Letterkenny Live Coming to the Agora in February 2022
The stars of the popular Crave original series Letterkenny have just announced the rescheduled dates of a U.S. that’s slated to hit here next year. The jaunt comes to the Agora for two shows on Feb. 27. The popular TV program follows Wayne (Keeso) and his pals as they scrap with their small-town rivals, and the…
Rising Star to Relocate East Side Coffee Shop from Little Italy to Cleveland Heights
Five years ago, Rising Star Coffee owner Kim Jenkins planted a flag on the East Side of Cleveland by opening a shop in Little Italy. That shop, located at the corner of Murray Hill and Edgehill roads, will close on November 4th. The good news is that Rising Star will open a new coffee shop, this…
RUBBERBAND Dance Group to Make Its Ohio Debut on Nov. 9 at the Ohio Theatre
Earlier this week, Tri-C and DANCECleveland announced that RUBBERBAND Dance Group (RBDG) would make its Ohio debut in a performance sponsored by the two local organizations. The Montreal-based dance troupe performs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Mimi Ohio Theatre as part of the Tri-C Performing Arts season. Founded in 2002 by…
Trixie Mattel Coming to the Agora in February
Singer and drag queen Trixie Mattel has recently announced the dates of a 2020 tour dubbed Trixie Mattel: Grown Up. Mattel will perform at the Agora on Feb. 14. On the tour, Mattel will create “an intoxicating mix of her unparalleled sense of deranged and perfectly delivered humor.” Mattel will perform for the first time…
WKYC Hiring Frenzy Now Includes Emily Mayfield, Baker’s Wife
WKYC Studios has announced that Emily Mayfield, wife of Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield, has joined the station as a “special correspondent.” She will appear in segments this fall on Jay Crawford’s noon show, Jimmy Donovan’s 7 p.m. show and across the station’s social media channels. “Emily’s passion for Northeast Ohio, genuine curiosity and her gift…
Holiday Displays Return to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in November with Wild Winter Lights
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is bringing back its holiday light event starting next month. Discontinued after the 2004 season, the zoo has reworked the bright spectacle to include thousands of lights, a visit from Santa, an extremely tall teddy bear and, of course, plenty of animals. Dubbed the Wild Winter Lights festival, the event officially…
In Advance of Monday’s Concert at the Beachland, Jonathan Bree Talks About His Unique Live Show
Masked Kiwi chamber pop band leader Jonathan Bree (formerly of sub pop indie group the Brunettes) might be his own worst critic. He just performed at the Desert Daze festival in Southern California, but when asked about his appearance, he’s quick to point out its flaws. “The audience witnessed a pretty compromised set,” he says in an email interview.…
Ohio Nearly Mistakenly Purged 40,000 Voters, Including Head of Voter Rights Group, New Report Finds
Almost one in five people slated to be removed from Ohio’s voter registration rolls were targeted in error during an effort by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office to remove inactive voters, according to a report by The New York Times. Roughly 40,000 names reported by county boards of election on the state’s 235,000-name…
Blaine Griffin, in Authoritarian Speech, Says Those Who Mess with City Council Will be ‘Dealt With’
Cleveland City Councilman Blaine Griffin gave a speech at Monday’s city council meeting that he will soon wish he didn’t. The combative, elitist remarks once again fortified council’s “us vs. them” mentality when it comes to their constituents and will haunt the Buckeye-Shaker councilman if he runs for Mayor in 2021, as is widely assumed.…
The Iconic Ohio Basket Building is Soon to Become a Luxury Hotel
Ohio’s famous basket-shaped building is getting a second lease on life. The Newark, Ohio, site — former headquarters of the basket-making company The Longaberger Co. — will soon become a luxurious new hotel. The nearly 22-acre property and roadside attraction, completed in 1997, is world famous for, well, looking like a basket. And soon the seven-story…
Convergence’s ‘Homos, or Everyone In America’ Elicits Laughter and Love With Dynamic Performances
What do you get when you mix together Will & Grace, a heaping dose of acerbic, sex-fueled humor, a pinch of Christopher Nolan’s Memento and a dash of social commentary that— given the material and quite expressive title— can’t help but seep through? You get Jordan Seavey’s Homos, or Everyone in America, a play that…
Ron and Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers to Speak at the Rock Hall on Friday
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the iconic song, “Shout,” 1992 Inductees Ron and Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers will come to the Rock Hall on Friday to participate in an interview. The free event begins at noon. To mark the occasion, the Rock Hall will play highlights from the Isley Brothers’ 1992 Induction,…
Bubba’s Q in Avon has Closed After 13 Years
Bubba’s Q in Avon has closed. The barbecue restaurant was opened by former Cleveland Browns (and other teams) player Al “Bubba” Baker 13 years ago. At first, customers went simply to meet and greet the gregarious 6’ 8” host. But they soon discovered that he also happened to be a skilled barbecue cook, turning out…
Op-Ed: The Public Needs to Know Today’s Cocaine Contains Fentanyl
Socrates Kokkalis came to Cleveland last year for several business meetings. When the meetings were over, Kokkalis ate dinner with colleagues then visited the casino downtown. He also made a series of quick phone calls seeking cocaine, which he ultimately purchased from a dealer. Kokkalis then went to his room on the hotel’s 24th floor,…
Jim Gaffigan To Perform at Wolstein Center in March
Actor, writer, producer, comedian and author Jim Gaffigan has just announced the dates of his the Pale Tourist tour. Gaffigan has had a pretty good year. He starred in eight different films and recently released his seventh standup special, Quality Time, through Amazon. It’s Amazon’s first original comedy special. On Friday, March 6, he comes…
Two Adorable Rescued Bobcat Kittens Are Now Being Taken Care of in Willoughby
Two wild bobcat kittens were recently found abandoned on the side of the road in Northeast Ohio. Thankfully, the brother and sister pair were rescued and eventually sent to the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center at the Penitentiary Glen Reservation in Willoughby to be looked after. The plan is to send the duo back into the wild…
Cleveland’s At Wits End To Play One Final Show on Saturday at the Phantasy
In 2000, Aaron “okPANTS” Sechrist formed the hardcore band Red Sky Falling. The following year, the band played its first show at the Phantasy Niteclub. That band morphed into At Wits End, and the group had a good long run that Sechrist says will now come to an end. The band’s upcoming show at the Phantasy…
Tracy Morgan is Coming to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage in February
A SNL alumnus, comedian Tracy Morgan has been plenty busy lately. After starring for seven seasons on NBC’s Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning 30 Rock, Morgan released a Netflix standup special in 2017. He also recently appeared in What Men Want with Taraji P. Henson. He’s just announced the dates of a standup tour that includes…
It’s Deadline Day for the Anti-Nuclear Bailout Referendum in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohioans who want voters to decide the future of a new clean-energy law soon will know if their efforts are fruitful. Today is the deadline for opponents of House Bill 6 to submit the signatures needed to get a referendum on the November 2020 ballot. The controversial bill was signed into law…
The Bye Week Browns — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk Browns, Friday night college football and more. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
Ohio Lost 1,500 Jobs Last Month, New Report Reveals
Roughly 1,500 fewer people were working in the Buckeye State last month compared to the month prior, data released Friday by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services suggests. Overall for the year so far, the state has shed more than 11,000 jobs, according to ODJFS numbers, with negative job growth in five of…
Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich Says He Supports Trump Impeachment ‘With Great Sadness’
In an appearance on CNN, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich said he’s seen the “final straw.” The admission earlier this week by Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney that the Trump administration withheld military aid to Ukraine in part to encourage that country’s leadership to investigate uncorroborated allegations that foreign governments helped the…
Celine Dion Returns to Cleveland After 10 Years and Slays
After Celine Dion hits one of those ungodly notes in her repertoire, she often does something a little unexpected — she celebrates. Just like a football player who scores a touchdown in the most spectacular of fashions and then poses and screams with his teammates, Dion belts out the most eye-watering of decibels on stage and…
Ryo Muranaka, the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Superfan and Rapper, Now Has a Show Booked at Mahall’s
Shiba Dogg, aka Ryo Muranaka, aka the guy who sold all of his earthly possessions and flew from his home in Japan to Cleveland with the hopes of meeting Bone Thugs-n-Harmony back in June and is still here, has his first Cleveland gig booked. Mahall’s will be hosting Shiba Dogg this coming Monday, Oct. 21.…
Red Wanting Blue’s Third Annual Holiday Bash Coming to the Goodyear Theater on Dec. 28
The Goodyear Theater will host the third annual Red Wanting Blue Holiday Bash at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 28. Some “very special guests” will join the Columbus-based band for the gig. Deluxe VIP tickets include two tickets in the first ten (10) rows, one hotel room at the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn, two passes to the “Hangover…
Ohio Cocaine Could be Laced with Fentanyl, A New Cuyahoga County Ad Campaign Wants to Make Clear
Your cocaine could be laced with fentanyl, a group of Cuyahoga County partners wants you to know, and a new ad campaign has been implemented to bring awareness to the issue. While fentanyl is mostly known for its inclusion with drugs like heroin, local officials have recently seen an uptick in cocaine being cut with stuff…
Zohn Collective and La Coperacha Play the Cleveland Museum of Art Tonight
It is often impossible to say why a work of art captivates you to the point of becoming an obsession. Such is the case for composer Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon and Juan Rulfo’s novel Pedro Páramo. In his program notes for his scenic cantata Comala, Zohn-Muldoon writes: “To explain why Pedro Páramo moves me so deeply is…
Report: Rep. Chabot Campaign Reports $57,000 in ‘Unknown’ Expenses
U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot’s reelection campaign spent more than $57,000 with two companies run by former campaign staffer Jamie Schwartz in July and August — just before Schwartz shuttered those consultancy groups and left the campaign amid questions about missing campaign money. According to a third-quarter campaign finance report filed with the Federal Elections Commission…
Ohio TV Stations ‘Changing Their Tunes’
COLUMBUS, Ohio – About a dozen Ohio television stations are changing their tunes today, so to speak. The Federal Communications Commission is halfway through a national consolidation of TV frequencies in a move to gain more broadcast airwave space for new, high-speed wireless service. During the switch, Ohioans who watch TV with an antenna will…
Cleveland’s Beach Regime Releases Halloween-Themed Benefit Single
A few weeks ago, the local indie rock act Beach Regime cut “Please Hex Me,” a new Halloween-themed single, at its own studio. A conversation with a friend inspired the track. “A friend of mine was talking about doing a blood ritual with some other people — I’m not sure their intent — and I…
6 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, OCT. 18 Kevin Gates/YK Osiris/Rod Wave/SDot Fresh Kevin Gates raps about being a “prisoner in his own mind” on the heavily produced “Walls Talking,” an autobiographic tune that represents another hit for rapper, who recently dethroned Post Malone as the No. 1 artist on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts. Hugely popular, Gates has more…
New Music Series Launches Tomorrow at La Dolce Vita
Over the past year, Anthony Romaniello, a third-year student at CWRU, teamed up with Cleveland Institute of Music students Francesco Bochicchio and Shane O’Brien to organize live music events for students. Romaniello is studying engineering physics, Bochicchio is an operatic tenor studying voice and O’Brien is studying trumpet performance. Xavier Lynn & the Rukus on 118th, Collin Miller and the Oregon Space Trail…
You Officially Have to Be At Least 21 to Purchase Tobacco Products in Ohio as of Today
Starting today, Ohio state law prohibits anyone under 21 from buying tobacco and nicotine products. While Gov. Mike DeWine signed the bill into law earlier this summer, it didn’t go into full effect until now. Ohio retailers will now be required to post a sign explaining the new law and face fines for not doing…
A Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Superfan Sold Everything He Owned and Left Japan for Cleveland to Meet His Idols
This tale, one of the more bizarre stories you’re bound to come across this year, begins in June. That’s when the local police scanner Twitter account @NEO_Scan tweeted: “Other – E99/St Clair – #thingswehear A very agitated fellow from Japan flew here on promise that he’d meet Bone Thugs ‘n Harmony, CPD used translate app…
Ohio Lawmakers Once Again Introduce Legislation Barring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination
Ohio’s anti-discrimination laws — designed to protect people from unfair labor, housing and other discrimination based on membership in protected groups — do not include gender identity or sexual orientation. Two members of the Ohio House of Representatives, however, want to change that. State Rep. Michael Skindell, a Democrat representing the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood,…
Yours Truly Will Open its Solon Restaurant on Monday, Oct. 28
Back on January 19, the 38th birthday of Yours Truly Restaurants, founder Larry Shibley announced plans for his company’s 10th location. That location, a former Donatos Pizza at 6141 Kruse Dr. in Solon, is scheduled to open on Monday, October 28th. The first Yours Truly opened in Beachwood in 1981. Since then, Yours Truly has expanded…
The Rescheduled Pokémon-Themed Pop-Up is Officially Canceled in Cleveland, to the Shock of No One
The event company that was supposed to bring a Pokémon-themed pop-up bar to Cleveland has officially decided not to move forward with the party. As we reported a few weeks ago, the event company (originally Australia’s Viral Ventures, which switched hands to Wonderland Global Events) got into trouble after using the trademarked Pokémon materials in its promotions…
The Whiskey Daredevils to Play a Release Party on Oct. 25 at the Grog Shop
One of Cleveland’s best local acts, the Whiskey Daredevils have just released their latest effort, Bonafide. Locally based Gotta Groove Records pressed the album on gold vinyl, and the disc is the first to feature guitarist Hector Mattos. “It’s a definite return to our rootsy/rockabilly/country inclinations,” says frontman Greg Miller in a press release about the…
Mustard Seed will Close its Solon Location on Wednesday, Oct. 30
In an announcement posted to Mustard Seed social media followers, CEO Gabe Nabors broke the news that the 20-year-old Solon based health food store would be shutting down for good on Wednesday, October 30th. The Akron stores will continue to operate. Here is the statement: “I am sad to announce that we are closing our Solon…
Carrie Underwood Puts Her Vocal Prowess on Display at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Two hours into last night’s show at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, singer Carrie Underwood was still wailing away as she started a two-song encore that included “Cry Pretty.” Much like a marathon runner who has the ability to sprint during the last mile, Underwood appeared indefatigable as her voice showed no signs of fatigue even though…
Greensky Bluegrass to Play the Agora in January
The Michigan-based bluegrass/rock band Greensky Bluegrass has just announced dates of a winter tour that’ll bring it to the Agora on Jan. 17. The tour supports their latest album, All for the Money. “Clearly, we aren’t a band all for money,” says mandolin player Paul Hoffman in a press release about the jaunt. “We did…
Hilton Cleveland Downtown Now Offering a Pricey Cleveland Rockstar Package
Ever since it opened in 2016, Hilton Downtown Cleveland has offered what it calls a Rock and Roll Suite. Now, it’s put together a special package that it promises will be the “ultimate getaway for music-lovers visiting the Rock and Roll Capital of the World all-year long.” Commissioned by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hilton…
On Last Night’s Ohio Presidential Primary Debate: Warren Takes Center Stage — and Some Arrows
With a dozen candidates, the stage for the Democratic Party’s fourth presidential primary debate in Westerville, Ohio, was vast, and at more than three hours long, the talking seemingly endless. But when the dust cleared, a somewhat new dynamic in the race to take on Republican President Donald Trump for the White House next year…
CityMusic Cleveland Begins its New Season, and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Northeast Ohio’s two itinerant orchestras are both performing around the region beginning on Thursday this week. Apollo’s Fire is touring “Echoes of Venice,” polychoral compositions by Gabrieli and Monteverdi which raised the temperature of music in the “Most Serene Republic” around the turn of the 17th century and launched a whole new, opulent style. Boston’s…
‘Euclidhenge’ Illuminates Euclid Ave. as Sunset Aligns With Street
Manhattanhenge, so named by Neil deGrasse Tyson, is the phenomenon in New York City on certain dates in the calendar year when sunrise and sunset align perfectly with the street grid of the city, providing a glorious view of the sun climbing or falling between buildings on east-west streets, depending on the date. “Note that…
Machine Gun Kelly’s Annual Christmas Show Coming to Wolstein Center on Dec. 21
For the past few years, rapper and actor Machine Gun Kelly has played a special “XXMAS Show” here in town around the holidays. Earlier today, he announced that this year’s affair, billed as Machine Gun Kelly and Friends, will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21, at Wolstein Center. Tickets start at $38.…
A Brief Note About the Cover Wrap Advertisement on This Week’s Issue of Scene
Dear reader, If you see a print copy of this week’s paper, you’ll notice there is a cover wrap advertisement on the issue. Cover wraps are one advertising option that Scene’s sales department offers. It is the editorial department’s least favorite, for a couple of reasons, not least of which is that our cover wraps…
Savage Love: Standards
I’m a Seattle local who basically grew up reading your column. I think you’ve always given really sound advice, so I’m reaching out. My boyfriend and I have been together for two years. We started out poly, but I was clear from the start that when I fall in love with someone, I lose all…
Project Censored: The Top 10 Underreported Stories of 2019
Every year, Project Censored scours the landscape for the most important stories that the mainstream corporate media somehow missed, and every year the task seems to get a bit stranger. Or “curiouser and curiouser” as suggested in the subtitle of this year’s volume of their work, Censored 2020: Through the Looking Glass, which includes their…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (Oct. 16-22)
WED 10/16 Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series at Music Box Supper Club that pairs fine food with storytelling. The goal of the series is to “bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past — from sports, to rock ‘n’ roll, to Millionaires’ Row,” as…
In Mirror, Mirror at Waterloo Arts, a Collection of Artists Reveal Their Lived Experiences
“It’s an incredible group of artists, certainly the strongest show I’ve ever been part of,” says artist Lane Cooper as we walked through Mirror, Mirror at Waterloo Arts, and we have to agree. Lines, color and symbols are steeped with tenacity in these works that are fused with singularity and purpose. They are bonded together…
A New Era at Felice, the Same Familiar Comforts and Sharp Execution
It was one of those brilliant late-summer evenings, the type that is too scarce to squander indoors. The temperature was taking its good, sweet time on the way down, the air was crisp and clean, and the sky was the color of a Bob Ross painting — Prussian blue, I believe it’s called. We grabbed…
Band of the Week: Window Dogs
MEET THE BAND: Sean Breeden (vocals, guitar), Dan Cooley (guitar, banjo), Joey David (drums), Jonathan Khouri (keyboards, vocals) and Brian Thompson (bass) LANDING WITH NEW LISTENERS: The band formed in 2015 as two other local bands merged and started playing songs that Breeden had written. “We have this dark-folk sound, but it’s hard to categorize…
