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10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (March 21 — 23)

By Anne Nickoloff on Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 5:13 pm

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There's lots to keep city-goers busy this weekend.

It's probably the best chance to catch a flick or two, or 20, because the Cleveland International Film Festival is here for its 38th consecutive year.

And, per usual, Cleveland's music scene is raging with a few great shows including the self-described "rag n roll" band Woody Pines and The Hesitations/Rare JuElle.

Plus, there's a new interactive dinosaur exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; what's cooler than that?

Get on it, Cleveland, and have fun.

Slideshow

10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (March 21 – 23)

Lil Rel likes to talk about a lot of things: marriage, cable bills, a creepy old gym teacher he once had, his mother’s cigarette smoking. He claims he’d often get confused as to which parent was calling to him from other room: was that his Black Panther dad or his gruff, chainsmoking mom? Don’t you confuse his name, though. Lil Rel is a manly man and he makes sure you know it. Don’t ever violate his “Man Laws” and ask him his astrological sign or wait to make sure he gets in his door when you drop him off. He’s been on Last Comic Standing and is slated to appear on the new reboot of In Living Color. He performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv and has shows scheduled through Sunday. Tickets are $22. (Trenholme)

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Before she formed the riot grrrl act Bikini Girl in 1990, singer Kathleen Hanna was just another private school student trying to find herself. Contrary to popular opinion, the teachers at trendy Evergreen College in Olympia, Wa. didn't take kindly to her literary experiments so she refrained from letting her emotions go. But then she met underground writer Kathy Acker and realized she didn't need to hold back. Acker helped her channel her more extreme impulses, and it wasn't long before Hanna was fronting the abrasive and openly feminist Bikini Kill. Hanna's history is well documented in the The Punk Singer, a terrific documentary that shows just how off putting the band's music (and politics) could be. The movie screens at 7:30 tonight and at 9:10 tomorrow night at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $9. (Niesel)

Picking up where A Raisin In The Sun left off, Clybourne Park offers a comical look into the issue of race and real estate. The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony- winning play takes place in two acts set 50 years apart. In 1959, the community attempts to stop purchase of the home to a black family. In 2009, the now largely African-American community fights against gentrification. Dealing with common race issues of any suburb of a major metropolitan area, the comedic play offers a blunt perspective into the American — or, in this case, African-American — dream. The play opens tonight at 7:30 in the Allen Theatre. It runs through April 13. Tickets are $45 to $72. (Stoops)

Past rap/rock crossovers left much to be desired. The talent and ability required to blend two radically different genres is often eschewed for trashy neck tattoos. In light of this, Post Vinyl avoids genre mashing’s standard pitfalls. In both rock and rap categories, the guys are incredibly talented. "Gringo," a track off their latest album Platinum BBQ, utilizes the 1892 Isaac Albeniz classical piece "Asturias" with incredibly successful results. A dark and ominous Spanish sound mixes with a tight flow on the mic. By the end of the track, there's a great sense of completion; tying the loose ends of its failed predecessors. Expect to hear this tune and more like it when the band plays tonight at Now That’s Class. (Patrick Stoops)

In conjunction with the Cleveland International Film Festival, Playhouse Square is showing several films today at the Hanna Theatre. For fans of short-form storytelling and those with limited attention spans, the Hollywood Shorts program showcases seven short films at 2:30 p.m. Five Dances, which tells the story of a young dancer attempting to choreograph his tumultuous life, shows at 4:30 p.m. Utilizing hands instead of full-bodied actors, the 6:30 p.m. showing of Handy is a comedic adventure of a disembodied hand that falls in love and accidentally sparks a revolution. Wrapping up the evening at 8:45 p.m., The Sax Man is a locally made documentary about the saxophonist we've all seen playing downtown. His surprising and storied past is full of interesting details. Tickets can be purchased online. (Stoops) clevelandfilm.org, 877-304-FILM.

Back in 2006, then-Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Terry Stewart asked the Hesitations, a terrific old Cleveland soul group, to reunite for a gig at the museum. The band’s been playing steadily ever since and sounds as sharp as ever. The Hesitations' roots go back to the mid-'60s, when they recorded R&B hits like "Soul Superman," "Born Free," and "Climb Every Mountain." In their heyday, they mixed up R&B, gospel and soul and still take that approach. They don't play out much anymore so catching this show at the Beachland should be a real treat. (Niesel)

Apex Panda’s hyperactive beats and growling synthesizers are intense to say the least. On Quantum Entanglement, Panda employs an army of hard-hitting bass tracks and thumping beats strong enough to revitalize a stopped heart. Amongst the host of dope samples and killer production, Panda knows when to build up and then drop the bass. Called Alice In Kandyland, the live show features a host of electronic artists and they're encouraging the audience to get wild. If Quantum is any indication, tonight’s electro house set is going to be massive and get you dancing. (Stoops)

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About The Author

Anne Nickoloff

Anne Nickoloff, a blogging intern, helps produce online content for Scene Magazine. She studies English and Psychology at Case Western Reserve University, and is involved with campus media. In her free time, Anne enjoys skiing, knitting, and exploring Cleveland.

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