Your Complete Guide to Cleveland Concerts (November 28- December 4)

THURSDAY NOV 28

Vicki Chew/Brent Kirby: 8:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Jam Night with Tower City Blues: 8:30 p.m. Grillers Pub.

The Kickdrums/Thunder St. Clair/Smoke Screen/Atari Jones: 9 p.m., $10. Grog Shop.

Ms Ross Reunion Concert & Talent Showcase with Kinsman Dazz Band/Scott & Raven/Sherena Wynn/Joe Little: 7 p.m., $15 ADV, $20 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

FRIDAY NOV 29

Moises Borges Quartet: 8:30 p.m., $10. Nighttown.

Ekoostik Hookah/Jones for Revival: The grandfathers of Ohio's expansive jam band scene — culturally and musically — have always maintained close ties with the Cleveland area. From 1991's Under Full Sail to the present year's sweetly groovin' Brij, Ekoostik Hookah have kept their fire burning across great leaps of time. Check out "Whiskey Woman" for a fine example of the hookah-laden chops still hooked around each of the band's compositional outings. Given the band's personal history, rife with small shows and Hookahville festivals alike, every chance to be a part of the fun is a necessary diversion from life out there. Tonight's gig at the Beachland, with Jones for Revival in tow, adds another local notch to an impressive tradition. 8:30 p.m., $15. Beachland Ballroom. (Sandy)

Fifty Amp Fuse: 9:30 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

K. Michelle/Sevyn Streeter/Tiara Thomas: 9 p.m., $27 ADV, $30 DOS. House of Blues.

Mo' Mojo/Pilgrim/George Foley & Friends: 5:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Night Sweats CD Release/Midwestern Electric/Bobbipin: Punk rockers Night Sweats are relentless, intense and unforgivingly energetic. Overdriven guitars and fast, explosive drums outline their songs while lead singer Brandon Abate delivers the melodic vocals. Almost uncharacteristic of the genre, New Sounds puts the vocals atop the heavy tracks. Easily one of the more talented post-punk outfits on the local scene right now, the group is finally releasing a full-length album. Tracks like "Post Party Depression" and "Thank You and Goodnight" have surfaced online; they show the band's overt skill and mastery of the genre. If these tracks indicate the quality of the album, it's definitely going to be one you'll want to pick up. With the equally high-powered energy of opener Midwestern Electric, you're going to want to drink some caffiene before this show. 8:30 p.m., $5. Beachland Tavern. (Patrick Stoops)

Smack Daddy/We the People/Neil Chastain Trio/DJ Schway/Baby Paw: 9 p.m., $7. Grog Shop.

The Speedbumps CD Release/JD Eicher and the Goodnights: 8 p.m., $10. The Kent Stage.

This Moment in Black History/Tyvek/WetBrain: In a similar fashion to groups like Pere Ubu and Rocket from the Tombs, This Moment in Black History is creating a lasting legacy for itself in Cleveland's punk scene. Now with more than ten years of performing behind it, the group regularly receives critical acclaim from fans and critics alike. Not unlike a fireworks display over a minefield, their wildly explosive post-punk is as experimental as it is energetic. The band is far from being an old or repetitive act. Weapons in their arsenal include songs like "About Last Night" and "The Last Unicorn"; the tracks include up-tempo beats and wild guitars, proving the band to be one of the local acts you don't want to miss. (Stoops), 9 p.m., $6. Mahall's 20 Lanes.

Travelin' Johnsons (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Warbringer: 7 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

SATURDAY NOV30

Papadosio: Music is a power unlike any other. Forms of artistic expression, as varied as the moments in a day, bear with them an ability to change society and the way we think as one. The guys in Papadosio — Ohio natives from the creative playground of Athens — would say that music can end the illusion of separation we've imposed on ourselves. Thankfully, they chose to spread that message by way of an incredible, sprawling double-disc album released last year. T.E.T.I.O.S. — To End The Illusion of Separation — is a masterwork culled from the experiences of a band that cut its teeth performing improvisational electronic music. The band — Mike Healy, Robert McConnell, Billy Brouse, Sam Brouse and Anthony Thogmartin — now calls Asheville, N.C., home. But the guys really live on the road. Familiar with the summer festie circuit, including their own Rootwire Festival, they fill out robust tour schedules seemingly every season. More so than geography, though, is how far the band has come musically. For instance, what might be known as the Bionic Man Suite on the album encompasses a galaxy of emotions and moods. Rounding out a healthy portion of the album's first disc, this seven-song constellation reels in road-tested classics like "Method of Control" and places them within a tidal pool of new tunes like "Puddles for Oceans." Everything contained within is top-notch playing. The layering throughout the album demonstrates how meticulously each band member works in crafting his music. That's been a trait of the band from the beginning. The fall of 2007 saw the release of the band's debut album, Margreenery. The music they wrote and performed at that time became an Athens institution, leading to late-night chill sessions in apartment living rooms and dorms across the city for years. And as the band found success among the cultural exploration of Ohio University and the foothills of Appalachia, it broadened their horizons and began to tour the state and region., Whether via the brick-lined streets of Athens or the dedicated fanbase that trekked alongside them to shows, the band has always maintained a firm commitment to the people who have tuned in. Along the way there has been considerable growth: T.E.T.I.O.S. may be rightfully described as a full-grown, rather mature album. And the live show is the hallmark of the Papadosio experience. Check them out tonight at House of Blues and be a part of the (r)evolution. 9 p.m., $18 ADV, $20 DOS.

Diamond Dogs: 9 p.m., $10. The Winchester.

The Extremes: 8:30 p.m. Peppermill Pub and Grill.

I-Tal/Primal Rhythms: Going back to the late 1970s, I-Tal is one of the foundational elements of reggae music both in Cleveland and, really, across the U.S. Many reggae and rock bands that formed since then can draw their lineage directly to the influences of early I-Tal shows. Frontman "Papa" Dave Smeltz told Scene last year: "We were playing reggae with a lot of rock influence. Being from Cleveland, that's what you gotta do." And that legacy still bares its soul every time the band takes the stage. Luckily, they're doing so tonight at the Grog Shop. Also: If you're wondering about the band's name, Smeltz says it came from reading Penthouse, where he saw the word within a list of reggae terms. It means "natural" or "vital." And the music has always landed right in that very "ital" wheelhouse. 9 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Grog Shop. (Sandy)

K. Stewart Benefit Show with Deche/Drug Frenzy/Fertile the Drip/Iron Oxide/Vengeance Space Quartet/Birdsounds: 9 p.m., $5. Now That's Class.

Legends of Hip-hop Vol. 7: Famous for tunes such as "Just Having Fun (Do the Beatbox)" and "The Show," a track he recorded with the Get Fresh Crew, Doug E. Fresh emerged in the early days of hip-hop before gangsta rap. A talented beatboxer, Fresh laid down innocent raps about being the "original entertainer." He's the host for Legends of Hip-hop Vol. 7, a showcase that features Fresh and "friends." The supporting acts at previous tour stops on this incarnation of the tour have included old school acts such as Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Slick Rick, Sugarhill Gang and Whodini. 8 p.m., $22.50-$62.50. State Theatre. (Jeff Niesel)

Ripper Owens & Friends/Fracture/Red Sun Rising: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. The Kent Stage.

Seafair/Texas Plant/Filmstrip: 9 p.m., $5-$10. Mahall's 20 Lanes.

The Story So Far/Stick To Your Guns/Such Gold/Rotting Out/Heart to Heart: 7 p.m., $16 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Ballroom.

Take This Hammer/Adam Luhta/Kevin McCarthy: 6:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Wes & Joey (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Whiskey Daredevils/Lords of the Highway/Dirty Biscuits: When the Cowslingers, a great local cow punk band that even garnered a bit of critical acclaim, called it quits, singer Greg Miller assumed he was probably done with music. The Cowslingers had issued 11 full-length records in 14 years and played everywhere imaginable. But when drummer Leo P. Love and Miller's bass-playing brother Ken came to him four months later and wanted to start a new band with guitarists Bobby Lanphier and David Bowling, Miller was into it. That was several years ago, and the alt-country band is still kicking, albeit with a different line-up. For tonight's show, however, it'll reunitedwith Lanphier, and the band promises to play tunes from the time that he was with the group. 9 p.m., $8. Beachland Tavern. (Niesel)

SUNDAY DEC 1

Black Tide: 6:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

Classical Revolution Cleveland: 3 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

CLVLND's Most Wanted Fest featuring C-Ro Del-Fresco/Zac Gatz & Dre Mickel/Marvin Price/Crazy8TheGreat/Jay Kicks/Brian Baker: When he was only 16, rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco joined the hip-hop group Three Kings with high hopes that the group would amount to something, but it never made it into the recording studio. So the enterprising Del-Fresco struck out on his own and set up a home studio. The results have been impressive. To date, he's released five mix tapes and one studio album, Limitless, which came out last year. His new single, "Flex," benefits from a crisp, Latin jazz-inspired horn riff. Del-Fresco, the headliner on his bill of local hip-hop acts, sounds as confident as ever as he raps "We about to flex like the world ain't never seen." 8:30 p.m., $8. Grog Shop. (Niesel)

Junzo Suzuki/Kohoutek/Purity of Essence/Howland-Lombardo-Orange-Petrus-Stewart: 9 p.m., $5. Now That's Class.

LA Project/Amanda Walsh: 7 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

MONDAY DEC 2

Dosh: 8:30 p.m., free. Beachland Tavern.

George Foley & Friends/Jim Kozel: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Mojo Big Band: 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Velvet Voyage (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

TUESDAY DEC 3

Lyrical Rhythms: Poetry and Soul Open Mic: 9 p.m. Grog Shop.

Norma Jean/Vanna/Kenmode/Exotic Animal Petting Zoo: 6 p.m., $13 ADV, $15 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

Corey Smith: 8 p.m., $18 ADV, $20 DOS. House of Blues Cambridge Room.

WEDNESDAY DEC 4

10 X 3 Hosted by Brent Kirby (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Bad Racket Presents: Listen Little Man/Kitschy/Derek Paul Deprator: 9 p.m., free. Grog Shop.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Just a few months after their summertime gig at Cain Park, the hepcats of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy return to Northeast Ohio to keep the swing swingin' and the hops hoppin'. Something like that, anyway. The simple guarantee is that BBVD's shows are among the liveliest around — and perfect for all ages. This is a dancing show, so do prep your feet for an evening of fun. And their practiced, impeccable showmanship is a wonder to behold. With each new song in the band's various setlists comes the reminder that swing music isn't as nostalgic as it might seem at first blush. There's an evergreen and very American vibe to the genre. Take the kids and revel in the fun-loving melodies of tunes like "You and Me and a Bottle Makes Three Tonight (Baby)," "Go Daddy-O," and "I Wanna Be Like You." 8 p.m., $35-$45. The Kent Stage. (Sandy)

Will Cheshier/Angelisa Lonesome Ranger & Early Girl/David Carroll: 6:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

The Mahones/Craic/Craic Brothers: 8:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. Beachland Tavern.

NOFX/Off with Their Heads/The Implants: 7:25 p.m., $25 ADV, $28 DOS. House of Blues.

Thy Art is Murder/I Declare War/Fit for an Autopsy/The Last Ten Seconds of Life/Kublai Khan: 6 p.m., $10 ADV, $13 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

Tommy Tune: 7 p.m., $60. Nighttown.

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Eric Sandy

Eric Sandy is an award-winning Cleveland-based journalist. For a while, he was the managing editor of Scene. He now contributes jam band features every now and then.
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