Video: Machine Gun Kelly Shut Down at Microsoft Store Performance
Former Scene cover boy Machine Gun Kelly is again in the news for his patented brand of tightly-laced mayhem. The fast rising rap star was invited to a Microsoft store in an Atlanta mall to perform. He did his thing, but the store management got upset and shut down the high-energy gymnastics. It’s pretty ridiculous,…
Side Dish: Eating Uptown
A recent media preview of the new Museum of Contemporary Art — set to make its grand debut this weekend at the corner of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road, right between Wade Oval and Little Italy — offered an appetizing look at a neighborhood on the brink of a cultural explosion. Sure, the $27-million MOCA…
Letters We’d Like to Get
Sometimes we get letters, and that’s nice. Here are some we didn’t get but would have liked to find in our mailbox. Dear Scene: Heard you’ve got a fancy new building in town, something to do with contemporary art. I saw the plans and let me say, that is one weird-looking building. Frank Gehry Los…
John Elway Endorses Mitt Romney, Completely Squashes Candidate’s Chances in Northeast Ohio (Updated)
You son of a . . . Update: Radio blimp Rush Limbaugh reads Scene, as he agrees. From Politico: “Hey, here’s a question for you. Elway endorses Romney. Elway is hated in Ohio. Elway was the author of ‘The Drive’ against the Cleveland Browns, one of the most famous games in NFL history. So is…
Power Rankings
A weekly round-up of the top newsmakers in town. 1. Bobby Thompson: The alleged con artist whose real identity had been a mystery is finally revealed to be a man named John Donald Cody. In other news, Ralph Branca is still Ralph Branca. 2. United Way of Greater Cleveland: Starting with the Boy Scouts, the…
The Quality of Cleveland Life Report
Your guide to living in fabulous Cleveland. GQ names Cleveland one of the five best beer cities in America. Before getting a chance to ask if that was in quantity or quality, the city falls asleep on its barstool in a puddle of Oktoberfest. PETA offers to close the Cleveland schools’ budget gap by paying…
Man Sues Four Loko Because He Wandered Into Traffic After Drinking Four Loko
Four Loko was nothing to fool around with back in the day. Syrupy, sure, but stuffed to the brim with enough caffeine and booze to get you drunk and wide awake and ready for some more caffeine and booze later on. It was dangerous enough that Ohio and the government went after its manufacturer to…
This Just In: Three new shows at House of Blues
House of Blues has just announced three new shows. On a tour they’ve dubbed “Rock the Mother Lovin’ Vote with Tenacious D (Old School Acoustic Style),” Jack Black and Kyle Gass bring their rock parody to club at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1. Tickets are $30 in advance. Rapper Curren$y headlines the club at 8…
Albert Belle Wants to Manage the Indians
Sandy Alomar? Terry Francona? Two good options, we guess. One’s a 90s darling who wore the Wahoo and was a steadfast block behind the plate and a sometimes wizard with the bat. The other, a guy with a World Series ring who dealt with the hell that is managing the Boston Red Sox. Meh. Give…
This Just In: Glen Campbell returns to Kent Stage on Nov. 10
The Kent Stage has just announced that country singer Glen Campbell, who is in the midst of a goodbye tour, will make an encore appearance at the venue at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10. Campbell, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, played the Kent Stage back in January and that concert sold out well…
Concert Review: Al Jarreau and the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall
His voice may not be what it once was, but Al Jarreau is still a consummate entertainer. In last night’s appearance with the Cleveland Orchestra, he served up fresh arrangements of his big hits, kept up a nonstop scat and patter between songs, and teased and flirted with the adoring audience that packed Severance Hall.…
Cleveland Lands on List of Best Cities for College Students
Although Cleveland isn’t really known as a college town, we may be on our way to earning those stripes. For the first time ever, the city has landed a spot on the American Institute for Economic Research’s College Destination Index, according to Newsnet5. Now, seeing how the city hasn’t opened up any new colleges or…
Pic of the Day: Just Two Bros Taking in the Buckeye Game
A spotlight-shunning budget savant and a frugal bow-tie aficionado share a quiet moment alone. (h/t Deadspin)
Watch Touchdown Jesus Burn to the Ground (Updated)
Update: The Touchdown Jesus conflagration happened back in June, 2010. This weekend, its replacement was christened. Welcome “Hug Me Jesus” to the world, folks. Which is a much better nickname than “Big Butter Jesus,” which was an alternate name for “Touchdown Jesus,” which isn’t related at all to “Sweet Baby Jesus.” Got it? Good. Praise…
Canton Fire Chief: Please Stop Setting Vacant Houses on Fire
Six fires at vacant houses in Canton since September 26 have driven Fire Chief Stephen J. Rich to make a public plea: stop fucking setting vacant houses on fire, you assholes. It’s not safe, it’s not smart, and it’s not helpful. His full note below. To the person or persons setting fires in vacant houses…
Concert Review: The Firepower Records Tour at House of Blues
Who says Sundays are lazy? Last night at the House of Blues, Datsik and his label mates turned a cool, Cleveland night into a sweaty rager where the music didn’t stop and the crowd’s hands stayed in the air all night, giving the whole nine yards for this show, which included a 50,000-watt PK soundsystem…
Concert Review: Afghan Whigs at Beachland Ballroom
When the Afghan Whigs, the Cincinnati alternative rock band that has recently reunited, played Lollapalooza over the summer, the setting didn’t do anything to enhance the band’s music. Dark and edgy (and devoid of any significant hooks), this is the kind of stuff best suited to dimly lit (preferably smoky) clubs. The Beachland Ballroom provided…
Of Course This Guy is Child Molester, Kiddie Porn Producer
We’ve made this comment before, and yeah, we’re reading this book without actually dipping into the pages, but you don’t really have to have a full dossier on Darin Casper to figure out this guy’s deal. Yes, he looks like a scum bag from central casting, but it’s as-advertised. He’s a child molester who produced…
Video: Obama Phone Woman
This video from a protest outside the Romney rally in Bedford Heights the other day seems to be something the internet is interested in.
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ Will Film in Cleveland
Marvel seems to have taken a liking to our humble little city. The Greater Cleveland Film Commission announced this morning that portions of Captain America: The Winter Soldier will film in Cleveland, which is just the latest bit of validation that the Forest City is a booming film mecca, your lame “Call Me Maybe” parody…
Concert Review: Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall
Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique is billed as the star attraction in the Cleveland Orchestra’s program this week. But at last night’s performance, it was oboist Frank Rosenwein who stole the show with a wonderfully fluid, almost breezy rendition of Richard Strauss’s Oboe Concerto in D major. The evening opened with just 12 musicians onstage for…
Rock Hall expands American Music Masters concert line-up
Rick Derringer The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has already announced the schedule for Roll Over Beethoven: The Life and Music of Chuck Berry, this year’s annual American Music Masters Series. As always, the week-long event culminates with a gala tribute concert. The line-up for the tribute concert, which takes place on on Oct.…
Christopher Watts, Thirsty Akron Man, Smashes Through Store Wall for Beer
“I’m here for the beer. Yeah, all of it.” When a man gets thirsty, he’s likely to do some strange things. 45-year-old Christopher Watts of Akron proves this point. The other night, he had the suds pangs something bad. The problem? The Marathon station nearby wasn’t open. It also didn’t have a drive-through. So he…
Kasich’s Poll Numbers Improve a Little Bit, Still Pretty Low (Updated)
Update: The eyes of Ohio are mainly focused on the battles between Obama/Romney and Brown/Mandel, but John Kasich is still around doing things, and his latest numbers show a bit of improvement. (Washington Post) *** When John Kasich glanced at his approval ratings in the past year, he probably felt like the pollsters were plopping…
Video: Tribe Bullpen Kills Time Juggling
They’re as bored with the game as you are. (Via Deadspin)
Fox 8 Got Fooled by a Meat Loaf Impersonator in Kent
Fox 8 scored a nice little story Tuesday when they stumbled upon evidence a rare celebrity sighting in Kent. Turns out Meat Loaf was in town for the Kent State Folk Festival. Hey, it’s Meat Loaf, you guys! You’d think he’d have better things to do with his time, but there he was, taking pictures…
Power Rankings
A weekly roundup of the most important newsmakers in town. 1. Dan Gilbert: The Cavs owner joins other bajillionaires in pledging to donate half his wealth to charity. By proxy, via your casino losses, you’ll also be donating half of your wealth to charity, so feel good about that. 2. Mustaches: American Greetings announces a…
True to Their Roots
Melissa Cole, owner of Luxe Kitchen & Lounge, admits that the restaurant has veered a little off course over the past couple years. It’s not that the four-year-old Detroit Shoreway bistro isn’t doing well — it is. It’s just that the concept had gotten a little cloudy. “Over time, we kind of beat up the…
The Old College Try
There’s a good local hook to Liberal Arts, the new indie flick written and directed by How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor (happythankyoumoreplease). Radnor was born in Columbus and attended Kenyon College, where he excelled as a theater major. As a result, Liberal Arts, which Radnor filmed on the Kenyon campus, is a love…
CD Review: John Hiatt
When you’ve racked up more than 20 albums in your long career, curveballs, while not entirely out of the question, aren’t expected or even welcomed. The cozily familiar music on John Hiatt’s 21st album won’t win him any new fans at this point, but those who’ve been there for the long haul will appreciate the…
Mumford & Sons
When Mumford & Sons quietly released their debut album three years ago, nobody could have guessed that an acoustic folk group from London would go on to sell two million records in the U.S., play a Grammy set with Bob Dylan, and become one of the most popular bands in the world. So expectations are…
Savage Love
Dear Dan, I was wondering what you think about the Folsom Street Fair, the annual gay leather/fetish/BDSM street fair in San Francisco. Do you think it is still a socially relevant display? Or do you think that in this time when we are fighting for civil rights and equality that it does more harm than…
Wayne’s World
“Humor is sacred. Without it, we’re dead.” So says Wayne White, the talented artist who is the subject of Neil Berkeley’s documentary Beauty Is Embarrassing, at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The film immerses us in White’s humor, which he now expresses in “word paintings” – generic thrift-store landscapes on which he paints sardonic non…
Vocal Lessons
It’s inevitable that the first question you ask a band that’s recently reunited after a decade-long absence is “Why?” As recently as 2011, Afghan Whigs front man Greg Dulli wrote off the chances of his Cincinnati-based alt-rock band ever re-forming in an interview he did with MTV. So now the question provides an opportunity for…
The Weight of the Guilt
Sympathy was a tough sell for Ronald Post once his story went viral. Last week, lawyers pushed paperwork through the court system warning that things could get ugly next January, when Post is scheduled to be executed – his punishment for a 1983 robbery-homicide. Weighing in at 480 pounds, the 53-year old Elyria native is…
Back in Black
Aside from the occasional reunion with Bauhaus and/or Love and Rockets, singer-bassist David J. has spent the last decade concentrating on his solo career. While he doesn’t often tour, he has teamed up with Portland, Oregon’s Adrian H. & the Wounds for a short Midwest and East Coast tour before he heads to Europe next…
CD Review: R.E.M.
R.E.M.’s commercial breakthrough from 1987 still sounds like a perfect mix of the band’s indie spirit and the desire for something more (indeed – they jumped labels for their next album, collecting a hefty paycheck). The key tracks – “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” “The One…
Fall Arts Preview, the Redux
Take your choice this week – indoors or out. A fat schedule of seasonal celebrations and Halloween events offers plenty of opportunities to scare up some family fun amid the glorious colors of a northeastern Ohio fall. If you prefer your entertainment in the comfort of a theater seat or well-appointed museum or gallery, there’s…
On Stage This Week
Dawg Day Afternoon The Kardiak KidLike many people who grew up in Cleveland, playwright Eric Schmiedl has a special love for the Browns of his childhood. His team was the 1980 “Kardiac Kids,” the lineup whose wild, heart-stopping wins, often in the final two minutes, are still fondly remembered by fans of a certain age.…
Soundcheck
Datsik is one of the most prominent contributors to the rise of dubstep. The 24-year old Canadian-born producer and DJ has collaborated with the likes of Excision, Diplo, Infected Mushroom, and Korn, remixed songs from Kaskade & Skrillex, MGMT, Linkin Park, M83, and Wu-Tang Clan, and played sets at numerous festivals such as Electric Daisy…
On View This Week
New Openings BuckBuck: Brothers. In a series of photographs and illustrations, Peter Larson captures the most joyful, unrestrained, and possibly embarrassing moments in the lives of his closest friends. The images of admitted debauchery are meant to represent and affirm friendships in full. Through Oct. 14 at 3910 Lorain Ave. Call 216-407-9558 or go to…
Alligator Arms
As Browns fans, we’ve seen it all before. First down: off-tackle run right for two yards; second down: off-tackle run left for one yard; third down: complete pass for five yards, short of a first down; fourth down: punt. That isn’t just a summary of the Browns offensive brilliance for the past decade. It’s also…
Internal Secrets
For many people, the Blackhawk helicopter is a distinctly masculine expression of military might. However, to New Orleans-based artist Kathleen Loe, this war machine stands for the contradictions and complexities of femininity. It is one symbol in Loe’s shifting visual language that seeks to express the texture and formidability of womanhood. “It has sheer physical…
CD Review: Bettye LaVette
On her fourth album since her rediscovery and rebirth seven years ago, the 66-year-old soul singer returns to familiar territory after the slight detour of 2010’s Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook. She covers contemporaries (Bob Dylan), new kids (the Black Keys), and artists who couldn’t be further removed from her comfort zone (Tom Waits). Plus,…
CD Review: Django Django
The Scottish quartet Django Django play art-rock spiked with a dose of psychedelia. In other words, their self-titled debut album is all sorts of messed up, as it weaves from one airborne space jam to another. But Django Django lift enough inspiration from post-punk, spanning the ’80s through the ’00s, to ground it from time…
