hit back in…
Agora Theatre to Host Bluegrass Festival in December
Starting in December, Southern Ohio Multimedia and SamJam Promotions, organizers of the SamJam Bluegrass Festival in Piketon, Ohio, will begin hosting “periodic one-day events” in the Cleveland area. The first event in the SamJam Music Series takes place on Dec. 10 at the Agora Theatre. It will feature The Voice’s Adam Wakefield [pictured], the Steeldrivers and…
LoveMuffinPalooza Takes Stage for Three-Night Fest
We caught up with local musician Adam Rich earlier this year, when he began working on his upcoming album. After writing a song about seeing First Light play in Cleveland 24 years ago, he ended up getting most of that band to perform on the record – the culmination of a neat musical narrative. Rich…
Cleveland Gets Middling Score on LGBTQ Index, But Shows Signs of Improvement
In its fifth annual Municipal Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign gave Cleveland a score of 81 out of a possible 100 for LGBTQ inclusiveness, city employment and services, and city leadership’s public positions on LGBTQ issues. And while 81 sounds okay, it’s actually one of the lower scores of the eight Ohio cities rated…
Pearl Jam and Tupac Lead List of Nominees for 2017 Rock Hall Inductions
The list of nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next year includes several familiar names. Acts such as Chaka Khan, Chic, J. Geils Band, Janet Jackson, Joe Tex, Kraftwerk, MC5, the Cars, the Zombies and Yes have all been nominated in the past. Chic, for example, has been nominated a…
Canadian Judge Denies Last-Minute Injunction, Indians Can Play in Toronto with Wahoo Logo and Team Name
[image-1] Reporters in Toronto described a packed courtroom at the Ontario Supreme Court Tuesday, with lawyers, journalists and indigenous supporters stuffed into corners and even sitting on the ground to watch as a judge listened to arguments and considered whether or not to ban the use of the Chief Wahoo logo and the Indians team…
‘London Town’ Fails to Capture the Grittiness of Late ’70s London
Derrick Borte, director of the new drama London Town, has said that he remembers the very first time he heard the Clash. In 1980, a friend of his gave him a cassette tape (remember those?) of the band’s first album, and he was hooked. Borte’s attempt to depict that magical moment in London Town, which…
A Renowned Canadian Architect is In Court Right Now, Trying to Ban Chief Wahoo
[image-1]Via Canada’s National Post, a notable architect and indigenous activist will be in court at 1 p.m. — on this, the afternoon of Game three of the ALCS, the first to be played in Toronto — where a judge will decide whether to ban the Cleveland Indians from wearing the Chief Wahoo logo and even “displaying…
Alan Cox Co-Host Bill Squire Arrested in Mansfield for Disorderly Conduct and Resisting Arrest
Bill Squire, local comedian and co-host of the Alan Cox show on WMMS, was arrested in Mansfield on October 16 for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The incident happened at the Ohio State Reformatory, the shuttered prison most famous for its starring role in the Shawshank Redemption. This time of year, the prison becomes a…
The LeBron Banner is Temporarily Coming Down (But Don’t Panic)
Sherwin-Williams announced this morning that the iconic LeBron James banner really is coming down after all. Before you start hammering out another angry email to the company, just wait a minute. The banner is being removed starting today, with work probably continuing through Wednesday. After that, a new and improved LeBron banner will be installed.…
More Eat, Drink and Play Tenants Announced for Pinecrest ‘Mixed-Use Lifestyle District’
[image-1] Last week, the developers behind Pinecrest, the $230 million mixed-use lifestyle district near the I-271 and Harvard Road exchange in Orange Village, announced some of the tenants that would gobble up all those new retail, office, luxury apartment and a hotel square feet. In terms of eating and drinking options, visitors can look forward…
‘Faces of Cleveland’ Project and Book Capture the Character of the City
For the past two years, local photographer Laura Wimbels has been documenting Cleveland through portraits of its people. Through these faces, Wimbels showcases the character of our city. Her new book, Faces of Cleveland, collects these portraits and also includes seven essays from her subjects on our city. “The best part about the book, to…
Music Master Series Performers Eilen Jewell, Mike Ness and John Doe Talk About Johnny Cash’s Influence
With the annual Music Masters series, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Case Western Reserve University honor a Rock Hall inductee with a week of programming that culminates with a tribute concert. This year’s honoree will be Johnny Cash, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in…
‘Mobile Weed Dispensary’ Kush Gods Spotted in Downtown Cleveland
The Kush Gods have spoken, and they want you to try their marijuana cookies and other pot edibles. The “mobile weed dispensary” has been seen cruising around the city for some time now. Reports say the driver says a $10 donation is required to sample their goodies. According to Cleveland police though, taking donations can…
“Cleveland Hustles” is Happening All Over Again
[image-1]’Cleveland Hustles’ investor Alan Glazen announced at the show’s season one finale Wednesday that a second season of the unscripted CNBC reality series was already in the works. “We are doing it all over again in 2017,” he posted to Facebook Thursday. “Another million dollars and five funded businesses in another Cleveland neighborhood! Thanks to…
Lakewood Civic Auditorium to Host Benefit Screening of Film About Bullying and Intolerance
A Cleveland-based nonprofit focused on “raising awareness of and ending lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth bullying,” Dare2Care will present a special advanced screening of Love Is All You Need?, a film that examines the topics of bullying and intolerance, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium. Written…
This Northeast Ohio Woman’s Halloween Decoration is Better Than Yours
File this one under: kickass Halloween decorations you wish you made. Amanda Destro Pierson is a local product designer for a craft company and the brains behind this amazing functioning garage door monster mouth. Behold: We’ve still got about two weeks to go, so there’s still time to borrow the idea, of course. Or just…
Local Indie Rockers Cloud Nothings Announce Details Regarding New Studio Album
With 2014’s Here and Nowhere Else, which local indie rockers Cloud Nothings, recorded in Hoboken at Water Music over an 8-day period, the band opted for a poppier, cheerier effort than 2012’s Attack on Memory. That trend continues with Life Without Sound, the forthcoming studio effort due out Jan. 27. To celebrate the announcement of…
Those Hurricane Matthew Dogs from South Carolina are Really Cute
We told you Thursday that dogs from a shelter in South Carolina arrived at the Cleveland Animal Protective League late Wednesday night. The APL agreed to accept the dogs at the request of the Humane Society of the United States after shelters in the south were damaged by Hurricane Matthew. The APL was good enough…
9 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, OCT. 14 Sturgill Simpson An old school country guy who will even play a bit of bluegrass in his set, Simpson is a strange choice for the alt-rock festival, but Simpson, who doesn’t show much emotion while playing, fronts a terrific band that include guitarist Laur “Lil’ Joe” Joamets, a guy whose gritty guitar…
The ALCS Starts, Art Briles and the Browns — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Former Channel 5 Reporter Homa Bash Had the Cops Called on Her in Dallas for Looking Hispanic and Suspicious
Homa Bash left the friendly confines of Northeast Ohio recently to go work in Dallas for NBC5. Things are a little less friendly down there, it seems. Bash tweeted yesterday that she and her cameraman, C.J. Johnson, were filming near a local school. Someone ended up calling the cops on them because there was “a hispanic-looking…
Jazz Singer and Bassist Esperanza Spalding Talks About a Few Tracks on Her Adventurous New Album
Jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding released her debut, Junjo, in 2006, and the album quickly established her as a rising star. A favorite of President Obama, who asked her to play at his Nobel Peace Prize concert in 2009, she surprised everyone when she won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 2011. The…
Now Open: Ohio Beer Garden in North Olmsted
Mike Mariola is on a roll. The restaurateur who made a name for himself at South Market Bistro in Wooster left there to open City Square Steakhouse across the street. In 2011, he opened the first RAIL burger bar in Akron, quickly following that with additional locations in North Olmsted, Canton and Strongsville. He just…
Judge Rules Cleveland Must Pay $13.2 Million Judgment for Wrongfully Convicted Man
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Robert McClleland ruled yesterday in a case that should have far-reaching impact on how Cleveland handles payment/obligations for civil judgments in cases where they’ve indemnified their police officers/employees. The full extent of the issue was covered at length in a Scene investigation earlier this year (that is well worth your…
Brian Wilson’s Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour Coming to Hard Rock Live
It’s a well-documented fact at when members of the Beatles heard the Beach Boys’ 1966 album Pet Sounds, it inspired them to write and record Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Earlier this year, Brian Wilson, the architect behind Pet Sounds, embarked on the Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary World Tour. For the tour, he’ll perform the…
Scottish Power Pop Act Teenage Fanclub Returns to Form with Its Terrific New Album
Fresh off the release of Here, the band’s first effort since 2010’s Shadows, lauded dream-pop rocker outfit Teenage Fanclub comes to the Beachland Ballroom on Oct. 20 on a tour that’s considerably lengthier than the jaunts the outfit has taken in recent years. Singer-guitarist Norman Blake, one of the Scottish band’s co-founders, says the break…
The Cleveland Orchestra Delights with a Roman Triptych and a Beethoven Opener
[image-1]By Daniel Hathaway There would be lots of musical benefits if time travel ever became a reality. You could go back and ask J.S. Bach some pertinent questions, find out what really happened at the premiere of The Rite of Spring, and experience the music of Ottorino Respighi with fresh ears before his spectacular orchestral…
Cleveland Teens Carjack Limousine, Broadcast Joy Ride on Facebook Live
Three teens have been charged with aggravated robbery after being accused of carjacking a limo—then bragging about the feat via Facebook live. Police say Norman Henry, 19, Ty’Juan Philpot, 18, and Jesse Varner, 18, approached the limo driver at the McDonald’s on Carnegie downtown on bicycles. He’d just dropped off a couple for an Indians…
Here’s Kid Cudi’s R-Rated Music Video for New Single
Rapper Kid Cudi might’ve checked himself into rehab, but that hasn’t stopped him from releasing a new music video for “Frequency,” the single from his forthcoming album, Passion, Pain and Demon Slayin’. The atmospheric song’s lyrics reference “couple girls, couple stories, and a couple ’shrooms,” and the video, which takes place in a dimly lit…
Army Corps Awards Contract, Cuyahoga Dredging to Begin Soon
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday that it had awarded a contract to dredge the Cuyahoga River, following a court order last week to do so. The $3.7 million contract has been awarded to Ryba Marine Construction, a company based in Cheboygan, Michigan. The work is expected to begin soon, though the Army…
Monthly Local DJ Event Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary
In Training, a monthly DJ “queer-run, queer-enforced” electronic event held at the punk club Now That’s Class, regularly draws 100-plus people. At one recent event, video collages of nuclear explosions and retro cartoons light the wall behind a raised metal platform, where DJs and live acts play deep house, techno, and experimental electronic. A girl…
Video: “What Happened at Baylor’s at Baylor”; Hue Jackson Defends Art Briles Browns Visit
Everyone seems to love Hue Jackson. Despite the Browns’ record, he appears to resemble an actual NFL football coach, something the team hasn’t had in years. Which makes his decision to bring disgraced former Baylor head coach Art Briles on a visit to the Browns to tap his offensive acumen all the more disappointing. At…
Adopt a Hurricane Matthew Dog from the Cleveland APL
With room to spare on its adoption floor, the Cleveland Animal Protective League has accepted 16 adoptable dogs from shelters in South Carolina, lately battered by Hurricane Matthew. The APL was contacted by the Humane Society of the United States about taking dogs from shelters in the south affected by the storm. These are dogs…
Opening Soon: Barabicu Smokehouse in Parma
We broke the news about Barabicu Smokehouse back in July, when we detailed owners Jon Ashton and Danny Cassano’s plans to open a casual, largely carry-out smokehouse in Parma, near the intersection of Ridge and Snow roads. Today we learned that opening day will be Wednesday October 19. The building at 5767 Ridge Road (216-856-3154)…
‘Lanford Wilson: Take Five’ Is a Jackpot From Cleveland’s Most Invisible Theater Company
The latest offering by Cleveland’s most invisible theater company, Cesear’s Forum, Lanford Wilson: Take Five, is an untrammeled delight. Hidden away in the basement under the glorious, newly renovated lobby of the Ohio Theatre, Greg Cesear and his loyal troupe of thespians keep churning out unusual and unexpected work. And this time, they’ve hit the…
Dumb Ranking Says Cleveland Among Saddest Cities in U.S.
Ohioans have the longest faces in the U.S., according to the Community Well-Being Index measuring a bunch of things they’re apparently not very good at measuring. Of the 20 Saddest Cities in the U.S., seven are in Ohio and include Cleveland. Cleveland ranks the lowest on the list at 17, with the city’s population loss as…
A Jam-Packed Week of Classical Music Leaves You No Excuse for Not Seeing Something Good
From a variety of attractive possibilities, here are some particularly interesting classical music options for your enjoyment this week. Three of the four young virtuosos who make up Sō Percussion are Northeast Ohio natives. They’ll spend this week in Akron rehearsing for what should be two spectacular concerts. On Tuesday Musical Association’s FUZE! Series, Sō…
Ohio Prisoner Charged for Doing an Interview about the National Prison Strike
Siddique Hasan, an inmate at Ohio State Penitentiary, is facing sanctions after doing an interview with NPR about the national prison strike that began Sept. 9. As Scene reported prior to the strike, prison officials have gone to lengths to keep information contained within the walls of their institutions. Media coverage has been duly scant. He…
Untrained Teen Actors and Actresses Shine in Arthouse Drama ‘American Honey’
Brit writer-director Andrea Arnold reportedly found the inspiration for American Honey, her gritty new drama that focuses on derelict teens who go door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions, from reading various articles about “mag crews” that travel the country in rented passenger vans, using teenagers to canvas neighborhoods and swindle consumers. An Atlantic Monthly article reports that the…
Geauga Lake’s Big Dipper Will Be Torn Down in Coming Weeks
In news that is both not surprising and sad, the Big Dipper will be torn down in the coming weeks, according to Cleveland.com. The ride, which opened in 1925, had basically been destined for rubble since 2007, when Geauga Lake’s parent company announced the park would be closing. Rounds of pleas to save the beloved…
Here’s an Ohio Campaign Commercial That Doesn’t Suck
You live in Ohio (probably), which means you’ve been bombarded with an endless barrage of political commercials this election season. Most, if not all of them, are bad. This one is not. Meet Aftab Pureval, a Democratic candidate for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts. Pureval is a Procter & Gamble attorney up against incumbent Republican…
Cleveland Beer Week Filling up with Great Events
Hank Shaw is a forager, angler, hunter, gardener and author of such books as “Duck, Duck, Goose” and his latest work, “Buck, Buck, Moose,” which is the most comprehensive book on cooking “deer and deer-like things” like elk, moose, antelope and caribou. His work has been published in Food & Wine and Field and Stream,…
Photo Series Wants To Break Down Stereotypes, Build Bridges Between Police and Community
A gathering Tuesday evening at St. Paul’s Community Church in Ohio City was the third event that brought together police officers and residents for a photo series that aims to depict them side by side. Al Wasco, a longtime Ohio City resident, has coordinated the series, called ‘Black & Blue Side by Side,’ with local…
Beck Center’s ‘Body Awareness’ Too Small and Coy For Its Own Good
There’s nothing wrong with a small play that has modest goals. God knows it beats some of the gargantuan productions that aim high and fall miserably short. Still, sometimes a play can be a bit too small and coy for its own good. Such is the case with Body Awareness, now at the Beck Center.…
Video: Watch the Tribe’s ALCS-Clinching Celebration From Trevor Bauer’s Point of View
What does it look like to clinch a trip to the ALCS? Lots of champagne and beer, for starters. You wouldn’t know firsthand, of course, but thankfully Trevor Bauer captured the team’s win and celebration on his GoPro camera on Monday, just like he did when the Tribe clinched the division in Detroit, so you…
Parma Admits $9 Million Clerical Error in School District Budget, Says It Doesn’t Affect Bottom Line, Announces Internal Audit Anyway
Update: The Parma school district conducted a short press conference earlier this afternoon and released a statement on the $9 million clerical error in the 2016-2017 budget discovered by a Parma parent. (See full explanation of that below in the original post.) Basically, Parma admitted the error, credited the parent for finding it, announced that…
Confessions of a Rust Belt Orphan (Or ‘How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Akron’)
Go to sleep, Captain Future, in your lair of art deco You were our pioneer of progress, but tomorrow’s been postponed Go to sleep, Captain Future, let corrosion close your eyes If the board should vote to restore hope, we’ll pass along the lie — The Secret Sound of the NSA, Captain Future IN THE BEGINNING … As near…
Dan Savage’s Hump! Film Fest Comes All Over the Capitol
Dan Savage, beloved disseminator of sexual advice in his syndicated weekly column “Savage Love,” presents the 11th iteration of a porn festival that aspires to celebrate and positivize the full spectrum of sexual appetites. The Hump! Film Fest arrives at the Capitol Theatre for two screenings Friday. “We bill Hump! as an amateur porn festival, but it’s…
Film Spotlight: On the Edge Film Festival
On an equally niche-festive note: The second annual On the Edge Film Festival promises to have “something for extreme sport and armchair athletes alike” when it returns to the Breen Center for the Performing Arts on Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15. The festival will include films about “adrenaline-driven action sports” as well as “engrossing character studies and environmental and…
Savage Love: Senior Moments
Dear Dan, I’m 64 years young, a musician, chubby, full head of hair, no Viagra needed, no alcohol, I don’t mind if you drink, smoker, yes I am. I am also faithful, loyal, and single for five years. No health issues, nada, zero, zilch. Not gay, not prejudiced against gays, pro-woman, Democrat, MASCULINE. Except I…
Words and Music Blend Gloriously in ‘Fun Home’ at Playhouse Square
If you care about gender diversity in film, you may have come across the Bechdel Test at some point. It was trotted out some 30 years ago by the cartoonist and graphic novelist Alison Bechdel, in her comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, and it’s a damn clever way to judge if a flick…
Annual Art Show Will Highlight Work of AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland, an affiliate of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, serves more than 15,000 people each year, including more than 1,200 intensive case management clients. Established 1983, the AIDS Taskforce is the oldest AIDS service provider in Ohio, and is Cleveland’s primary provider of education, prevention, case management, housing, advocacy and research…
Band of the Week: Roger Hoover
MEET THE BAND: Roger Hoover (vocals, guitar), Ray Flanagan (guitar), Russ Flanagan (piano), Kevin Martinez (upright bass), Eric Baltrinic (drums) TO KENT AND BACK: Singer-songwriter Roger Hoover has been a fixture on the local scene for at least the past decade. A native of Barberton, he first came to Kent when he was 15. He…
Lakewood Gets a Gluten-free Bakery
Enter Laura Marconi and Elyssa Clare Janos onto the list of dynamic mother-daughter duos. The pair are creating something delicious and have teamed up to open Bouche Gluten Free Bakery (11823 Detroit Ave., 216-904-5688, facebook.com/BoucheBakery) this November. “It’s funny, because I wasn’t thinking about it when she was born, but her first name is Elyssa,…
