Scene Dec 16, 2015 by Chava Communications

December 16 - 22, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Volume 46 Issue 24

Offers live music now. Normally two Fridays in a month, in the Loft from 7pm - 10pm. Full menu and bar service available in the loft with music is as follows:

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 3

D E C E M B E R 16 - 2 2 , 2 015 • VO LU M E 4 6 N O 2 4 Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Chris Keating

CONTENTS

Associate Publisher Desiree Bourgeois Editor Vince Grzegorek

Upfront

Editorial Managing Editor Eric Sandy Music Editor Jeff Niesel Staff Writer Sam Allard Web Editor Alaina Nutile Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Contributing Dining Editor Nikki Delamotte Stage Editor Christine Howey Visual Arts Editor Josh Usmani Interns Xan Schwartz, Brittany Rees, Brandon Koziol, Nicole Schneider

Students stage walkout at CSA, Crain’s publisher in hot water, and more

Framed

Feature

Our favorite photos we’ve shared with you this week

Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Multimedia Account Executive Kiara Hunter-Davis, Joseph Williamson, Savannah Drdek Classifi ed Account Executive Alice Leslie

Shop local: Scene’s 2015 holiday gift guide will get you through your frenzied last-minute shopping

Creative Services Production Manager Steve Miluch Layout Editor/Graphic Designer Christine Hahn Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace Business Asst. To The Publisher Angela Lott Sales Assistant/Receptionist Megan Stimac

Get Out!

Dozens of events spanning the next week in Cleveland

Circulation Circulation Director Don Kriss Euclid Media Group Chief Executive Offi cer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Offi cers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner Chief Financial Offi cer Brian Painley Human Resources Director Lisa Beilstein Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon

Art

Stage

Film

Dining

www.euclidmediagroup.com National Advertising Voice Media Group 1-800-278-9866, voicemediagroup.com

CMA Staff Art Show will showcase employees’ talents

Although a bit Earth-bound on opening night, Peter and the Starcatcher is set to soar

Cleveland Scene 737 Bolivar Rd, #4100 Cleveland, OH 44115 www.clevescene.com Phone 216-241-7550 Retail & Classifi ed Fax 216-241-6275 Editoral Fax 216-802-7212 E-mail scene@clevescene.com Cleveland Scene Magazine is published every week by Euclid Media Group. Verifi ed Audit Member Cleveland Distribution Scene is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader Copyright The entire contents of Cleveland Scene Magazine are copyright 2015 by Euclid Media Group. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above. Subscriptions $150 (1 yr); $ 80 (6 mos.) Send name, address and zip code with check or money order to the address listed above with the title ‘Attn: Subscription Department’

New documentary examines the life of innovative art collector Peggy Guggenheim

The gift guide for the dining scene: 25 local food- and drink-related gift ideas

Music

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Singer Randy Houser still riding momentum from monster summer tour

Savage Love

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 5

UPFRONT WHY DID STUDENTS STAGE A WALKOUT AT CSA?

THIS WEEK

ON DEC. 2, STUDENTS AT THE Cleveland School of the Arts walked out of class to protest an administration they feel is out of touch, and an academic culture they say has changed for the worse since they moved to a new, state-of-the-art, $36.5 million building on the corner of Carnegie Avenue and Stearns Road. Between 80 and 100 students, primarily upperclassmen, congregated outside the school in the middle of the morning, where they stayed for roughly 30 minutes. Head of School John LePelley was at a meeting at CMSD’s East Professional Center, but when he was summoned back to campus, he invited students inside to discuss their concerns in the gym. Or rather, to give him an opportunity to listen. In the following days, students contacted Scene to voice their opinions about the walkout, and what led to it. “CSA students have been almost begging the administration to make CSA like it was because it has changed a lot,” said a sophomore visual arts major. (The students at CSA concentrate in specific artistic disciplines.) “Last year we had fun, we had that family atmosphere, and we felt like the administrators actually cared about us and wanted us to succeed. This year we don’t like the new administration because they are strangers in our opinion and most haven’t taken an interest in getting to know us.” What percentage of students, Scene asked, were frustrated with the changes at CSA? “Ninety percent,” the student wrote. “At least. But it’s not ‘change’ that everyone is mad with. It’s the family feeling that they have taken away.” A senior who has been at CSA since 6th grade — the school is currently phasing out its middle school grades — wrote Scene to say that the culture had certainly been affected. “It pretty much feels like prison to everybody,” she said of the new building. “I fell in love with the

IS THE CITY

Photo by Sam Allard

school as soon as I walked through those doors at Harry E. Davis (CSA’s location for the past six years). In our new building, we have the same talented students, same teachers, but just a different system.” Scene met John LePelley for an interview at the CSA building last week, along with CMSD Communications Chief Roseann Canfora and CSA Director of Student Success Alyssa Porter. We toured the campus and saw many of the students at work in their arts classes: The student orchestra powered through what sounded like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Christmas Eve Sarajevo.” The chorus and the ballet dancers were engaged in vocal warm-ups and barre exercises, respectively. A small group of painters worked with an artist-in-residence on a stilllife. Theater students learned about creating a rehearsal schedule. A brass quartet rehearsed a rendition of “Greensleeves” for an upcoming Christmas concert. Regarding the incident last week, LePelley told Scene that the students were somewhat disorganized in terms of their cause and aim. It’s not like they presented him a bulleted list of demands. “They walked out during a class change,” LePelley said, “so many of the students walked out just because

Flats at East Bank Apartments offering fully paid vacations if tenants allow use of apartment for RNC attendees. The catch? Vacationers must evangelize Cleveland’s luxury-residential boom at all times.

THE BIG MANZIELSKI

others were doing it and didn’t really know why they were there.” LePelley said one challenge has been turmoil within the senior class. The class officers (along with roughly 10 percent of the student body) spend a significant portion of their day at High Tech, a CMSD school at Tri-C where students can obtain college credit. “And because the officers are gone for part of the day, many of our seniors are challenged because they feel their voices aren’t being heard through their representatives,” LePelley said. “This is a lesson learned for us. We just elected junior class officers and made sure that they weren’t High Tech students.” Alyssa Porter said that the walkout was “phenomenal” in the respect that LePelley could communicate directly to students that this is home now, and students have the power to make it feel like home.

CRAIN’S PUBLISHER IN SPOTLIGHT FOR INDECENCY Crain’s Cleveland Business publisher John Campanelli, who was placed on indefinite administrative leave last week when a public indecency citation came to light, was charged for an additional incident of public indecency. This one occurred

Man in Browns jersey caught on video stealing sheep sculpture from AsiaTown. Police later learned it was just the new Coen Brothers film being shot in Cleveland.

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

WE HEART ART

Cleveland’s art attendance -- per capita -- on par with New York City. Sheer quantity of “I Love the CLE, Bitches!”engraved steins is waaaayyy bigger than NYC’s, though.

outside Campanelli’s Hudson home on Nov. 7, nine days before the incident reported last week. The latest news comes via Cleveland. com which details the bizarre explanation for the encounter between Campanelli and an Akron Beacon Journal delivery woman. In sum, Campanelli encountered the woman at the end of his driveway, as he is wont to do. However, according to the Beacon Journal delivery woman, Campanelli had left his genitals “exposed” through his pajamas. To elaborate, again, via Cleveland. com: “Campanelli told investigators that he usually urinates in his backyard when he checks on his chickens in the morning and that he may have forgotten to put his genitals back into his pajamas before meeting the deliverywoman, according to the report.” Huh. The woman declined to press charges because she didn’t know if it was an accident. Campanelli asked police if he could simply apologize to her. A police report says that on Nov. 16, Campanelli exposed his genitals “at least” three times to a 23-year-old female employee of the Aurora Inn. Campanelli has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is scheduled in court for a pre-trial hearing on Jan. 5. Campanelli, in an apology posted on social media after news of the previous incident was reported, said he was mortified by his actions, but took full responsibility for them. He attributed them to a childhood trauma or traumas that he’d been keeping secret for 30 years. He told a reporter from the Portage County Record-Courier that his issues as a boy “manifested themselves in this kind of way.” Campanelli, 46, has been publisher of Crain’s since 2013. Before that, he worked at the Plain Dealer as a reporter and editor for many years.

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SPONSORED BY magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 7

FRAMED!

our best shots from last week Photos by Emanuel Wallace, Scott Sandberg*, Jon Lichtenberg**

T-shirts in December! @ Browns-49ers tailgate

Stocking stuffer @ Browns-49ers tailgate

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Come Dance With Me @ Sinatra 100 Tribute Show

Croonin’ @ Sinatra 100 Tribute Show

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Mmm... Beer candles @ Cleveland Bazaar at 78th Street Studios

Busy day shopping @ Cleveland Bazaar at 78th Street Studios

So many Santas! @ Santa Shuffle in Tremont

Cheers! Santa Shuffle in Tremont

The Leia look @ The Tease Awakens at Beachland Ballroom

Glassware @ Cleveland Bazaar at 78th Street Studios

Iron CLE Chef @ Flavor 2015 at Aloft Hotel

Good eats @ Flavor 2015 at Aloft Hotel

Samples @ Cleveland Bazaar at 78th Street Studios

Never miss a beat! See more pics @ clevescene.com Metal! @ Heavy Metal Food Drive at Beachland Ballroom**

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Share your best shots with SCENE – just tag or mention us! ™ @ clevescene t @ cleveland_scene ` @ ClevelandScene • #clevescene

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 9

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

FEATURE

30 LOCAL GIFTS TO HELP MAKE YOU A HERO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON By Scene Staff

ave you heard of this “shop local” thing? Sure you have. But if you need a reminder: Supporting local businesses and makers is something you should and probably already do all year, but the holiday season is one of those times when it makes extra sense for both parties. Instead of delivering a sale-rack something or other from Target to your loved one, you can deliver something unique to make your loved one feel, well, loved. On the other side of the token, those holiday dollars you’re spending go directly toward the livelihoods of artisans and owners who are doing business right here in Northeast Ohio. In that vein, we’ve rounded up a whole mess of our favorite local wares and services and experiences to help you deliver something righteous during the holidays. And there’s more where that came from: Check out the Dining section for 25 more gift ideas, all food or drink related. Enjoy. Holden Arboretum membership $55 and up holdenarb.org

With the advent of winter, it can be bittersweet to think of warmer days; summer is so far away! But that’s no excuse not to be outside. The Holden Arboretum is one of Northeast Ohio’s outdoor gems — and the grounds are open year-round! The recent expansions from last fall make this a must-visit for your 2016; the new Judith and Maynard H. Murch IV Canopy Walk and the Kalberer Family Emergent Tower should be enough to lure longtime “Holden Arb” devotees and the uninitiated alike. What better

way to get up in the trees than with a membership right at the start of the year? The pass will pay for itself after five visits, which is a simple task when you consider how much there is to see and take in at the place. The “Member Plus” rate ($75) lets you bring guests. Welshly Arms self-titled on vinyl $20 welshlyarms.com

Without a doubt, 2015 was the Year of Welshly Arms in Cleveland’s music scene. The band took their Positively Cleveland spot from last year and built off that local renown with alacrity. In May, they released a formidable self-

titled album that laid the groundwork for months of shows and a growing fan base. And sure, you can stream the thing on your Macbook at work

and make instant friends, but — for your loved ones — you’re gonna want to order a copy on vinyl. That’s how you listen to rock ’n’ roll. Glenn Petranek print $25 (11x14) glennpics.com

In late November, a photo of the Cleveland skyline worked its way around Facebook and Imgur. It was a stunning, colorful shot of our iconic buildings and an imposing full moon. The lights reflected hallucinogenically off a calm Lake Erie. Listen, it was the best photo we’d ever seen of our city’s wonderful skyline. Glenn Petranek, the photographer who snapped the shot on Nov. 25, immediately began receiving praise from around town. “I took that [photo] at the full moon rise the Wednesday before last Thanksgiving,” Petranek tells us. “There was an organized shoot that evening with nearly 100 photographers on the upper part of Edgewater Park. I decided not to be a part of that crowd and went to the far west edge of Edgewater, down a set of stairs to Perkins Beach. There the city lights reflected off a glass-like lake, enabling me to get the shot.”

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 11

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 13

Photo courtesy of Holden Arboretum

FEATURE Go Ape Treetop Adventure $57 per individual adult; various prices goape.com Mill Stream Run Recreation Area 16200 Valley Pkwy., Strongsville

Earlier this year, a national treetop and outdoor adventure course company landed in Northeast Ohio and brought the curious among us into the canopy. Here’s the gist, according to Go Ape: The outdoor experience provides participants two to three hours of outdoor fun and exercise, allowing participants to “explore the park from an otherwise unobtainable vantage point while navigating through the treetops using zip lines, obstacles and Tarzan swings.” Sounds pretty awesome. You can pick up a stash of Go Ape gift certificates in various amounts and use the holidays to plan a springtime adventure. The park opens back up in April. Cool gear for your home bar Various (low) prices deansupplyco.com 3500 Woodland Ave.

One of the best uses of your “home amenities and decor” budget is to funnel that cash toward a dynamic home bar. Stock your bar with fine spirits and bottles, and you’ll never find yourself lacking when guests stop by for a pre- or post-dinner beverage. But before you go a-boozin’, you’re going to need the requisite glasses, decanters, juicers, shakers, and everything in between. That’s where Dean Supply comes in. This place is a veritable wonderland of kitchen accoutrements. It’s where local chefs like Dante Boccuzzi get their gear. And while it’s certainly the best place in town to buy cooking ware, let’s get back to the bar talk: They’ve got you covered. Go forth, pick out some nice items for your friends — friends who will later invite you over for cocktails — and revel in your newfound behind-the-bar acumen.

of even the half-lotus sitting position. Cleveland Shambhala can help out. Do you know someone who’s interested in delving into a Buddhist perspective? Sign them up for Cleveland Shambhala’s five-week “Contentment in Everyday Life” course (Jan. 14 to Feb. 11) or any other program they might be running in 2016. Ricky Vaughn T-shirt $18.95 tinyurl.com/rvaughncle

There are plenty of terrific ways to express Cleveland sports pride. (Whether you really want to is another conversation entirely.) We suggest, however, that you go a bit off-kilter for your Tribe-loving family members. Go way back, to a fictional time when a haphazard Indians team rose above the odds and changed the way the game was played. At the heart of that little tale? One Ricky Vaughn. Wild Thing. Sheen. Cafe Press is slinging a

$20 brocsam.com

Listen, there’s a hell of a lot of cool band merch around Cleveland. But Broccoli Samurai’s “Evolution” T-shirt — the one with the broccoli stalk literally morphing into a samurai — is our favorite example. You can pick up one for your jam-band-loving cousin on their website or, better yet, you can check out the Very Broccoli Christmas Show at Beachland Ballroom on Dec. 26 and grab some threads in-person after dosing your ears on sweet, sweet music. There are a lot of ways to rep Cleveland on your chest — shirts that say “I Heart the Land” or something — but this one will invite curious conversations and subsequent highfiving Cleveland pride.

$20 cledrinks.com

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Broccoli Samurai “Evolution” T-shirt

Cleveland Drinks

Meditation course

If you dabble at all in the art of mindfulness or self-improvement, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the importance of meditation in daily life. Even 10 minutes of zazen will center a person, allowing him or her to more clearly see their place in a society wracked with suffering. But meditation ain’t easy, to say nothing

great tee that features Vaughn’s iconic skull-and-crossbones-adorned glasses. Get yourself one while you’re at it, and go sing the Tribe’s praises this summer.

Cafe Press

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

The brainchild of local comedian Mike Polk Jr. and noted “Angry Browns Fan” Brad Brown, Cleveland Drinks is the most efficient way to get wastey while fumbling through Cleveland references and tongue-incheek misery. For example, the player who picks up “The Fumble” can’t use his or her hands until the next turn. And “10-Cent Beer Night”: Whoever has the cheapest beverage at the table must drink. We all pre-game

before hitting the West 25th craft beer circuit, and we all enjoy a game during that pre-gaming. Get a deck of Cleveland Drinks cards for your buddy, and suddenly he’ll find himself forced into hosting the party. Listen, as a rule we Clevelanders don’t require much structure to imbibe on any given night — but it sure helps! Johannes Brahms Cycle DVD $60 clevelandorchestra.com 1001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-7478

A local treasure, the Cleveland Orchestra isn’t just the best orchestra in the country; it’s one of the best in the world. Just this month, it has released the Johannes Brahms Cycle DVD set that’s exclusively available here in town. The collection features the four Symphonies, both Piano Concertos, the Violin Concerto and three other orchestral works. That’s plenty of Brahms for the buck. Some of the performances were recorded here at Severance Hall. Come January, you’ll be able to buy the set on Amazon, but it’s currently only available at the Cleveland Orchestra Store. Souldier guitar straps $30-$60 guitarriot.com 2530 Superior Ave., 216-291-7172

Back in the days when we had bonafide guitar heroes, guys like Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon used to wear colorful guitar straps. You can relive those glory days with Souldier guitar straps, custom, handmade guitar straps that evoke rock ’n’

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FEATURE

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roll’s heyday. The straps are available locally at Guitar Riot, a guitar shop that carries a big selection of hard-tofind guitars and accessories. If you’re looking for a replica of that guitar strap that Hendrix wore at Woodstock or the one that Lennon used at the Beatles’ rooftop concert, you’ll find it here.

matching leather keychain. It also comes with antique brass hardware. He sells them online and at his space in the Screw Factory but you can also find them at Lingg in Chagrin, Noto in Akron and Blackbird Fly in Ohio City.

Great Lakes growler carrier $15.95 greatlakesbrewing.com 2516 Market Ave., 216-771-4404

One of the best local success stories, Great Lakes Brewing Company has steadily expanded since opening in 1988 and regularly wins national awards for its finely crafted beers. So when it comes to representing the place, we like the idea of toting around a growler carrier embossed with its humongous logo. Located in the same Ohio City building where you’ll find the brewpub and restaurant, the gift store is well stocked with insulated growler carriers that feature a strap so you can wrap the thing around yourself. Perfect for carrying that growler to and from the car or to your favorite BYOB restaurant or party. Distressed blue tote $250 Freddyhill1976.com

Local furniture builder Freddy Hill came to the realization that his handcrafted furniture that regularly retails for $10,000 and up wasn’t something his friends and family could routinely afford. So he started making handbags. Assembled with the same care and dedication, they’re really sharp looking and combine function and fashion. Made out of “antiqued” blue leather, the standard tote features cotton lining with one zippered pocket, two pouches, oiltanned black leather straps and a

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Forest City Portage T-shirt $28 forestcityportage.com

You’ve surely seen the Forest City Portage courier bags and backpacks popular among the city’s bike commuters and indiecraft enthusiasts. They are durable, customizable and made from quality materials in a Lakewood studio. The bigger custom packs require 3 to 5 weeks before shipment (a little late for Christmas), but you can find smaller musette bags (an urban lifestyle pack good for a computer and a book) for $148 and tote bags for $138 at the Cleveland Bazaar. New this year, and a great last-minute gift idea, is the FCP T-shirt designed by Land Studio’s Joe Lanzilotta. “It’s more an ode to the city than a brand tee,” says FCP founder and owner Michael Hudecek. The $28 tee is available in S-XL on American Apparel raglan baseball tees with

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 17

AMERICA’S ORIGINAL CRAFT VODKA

FEATURE navy sleeves and a black heather body. Jobu figurine $34.99 clarktoys.com/jobulifestyle.com

Created by two huge fans of the Cleveland Indians’ classic film Major League, replica Jobu figurines (3D-scanned from the film’s original) are now on sale at bobblehead emporium/sports memorabilia superstore clarktoys.com. The figurines sell for $34.99 and make for a terrific locally flavored cubicle or mantle decoration. Originally sold exclusively at jobulifestyle.com, the replica figurines are now part of a Major League product line that includes Jobu Rum and Jobu (and Wild Thing) ugly Christmas sweaters. The sweaters are a hefty $64.99, but are guaranteed to win any ugly sweater office competition next year. Mace pepper spray $16.99 mace.com

Despite the ill-advised pepperspraying of gathered crowds by a GCRTA police officer over the summer, don’t forget that pepper spray remains the surest bet for warding off attackers. And the company that makes the most well-known spray — like Kleenex, so identified with its product that the brand name has been substituted for the product itself — is headquartered right here in Cleveland. Mace makes a vast assortment of personal defense products, but a keychain pepper spray (a perfect stocking stuffer) will set you back only $16.99. They’re good for roughly six bursts, which when directed at an attacker’s eyes will cause coughing, an intense burning sensation, and temporary blindness. Merry Christmas!

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Cleveland comic book nerds might be the only subset to have heard of Apama, the Undiscovered Animal, but Cleveland’s resident superhero (who took off at Comic Con with the release of the film Hero Tomorrow by local filmmakers Ted Sikora and Milo Miller) has now been anthologized. In the comic book, Hungarian ice cream truck driver Ilyia Zjarsky goes hiking and finds the ancient Native American scroll that reveals the key to enabling the Apama’s spirit in a human. (The Apama is an animal so stealth that it has yet to be discoverd

by modern man). You can get the first five volumes of the comic book in one edition at Apamanation.com. Comic book lovers might also appreciate the newest Apama volumes, or the Blu Ray of the original film. Good news: Scene readers get $5 off anything purchased on the site by entering the promo code “SCENE.” CIFF membership pass various prices clevelandfilm.org

The Cleveland International Film Festival has grown into one of the region’s premier annual events. In 2016, CIFF will take over Tower City from March 30 to April 10, showing over 190 feature films and 235 shorts from all over the world. For your filmloving family member or bosom buddy, a membership pass (at various levels) makes an excellent, and generous, holiday gift. For $160, a Film Fanatic pass comes with six vouchers for CIFF tickets, 2 passes to Cleveland Cinemas screenings, discounts on all CIFF products and additional tickets, plus exclusive events throughout the year. The Director level ($600) comes with an all-access CIFF pass (no need to buy tickets), a spot at the opening night gala and access to the CIFF hospitality headquarters in Tower City with nonstop food and drink during the festival. It’s an investment, but there’s nothing better for the movie buffs in your life.

Leather passport book $57 wrightandrede.com

In 2013, Jordan Lee quit his day job to focus on his side business making quality handcrafted goods. He appears regularly at the Cleveland Flea, selling his leather products — wallets, key chains, notebook cases, etc., all of which can be purchased online at wrightandrede.com. For the world traveler in your life, a Wright & Rede passport case clocks in at $57 and, like all Jordan’s products, is made from undyed vegetable-tanned leather cut, shaped and dyed by hand. The passport case is equipped with a slot for a passport or small scout notebook, and has an additional pocket for tickets and cards. Travel in style with this puppy.

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Perfect for the music enthusiast with a bone for social responsibility, these up-cycled audio devices are both stylish and locally sourced. Made from vintage suitcases and parts supplied by Ohio businesses, these speakers pack a punch with anywhere from 30 to 100 watts of ground-shaking power, as well as a re-chargeable battery, aux input, woofers, and even Bluetooth for an additional charge. Choose a small or large model, or dust off one of your own suitcases for a customized look. Personalize the finished product with the recipient’s initials or some original artwork featured on the switch plate. Valerie Tyler chevron statement necklace $96 valerietylerdesigns.com

Self-taught jewelry artist Valerie Tyler describes her accessories as “geometric” and “bohemian,” but we just call them “must-haves.” Made from distressed, oxidized brass, her large chevron statement necklace is one of many unique items in her collection

that can be easily dressed up or down for everyday wear. The pendant on this particular piece has been riveted by hand, giving off an industrial flare, and hangs from a lovely disc chain garnished with labradorite gems. Tyler says no two versions of this necklace are the same, so you’ll win points for originality this holiday season. Air plant from Buy the Bead $10 buythebead.com

Have a friend who’s not quite up for the responsibility of caring for a new cat or dog? Give them an air plant, a hassle-free, dirt-free piece of greenery that’s really darn hard to kill. Home grown by Clevelander Linda Wagner, the tillandsia plant is a member of the pineapple family and is native to Latin America where it’s often found growing on rocks and trees. Nestled in a glass terrarium atop a mini mountain of lava rock, these air plants double in size every year and produce off-shoots which can survive with or without the mother plant. For $10 a pop, this is an adorable and affordable gift for anyone on your list. Barr’s bar soaps $8 barrsbarsltd.com

Soap makers Anthony and Rebecca

Barchanowicz have created a line of vegan, all-natural, cold-pressed soaps perfect for stuffing stockings this holiday season. The husband/wife duo hand picks harvest from their family garden to create scents, such as French lavender and Egyptian geranium rose, which they say helps infuse the oils and waters, leaving the body both hydrated and invigorated after use. They’ve also got a line of organic lip balms in peppermint and cinnamon-ginger varieties that’ll leave lips feeling cool and tingly all winter long. Beard balm from the Beerded Beard Company $15.99 beerdedbeard.com

For the bearded man with a passion for beer, the Beerded Beard Company is this year’s favorite stocking stuffer. With real hops tucked inside, this beerinfused hair care accessory promises to render even the manliest of beards tame and soft. The Cleveland brand makes everything locally, from wax to oil and balm. Offering a variety of fragrances, the all-natural product lets your man’s chin smell like his favorite beer all day long. Plus, with only seven plant-based ingredients, fluffing up a facial mane is guilt-free. The Beerded Beard Company’s products

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Diehard music fans can be pretty frustrating to buy for. Always looking for the rarest demos and matchless merch, they have high expectations when it comes to rocking the holidays. Fear not, the Bubble Process’s oneof-a-kind posters are just the thing. The vibrant screen-printed artwork stands out against the flurry of mass-marketed band posters that big retailers hawk. Each poster is curated with a local venue in mind, plus with dozens of designs up for grabs, like Chvrches’ House of Blues performance or Neil Young’s appearance at the Wolstein Center, no fan (or band) is neglected. Vintage Cleveland Browns apparel from Capsule Clothing $15 and up capsule-clothing.com

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 21

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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FEATURE ponchos. Spanning the decades, the company’s online store is chock-full of clothing for fans of any level. Scoop up a jacket from the glory days of the Dawg Pound, or look out for one of Bernie Kosar’s old school jerseys. Each piece is one of a kind with new items being added constantly. Who needs Johnny Football sweaters when Capsule Clothing shows off gear from a simpler season, a better season, a winning season? Baseball Jerks prints $50 Oliverbarrett.bigcartel.com

The intro will go the same way it goes for lots of talented people in Cleveland: If you don’t know Oliver Barrett, you probably know his work. Barrett’s an immensely talented illustrator who’s pulling in major work orders from the likes of ESPN and national brands now, but he’s posted up in Cleveland and has plenty of work that’s a) affordable and b) would look great in your home. Take the zombie Baseball Jerks series, which reimagines some famous ballplayers like Julio Franco and John Kruk and Randy Johnson in, well, interesting fashion. Grab a random bunch of three for just $50.

made a name for itself in Cleveland’s leather-crafting industry. Each piece of inventory is hand-designed, cut, sewn, and ultimately transformed into stunning hair-on-hide bags ($429), yoga slings ($219) and penny-pouch necklaces ($44), the likes of which we have yet to find anywhere else. Browse their current selection online, and give them a good old-fashioned Instagram follow (@fountleathergoods) to keep up with their current stock. We like the Coventry Bucket Bag: “With its spacious interior, draw string closure, and a pocket for convenience, the Coventry Bucket Bag is a go-to mid-sized carry-all, that easily compliments your daily outfit with its timeless charm.” Candles named after Cleveland streets $10 relicsoftherustbelt.com

You might have come upon Relics of the Rust Belt at one of this year’s fleas or bazaars, but if you failed to scoop up anything when you did, just head over to their site and grab one of their delightful candles named after Cleveland streets — Franklin, Professor, Euclid, etc. Keep in mind the candles don’t smell like those streets, which might be a good thing in certain cases (and in Professor’s case, a bad thing, because we want a candle that smells like Edison’s pizza), but they smell damn great.

Coventry Bucket Bag $249 fountleather.com

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Something from Canopy Collective $15 and up canopy-collective.com

Founded this spring in Ohio City’s Lorain Avenue antiques district, Canopy Collective is an antique and regional art consignment boutique, gallery, classroom and more. As cofounders Erika Durham and Anthony Koch explain, the space is really whatever you wish it to be. “I think what makes us different is most easily understood by being in the space,” explains Durham. “There are many great shops in Cleveland where you can buy handmade art, crafts, vintage items and antiques, but what sets us apart is our ability to morph the space into just about anything.” Browse through the site and enjoy offerings from dozens of artists ranging from prints to paintings to jewelry and more. Stop by in person and we guarantee you’ll find something special for a loved one and probably one or two things you’ll be bringing home for yourself.

scene@clevescene.com t @cleveland_scene 24

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 25

FEATURE

during this special presentation at 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 19, which includes refreshments and a hot cocoa bar. The folks at the Great Lakes Science Center say this may sell out, so do order tickets ahead of time ($16, or $12 for members, at 216-621-2400). The film will screen again at noon on Dec. 24, though that showing does not include the hot cocoa and pajama elements.

’TIS THE SEASON TO DO SOMETHING

20 holiday(ish) events and activities to put on your calendar this winter By Scene Staff YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE IS probably inundated with event reminders and invitations, and your family has probably already booked you for a Christmas play or concert or something. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t use a few more events in your life, especially in late December and early January when you finally have some free time. We gathered a few of our seasonal favorites that you might have missed.

It’s a Wonderful Life/Nutcracker Ballet at Cleveland Cinemas Sure, the cable channels will be beaming out holiday movies en masse this December and we love them all. But movies are an experience best enjoyed at the theater, and there’s something about making a Christmas classic an event — to really focus, to watch with others. Cleveland Cinemas is bringing back It’s a Wonderful Life on Sunday, Dec. 20 and a special presentation of Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker on Dec. 20 and 23. Info and tickets at clevelandcinemas.com. Jingle Bell Bar Crawl Holidays? Are we right? The family and the blah blah blah and you need to drink and you’ve read this sentence before. Anyway, the nuts and bolts: From 8 p.m. til 2 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 23, you can roll your way into Christmas Eve the right way with the

Jingle Bell Rock bar crawl through the Warehouse District. For $15, you get a Santa hat, drink specials, a mug and more. For tickets and info, visit jbellrockcrawl.eventbrite.com. Trans-Siberian Orchestra The lasers, the pyrotechnics, the prog-rock classics and more — TSO’s annual tour is somehow bigger and badder this year than ever before and they stop by Cleveland and Quicken Loans Arena on Dec. 30th for two shows at 4 and 8 p.m. Polar Express The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is something you should have ridden by now, but if you’ve been putting it off, the holiday season is the right time to buy a ticket. Through a few days before Christmas proper, the train is decked out in Christmas splendor with plenty of Santa action and charms for the little ones. Ice Skating Relive the glory days of your ice skating youth, take the family or hold the hand of your date, strap on the skates and do your best Olympics audition: The rink at Wade Oval is all purpose and the perfect outdoor activity that takes just a modicum of actual athleticism and coordination. Two bucks to skate, $3 for skate rentals, and the rink is open Fridays,

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Saturdays and Sundays through March 6 with additional days between Christmas and New Year’s. Castle Noel The Christmas Movie Museum down in Medina is a little known gem in Northeast Ohio, and it spreads Christmas cheer year ’round. But the holidays are a natural time to head down south to bask in the treasures from your favorite holiday classics that have made their way to Medina County including gems from Elf and Fred Claus and more. It’s not just a museum, by the way. There are also exhibits and decorations and everything to put you in the holiday spirit. Visit castlenoel.com for more info, hours and prices. A Very Last Call Christmas Long-running comedy group Last Call Cleveland posts up at Playhouse Square for two more shows this year — Dec. 18 and 19 at Kennedy’s Theatre — to serve holiday-themed sketches, songs and videos to audiences. Tickets run $15 (or $18 on the day of the show). These guys have won “Best Local Act” from our humble magazine a few times over the years, so they must be kind of funny.

The Polar Express at OmniMax Guests are encouraged to wear pajamas and enjoy the holiday spirit

“Deck the Hall” at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Each year, the Stan Hywet estate is “illuminated inside and out with over 800,000 lights, and the historic Manor House is decorated and inspired by the theme of ‘Home for the Holidays.’” New this year: The organizers have arranged an animated holiday window in the courtyard that depicts 1920s-era downtown Akron at dusk during the holidays. The event is open from 5 to 8 p.m. on select evenings through Jan. 2. Check out stanhywet.org for the official calendar.

A Christmas Carol at the Ohio Theatre For those of a certain age, and for anyone who took sixth-grade English, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is something of a holiday staple. Onstage, the annual rite of passage arrives in Playhouse Square each December. Take the kids. Take your grandparents. Revel in the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The show runs through Dec. 23. Tours of Hale Farm Take a step back to the 19th century, when things were just a wee bit different around Northeast Ohio. At Hale Farm, the annual holiday lantern tours showcase the lifestyles and decor of a long-lost age. Tours depart every 20 minutes beginning at 5:40 p.m. on Dec. 18 to 23, but check wrhs.org for all the details. Tickets cost $20 for non-members, $15 for members, $12 for children.

Black Nativity at Karamu House Langston Hughes’ classic Black Nativity returns to Cleveland right as its 100th anniversary approaches. (Hughes happens to be a Karamu House alum, by the way.) It’s a veritable holiday classic — one that revels joyfully in an event that changed the course of human history. Tickets are $37 (and $32 for seniors, $15 for youth). The show runs through Dec. 27. A Soulful Christmas with Wesley Bright and the Hi-Lites It ain’t the holidays without a little bit of soul, something upbeat and groovy to contrast against the

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 27

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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FEATURE

steady outpouring of Christmas radio classics. Wesley Bright and his band will take care of you. On Dec. 23, they hold down the Beachland Ballroom stage with the Monday Sound. Tickets are $13 in advance. $15 on the day of the show. Bring your dancing shoes.

it out! — and it’ll stay lit until the new year. This isn’t an “event,” per se, but it is an experience, and it’s always nice to remember the historical legacy of East Cleveland’s biggest employer. Check it out at 2147 Noble Rd. through the new year.

Cleveland Play House Festival of Trees The Cleveland Play House’s holiday tradition involves more than 70 professionally and beautifully decorated Christmas trees, all put together and sponsored by some of the city’s more respected institutions. The show is on now, and it lasts through the end of the year.

Grog Shop Free Weekend In a beloved annual tradition, the fine folks at the Grog Shop open their doors for a weekend of free shows to kick off each new year. This time around, the shows include Signals Midwest, Two Hand Fools, Heart and Lung (Jan. 1); New Planet Trampoline, Shale Satans, Bummed Out, Joyframe (Jan. 2); Oldboy, Aku Aku, and Mitchell Lewis (Jan. 3). Tip your bartenders well.

First Night Akron For those who live, work and play closer to our pals in Summit County, First Night Akron is a long-running New Year’s Eve tradition that brings together the worlds of art, music and dance —- not to mention a fine year-end fireworks show. This event is alcohol-free and terrific for families of all ages. The fun takes place at various locations around downtown Akron; check out firstnightakron.org for more information. CLE Rocks NYE Our answer to the Times Square hullaballoo, CLE Rocks NYE has become a formidable “must” on everyone’s end-of-the-year schedules. This time around, hometown favorite and recent Browns pundit Drew Carey returns to emcee the night’s festivities. The event takes place in the Cleveland Public Auditorium, so we’ll all be a little bit warmer than in past years. If you want to stay in on NYE, Cleveland 19 News will be streaming the downtown action.

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Nela Park Lighting Display If you’re in the mood to see a really extraordinary holiday lighting display, Nela Park has got you covered. The whole shebang is up now — go check

United We Brunch Hey, we’ve gotta take a moment to share our own wintertime event, right? United We Brunch debuted last year at the Fifth Street Arcade, and we’re bringing it back again — this year at the Galleria at Erieview on Jan. 30 — to cure the monthlong new year hangover you’ll inevitably be nursing. $35 gets you unlimited brunch tastings from restaurants across town, and five drink tickets. Mimosas! Bloody Marys! Buy tix at brunch. clevescene.com. Brite Winter A cornerstone of Cleveland’s culture and entertainment in these wintry months, Brite Winter dishes up some of our city’s coolest bands and artists for a day of revelry. The fest returns to its roots on the west bank of the Flats this year on Feb. 20 — around McCarthy’s and the Harbor Inn, mostly. “It’s going to be a gritty, fun, weird place, and that’s what Brite thrives on,” executive director Brian Horsburgh tells Scene. Find details at britewinter.com.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

everything you should do this week

GET OUT WED 12/16 At the Movies: Home Alone In the classic comedy flick Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy accidently left behind when his family leaves for Christmas vacation. Poor Kevin has to defend his home when a couple of thieves try to rob the place. Tonight at 7:30 at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra will perform composer John Williams’s famous score while the movie screens. Tickets start at $50. (Jeff Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. SHOPPING

Christmas Bazaar You know what all this holiday shopping is missing? Alcohol! Fear not, though, Cleveland: Edison’s Pub in Tremont has you covered. Edison’s Sixth Annual Christmas Bazaar includes art and handmade gifts by local artists, including Rebecca Yody, Steve Stanaszek, Patsy Kline, Barbara Merritt, Ray Crochet, Scott Pickering and more. The Christmas Bazaar takes place from 6 to 9 tonight. Shop local, drink local, eat some of the best pizza in town, and while you’re in Tremont, don’t forget to make the annual pilgrimage to the Christmas Story house at 3159 West 11th St. Admission to the bazaar is free. (Josh Usmani) 2373 Professor St., 216-522-0006, edisonspub.com. COMEDY

Ryan Dalton It’s been a long, slow climb to the middle for Cleveland comic Ryan Dalton. The guy started performing standup in 1998 and has had some minor success. He’s regularly on The Bob and Tom Radio Show and has appeared on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. He also makes the rounds on the comedy festival circuit. Currently in the midst of a short Midwest tour, he performs tonight at 7:30 at Hilarities. Much like Seinfeld, Dalton jokes about life’s absurdities. It’s a testament to the strength of his material that he doesn’t need to rely heavily on obscenities in order to be funny, and

Photo by Emanuel Wallace

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Even without snow, a holiday carriage ride can be fun. See: Saturday.

he’ll joke about things like what a mistake it is to tell a woman she has a gray hair. He also performs at the club on Dec. 20. Tickets are $18. (Niesel) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com. ART

Drawing Power Great Lakes Brewing Company hosts Cleveland’s Drink & Draw Social Club twice a month. The event is organized by the Rust Belt Monster Collective and sponsored by Carol and John’s Comic Book Shop. Drink & Draws are an opportunity for artists of all levels to drink, draw, socialize/network and collaborate in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Sessions take place at 7 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, including tonight. At the end of each Drink & Draw, prizes are awarded for various superlatives. Admission is free. (Usmani) 2516 Market Ave., 216-771-4404, greatlakesbrewing.com. SPORTS

Monsters vs. Grand Rapids Griffins When it comes to local professional sporting events, the Lake Erie Monsters, the minor league hockey team that’s now affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets, offers plenty of bang for the buck. You get to see almost-NHL hockey at bargain basement prices. Tonight at 7 at the Q, they square off against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Tickets start at $10. (Niesel) 1 Center Ct., 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.

FILM

Phantom of the Opera The Cedar Lee Theatre first opened its doors on Christmas Day of 1925. To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the art house theatre will host a special screening of the 1925 film Phantom of the Opera, tonight at 7. Tickets, fountain drinks and popcorn will be just 90 cents for this anniversary screening. Dollar-off happy hour pricing on beer and wine will be available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. too. Before the screening, the theater will show a short film featuring Cedar Lee Theatre patrons sharing some of their favorite memories. Tickets are just 90 cents. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 440-717-4696, clevelandcinemas.com.

THUR 12/17 MUSIC

Cleveland Orchestra Christmas Concert Tonight at 7:30 at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus continues it popular series of Christmas concerts. The performance, under the guidance of conductor Robert Porco, includes sing-alongs, a “surprise visitor,” and a chance to soak up the Christmas spirit in one of the most beautiful venues in town. Tickets start at $45. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. COMEDY

DeRay Davis Comedian-turned-movie-star DeRay Davis has been a regular

on the standup circuit, so it isn’t surprising to see that his last special includes a clip of him completely dismantling a heckler. Between bits from his attitudelaced routine, which touches on everything from rappers with AIDS to the perks of being a Hollywood actor, Davis demonstrates his naturally quick wit, thinking up insults on the fly. And though one might hope that Davis won’t have to deal with hecklers tonight at the Improv, his ability to talk down a rude audience member could make for a truly memorable evening. The fun starts at 7:30 and Davis has shows scheduled at the club through Sunday. Tickets are $30. (Jacob DeSmit) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com. COMEDY

Michael Kosta A former tennis player who made an attempt to go pro, comedian Michael Kosta likes to joke that he was once ranked No. 864 in the world of professional tennis. We’re guessing that still means he was pretty damn good. Kosta, who has a long list of TV and late-night show credits on his resume, generally takes a cordial tone in his routines. But he also likes to get in fans’ faces, especially if they spend too much time texting during his set. He performs tonight at 8 at Hilarities and has shows scheduled through Saturday. Tickets are $23 to $28. (Niesel) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 33

TrueNorth Cultural Arts Chorale and Chamber Orchestra

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Rockin’ Country Nights A regular event at the Hard Rock Rocksino’s Club Velvet, Rockin’ Country Nights features one of Northeast Ohio’s top country acts. WQMX Morning Show hosts Scott Wynn and Sarah Kay will be on hand. There will be line dancing and prizes and Miller Lite specials all night long. The event starts at 7 p.m. It’s free. (Niesel) 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com. ART

Tinder Graveyard If art truly imitates life, the latest event at Canopy Collective might hit a little too close to home for some of you. Emma Shepard’s Tinder Graveyard is a one-night-only special event. Shepard has created a life-size graveyard in Canopy’s 1090 Club exhibition space. The graveyard’s “inhabitants” are real Tinder bios of Ohio natives. The evening includes additional activities, performances and surprises exploring themes of mortality and online dating. Wondering if you’re one of the dearly departed? There’s only one way to find out. Stop by Canopy between 7 and 10 tonight. It’s free. (Usmani) 3910 Lorain Ave., 216-309-1090, canopy-collective.com.

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ART

Third Friday Open House The 50-plus galleries and artist studios of 78th Street Studios open their doors tonight for 2015’s final Third Friday open house. Highlights include Ken Love’s Steampunk Lights at Hedge Gallery. You’ll also have another opportunity to view Darius Steward and Clotilde Jiménez’ dynamic work at Forum Artspace, Judith Brandon’s latest solo show at Kenneth Paul Lesko Gallery, and Michael Gill’s A Pocket Full of Change at Tregoning & Company. In the spirit of the holidays, check out Billy Nainiger’s A Christmas Story-themed solo show at E11even 2, a collection of classic holiday cards by local artists in ARTneo’s Season Greetings, and a sale of new cards by contemporary local artists at Popeye Gallery’s inaugural Artist Holiday Card and Ornament Sale. Admission is free. (Usmani) 1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios.com. COMEDY

A Very Last Call Christmas The local improv troupe Last Call Cleveland returns to Playhouse Square’s Kennedy Theatre tonight with a show full of “holidaythemed sketches, songs and videos” designed to celebrate the season. Named “Best Performing Arts Group” by both Scene and Cleveland Magazine, the veteran group has been active for more than a decade. Tonight’s show starts at 8 at Kennedy’s Theatre and repeats at 8 tomorrow night. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show. (Niesel) 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

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comedy Tangerine centers on a trans woman sex worker (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) who becomes enraged after learning her boyfriend cheated on her when she was in prison. The film received wide acclaim when it hit the art house circuit earlier this year. It shows at 9 tonight at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $9. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 35

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

John’s Comic Book Shop is a timehonored tradition for the community of pop culture enthusiasts that has sprouted up around the shop since its inception 25 years ago. Bigger and better each year, the party includes discount sales, refreshments and a raffle. In celebration of this month’s debut of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Force Awakens, the party is Star Warsthemed. Many local artists have designed custom Star Wars comic book covers that will be raffled off toward the end of the event. All proceeds benefit the Cleveland Food Bank; previous years’ events have raised enough funds for tens of thousands of meals. Raffle tickets can be purchased for cash or traded for canned food items (up to 10 cans per person). Stop by from 8 to 11 tonight. (Usmani) 17462 Lorain Ave., 216-252-0606, cnjcomics.com. FAMILY FUN

Holiday Carriage Rides Cleveland Cultural Gardens is hosting holiday carriage rides on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. now through Jan. 3. The rides are designed to create “memorable, special moments with family and friends.” Guests can warm up at a fireplace; then there’s hot chocolate and hot cider to drink as a carriage takes you through the gardens and fields. Sponsored by the Cleveland World Festival, Famicos Foundation and Shamrock Carriages, the rides celebrate the Cultural Gardens’ centennial. The carriages depart from the Upper Italian Garden at 990 East Blvd. The cost of each ride, which accommodates up to five persons, is $25 or $50, depending on the length of the route. Find further info on the website. (Niesel) 990 East Blvd., 216-791-6476 ext. 269, clevelandworldfestival.com/ carriage-rides. SHOPPING

Last Minute Market This year’s Last Minute Market moves from its longtime home at the Screw Factory to downtown’s Galleria on East Ninth Street. Browse more than 135 carefully selected vendors from Cleveland and points beyond to fill the voids in your holiday shopping list. The event annually attracts more than 4,500 visitors from through-

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 37

GET OUT out the region. The Last Minute Market takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Admission is free. Heated indoor parking is available for just $3 beneath the Galleria. (Usmani) 1301 East Ninth St., 216-731-5044, lastminutemarket.blogspot.com.

Admission is free. (Niesel) 11213 Detroit Ave., 216-221-8576, nowthatsclass.net. COMEDY

Cleveland Improv Jam The Angry Ladies of Improv has hosted the Cleveland Improv Jam for four years now. A few years back, Scene described the show as “fierce, formidable and very-

and Brenna “MC” Connor is an actress and improviser. The event begins with a short-form set of improv games, followed by a longform improv set. It begins at 8 tonight at Coffee Phix. Arrive at 7:30 if you want to sign up and perform. Admission is free. (Niesel) 4485 Mayfield Rd., South Euclid, 216-381-5706, coffeephixcafe.com.

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ART

Pop-Up Exhibition The Cleveland Print Room hosts a pop-up exhibition and benefit this weekend. Proceeds from sales of Halim Ina’s photography will benefit the Nirvanavan Foundation, which supports three girls’ schools in India. Ina was born in Nicaragua to Lebanese parents. His work features images of Lebanon, India and Syria, as well as new photos from Cuba. Photos from the collection range from $10 to $400. Today’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the gallery is open tomorrow from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. (Usmani) 2550 Superior Ave., 216-401-5981, clevelandprintroom.com.

7 PM Doors 8 PM Show

THURSDAY JAN. 14, 2016

a Christmas classic. It’s part of the Capitol Theatre’s on-going Sunday Classics Brunch and Movie Series. After the film, patrons who show their ticket stubs at one of the partner restaurants (Luxe Kitchen and Lounge, Latitude 41°n, Spice) will get a discount or special offering for brunch. Tickets are $6. (Niesel) 1390 West 65th St., 216-651-7295, clevelandcinemas.com. FILM

The Nutcracker Nina Kaptsova, Artem Ovcharenko, Denis Savin, Pavel Dmitrichenko and Vyacheslav Lopatin star in the Bolshoi Ballet’s The Nutcracker, which screens at 11 this morning at the Cedar Lee Theatre. The classic story centers on a magician who sets out to find a young girl who can break a curse on his nephew and restore him to human form. Mice and toys do ferocious battle. Yuri Grigorovich choreographed the dance movements. Admission is $15 for adults, $12.50 for children and seniors. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5411, clevelandcinemas.com. MUSIC

SUN 12/20 NIGHTLIFE

7th Day Sweat The “seventh day” tends to be a day of rest for many folks. But not for the party-hearty people who run B-Side Liquor Lounge, the popular dance club located beneath the Grog Shop. Dubbed 7th Day Sweat, their weekly Sunday-night soiree features DJ White Rims spinning “today’s hottest dance hits,” so you can “sweat it out” every Sunday. Admission is free but you must be 21 or older. It all starts at 7 p.m. (Niesel) 2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com. HOLIDAY FUN

Breakfast with Father Christmas Always irreverent, Now That’s Class, the punk rock club on the border of Cleveland and Lakewood, attempts to get into the Christmas spirit today at noon with Breakfast with Father Christmas. Adults are invited to come and “sit on his knee and have your picture taken with the real, the only Father Christmas.” The club will serve up a breakfast of hot apple cider and lebkuchen.

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Straight No Chaser The male a cappella group Straight No Chaser had such success with their 2013 release Under the Influence, an album that features cameos by the likes of Jason Mraz, Rob Thomas, Phil Collins and Dolly Parton, the band is still touring behind the release. Expect to hear songs from it today at 3 and 7:30 p.m. when the group performs at Connor Palace. Tickets are $29.50 to $49.50. (Niesel) 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. HOLIDAY FUN

TICKETS: $ 5.50 (including fees)

On sale now at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame box office, or online at rockhall.com

1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., Cleveland, OH 44114 FILM

funny.” The women have some serious experience too. Katie White-Sonby is an actress who’s performed at Clague Playhouse, Karamu and Kennedy’s Cabaret. Marjorie Preston is an alumna of Something Dada and Rockwell 9 improvisational comedy troupes. Dionne Atchison is a theater artist with Cleveland Public Theatre,

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

It’s A Wonderful Life A classic flick that centers on a small-town man (James Stewart) who feels so limited by his circumstances that he contemplates committing suicide on Christmas Eve, It’s a Wonderful Life screens at 10 a.m. today at the Capitol Theatre. Despite its serious subject matter, the Frank Capra film has become

Winter Warmer Tonight from 8 to 10 p.m., Prosperity Social Club hosts its annual Winter Warmer Show, a “laidback seasonal celebration.” This year’s event features the swinging sounds of Jody, John & George, a trio that’ll perform holiday lounge tunes from the ’40s and ’50s. Specials for the night include a $13.95 chicken marsala dinner and spicy hot buttered rum. Advance reservations are recommended. (Niesel) 1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.

GET OUT MON 12/21 NIGHTLIFE

40 Oz. Man of the Year Contest Now That’s Class boasts many loyal 40-ounce club members. So to commemorate the group, the punk rock club will host a 40 Oz. Man of the Year Contest tonight at 9. Contestants will drink two 40-ounce beverages. The person who finishes first will be crowned king and receive a $50 gift certificate for Now That’s Class and a satin jacket that says “NTC 40 OZ. MAN OF THE YEAR.” Anyone 21 and over can enter. Admission is free. (Niesel) 11213 Detroit Ave., 216-2218576, nowthatsclass.net. MUSIC

The Pop Tarts Join a Cleve-centric Christmas celebration with the Pop Tarts, a local vocal group who revels in nostalgia for Cleveland Christmases past with tonight’s show, “I’m Wishing for a Cleveland Christmas: A Retro ’60s Holiday Extravaganza.” It’s your chance to see Mr. Jingeling, Halle’s Santa Claus and the Twigbee Shop elves live and in person, along with music from the retro-style girl group. Proceeds benefit UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Tonight’s show at the Hard Rock Rocksino’s Club Velvet is sold out. Lucky for you, a second show takes place tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. The show is for 21 and over, only. (Niesel) 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com. FAMILY FUN

Free Admission Day at the Zoo Looking for a fun and free way to start your week? Head on over to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which offers free admission for all residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township on Mondays. You can explore the zoo’s massive collection, which includes more than 3,000 animals and 600 distinct species, including the largest primate collection in the country. Or check out

the zoo’s impressive botanical garden, which has been praised for expertly illustrating the interdependent relationship between plants, animals and humans. Whatever you decide to explore, you’ll be able to get up close and personal with all your favorite exhibitions since Mondays are usually one of the least crowded days of the week. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is open on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free Monday promotion is not available on holidays and unfortunately excludes access to the RainForest. (Alaina Nutile) 3900 Wildlife Way, 216-6616500, clemetzoo.com. NIGHTLIFE

Trivia Pursuits Do you have tons of obscure music knowledge? Tonight’s your chance to wow your friends, make yourself instantly more desirable to someone you’re newly dating, and hang with Cleveland’s headiest hipsters and hot dog lovers. It’s the Happy Dog Monday Night Trivia. Starting at 8 p.m., expect themed rounds and general knowledge questions that seem considerably trickier than some of the other live trivia locales in town. Obviously, have a hot dog and a craft brew while you’re at it. And arrive early. The tables fill up quickly. (Sam Allard) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-6519474, happydogcleveland.com. FOOD

Industry Brunch Brunch isn’t just a Saturday/ Sunday thing. Over at Mahall’s, you can grab a great brunch on Mondays as the club caters to industry folks who have the day off. Not that you have to work in the restaurant industry to indulge. The menu features items such as Chicken and Donuts, a dish that features three pieces of fried chicken along with two “Old Hushers donuts.” Other staples include the Everything Pretzel and the Creamy Egg Sandwich. A live DJ from WCSB will be on hand to spin cool tunes too. It runs from noon to 4. (Niesel) 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 39

GET OUT Company in Ohio City kicks off its week with an open mic night, along with craft brews and delicious pub eats (we recommend the housemade pizzas, which are half off during their 4 to 7 p.m. happy hour). Guests can grab a beer and meander down to the Beer Cellar on the basement floor to enjoy the laid back tunes of local musicians who take the mic from 6 to 8 p.m., and there’s no cover charge. (McConnell) 2516 Market Ave., 216-7714404, greatlakesbrewing.com. FOOD

Vegan Mondays If you’re vegan, vegetarian, or just plain interested in trying something new, head over to Townhall in Ohio City this evening from 5 to 10 p.m. for Vegan Night. Work your way through the delicious and healthy vegan menu, featuring hits like Veggie Vegan Flatbread (think fresh tomatoes, chiles, mushrooms and vegan cheese), Tofu Etouffee (blackened tofu, onions, tomatoes and brown rice) or many of the regular menu items made vegan. Monday night is also Craft Beer Night and all 36 crafts are only $3 from 6 p.m. to close. Cheers! (Nutile) 1909 West 25th St., 216-3449400, townhallohiocity.com.

TUES 12/22 SPOKEN WORD

Life, the Universe & Hot Dogs The Institute for the Science of Origins sponsors this monthly series at the Happy Dog that allows patrons to eat hot dogs, drink beers and ponder the mysteries of the universe — all at one and the same time. Tonight’s topic was still to be determined at press times, but you can be sure the discussion will be about something deeply scientific and well worth your while. It begins at 7:30 at the Happy Dog. Admission is free. (Niesel) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-6519474, happydogcleveland.com.

Find more events @clevescene.com t@cleveland_scene 40

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 41

Photo by David Brichford

ART ARTISTS AT WORK

CMA Staff Art Show will showcase employees’ talents By Josh Usmani CLEVELAND’S LONG-DEPARTED (but still quite beloved) hometown hero Drew Carey made waves throughout Northeast Ohio last week when he commented on the pathetic state of our sad excuse for a football franchise. “Concentrate on the Museum (of Art) — it’s one of the best in the world,” Carey said last week. While most of the city and country concentrated on the rest of Carey’s football-related comments, the line caught the attention of Cleveland’s art community. Finally a famous Clevelander was saying (on a national platform) what we in the art community have known all along: Our city’s arts and cultural institutions are much higher quality assets than our sports franchises. This weekend, Fred and Laura Bidwell’s Transformer Station debuts the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Staff Art Show 2015. This special exhibition showcases the immense talent that contributes every day to the CMA’s world-class experience. The museum employs more than 450 staff members. These individuals, and their collective efforts, are what make the CMA “one of the best in the world.” “The Cleveland Museum of Art is proud to present the Staff Art Show, an exhibition of current work by artists committed to the mission of the museum, both as artists and as museum professionals,” says CMA director William Griswold. “This exhibition, held at the Transformer Station, is one that reflects the many talents of colleagues who, in their daily work, contribute to the presentation and understanding of our collection.” This year’s show features work by more than 70 of the museum’s artist-employees in 15 departments. The exhibition’s roster includes both emerging and established local artists. Obviously, not every talented artist works at the CMA, but this exhibition proves that

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s Staff Art Show in 2012

many of them do. This will be the first year Transformer Station hosts the Staff Art Show. In previous years, the show was hung in the museum’s galleries. Transformer Station was founded in part as a westside footprint for the Cleveland Museum of Art. The CMA schedules half the year’s programming at Transformer Station, allowing it to “uncover new opportunities, take risks and explore new ideas and new media.” “Transformer Station is really honored to showcase the talents of Cleveland Museum of Art employees, many of whom are practicing artists of considerable renown, in this special holiday exhibition,” says Transformer Station gallery manager Danielle Meeker. “This is only the latest of several incredible shows that our partnership with the

The CMA was founded in 1913 “for the benefit of all the people forever,” as stated by J. H. Wade II upon its inception. It opened in the summer of 1916. Construction of the original building cost a whopping $1.25 million. In comparison, its recently completed eight-year renovation and expansion project cost more than $300 million. The museum’s mission statement and longtime financial support ensure that the museum’s collection will remain free to the public forever. It truly is one of our community’s greatest assets. However, as the Browns have proven, history doesn’t necessarily equate to success. The museum’s current success is due in large part to its dedicated, talented and hardworking staff. You may not see them all on your visit, but they each

CMA STAFF ART SHOW TRANSFORMER STATION, 1460 WEST 29TH ST., 216-938-5429 TRANSFORMERSTATION.ORG

museum has brought to the nearwestside of Cleveland, and one we hope can be repeated in the future. Please join us in celebrating the very creative staff of the museum, who inspire the community through their efforts to make art meaningful and accessible to the broadest possible audience.” The show is a perfect followup to Transformer Station’s last exhibition, which brought works from the Akron Art Museum’s permanent collection to Cleveland for the first large-scale exhibition of its kind in Cuyahoga County.

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

contribute to your experience. Participating artists include: Debbie Apple-Presser, Barry Austin, Linda Ayala, Rachel Beamer, Arthur Beukemann, Sara Borrhello, David Brichford, Joan Brickley, David Brunner, Philip Brutz, Toni Chanakas, Tony Cisneros, Merv Ciary, Deanne Conley, Dexter Davis, G.M. Donley, James Englemann, Terri Mazzola Gertz, Toby Griffiths, J. Allon Hall, Kurt Hallsman, Dyane Hanslik, Jamey Hart, Benjamin Hauser, Robin Heinrich, Timothy Hill, Todd Hoak, Yi-Hsia Hsiao, Brian Jacobs, Clotilde Jimenez,

Shawn Kerns, Lauren King, James A.. Kohler, Adrian Lane, Amanda Lehtola, Kristen Magerkurth, Patrice Mallard, James McNamara, Rachel McPherson, Bev Miller, Joan Neubecker, Robert Niederriter, Cliff Novak, Terri J. Patton, Ted Pikturna, David Plurek, Robin Presley, Melanie Rademaker, James Remick, Jo Ann Rencz, Sara Ribbans, Tom Ritter, Anthony Valentino Robinson, Andrew Robinson, Dante Rodriguez, Jason Rudolf, Adam Schonhiutt, Bruce Shewitz, Tyrelle Smith, Davidd Sudberry, Taylor Trimarchi, Robin VanLear, Jeffrey Vano, Laszlo Vince, Achala Wali, Wayland Whitley, Darryl Williams, Constance Williams, Jasmine Williams and Michael D. Zelenka. Participating museum departments include: Advancement, Collections Management, Community Arts, Conservation, Design & Architecture, Distribution Services, Education & Interpretation, Exhibitions & Publications, Ingalls Library & Archives, Media Services, Museum Store, Photographic and Digital Imaging Services, Prints & Drawings, Protection Services and Visitor Experience. The CMA Staff Art Show 2015 is on view from Dec. 18 through Jan. 3. Hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Transformer Station is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, as well as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

jusmani@clevescene.com t@cleveland_scene

GREATNESS

RUNS IN THE FAMILY REAL KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON

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| December 16 - 22, 2015

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

STAGE NO PAN FOR PETER Although a bit Earth-bound on opening night, Peter and the Starcatcher at Dobama Theatre is set to soar By Christine Howey IF YOU LOVE THE STORY OF Peter Pan (and who doesn’t?), then the idea of a prequel certainly fires the imagination. How did Peter come to be the boy who won’t grow up? How did Captain Hook lose his hand, and is his surname just a happy coincidence? These answers and a lot more details are provided in Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice, now beginning its third week of production at Dobama Theatre. Inventively staged by director Nathan Motta, and featuring some standout performances, the play with music (by Wayne Barker) had some tasty moments. But back on opening night, the production often felt a bit flat due to some hollow acting by some members of the troupe, as well as a lack of precision in achieving tight ensemble movement. This play is based on a children’s book by renowned humorist Dave Barry and novelist Ridley Pearson. Actually, it’s a play-within-a-play as a troupe of 19th century adult British actors convene to tell the tale of a bunch of 13-year-olds and a trio of twosomes. That troika includes two ships, the sleek and fast Wasp and the

rundown Neverland, both headed to the kingdom of Rungoon; two chests, one filled with the Queen’s treasure and one with sand; and two kids, Peter and Molly, who form the core of the story. Before the ships disembark, Slank, the sly captain of the Neverland, switches the trunks so the treasureladen one winds up on his wormy

most childhood fantasies. And that’s a good thing, as long as the actors can help the audience make sense of it all. Plus, in this play the actors have to play like children and make up virtually everything, portraying a band of pirates and other characters, while also setting the scenes with bits and pieces of stuff — an old door here, a stuffed kitty there — to create their world of adventure. This is a daunting task and on opening night it felt like the ensemble of actors hadn’t yet jelled, with the bolts and wires of rehearsal still showing. As a result, the long and unfamiliar exposition that comprises the first act often seems complicated, random and dense instead of richly complex and curiously arcane. This situation wasn’t helped by two performances that hadn’t yet captured the special vibe of kids creating their own world of magic and discovery. As Peter, Luke Wehner was more sullen

PETER AND THE STARCATCHER

THROUGH JAN. 3 AT DOBAMA THEATRE 2340 LEE RD., CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, 216-932-3396 DOBAMA.ORG

ship. In addition, there are some nasty pirates on the Wasp, intent on stealing the treasure they think is still on their vessel. They are led by a curiously fey fellow named Black Stache, a villain given to seasickness and florid malaprops. Anyone with even a passing understanding of the Peter Pan milieu will know whom Stache will turn out to be. And that anticipation is part of the antic fun of a prequel such as this. As written, it’s an intentionally complex and ragtag storyline, as are

than vulnerable, more a pissed-off tween than a brutalized child seeking some form of solace. This void at the center never gave the audience someone they could adopt and root for. Molly, who is on a secret mission from the Queeen to protect starstuff, should be a feisty and determined lass. Instead, Israel’s Molly had a distant, prissy aura that didn’t dig into her character’s bravery amidst this testosterone festival (all the other actors are male). Plus, neither Wehner nor Israel exhibited the necessary

chops as performers to engage and hold the audience in their thrall. Peter’s two pals, Ted and Prentiss, had a couple funny scenes and as Ted, Ryan Thurman made the most of his character’s fondness for food, pork in particular. But Kyle Adam never found the comic leverage point for Prentiss, leaving this smaller but key role essentially adrift. Although much of the ensemble interaction was missing the precise, vaudeville-style timing required, individual actors did some yeoman work. As Alf, Robert Ellis was consistently amusing, Tim Keo excelled in each of his very different roles, James Rankin cadged some laughs as the ever-vigilant nanny, and bristling Joe Pine was under-used in the role of Slank. Things go much better when the story of Peter Pan and Captain Hook begins to rise to the surface in Act 2. It starts with the pirates dressed haphazardly as mermaids in a production number, and then culminates in a hilarious scene when Black Stache loses his right hand in an unfortunate trunk mishap. In this star-turn role, Christopher Bohan was outrageously campy, completely over-the-top — and gloriously so. His faithful aide Smee was played with vigor by Andrew Gorell. The good news is that, as the run progresses, this talented group of ensemble actors will likely smooth out their group scenes and find their synchronized sweet spot. That’s when Peter will really begin to fly.

scene@clevescene.com t@christinehowey Photo by Steve Wagner Photography

Christopher Bohan, left, as Black Stache and Andrew Gorell as Smee

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

MOVIES

in theaters

AHEAD OF HER TIME A new documentary examines the life of innovative art collector Peggy Guggenheim By Jeff Niesel BACK IN 1978 AND 1979, ART collector and socialite Peggy Guggenheim gave what would become her last interview. She spoke to Jacqueline B. Weld for her biography, Peggy: The Wayward Guggenheim. Those tapes were thought to be lost before director Lisa Immordino Vreeland (Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel) found them as she was working on Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict, her fascinating documentary about the woman. Those never-beforeheard tapes form the main narrative structure for this well-crafted wartsand-all documentary that opens on Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre. At the film’s start, we hear about Peggy’s humble background. Her parents both became peddlers after moving to the States. But they didn’t stay peddlers. Her mother’s family went into banking and her father’s family went into mining. They quickly accumulated wealth. They were remarkably eccentric too. According to Weld, Peggy’s mother “did everything three times,” and her aunts and uncles were “famously off their rockers.” She discovers the art world when she’s 21 and heads off to Paris, where she meets people such as writer Gertrude Stein, photographer Man Ray, poet Ezra Pound and writer James Joyce. When her mother dies and leaves her $450,000, she opens an art gallery and cultivates a number of up-and-coming European artists

— people such as Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp. Peggy closes the gallery in Paris with the intent of opening a museum in London, but World War II disrupts those plans. To save her art collection, she sends it off as “household goods” on a freighter bound for the States. It arrives safely, and she follows the collection to New York where she founds Art of This Century, a Midtown space where she hosted a number of significant exhibitions. “It was one of the first international galleries in New York, mixing American and European art,” says one critic. “It was an astonishing innovation,” says another critic. “The space was something that no one could imagine.” Though she had no training and even lacked what one pundit calls “innate taste,” she became a major force in the art world. She famously rescued Jackson Pollack from a life as a carpenter and helped introduce his artwork to the world. She gave him an income and loaned him money to buy a house, giving him the time and space to work on his painting. In one scene, she discusses buying some of his paintings for a few hundred dollars. She describes him as “one of the great artists of the 20th century,” and she encouraged him to make a “larger than life” art. She also put together an exhibit dubbed 31 Women to focus only on female artists. After closing her New York

Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict

museum, she heads to Venice, a “place of passage,” where she buys a palace that she converts into a museum. The place immediately becomes a huge tourist attraction. The film alludes to various artists and art movements, making it appeal more to the art historian than the casual art lover. Still, Vreeland successfully chronicles Guggenheim’s story and uses a variety of clips and images of artwork to tell the story of this remarkable woman. And while the film clearly champions her art

SPOTLIGHT: MORE HOLIDAY MOVIES THE CLEVELAND INSTITUTE of Art Cinematheque continues its holiday-themed programming this week with a screening of Tangerine. Set on Christmas Eve, the film centers on trans woman sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) who gets out of prison only to realize that her pimp boyfriend cheated on her while she was locked up. The film functions as a road movie of sorts as the trans woman meets a trans BFF, an Armenian cab driver, an Asian

doughnut shop owner and others on her way to seek revenge. Shot completely on an iPhone 5s, the film has received positive reviews since debuting at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It screens at 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18, at the Cinematheque. Tickets are $9. Ingmar Bergman’s 1982 film Fanny and Alexander addresses the themes of “love and loneliness, dreams and nightmares, pain and ecstasy, God and emptiness, reality

and illusion, theatre and cinema.” Set in early 20th-century Sweden at Christmastime, the film centers on a young brother and sister who leave their loving family to live with their mother’s new husband, a stern minister. Winner of four Oscars, the film features color cinematography courtesy of the late Sven Nykvist. It screens at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19. Tickets are $10.— Jeff Niesel

collecting skills, it also addresses her various insecurities and suggests that her botched nose job had something to do with her drive to prove herself (though it certainly didn’t limit the number of male suitors she had). Vreeland also doesn’t shy away from stories about Peggy’s promiscuity and her failed marriage to artist Max Ernst. When talking about Ernst, Peggy simply concludes she was “never loved.” Guggenheim also struggled to raise her children, something that’s also addressed in the movie. She refers to her daughter’s marriage to a “psychopath” of a man whom she couldn’t stand. Her daughter’s untimely death deeply disturbed her. Given the way Peggy championed artists who were not yet famous, it’s clear from this documentary that she was ahead of her time. Vreeland provides a well-balanced and thorough examination of her illustrious career, concluding the film with a segment about her Venetian palazzo which currently houses her incredible collection.

scene@clevescene.com t@cleveland_scene

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 47

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 BIS_0046_ad_3.7188x4.85_sce_holiday.indd 1

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EAT FILL THEIR STOCKINGS, AND BELLIES 25 local food and drink related gift ideas By Douglas Trattner and Nikki Delamotte TOM’S FOOLERY RYE $39.95 tomsfoolery.com

We’ve been enjoying Bainbridgebased Tom’s Foolery applejack and bourbon for a while now. But that rye. This recent release is Ohio’s first straight rye, meaning that the mash bill clocks in at least 51 percent rye and the spirits are aged for at least two years in wood. This batch is a blend of rye barrels that are between two-and-a-half and three years old. The end result is a 90-proof whiskey with distinctive character; aromas of fruit and bread in the nose give way to notes of honey, cinnamon and spice in the mouth. Distiller Tom Herbruck is a local legend, appreciated for his Old World technique and attention to detail. Available at most Ohio state stores, this is real Cleveland whiskey.

Mod Meals’ Kale Caesar

THE DECK $29.95 clevelandindependentsdeck.com

Most decks of cards net the owner hours of good, clean fun, provided he or she isn’t stuck playing gin rummy with Aunt Louise for hours on end. This deck of cards nets the owner sweet deals at nearly 50 great local restaurants. Use it at just two spots and you’ll already break even, given that each card offers the diner anywhere from $10 to $30 off their food tab. The list of participating independent eateries is too long to list, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t offer up a few as a tease: Bomba Tacos, Felice Urban Cafe, Moxie, Flying Fig, Gamekeeper’s Taverne, Luna, Marotta’s, Pier W, Provenance and Umami Asian Kitchen. What’s more, you can hit up your favorite spot twice thanks to a pair of anything-goes Jokers. MOD MEALS GIFT CARD $30 mod-meals.com

One of the nicest things you can give somebody is time, and that’s precisely what Mod Meals is all about. By delivering heat-and-eat meals directly to one’s door, Mod Meals eliminates the need to shop, cook or clean up, all of which require time, effort and, probably, pants.

This isn’t simply another restaurant delivery service, which shuttles hot food from point A to point B. Mod Meals meals are prepared in the restaurant kitchens of local chefs, chilled and stored that way until they’re delivered. That way you can heat and eat them immediately or wait until later when your wife comes home from work to a delicious meal for two and zero pants. Each $30 card nets the recipient two meals, dessert and delivery. The beer or wine are extra. M CELLARS WINE $15-$45 mcellars.com

We know Ohio wines are mercilessly mocked by oenophiles. And many of them deserve the derision. But others do not, specifically the Europeanstyle wines that winemaker Matt Meineke vints under the M Cellars label. He long ago ripped out hardy but sweet varietals like Niagara, replacing them with riesling, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, gruner veltliner and chardonnay, all of which require meticulous tending to thrive. But thrive they do as evidenced by M’s spectacular dry riesling, its crisp cuvee, and plummy, smoky estate-grown meritage. All are available online and at a few local wine shops.

WATERSHED OLD FASHIONED $34.95 watersheddistillery.com

Sure, you could go out and buy a bottle of bourbon, another bottle of Angostura bitters, whip up some simple syrup, zest an orange, grow a mustache, don a vest and armband and make yourself an Old Fashioned. Or you can pick up a bottle of Watershed Old Fashioned, a veritable cocktail in a bottle. Built on a base of good bourbon, this 70-proof cocktail is no lightweight. All that’s left to do is make some ice, polish up an Old-Fashioned glass and garnish the drink with an orange peel. Available at most liquor stores, this crafty concoction, from the Columbus-based distillery, makes a unique alternative to the ho-hum wine or beer host gift. SAND BLASTED PINT GLASS FROM APE MADE

glassware. They are manufactured just to our west, at Toledo’s own Libbey Glass, and sandblasted here at home. Choose from historical designs like an aerial map of Cleveland’s counties or the official city seal. SYRUPS, MIXERS AND BITTERS FROM THE HAPPY HOUR COLLECTION happyhourCLE.com 530 Euclid Ave., 216-563-1166

For the mixologist, the thirst for experimentation is unquenchable. The classics may be always around, but there’s also always a new ingredient to try. Enter this addition to Cleveland’s booming retail scene in the 5th Street Arcades. Specialty mixers like Owl’s Brew, a New York tea-based variety, and White Whale, which blends exotic juices and herbs, are fully stocked. But you’ll also find regional favorites, like the Columbusmade Root 23’s grapefruit-basil and vanilla-ginger simple syrups. Whether you’re buying for an avid follower of the cocktail scene or looking to give a little inspiration to an occasional entertainer, ask the knowledgeable staff for their picks on the latest and greatest. CLEVELAND IN A BOX $30 clevelandinabox.com

Not everybody is lucky enough to live in Cleveland. Some have been forced to move away, likely at the hands of a loved one. Others might never have stepped foot in the Land at all, remaining utterly blind to the distinctive joys that populate our markets and shops. It’s never been easier to share the good news about the North Coast with friends, family and those living in lesser zip

$17.95 etsy.com/shop/apemade 1667 East 40th St., Ste 2G

April Bleakney has accessories aplenty to assist with your drinking needs. Our fair city’s skyline on cork coasters, smokestack flasks and snug little Ohio-themed koozies are only a fraction of the Clevelandthemed goods. But for knocking one back on a night in, we’re particular fans of her sandblasted pint

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 49

EAT

full-color photos so you can see just how poorly you cook compared to the pros. You can save on shipping by stopping by CLE Clothing, Mac’s Backs, Loganberry Books, Learned Owl or Appletree Books, all of which stock the cookbook.

codes thanks to Cleveland in a Box, a veritable showcase showdown of local goodies. Boxes are filled with gems like Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard, Campbell’s Dichotomy Popcorn, Malley’s Chocolates and Humphrey Popcorn Balls, a delicious taste of the dearly departed Euclid Beach Park.

5 IN 5 FOR EVERY SEASON BY MICHAEL SYMON $12 paperback amazon.com

FIRE SPICE BLENDS $8 firefoodanddrink.com 13220 Shaker Square, 216-921-3473

Cooking is hard if you’re not Doug Katz. Putting together an Indian curry, for example, might require assembling a dozen different spices. If you had to buy them all, the price would far exceed the cost of such a meal in a restaurant. And those spices probably wouldn’t be fresh the next time you felt like making Indian food. Katz feels your pain. His custom-blended spice mixes provide the essential ingredients to whip up delicious meals — and the freshly toasted spices stay fresh as a daisy in their sealed pouches until you’re ready to use them. Blend varieties include harissa, masala, jerk, massaman, chili and a barbecue rub, among others. Pick them up at the restaurant. SALT FROM OCEANS THAT DON’T EXIST $15 rozis.com 14900 Detroit Ave., Lakewood 216-221-1119

Ryan Dewey is a cognitive scientist who concocted “the first true sea salt from oceans that don’t exist.” By mixing sea salt from, say, France with mineral water from, say, Hawaii, and evaporating the brine, Dewey creates a salt that captures the taste of two places that would never come together in the real world. His experimental salts are the most expensive in the world at roughly $100 for two drams. Don’t worry, he also sells a more approachable blend of Pacific Ocean salt blended with ripe organic juniper berries, which he describes as “a cross between a crisp gin & tonic and a fresh springtime forest.” Use it on french fries, roasted poultry, popcorn or to rim a glass for gin-based cocktails. SIX SHOOTER COFFEE GIFT PACK $35 sixshootercoffee.com

For those who are eagerly awaiting the launch of Six Shooter Coffee’s

Waterloo coffee shop, opening soon just down the block from the Beachland Ballroom, this handy gift pack should tide you over — or at least provide a sweet taste of what’s to come. The collaborative neighborhood effort features one pound of small-batch, house-roasted coffee (your choice of Brazilian, Mexican, Balian or Peruvian) and a Six Shooter mug crafted by Waterloobased ceramics studio Brick. It’s all bundled in a shabby-chic wooden crate. CHOCOLATE BARK FROM FANTASY CANDIES $12.99 fantasycandies.com 5338 Mayfield Rd., Lyndhurst 440-461-4511

Fantasy Candies has been in business for a quarter of a century, and it took more than half of those years for owner Joel Fink to dial in what he calls the perfect blend of dark chocolate that goes into his Sweet Dreams 72 line of goodies. The 72-percent cocoa treats — all in bark form — come in flavors that stray far from the usual chocolate family. Cranberry bark fuses tart dried cranberries with dark chocolate while red pepper and cinnamon features hints of ground cayenne peppers. All are rich in antioxidants, which makes up for fact that you’ll eat them all in one sitting. CLEVELAND BREW BUS $60 clevelandbrewbus.com 216-773-2567

Cleveland Brew Bus tours are proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. By the time we managed to hit up all those breweries in Ohio City, downtown or on the west side,

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

we’d be too plowed to steer. Instead, we hop aboard the cozy coach, which magically transports us from pint to pint. Banish any notions of this being a party bus though, because beer education is the real name of the game. Between brewery tastings, owners and guides Leslie BasallaMcCafferty and Brian McCafferty regale riders with beer history, facts and entertainment, fueling beer appreciation all along the way. Strong ties with all the local breweries ensure VIP treatment at each and every stop, where brewers and hosts offer deep dives into their product line. CLEVELAND CYCLE TOURS $20/person for a group of 15 bikecct.com 2135 Columbus Rd., 440-532-9995

Grab 14 of your closest friends and hop aboard this westside cycling pub tour. You’ll start at the Duck Islandbased garage, which is located in the same complex as the forthcoming Forest City Brewery and Western Reserve Meadery. After selecting one of two routes, you and your gang will peddle down the Ohio City West 25th strip, stopping for beverages along the way, or cross the Abbey Avenue bridge to Tremont and pop into three entertaining bars over there.

FROM OUR KITCHENS BY CLEVELAND INDEPENDENTS $39.95 clevelandindependents.com

You love their restaurants and now you’ll love their recipes. Local chefs like Zack Bruell, Ben Bebenroth, Doug Katz, Karen Small, Tim Bando and many others offer up recipes for delicious appetizers, side dishes, entrees and desserts. Easy-to-follow directions are illustrated with vivid

Like the last 5 in 5 cookbook from celebrity chef Michael Symon (and Scene dining editor Douglas Trattner), 5 in 5 for Every Season is based on the popular speed-cooking segment that the Iron Chef regularly performs as co-host of ABC’s The Chew. Unlike the last 5 in 5, this latest collection of all-new recipes is organized by season, with an additional chapter devoted to the holidays. The book is a godsend for busy home cooks, who

want to prepare delicious meals for their families but perhaps lack the imagination and time to do it right. This book is proof that we all can get a scratch-made meal on the table in very little time, for not a lot of money, and without a lot of fuss. Ready, set, cook!

CLEVELAND BEER: HISTORY AND REVIVAL IN THE RUST BELT $21.99 arcadiapublishing.com

Leslie Basalla knows a thing or two about beer. As the co-founder of the Cleveland Brew Bus, you’ll find her carting around beer-loving locals to numerous breweries. So when she teamed up with local scribe Peter Chakerian, the pair began to piece together the story of the city’s brewing past, present and future. Tales from the prosperous 1800s and the era of Prohibition will intrigue any aficionado, while an analysis of new trends delving deep into what’s to come will excite the next wave of craft enthusiasts.

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THE CAVS ARE BACK! Catch the run to the Championship here at MA! $5.50 Pitchers During ALL Games this season .

BROWNS AT SEAHAWKS Sunday, December 20 at 4:05pm $5.50 Pitchers Specials

40 BEER 40 YEARS 9:30PM MIKE PETRUS Saturday: BRENT HOOPER Sunday: CAVS VS 76ers 3:30pm BROWNS AT SEAHGAWKS 4:05pm

Friday:

Ring in 2016 at Hofbräuhaus Cleveland! Our New Year’s Eve Haus party will have you rockin’ until 2am with: ‧ Authentic Food ‧ Homemade Brews ‧ Complimentary Champagne Toast Reservations can be made by phone only, so call and save your place today! DON’T MISS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BY THE GERMAN BAND SCHNICKELFRITZ!

HofbrauhausCleveland.com · 216-621-BEER (2337)

   magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 51

EAT

THE DON(FORCORLEONE PIZZA A LIMITED TIME) Red Sauce, Mozzarella Cheese, Cappacola Ham, Salami, Pepperoni, and Oregano

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Cleveland Cuts Chef’s Knife

CHEF’S KNIFE FROM CLEVELAND CUTS $180 clevelandcuts.org

A good kitchen knife is indispensable. A great kitchen knife is a thing of pure joy that can make slicing and dicing less of a chore and more of a Zen-like activity. Cleveland happens to have a craftsman knifemaker in its midst named Dee Coker, who makes quality cutlery under the brand Cleveland Cuts. His knives are handmade using high-carbon steel and gorgeous hardwoods like walnut, cherry and bocote. While pricey, the 9-inch chef’s knife has great balance in the hand and is an investment that will pay dividends for years to come, assuming your significant other doesn’t pop it in the dishwasher. For that truly special cook in your life, this gift would make their year. CUTTING BOARDS FROM CLEVELAND CUTTING BOARD AND FURNITURE COMPANY $40 and up clevelandcbfc@gmail.com 216-577-3555

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

A good cutting board is a necessity in any cook’s home. When this local company isn’t making rustic accents like Red the Steakhouse’s new liquor

display, it’s hard at work taking an artful approach to the classic kitchen staple, the cutting board. The shop’s stylish boards come in styles that are refined yet Old-World elegant, featuring crosshatch-style cherry, maple and walnut end grain. Boards can even be customized to complement any kitchen or bar for a personal touch. For gift recipients who appreciate craftsmanship and carpentry, there’s also a line of earthy, hand-turned wooden bowls. LUNA COLLECTION DINNER PLATE FROM GINA DESANTIS $50 ginadesantisceramics.com 13000 Athens Ave., 440-785-5409

Though the ceramic work of Gina DeSantis has been seen all over the country thanks to features in Midwest Living and other glossy mags, it was hard not to fall in love with these plates at her collaborative Kiln to Table show at Toast. Since 2008 DeSantis has been helming the kiln and teaching classes from her Screw Factory studio. These beauties are a warm matte white with bronze on stoneware clay. The glaze runs around the edges, making no two dinner plates the same, making for truly one-of-a-kind gifts.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 53

EAT BREW YOUR OWN BEER $130-$160 thebrewkettle.com 8377 Pearl Rd, Strongsville 440-239-8788

A session at the Brew Kettle is a great way to dip a toe into the wonderful world of beer brewing without investing a ton of money on equipment and supplies. Buy your guy a gift card, which can be used at the brew-on-premises, and he’ll choose and brew the recipe of his choice under the watchful eye of an award-winning brewmaster. There are more than 70 recipes from which to choose, ranging from a crisp Canadian ale to a meaty oatmeal stout. Once brewed, the beer is left to ferment in a temperature controlled room before being filtered, carbonated and bottled. Slap a custom label on those bad boys and invite the mates over for a round of frosties. The price nets about 72 22-ounce bottles.

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Chances are good that you know someone who likes to brew beer at home and who might even dream about opening a place of his or her own. The next logical step is to send them to beer school. This two-hour course provides attendees with a behind-the-scenes tour of the inner workings of one of the country’s most famous breweries. And, of course, the program includes plenty of taste tests — for educational purposes only, of course. Those in attendance will learn the history of the company and the science behind the complex brewing process. All of that is followed up with a 75-minute sampling session of six beers. Everyone leaves with a T-shirt and a 5-oz. tasting glass. CHEF FOR A DAY PROGRAM AT THE CULINARY VEGETABLE INSTITUTE

(440) 268-6755 Get Social Sherwin Williams Plaza | 15036 Pearl Road | Strongsville, OH 44136

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

$350/person culinaryvegetableinstitute.com 12304 Mudbrook Rd., Milan 419-499-7500

For the budding chef, there’s no place quite like the Chef’s Garden and its partner organization Culinary Vegetable Institute, and their 100 acres of land and worldclass kitchen dedicated to building

the relationship between chef and farmer. Those are just some of the reasons why this program, which invites participants to receive hands-on access to the behind-thescenes inner workings of a high-end professional kitchen, is so popular. The all-day experience includes chef demonstrations as well as crafting your own farm-to-table dinner using fresh, local ingredients under the guidance of CVI’s expertise. At the end of it all, unwind and revel in your newfound culinary skills with dinner for you and a guest. BOOZY TRUFFLE WORKSHOP FROM THE BOM $30/person thebom.us 216-941-7643

Mix one part truffle with one part booze — think a chocolate Kahlua morsel — and you’ve got The Bom. “Not your grandma’s truffles” is the tagline of this roving class lead by Carolina Martin, which has popped up everywhere from John Christ Winery, where wine was injected into the sweet treats, to the lounge of the Aloft Hotel. BYOB (bring your own bottle) private parties are part of the regular course of fun too. Bourbon, rum and tequila are just a few of the potable potions that workshoppers have indulged in. At the end of the party, each person goes home with five boxes of boozy boxed truffles. DATE NIGHT COOKING CLASS AT WESTERN RESERVE SCHOOL OF COOKING $170/person wrsoc.com 2800 Euclid Ave., 330-696-7709

Treat that special someone to a night on the town this January, when the Western Reserve School of Cooking hosts a Midwestern-themed onenight course that’s tailor made for cozying up to comfort food to warm up the winter. Herbed goat cheese balls, roasted pork tenderloin and garlic chive spaetzel are but a few of the offerings on the evening’s menu. It’s just one of many popular datenight cooking classes, so if you can’t make the January session, there are more around the bend, like Indian in February, Middle Eastern in early March, and Southern in late March. The school is just east of downtown Cleveland, so after flexing your culinary muscles, keep the party rolling in the big city.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

MUSIC HIS KINDA COUNTRY

Singer Randy Houser still riding momentum from monster summer tour By Jeff Niesel

Randy Houser has another big hit with his latest single, “We Went.”

Photo by Joseph Llanes

THIS PAST SUMMER, COUNTRY singer Randy Houser benefited from one of the year’s biggest tours. He traveled the country opening for singer Luke Bryan, a guy who’s so goddamn popular, he could (and did) fill a stadium full of fans. “It was really something special to spend our summer doing that,” says Houser via phone from a Wisconsin tour stop. “We got to play for over a million fans this summer, which is nuts. As far as getting the tour, that was as grand a scale as you can do it on. We played like eight stadiums, and they would have 60 to 70,000 people in them. Luke and I have been friends for a long time. It was a great experience to go out. It was like a big traveling family. Cool people all around. [Country singer] Dustin Lynch was out with us, and it was just a good time. It really was.” This fall, the burden of entertaining a crowd rests on his shoulders alone, as he’s headlining an arena tour with Frankie Ballard and Craig Campbell opening. Recently nominated for

Country Music Association Song of the Year for his Top 5 Gold hit “Like a Cowboy,” which he also co-wrote, Houser’s currently supporting his new single, “We Went,” a hard rocking tune that’s the title track from a new album expected in early 2016. He says the tour has continued to build on the momentum from the summer. “It’s been surprising how well it’s been doing,” he says of the current set of dates that includes a stop at the Akron Civic Theatre on Dec. 18. “The shows have been packed. We’ve just been having a good time.” The Mississippi-born Houser speaks about his career as a songwriter and singer with a good deal of confidence. And there’s a reason for that. He talks about his decision to become a musician as if it were something along the lines of manifest destiny. “From the time I was a small child, I watched my dad playing music and sitting around the house with his guitar and singing songs,” he says. “He was such an incredible singer and guitar player. I immediately gravitated

toward that. I didn’t really have a choice. Nobody pushed me into it, but I just knew what I was going to do. Ever since I first saw him playing and making music, it just called out to me. I was strongly influenced by that. I always saw so many people my age wondering what they were going to do when they grew up. It was strange for me because I always knew. I knew I was going to make music. I knew that was the only thing I was going to do. I was blessed.” He was only 10 or 11 years old when he started up his own band. “I think the first show would have been at the Cat’s Cave or it might have been at the auditorium there in Mississippi,” he says. “We had a bunch of boys sitting around in somebody’s bedroom playing guitars. As I got older, I realized I was the only one in my town who was serious. I was way more serious than anybody else. I played in bands for years and years throughout Mississippi where I grew up and realized I was the only one hanging on to the dream of being able

to make music for a living. I thought our bands would get discovered and we’d make it out of there. Eventually, I realized I was the only one who was really committed like that, so I had to move to Nashville.” Many aspiring musicians move to Nashville. Few strike songwriting gold. But Houser, who teamed up with Jamey Johnson and Dallas Davidson to pen “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” which Trace Adkins chose for his 2005 album Songs About Me, had no trouble hitting a vein. “I can’t pinpoint how it went down,” he says of his initial songwriting success. “It was where I was supposed to be. I moved to Nashville and started meeting people. It’s a very social business. I call it a drinking town with a music problem. You go out and hear music, and there’s 100 people in the room who are musicians and songwriters. You start building that circle of friends who are like-minded. I immediately knew I was home. I thought it was wild that there were more people like me who were nuts. It

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 57

MUSIC reminded me of the Tin Pan Alley vibe. There’s so much creativity coming out of young songwriters and musicians in Nashville. It’s complete edification to hear new music all the time. In small towns, you might have one country station. In those days, the Internet wasn’t streaming where I came from. I couldn’t dial up Internet radio. We were still on dialup. We had the country station and that was it. The only thing I got to hear were those 25 songs they played over and over. So I had to write songs. And it was a cool experience to move to Nashville and hear new music.” Houser signed to Universal South Records in 2008. In May of that year, he issued his first single, “Anything Goes.” The title track from the album, it became a hit, and Houser even performed the song on The Late Show with David Letterman. The song made it into the Top 40 of the Billboard country chart as did “Boots On” the album’s second single. To hear Houser tell it, the success wasn’t as instant as it might seem. “It wasn’t a flash bang of success, I can tell you that,” he says. “I wish it would have been. That would have made things easier. ‘Anything Goes’ went to No. 16 on the country charts. The second single went to No. 2.” The album also includes the anthem

through the tongue-twisting tune about a couple on the run from the law. “It’s such a fun song,” he says. “It reminds me of a Bonnie and Clyde fantasy, which is how we shot the video. It reminds me of doing something bad and good at the same time and being dangerous. It was a different kind of a feel. It just seemed like fun, and it is fun. We’re having a blast playing it live. I knew it would be fun and that’s why we recorded it and put it out as the first single. The album still has to be sequenced so Houser has trouble articulating just what it will sound like. But he’s excited for the finished product to come out. “We just wrote and found the best songs we could possibly find,” he says of the album. “I didn’t set out to make an artsy fartsy record or anything like that. I’m proud of it materialwise. It’s definitely one of the more exciting times I’ve had making an album. I haven’t been able to sit back and look at it as a whole. We’re just now finishing it. I don’t have that big perspective yet, if that makes sense. When I hear pieces of it, I just fricking love them. I don’t have them in a playlist in sequence yet. I have them scattered in emails where I approve mixes and make changes. It’s at that stage, where I’m not even sure yet.” And even if it’s not a smash hit, Houser says that’s fine by him.

RANDY HOUSER, FRANKIE BALLARD, CRAIG CAMPBELL 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY, DEC. 18, AKRON CIVIC THEATRE, 182 SOUTH MAIN ST., AKRON 330-253-2488. TICKETS: $29.50-$49.50, AKRONCIVIC.COM

“My Kinda Country.” A hearty song driven by heavy guitars and a beefy organ riff, it’s a call-to-arms of sorts as Houser gives a shoutout to country outlaw Waylon Jennings while also acknowledging his love for Motown. “We’re still playing it and rocking it out,” says Houser when asked if the tune still finds its way into the live show. “I’m glad to hear that you like that one, and that you even know it. Nothing in particular inspired it. The biggest thing was that, at the time I wrote that with my buddy Dallas Davidson, was because growing up with blues and gospel and country, all these things mixed in together. It’s really talking about music and I am what I am and do what I do and I hope you like it and if you don’t, move along.” “We Went,” the new single from his forthcoming album, has some of the “My Kinda Country” swagger to it as Houser practically raps his way

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

“I don’t want to say it doesn’t matter, because it does,” he says. “But regardless of whether I have success as defined by the charts, I’m still going to be making music. It’s like a rollercoaster. Success comes and goes. I’ve seen the peaks and valleys. You just keep on. You know things will get worse and they’ll get better. If you stick to your guns and do what you love, good things will happen. I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I try to use it for good and for other people. I try to honor God when I can because I know he gave me talent and the desire to do what I want to do. And I’m not a gospel singer, but I do want to do good things with what I do. I want to keep doing it knowing it’s not all wine and roses.”

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel

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Order By Phone: 800.745.3000 • House of Blues Box Office magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

THE CITY OF CLEVELAND HAS been a hotbed for hip-hop talent for years, going as far back as when MC Brainz and his “Oochie Coochie” reigned supreme. Of course, there’s the monstrous success of Bone Thugs-nHarmony and, in more recent years, artists like King Chip, Kid Cudi and Machine Gun Kelly have been able to gain widespread recognition and respect. However, for every Bone Thugs and MGK, there are hundreds of Common Aves and Case Barges out there chomping at the bit to make their mark at a local level. Wallace Settles, aka Dirty Jones, was one of those artists looking to leave his imprint on the world through music, but he found that doing so came with a heap of difficulties and no viable solution in sight. He’s the promoter behind the local showcase Cruel Winter Fest, which takes place at the Grog Shop on Dec. 20. The line-up for this year’s incarnation features Tribe Untitled, Young James & Toby, Mondo Slade, Creez Mob, Phrazes, Walker OG, Zell and Don Purp, among others. Tae Miles and Ray Ave share top billing, with music by Elliot Nash and hosting duties handled by Kris Hilton. “I started in 2007, Moriarty was our group,” Settles says. “I rapped for a while and then I made a mixtape. We had a little buzz behind it, then the group album came out and then I made my solo joint. After I made the solo album, I noticed how hard it was for me to promote everything and I said to myself, ‘Why is this shit so hard? Why is this so hard for me to promote? Why is no one listening to none of this shit?’ That’s when I realized that there was nobody really promoting and managing acts and putting on events and shows. So I went ahead and made the transition two years ago and actually started throwing events and helping the Grog out with booking artists for bigger shows and shit like that.” He’ll be the first to tell you that he misses being primarily an artist, but he also shares that being behind the scenes has its perks. “I like behind the scenes better, just because it’s like you can control your own destiny,” he says. “You can pick the shows you want to do. You know when artists are coming into town at least three months in advance. So it’s way easier to book your shows if you know that [for example] Dom Kennedy is coming in November and it’s July. I’ve got time to hit up Dom Kennedy’s management, hit up the venue and get my press kit out there and all that. But

Photo by Emanuel Wallace

MUSIC

Wallace Settles flashes his “I mean business” look.

THE NEW CLEVELAND Cruel Winter Fest to showcase local hip-hop talent By Emanuel Wallace I miss the music side ... because that’s the fun. Business ain’t always fun. It gets boring. Quickly.” Settles plans to get back to the music side with a compilation album featuring all of the artists he currently manages, including the aforementioned Common Ave and Case Barge. “The collective of artists I work with is called Aloof,” he says. “So I’ll have them all on it, but it’ll be a solo

confusing.” There’s a notion among some in the city that the hip-hop scene isn’t unified and everyone hates each other, but Settles strongly disagrees. “There is unity in the city; you’re just not paying attention,” he says. “People who say there’s no unity just aren’t very good artists and people aren’t listening to their music. If you’re decent, someone has reached out by now wanting to work with you. I know

CRUEL WINTER FEST 6 P.M. SUNDAY, DEC. 20, GROG SHOP, 2785 EUCLID HEIGHTS BLVD. 216-321-5588. TICKETS: $10 ADV, $12 DOS, GROGSHOP.GS

album. It’ll be like what Jay Z did with The Dynasty. We’ve got all kinds of artists — R&B groups, deejays ... all kinds of artists. So I’m trying to bring everything together and push the product properly so everybody can hear everything we’ve got on one cohesive project and it won’t be as

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

most of the artists in the city now and everyone pretty much gets along with everybody. If you hear someone saying otherwise, they’re not telling the truth. Because the reality is that everyone’s working together. But, it’s not organized. “The issue is that everyone’s

management team is bad,” he says. “Another issue, a lot of the time, is that the artists don’t listen to people. So it’s hard to manage a lot of artists because they don’t want to listen — they think they know everything.” One of Settles’ earlier series of shows bears the title “The New Cleveland” and he says that the point of those shows was to get all of the same people on one accord, organized and discussing what needed to be fixed as the scene moves forward. “That’s why I called it ‘The New Cleveland,’” he says. “There needed to be a new focus in the city. It’s like now we’re here and these are the artists. There can be a hundred artists and these twenty dudes are handling all of their business. So, they’re getting their ASCAP done, they’re getting their BMI finshed, they’re getting their shows properly booked and they’re getting paid for their shows. They’re making sure that they’re doing the right amount of shows, doing them at the right places and opening up for the right people. Once everybody understands that part of it, things will be a lot easier. That would be The New Cleveland” Settles launched the Cruel Winter Fest last year, and while one of the purposes is to bring together some of the best acts of the year, he has a bigger goal in mind. “Part of it is the unity, but another part is that we need to make our rap events in the city bigger,” he says. “Brite Winter Fest is a giant event. Heights Music Hop is a giant event. Hip-hop really isn’t involved in those events a lot. I think that one of the reasons is because the people don’t know that the scene is vibrant here. So we have to show them that the scene is evolving. And I think that Cruel Winter Fest is one of the things that’s going to help people realize that Cleveland hip-hop is doing well.” Settles believes that over time and with hard work, the Cruel Winter Fest can be just as big as Brite Winter or Heights Hop — if not bigger. “I know it can be. It’s more about me trying to organize it better, and it’s hard to get sponsors for a hip-hop show. They just don’t want to do it. But yeah, that’s definitely the goal. I want to make this thing gigantic. I could even have it in the summer at Voinovich Park with 10,000 people and a national headliner and all that stuff. That’s the ultimate goal.”

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 61

Photo by Joe Alven

MUSIC ON A ROLL

Retro rockers the Chromes draw from the past while looking to the future By Jeff Niesel CHROMES SINGER-GUITARIST Brian Hager had spent nearly a decade playing with the local glam outfit Vanity Crash when he started to get the itch to play more frequently than the band was capable of performing. So he did what many an ambitious rock ’n’ roller has done before him. He started his own damn band. “The [Vanity Crash] singer was always doing theater and we just weren’t playing live enough; that would drive me crazy,” he says one recent afternoon from the band’s practice space, the finished basement belonging to drummer Harry Humphries where the band was about to rehearse for an upcoming show in support of its glam rockinspired, high-energy new album, Let It Roll. “I wanted to start my own band. I tried to find whomever I could to start a band. I didn’t know if I could sing, so I just started writing songs and singing on my own.” A trip to Las Vegas proved to be rather fortuitous. While waiting at the airport terminal to board a plane back to Cleveland, he saw this guy with long hair who had an “’80s look.” He ending up sitting next to him on the plane, and it turned out that he lived in Brunswick, five minutes from Hager. At that point, the Chromes were born. “He was pretty good,” Hager says. “He was 19. He didn’t have a car or a job, but from there we just sat down and wrote songs. We brought people in for auditions and put a band together.” The group put out its first CD in March 2012 and the band subsequently played a CD release show the following month. In the wake of that release party, the group went through a number of line-up changes before settling upon the current incarnation that includes Hager, Humphries, bassist Greg Boehnlein and guitarist Dennis Downey. Two years ago, the Chromes signed a record deal with the local

imprint Abydos Records and began assembling the songs that would make up its hard-rocking new album, Let It Roll. The album opens with the Cheap Trick-meets-T. Rex rocker “Miss Crazy” and then never lets up. Some of the songs date back quite a few years. “I was into glam rock for a really long time and was really into the New York Dolls,” says Hager. “I don’t know if these guys are as into the glam so we’ve started to get away from that a bit. But we like any classic sounding music. You can hear a Rolling Stones influence.” “I like Chuck Berry — he’s one of the best guitar players ever,” says Downey. “I wanted to add some Berry-like licks and some Carl Perkins to the mix.” When they went into the studio to record at Abydos Studios in Richmond Heights, they wanted to capture the band’s live sound. “From the beginning, we wanted

engineer to get some outside perspective so Brian could focus on the artistic side of things,” says Boehnlein. “That was an interesting process for all of us. It’s hard to break out of the role and just be an artist and allow someone else to give you commentary. We wanted to have a live sound and an in-yourface mix but we wanted to retain the qualities of our influences and not just sound like T. Rex. We used more traditional recording and mastering techniques to get that retro sound. That, for me, someone who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s with the metal and progressive and grunge, my idea of mixing is totally different. In the end, we felt the

THE CHROMES, PAUL VICIAN AND FEEL 9 P.M., SATURDAY, DEC. 19, CODA, 2247 PROFESSOR AVE. 216-274-1200. FREE, DANTEBOCCUZZI.COM

to capture a playing together sound and more of a ’70s sound,” says Hager “We started doing the basic tracks all live together. We replaced some things after that and put new guitars over it. We ended up with less of a live sound because we kept the drums from the original session.” Producer Jeff McConocha, who Hager says has “a ’70s mentality,” helmed the project. “We wanted a producer and

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

eighth notes. We love the old material, but our writing is maturing a bit as a band as we learn how the other members play. The other guys know the value of space, and it gives the listener opportunity to sit in the mix and just absorb it. There’s a lot going on in the harmonies. I try to find some places to complement that when I can. The next album is more representative of us writing as a group. I bring the Queensryche and Metallica and Stone Temple Pilots and Brian brings the Stones and the Biters. Dennis brings the Chet Atkins and the Beatles and Harry brings the straight-up forward rock ’n’ roll beats. They’re such a pleasure to play with.” The group plans to record in February with a release date slated for fall. “The songs stylistically are a little bit of the same but we want to show off more musicianship — we’ll have better drumming and guitar playing and singing,” says Hager. “I want to change my style of singing and be a little smoother and not so punk sounding. More rock ’n’ roll and less glam. The next CD, you’ll see more songwriters listed. I would love to continue to have that retro vibe and have it sound a little more like today and not so much of the ’70s. That will be a real challenge. I love retro music but it’s hard to get the attention of people with it.”

After numerous line-up changes, the current version of the Chromes really shines.

collaboration with everyone came to a head.” The band has written enough songs for a new album. Members say they hope to record in early 2016. “Let it Roll is an example of where things are headed,” says Boehnlein. “Dennis likes to use alternative chord fingerings that complement what Brian does. It opens up the music and fills it out more. It’s less of pumping on the

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 63

LIVEWIRE

all the live music you should see this week

Photo by Ohio City Singers

Ohio City Singers play original Christmas music this weekend at Vosh. See: Friday.

WED

12/16

An Acoustic Evening with Marc Roberge of O.A.R.: We’ve been O.A.R. fans for some time, and not just because we celebrate Ohio pride. The band has always had a knack for crafting catchy, meaningful tunes -- songs that stick with you and tend to capture the essence of fun summers along the north shore. Marc Roberge, guitarist and singer, is the man behind many of the most iconic moments in O.A.R. songwriting. Tonight, he comes to Cleveland on his own, just a man and his guitar. Expect a more intimate version of the O.A.R. sound that we’ve come to know and love. The classics get the acoustic treatment tonight, and that’s certainly going to be a unique way to experience them. (Eric Sandy), 8 p.m., $38 ADV, $42 DOS. Music Box Supper Club. Vug Arakas/The Beyonders: After leaving Columbus a few years ago, Vug Arakas landed in Los Angeles. In that very strange place, Arakas found bizarre characters and disarming experiences. Those run-ins formed

the basis for a new journey in music. His recent release, Strange Way, features two songs that border on the jangly power pop of a Los Angeles from another time. Arakas uses space in his music — allowing his song to breathe among head-nodding percussion and bouncy bass lines. He’s a young songwriter, and he’s one that we’ll keep watching from here in Cleveland. Tonight should be a nice glimpse into what he’s doing out west. (Sandy), 9 p.m., $5. The Euclid Tavern. Bill Rudman’s “A Christmas Cabaret”: For tonight’s annual Christmas extravaganza, Bill Rudman has put together a show of more than 30 songs, blending Christmas standards and novelties. The set list draws heavily on Great American Songbook composers like Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. In the past, Rudman has also included “A Jazz Christmas Carol,” Jerome Kern’s 1917 ragtime version of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” He’s also likely to include a holiday song that George Gershwin composed at the age of 21 and a song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

in 1952. Yep, you can bring the grandparents to this gig. (Niesel), 7 p.m., $21-$45. Nighttown. Silverstein/Senses Fail/Hundreth/ Capsize: After 15 years, Silverstein has become a staple on the post-hardcore scene. Named after children’s author Shel Silverstein, the Ontario fivesome had a breakthrough with 2005’s Discovering the Waterfront, an accessible album that cracked the Billboard 200 the first week of its release. Songs such as “My Dagger Versus Your Sword” and “Already Dead” have pop melodies at their core while tracks such as “Smile Your Sleep” feature a balance of screaming and singing. The band rolled through town earlier this year on a tour commemorating the album’s 25th anniversary. This time around, the guys are touring in support of their new album, I Am Alive in Everything I Touch. (Niesel), 7 p.m., $18 ADV, $22 DOS. House of Blues. 10 X 3 Hosted by Brent Kirby (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Busking for Bread Benefit with C Level/Michelle Gaw/The Few and the Far/Matt Miller/Suite Case

Recor: 8 p.m., $10. Beachland Tavern. Bill Dobbins: 7 p.m., Free. BLU Jazz+. Aaron Gillespie: 6 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Craig Owens/Too Close to Touch/ When Skies are Gray/Trusting Obscurity: 8 p.m., $13 ADV, $15 DOS. Grog Shop. QS Jazz/Jim Lesher: Barking Spider Tavern. Helen Welch’s Christmas Show Jingle Bell Swing: 8 p.m., $25. Akron Civic Theatre.

THU

12/17

The Academy Is: 8 p.m., $22 ADV, $25 DOS. House of Blues. Harry Bacharach: 8 p.m., $12. BLU Jazz+. Chomp/Erienauts/Beach Glass: 8:30 p.m., $5. Beachland Tavern. Emotional Support Pigs/ Meanderthal: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Hillbilly Idol/The North Coast Goats: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Honky Tonk Holiday with Bill Kirchen & Too Much Joy/The Greaves: 8 p.m., $18 ADV, $20

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 65

LIVEWIRE DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Jack Fords (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Music Box Supper Club. Wolf Alice/Radkey: 9 p.m., $15. Grog Shop.

FRI

12/18

Ohio City Singers: About 10 years ago, local singer-songwriter Chris Allen and his sister Molly worked up four Christmas tunes at their father’s request and then threw a big Christmas party to which they invited their musician friends. They played the four original tunes they had penned as well as a few choice covers, recorded them and delivered them on a CD to their father as a Christmas gift. That signaled the birth of the Ohio City Singers, a group of local musicians that plays several Christmas-themed concerts each year. Now, the band is a seasonal treat and plays several area shows leading up to Christmas. This year, the group hasn’t released a new album in the works, but it did put out a rollicking new single, the accordion-driven “Baby, Don’t You Know It’s Christmas.” (Niesel), 9 p.m., $15. Vosh Club. Paul Christensen (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. DJ Craze/Jon Doe/Broken Keys/P. Stoops: 9:30 p.m., $14 ADV, $17 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Filmstrip/Luckey Ones/Charles Hill Jr.: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Heartbeat with Paul Weaver: 6 p.m., Free. The Euclid Tavern. Randy Houser/Frankie Ballard/ Craig Campbell: 7:30 p.m., $29.50-$49.50. Akron Civic Theatre. Jukebox Heroes: 9:30 p.m., $5. Brothers Lounge. The Tom Katlees/Bewarewolves: 9 p.m., $5. Grog Shop. Dennis Lewin: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown. Lost State of Franklin/Mr. Haney/ George Foley & Friends: 5:30 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. David and Valerie Mayfield/JP & the Chatfield Boys: 9 p.m., $8. Beachland Tavern. Ritual Howls: 9 p.m. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Barbara Rosene: 8 p.m., $12. BLU Jazz+. The Scintas: 9 p.m., $50-$112. The Tangier. Frank Sinatra Tribute with

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

Michael Sonata (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Music Box Supper Club. Soul Music & Other Music for the Soul with Lawrence Daniel Caswell: 6 p.m., Free. Happy Dog. Violent End/Yambag/Cider/ Wetbrain: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class.

SAT

12/19

Bossa Nova Night with Luca Mundaca (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $7. Music Box Supper Club. Boy Band Review Featuring the Hot Sauce Committee: 9 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. House of Blues. Jim Brickman: 7:30 p.m., $10-$75. Connor Palace. The Concert That Never Was: Tribute to Frank and Billie Featuring Dave Banks Big Band: 8 p.m., $20. BLU Jazz+. Heaven is in You Collaboration with Galcher Lustwerk/Broken Keys/Lucy & the Daze/Adab B2B/ Kiernan Laveux: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. Ramsey Lewis Trio: 7 p.m., $60. Nighttown. Alan Madej/The Pistolettes/The Tom Katlees Show: 8 p.m., $5. The Euclid Tavern. Mira Tamam/The Scuzzballs/ Michelle Gaw: 8 p.m., $5. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Mo’ Mojo/David Loy & the Ramrods: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Moon Rocks/AJ & the Woods: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. The Moxies/Harlend/Theta Waves/ The Scenic Route: 9 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Grog Shop. Mr. Gnome/Ohio Sky/GoldMINES: 8:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Ohio City Singers: 9 p.m., $15. Vosh Club. Old Skool: 9:30 p.m., $5. Brothers Lounge. The Scintas: 6:30 p.m., $50-$112. The Tangier. Snowed In Featuring Beartooth/ Hawthorne Heights/ Counterparts/Hit the Lights/ Knocked Loose/Bonfires/Let It Happen: 4 p.m., $20.80. Agora Ballroom. Michael Stanley and the Resonators/Donnie Iris and the Cruisers: 8 p.m., $47.50-$65. Hard Rock Rocksino. Travelin’ Johnsons (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown.

IN STORE 12/18/15

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 67

LIVEWIRE SUN

12/20

The 7th Annual Ryan Humbert Holiday Extravaganza: Country Christmas Featuring Ryan Humbert and Hillbilly Idol: Now in its seventh year, the annual Ryan Humbert Holiday Extravaganza: Country Christmas has become a holiday tradition. The concert, set to take place tonight and tomorrow night will feature singer-songwriter Ryan Humbert and singer Emily Bates with a few of their closest musical friends. Locals Hillbilly IDOL will back the duo as it plays holiday classics with a country and honky-tonk spin. The show will also feature “classic hits and hidden gems” from the country music songbook. The concerts will raise funds for Akron General’s Muffins for Mammograms program. (Niesel), 7:30 p.m. Akron Civic Theatre. The Black Dahlia Murder/ Goatwhore/Entheos/Artificial Brain: 6 p.m., $20 ADV, $25 DOS. Agora Ballroom. Crash Coffin and the Pallbearers: 6 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Cruel Winter Fest with Tae Miles and Ray Ave/Jstar the Dreamer/ Nuke Franklin/Walker OG/ Phazes/Tanqueray Twon/MC Creez Mob/Kipp Stone/D. Snoww/ Mondo Slade/Young James & Toby/Zell/Tribe Untitled/Don Purp/Iron Rose/KT Taylor & Rojas: 6 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Grog Shop. A Festivus Party with the Big Black Galactic/Acid Cats/Lethal FX: 9 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Hot Jazz Seven: 3 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Irish Sundays: The Kilroys (in the Supper Club): 4 p.m., Free. Music Box Supper Club. Ramsey Lewis Trio: 5 p.m., $60. Nighttown. Machine Gun Kelly: General Admission, hometown hero Machine Gun Kelly’s muchanticipated follow-up to his last studio album, 2012’s Lace Up, finally dropped earlier this year and debuted high on the Billboard charts. Prior to its release, the rapper released two singles from it: “Till I Die” and “A Little More.” The former starts with a bit of piano before the slow-motion beats

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

kick in and MGK begins rapping about how he’ll continue to be proud of his Cleveland roots “till I die.” Shot in Northeast Ohio, the video serves as a tribute to the city he calls home. Expect to hear these tracks and more as MGK, one of the city’s best known musical exports, plays the first of two sold out shows at House of Blues. (Niesel), 8 p.m., $39.50 ADV, $45 DOS. House of Blues. Mike Petrone (in the Wine Bar): 5:30 p.m. Brothers Lounge. The Scintas: 7 p.m., $50-$112. The Tangier. Secret Grief/Runaway Brother/ Admiral Phantom: 7 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.

MON

12/21

The 7th Annual Ryan Humbert Holiday Extravaganza: Country Christmas Featuring Ryan Humbert and Hillbilly Idol: 7:30 p.m. Akron Civic Theatre. Skatch Anderssen Orchestra: 8 p.m., $10. Brothers Lounge. Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and Beachland Present: Jingle Bell Jive: 7:30 p.m., $15. Beachland Ballroom. Machine Gun Kelly: $39.50 ADV, $45 DOS. House of Blues. Ray McNiece Tongue N Groove/ Not Quite Right: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Neighborhood Night Christmas Party with the Covemen/Maura Rogers & the Bellows/Dolfish: 8 p.m., Free. Beachland Tavern. Velvet Voyage (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Walk Off Hits: 6:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Agora Ballroom.

TUE

12/22

Kevin Bianchi & the Chestertons/ Emily & Ivory/Bryan Karas: 8:30 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Open Mic Night with Will Cheshier: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. The Rat Pack Featuring Frank, Dean & Sammy Christmas Show: 7 p.m., $5. Vosh Club. RBG 2015 with Muamin Collective/ OBNOX/Fresh Produce/LMNTL: 9 p.m., $5 ADV, $8 DOS. Grog Shop. Two-Set Tuesday Featuring Steve Masek: 7 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

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㘀㈀㄀㠀倀攀愀爀氀刀漀愀搀倀愀爀洀愀䠀攀椀最栀琀猀 ⠀㐀㐀 ⤀ 㠀㠀㘀 ⴀ 㔀㌀眀眀眀 ⸀ 礀漀爀欀琀漀眀渀氀愀渀攀猀 ⸀ 挀漀洀 magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 71

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015 73

magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

SAVAGE LOVE ROUGHLY SPEAKING By Dan Savage

Dear Dan, I’m a straight 26-year-old man who wants advice on helping my fiancée realize a particular fantasy. We have been dating for three years and are in a happy monogamous relationship. I was always vanilla, but she enjoys rougher sex and light bondage. We’ve incorporated some of this into our sex lives, and we are both happy with how fun it is. She has expressed interest in a rape fantasy. Both of us want to be safe when we do this, and we trust each other completely. But I cannot think of a way in which she can get the experience she desires while still maintaining a safe dynamic. I am wondering if you have advice on how I can help act out her fantasy in a way that we both have fun. — Seeking Erotic Advice Now You and the fiancée are obviously capable of communicating about varsity-level sex play, SEAN; your track record with bondage and rougher sex demonstrates that. Now you just have to use the same interpersonal skills that made your past kinky fuckfests possible — along with the same respect for limits, boundaries, and each other — to negotiate and realize your girlfriend’s edgy-but-thoroughly-common fantasy. I recommend reading “Rape Fantasy: How to Carry It Out Safely,” a long and thoughtful post at Slut Lessons (slutlessons.wordpress. com), an engaging sex blog that’s sadly no longer being updated. The first recommendation from Educated Slut, the site’s anonymous author: Maybe we shouldn’t call them “rape fantasies” at all. “A rape fantasy is almost invariably more about forced sex and not a desire to actually BE raped by someone,” writes Educated Slut. “Very few people have the desire to be put through the physical and emotional trauma of a real rape. This is the primary reason I refer to this as ‘forced sex fantasy’ rather than rape fantasy; it just gives the wrong impression to some people.” You might to be one of those people, SEAN. You seem to be under the impression that there’s something inherently more dangerous about realizing/role-playing a forced-

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sex scenario. And it may be more dangerous and/or triggering on an emotional level —talking through any past traumas or fears will be important — but slapping the label “rape fantasy” on rough(er) sex shouldn’t result in you having some sort of out-of-body experience that leads you to go apeshit on your helpless fiancée. Talk things through, agree on a safe word, and take it slow the first few times.

Dear Dan, I’m a single straight guy and this is probably going to sound really stupid, but… I basically stumbled over the cuckold fetish and I can’t get it out of my mind. I’ve tried to stay away from it because I’m pretty sure you aren’t supposed to feel like garbage after enjoying porn. But I can’t get it out of my head. It’s worrying, since I fear that one day it might end up spoiling things when I fall in love with someone since I’m a bit of a jealous person. The idea of a cheating woman is really hot in spite of all of that. But there’s this lingering feeling of disgust surrounding the whole thing. Is it possible to have a fetish you hate? — Baffled About Romantic Future Yes, you can have a fetish you hate, i.e., you can have a kink you don’t want to act on because the fantasy can’t be realized for moral or ethical reasons (it involves children, nonconsensual acts, Donald Trump) or because you’re fairly certain doing so would suck for emotional or physical reasons (potentially traumatizing, physically dangerous, Donald Trump). But if your only issue with your kink are those lingering feelings of disgust, those feelings may diminish the more time you spend thinking/ jacking about your newly revealed kink. Time will determine if your feelings of disgust are merely your run-of-the-mill, beneficial-to-overcome kink negativity or if they’re a sign cuckolding should remain a go-to masturbatory fantasy for you, BARF, without ever become a cheatingwoman reality.

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magazine | clevescene.com | December 16 - 22, 2015

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