Scene march 29, 2017

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The cozy relationship between Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn and Frank Jackson, and what it means for coverage of City Hall

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-!2#( !02), s 6/,5-% .O 39 Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Chris Keating Editor Vince Grzegorek

CONTENTS 5PFRONT

Editorial Managing Editor Eric Sandy Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Writer-at-large Kyle Swenson Web Editor Laura Morrison Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Contributing Dining Editor Rachel Hunt Stage Editor Christine Howey Visual Arts Editor Josh Usmani Copy Editor Elaine Cicora Interns Johnny Cook, Lawrence Neil

Cleveland’s homicide count is rising quickly in 2017; council president Kevin Kelley meets the press; and more

&EATURE

'ET /UT

Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn and Frank Jackson have gotten cozy in recent years. What does that means for coverage of City Hall?

Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Multimedia Account Executive Kiara Hunter-Davis Creative Services Production Manager Steve Miluch Layout Editor/Graphic Designer Christine Hahn Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace

All the events you should check out this week

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

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UPFRONT

“We need folks to step up. This has to be a community effort.” — Police Chief Calvin Williams

KINSMAN SHOOTINGS BRING CLEVELAND’S 2017 HOMICIDE COUNT TO 30 FOUR PEOPLE WERE SHOT Sunday night on side streets near Kinsman Road; by evening, police had cordoned off three separate crime scenes. Two people, a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, later died at University Hospitals. The incidents bring Cleveland’s homicide tally to 30 so far this year. Of those, eight victims have been under the age of 20. Some ballpark math puts 2017 on track to match or exceed previous years’ homicide counts. (Last year, the city saw 136 homicides; in 2015, 120; in 2014; 102; in 2013, 88. And note that homicides, generally, tend to rise in warmer months.) According to police, Sunday’s shootings converged around 4:30 p.m., each within just a block or two of one another. Few additional details have been released. The Sunday shootings follow a pair of incidents on Saturday, when a 61-year-old Cleveland State University adjunct professor was shot and killed nearby, on East 89th and Kinsman. Also on Saturday, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed at East 79th and Woodland. The sequence of events and motives surrounding those

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shootings have not yet been divulged, though three men have been arrested in relation to the Saturday incidents. According to police chief Calvin Williams, the Saturday and Sunday events may be linked. “We are heavily leaning toward there being some aspect of connectivity to Saturday’s and Sunday’s shootings,” he said. “We are asking for the public’s help. We want to stop this right now.” Still, nearly one quarter into the year, the increasing number of data points, clustered mostly in and around Mt. Pleasant and surrounding neighborhoods, provides a foothold in another violent year in Cleveland and a chance to take stock of how the impending spring is shaping up. Councilman Zack Reed remains one of the few local politicians who discusses the city’s rising homicide rate with any frequency or clarity. He’s introduced both legislation and opinion that demands more police officers (2,000 within three years, he’s suggested), later hours for community recreation centers and, delving into the nitty-gritty of neighborhood relations, working streetlights on every corner.

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

He tells Scene that the numbers for the first 10 weeks of each year are only getting worse, tracking with the yearly totals. (We’re in Week 13 now, for context.) Nonetheless and even in the wake of the Department of Justice consent decree and the calls for community policing, the city has yet to turn its soaring homicide rate into a marquee legislative or executive issue. As recently as last year, the resurrection of the “mini station” police policy — which in the past involved small satellite police stations in community centers — transformed into City Council histrionics. Mayoral candidate and city councilman Jeff Johnson proposed this year a citywide mini station plan. The emphasis on visibility and neighborhood policing is the key for Johnson and Reed, who have both routinely raised these arguments at council meetings for years. “City Hall and the mayor’s office have waited, in my opinion, too late to deal with this problem,” Reed says. “This problem right now is spreading like wildfire.” Mayor Frank Jackson and Chief Williams held a press conference

Monday afternoon, outlining the arrests behind the Saturday shootings and discussing on a more general level the investigations into gang activity and gun violence across Cleveland. “We had the wherewithal to prevent these things from happening,” Williams said, referencing the officers standing nearby and lamenting the lack of information provided by neighbors on the ground in and around Kinsman. He urged family members and neighbors to call the police department with any information related to gun violence. Jackson pointed to the flash mob and fights that erupted at the I-X Center over the weekend as an example of the police department’s Gang Impact Unit doing the sort of work that he finds vital to the city’s current plight. Three adults and two children were arrested at the I-X Center; Gang Impact Unit officials have intimated that, based on information, gun violence was imminent at the time they stepped in and broke up the fight. The city overhauled its gun ownership regulations in 2015,

and Jackson on Monday pointed to those new laws as a step in the right direction. In 2017 so far, the police department has confiscated more than 200 guns. Still, he recognized the constraints on gun control in Ohio. “What we have available to us to do is very limited based on state law,” Jackson said. As City Hall and many experts point out, the solution to neighborhood gun violence and gang activity will only come from a broad gamut of sources. Gun control is one oft-cited element, as Jackson and others pointed out this week, but there’s a network of communitybased resources and technologies that will play a role in how Cleveland addresses this ongoing problem. “We need folks to step up. This has to be a community effort,” Williams said. In the wake of this weekend’s shootings, Reed pointed to the Queensbridge Houses in New York City (the largest public housing development in the U.S.), which not too long ago celebrated 365 straight days without a single shooting. Among a spectrum of possible causes, local observers point to arts and cultural offerings, a robust security apparatus, after-school opportunities for children in the development and community partnerships with Cure Violence. “This is what we need,” he says. “It wouldn’t stop [violence] if you put police on every corner. But you can stop it if you go into those communities and let people know that this is not normal.” — Eric Sandy

KEVIN KELLEY PREDICTS Q DEAL WILL PASS CITY COUNCIL Cleveland city council president Kevin Kelley told reporters Monday morning that he expected city council to pass the Quicken Loans Arena renovation deal. In a gathering at his City Hall office, billed as the first in a series of “office hours”-styled press sessions, Kelley confirmed that he personally supports the Q deal, given the information he has available to him. He said he and his council colleagues have been meeting to discuss questions and concerns and that he has been forthcoming with information and sources, including the favorable recommendation of city finance director Sharon Dumas. The issue was scheduled to be first heard Tuesday morning at the Development, Planning & Sustainability Committee hearing, chaired by Anthony Brancatelli. Kelley said he expected it to be heavy on formal presentations.

“My one request,” Kelley said, referencing his colleagues, “is that if you’re against [the deal], that you be against it for the right reasons. Don’t be against it because it might be politically distasteful to a certain outside group.” He said that while he understands philosophical objections to corporate subsidies, he doesn’t think that that argument alone is sufficient to vote against this particular deal, which he refers to in the language of the Cavs: The Q Transformation. For Kelley, the argument is one of simple math: It’s a good deal for Cleveland citizens because the facility generates more money than it costs. The city’s financial contribution will come from the admissions tax. The same portion of the tax that currently goes to pay down debt on ’90s-era Gateway bonds (five-eighths for Cavs games, two-eighths for nonCavs events) would go toward the arena upgrades beginning in 2023. For Kelley, it’s cut and dry, merely a continuation of an existing financial arrangement. “Tell me how Cleveland loses by doing this,” Kelley said, paraphrasing what he would tell his colleagues who oppose the deal. “Make a better case than, ‘We shouldn’t be giving money to billionaires.’” Kelley objected, in even harsher terms, to the argument that investment in the Q was equivalent to disinvestment in Cleveland’s neighborhoods. He characterized that argument as a go-to political talking point (in what’s shaping up to be a contentious campaign summer), but an inaccurate one. “It’s a disingenuous argument,” Kelley said. “Investing in neighborhoods is all we do. Look at 90 percent of our budget.” He rattled off a list of city investments in his own Ward 13 (Old Brooklyn): $8 million for a Pearl Road streetscape project, the renovation of a historic bank building at Pearl and Broadview, $1.5 million for Loew Park, $375,000 for Goudreau Park, etc. Kelley said he called the press session to calibrate information in the media and to provide a regular opportunity to clarify council activities — to provide, he said, a “different and more complete perspective.” “Often what’s covered in the media is something said on the floor Monday night,” Kelley said. “But I would remind you that by then, the votes have already been taken ... . It’s important that I provide as much access as possible. I have nothing to hide.”

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THIS WEEK

Kelley presented highlights from the 2017 budget, scheduled to have been passed Monday evening — increased funds for public safety, parks and recreation, and public health — and called it the “best budget [he’s] been a part of.” He said that 2017 must be an “impact year,” to show residents that the income tax increase passed in 2016 will yield visible improvements in city services. But the recurring questions from the press corps focused on the Q deal. And though Kelley said he wanted to start with a blank slate and allow for ample presentations so his colleagues could make an informed decision, it looks like despite heated opposition from certain members, the votes are

PLAIN DEALER’S RIGHT-WING PHENOM KEVIN O’BRIEN TAKES BUYOUT Right-wing Plain Dealer deputy editorial page director Kevin O’Brien — he of the strenuous climate change denials and assorted jingoisms too dim and troglodytic to bother summarizing — will soon be gone. PD editor and president George Rodrigue confirmed by email that O’Brien was one of “a handful” of managers to take a voluntary buyout.

“I’ll miss him as a colleague,” Rodrigue wrote. “He’s a very capable editor, a forceful writer, and a great human being.” (Perhaps we would do well to recall the odd-couple friendship between Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia: “If you can’t disagree ardently with your colleagues about some issues ... and yet personally still be friends, get another job, for Pete’s sake,” Scalia once remarked. Maybe that’s as true in the newsroom as it is in the courthouse?) O’Brien has long been the paper’s older white male screaming his “opinions” in the direction of the deepest, dumbest suburbs, opinions so wrongheaded and destitute of logic and citation that Scene, in the midaughts, began a column devoted to his work. “The O’Brien Factor,” it was

called: We read Kevin O’Brien so you don’t have to. Our derision of O’Brien — much like the mockery by other outlets of tuneless racists and corporate goons who dot the editorial pages of midmarket dailies around the country — has been a staple of Cleveland’s alternative media for years. So in the sense that we’ll be losing a piece of very low-hanging fruit, we too will miss him. In general, we share the view of attorney Richard Herman, who respected O’Brien’s First Amendment rights to rant and rave, but questioned the Plain Dealer’s motives in publishing him. “Would you publish an Op-Ed by L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling that explained why African Americans are inferior to others?” inquired Herman in 2014, after an unsavory column by O’Brien about

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UPFRONT

already more or less lined up. “Do you think city council will be an impediment to getting this thing passed?” a reporter asked. Said Kelley, “I don’t think so, as I sit here today.” — Sam Allard

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illegal immigration, “simply because he believed in this viewpoint?” O’Brien was joined — dangling on the leeward branches of conservatism’s outermost trees — by former “Reader Representative” Ted Diadiun. Diadiun will continue his Forum section crusades, though it’s unlikely that even he will adopt O’Brien’s favorite position: Climate Change is Fake Because Today It’s Cold Outside. “[O’Brien] is not our only conservative columnist,” George Rodrigue wrote, when questioned about potential issues of editorial balance in the wake of O’Brien’s departure. “We will continue to offer that local conservative point of view through other writers.” — Allard

DIGIT WIDGET $35.4 MILLION Total cost of all collegiate athletic programs at the University of Akron, the highest in the state, even after cutting baseball program.

$5.2 MILLION Amount of bids by oil and gas companies for land (1,180 acres) in Ohio’s Wayne National Forest to be used for mineral extraction.

1,249,352 Cuyahoga County population. With a loss of nearly 6,000 residents last year, Cuyahoga is now the second-largest in the state, behind Franklin County, which gained 14,000 last year.

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BRIAN DAVIS, DIRECTOR OF THE NORTHEAST OHIO COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, WILL RESIGN THIS SUMMER According to a public message Brian Davis published last week, NEOCH seems intent on aligning itself more with the private sector and religious organizations — rather than public entities like Cuyahoga County — to achieve its housing and protective services goals. Most recently, Davis spoke out against the county’s apparently inevitable decision to award the women’s shelter operations contract to Frontline Services, which currently operates the shelter and which has drawn strong criticism for its management over the years. At monthly Homeless Congress meetings downtown, Davis presided over an engaged community that most recently has been turning its attention toward lobbying for a separate shelter for the “severely mentally ill” in Northeast Ohio. According to recent estimates, there are more than 20,000 people who classify as homeless in the city of Cleveland. NEOCH works with the area’s various service providers to ensure progress on matters like emergency and transitional housing, civil rights, education and health care. The coalition is run by a nine-member board, which Davis insists will oversee a smooth transition. Davis’s message, however, points to a growing rift between the county government, which runs much of the spectrum of homeless services, and NEOCH. “I worked with NEOCH for 22 years and have often rubbed the establishment the wrong way,” Davis wrote. “A new person can try to build bridges and downplay the advocacy piece until there is a better time for social justice. The agency can always use your volunteer assistance or your support in talking to elected officials on the importance of emergency housing assistance. NEOCH is only as strong as its membership.” He spoke with Scene recently and elaborated on that point. “We haven’t seen eye to eye on most things for about 10 years,” Davis said of Cuyahoga County government. “It’s been a strained relationship with the county for homeless policies. By the end of this year, we’ll have lost 520 beds in Cuyahoga County. We don’t think that’s a good strategy for how to reduce the population, especially when we’re going to see massive budget cuts.” Davis has had a role with NEOCH since his volunteer days in the mid-

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UPFRONT

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1990s, helping to run the Cleveland Street Chronicle and partnering with the Cleveland Tenants Organization before taking NEOCH independent in the 2000s. “I stepped down as director hopefully to encourage people who I’ve annoyed — to try to get them back on board,” Davis said. “If you are doing advocacy and no one is listening, are you really serving a purpose in the community? Nobody listens down in Columbus. Nobody is really listening in Washington anymore. It’s really rough times.” Davis’s resignation is effective June 1. Until then, the monthly Homeless Congress meetings will continue, and he’s hopeful that they’ll exist beyond his tenure. “It’s certainly very popular among the population,” he said. The board remains committed to the newspaper, its outreach program and the process of bringing religious organizations back into the fold. — Sandy

are former prosecutor Carmen Marino, whose legacy is so tainted with corruption and bombast that a Google search of his name reveals only the slimy trail he left as he slithered into and out of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center for 30 years. As we reported in our feature last year, Marino was instrumental in destroying the lives of Glover, Wheatt and Johnson. Another major part of the issue is that prosecutors have refused to dismiss the case with prejudice. While the charges against the three men were dropped during a new trial granted last year and the men were subsequently and finally “free,” the state has left open the possibility of re-indicting them for the 1995 murder of an East Cleveland man. With the state’s position that the case should not be dismissed, Johnson and his friends are up against an even greater burden in finding employment, housing or state compensation for their wrongful conviction; hence the civil litigation. — Sandy

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EAST CLEVELAND 3 LAWSUITS SLOWLY MOVING THROUGH COURT Eugene Johnson is suing the county prosecutors and East Cleveland detectives who had a hand in the wrongful conviction that landed him 19 years in prison. His lawsuit follows co-defendants Derrick Wheatt and Laurese Glover filing a separate civil suit last month. Known as the East Cleveland 3, Wheatt, Glover and Johnson have been free since 2015. The state and its prosecuting attorneys, however, have refused to dismiss the case with prejudice. Wheatt and Glover filed their lawsuit, and Johnson followed last week. The central point of contention has been covered in previous court hearings, leading to their exoneration two years ago: Members of the East Cleveland police department and the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office willfully suppressed evidence that would have proven the men’s innocence in the murder case. Specifically, the lawsuit cites “unduly suggestive witness identifications and photo lineups; and fabrication, destruction, and suppression of evidence.” (The lawsuit, as seen at clevescene.com, details the step-bystep process that law enforcement took to target the three men.) Among the named defendants

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

METROHEALTH APPROVES $1.3-BILLION BOND SALE As anticipated late last year, the MetroHealth System board of trustees has approved the issuance of up to $1.3 billion in revenue bonds to finance a massive hospital campus transformation. The board voted unanimously at its regularly scheduled Wednesday meeting. Though other financial arrangements had been considered, MetroHealth CEO Akram Boutros told Scene in November that seeking financing on the hospital system’s own credit — as opposed to the county’s, say — would lead to the “most efficient transformation.” In current plans, a brand-new medical campus on the MetroHealth footprint along West 25th Street will open in 2022. According to a press release, the transformation will include a new 12-story hospital building, a 1,200 to 1,500 parking garage and a central utility plant. “Buildings will be demolished to make way for green space and internal roads,” the release read, “with additional plans to revitalize the West 25th Street corridor.” The bonds will take 40 years to pay off. They’ll be underwritten by our dear friends at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan Securities. — Allard

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FEATURE

THE MAYOR’S MOUTHPIECE? Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn and Frank Jackson have gotten cozy in recent years. Here’s what it means for coverage of City Hall By Vince Grzegorek

THERE IS A CERTAIN REGULARITY TO MAYOR FRANK JACKSON’S SCHEDULE. On Monday mornings he has a legislative review with Valarie McCall, the city’s chief of government and international affairs, and then, usually, a school district briefing in the afternoon. He meets with his cabinet and the board of control on Wednesdays. On Thursdays he receives a public safety briefing. Fridays, there’s a meeting with his COO, his chief of staff, and the chief of regional development, along with a briefing from the law director. There are monthly meetings with county executive Armond Budish, quarterly meetings with the Port of Cleveland, and regular sit-downs with the federal-appointed monitor

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and city-appointed coordinator for the city’s consent decree with the Department of Justice. Jackson also enjoys semi-frequent get-togethers with the moneyed, corporate consiglieres representing the backbone of his support in the business community — Beth Mooney, Albert Ratner, Joe Roman, David Larue, Sam Miller, etc. But one name stands out in a review of a full year of the mayor’s calendar, November 2015 to November 2016: Chris Quinn, the editor of Advance Ohio, better known as Cleveland.com. Outside of government officials, Quinn got more face time with Frank Jackson than anyone: 11 individual one-on-one meetings in addition to at least six trips by the mayor to 1801 Superior Ave. to visit the Cleveland.com/Plain Dealer editorial board. This professional bromance hasn’t gone unnoticed inside or outside of City Hall. Sources within the city’s journalism and political communities feel, and worry, that the frequency of the get-togethers, and Cleveland. com’s coverage of Jackson, show that Jackson is the partner more firmly in control. “They definitely have a close relationship,” a City Hall source who requested anonymity as to speak freely told Scene. “It seems as if there is ever an issue specifically involving the mayor, he calls Chris and things are fixed. I don’t know if it is just out of respect for each other but it happens frequently — if he’s misquoted or his position isn’t firmly stated or he just feels a piece is lacking something in general. He also pitches Chris on a lot of stories.” “Reading Cleveland.com you get a really good sense of what the mayor’s thinking,” says one local newsroom leader, “but not much else.” | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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FEATURE Chris Quinn has been with the PD for more than 17 years now. Back at the beginning of his Northeast Ohio tenure, when he arrived from the Orlando Sentinel, he covered City Hall. And by all accounts he was a sharp and tenacious reporter. This was the Mike White era, when Jackson was a councilman, and the mayor-cum-alpaca farmer actively shitlisted the Plain Dealer for what he felt was unfair coverage. White’s petty, vindictive crusade included releasing public records requested by the paper directly to competitors and tossing a PD reporter from a bombshell announcement, at a public elementary school, that he wouldn’t be seeking a fourth term. Quinn, for his part, once sent a letter requesting an interview with White after the mayor had surgery for hammertoe and scribbled, “a common cause of it is the wearing of high heels ‌ . Is it possible he used lifts under his heels?â€? White released the letter publicly. The evolution from a no-nonsense reporter who fearlessly and nastily (and maybe regrettably) asked about the mayor wearing high heels to an editor who seems to have rather relished his ascension into Cleveland’s comfy and comingling elite is strange, especially given his resume. The Plain Dealer itself, of course, has mellowed and shrunk — through attrition, through advertising declines, and through its owner’s unique brand of ineptitude. In 2013, Advance Publications, in a transparent unionbusting schism scheme, stunned employees by unveiling a “digital-ďŹ rstâ€? company called Northeast Ohio Media Group (non-union) from the Plain Dealer proper (union) and pared homedelivery of the paper back to three days a week. The clunky Northeast Ohio Media Group moniker was eventually dropped in favor of Cleveland.com. Further, the parent “digital marketing and advertising companyâ€? formerly known as NEOMG was renamed Advance Ohio in mid-2016. If you’re an outsider unfamiliar with Cleveland’s media past and are a little confused at what it means, know that you’re not alone. The mad-libs rebranding was not only hard to follow but also did exactly zero in service of the readers who saw, and see, Cleveland.com reporting in the print version of the Plain Dealer and Plain Dealer reporting on Cleveland.com. It was Chris Quinn who Advance Publications tapped to lead the newsroom of whatever it is you want

to call Cleveland.com after the split. It was a sensible choice: After covering City Hall for the PD, Quinn had risen in the ranks to deputy metro editor and then metro editor. In both cases, those familiar with his direction say, Quinn maintained a healthy but energetic adversarial bent on City Hall. He seemed to carry that over after his promotion too, despite the internal organizational upheaval. Cleveland.com went aggressively after Jackson on patronage hires, unfulďŹ lled campaign promises, and his relationship with city council. The man who led that charge is unrecognizable to those who know him and who have followed the PD and Cleveland.com’s once robust City Hall

Chris Quinn

beat and the desiccated husk it has become. Multiple people have described a burgeoning ego that’s ridden shotgun with his rise in rank (Quinn was recently again promoted, to editor and president of Advance Ohio). The reporter slinging rocks at the powered elite has now become one of them, and a stubborn one at that. Roldo Bartimole is the closest thing Cleveland has to a media watchdog. He has persistently and passionately kept tabs on the PD/Cleveland.com for decades. And while almost everyone interviewed for this story asked to remain anonymous — they were talking about two of the most powerful men in Cleveland, after all — Bartimole has no such qualms. “The coverage of the mayor himself has been soft. There’s plenty on the record going back years to be critical about. It doesn’t seem to be of interest at the PD,â€? says Bartimole. “Quinn was a dogged reporter during Mayor Michael White’s ďŹ nal years. His animosity toward White is a complete contrast with his attitude toward Jackson. He has totally failed to have his staff meet that standard in coverage of Jackson. There just have been too many missed opportunities to point out Jackson’s faults.â€?

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Jackson’s faults are indeed fertile and necessary ground. But while Cleveland.com has delved into some of his missteps — the city’s inept maintenance and deployment of snow plows, the perpetual mess at Hopkins, Cleveland Public Power levying hidden fees upon customers, Cleveland’s expensive and yet futile efforts at road repair — it devotes far more effort and space to his defense than to his prosecution. That’s especially true of the editorial board, of which Quinn is a member and influential force, and for Quinn’s appearances on WCPN’s reporter’s roundtable, where he can regularly be heard carrying Jackson’s water on issues from Public Square to the consent decree. The result? A feeling in City Hall that Quinn is receptive to pushback when it comes to coverage the mayor finds negative. (Since the mayor is filodough thin-skinned, it happens often.) And there’s newsroom concern that pieces poised to land square punches on Jackson are pulled short, that leashes are kept on, that criticism is neutered. The problems, some sources say, began in January 2015. Cleveland. com had just launched a series called “Forcing Change,” written by Cleveland.com’s Leila Atassi (then the City Hall beat reporter) and Plain Dealer reporter Rachel Dissell in a rare example of reporters from the two organizations being allowed to work together. The multi-part series unfurled over two weeks, examining 60 lawsuits against the city of Cleveland and the police department over the previous decade alleging violent force. In all, the city dished out some $8 million in settlements or judgments in the cases. Jackson wasn’t pleased with the series. He, chief of staff Ken Silliman and others were incensed. They felt City Hall’s side of the story hadn’t been adequately represented. Someone in the mayor’s circle suggested opening a line of communication with Cleveland.com, one that hadn’t really existed then, at least not to that degree. “They just keep beating you up,” one person told the mayor. Meetings were arranged. By the end, according to a source familiar with the conversation, Quinn had “apologized to Frank for the tenor of the story.” You’d forgive any growing unease among reporters after that, especially when those meetings began to happen on a monthly basis. Quinn, for his part, had no interest

14

Photo by Sam Allard

FEATURE

Mayor Frank Jackson

in speaking to Scene for this story. “Given your publication’s penchant for publishing fiction about cleveland. com and its staff in your lowbrow quest to harm our reputation, I don’t consider yours to be a responsible news organization. As such, I decline to speak with you.”

It is natural, and in fact necessary, for the mayor to have a working relationship with the leader of the largest media outlet in town. Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer are the largest conduit to the public’s general understanding of the city and its issues. They set the tone and largely decide what is and what isn’t news. Various outlets, including the TV stations, follow in their wake. It makes sense for Jackson and his staff to want to talk to the biggest megaphone around. As one City Hall staffer noted, “I think everyone

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

feels that it’s important for the city’s message that the Plain Dealer get things right, so they take more time with them.” But while City Hall has good reason to schmooze the daily, the paper has squandered its access on rah-rah cheerleading that fails to raise the big questions, much less answer them. The coverage of the Q Transformation deal is a good example. We’ve known for two years now that the Cavs approached Cuyahoga County with a plan for a $140 million makeover and upgrade on Quicken Loans arena, splitting the cost with public and private money. On the morning of Dec. 13, 2015, announcements went out that all the major players would be holding a press conference at 2 p.m. to announce the deal. Just as Len Komoroski, Armond Budish and Frank Jackson publicly unveiled

the plan, Cleveland.com published an entire special package on the deal. To the minute, actually, which made sentences like this, “The plan to fund a $140-million renovation of Quicken Loans Arena was announced Tuesday to much fanfare and celebration,” published as the announcement was being made, sound very weird. Who was celebrating? Where was the fanfare? Budish and the Cavs, at the coordination of Eliza Wing, the county’s chief communications officer, had earlier visited Cleveland.com and walked through the details. In an internal email that morning, Quinn boasted to staff, “We’ve spent weeks arranging for exclusive early access to everything involved in this story. We have it covered.” Which makes the resulting product even more disappointing. Then and now Cleveland.com’s coverage remains so buoyantly boostertastic as to resemble an armada of pom-poms floating down the Cuyahoga River, right past where Dan Gilbert has long promised and failed to build phase two of the casino. The original series aimed to be both digestible in format (lists, naturally) and language. “We love our sports teams — but man, do we hate the notion of using taxpayer dollars to pay for arenas and stadiums to further enrich players and team owners,” went one folksy riff. Yet despite that, and despite the fact that the project had been, by their own account, under scrutiny for the better part of a year, the paper parroted the talking points of Budish and the Cavs, many of which have since been proven untrue. For example, the paper initially trumpeted that funding would be a 50-50 split. It’s not; with interest on the bonds, the price tag comes to some $282 million. The public’s portion of that bill: $160 million. They also regurgitated data from a report commissioned by the Cavs by Conventions, Sports & Leisure International in Texas, a company whose whole business depends on justifying stadiums and convention centers, which is reason enough to be skeptical of the data. Worse still, headlines covering the report, including “The Q averages 2 million guests, $245 million in direct spending a year,” are simply false. The report is very clear that the $245 million figure is for 2016 and includes $45 million directly connected to the RNC. Twenty-five percent of that total figure is substitute spending — money people would spend somewhere else locally, if not for the Gateway district. The content itself is no better,

littered with tidbits that sound directly like Quicken Loans talking points left unchecked. For instance: “Less than 25 percent of the events at the Q are related to the Cavs. Yet, the Cavs point out, Gilbert is willing to invest millions of his own money in a facility that he not only doesn’t own, but that would become a public liability if his team were to leave.” Yes, Cleveland.com was on the bleeding edge of stoking the (unfounded and unchallenged) fear that the Cavs would leave town without a deal. The piece also never explains that not only does Gilbert own the Monsters and Gladiators, which play at the arena, but that Quicken Loans runs and profits from every other private event at the arena. The Cavs were taken at their word, no questions asked. In short, Cleveland.com published at least nine stories out of the gate before the press conference was even over, all culled from access to the likes of Budish and Cavs’ executives, filled with little but rubber-stamp admiration. It didn’t feel so much that the site scored a scoop but rather that they were partners in the roll out. That support hasn’t waned. The editorial board has since twice opined, breathlessly, of the glorious plan, calling it a “sharply crafted deal”

before county council could even finish public comment and deliberations on the topic. And, after opposition arose, they chimed in again. “Despite attempts at revisionist history” the public should “leave aside the smallminded grousing,” never mind the “second-guessing intended to distract attention from the plain and obvious benefits” and remember that “none of the 11th-hour finger-pointing can devalue the facts.” The condescending tone was bad enough. Worse yet was how the board threw their own colleague under the bus. In March of this year, reporter Karen Farkas had written a story after talking to former county exec Ed FitzGerald. He’d been approached by the Cavs with the same offer while in office and turned it down. He reiterated why he’d been against the deal, which was interesting because by most accounts it was the same deal on the table now, a $140 million renovation split “50-50.” Budish, while stoking fears that Dan Gilbert would tear away the Cavs from LeBron’s backyard, had insisted that he’d negotiated the most important part of the deal, by his estimation: a lease extension by the Cavs. Farkas’ reporting showed otherwise. The Cavs had brought a

lease extension to the table as part of the original deal, FitzGerald said. It was no small tidbit. As the county and the city prepare to hand over hundreds of millions of dollars to a billionaire, it’s only right that citizens ask what exactly has been negotiated on their behalf. The editorial board was having none of it and could barely hide their contempt. Instead of recognizing or even mentioning that, by their own coverage’s account, Budish had lied to their reporter and the taxpayers, they took a potshot at Ed FitzGerald’s personal life and failed gubernatorial campaign. Lowbrow efforts to damage reputations, indeed. The deal did and does beg for scrutiny, and Cleveland.com seems either uninterested in or incapable of providing it for their readers.

Last year, Mayor Jackson began earnestly working on a project that would spend $2.3 million to build an eastside, inner-city dirt bike track and park. There’s a fascinating and headline-grabbing subculture of mostly black, mostly urban men who ride dirt bikes on city streets. (Scene, in fact, covered them in a May 2015 cover story.) They pop wheelies and

course through the streets breaking a small litany of laws — bikes are largely not registered, and they blow through stoplights and disobey other traffic codes. There have been accidents, some gravely serious. Jackson’s idea was to build a park for the riders — to help get them off city streets, to show the city is listening to their needs. The plan would eventually, and contentiously, be approved by a divided city council in January of this year. In October, months prior to the vote, Cleveland.com launched a special series, including five stories and video accompaniments called “Bike Life,” that heartily endorsed the idea. It was largely bereft of any criticism — of spending $2.3 million when the city had other needs, of spending the money on a dirt bike track when the city’s recreation centers are badly in need of repairs. It asked that readers ignore the mayor’s personal connection — his grandson is part of the group, and has been arrested twice for riding illegally — and brush aside the other concerns. In a vacuum, the series wouldn’t be troublesome. But enterprising takeouts with that amount of resources are something that Cleveland.com rarely does. And it had Quinn’s fingerprints all over it.

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One writer defends the idea, arguing that the motorbike culture and park produced intersections with crime and violence and neighborhoods that were worth exploring. But, with its quivering support and probable City Hall origins, the lack of any substantive voice opposing the idea (and there was no shortage of those voices) seemed odd. “I wonder if it was verboten,â€? notes one writer on the lack of critical questions in the package. As one person familiar with Quinn’s management style points out, “He doesn’t just assign stories; he assigns angles. You know what you’re supposed to get when you walk out the door.â€? Perspective like that might make a reader think differently of, or at least be more skeptical about, some of the paper’s coverage, including a recent look at Jackson’s “comprehensive planâ€? for youth violence. A recent look at Jackson’s three terms, published on Jan. 31, gave equal weight to criticism of the mayor and his side of the story. The downsides, soft-pedaled as they were, nevertheless drew the ire of Jackson. And he let Cleveland.com know it the next day when he visited the editorial board to, as is his tradition, unveil the proposed city budget. The resulting article was titled “Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson’s 2017 budget improves city services with new income tax.â€? Not “spends more money on city services,â€? or, “hopes to improve city services,â€? because never before has Cleveland dumped millions of dollars into something only to screw it up. Two weeks later, they followed it with a fawning, long feature, “Here’s how mayor Frank Jackson plans to quell violence, improve lives of innercity youth.â€? “This year, Jackson has launched a comprehensive plan to address the youth violence epidemic facing the city. It draws together violence intervention, street outreach, social programming, workforce development and community policing, under the coordination of Duane Deskins, the city’s new chief of Prevention, Intervention and Opportunity for Youth,â€? the article began — and continued in that vein for 1,400 words. But for all its length, there was little examination of Jackson’s failed efforts in the past, nor dissenting views. Nor did it mention that Jackson’s appointee, Deskins, was recently in headlines for performance at his previous job at the prosecutor’s ofďŹ ce:

There, the Juvenile Division, under his leadership, failed to follow up on dozens of sexual assault cases that sat dormant for years, according to newly elected county prosecutor Mike O’Malley.

Mayor Jackson is a reluctant politician who eschews publicity and remains privately guarded, if not outwardly unenthusiastic. He’s a 180-degree turn from politicians like Jeff Johnson and Zack Reed, who seem most comfortable when a mic or TV camera is in front of them. A recent press day where he sat down with WCPN’s Rick Jackson and WKYC for extended interviews are anomalies: It’s campaign season and even a relative media hermit like Frank knows he needs some play on the local airwaves. Outside of re-election efforts, though, everyone but Cleveland.com is left to chase the story and pick up on Jackson’s message through them. In keeping, repeated requests to interview the mayor on this and other topics were declined through a city spokesperson. SpeciďŹ c questions regarding the mayor’s general views of his relationship with the media and how his administration has been covered went unanswered. A spokesperson did at one point in January call to offer an off-therecord meeting with Jackson, only to call back 10 minutes later with the message, “The mayor says thanks but no thanks.â€? (The same spokesperson attempted to defend the allocation of the mayor’s time with media by saying Jackson spoke to plenty of local reporters in the leadup to the RNC last summer.) It’s not just Scene getting cut out. TV stations are fuming. The Public Square/RTA battle is a good example. Jackson, as Clevelanders well know, closed the square to public transit and petulantly stood ďŹ rm and defended his reasoning (safety concerns, naturally) for weeks and months in the face of a $12 million penalty by the Federal Transit Administration. On Feb. 7, the RTA released the results of a trafďŹ c study that said the square should be reopened to buses. Later that day, as it became clear this ran contrary to the mayor’s opinion, a press conference was organized. Reporters at City Hall were welcomed by the city’s chief operating ofďŹ cer Darnell Brown and police chief Calvin Williams. The mayor was nowhere to be found. But as it turned out, Jackson had already had his say on the matter.

Earlier that day, the mayor talked to Quinn, who along with the editorial board had defended Jackson on the topic through the duration of the spectacle, and some reporters, including the Plain Dealer’s transportation writer. The resulting PD article was tough on Jackson. But that didn’t assuage the feelings of reporters at every other outlet in town who expected the chance to ask Jackson questions directly. Andrew Horansky of WKYC tweeted, “Mayor Jackson not present at this news conference. His Chief of Operations, asked twice, hasn’t explained where he is.� It was more than one-time sour grapes. Jackson’s sheltered personality and Quinn’s unique access have become a source of frustration for reporters who feel that Quinn’s not doing his job and Jackson is preventing them from doing theirs. “If he wins a fourth term,� said one competing reporter, “he simply can’t keep operating this way.�

There is sympathy to be had for Chris Quinn. Like others in his position around the country, he’s leading a newsroom that looks much different than the one he cut

his teeth in. In addition to City Hall and cops and courts and real estate and healthcare and sports, he’s now in charge of an operation that also pumps out 12-part slideshows on the cutest cats of Cleveland, articles on “5 sexy outďŹ ts for Valentine’s Day,â€? and a near-endless feed of headlines like “50 movie comedies that made Millennials LOLâ€? and “Brief history of Nicki Minaj’s obsession with LeBron James.â€? He’s navigating that landscape with a bastion of young reporters in a “digital-ďŹ rstâ€? operation that somehow still feels like it’s always playing digital catch-up. He’s also navigating what is still a strange and bitter split between Cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer, each with their own ďŹ efdoms and beats, and little cooperation between the two. At one point last year, for example, Cleveland.com and the PD both sent a reporter to a conference in Baltimore without knowing the other had planned on sending a writer there. Still, it’s distressing to watch the crumbling of a once-great journalistic institution. It’s been eons since the publication has been a ďŹ nalist for, let alone won, a major award. And stafďŹ ng decisions continue to show wanton disregard

for reporting the people’s business. Atassi, for instance — whose sourcing and in-depth knowledge of City Hall Quinn championed in an editorial last year, noting, “Without analysis, perspective and context, what we do is just stenographyâ€? — recently departed from the City Hall beat. Surely Bob Higgs, who took over the gig, will do a ďŹ ne job. But with the mayoral election this fall, it’s an odd decision that sacriďŹ ces serious institutional knowledge. (Atassi, who declined to comment for this story, says that she’s working on a longterm project for the foreseeable future.) The “stenographyâ€? gloat is even emptier when you talk about the county. Cleveland.com has assigned Karen Farkas to cover not just Cuyahoga County, but also higher education and gambling. In the land of Dimora, the county beat is now considered one-third of a job. If you’ll forgive the stafďŹ ng exegesis, there is a point: Maybe, in the face of dwindling resources and a reshaped editorial newsroom and focus, Quinn sees access to Jackson as something worth nurturing and holding onto. Maybe the battle scars of the Plain Dealer vs. Mike White era have informed his view of the subject/editor relationship.

“Why would I talk to a media outlet that purposefully distorts the truth?â€? White told the paper back in the day. “The decision to phase out the Plain Dealer was made after years of attempting to obtain fairness and balance in its coverage of my administration. Clearly, we were unsuccessful.â€? At the time, the PD’s editor in chief — Quinn’s boss — bristled. “Every politician would like to be able to write the stories about his or her administration and have them be ďŹ lled with admiration.â€? That’s not what’s happening now, to be clear. But some ďŹ fteen years later, Cleveland’s biggest media outlet showers mostly admiration on Jackson’s administration. The chilly dĂŠtente between City Hall and 1801 Superior has thawed to a warm, rolling river with Jackson and Quinn in a canoe enjoying the scenery. Who’s got the oars? The question’s importance is summed up no better than by Quinn himself. “Without analysis, perspective and context, what we do is just stenography.â€?

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party, a weekly series at Music Box Supper Club that pairs fine food with storytelling, aims to help raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. The club’s owners consider the Cleveland History Center to be “one of the most interesting museums in Cleveland” and “an unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about and support.” The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to “bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past — from sports, to rock ’n’ roll, to Millionaire’s Row,” as it’s put in a press release. Each week features a guest speaker and a custom prix fixe menu — a full three-course meal for only $20. (The talk, itself, is free to attend.) Dinner is served at 6 p.m., and the storytelling starts at 7. Tonight, Bob DiBiasio, Cleveland Indians’ senior vice president, will share stories from the World Series. The featured three-course dinner includes popcorn bisque, brats and kraut, and a banana split. (Jeff Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

ART

MUSIC

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Billy Crystal A Tony- and Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, producer, writer and director, Billy Crystal returns to his standup roots for his current tour, which includes tonight’s show at Playhouse Square’s State Theatre. Crystal became a household name after roles in films such as When Harry Met Sally, City Slickers and Analyze This. A nine-time host of the Academy Awards, he’s also an award-winning author. His memoir, Still Foolin’ ’Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going and Where the Hell Are My Keys? was a New York Times best seller. “This show is unique,” says Crystal in a press release. “There’s standup, and ‘sit down’ which gives me great freedom to tell stories, show film clips and talk about my life and career and the world as I see it. It’s loose, unpredictable and intimate. The most fun I’ve had on stage in a long time.” The performance begins at 8, and tickets start at $64. (Niesel) 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

Ekphrastacy at Heights Arts At 7 tonight, Heights Arts presents the multi-faceted gallery talk, Ekphrastacy: Artists Talk + Poets Respond, based on its current exhibit Public Conscience through Graphics and Illustration. At a time when our country’s social and political future is perhaps its most uncertain, this group exhibition is well timed to explore and express our shared hopes and anxieties. The exhibition collects the work of local artists who utilize the communicative abilities of graphic art and illustration to express sometimes difficult ideas and concepts to their viewers. Co-curated by local artists Leslye Arian and David King, Public Conscience through Graphics and Illustration remains on view through Sunday, April 16. During tonight’s event, many of the contributing artists will participate in a gallery talk and invited poets will read new writings in response to the works on view in the exhibition. Admission is free. (Josh Usmani) 2175 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3457, heightsarts.org.

Comedian Steve Byrne returns to Hilarities. See: Thursday.

Frode Haltli and Emilia Amper Norwegian composer and accordionist Frode Haltli teams up with Swedish nyckelharpa virtuoso Emilia Amper to play Scandinavian folk-inspired music tonight at 7:30 at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Over the years, Haltli has recorded more than 10 albums of music and premiered more than 100 new works. Tonight he and Amper will perform his concert-length piece, The Border Words, a work that traces the connection between Nordic folk music and Indian and Arabic scales. Tickets range from $30 to $45. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org. FILM

Waters Wednesday Director John Waters has made some remarkable movies over the course of a career that stretches back decades. He defined a satirical style that critics have subsequently dubbed camp. The last Wednesday of the month at Now That’s Class is Waters Wednesday. The club will play a Waters movie and have a competition to go alongside it. For tonight’s event, the club will screen

his “gritty and high-spirited” A Dirty Shame. Admission is free, but the drinks will cost ya. (Niesel) 11213 Detroit Ave., 216-221-8576, nowthatsclass.net.

THU

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COMEDY

Steve Byrne Comedian Steve Byrne, the star and creator of Sullivan & Son, gets laughs by making fun of people based on the types of music they listen to; he also likes to have audience members join him on stage so he can create his own boy band. Next month, Byrne’s new comedy special will premiere. It features observational jokes about married life. “Eating at McDonald’s is the closest I’ll come to cheating on my wife,” he jokes. “I see those arches and think, ‘Oh shit, I want you inside of me.’” Expect a lively, interactive show when Byrne performs tonight at 8 at Hilarities, where he has performances scheduled through Saturday. Tickets are $23 to $30. (Niesel) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

Handel’s Royal Fireworks Music British conductor Harry Bicket leads the Cleveland Orchestra tonight as it plays the fireworks music that George II commissioned Handel to compose in 1749 for a grand festival celebration. The piece became one of Handel’s most popular works and has remained so ever since. The concert, which begins at 7:30 at Severance Hall, will also include Handel’s Concerto Grosso in A major, Opus 6, No. 11, as well as pieces by Rameau and Purcell. Performances also take place at 11 a.m. tomorrow (minus the Purcell piece) and at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $29 to $149. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. SPORTS

Monsters vs. Charlotte Checkers For Thursday games at the Q, the Cleveland Monsters offer a special deal for college students. Students with a proper ID can buy tickets for just 6 bucks, and they’re eligible for a $6 College Meal Deal that includes a hot dog, chips and a soda. Tonight’s opponent: the Charlotte Checkers. The game begins at 7 p.m. and general admission tickets start at $10. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com. | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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PechaKucha Night Cleveland Taking place in dozens of cities around the world, every PechaKucha Night features 10 creative speakers using 20 slides, and each slide is limited to 20 seconds. The result is an evening of fast-paced, exciting presentations, limited to just 400 seconds. Rather than speaking to a particular theme, presenters offer topics about which they are most passionate. This may include visual art, photography, technology, architecture, food, film and furniture design. In Cleveland, PechaKucha Night marks its 30th event from 7 to 10 tonight at the Music Box Supper Club. Presentations begin at 8:20 p.m. Speakers include Muslim artist Ayman Alkayali, poet-rapper Daniel Gray-Kontar, and photographerauthor James Douglas Shields. Although the event is free, donations are accepted. One dollar from each donation goes to PKN Global to support the organization, and the rest of the proceeds help keep PKN Cleveland free. See the website for registration and additional details. (Usmani) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, pechakucha.org.

advantage of happy hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets to the cocktail class are $27.37 and include light hors d’oeuvres and two cocktails. (Niesel) 2523 Market Ave., 216-241-4243, theflyingfig.com.

about relationships and sex translates well to the stage. Williams performs tonight at 7:30 at the Improv Comedy Club; performances continue through Sunday. Tickets are $20. (Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com.

SPORTS

SCHEDULE ALL FILMS START AT 7 PM | ROCK HALL’S FOSTER THEATER

WED.

4/26 5/17 5/25

WED.

Thur.

Tupac Live at the House of Blues & see the new 2017 Inductee exhibit

Sir Doug and the Genuine Texas Cosmic Groove Celebrating the Summer of Love 50th anniversary

A Hard Day’s Night Beatles. Classic.

CASH BAR available at each film

ART

Pop-Up Art Gallery Today, Ohio City Moto hosts its first Pop-Up Art Gallery. Open to local artists on a first-come, first-claimed basis, Ohio City Moto’s showroom will be filled with tables and other space for artists to display work at the beginning of the event. Show Your Work: Pop-Up Art Gallery takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. Whether you’re exhibiting or hanging out, admission is $10 and registration is available through Eventbrite. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, which serves students from preschool through high school with workshops, programs and long-term residencies. (Usmani) 2515 Jay Ave., 216-600-9303, ohiocitymoto.com. DRINK

Tom’s Foolery and Red Eagle Distillery Cocktail Class at the Flying Fig Ryan Wilkins of the Flying Fig and Lorilei Bailey of Tom’s Foolery will lead a class tonight making cocktails with Northeast Ohio’s best locally distilled spirits. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Flying Fig. If you arrive early, you can take

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is So Gay hosts. The event begins at 7:30 at the Beachland Ballroom. Tickets are $17 in advance, $20 at the door. VIP and reserved seats are also available. (Niesel) 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.

Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers With the NBA regular season winding down, the Cavaliers still need every win they can get to ensure home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs. Tonight’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, one of the worst teams in the league, should provide a bit of a breather, even if the young players on the Philly team have recently played with plenty of heart. The game begins at 7:30 at the Q. Tickets start at $62. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com. DANCE

CSU Spring Dance Concert 2017 Faculty, staff, musicians and guest artists will contribute to the CSU Spring Dance Concert 2017, which takes place at 7:30 tonight and tomorrow night at the Allen Theatre. Billed as “an eclectic evening of traditional contemporary choreography,” the performance aims to appeal to a diverse audience of all ages, though all children must be seated with an adult. Tickets are $5. (Niesel) 1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. FOOD

FREE for Members • Non-Members $5.50 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44114 | rockhall.com | 216.781.ROCK COMEDY

Brad Williams At 4-foot-4, diminutive comic Brad Williams hasn’t let his height become an obstacle. He prefers to think of his height (or lack thereof) as a disability that’s become the basis for all his jokes. Carlos Mencia reportedly discovered him one night and made him his opening act. Williams has also made countless appearances on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live, Jackass and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. His high energy combined with his raw skits

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

FRI

03/31

BURLESQUE

13th Anniversary Show Le Femme Mystique Burlesque, the local burlesque troupe, celebrates its 13th anniversary tonight with a special show that features Miss Aurora Matrix and Bella Sin in addition to local favorites Marley Teenie and Miss Holly Grail, and newcomer Trick Diction. Ken Schneck from This Show

Fish Fry-Days Throughout Lent, Prosperity Social Club hosts its fish fry, dubbed Fish Fry-Days, every Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The special Lenten menu includes the Big Fish Fry, a seasonal staple that features a generous portion of haddock covered in a fluffy blanket of beer batter and complemented by homemade coleslaw, house tartar sauce and old-school-style mac and cheese. Last year, the event received national attention when the homecooked Big Fish Fry was featured on TV chef Andrew Zimmern’s Delicious Destinations. New this year: Chef Ed Kubitz has added a lemony shrimp piccata pasta to the list of Fish Fry-Day offerings. (Niesel) 1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com. ART

A Grand Opening Celebration A city better known for its mall than its culture, Mentor has a new art gallery. Owner Carol Pitts calls her new Stella’s Art Gallery “the only

working art gallery in Lake County.” While it’s not the only gallery in Lake County, the term “working art gallery” refers to the artists who maintain studios in the Matchworks of Mentor building. The resident artists work in the studios and display their work in the gallery. Stella’s Art Gallery, in Suite 112, features the work of more than a dozen local artists and artisans. Stella’s Art Gallery hosts a grand opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight. Admission is free. (Usmani) 8500 Station St., Suite 112, Mentor, stellasartgallery.com. THEATER

Hamlet For this production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Great Lakes Theater will transform the Hanna Theatre into a mini Elizabethan theater, adding seating on the stage and at the side of the stages. The makeover will create an immersive experience for this innovative production of the play about a young prince torn between “duty and doubt.” Two actors (Laura Welsh Berg and Jonathan Dyrud) will play Hamlet during the play’s run. They’ll alternate by performance. The play opens tonight at 7:30, and it runs through April 15. Tickets start at $15. (Niesel) 2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. ART

Two New Exhibitions The Sculpture Center debuts two new exhibitions today. Opening with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m., these new exhibitions include Amy Ritter’s Behind a Hedge and John Dickinson’s Stepping Into/Stepping Over. Ritter’s work is influenced by her upbringing in a mobile home community in Eastern Pennsylvania. Utilizing materials from her familiar surroundings, such as xerox prints, plywood and cinder blocks, Ritter explores the relationship between three-dimensional spaces and twodimensional images. Using selfportraiture, she also challenges her audience’s preconceptions of gender. Ritter received a BFA from Tyler School of Art at Temple University in 2009, before earning her MFA from the Ohio State University in 2014. Meanwhile, John Dickinson’s recent work explores issues of materiality, representation and scale, as well as how flat images and objects relate, through silicone molds created with architectural models. An assistant professor of sculpture at Wright State University in Dayton, Dickinson received his BFA from Colorado State University in 2008 and his MFA from Meadows School of the Arts, Southern Methodist University, in 2010. Tonight,

both artists will discuss their work: Dickinson in the Euclid Avenue Gallery at 6:15 p.m. and Ritter in the Main Gallery at 7 p.m. Admission is free. (Usmani) 1834 East 123rd St., 216-229-6527, sculpturecenter.org.

SAT

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10.00HalOf FF the Marathon

DANCE

Ballet Biarritz DanceCleveland’s 2016-2017 series closes with a performance by Thierry Malandain’s Ballet Biarritz. Malandain, its founder, blends classic and contemporary dance into completely original works. Using iconic stories, Malandain exploits his “inventive choreographic eye, quirky humor and imaginative mind.” Tonight’s story is Cinderella, performed with dancing mannequins, hilarious stepsisters and the superbly talented company dancers. Performances take place at 7:30 tonight at 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Ohio Theatre. Tickets are $25 to $55. (Niesel) 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. THEATER

Between Riverside and Crazy The Pulitzer Prize-winning play Between Riverside and Crazy centers on an ex-cop who struggles to let go of the memory of his recently deceased wife while stewing over the racially charged lawsuit he filed against the NYPD. He’s also in the process of being evicted from the apartment he shares with his son. The Cleveland Play House’s production of the piece opens today at 7:30 p.m. at the Outcalt Theatre, where performances continue through April 23. Tickets start at $25. (Niesel) 1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, clevelandplayhouse.com.

4530 COLORADO AVE., SHEFFIELD VILLAGE, OH

BLOOM

ART

CommunitySpaces Northeast Ohio is lucky to have an abundance of educational services available through its many arts and cultural organizations. In celebration of these organizations and their efforts, Spaces hosts its second annual CommunitySpaces, a series of exhibitions showcasing organizations such as Art Therapy Studio, BAYarts, the Beck Cener for the Arts, Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, FrontLine Service and the Rainey Institute. In addition to showing off work created by students at these organizations, CommunitySpaces offers the public an overview of broad programming and services offered to the community by

BY ANDREW MORTON

MARCH 31 - APRIL 9

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS AT 7 PM AND SUNDAYS AT 3 PM TICKETS: $10-$15 | (440) 949-5200 OR WWW.METROPARKS.CC/THEATRE SPONSORED BY: | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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these groups. Spaces hosts an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. today, and CommunitySpaces remains on view through April 15. Both the reception and exhibitions are free. (Usmani) 2900 Detroit Ave., 216-621-2314, spacesgallery.org. ART

PRESENTED BY

April 13th | 5:00pm – 8:00pm

History on Tap: Comics and Comedy Enjoy interactive games/activities, laugh-inducing tours of our BinghamHanna mansion, and navigate through our Bob Hope scavenger hunt to win a priceless prize. Bonus: happy hour libations and light hors d’oeuvres! $7 in advance | $10 at the door | $5 for WRHS Members & Students with ID

BOB HOPE AN AMERICAN TREASURE A WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME EXHIBIT

10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106 | (216) 721-5722 | www.wrhs.org

Free First Saturday Admission to MOCA Cleveland is free on the first Saturday of each month, which makes today an ideal time to view the museum’s Winter/ Spring 2017 exhibitions. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can check out exhibits including Adam Pendleton’s largest solo museum show to date, Lisa Oppenheim’s first solo show in the United States, and a site-specific sound installation, Transport Empty, by artists Zarouhie Abdalian and Joseph Rosenzweig. MOCA Cleveland’s Winter/Spring 2017 exhibitions remain on view through May 14. But it’s only free if you go today. (Usmani) 11400 Euclid Ave., 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org. ART

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER “A DIZZYING AND EXCITING PLACE TO BE” The New York Times

Heavy the Sea In its first exhibition of 2017, Transformer Station presents the first individual public exhibition of work by London-based artist Esther Teichmann. A large-scale multimedia exhibition, Heavy the Sea explores the relationship between desire, loss and the imaginary through narratives of longing in large-scale still and moving images, painting and sculpture. From 2 to 4 p.m. today, the Transformer Station hosts a special gallery talk with Teichmann, who was raised in southern Germany and earned her degrees from the Royal College of Art. Heavy the Sea remains on view through April 30. Admission is free. (Usmani) 1460 West 29th St., 216-938-5429, transformerstation.org. FILM

APR 1 – 23 | OUTCALT THEATRE Ex-cop Walter “Pops” Washington is not about to compromise on the racially-charged lawsuit he filed years ago against the NYPD — even if it means risking the rent-controlled apartment he shares with his son and colorful surrogate family. An exuberant tale of truth, family, and pride. written by STEPHEN ADLY GUIRGIS | directed by ROBERT BARRY FLEMING STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT/SEXUAL SITUATIONS

216.241.6000 clevelandplayhouse.com 22

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

Rocky Horror Picture Show It’s the first Saturday of the month, so tonight the Cedar Lee Theatre will host a midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 film that still draws an exuberant, costumed crowd that likes to throw rice and dry toast and sing along to the songs in the movie. Tickets are $9.50. (Niesel) 2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-321-5411, clevelandcinemas.com.

Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers If the Indiana Pacers played in the more competitive Western Conference, they might just squeeze into the playoffs as the eighth seed. But in the weaker Eastern Conference, they could be a fifth seed. An elite player, forward Paul George carries the team, but his supporting cast doesn’t play with as much consistency as he does. The team tends to struggle on the road too. Tonight’s game against the Cavs begins at 6 p.m., and tickets start at $130. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com. 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 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. The event begins with a short-form set of improv games, followed by a long-form improv set. It begins at 5 p.m. at Coffee Phix. Arrive early if you want to sign up and perform. Admission is free. (Niesel) 4485 Mayfield Rd., South Euclid, 216-381-5706, coffeephixcafe.com. MUSIC

Peter and the Wolf The Cleveland Orchestra and Magic Circle Mime Company team up today at Severance Hall for a family concert featuring Peter and the Wolf. In Prokofiev’s tale, various instruments of the orchestra portray the characters of the story. The concert begins at 3 p.m., and tickets range from $15 to $30. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

MON

04/03

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 doughnuts. 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, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com. NIGHTLIFE

Monday Night Trivia Do you have tons of obscure music knowledge? Are you a student of fast food menus and their nuanced histories? What say you about the geographic evolution of Scotch whisky? 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 — it’s a crapshoot — 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., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com. FILM

Movie Mondays Every Monday, Cleveland Cinemas hosts $5 Movie Mondays, where film fans can catch up on the latest Hollywood flicks for significantly reduced prices; many theaters even offer discounted concession stand items. Participating theaters include Apollo Theatre, Capitol Theatre, Cedar Lee Theatre, Chagrin Cinemas, Shaker Square Cinemas and Tower City Cinemas. Unfortunately, additional charges apply for 3-D movies. (Alaina Nutile) clevelandcinemas.com. FOOD

Wing Ding Doodle Blues icon Howlin’ Wolf famously covered “Wang Dang Doodle,” the old blues tune penned by Willie Dixon. Prosperity Social Club in Tremont has adopted that slogan, calling its wing night Wing Ding Doodle. The weekly event features specials on Buffalo wings and cold brews. Prosperity will not only serve up substantial, $1 whole wings, but it’ll also offering meatless Monday “wing” baskets for vegans. Discounted drafts and a playlist of vintage-electric blues and soulful R&B will be on tap as well. Hours are 6 p.m. to midnight. (Niesel) 1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.

TUE

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FILM

1984 The sci-fi film 1984 seems more and more realistic with each passing year. The adaptation of George Orwell’s highly acclaimed novel will screen at 6:45 tonight at the Nightlight in Akron. This dystopian film (which was released in 1984) features bold, surrealist visuals and a soundtrack composed by the Eurythmics. The film features the late John Hurt in the lead role and also stars Hollywood great Richard Burton (in what became his last screen appearance). Tickets are $9, or $7 for members and students. (Johnny Cook) 30 North High St., Akron, 330-252-5782, nightlightcinema.com. SPORTS

Cavaliers vs. Orlando Magic The top scorer on the Orlando Magic, shooting guard Evan Fournier averages only about 16 points a game, suggesting the degree to which the team has struggled to compete this year. With the playoffs gradually becoming out of reach, the Magic have less and less to play for as the season nears completion. Expect the Cavs to capitalize and take home a victory when the two teams face off today at 7 p.m. at the Q. Tickets start at $19. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.

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EVERIYS ON SEXY!

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April 8th C L EVELA ND

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HUMPFILMFEST.COM @H UMPFILMFEST

MUSIC

Classical Revolution Cleveland Classical Revolution Cleveland helps tear down the wall between classical music and the masses, showcasing a variety of performers in bars, cafes and the like. In fact, it’s not that different from how people used to listen to chamber music. The first Tuesday of every month, CRC brings its wide array of chamber music to Happy Dog. Performers like the Trepanning Trio, Anime Duo, students of Cleveland Institute of Music and even Cleveland Orchestra members grace the stage in these exciting concerts. Full of immensely talented performers, CRC re-instills the relevancy of this vibrant art form. Tonight’s free, all-ages performance starts at 8. (Patrick Stoops) 11625 Euclid Ave., 216-231-5400, happydogcleveland.com.

Find more events @clevescene.com t@clevelandscene | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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ART JOURNEY ACROSS TIME Georgia couple’s African-American art collection arrives in Cleveland By Josh Usmani AS STUDENTS AND FACULTY return to their daily routines following spring break, the Cleveland Institute of Art prepares to debut the latest exhibition in its Reinberger Gallery. African American Works on Paper brings together the work of legendary African American artists, several of whom studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Artists featured in the exhibition include CIA alumni Dexter Davis, Curlee Raven Holton, Hughie Lee Smith, Charles Sallee and William Smith, as well as renowned African

core of the exhibition is on loan from collectors Wesley and Missy Cochran of La Grange, Georgia, and supplemented by CIA’s Study Collection. Missy Cochran is a retired math teacher and Wes was trained as a stone mason. The couple own an art gallery, but most of their collection is usually on loan to educational and cultural institutions throughout the United States, especially smaller towns that may not typically have access to these artists or their work. Wes owes his introduction to art collecting to his uncle W.L. May, who

AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKS ON PAPER CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART, 11610 EUCLID AVE., 216-421-7000 CIA.EDU

American artists from throughout the United States, such as Selma Burke, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Jack Whitten and more. The exhibit includes more than 75 pieces of art, including prints, watercolors, drawings and mixed media, produced by 64 artists who, by and large, remain marginalized within most artistic canons. The

encouraged him to devote part of his paycheck to acquiring modern art while Wes was working on an oil rig in the Persian Gulf. It wasn’t until he returned from the Persian Gulf that Wes finally saw how his uncle had invested his money. “His specialty was graphic art and I accepted his advice to proceed accordingly. I have never regretted

“The Family,” Romare Bearden, etching, 1975

the direction I undertook and I plan to continue in the field of fine art as much as time from work permits.” As stated in the exhibition catalog, “The Cochran collection is not an erudite statement about the African American experience, but it reveals the personal vision and joy of one couple

who bring their enthusiasm, love, and deep feelings about African American art.” A gallery talk takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, March 31; a reception follows from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The exhibit remains on view in CIA’s Reinberger Gallery through May 13.

NATIONWIDE FIBER WORKS SHOW AT THE MORGAN SINCE 2008, THE MORGAN ART of Papermaking Conservatory and Educational Foundation has established itself as an international destination, serving as a working studio, formal exhibition space, educational hub and purveyor of some of the finest handmade paper in the world.

AMERICAN FIBER MORGAN CONSERVATORY 1754 EAST 47TH ST., 216-361-9255 MORGANCONSERVATORY.ORG

“Drawing It IV,” John A Sargent, latex on arches

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

Fittingly titled American Fiber, this year’s annual juried show of works on paper includes painting, printmaking, bookbinding, photography and sculpture. The exhibition showcases masterful examples of the multi-faceted potential of paper-based art. With this year’s expanded submission radius, American Fiber may be the biggest and best edition of the annual juried show to date.

“After many years of hosting regional juried exhibitions, and after many years of requests, we accepted submissions from all artists living in the United States for this year’s exhibition,” says marketing and communications coordinator Jacqueline Bon. “We received an astounding amount of submissions from many talented artists with a large quantity still coming from within a 100-mile radius of Cleveland.” This year’s jurors are Janice Driesbach, chief curator at Akron Art Museum, and Rebecca Cross, faculty at Kent State University and instructor at Praxis Fiber Studio. Out of more than 200 submissions from 110 artists, the jurors selected just 50 artworks by 46 artists. American Fiber opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 31, and remains on view through April 29. — Usmani

jusmani@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

STAGE A LOVE BURIED UNDER HATE AND PEAT Rural Irish folks are looking for happiness in the sweet, captivating Outside Mullingar By Christine Howey HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED IF you could fall in love with your next door neighbor? Okay, not that one, but the other one. No, not that one either, the one a couple doors down. Ever wonder? Well, that happens to two characters in Outside Mullingar, a sweet and evocative script by John Patrick Shanley which is given a superior production by the folks at Clague Playhouse. In this fourperson piece, two older folks from two separate families in Ireland dominate the first scenes to a farethee-well. But then their progeny take over. And while the kids are not spring chickens themselves, their struggle to recognize their attraction for each other is completely captivating. Shanley won the Pulitzer and Tony in 2005 for his play Doubt, and an Oscar for Moonstruck, knows his way around dialogue. And he has constructed a play bristling with witty one-liners and intriguing family dynamics. The cast under the wise direction of Anne McEvoy hits all the notes, although there are a couple wrinkles. The elderly Tony Reilly, a curmudgeon of the first water, is thinking about selling his farm to a relative in America who may be looking to settle on the Emerald Isle. Tony’s middle-age son Anthony has invited next-door neighbor Aoife Muldoon over for tea, since she’s just got done burying her husband. As Tony and Aoife trade pointed barbs, as all Irish people apparently do, Anthony frets because he can’t garner any respect from his dad. Moreover, it appears the farm is not going to be willed to him, since Tony claims his son “… doesn’t draw strength from it as I do.” While Anthony is battling his daddy issues, we learn that Aoife’s daughter Rosemary has harbored a long-standing grudge against Anthony for pushing her down on the ground when they were both in grade school. To prove her hate, she long ago bought a strip of land that provides access to the nearby road, an access that would make the Reilly’s farm more valuable and salable. Anyhow, she spends most of her time smoking outside in a shed

and “mopping and moping.” These characters stake out four corners of a boxing ring and they go at it pretty well, as Shanley puts words both acidic and poetic in their mouths. Aoife complains that she was put on earth “just to bury and be buried,” as Tony comments on the lackluster qualities of his son. And just when you think this play will pivot on the strong personalities of Tony and Aoife, the chronology leaps ahead and everything changes. The production benefits from compelling performances across the board. As Tony, the esteemed

trading snappy patter and even singing a bit. She evokes every inch of a woman in this place, and you almost wish she and Newell could have their own show to explore their relationship further. But playwright Shanley has other ideas in mind, and after the middle of this 90-minute one-act, we focus our attention on Anthony and Rosemary. Each in their 40s, they have lived fairly isolated lives in the reflected glare from their high-wattage parents, and now they are forced by dint of their close residential proximity to talk to each

OUTSIDE MULLINGAR THROUGH APRIL 9 AT THE CLAGUE PLAYHOUSE, 1371 CLAGUE RD., WESTLAKE, 440-331-0403, CLAGUEPLAYHOUSE.ORG

actor and scenic designer Ron Newell returns to the stage after a 16-year absence. Happily, it’s as if he never left at all. His timing is devastatingly perfect, and when he finally sets himself to speak honestly with his grown son about his feeling and the future, there is hardly a dry eye in the house. Rose Leininger in the role of Aoife matches him step for step,

other now and then. Anthony is a bit of a schlub, bald and a tad hefty, and he doesn’t really know how to talk to a woman. Chris D’Amico offers a fine, controlled portrayal of a man who always did what he was supposed to do, but never stopped to figure out what he actually wanted to do. And in the later scenes, he is challenged to do that by Rosemary, played with a

fluctuating intensity that seems a bit too casual at times by Cat R. Kenney. But in the final scene, when she finally confesses she had always been confused by his lack of interest in her, she half-jokingly asks if he’s a hermaphrodite or gay. He says no, but admits he’s a virgin. Then, the sparks begin to fly, and the sentiment that is released feels fully earned by these two very relatable characters. It is a handsome production, thanks to the detailed set design, also by Newell. But one wishes that the actors could just maintain their flow and not be interrupted by some extended scene changes. The script is good enough, and the actors are accomplished enough, to carry this story with a minimum of scenic support. That said, it’s refreshing to see a play where genuine people are just trying to get through life, and find a little joy along the way. And if you’re looking for a bit of joy yourself, look no further than Outside Mullingar.

scene@clevescene.com t@christinehowey

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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RIDE RTA TO TOWER CITY 26

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

MOVIES RUN, DON’T WALK, TO CIFF41 If you can’t take Tower City traffic, check out neighborhood options By Sam Allard THE 41ST CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL Film Festival opens March 29 at Tower City, with a splashy opening gala and a screening of the documentary California Typewriter. For the next two weeks, until the closing festivities on Sunday, April 9, Cleveland will be awash in indie, foreign, avant-garde and short films. As usual, Tower City will be the nucleus and primary screening location for the 200 feature-length movies and special programs. But community screenings and related events abound. The CIFF folks are smart enough to recommend taking public transit downtown, as parking at and near Tower City will be a nightmare. (Check out riderta.com/CIFF for routes and tips.) And while we certainly recommend checking out the main nerve of the festival,

where you can spend the entire day soaking up wonderful movies that you won’t see anywhere else, the “neighborhood” options have expanded in recent years and make for terrific satellite cinema fun, especially if you prefer big crowds to really big crowds. Here’s what’s happening: THE CINEMATHEQUE (11610 Euclid Ave.) Thursday, March 30 7:00 p.m.: Citizen Jane: Battle for the City. Urban renewal, highways, revolutionary urban thinker Jane Jacobs: a story about our recent urban past and our global urban future. 9:30 p.m.: 24x36: A Movie about Movie Posters THE BEACHLAND BALLROOM (15711 Waterloo Rd.)

Sunday, April 2 7:35 p.m.: September 12th. Two folk musicians (real-life folk artists Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth) meet on a plane from L.A. to N.Y.C. on 9/11. When the flight turns back for obvious reasons, they drive crosscountry. 9:45 p.m.: Playlist: Music Videos Program THE CEDAR LEE (2163 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights) Wednesday, April 5 8:35 p.m.: Score: A Film Music Documentary 10:30 p.m.:Miles. A kid from middle America joins the girls volleyball team to get a scholarship to a Chicago film school; at home, family drama unfolds; with Saturday Night Live alum Molly Shannon.

THE CAPITOL THEATRE (1390 West 65th St.) Thursday, April 6 6 p.m.: A More Civil War. Cleveland RNC documentary from local Think Media crew. 8:45 p.m.: Dave Made a Maze. A would-be artist finally finishes something: a maze with supernatural powers; directed by local Bill Watterson (brother of Happy Dog owner Sean).

Screening locations in downtown Akron include Nightlight Cinema, the Akron Art Museum, and the Akron-Summity County Public Library. Check out clevelandfilm.org for more info.

sallard@clevescene.com t@scenesallard

SPOTLIGHT: T2 TRAINSPOTTING IN 2002, AUTHOR IRVINE WELSH published Porno, a sequel to his 1993 novel Trainspotting. In turn, director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Steve Jobs) contemplated a sequel to Trainspotting, his 1996 film based on Welsh’s book. His initial attempt at coming up with a script fell flat. “We had a go at it, and it was not very good,” he says during a recent conference call. “I didn’t even bother sending [the script] to the actors because it didn’t feel like there was a real reason to do it. Obviously, there’s an onus on you when you return to something with the impact that the first film had. If you’re going to update it, you’ve got to have a reason. And it didn’t feel like there was a reason. Also, the actors didn’t really feel any different, and they didn’t look any different. We used to joke that they looked after themselves so well they still looked in their early 20s.” But two years ago, Boyle and screenwriter John Hodges met in Edinburgh with Welsh and a couple of producers. That meeting proved more fruitful and led to T2 Trainspotting, which reunites the cast of miscreants from the original movie, including Mark “Rent Boy” Renton (Ewan McGregor), Daniel “Spud” Murphy

(Ewen Bremner) and Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson (Jonny Lee Miller) as well as their nemesis Francis “Franco” Begbie (Robert Carlyle). Just as unhinged as the original, T2 Trainspotting features excessive drug use and gratuitous sex and violence. And yes, it boasts a killer soundtrack too. The film opens Friday areawide. “What emerged was much more personal,” says Boyle. “It is obviously a sequel; you can’t deny that, but it has its own right to exist really, which is obviously the passage of time, and especially masculine behavior over time. The other film is obviously a great celebration of a certain period of your life through the most extreme prism you can imagine, these junkies

in Edinburgh, and then obviously the update is when they’re 46 and they’re fucked, as Renton says.” The plot centers on Mark’s return to Leith after having moved to Amsterdam. Simon greats him with a fierce beating and Francis, who’s just escaped from the pen, wants to kill him. Despite their simmering feud, Mark and Simon form an alliance along with Daniel, who still struggles with his addiction to heroin. The film features some terrifically outlandish moments, and Miller and McGregor really shine when their characters have a go at one another. While the rampant use of drugs might turn off more prudish types, Boyle says he’s simply trying to stay true to

his source material and let his talented cast take it from there. “You hope people recognize [the film] as honest really,” says Boyle. “Whatever the circumstances that you’re portraying, however extreme the story — and you certainly find this with good actors — it won’t let you do anything that feels dishonest. Doing a film like this, which comes after a first film which was such a hit and such a celebration of such extremes, it won’t let you just repeat that because they’re now in their mid-40s, these guys, and it’s a different landscape for them; they don’t have all the answers.” In other words, the movie represents the often-harsh realities of aging. “You’ve got all the answers when you’re in your early 20s, and you mock and sneer about the whole thing really,” says Boyle. “And that’s expected, and welcomed actually, as you step out of childhood, you’re allowed that. You’re not when you get in your mid-40s. So, I hope people take away that it’s an honest picture, however extreme the elements, you see of them all.” — Jeff Niesel

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

EAT

Photo by Emanuel Wallace

NEW CHAPTER Bistro 185’s methodical transition has worked splendidly By Douglas Trattner IT WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN happy hour and dinnertime, and every stool at the century-old wooden bar at Bistro 185 was occupied. As tipsy locals drained their cocktails, settled up and departed, they were immediately replaced by thirsty, hungry newcomers. Meanwhile, young couples, some with strollers in tow, waited in the now-crowded vestibule for a table in the adjoining dining room. The joint, as they say, was jumping. If there ever was anxiety about the fate of this 10-year-old North Collinwood landmark in the wake of an ownership change, these last four months should put the neighborhood at ease. This past fall, longtime owners Ruth and Marc Levine sold the business to Ryan Kaston, their chef of three years. While the beloved founders and hosts are missed, to be sure, the loss has been softened by the knowledge that Bistro 185 will survive their departure. Ownership changes are never easy, not often fruitful, and disruptive to all involved. But for the individual who signed on the dotted line, the transition is all the more nerve-wracking, especially if you intend to put your own stamp on things. “Honestly, this was scary,” Kaston confesses. “I was afraid to change anything. It had been the same thing for so long that everyone was accustomed to it and knew what

they were getting. That’s one of the hardest things: to change when you already have your expectations set.” Kaston says that he took the opposite of the Band-Aid approach. “We did it very, very, very slowly,” he says. Bistro 185 has lasted this long in this neighborhood because it tastefully fills the void between divey wing joint and serious-minded bistro. While prices have steadily crept up over the years, diners could always count on quality ingredients, skilled preparation, excellent value, and warm-hearted service from longtime staffers. Like many diners, we were bummed to notice the absence of the chicken schnitzel, a Ruth Levine classic that she’s been doing since her Market House Grille days. What we didn’t miss, however, was feeling like Mr. Creosote from The Meaning of Life after packing away the plate-size chicken cutlet, four potato pierogi, caramelized onions and

green salad. The crispy coated cutlet is garnished with tomato-garlic confit and a soft-cooked egg that oozes into the breading. Given his generation, Kaston is obsessed with sourcing the best ingredients he can, from whole sides of salmon to whole quarters of beef. That salmon ($28) gets a late-winter preparation with roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and bacon. That beef ends up as braised short ribs ($28) paired with a trio of corn: corn puree, corn salsa and cornbread crumble. It also lands in the sensibly sized Loaf ($22), the Bistro’s take on meatloaf, which is glazed with whole-grain ketchup, garnished with crispy onion straws, plopped into fluffy mashed potatoes and ringed with crisp-tender Brussels sprouts. Every day is Friday thanks to Kaston’s lake perch fish fry ($20.50), a plateful of crunchy filets, potato pierogi, red cabbage, coleslaw and housemade tartar sauce. No need to tweak long-running starters like

BISTRO 185 991 EAST 185TH ST. , 216-481-9635 BISTRO185.COM

tempura-battered asparagus. Kaston put that fan favorite on a diet. He swapped it with the schnitzel-like veal Milanese ($29), a pounded, breaded long-bone veal chop paired, not with mashed potatoes or pierogis, but a refreshing

silky house-cured gravlax ($10.50), given the full treatment with potato pancakes, sour cream, red onion and capers. Same for the seductive housesmoked duck breast ($9), which gets a similar presentation. Lunch, still overseen by Ruthie

Helman (the Ruthie of the former Ruthie & Moe’s Diner), has received similar upgrades. Lunch meats like turkey, ham and corned beef all are made from scratch. French fries come in the back door as whole potatoes. Bistro 185 was a gastropub before that term permeated the culinary lexicon. Inside this sturdy American tavern, long known as Fritz’s, and then later as John Christie’s, “comfort classics with a twist” has been the name of the game since the start. The Levines pioneered the concept of merging modest, middling surroundings with dishes like frog legs with garlic butter, calf’s liver and caramelized onions, or slow-braised short ribs. Newer items like chicken and waffles, lobster mac and cheese, and pan-seared striped bass now join them. But with tariffs now hovering in the mid-20s — with some even breaking the 30-dollar mark — this happy place has managed to outpace many of the pricier bistros to which it has served as an alternative. In fact, the Bistro’s narrative reminds me of another “gastropub” pioneer, the Grovewood Tavern, whose stratospheric rise — and subsequent fall — saddened this very neighborhood.

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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STRANGE FRUIT BLOSSOMS ON LARCHMERE Poison Berry Bakery opens in April by Rachel Hunt

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

SPRING IS ON ITS WAY; THIS particular morning the air holds a dewy mist as Jen and Jon Regan put the ďŹ nal touches on their new vegan bakery, set to open April 1. Poison Berry Bakery (12210 Larchmere Blvd., 440-477-2078, poisonberrybakery.com) has been a passion project for the couple since 2010, providing a “better for youâ€? alternative to treats made with cholesterol-rich egg, cow’s milk and butter. “There is the general misconception that baked goods need to have eggs or milk. Let’s be honest, baked goods get their avor from the sugar. As long as the cake isn’t too dense or dry, there’s a whole list of ingredients you can put in,â€? says Jon who, while not the baker, has spent plenty of time taste testing their confections. Cupcakes like the Peanut Butter Sundae, Banana Split Lip, or the Holy Cannoli showcase the shop’s inventive and fun avor combinations. Jon has been vegan for 17 years. And after meeting Jon at Kent State University, Jen decided to quit using animal-based products as well. “I started looking more into how dairy cows are treated and how egg production works and I couldn’t support it anymore,â€? says Jen. “It deďŹ nitely, for me, had an ethical basis. Early on in my vegan life, I was very focused on animal rights,â€? Jon says. “We’re all about the comfort foods and making familiar things for people. I think because

we’re not coming at it as a healthbased lifestyle, we more so want to make things for people to try veganism,â€? adds Jen. There are no obvious indications that Poison Berry products are cage- and cruelty-free; they’re just delicious. “People think vegan stuff is bad for you or they just have a bad opinion about veganism a lot of times,â€? Jen says. However that is not the case with their cookies, sweet breakfast breads, doughnuts and accessible treats. The storefront, in a historic 1920s building, is colorful inside and out. Opposite them, Gray House Pies is opening the same weekend making Larchmere twice as sweet. The bakery will also offer an all-day vegan breakfast in their “Breakfastatorium,â€? a 20-seat dining room. An open kitchen plan allows customers to take a gander at what’s being prepared for them, just feet away, in a former hair salon. For the grand opening, patrons can expect to ďŹ nd a selection of breakfast breads including a lemon blueberry variety, mango coconut mufďŹ ns, “Whoo Girlâ€? whoopie pies, and cookie dough balls. “The major lesson is that it’s not easy to turn a hair salon into a bakery,â€? laughs Jon, “but I love this neighborhood. I’m happy where we are.â€?

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

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HOOKAH AND HIP HOP MUSIC EMAIL: amanda.smith.esq@gmail.com TO PRE-REGISTER A TIME SLOT | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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Water Garden Cafe specializes in responsibly sourced fresh food, ranging from vegan dishes to meat and seafood. We are passionate about what we do and strive to provide a conscious, affordable resource into the life of healthy eating and wellbeing.

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7646 Lorain Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102 (216) 417-8553 watergardencafeclevelandoh.com www.facebook.com/watergardencafecle

BRIAN RUTHSATZ IS A CLEVELAND native who’s been itching to get back into the restaurant game since his days as an operator in Chicago. He’ll do just that come June, when Rood Food & Pie (17001 Madison Ave.) opens in the West Madison neighborhood of Lakewood. “We’re on the far west end of Madison; we’re pioneers,” he says. “A lot of people don’t even know this area exists, but hopefully we’ll change that. We’re hoping to create a space with a great feel and atmosphere, good service and, of course, really great food.” When we spoke, Ruthsatz was on an R&D trip with his chef, Mark Wilson, in the artsy Wynwood district of Miami. The eclectic cafes and restaurants of that neighborhood offer just the sort of funky vibe that the owner intends to introduce to his little patch of the city. “We want to take food that’s been out there for a while and challenge it,” he says. “We’ll start with a small, concise menu and grow with the neighborhood.” Rood Food will be an all-day cafe that straddles the line between breakfast and dinner, sweet and savory, classic and contemporary. What attracted Ruthsatz to this particular piece of property — a 3,000-square-foot double storefront — was the roomy back area that will serve as the on-site bakery. Up front, the dining room will seat about 90 guests. In the morning, Rood will serve light breakfasts of coffee, espresso and tea with pastries, overnight

oats, scotch eggs, and pie. Lunch might feature biscuits, savory chicken potpies with fresh herbs, and smashed toasts creamed with avocado, basil-tomatoes and/or meats. Dinner will offer small plates like build-your-own slider flights on house-baked rolls, “where the bread is just as important as the protein inside.” Items like refried jerk chicken, brisket and sloppy tofu will be paired with fresh-baked milk bread rolls or punchy curry rolls. A handful of mains might include American barbecue, grilled homemade sausages, and shrimp with toasted pasta. “The other piece of this, obviously, is the pie,” says Ruthsatz. “We want people to segue into pie. When you talk about pie, people smile.” An in-house pastry chef will put a modern spin on classic pie recipes. “We want to challenge some classic pie recipes. There’s some really fun stuff out there right now.” A few seasonal options might include peach with a green tea crust, blueberry chamomile, apple with Ohio maple syrup, and lemon meringue with a raspberry bottom. Salt and Honey features light and dark honey custard and is served with a small vial of bee pollen. “When you sprinkle it on top, it gives the pie a really great, salty, butterscotch finish to it,” says Ruthsatz. “We want the food to be social.” Pies will also be sold at retail. As for the unconventional name, the owner explains that “rood” means red in Dutch, and is often used in conjunction with fruits

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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EAT like raspberries, strawberries and currents. “We were looking for a fun, bold, in-your-face name,” he says. Look for Rood Food and Pie to open this June. 815 Jefferson Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113 (216) 664-1000

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Last fall, Matt Cole floated the idea of a Canton-based brewpub, but said that the project was contingent on a few local ballot measures. Now that those details have been resolved, the project is moving forward. “It’s past pre-planning into planning, with construction starting sometime mid-summer,” says co-owner and brewmaster Cole. “I like the area. I think it’s a good spot that’s densely populated.” At 10,000 square feet, the brewpub is a few thousand square-feet smaller than the spot in North Olmsted, but like that facility this one will brew beer. “We’re going to brew onsite and do a similar menu,” Cole says. The location will be Everhard Road near Whipple Avenue. This venture will progress simultaneously with the construction of Fat Head’s massive new production brewery in Middleburg Heights. That multi-million dollar project will net a 75-barrel brewery with packaging line, BBQ-themed restaurant and patio. The rough estimate for both projects is first quarter 2018. “These projects will probably end up within a couple months of each other,” Cole guesses.

OPENING SOON: THE NEW AND IMPROVED VAULT AT THE 9 “At the old Vault, there was bottle service, pedestrian club cocktails, shooters and fireballs,” says Kenny Didier, GM at The 9. “None of that is going to stick around.” Last July, the Vault nightclub was quietly shuttered two years after it debuted in the lower level of The 9 complex, which also includes Metropolitan Hotel, Adega and Azure rooftop bar. Since then the former club has been utilized solely as private event space. “When Geis took over management of The 9 back in 2015, we were evaluating the outlets, and as we were evaluating them we saw that the Vault space, as a nightclub, didn’t really fit that prestigious image of the building that we wanted,” explains

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

Megan Duniec, VP of marketing. “So we decided to create a concept that not only fit our brand, but will also become Cleveland’s best handcrafted cocktail lounge.” Since last summer, the Geis team has been working behind the scenes to overhaul Vault, which was limited by its concept and days of operation. The nightclub was open Fridays and Saturdays only and it attracted a specific type of audience. “I think that the nightclub didn’t mesh with our luxury lifestyle branded hotel,” adds Didier. “The Vault space is the most unique space in Cleveland and, arguably, one of the more unique spaces that I’ve ever been in, and the nightclub concept really limited the amount of people who would go down there and experience it.” To make the space more appealing to a wider clientele, the concept will be changed to a lounge-style speakeasy overseen by director of bar operations Russ Mengle. It will be open Tuesday through Saturday evenings. In place of bottle service and fireballs, the menu features 30 classic and signature cocktails that utilize fresh-squeezed fruit juices, housemade syrups, house-brewed ginger beer and farm-fresh egg whites. “All cocktails have names that pay homage to the history of the building and the history of Cleveland,” notes Duniec. “When we give tours down there, a lot of people ask questions about the space and are curious about it.” Millet’s Mural, for example, is named for mural artist Francis Davis Millet, who went down with the Titanic. Mosler’s Sazerac is named in honor of vault maker Mosler Safe Company. John’s Julep is a tribute to John G.W. Cowles, the first president of Cleveland Trust Company. A “Cocktail Glossary” shares these tidbits and more with visitors. For the first time, Vault will offer food to its guests: a selection of small plates and sharable items created by executive chef Nelly Buleje. Options include Oysters Cleveland baked with spinach, tasso ham and hollandaise; house-cured lamb pastrami sandwiches with aged manchego on local rye; Wagyu tartare with salsa verde, truffle oil and quail egg; beef, pork and veal meatballs with mozzarella and marinara; and duck prosciutto flatbread with French brie, figs and honey. The new Vault opens to the public on April 4.

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CHICKEN AND OUR 13 GOURMET SAUCES rice and greens is ingenious! They have a little kick to them but quite tasty. They were buttery and lightly sweet. I enjoyed my meal and will return in the future.” - Ladonna G. ★★★★★ “This is some Seriously delicious chicken. I have lived very ery close, and almost drive by there daily. Thought it was part of the convenient store, so I would not go there. here. After reading the reviews and being g extremely hungry, I took the more than glad I plunge, and I am mor much did. I will be coming g here so muc more.” - Stephanie L. ★★★★★ “It’s no joke, best fried chicken in Cleveland. They’ve got plenty of yourself, it’s all sides, but don’t kid yourse While there’s about the chicken. ch a variety of flavors the staff might not give you many clues past identifying the individual flavors.

Luckily there’s a brief explanation of them at the restaurant.” - Noah F. ★★★★★ “Oh my gosh this place has the best food.The chicken is superbly uperbly trimmed and seasoned to perfection. ction. Normally I always get the fried ed chicken but tonight I went with the e fish dinner for the first time and can’t stop jumping up-anddown with joy. Make sure you get biscuits and at least try the honey bisc the greens and nd rice. Thank you for culinary such great service and the culina gift you’ve given us.” - Sarah J. ★★★★★ Excellent xcellent fried chicken. Try the seasoned. soaked asoned. The honey ho biscuits, cuits mac & cheese, and rice are all must haves, too. The menu is enormous so you’ll have plenty of options when you come back for more. - Nichole K. ★★★★★

Hands down, the best friend chicken in town! We love the honey y crisp and the seasoned. Delicious, hot and fresh, esh, never sitting under a heater or warmer for hours. We host a lot of parties and people always ask for V’s! The sides are mediocre, in all honesty I’m not a huge fan fa of them, however,, the cornbread muffins are incredible! cornb dible! They’re great eat plain or with butter or honey. I have gotten a piece of their chocolate butter cream cake as well and that’s incredible too! It’s home made! I’m a huge fan of the old t school look of the restaurant. In my r opinion, nothing needs to change. Thanks for the awesome service! Ashley B.

chicken chicke dinner instead of spending cash at a KFC or any other fast food chicken chains. Best chicken ever!” Bunny Marie L. M

E H T T U O ! B S A B I L R L A D S N ’ A IT H S I F N E K C I H C

★★★★★ “Worth the stop & future excursions from the Near West Side in the future.I can’t find one thing wrong with V’s and the woman taking care of us was just the nicest and personable person ever. For all the food we ordered it was very reasonably priced and d held up well on the ride home// Stopping here in the near future iss in order as it puts lousy KFC’s, Popeyes, eyes etc to shame in terms of quality, price, and customer service.” vice.” - Jesco D. ★★★★★ “I went here after the good reviews and I was impressed. I had the regular/mild mild batter. The chicken was light, crispy and de delicious. The

“I absolutely love the food here! Best fried chicken I’ve ever had. People should stop in and grab a family

“I absolutely absolute loved this his place! I will w be back soon!” n! - Lori M. “Five Stars aren’t Enough! This is 10 HON STAR FOOD!! LOVE THOSE HONEY sh ROLLS!! It’s my dinner tonight shrimp, slaw, fries and corn muffin. SO YUMMY” - Lonnie R. “Such a delicious choice for Fried chicken” - Nicole Elaine T.

To Place A Catering Order Or Any Questions Call Us At 216.738.7000

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| clevescene.com cleves essce cene.com m | March 29 - April 4, 20177

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NOT JUST ANOTHER BAND FROM EAST L.A. Revisiting what is arguably Los Lobos’ best album By Jeff Niesel RELEASED BACK IN 1992, KIKO firmly established Los Angelesbased Latin rockers Los Lobos as an American institution. One of the group’s most diverse and accomplished records, the album opens with the shimmering “Dream in Blue” and then shifts gear to include the roadhouse rock tune “Wake Up Dolores,” the grunge-y blues number “Whiskey Trail” and the beautiful ballad, “Saint Behind the Glass.” Co-produced by Mitchell Froom, the exquisite album features a wide range of music and offers a unique blend of studio trickery and organic instrumentation. To honor the album’s 25th anniversary, the band will play Kiko in its entirety during the first of two shows at the Music Box Supper Club. For the second show, it’ll play a greatest hits set. “To be honest, this will be the first Kiko show we’ve done in some time,” says multi-instrumentalist Steve Berlin in a recent phone interview. “It was a request from the club. It’ll

be different. We did a few of those 20th anniversary shows where we played the whole album, but it’s been a couple of years since then. We’ve integrated some them into the set over the years so it shouldn’t be a big learning curve. When we did do Kiko in its entirety, it was fun finding the nuances of the songs again and playing them in sequence.” Here, Berlin goes through the album track-by-track.

“DREAM IN BLUE” When we did the record, about half of it we did as demos that turned into the songs on the record. When we went into the studio to finish it, it became a different thing. “Dream in Blue” was one of the first we did with [engineer] Tchad Blake and [producer] Mitchell Froom. I think Pete Thomas, who played drums with us on the record, came up with a Jamaican riff on the drums. It just fell into place easily in a really cool way. The whole record was kind of painless really, but that one was kind

of a jam that turned into a song.

“WAKE UP DOLORES” That was one that is less of a jam. We had to compose that one. The horn stuff came a little later, if I’m not mistaken. That was one of the last things that came on it. It has a lot of moving parts. It’s funny because when we go back and listen to it, I can’t imagine us tackling something like that now. I guess we were younger and dumber then. Things that seemed daunting to me now, back then, I guess we just jumped in and went for it.

“ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES” That was one that we did in demo form that turned into a master. When we did the demos, we recorded them at our studio in downtown L.A. on Fifth Street. That part of town has since become a spend-y part of town. Back in the ’90s, it was a really fucked part of town. We had to park, and you’d walk by people living in

boxes, and they were downtrodden folks, and the song was written for them. It was a heartbreaking scenario. That’s what the song is all about. There were guys who would wash our cars, and a guy who worked at the building who would help us load in and out.

“THAT TRAIN DOESN’T STOP HERE ANYMORE” That one has been in the set list forever. We do that quite a bit. It’s a César [Rosas] song. It’s a typical bluesy number with a few twists and turns in it. It’s kind of a showstopper. In a normal set, we wouldn’t sequence the show the way the album is sequenced. In a show setting, we would move to the big finish. This way, the “big finish” comes at the middle of the set, but it seems to work.

“KIKO AND THE LAVENDER MOON” Dave [Hidalgo] came up with that | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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to rehearse the hard ones before the show.

“TWO JANES” incredible riff. That one defined the record once it showed up. Once we did it, it put everything in place for us. Every record has to find its own heart, and that one is the heart of this one. Once you find that heart and have that thing that defines the rest of the record, everything else falls into place. That was this one.

I think it’s a real story. That was one of the demos that turned into a record. We did that at Paul and Mike’s, that was the name of the studio. It’s sadly no longer there. That was one of the first ones we did. It’s infrequently played but occasionally played.

“SAINT BEHIND THE GLASS”

“WICKED RAIN”

The imagery is from Louie [Pérez’s] childhood. It was in his mom’s home while growing up. He wanted to know what the world would look like from that perspective. Louie is in touch with his memory as a child, so the imagery comes from that.

This is another César tune. It’s in the rotation, so we don’t have to rehearse it. César likes rain and uses those images.

“REVA’S HOUSE” I think Reva is a real person. It’s another one that I can’t imagine doing a song like these days, with all its chords. The stuff we do these days is a lot simpler. I am going to have to write out the chords for it. It’s like, “Holy shit. What were thinking?”

“WHISKEY TRAIL” That’s a fun one. It’s a really short song on the record, but we stretch it out when we play it live.

“JUST A MAN” That’s a killer one. That’s a showstopper. Usually, every guitarist will solo. It’s guitar wanking, I suppose. People seem to like it a lot.

“PEACE”

“WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES”

BOP STOP

That was another one that we did in demo form. It has a similar flavor to “Angels.” They were done in the same couple of days when we were demoing the stuff. They all pointed us in this direction and the end of that vector was Kiko. We were finding our vocabulary. This one is one of my favorites.

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“RIO DE TENAMPA” It’s an original. It is an actual place but people don’t actually go there. It’s a Los Angeles river, and it’s a trickle. When you get one little rain, it turns into a raging river. We have a couple of rivers like that. Your morning piss is harder than these rivers. It’s a waltz, and that’s one we also recorded with Super Seven, a

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It’s a good one. Dave [Hidalgo’s] family is originally from Arizona. His mom was born in Bisbee or

That one is all the more trenchant of a song these days, I would say. That’s a heavy tune. We don’t play it a lot but I always enjoy playing it.

somewhere near the border. There have been a couple of Arizona songs from over the years. It’s an underreported part of our history.

“SHORT SIDE OF NOTHING” That’s one that comes up frequently in our sets. It’s in the general rotation. I guess the ones that aren’t in the rotation are the ones that are hard. We’re going to have

band that features Dave, César and myself. We just did a show over the weekend at South by Southwest, and it was kind of fun. On Kiko, it’s a short thing. On the Super Seven record, it’s rather long. I think we’ll do the long version when we play it at the Music Box, to give it more heft.

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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MUSIC THE PIANO MAN Singer-pianist Andrew McMahon adopts a New York state of mind on his new album By Matt Wardlaw WHEN ANDREW MCMAHON TAKES the stage at this summer as the opening act for Billy Joel’s sold-out show at Progressive Field, it won’t be the first time the two have crossed paths. McMahon was in the audience on April 1, 1994, as a fan, watching Joel’s concert at the grand opening of Gund Arena. A grade-school student living in the Columbus area at the time, he looks back on the show, his first ever, as an important trigger. “It changed my life completely. I had been writing songs at that point for about a year, maybe two,” McMahon, now 34, recalls during a recent phone conversation from his California home. “I think that passion for writing moved into, you know, ‘I want to get on a stage somehow and find a way to do this professionally.’ It was one of those moments, and I think we have a handful of them in our lives, where all of the sudden you sort of see a little bit more of your path. And certainly, years later, going back to see him, it occurred to me how many of my moves I had actually stolen. [Laughs] They were sort of embedded from that very first concert and had just stuck with me.” He had already identified his instrument of choice, thanks to the piano that his parents had in their living room. He found that it was a place where he felt instantly comfortable. “There was just something about that circuit of hands on the keys and singing a song.” Early mentors like Joel, Bruce Hornsby, Elton John and Ben Folds would help demonstrate where he could take things with that piano. “Those were the guys who were real rockstars. You know, you could look to [them] on a stage or

40

you could see [them on television],” he remembers. “I watched the documentary that Billy had put out at that point and all of the different specials. He had like a PBS special and I remember just thinking, ‘Wow, this guy is electric.’ Especially as a kid who plays piano, this is somebody who is not just playing the piano. I mean, some of those shows that he put on where he’s swinging across the stage on a rope or walking on his hands or crowd-surfing, you know, it sets a high bar, and it also says that the piano doesn’t have to be this stately classical instrument. It can also lend itself to real rock ’n’ roll.” The week that the Piano Man’s camp reached out to offer the opening slot to McMahon was the same week he had pulled out Joel’s greatest hits album to play for his young daughter Cecilia. It was a full circle moment for the singersongwriter, who will also open several other Joel stadium shows this summer. Before all of that comes around, he’s got his own headlining tour which will bring him through

time in the Orange County-based piano-driven rock band Something Corporate starting in the late ’90s, later went solo with his own projects, Jack’s Mannequin and more recently, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. He decided in the summer of 2015 that he would book time in New York City to work on the second Wilderness album. It was a purposeful move for McMahon, who had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2005 in New York not long after wrapping up work on the first Jack’s album that same year (he received a stem cell transplant and eventually fully recovered). He wanted to return to the area to explore unfinished business and hopefully put a few ghosts away in the process. “There was certainly an effort to put to rest some of these old fears and things that went along with my time in the city,” he says. “I don’t know if I was doing that successfully, but I think that in retrospect I’ve made my peace with the city. For me, now I think I just as closely associate New York City with this record as I do with some of the more difficult times that go

ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS, ATLAS GENIUS, NIGHT RIOTS 6:30 P.M. FRIDAY, MARCH 31, HOUSE OF BLUES, 308 EUCLID AVE., 216-523-2583. TICKETS: $27.50-$37.50, HOUSEOFBLUES.COM

Cleveland on Friday for a sold-out show at the House of Blues. Similar to Joel, he found himself in a New York state of mind when he started making plans to work on his latest album, Zombies on Broadway. McMahon, who logged

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

along with having been diagnosed out there and everything that went along with that.” Zombies on Broadway reveals that McMahon has once again raised his game, both musically and lyrically, particularly on songs like “Love and

Great Buildings,” a sleeper track that pops up late in the album, painting a vivid visual of the heart as an apartment building — and the challenges that those “high rise dreams” present. It’s one of a number of tracks on the album where he found himself drawing inspiration from his surroundings. “That was me sitting in a rented apartment in Brooklyn,” he explains. “I was staring out at another building and realizing, wow, there are these parallels between living a good life and having real love in your life to these incredible pieces of architecture.” Interestingly enough, some of the most New York-centric material on the record developed after he had headed back home to California. “I eventually found myself wandering back home from the city,” he laughs. “It was an adventure to say the least, but there was definitely a moment where I said, ‘Okay, I’ve had enough of New York and I need to see the sun again and get myself back to the West Coast.’ But surprisingly, it was there that I wrote some of the most ‘New York’ inspired tracks. ‘Brooklyn, You’re Killing Me’ and ‘Island Radio’ were sort of written in L.A. and recorded out here, I think as a reaction to my experience in the city. That was definitely how the record kind of concluded, by bringing my experience in New York back to Los Angeles and recording with some Los Angeles friends.”

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

| clevescene.com m | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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A TRANSITIONAL TIME Indie rockers Local Natives embrace electronica on their new album By Johnny Cook AFTER THE RELEASE OF THEIR debut album, 2009’s Gorilla Manor, Local Natives drew comparisons to bigtime indie acts like Arcade Fire, Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. The band’s first album feels bigger than a five-piece band, featuring Beach Boys-esque harmonies, skittery folk arrangements, and even a cover of a Talking Heads B-side. Now the band has just released its third album, Sunlit Youth, and while the music is a little different, the goal is still the same. “We just try to hit the ceiling every time we write a record or write a song,” says Kelcey Ayer in a phone interview. “I think it’s just from loving the way that a really huge sound can move you so much.” Ayer plays multiple instruments in the band and provides vocals for most tracks. He’s now one of the primary songwriters as well. The band has split up some of the songwriting duties, which he claims has worked well. “There are three different songwriters, so everyone has the way that they like to do stuff. I’m more on the emotional end of the spectrum, as far as where we fit together. Like, I’m the guy at the party that’s playing sad music on the piano and somebody has to tell me to stop,” Ayer laughs. “That’s

42

what I like doing. I think it’s possibly a response to me in my normal life; I like making people laugh, and making jokes, and being stupid, and then I balance that with the seriousness of songwriting. That seems to work for me.” On Sunlit Youth, the band incorporates electronic elements and leaves some of the folk and baroque pop influence in the past. The multipart harmonies that put them on the map are still present, but not as central to the music. The band brings a new focus and influences to the record. “We were looking to a lot more hip-

where it’s five guys in a room writing a song together, which we ended up feeling pretty limited by,” Ayer explains. “By the end of writing the record, it was Taylor, Ryan and myself working individually on certain songs, and then bringing it to everyone once we had something we were excited about. I think we had around 10 or 12 songs to choose from for the first two records, but for the latest record, we had maybe 50 songs, just because we were creating so much more.” Album opener “Villainy” starts with piano chords, but is interrupted by a synth line and chunky digital

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hop and electronic music, and it just came out this way. We were just more excited about diving into that world; the electronic side of music is definitely a complex and dense world to dive into. We’re just constantly trying to figure out what is exciting to us,” Ayer says. The album’s two-year recording process allowed time for organic changes to the band’s chemistry. “When we started, we were kind of in the same place we’ve always been,

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

percussion. Single “Fountain of Youth” features swooning synths that might have been string instruments on a previous Local Natives album. “Jellyfish” features Moses Sumney, an upcoming solo electronic artist, and a writing credit from Swedish electro band Little Dragon. Throughout the album, the band takes surprising turns, subverting listener expectations. Recording in numerous cities likely contributed to the album’s sonic

qualities. Ayer says that the band “liked the idea of going to different spots to embrace the unpredictability of what could happen.” For some shows around the country, including Cleveland, proceeds from tickets will go to an organization called Plus1. The organization redistributes funds to local charities so donors can be sure their money is going to a nonprofit that can use it. “They basically make it easier for people to give money to causes that they care about,” says Ayer. “We really care, and that was just a small way that we could help. We’ve been doing stuff with them for years; they’re a great company.” Despite the changes of the past few years, Ayer says new music is on the way. “We’ve already been working on some new stuff, we’ve got some surprises coming soon that I actually can’t talk about — but you’ll see soon,” he says. “But yeah, we’re already thinking about the next record. It’s starting to kind of build up. We’re going to see if we can get a record out quicker than every three years.”

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

| clevescene.com m | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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LEAVING AN IMMUTABLE MARK Punk blues band Boss Hog continues to kick out the jams with unparalleled fierceness By Jeff Niesel BOSS HOG, THE SCUZZY PUNK blues band fronted by singerguitarist Jon Spencer and singer Cristina Martinez, first took the stage in 1989 at CBGB’s and made one helluva debut. The band bio proclaims that its “sexy-dirty brand of bluesy punk” left a “sweaty, immutable mark” on the New York underground. “I don’t remember a lot of specifics about that first show,” says Martinez, who keeps a day job as the editorial production director for Bon Appétit, via phone. “It was nerve wracking and only lasted about 15 minutes. It was very fast and furious and full of a lot of adrenaline.” Nowadays, the band has a reputation for improvisation. At that time, however, Martinez says it merely tried to bludgeon its way through a short set of tunes. “Yes, we did have real songs,” says Martinez. “They were all a minute and 30 seconds long at the longest. Generally, when you have that much adrenaline, you play everything faster. It was good to have it be kind of an assault.” Inspired by other “New York City noise stuff” like the Swans and Jim Thirlwell’s band Foetus, the band drew from a wide range of influences that include go-go music, hardcore and “British stuff like Wire and the Fall.” The Stooges made an impression as well. “There was cool early rock stuff

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which I consider the beginning of punk rock,” says Martinez. “The MC5 and the Birthday Party too. That stuff is timeless. It’s seminal music. It changed so much music and is so relevant today.” When the band finally got around to recording its 1989 debut EP Drinkin’, Lechin’ & Lyin’, it teamed up with engineer and producer Steve Albini, a guy known for working with noisy bands. “Steve was a friend at the time,” Martinez explains. “He had his studio in his house; it was just outside of Chicago. Now, it’s in a proper warehouse. It was a crazy lost weekend. We slept as we could.”

“Bill used to work with Steve Albini, so it was like we came full circle,” says Martinez. “Benton Harbor is a burned-out town on the shores of Lake Michigan. It used to be a ferry ride across from Chicago, so it was this resort-ville. [Skibbe] bought a warehouse that was a storefront and warehouse. We flew out there. It was in the middle of fucking nowhere. It was like recording in the middle of a casino. There were very few windows. We worked around the clock. We would sleep odd hours, and you couldn’t tell if it was day or night. It was a feverish and surreal experience.” For the first time in its 27-year

BOSS HOG, ARCHIE AND THE BUNKERS, DJ PARTY SWEAT 8:30 P.M. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, BEACHLAND BALLROOM, 15711 WATERLOO RD., 216-383-1124. TICKETS: $15 ADV, $17 DOS, BEACHLANDBALLROOM.COM

The band had a great run in the ’90s and even signed with a major label at one point. But the touring took its toll and the group would go on hiatus in 2000. After reforming in 2008 and steadily touring for two years, the band realized it couldn’t play its old songs forever. So it began to work on new material and recorded the justreleased Brood X in Benton Harbor, Michigan, with producer Bill Skibbe. Martinez says the group cut Brood X about two years ago and took its time with the artwork and mixing.

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

history, the band didn’t go into the studio with fully fleshed-out songs. Martinez says the tunes were “maybe 90 percent of the way there.” “We had basic ideas but they were skeletal,” she says. “We had to flesh them out there. That was an interesting way to work. It’s good to go in loose because a lot of things grow out of there. There were happy accidents that made it onto the premix. One of my favorite songs on the record, ‘17,’ is built on a loose jam we did in-between takes. We’re good at improvising. When you don’t go

in with such a to-do list, things like that can happen, and it’s really nice when they do.” With an ominous organ riff and pounding drums, “Ground Control” possesses a foreboding vibe as Martinez and Spencer trade lead vocal duties, wondering, “Where did my city go?” “It has a post-apocalyptic vibe,” says Martinez. “I read a lot of postapocalyptic novels. Some of the lyrics are from the movie Forbidden Planet. I was watching that movie at the time and that inspired me.” The band’s always put on a visceral live show, and Martinez says that continues to be its “strong suit.” “We like the danger of a live performance,” says Martinez. “It’s an adventure and it’s this adrenaline rush. When I was young and first found punk rock, I realized all these people were just as confused and freaked out and proud. You can get a charge from that. To tap into that, it is the best thing in the world. It’s the best high in the world to connect with like-minded people and feel that energy surging through everyone. We love to play with each other but doing it in front of people really energizes you in this fun, crazy way, which is what rock ’n’ roll is all about.”

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LIVEWIRE WED

03/29

THU

03/30

Creepoid/Ecstatic Vision/Ruth Carp & the Fish Heads/Obnox: 9 p.m., $7. Now That’s Class. East Central Jazz Educators All Star Big Band: Tadd Dameron Tribute: 8 p.m., $20. Bop Stop. An Evening with Red Sun Rising: 8 p.m., $20. House of Blues. Lorraine Feather & Stephanie Trick: 8 p.m., $25. Nighttown. Kevin Gordon Band/Roger Hoover: 8 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Chris Hatton’s Musical Circus (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Jam Night with the Bad Boys of Blues: 9 p.m., free. Brothers Lounge. JoJo/Stanaj: 7 p.m., $20-$30. House of Blues Cambridge Room. Keep Flying/Blacklister/Left & Leaving/Heavyheds/Before There Was Fire (in the Locker Room): 7 p.m., $8. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Le Butcherettes/Kiss Me Deadly/

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Singer-songwriter Allison Crutchfield comes to the Beachland with her band the Fizz. See: Sunday.

Photo by Jesse Riggins

Daya/Alexx Mack: Pop singer Daya comes to town tonight in support of her full-length debut, last year’s Sit Still, Look Pretty. The electronicainspired title track espouses Daya’s feminist principles but wraps up in bubblegum pop so infectious that even a chauvinist would like the music. Last year, pop singer Alexx Mack, who opens the show, followed up her critically acclaimed debut EP with the single “Whatever I Want,” a mid-tempo tune that shows off her upper register vocals and sultry delivery. Like many of today’s young pop stars, Mack proudly proclaims to be an “LGBT ally” and has supported equal rights at national Pride events. (Jeff Niesel) 7:30 p.m., $20. House of Blues Cambridge Room. 10 X 3 Singer Songwriter Showcase: Hosted by Brent Kirby (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. An Evening with Red Sun Rising: 8:30 p.m., $20. House of Blues. Shawn Maxwell’s New Tomorrow: 8 p.m., $12. Bop Stop. Memories/Emotional/Joey Nix: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. New Thousand/Fake Species/Toobe Fresco & Living Sound: 8:30 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Grog Shop. No Worrie DJ: 10 p.m., free. Now That’s Class.

all the live music you should see this week

Cereal Banter: 9 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Grog Shop. Live From Lakewood: 8:30 p.m., $5. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Local Natives/Little Scream: 7:30 p.m., $26 ADV, $28 DOS. The Agora Theatre. Northeast Ohio Drum & Music Jam: 9 p.m., free. Beachland Ballroom. Sans Rebellion/Prithee/Charmless: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Victor Wainwright & the Wild Roots (in the Supper Club): 7:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.

FRI

03/31

Cabin Fever Meltdown! with Jones for Revival/C-Level/Vanishing Apollo/Ebb n Flow: 9 p.m., $10. Beachland Tavern. Disco Paradiso Vol. 6 with John Jack/Glacial 23/Julian Kendall/ Rawaat (in Club Atlantis): 9 p.m., $7. Now That’s Class. DJ Paul Weaver: 6 p.m., free. Happy Dog. Dude York/Paws/Who Hit Me/The Scuzzballs: 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Archie Green/Uptowne Buddha/Ayye Dees MM: 9 p.m., $5. The Euclid Tavern. Fareed Haque & The Funk Brothers: 8:30 p.m., $20. Nighttown. He Is Legend: 7 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. The Foundry. Horny Hits! by Nitebridge & the NB Horn Section (in the Supper Club):

| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

8 p.m., $10. Music Box Supper Club. Jim and Eroc (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Los Lobos: 8 p.m., $55-$65. Music Box Supper Club. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness/ Atlas Genius/Night Riots: 6:30 p.m., $27.50-$37.50. House of Blues. The M.E. Tour Featuring Marsha Ambrosius and Eric Benét: 8 p.m., $37-$67. Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park. Madeleine Peyroux: 8 p.m., $40 ADV, $50 DOS. The Kent Stage. The Regrettes/Brat Curse/Another Mother’s Milk (in the Locker Room): 9 p.m., $8. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Michele Romary Band: 9:30 p.m., $5. Brothers Lounge. Shout: 8 p.m. Vosh Club. Sinners Are Winners/Toxic Waters: 7 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Agora Ballroom. Moss Stanley: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown. Manuel Valera Trio: 8 p.m., $20. Bop Stop. Wake Island/Glass Traps/Parrot Heads: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. WJCU Metal on Metal Night Out with the Skull/Sparrowmilk/ Threefold Law: 9 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Grog Shop.

SAT

04/01

2017 Moondog Coronation Ball Featuring Tommy James & The Shondells/Grand Funk Railroad/

Three Dog Night: 7 p.m., $38.75$68.75. Quicken Loans Arena. ’80s Night with the Sunrise Jones (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $10. Music Box Supper Club. Abby Normal and the Detroit Lean: 8 p.m., $5. Vosh Club. Ava Luna/Village Bicycle/Lopez/Holy Poly: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Boss Hog/Archie & the Bunkers/DJ Party Sweat: 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $17 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Cash’d Out/Whiskey Daredevils: 8:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Decades Collide: 80s vs. 90s featuring Biz Markie: 7 p.m., $15. House of Blues. Dirty Jones Productions Presents Glow 4 with Curly Chuck/Kent Archie/We Will/Visual 9/DJ Green: 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Grog Shop. Micky Dolenz: 8 p.m., $42 ADV, $52 DOS. The Kent Stage. Eric Gould/Bill Pierce/Yoron Israel/ Leon Lee Dorsey: 8 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Hey Monea!/Paul Pfau/Grant Stinnett: 9 p.m., $10. Musica. Los Lobos: 8 p.m., $55-$65. Music Box Supper Club. Mistake by the Lake and NTC Present Soul for the Public #1 with Andrew Kirschner/Richard Rodriguez/ADAB: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. Motives/Significant Loss/Hellbound/ Wallcreeper/Falls Apart/Iron Bison (in the Locker Room): 7 p.m., $6 ADV, $8 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Pinch and Squeal/The (2-1 Chicks): 8:30 p.m., free. The Euclid Tavern. The Spazmatics: 9:30 p.m., $5. Brothers Lounge. Jeff Varga (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown.

SUN

04/02

Allison Crutchfield & the Fizz/ Vagabon/Pretty Pretty: Previously a member of Philadelphia alt-punk band Swearin’, singer-songwriter Allison Crutchfield had a long-term relationship with the band’s singerguitarist Kyle Gilbride. In 2015, Swearin’ broke up, subsequently ending the relationship. Suddenly, the Philly music scene that fostered and supported Crutchfield’s musical career became a volatile situation. Crutchfield channels those feelings into her solo debut, Tourist in

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This Town, an album dominated by synths and pop-driven indie rock songs. Many of the songs are autobiographical and, although it’s a breakup album, they never come off as bitter or mean-spirited. A whole year of touring with Waxahatchee, the indie-rock project led by her sister Katie, also contributed to her approach on the album. At times, Tourist in This Town feels bigger than a solo project, like on the distorted and pounding single “Dean’s Room,â€? or “Expatriate,â€? which sounds like a lost ’60s girlgroup tune. However, the album still stays true to the solo formula. Songs like “I Don’t Ever Wanna Leave Californiaâ€? or “Charlieâ€? carry a reectiveness one would expect from a solo act. (Johnny Cook) 8 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. Beachland Tavern. American Opera/Carter Hulsey/The Whiskey Hollow (in the Locker Room): 7 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Bowling for Soup/Runaway Kids/ Direct Hit!, Direct Hit!: 7 p.m., $20. House of Blues. The Cleveland International Earport Featuring Wildlife Soundz/GypsyStarr/Hiya Sylph/Turbo City/ WiZzDoM: 9 p.m., $7 ADV, $10 DOS. Grog Shop. Emmet Cohen Trio: 8 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Dominick Farinacci with Shenel Johns & Christian Tamburr: 7 p.m., $30. Nighttown. Goddamnit/Public Squares/Aaron Civil War/The Brave Girls: 8 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. Todrick Hall Presents Straight Outta Oz: 8 p.m., $25-$75. Agora Ballroom. Mike Petrone: 5:30 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

MON

04/03

The Stray Birds/Juniper Dust: From their days as a busking duo in Lancaster, Pennsylavania, the Stray Birds have come a long way and forged a nice international path. Their most recent album, last year’s Magic Fire, is a throwback to the ďŹ nest American planes of bluegrass and folk music, what with Oliver Craven’s excellent strings work (dig that mandolin). Throughout, Maya de Vitry’s voice rings out, and it’s easy enough listening for either an afternoon in the living room or a nighttime drive down I-77. Better yet: Check them out tonight in

Cleveland. This is as good a time as any to look backward and forward in our American cultural landscape. (Eric Sandy) 8 p.m., $12. Beachland Tavern. Skatch Anderssen Orchestra: 8 p.m., $7. Brothers Lounge. Baldwin Wallace Musical Theater: 7 p.m., $10. Nighttown. Velvet Voyage (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

TUE

04/04

Peter Frampton Raw: An Acoustic Tour: A few years ago, classic rock guitarist Peter Frampton revisited his back catalog of hits from the ’70s with the intent of producing acoustic versions of the songs. Frampton loved the results so much that he released an album featuring those renditions and has toured as an acoustic act in support of the release. For tonight’s show, Gordon Kennedy, a longtime collaborator and the co-producer of the Grammywinning album Fingerprints, will join him as Frampton delivers stripped-down versions of tunes such as “Baby, I Love Your Way,� “Lines On My Face,� and “Show Me the Way.� (Niesel) 8 p.m., $49-$295. Ohio Theatre. Stephane Wrembel: Award-winning gypsy-jazz guitarist Stephane Wrembel just released two new recordings, The Django Experiment I and The Django Experiment II. Both feature Wrembel’s interpretations of songs by the late jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt as well as original compositions that pay homage to Reinhardt’s distinctive gypsy-jazz style. Released in conjunction with the Wrembelproduced Django A Gogo, a tribute concert held at Carnegie Hall, the albums suggest the man’s talent on the six-string. Expect to hear songs from the two discs when Wrembel and his backing band return to Nighttown. (Niesel) 7 p.m., $20. Nighttown. Honduras/Acid Dad (in the Locker Room): 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Living Body/Snakehole/Listen, Little Man: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class. New Found Glory/Trash Boat: 8 p.m., $27 ADV, $30 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Simple Plan/Set It Off/Seaway: 6 p.m., $30.50-$40.50. House of Blues. Two-Set Tuesday featuring: Nathan Henry (in the Wine Bar): 7 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

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KentStage The

JOJO

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By Jeff Niesel MEET THE BAND: JoJo (vocals) AN EARLY START: Now 25, pop singer Joanna Levesque, who records and tours as JoJo, got an early start on her career. She had a No. 1 hit with her debut single, “Leave (Get Out),” when she was only 13, making her the youngest solo artist to have a No. 1 single in the U.S. She followed it up with a string of hits, and her 2006 debut, The High Road, topped the charts as well. JoJo, who grew up in the New England area, got a good dose of music from her parents. Her mother sang and her father, who she describes as a “Blues Brother,” played guitar. “I always heard music in the house and became obsessed with it from as early as I can remember,” she says. “I was a weird little kid who was definitely an old soul. I was loving Aretha Franklin and Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. I also liked Sly and the Family Stone and the Jackson Five. It wasn’t until I was 10 that I started to figure out what was going on in the pop world.” THE FOLLOWUP ALBUM: When JoJo began to work on the followup to The High Road, she started receiving songs that other artists had written for her. She eventually realized she wanted to have more input and write the songs herself or at least collaborate directly with the songwriter. That proved to be a wise move as Mad Love, her first full-length collection in 10 years, has been a huge hit. It arrived last year in the wake of several years of legal dispute and a lawsuit filed

against her former label. “I’ve been writing songs since I was a little girl,” she says. “I realized I didn’t want other people to speak for me.”

WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR HER: “I Am,” which she originally recorded last year, features just her and the piano. “It made me feel something really special,” she says of the track. The percolating “Fuck Apologies” features rapper Wiz Khalifa, who was on tour in Europe at the time. He sent JoJo his rhymes from overseas and lays down a rap that stays true to the song’s defiant spirit. “The song is really just about loving yourself and not making excuses or apologies for who you are and what you do and who you love and how to feel just to make other people feel comfortable. I thought Wiz was perfect for that collaboration because he’s such an individual and lives that ‘fuck apology’ mentality.” Another highlight, the electronicheavy “I Can Only,” features pop singer Alessia Cara. JoJo says she played the album for Cara before she played it for anyone else, and Cara picked “I Can Only” as the song she wanted to sing.

Madeleine Peyroux

Micky Dolenz

Fri., Mar. 31

Sat., Apr. 1

Morgan James w/Andy Allo

Richard Thompson w/Joan Shelley

Tue., Apr. 11

Wed., Apr. 12

Tim O’Brien, JD Huthison Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles & Jan Fabricius

America Sat., Apr. 8

The Pschedlic Furs w/Robyn Hitchcock Thu., Apr. 13

Blues Traveler

Fri., Apr. 14

Sat., Apr. 22

Garry Tallent of the E Street Band

Kent Paranormal Weekend

The Crazy Train

Sat.-Sun, Apr. 29-30

Thu., May 4

Sun., Apr. 23

WHERE YOU CAN HEAR HER: iamjojoofficial.com. WHERE YOU CAN SEE HER: JoJo performs with Stanaj at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at House of Blues.

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel

Fri., Apr. 28

ALL SHOWS AT THE KENT STAGE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED Tickets available at www.kentstage.org or 877-987-6487 GMK [w cw i {{ © a{ B e~ JJHJF | clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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SAVAGE LOVE POSITIVE THINKING by Dan Savage Dear Dan, Gay guy here. Met a guy online. He came over. We had incredible sex and then a great conversation lasting several hours. But — and you knew there was one coming—he told me that he lied about his HIV status. He is undetectable, but he told me initially he was “HIV/STD negative.” I got very upset — more from the lie than his status. (I know that undetectable is practically the same as negative.) I really like him, but that was a big lie. Should I swear off him for lying? Or is the fact he did tell me and our connection enough to give him a second chance? I had not been that happy up till the reveal in, well, maybe ever. But I want to be wise. — Did Ask, Didn’t Tell Why would he lie? To avoid rejection. Obviously. Guys often refuse to hook up with guys who are honest about being HIV-positive even though a positive guy with an undetectable viral load is less of a risk — at least where HIV transmission is concerned — than a guy who believes himself to be negative because he was the last time he got tested or because he doesn’t think he could ever get infected and so has never been tested. Someone who was recently infected is highly infectious; someone who doesn’t think he could ever get infected — because he doesn’t sleep with older guys, because he only tops, because his ass is magic and he uses unicorn spit for lube — is a fucking idiot, and fucking idiots are higher risk for fucking everything. Sometimes positive guys get sick of being punished for being honest, and so they lie — and it’s particularly tempting to lie to someone you don’t expect to see again. HIV-positive people shouldn’t lie to their sex partners. Obviously. The connection you describe is hard to find, but the lie he told was big, yes, but understandable. I think he deserves credit for coming clean right away — and a second chance.

Dear Dan, I want to fuck my 31-year-old husband more often than he wants to fuck me, his 27-year-old wife. We have been married for three years and together for four. My question is twofold: One, how do I gracefully accept his “no”? We have sex usually

two times a week — I wish it was more like five — which means he turns me down two or three times a week. I want to be better at hearing “no” from him without getting upset. The more I freak out, the less likely he is to fuck me the next time I ask. It’s a bad cycle. Two, he watches porn every day. I know because I was naughty and snooped. I love porn and I watch a lot of it myself. But it doesn’t replace sex for me. Is there a conversation to be had about this? Should I just keep my mouth shut? I love him but I am so frustrated. — Sincerely Perplexed Over Unwanted Sexual Energy You want to have sex five times a week, you watch a lot of porn, and porn doesn’t replace sex for you. Isn’t it possible that it works the same way for your husband? He wants to have sex twice a week, he watches a lot of porn, porn doesn’t replace sex for him. Don’t assume your husband is having a wank every time he visits a porn site. Lots of people — men and women—like to take a quick peek at porn sites, get a little erotic charge, and then get on with whatever they’re doing without stopping everything to have a wank. That said, SPOUSE, I can certainly understand why you’re frustrated — you’re having a lot less sex than you’d like and you’re constantly feeling rejected — but blowing up about porn isn’t going to help anything. So what do you do with your feelings of frustration? Regarding frequency, SPOUSE, you directly address the issue with your husband and propose a low-stakes, low-pressure (and mutually pleasurable) compromise. Tell him you’d like to aim for three times a week, but put mutual masturbation on the table for that third time and/or the husband giving you a masturbatory assist. He may not be up for PIV more than twice a week, but he may be up for crawling into bed with you and either having a wank with you or holding you and talking porny while you have a wank. As for your frustration around always initiating, well, sometimes we have to accept the shit we cannot change. As the person with the higher libido, you may be stuck being the initiator.

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

55

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| clevescene.com | March 29 - April 4, 2017

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