Joshua Gaspar Not Guilty of Vehicular Manslaughter in I-90 Crash That Killed Ohio State Highway Patrolman
Joshua Gaspar was found not guilty of the vehicular manslaughter charges he received following the I-90 crash that killed Ohio State Highway Patrolman Kenneth Velez last September. (See original stories below.) Gaspar had pleaded not guilty. He was, however, found guilty of driving under suspension, falsification, certain acts prohibited and tampering with records. Cleveland.com’s Cory Shaffer…
City Agrees to $2.25-Million Settlement with Family of Tanisha Anderson
After denying nearly all allegations set forth in the wrongful death lawsuit prompted by Tanisha Anderson’s homicide (see below), the city of Cleveland has agreed to a $2.25-million settlement with her family. Police officers Scott Aldridge and Bryan Myers remain the subjects of a criminal investigation. Anderson was tackled and held to the ground before she…
The Inner Belt Bridge Will Fully Open Next Week
Update: One more week. The George V. Voinovich Bridge will fully open with all lanes next Monday. Today, all five lanes of the westbound bridge are open. In the coming seven days, final detours will be taken care of to allow for the eastbound side to open as well. It’s been five long years since…
Indie Rockers Extra Medium Pony Build Upon Debut’s Success with Terrific Follow-Up Album
Sitting at a weathered picnic table in the cactus room at the Rockefeller Green House, Extra Medium Pony singer-songwriter Rick Spitalsky looks like he could be in a scene from a Wes Anderson movie. He’s wearing a striped black and white shirt, and his shoulder length hair and scruffy facial hair make him resemble actor…
‘Author: The JT Leroy Story’ Exposes the Fallacy of ‘The Greatest Literary Hoax of Our Time’
Until the New York Times exposed her, phone sex worker-turned-housewife Laura Albert had the public thinking that JT Leroy, a fictional writer she created, really existed. Albert recruited a friend to pose as the writer for public appearances. Prior to documentary filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig (The Devil and Daniel Johnston) approaching her, she refused to talk…
Grog Shop Offers 2-For-1 Deal on Anniversary Shows
The Grog Shop, the Cleveland Heights concert club that hosts everything from hip-hop to rock and comedy, is turning 24. To celebrate, it has put together a series of special shows. The weekend kicks off at 8 p.m. on Thursday with locals Fascinating, Ma Holos, Heavenly Queen and Pack Wolf. The ska act Slackers performs…
Hip-Hop Icon Grandmaster Flash to Perform in Akron in October
Founded in 2006 to provide “an annual venue for hip-hop’s pioneers and independent and/or B-side soul artists,” the Keepers of the Art Music Showcase has brought artists as Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, KRS One, Big Daddy Kane, Buckshot, Whodini, Rakim, MC Lyte, EPMD, Masta Ace, J-Live, Asheru, Brand Nubian, Nice & Smooth, Das Efx…
Donald Trump and Sean Hannity Will Discuss ‘Midwest Values’ at a Cleveland Heights Church Today
Donald Trump will be in Cleveland Heights tomorrow, joining Sean Hannity for a town hall-style get-together at the New Spirit Revival Center. The Rev. Darrell Scott, an ardent and vocal Trump supporter, will host the event, billed as the “Midwest Values and Vision Pastors Leadership Conference.” It’s unclear who among the general public will be allowed to…
Cleveland City Council Officially Opposes Dakota Access Pipeline
Speaking of which! At its meeting Monday night, Cleveland City Council passed a resolution opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline and standing in solidarity with the “indigenous resistance” at the construction site. Councilman Matt Zone, who sponsored the resolution, told Scene that he opposed the pipeline on both environmental and human-rights grounds. “I think I’ve…
Citizen Pie Inks Deal in Ohio City for Second Location
Two months shy of its one-year anniversary, the popular Neapolitan-style pizza shop Citizen Pie (15710 Waterloo Rd., 216-417-2742) has announced that it is expanding. The team has inked a deal to open a second location, this one in the SoLo neighborhood of Ohio City, a block or so south of the West Side Market. The…
City of Cleveland Backs Off Plan to Name Section of Cedar Ave. Where Don King Once Killed a Man “Don King Way”
[image-1]Update: In predictable fashion, it seems the city of Cleveland will not honor Don King by bestowing an honory name on a section of Cedar Ave. where King once stomped and killed a man. It seems that city council had little to no idea that the proposal to move “Don King Way” from Shaker Blvd.…
Indie Rockers Frightened Rabbit Play to Energetic Capacity Crowd at the Beachland
Early in last night’s 90-minute set before a capacity crowd at the Beachland Ballroom, Frightened Rabbit singer-guitarist Scott Hutchinson said something to the effect that there are times when a Monday night show feels like a Friday night show. He said last night was one of the nights. You can see a slideshow of photos…
CMA Hosts Annual Print Fair This Weekend
This weekend, the Cleveland Museum of Art hosts the Print Club of Cleveland’s 32nd Annual Fine Print Fair. An annual benefit for the CMA’s department of prints, 15 art dealers from around the country will exhibit and sell fine art prints and drawings, ranging from classical masters to contemporary, living artists. “This year’s print fair,…
Here’s the Browns Fans Reference From NBC’s “The Good Place” Debut Last Night
First things first: What’s “The Good Place”? It’s a new NBC comedy from Michael Schur, he of “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” and, most importantly to a certain segment of baseball/shitty writing fans, Fire Joe Morgan. The show centers on the idea of an afterlife and how you get there, told through Kristin Bell’s…
Rock On, 1937-Style: The Musical Theater Project Presents ‘The Cradle Will Rock’
It was written by Marc Blitzstein, directed by Orson Welles, produced by John Houseman, and at the opening night preview it was censored by the government. The doors of the theater were padlocked by the WPA. The reason? Most guessed it was because the play was too radical, calling for everyone to join a union.…
‘The Bloodless Jungle,’ Written By Peter Lawson Jones, Leaves Much to be Desired at Ensemble Theatre
The theory behind Ensemble Theatre’s THEATRECLE season, which features plays different from their main stage series, is to give Cleveland artists the opportunity to “play” around. And that’s a great idea, as long as those artists are willing to take risks and really play with the form. In the first offering of the CLE Season,…
Browns Lose, McCown Gets Hurt, and Athlete-Writer Beefs — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Now that it’s football season, you get the A to Z podcast twice per week. The Cleveland Browns lost their home opener on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. Josh McCown got himself hurt in his first start of the year. Lastly, Andre and Zac discuss athlete-writer beefs. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here.…
Concert Review: Ms. Lauryn Hill Delights at the Hard Rock Rocksino
After Ms. Lauryn Hill dropped out of the spotlight over a decade ago, and then again more recently, her sometimes erratic behavior and financial troubles unfortunately tended to overshadow her incredible talent. With so many artists on the radio and in the spotlight today that many of us wish would stop making music, there’s a…
Local Singer-Songwriter Joey Sprinkles Makes New Album Available as a Stream
Currently a member of local bands Chomp, McCarthy and The Red Menace, Joey Sprinkles (Joe Boyer) has also played with local acts such as The Flukes, Spacer Ace, Total Babes and Cloud Nothings. His new solo effort, Bubble Guts, features “10 sugary power pop blasts, but upon closer inspection reveals a composition of aspartame and…
Pop Singer Ariana Grande to Play the Q in 2017
Pop singer Ariana Grande, who played before a crowd of about 11,000 last year at Quicken Loans Arena, has a vocal range that rivals that of Mariah Carey. Her 2014 album, My Everything, received a Grammy nomination for “Best Pop Vocal Album” and delivered the six times-platinum hit “Problem.” Upon the single’s release, Grande became “the…
Kingfish Seafood from Hospitality Restaurants Eyes October Opening
Hospitality Restaurants is just weeks away from adding a new concept to its already stuffed portfolio of properties. Currently, the 25-year-old restaurant group operates such popular spots as Cabin Club, Salmon Dave’s, Blue Point Grille, Delmonico’s Steakhouse and Rosewood Grill, which recently added a third location in Westlake. Come early October, Kingfish Seafood will join…
Former Mushroomhead Singer Forms New Group, A Killers Confession
In the wake of his departure from the locally based metal act Mushroomhead, singer Waylon Reavis has formed a new band, A Killers Confession that he promises will “knock your dick in the dirt.” Today, he announced the band will release its debut, Unbroken, in early 2017. “I am so proud of this project, and…
Cleveland Cyclist Struck in Montana, in Critical Condition
A local bike advocate was struck by a vehicle going 60 mph in Montana Sunday evening. Shelli Snyder, a co-founder and former board member of Bike Cleveland, was cycling from Cleveland to Seattle. She was relocating to Washington state and raising funds for Bike Cleveland by cycling cross country in the process. Via Bike Cleveland,…
Indians Magic Number: 7 (And Players Get Feisty About Paul Hoynes)
Paul Hoynes has announced that the Indians championship hopes have already ended. The Indians won a ballgame Saturday afternoon, but their postseason dreams ended. Write it down. On Sept. 17, the Indians were eliminated from serious postseason advancement before they even got there. That may be a bit of dramatic overstatement but the supporting information…
Driving Guitar Solos Distinguish Taking Back Sunday’s Latest Effort
It’s appropriate the cover art for Tidal Wave, the latest album from the hard rock act Taking Back Sunday, features a photo of a child looking out at the ocean. The theme of water and its potentially destructive power emerges in several tunes on the album, including the title tack. Singer Adam Lazzara’s wife took…
‘The Bigfoot Letters’ Delivers on Promise of Silliness
There is an honored place in the canon of American theater for the outrageous and silly. Without these kinds of plays, our lives would be much duller. With that in mind, there is pleasure to be had in The Bigfoot Letters by Nancy Nixon and Russel Stich, now at Blank Canvas Theatre for a brief…
Cleveland and Lorain Provide the Setting for the Dark Comedy ‘My Blind Brother’
When Tyler Davidson, a locally based producer who’s been involved with movies such as Swedish Auto, Take Shelter, Compliance and The Land, came across director Sophie Goodhart’s script for her new dark comedy My Blind Brother, he noticed a lake figured in the story. The tale of a blind swimmer who swam from Nantucket to…
The Browns Unveiled Jim Brown’s Statue in the Brownsiest Fashion
Nevermind that the Browns decided to build a statue of an alleged serial domestic abuser. If you’ve made that decision, at least don’t pull back a tarp covering the statue to unveil a black bag over a black man’s head that makes it look like the statue was just stolen from Gitmo. As Zac Jackson…
The Air Sex Championship Tour Is Coming to Cleveland
Think of it as a much more creative and NSFW-ish version of the air guitar. The 2016 Air Sex Championships Tour is coming to Cleveland this year (woot woot). The competition, with all its humping and innovative sexual pantomiming, will be held at the Grog Shop on October 27; general admission is $8 per person if you…
Lake Street Dive Relies on Its Jazz Roots for ‘Side Pony’
In the middle of recording Lake Street Dive’s latest album, Side Pony, producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, the Secret Sisters) asked the R&B/pop/’60s-era rock/soul band to hit the local record stores and browse the dollar bins to find the wildest and wackiest albums they could. “He brought a turntable into the studio,” says…
Indians Magic Number: 9
[image-1]The Tribe won last night, continuing that trend where they beat the ever-living crap out of the Motor City Kitties this year. Yes, the Indians are 12-1 against their division rivals in 2016 and the only sad part about that is that they won’t be there to kick around in the playoffs. Anyway, the magic…
On Football and Tupac — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Talking football and the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s death. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Cleveland Police Officer Indicted in March 2015 Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Teen
Cleveland police officer Alan Buford was indicted by a grand jury today on a negligent homicide charge stemming from the March 2015 shooting death of Brandon Jones. After robbing an eastside grocery store, Jones ended up in a scuffle with Buford and another officer. Buford shot once, killing the 18-year-old man. Jones was unarmed. “It was…
After a Hiatus, Post-Hardcore Act Thrice Delivers Its Most Cohesive Album
Thrice singer-guitarist Dustin Kensrue admits that Orange County, a conservative bastion in Southern California, gets a bad rap. Speaking via phone from his home there, he says he’s learned to love the place. “I really like it even though I resented it while growing up,” says Kensrue, who brings the post-hardcore band to the Agora…
Electro-Pop Pioneers Book of Love Bring 30th Anniversary Tour to House of Blues
Ted Ottaviano, one of the art-students-turned- musician in the new wave electronic group Book of Love, has a strong connection to Cleveland. About five years ago, he developed a class on electro-pop and taught for a semester at Case Western Reserve University. “It was a lot of fun,” he recalls in a recent phone interview.…
Indie Power Pop Act Nada Surf Takes the Songwriting Up Another Notch on Its Latest Album
Nada Surf drummer Ira Elliot first met his current band mates, singer-guitarist Matthew Caws and bassist Daniel Lorca, in the ’80s. They had seen his band the Fuzztones play and counted him as an acquaintance. “I was a roadie for the Smithereens,” Elliot explains via phone from his Sarasota home. He brings Nada Surf to…
Indians Magic Number: 11
[image-1] The Tribe continues to sputter along without quite hitting that hot streak we all want to see before October. For now, we’ll be content with the magic number continuing to fall most nights. It dipped one yesterday, thanks to the Twins taking care of the Tigers. Our Wahoos lost again in Chicago, and while…
Jim Brown, Subject of Multiple Domestic Abuse Allegations, Will Have His Statue Unveiled Sunday Before Browns Home Game
Just a reminder that this Sunday morning, before the Browns take the field to lose to the Baltimore Ravens, the team will unveil a statue of Jim Brown. The running back’s place in the on-field history of the team and league is undeniable. Off the field, however, there’s a disturbing history that fans tend to…
Annual Spooky Pooch Parade Returns to Lakewood on October 15
Now in its ninth year, the Spooky Pooch Parade attracts hundreds of dogs to Lakewood’s Kauffman Park. Scheduled to take place this year from 12:30 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15, the event includes a festival within Kauffman Park, a parade through Lakewood’s Downtown business district on Detroit Avenue and an awards presentation. It’s…
New Terminal Tower Owner K&D Didn’t Know There Was a Terminal Tower Lights Twitter Account, Will Now Keep It
[image-1]It seemed a certainty last month that the Terminal Tower Lights Twitter account would be going away. We, like some of you, we’re guessing, were surprised at the scope of the account’s popularity and the backlash that ensued when it said that with K&D’s formal purchase of the iconic building, which was made official this…
Op-Ed: FirstEnergy Rate Increase Necessary for Economic Well-Being of Akron, Northeast Ohio
[image-1]Northeastern Ohio’s economy would take a $570 million a-year hit if the FirstEnergy Corp. would leave Akron. This is the sobering message contained in an economic impact report that FirstEnergy sent to the Ohio Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to bolster its case for a 6 per cent rate increase. The hike would enable…
8 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, SEPT. 16 Ekoostik Hookah The grandfathers of Ohio’s expansive jam band scene — culturally and musically — have always maintained close ties to the Cleveland area. From 1991’s Under Full Sail to 2013’s sweetly groovin’ Brij, Ekoostik Hookah have kept the fire burning across time. Check out “Whiskey Woman” for a fine example of…
Shock Rocker Alice Cooper Mocks the Vote With His Fake Presidential Campaign
“I’m your choice” shock rocker Alice Cooper snarls in his 1972 hit “Elected,” a song that satirizes the political system with Who-like guitars and a spoken word segment. Every four years, Cooper brings the song back out, and this year is no exception. Cooper even staged a fake presidential campaign earlier this year to go…
The Posies to Play a Secret Pop Up Show in Cleveland On September 27
The veteran indie power pop act the Posies just released its eighth album earlier this summer, and it’s another winner. Filled with the usual sharply written songs that show off the duo’s fine vocal harmonies and pop smarts, the album opens with the ricocheting “We R Power” and then delivers a series of shimmering ballads…
Backstage Pass: An Interview With the Urban Alternative Act the Oxymorrons
On tour with brainy rapper Astronautalis, members of the New York City-based hip-hop/rock act the Oxymorrons came by our office today on their way to tonight’s gig at the Grog Shop. Having worked with acts such as Travie McCoy, Saba, Maxine Ashley, Felix Snow and Jordan Ware, the group, which features Demi, Kami, Matty Mayz,…
PSA: I-90 West Completely Closed From West Blvd. To Detroit Ave., Probably Through Rush Hour
[image-1]An Ohio state trooper was hit by a car earlier this afternoon on I-90 near McKinley; the westbound lanes are now completely closed from the I-71 split to the Detroit Ave. exit. ODOT, in a press release, says that will probably last through rush hour. Due to an accident, I-90 westbound is closed at West…
14 Protesters Continue to Fight City on RNC Flag-Burning Charges
The 14 protesters who were arrested during a flag-burning demonstration on the third day of the RNC are asking that the charges be dropped this week. Most of the protesters were charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing official business. By all accounts, a contained flag-burning event was announced and seemingly, tacitly supported by law enforcement. (The event…
Larder: A Curated Delicatessen & Bakery Pop-up at The Bottlehouse
[image-1]What with the Tribe back in town, tailgating for the Browns game, Scene’s Oktoberfest taking over Public Square, the Barking Spider’s 30-year anniversary/closing its doors party, and that one kid’s birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, there is no shortage of goings on in The Land this weekend. But if you are at all curious about chef…
At Home in the World of Artistic Freedom with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Here’s how Chris Robinson’s days began while laying down the new album with his band: Wake up at 7 a.m., take his daughter to school, brew some tea, listen to some music. It’s sort of like most other days for the lifelong songwriter, because, now, Robinson is more at home than ever with the latest…
The Barking Spider Tavern to Close After 30th Anniversary Celebration
One of our favorite local places to hear live music, the Barking Spider has just announced that it will close its doors for good after a 30-year anniversary party on Sunday, September 18. (That party starts at 2 p.m. and you should definitely go.) Owner Bruce Madorsky and proprietor Jenna Juredine have decided that the…
The Browns, Carson Wentz, OSU and Baseball — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
On the Browns, Carson Wentz, Urban Meyer and 162-game marathons Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Give the guys a like over at their Facebook page here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Indians Magic Number: 12
Josh Tomlin started for the first time in awhile last night and looked like the version of himself that had the Tribe’s crew of arms rolling along like a squad of Cy Young candidates earlier in the season. The question of what the rotation can do in the playoffs won’t be answered until we get…
Swedish Prog-Metal Act Ghost Comes to Masonic Auditorium on Heels of Grammy Win
Ghost isn’t your typical Swedish death metal band. For each album, a “summoning” is held at an undisclosed location in Lincopia, Otrogathia, and the group of anonymous Swedish musicians tweaks the lineup and decides what direction it will take things. For its latest album, Meliora, the band anointed Papa Emeritus III to assume lead vocal…
The Exonoree Band to Play Freedom Rocks Benefit at House of Blues
Wrongly convicted in 1981, guitarist, keyboardist and bassist Raymond Towler spent 29 years in jail before he was exonerated on May, 5, 2010. Shortly after his release, he put together the Exoneree Band with bassist Ted Bradford, drummer Thomas Gruscinski, singer-drummer Antoine Day, singer William Michael Dillon and singer-guitarist Eddie Lowery, all of whom have…
Frank Jackson Rehashes Familiar Talking Points in Atlantic’s #RenewalSeries Event at Mitchell’s
At a live event hosted by The Atlantic Tuesday evening at Mitchell’s Ice Cream HQ in Ohio City, city leaders chatted for no discernible reason about Cleveland’s “renewal.” Atlantic Managing Editor Ron Brownstein led two conversations: the first with Mayor Frank Jackson and Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove, the second with a panel of…
Café Falafel, the Popular Middle Eastern Shop in Kamm’s Corners, is Closing Tonight
Café Falafel, the popular three-year-old Middle Eastern eatery by Fairview Hospital, has closed. Its last day of service was Wednesday. The small mostly carry-out spot did amazing things with hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, shish tawook and falafel, which remains one of my favorite versions of the dish. On Facebook, owner Ehab Enaia offered his fans…
NE Ohio American Friends Service Committee to Co-Sponsor Hip-Hop Symposium
A Quaker organization that promotes “lasting peace with justice as a practical expression of faith in action,” the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) draws on what it calls “continuing spiritual insights” to “nurture the seeds of change and respect for human life that transform social relations and systems.” With some help from Hip Hop Congress and…
Sia, Leslie Jones and Others Delighted a Packed House at All Access 2016
I hate concerts and I always have. One of my first concerts was The Toadies at Union Station in Indianapolis, IN. I was 16 years old, the venue was packed, and I really should have enjoyed myself. But I didn’t know any of the songs, there were all these other people there, I kept being…
Photos: Tamir Rice Gazebo at Cudell Begins to Come Down
Before the rain came at Cudell Recreation Center Wednesday morning, a three-man crew from Independence Excavating — “Earth Now, Moon Later” — began the slow and deliberate process of dismantling the gazebo where Tamir Rice was shot and killed in 2014. In front of TV cameras, local reporters, and a handful of observers and quiet…
‘The Mystery of Love & Sex’ Isn’t All That Mysterious at Dobama Theatre
Where’s Bill Nye the Science Guy when you need him? Maybe he could explain how you get four actors on stage talking about sex, with some full frontal nudity, and have absolutely no chemical reaction among any of them. Granted, there’s plenty of mystery in The Mystery of Love & Sex now at Dobama Theatre.…
Cleveland Cinemas Announces Schedule for Family Film Series
The Cleveland Cinemas-owned Cedar Lee Theatre regularly screens challenging art house movies that don’t make their way to the multiplex. But the theater also offers family friendly programming. This month, it launches a new monthly $1 Family Film Series to encourage “patrons of all ages to experience some big screen cinematic magic.” The series commences…
New Mural of Clevelanders to be Unveiled During SPARX City Hop
As part of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance’s SPARX City Hop, with support from the Union Club, a new 20 ft. by 30 ft. mural will be unveiled this weekend by Cleveland-based photographer Eric Vaughn. It will be unveiled during Saturday’s SPARX City Hop (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on the east side of the Residences…
Indians Magic Number: 13
The trip to the Windy City has not been a good one so far for the Tribe, as they’ve dropped the first two games in the series against the White Sox. Last night that was an 8-1 drubbing even though Trevor Bauer said he had his best stuff all year. The magic number ticked down…
Ratatouille Restaurante (née Valenti’s) in Beachwood Closed Yesterday
Back in March, Valenti’s Italian Restaurant (3365 Richmond Rd.) in Beachwood closed its doors after three years, but the move was temporary. Days later, the restaurant reopened its doors as Ratatouille Restaurante, an Italian-French hybrid helmed by chef Gilbert Brenot, the original owner of Maxi’s in Little Italy, who went on to help open EDWINS at Shaker…
A Menu and Atmosphere Seek Harmony at Arcadian Food & Drink
After waiting breathlessly for three long years for Arcadian to bloom, one has to admit that a menu populated with pizza, fried chicken, french fries and popcorn — scooped from a theater-style popper perched behind the bar — is bound to underwhelm a diner regardless how good they taste. But the blame for that feeling…
The 5 Dishes That Made Me: Joseph Zegarac, Chef-owner of Chow Chow Kitchen
Exhausted by the Downtown fine dining scene, Joe Zegarac found inspiration in an unlikely place: the kitchen of Parkview Nite Club, surrounded by house-smoked meats, roasted flat backs (Parkview’s house roast beef) and market-fresh produce. It was at a neighborhood establishment where he felt most at home, so transitioning to a take-out comfort food-style joint…
After 1,200 Steel Jobs Disappeared in One Year, Lorain Pinches Pennies to Keep the City on Life Support
In 1982, Tim Blake writes a song. He is not yet a full decade into his work at U.S. Steel, that titan of the local economy and the foothold for thousands of families in Lorain. It is in that Northeast Ohio city that he confronts the wildfire of local and national steel layoffs in the…
Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival Set to Shine on Biggest Stage Yet
The Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival, now in its fifth year, is poised to be the biggest and brightest incarnation of the festival yet. The festival’s opening night, Thursday, will be at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the festivities will close out at the Cleveland Cinematheque. The films will be screened at Shaker Square Cinemas.…
Film Spotlight: Snowden
If you’ve seen Citizenfour, the gripping 2014 documentary about Edward Snowden directed by Laura Poitras, Oliver Stone’s dramatization, Snowden, which opens in wide release Friday, may feel like a rehash. Citizenfour transpired almost exclusively in a room at Hong Kong’s Hotel Mira, where whistleblower Edward Snowden delivered a trove of top-secret documents to journalists Glenn…
Savage Love: No on 60
Dear Dan, I’m a woman who watches porn — we do exist — and I have a mad crush on a male porn star named Small Hands. Unfortunately, his videos focus less on his handsome face and more on some girl’s ass. Do! Not! Want! Is there a way to ask a porn star to…
Great Singing Perfectly Complements a Lush Production in ‘Blues in the Night’ at Karamu
Okay, it’s not so much a play as a concert. But if you love to listen to singers croon the blues, you will not want to miss Blues in the Night, now at Karamu House. This solid, slick and professional production is the first under the new reign of Tony Sias as president and CEO…
Band of the Week: Blaka Watra
MEET THE BAND: Jessica Julian (vocals, synth and keyboards, guitar), Lauren Voss (vocals, guitar), and John Panza (drums). DYNAMIC DUO: Originally, Voss and Julian met in the local indie rock act Bella Sylva, initially a three-piece that then added Voss. The band split up, and Julian reached out to Voss to jam. They formed Blaka…
Lorain’s FireFish Capitalizes on City’s Cultural Turnaround
In its second year, Downtown Lorain’s FireFish Festival expands its efforts to revitalize its riverside business area through the arts. A brainchild of James Levin (Cleveland Public Theatre, IngenuityFest), FireFish celebrates the area’s unique and historic setting, presenting art, music, dance, theater and more on stages and in concealed alleys, vacant storefronts, balconies, fire escapes…
