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UPFRONT
CENTROVILLA25, A NEW HISPANIC FOOD HALL AND BUSINESS INCUBATOR, OPENS IN CLARK-FULTON
AMID MASS DEPORTATION UNEASE
BACK IN THE 1980S AND 1990S, local artist Angél Guzman saw the buildings at West 25th and Clark as a potential centerpiece for a La Villa Hispana, a cultural reckoning in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood that would be the equivalent to a Little Italy or Asiatown Plaza.
After three decades of planning, false starts, pivots, leadership changes and fundraising, the dream has become reality with CentroVilla25 — a long-awaited Hispanic food hall, market and business incubator.
“It was not an easy journey to get here,” Jenice Contreras, president of the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, told Scene from a table in CentroVilla’s Mercado Verde.
“And so to be able to have an idea, a dream, and have a community wrap around that and commit to it not just for one year, two years — but over a decade?” Contreras added. “It’s really touching and moving to finally have a home.”
And what a home CentroVilla25 has finally become since it soft-opened to the public this winter.
There are the domino tables, which attract weekend tournaments and lunch break games. There are the stands in the Mercado Verde offering carne asada tacos, others hawking Cuban lamb chops and coconut candy. The bluetooth speakers playing Spanish ballads or hall-filling cumbia. About half the space is dedicated to food vendors and the other have to retailers. And the response has been immediate.
The only problem, besides the construction debt and the half dozen vendor spaces awaiting new bars or restaurants, is what’s happening outside of CentroVilla’s lively walls: a federal administration that has begun a ramped-up mass deportation of the country’s undocumented immigrants. Last week, agents from the U.S. Immigrant and Customs Enforcement entered the Cilantro Taqueria in Cleveland Heights intending to arrest an allegedly undocumented cook with a criminal record. ICE walked away instead, Cleveland Magazine reported, with five non-criminal employees, all of which were later detained at the Geauga County Safety Center in
Chardon. (Along with 51 others from Cuyahoga County.)
Such a national zeitgeist, as being carried out by a presidential administration that vowed the largest mass deportation scheme in American history, has thrown a wrench into what may have been an otherwise glittering debut for a Latin market decades in the making.
“It’s all definitely been alarming,” Contreras said. “As much as I have planned around CentroVilla and as much as we’ve worked to get this place opened, it’s been soul-crushing to have to think about what would happen if we had an ICE raid.”
It’s a fear that’s led to Contreras creating a kind of ICE playbook: “How do we prepare and consult with legal? What can they do? Do we need to let [ICE] into our building? What kind of documentation are they allowed to ask for? What are they not allowed to ask for?”
Immigration lawyers have told clients and the general public that targets of ICE officers are free to ask agents whether or not they have a warrant. And anyone awaiting documents not convicted of a crime, Patrick Espinosa, an
immigration lawyer in Painesville, told Scene, shouldn’t allow themselves unwarranted anxiety.
That was the general vibe around lunchtime on Wednesday, where dozens packed the Mercado Verde food hall side of CentroVilla, to work on laptops while sipping Puerto Rican coffee or meet with city officials over chicken empanadas.
“We’ve seen all different types of people,” Bernardo Tovanche, the co-owner of Café Roig with partner Ivelisse Roig, told Scene over a café americano. “Cubans are coming here. Venezuelans coming here. You know, people from Nicaragua coming here to figure this out.”
“So, Latinos are excited about this overall,” he added.. “The ones that know—they’re telling their friends to come here, too.”
Over at Sazon Latino is Danielle Chavez, the eatery’s owner who emigrated from Havana, Cuba, with her husband in 2022, and opened up a restaurant soon after.
With Chavez, it’s about the same: a head-down commitment to making true-blue Cuban food mixed with
a gratefulness for CentroVilla’s existence from the get-go. (Like everyone else, Chavez was vetted by Contreras’ staff for a sound business plan, financials.)
And affordable rent to make what’s eaten on the regular in Havana.
“It’s all very, very Cuban,” Chavez told Scene, while spooning a helping of congri, a savory rice and beans dish. “All very much from the capital. Everything.”
The hope is the multiplicity of cultures -- with food from Venezuela, Mexico, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico -- will draw not only Hispanics but all of Cleveland, to learn, explore and commune. Not to mention the cultural and community aspects -- domino tournaments, the construction job fairs, the City Council town halls, the birthday parties and dance nights.
The picture will become more clear, Contreras said, in May, when CentroVilla hosts its grand opening.
Until then, vendors like Jorge Hernandez find themselves tasked with growing into a space made their own. Into concocting the right
Flying Pig Tacos owner Jorge Hernandez.|
Photo by Mark Oprea
specialty tacos. (The delicious carne asada with street corn, for just one example.) Into brainstorming “cooking experiences.” To mixing in century-old family recipes.
“That’s my goal, to share all of this with the world,” Hernandez told Scene. “Whether you’re from Russia or you’re from Italy—I don’t care. I’m going to take you back to Mexico.” — Mark Oprea
Nikki Hudson Running for Cleveland City Council in New Ward 11
Nikki Hudson was among those dismayed by how Cleveland City Council went about redrawing new ward maps late last year and into 2026.
And it’s part of the reason she is now aiming to be elected to the body, as the longtime Cudell/Edgewater resident is running for the seat in the newly created Ward 11, a narrow, vertical district that will include parts of Edgewater, Cudell, the Stockyards and Brookside.
“When I heard Councilmember [Jenny] Spencer wasn’t running again, I was disappointed,” Hudson told Scene. “I’ve done great work with her over the years and have a tremendous amount of respect for her. I honestly hadn’t considered running at all until seeing how the new ward maps were drawn and what’s currently Ward 15 split up arbitrarily, not by natural boundaries or keeping neighborhoods whole. I believe they were drawn that way to split up grassroots organizers like myself. I wanted to put my name in the race to see if I could be part of changing how things are done in council.”
Hudson has experience in that regard, in getting action.
She was part of the Friends of Cudell Commons Park group that pushed Mayor Justin Bibb and CMSD to delay the construction of a new Marion Seltzer school that would have felled dozens of mature trees. She also serves on the board of the Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, as she did on the board of the Cudell improvement CDC before the merger, and has chaired her local block club.
“I’m a big believer in strong neighborhoods,” Hudson said. “If we want to make the city a great place to live, we have to focus on creating strong neighborhoods. To me, that means safe and green neighborhoods. I fought with the coalition to save Cudell park, doing things like creating green spaces and maintaining our legacy trees. I also believe in a government that works for the people. I’m interested in the public service aspect of running for office; it’s not my
lifelong goal to be a politician.”
To Hudson, it’s not just Spencer’s departure, or the new wards, that have driven her to the decision to seek the seat. It’s also how Council currently operates and what that means to an engaged citizenry.
“The kind of dysfunction that’s happening on Council right now is an embarrassment to the city,” she said. “And dysfunction and corruption in local government keeps people from getting involved and voting, not just on a local level but in state and national elections as well.”
An official campaign launch will come soon where prospective voters can learn more.
“My whole reason for running is tied to my love of my neighborhood and community,” she said. — Vince Grzegorek
Cleveland Leaders Announce New Coalition to Once Again Say Poverty Is Bad, Promise to Finally Do Something About It
On a recent Friday morning, as late January rain muted a still Huron Road outside, 13 local leaders in government, commerce and philanthropy gathered in a C-shaped panel for a morning of smiles and handshakes in a room at the office of the Greater Cleveland Partnership.
They were there — including Blaine Griffin and Justin Bibb, Lillian Kuri of the Cleveland Foundation, GCP’s Baiju Shah, reps from the Gund Foundation, United Way and others -to sign a ceremonial memorandum of understanding for the Urban Agenda drafted by PolicyBridge, a two-decadeold Cleveland think tank focused on minority uplift. The 13 displayed light-up pens. They took group photos for press. They gave speeches peppered with promises of “reducing the poverty rate” and tackling “racial disparity” with help from an “amazing array of partners.”
But through the corporate jargon and high-aiming promises, some clear pieces of information seemed to have escaped that day’s itinerary. How did they plan on doing that? And what the hell did the ceremonial MOU have to do with it?
“After two years of meetings and joint research,” Randall McShepard, the VP of public affairs for RPM International who emcee’d Friday’s meeting of the minds, told the crowd, “all these partners have agreed to join forces, handle resources around one critical area of focus—economic mobility.”
To be clear: the economic mobility of Cleveland’s minorities, which has
been the focus of PolicyBridge since the Black-led research firm formed in 2004. And the objective of their “Urban Agenda for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County,” a policy guidance package in the works since 2019. One “directed toward rebooting long-entrenched systems and upending biased structures that have perpetuated racial disparities,” its Executive Director Greg Brown wrote.
All which culminated in that Friday’s MOU signing.
A pen-to-paper moment that, at some points, seemed to veer more on political theater than a hard agreement to solve poverty once and for all. An MOU is not legally-binding by nature; they’re moreso used to link together good-faith intentions by government entities and privatesector businesses for some goal— halting river pollution, hiring more LGBTQ folks, helping the FDA protect American consumers, etc.
In PolicyBridge’s case, it focused on three main bullet points: reducing the poverty rate in Cleveland; growing the median-household income for “Black, brown or Hispanic” persons; and closing the Black, Hispanic and white wealth gap.
Points that seem quite obvious to anyone with their eyes open on a daily basis. Predatory landlords have taken control over entire streets in Old Brooklyn or Kinsman. Black East Siders have the lowest life expectancy in the county, cross the most perilous streets for pedestrians, and have the city’s highest unemployment rate.
And, earlier this year, East Cleveland was confirmed as having the lowest household median income for American cities of more than 5,000 people, Cleveland.com reported.
So did we really need a summit on a Friday morning to realize all of that on paper?
More frustrating was that no one had answers as to what the loose coalition would do. The most specific thing shared was that they would all work more efficiently instead of working in their respective silos and that they would continue meeting and talking about things they could do.
“If it was easy, it would be done by now,” Cleveland Foundation CEO Lillian Kuri, who helps oversee a $3.1 billion asset portfolio, told the audience from the podium. “That’s why this partnership in this collective is so important: Our resources at this table, aligned with what you see before you, are unparalleled.”
It is hard to compare something that doesn’t exist, something with no policy planks or actions, to something else. This much we concede.
“This is a great way for the many systems that we have to talk
to each other—the public, private, philanthropic systems to be able to communicate with each other,” Griffin said in his speech, “and break down barriers so that families aren’t overwhelmed in talking to multiple systems and not getting the results that they need.”
Griffin quoted the title of a 1991 album by American bluesman Gary B.B. Coleman: “Romance without finance is a nuisance,” he said.
But why did they invite everyone here to watch them sign a memorandum of understanding that Cleveland has a poverty problem and many of the leaders in the room are at least partially to blame for not fixing it sooner?
Maybe it’s the data! Maybe we are all here in this fishbowl of a room at 10 o’clock in the morning with our high socks and GCP-branded coffee cups because all of us here direly want a hard look into the lived realities of those who aren’t present. (Griffin: “What gets measured gets done.”)
“By signing this MOU today,” United Way of Greater Cleveland CEO Sharon Sobol Jordan explained, “we are bringing our network of community connections, our understanding of what works and where the gaps are and our commitment to collective impact.”
“For us, this isn’t just another partnership or initiative to join,” she added. “We’re in this to help fundamentally redesign how Greater Cleveland creates economic opportunity for everyone—particularly those that have been excluded for too long.”
But what is this MOU exactly? Scene asked the dais after the hour of speech-giving had ended. “Are there certain benchmarks that the MOU states?” Scene wanted to know, tapping into an attempt at corporatese.
Scene turned to the host. “And Baiju, will you have all of us here again to, like, talk about those benchmarks?”
McShepard took the podium. He ensured the room that a “community score card” would be available shortly on PolicyBridge’s website. There will be data publicly available.
And there will be, McShepard confirmed, another press event in a year’s time.
“We want to have an annual event,” he said, then turned to Shah for confirmation. “This will happen again? Can we?”
Shah looked up, assured. “Yes,” he said. — Mark Oprea
FEATURE
A CLEVELAND BRUNCH FOR EVERY OCCASION
From casual to fancy, Southern to Midwest, a guide to your favorite meal around town
By Kate Bigam Kaput
IN 1939, THE NEW YORK Times introduced the then-novel concept of brunch by writing, “Sunday is a two-meal day with many heathen who concentrate on taking life easy.” Nearly 90 years later, any modern-day brunchloving heathen can attest that the melding of two meals has proven more than a fad. Brunch has expanded to Saturdays and even weekdays, available at the greasiest of spoons and the ritziest of restaurants.
Whether you’re looking for a place for a low-key meal with the kids, a chill morning with friends or a special-occasion celebration spot with your significant other, we’ve rounded up 25 eggceptional brunch options that will fit the bill for any occasion.
When you want to show off Cleveland: CORDELIA
2058 E 4th St.
Go “Midwest nice” at the darling of East 4th Street, where blue collar cuisine gets the whitecollar treatment. We love the “dimmy jeans,” an homage to the classic Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl but made with chicken-fried jojos (Akron’s favorite potato!) smothered in gravy and eggs. Chef Vinnie Cimino is up for a James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Midwest for the second year in a row, making Cordelia the perfect place to brag on the local food scene. Brunch is served Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; best to snag a reservation.
When you’re willing to wait: LUCKY’S CAFÉ
777 Starkweather Ave.
The line at Lucky’s often forms before doors even open at this longtime Best of Cleveland “Best Brunch” winner; limited seating and a no-reservations policy only adds to the allure. Would-be diners wait outdoors, sipping lattes from AffoGATO Cat Cafe while waiting their turn to indulge in cheddar scallion biscuits topped with soft scrambled eggs and sausage gravy
— yes, the same ones featured by Michael Symon and Guy Fieri on their respective Food Network shows.
Lucky’s core menu hasn’t changed in years, but when everything is this good, why should it? Brunch is served daily, with an expanded menu on weekends.
When you’re willing to drive: THE BLUE DOOR CAFE & BAKERY
1970StateRd.,CuyahogaFalls
Once just a small, humble, hometown bakery, the Blue Door has become one of Northeast Ohio’s most well-known brunch destinations — and with good reason. The Classics section of the menu includes sumptuous standbys like dark chocolate hazelnut ganache crepes and the croque madame, dripping in bechamel and comte gruyere. Specials rotate regularly, so you never know what the options might be, but you’re guaranteed to be impressed, making it well worth the trek south.
When you’ve got cash on hand: BORDERLINE CAFE
18508DetroitAve.,Lakewood
There’s something charming about a diner that remains steadfastly cash-only. Something annoying, too, sure, but it does weed out the uncommitted masses, leaving only diner diehards to dig into delights like BBQ pulled pork hash, Philly cheesesteak benedicts and banana stuffed French toast. The interior of this brightly colored neighborhood haunt is sunnier than your glass of orange juice, starting your day off with bright vibes and biiiig portions.
When you want weekday brunch: ROWLEY INN
1104RowleyAve.
Once a third-shift bar with surprisingly good food, Rowley Inn is now better known as an incredible restaurant that starts serving booze surprisingly early — 7 a.m., to be exact. It serves
Juneberry|JMS Imagery
Lucky’s Cafe|Courtesy Photo
up Cleveland-style comfort food with indulgent twists: a chicken schnitzel sandwich served between waffles; an omelet stuffed with kielbasa and pierogi; a Polish boy with sweet peachbourbon barbecue sauce. It’s a, shall we say, cozy spot, so get there early or be prepared to wait.
When you want a classic diner brunch: BIG AL’S DINER
12600 Larchmere Blvd.
If it’s got “diner” in the name, you know you’re in for a massive menu and prices that won’t put too big a dent in your bank account. Big Al’s delivers on both fronts, plus classic checkerboard flooring for added vintage charm. A trifold menu lists breakfast on one side and lunch on the other, but if you’re overwhelmed by options, free yourself of the burden of decision-making and go with one of the brunch combos. Add a pancake or French toast for a small fee, the classic diner way.
When you want more breakfast than lunch: JUNEBERRY TABLE
3900 Lorain Ave.
Can a restaurant be soothing? That’s what Chef Karen Small’s Juneberry Table is — homey, welcoming, comforting, lively. It’s the perfect place to catch up with an old friend or reconnect with an old flame. Get cozy with jasmine rice congee, spelt pancakes with sorghum butter or the hot ham and cheese sandwich with fennel soup, and look for menu cameos by other well-loved local businesses, like coffee cake from Dramatic Snax and cinnamon buns from Floressa.
When you want a massive Bloody Mary: THE SOUTH SIDE
2207 W 11th St.
Bloody Marys aren’t the only thing on the menu at this Tremont institution, but if you opt out, you’re missing out. Their peppery, house-made mix has a bit of a kick, but the real draw is the garnishes, which range from candied bacon to a deep-fried pickle to a whole jalapeño popper.
Then there’s the queen of them all: the Mother Mary, a 27-oz. whopper rimmed with all of those garnishes and more. It even comes with a pony beer on the side so you can wash down your hair of the dog with a little more hair of the dog.
When you’re celebrating a special event: PIER W
12700LakeAve.,Lakewood
Perhaps no restaurant in the city comes as highly recommended for its brunch as Pier W, which
seems to have made it onto every local list since it opened in 1965 (and a few national ones too).
Located on a cliff overlooking Lake Erie, it has one of the best views in town and one of the only remaining upscale brunch buffets. For $69, gorge on prime rib, roasted diver scallops, a raw bar, French toast and more. There’s no guarantee of a table on the water, but the worst that can happen is a delicious brunch sans view, which seems like a risk worth taking.
When you want BBQ for breakfast: LANDMARK SMOKEHOUSE
11637 Clifton Blvd.
Barbecue for brunch? Yeah, that’s a thing — and what a delicious thing it is. You might not think of crispy pork belly and fall-off-the-bone ribs as morning or even midday fare, but they lend themselves exquisitely to brunch classics: a behemoth breakfast burrito full of brisket, eggs and beans; a pulled pork omelet whose saucy sweetness is offset by hot pepper relish; and smoked meat latkes, made morning-friendly with a sunny-side-up egg. Balance out that smoky barbecue flavor with a Bellini or start the day strong and spirited with Landmark’s extensive whiskey list.
When you want a brunchable burger:
and eggs benedict with fried green tomatoes and ham. Soho recently announced that it’s looking for a new location, so stay tuned for updates.
When you don’t need meat: CLEVELAND VEGAN
17112DetroitAve,Lakewood
This meatless mecca, which specializes in locally sourced and organic foods, is known for its rotating roster of pancake flavors, like chocolate cherry, caramelized banana and lemon blueberry, but the rest of the menu is extensive, too. Carnivorous recreations like biscuits with a lentil gravy and a reuben with corned beef seitan may make you forget meat ever existed.
When you want to try a little bit of everything:
ARTIS
17900DetroitAve,Lakewood
LocationsinOhioCity,Beachwoodand Avon
Maybe we owe Hecks an apology: They offer quite a lot more than just burgers, with a seasonally driven, locally sourced brunch that encompasses everything from eggplant shakshuka to baklava French toast (yes, it’s as decadent — and as sticky — as it sounds). But with four frankly bomb burgers the Sunday menu, it’s hard to think about much else. After all, Heck’s isn’t a repeat Best of Cleveland “Best Burgers” winner for nothing. Especially brunchworthy is the Brieberry Burger, topped with brie, bacon and a blueberry-ancho sauce.
When you’re craving Southern comforts: SOHO CHICKEN + WHISKEY
1889 W 25th St.
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone in town who has a bad word to say about this small, laidback spot, which has an impressive 4.5-star rating on Google, Yelp and Trip Advisor. (Seriously.
That’s hard to do.) But Soho specializes in far more than just chicken, doling out Southern-style eats that would make Paula Deen weep, lke light, airy beignets with bananas foster caramel, hush puppies with creamy sausage gravy
Shareable is the name of the game here, so pick a few dishes that hit on a variety of flavor profiles: sweet (brown butter cinnamon apple waffles), spicy (Korean fried chicken in gochujangbourbon maple syrup), sour (lemony hummus) and smoky (eggs benedict with Bulgarian eggplant spread). Just be sure to prep yourself for the delicate Midwestern dance that accompanies the last bite of each dish: “Do you want that? Oh, I couldn’t… Well, if you insist…”
When everyone wants something different: DINERBAR ON CLIFTON
11801CliftonBlvd,Lakewood
Lakewood’s retro-style Dinerbar retains the classic diner experience, but with a leveled-up menu and sleek decor that keep it far from “greasy spoon” territory. It may be the only place in town where you can order a chicken pot pie, a corned beef hash omelet, a poke bowl and risotto balls, all in one meal. This place gets really busy really quickly, especially at peak brunch hours, so it’s a great option when you want brunch slightly later in the day (brunch for brinner, if you will).
When you want to get fancy: RH ROOFTOP RESTAURANT AT RH CLEVELAND
4009OrangePl.,Orange
Yes, the RH stands for Restoration Hardware, the upscale home furnishing chain with a 55,000 square-foot retail space at Pinecrest. If brunch at a hardware store sounds strange, welcome to the luxury and opulence that is Restoration Hardware. This high-end restaurant boasts glittering chandeliers, live
HECKS CAFE
Patron Saint|Tiffany Joy Photo
olive trees and seemingly endless windows, with a minimalist menu that includes “impossibly thin” Swedish pancake and blinis with an impossible-to-pronounce type of caviar. It goes without saying: Reservations are a must.
When you also want to grab snacks for later: ASTORIA CAFE & MARKET
5417 Detroit Ave.
This Mediterranean-inspired spot takes its name from the Greek asteri, which means “star. At brunch, the star of the show is its masterfully curated charcuterie and cheese boards, the Bubbles Board (smooth, creamy cheeses and fruits that pair well with fizzy drinks) and the Bloody Mary Board (strong cheeses served with leveled-up cocktail accouterments, like spiced cashews and sweety drop peppers). Love what you’ve just eaten? Grab some of the ingredients on your way out at Astoria’s imported goods market.
When you want to eat local: WEST SIDE MARKET CAFE
1979 W 25th St.
The historic West Side Market is a point of Cleveland pride, and the attached cafe shows off ingredients from the hard-working vendors who make it what it is: Hungarian hash with smoked kielbasa from J&J Czuchraj Meats, a fried egg sandwich with spicy bacon from The Pork Chop Shop, a cornbread waffle and crispy chicken with honey butter from Meister Foods. Eating here is truly the epitome of eating local. Brunch runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., so whether you’re starting a busy day or winding down from one, it’s got you covered.
When you want to feel like you’re on vacation:
BARROCO
LocationsinLakewood,CrockerParkand
Willoughy
Channel warmer climes and good times at this popular, family-owned small chain, which specializes in Venezuelan and Colombian favorites like arepas and cachapas. Their most popular menu item is La Sucia, a white hominy corn arepa stuffed full of carne asada, potato chips, roasted red peppers, roasted corn, mozzarella and house-made garlic aioli. Add sweet plantains on the side for a Latin-inspired meal that mentally teleport you far, far from the CLE.
When you’re already ready to party: BOURBON STREET BARREL ROOM
2393 Professor Ave.
If you can’t make it to New Orleans, Tremont will bring a little bit of New Orleans to you. Every Sunday, this aptly named hotspot serves an authentic Crescent City brunch complete with Cajun jambalaya, buttermilk fried chicken on French toast, shrimp and grits and beignets with andouille gravy. Of course, you can’t do anything NOLA-style sans booze like hurricanes, sazeracs and a bright green moonshine concoction called “Gator Juice.” Try to take it easy as you channel the Big Easy, OK?
When you’re hungover: HEART OF GOLD
4133 Lorain Ave.
You don’t have to be hungover to love brunch at Heart of Gold, but if you are, this is the spot to load up on a heavy, stomach-steeling meal that will nurse you back to life. The menu literally includes a Hangover Burger, an unholy creation topped with a kimchi latke, fried egg, sage aioli and pepper gravy. Grab an order of Loaded Breakfast Fries for the table: crispy waffle fries covered with candied bacon, hollandaise, hot sauce and a fried egg. You won’t be hungover anymore, but you may be too full to function.
When you want an Instagrammable aesthetic:
IN THE WEEDS 13570RidgeRd,NorthRoyalton
What do you get when you combine a florist shop with a restaurant/bar? A sweet little spot with a quirky name and artful dishes that look as good as they taste. Everything on the menu is as pretty, colorful and eminently photoworthy as their floral bouquets: Belgian liege waffles with confit chicken, Cuban hash with roast pork and shaved ham, and a breakfast flatbread drizzled with hollandaise. Don’t skip the breakfast shot, a blend of Jameson, butterscotch schnapps and orange juice with a slice of candied bacon
When you want charming vibes: SLEEPY ROOSTER
5210ChillicotheRd.,ChagrinFalls
Just as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, neither should you judge this brunch spot by its location in a nondescript shopping plaza. The inside is absolutely adorable, like if Joanna Gaines designed a restaurant in Stars Hollow, and the food is, as its motto crows, “worth waking up for.” Of note are the 6-oz. country-fried ribeye smothered in gravy and the “rooster cakes,” pancakes topped with cheddar cheese and spiced apples. Whatever you order, add a bit of homemade hot sauce for a kick that’ll jumpstart your day.
When you want to feel European: PATRON SAINT
2915 Detroit Ave
Technically, Patron Saint doesn’t have a brunch menu. What it does have is an all-day, Italianinspired menu of smallish plates that cover all the bases, from breakfast right on through to dinner, from cold brew and croissants (don’t sleep on the pistachio butter!) to martinis and meatballs. Order using a QR code at your table, and keep your tab open for as long as you like, whether you’re dining solo while tapping away on your laptop or meeting that Tinder match for the very first time. You won’t leave stuffed, but you’re sure to leave fulfilled.
When you just want a reliable standby: XYZ THE TAVERN
6419 Detroit Ave
Sometimes you just want straightforward brunch — no frills, no thrills, just good food and chill vibes. XYZ is here for you, always populated enough to feel lively but rarely so packed that you have to wait more than a few minutes to grab a seat. The menu is simple but satisfying: a stack of buttermilk pancakes, a meat or veggie omelet, a BLT with avocado and a fried egg — the basics, done right. Don’t forget a pitcher of mimosas for the table.
The South Side|Courtesy Photo
Saturday & Sunday until 3pm
Saturday & Sunday until 3pm
GET OUT Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks
WED 02/12
Fat Ham
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play that centers on family secrets and “scandalous generational trauma” comes to the Allen Theatre. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30, and performances continue through Feb. 23. 1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Parade
A dramatization of the 1913 trial of Jewish American Leo Frank, this musical won a Tony for Best Revival of a Musical. It comes to Connor Palace as part of the KeyBank Broadway Series. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30, and performances continue through Feb. 23.
1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
THU 02/13
Bruckner’s Seventh Vonductor Fabio Luisi leads the Cleveland Orchestra as it debuts Silvia Colasanti’s Time’s Cruel Hand, a piece inspired by three Shakespearean sonnets. Countertenor Tim Mead will perform with the orchestra as well. The concert begins at 7:30 at Mandel Concert Hall, where the performance repeats on Saturday.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
Monster Jam
The annual monster truck competition that bills itself as a family friendly affair returns to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this weekend. The competition gets going at 7 tonight, and sessions continue tomorrow and Sunday too.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Peter and the Starcatcher
A dozen actors portray more than 100 characters in this Peter Pan prequel based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Great Lakes Theatre presents the play, and the performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Hanna Theatre, where performances continue through March 2.
2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Star-Crossed Lovers: Wine, Chocolate & Stargazing
Holden Arboretum hosts this Valentine’s Day event at Holden Arboretum. There will be wine and a sample of local chocolate truffles. In case of cloudy skies, an indoor star-story presentation and a short night hike will replace the stargazing activity. The event begins at 7 p.m.
9500 Sperry Rd., Kirtland, 440-9464400, holdenarb.org.
FRI 02/14
And That’s Why We Drink
Christine Schiefer and Em Schul bring the live version of their popular paranormal and true crime podcast to the Agora. Doors open at 7 p.m. 5000 Euclid Ave., 216-881-2221, agoracleveland.com.
Valentine’s Day at Cleveland Botanical
Garden
The Cleveland Botanical Garden hosts this special after-hours event. There will be live music, food and Valentine’s crafts. It begins at 6:30 p.m. 11030 East Blvd., 216-721-1600, cbgarden.org.
Waitress
This musical based on the 2007 indie film features music and lyrics from pop singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. It opens today at Beck Center for the Arts, where it continues on Thursdays through Sundays until March 9. It’s a collaboration with the Baldwin Wallace University Music Theatre program, and tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30. 17801 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, 216-5212540, beckcenter.org.
SAT 02/15
Love Is in the Air: Romantic Movies in Concert
The 80-piece Cinematic Symphony Orchestra will play music from Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Romeo and Juliet at this special Valentine’s Day event that takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center. A livestream option is also available. 1855 Ansel Road, 216-368-6062, case. edu/maltzcenter/.
TUE 02/18
Outlab: Experiments in Improvised Music
Musicians are invited to bring instruments or any sound making device (drum kit and keyboard provided) that can be used to explore collective group improvisation. Please bring your own amps if needed. The monthly session begins at 8 tonight at the Bop Stop. Admission is free.
2920 Detroit Ave., 216-771-6551, themusicsettlement.org.
WED 02/19
Shitshow Karaoke
Local rapper/promoter Dirty Jones and Scene’s own Manny Wallace host Shit Show Karaoke, a weekly event at the B-Side Liquor Lounge wherein patrons choose from “an unlimited selection of jams from hip-hop to hard rock,” and are encouraged to “be as bad as you want.” Fueled by drink and shot specials, it all goes down tonight at 10 p.m. Admission is free. 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland
Paula Poundstone comes to the Mimi Ohio Theatre. See: Saturday, Feb. 22.|Shannon Greer
Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.
THU 02/20
Adès Conducts Adès
Thomas Adès conducts the Cleveland Orchestra as it takes on 20th-century masterworks by Sibelius and Saariaho. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at Mandel Concert Hall, where a second performance takes place at the same time on Saturday.
11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
Fairview
This play performed by Cleveland State University students centers on an African-American family as they prepare for a birthday dinner for their grandmother. Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at the Helen, where performances continue through March 2.
1407 Euclid Ave, 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
FRI 02/21
Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks, a team that some pundits picked to win the Eastern Conference, come to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to take on the Cavs. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Cleveland Auto Show
Featuring concept, pre-production and production vehicles from many of the world’s top auto manufacturers, the Cleveland Auto Show returns to the I-X Center.
The massive event occupies nearly 1.2-million square feet and features exhibits, vehicle giveaways and a classic car competition. Today’s hours are 5 to 10 p.m., and the show continues through March 2. Consult the website for a complete schedule and for ticket prices. Parking is free. 1 I-X Center Dr., 216-676-6000, ixcenter.com.
Third Friday
From 5 to 9 p.m., many of the 78th Street Studios resident artist studios and galleries will be open as part of this monthly event. There will be live music, and Local West, a Gordon Square sandwich shop, will serve food. BARneo will have a selection of adult beverages as well. Admission is free. third Friday of every month. 1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios. com.
SAT 02/22
Hadestown
The Tony-winning play that centers
on two mythic tales (one that concerns Orpheus and Eurydice and one that centers on King Hades and his wife Persephone) comes to EJ Thomas Hall in Akron as part of the Broadway in Akron series. Performances take place at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
198 Hill St., Akron, 330-972-7570, ejthomashall.com.
Paula Poundstone
The veteran comedian who hosts a weekly comedy podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, and is a regular panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me performs tonight at 8 at the Mimi Ohio Theatre.
1511 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
SUN 02/23
Cavaliers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Led by guard Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies are one of the better teams in the Western Conference. They play the Cavs tonight at 7:30 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
Howie Mandel
Best known as the host of the game show Deal or No Deal and a judge on American’s Got Talent, chrome-domed comic Howie Mandel initially got his start as a stand-up comic. His career as a comic dates back to the late 1970s. He’s notorious for his ability to engage with patrons and come with jokes about them off the cuff. Expect him to show off his sharp wit tonight at 7:30 at MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html.
Monsters vs. Belleville Senators
At noon today and at 7 p.m. tomorrow, the Monsters take on the Belleville Senators at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. One Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.
TUE 02/25
Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra Concert
Sameer Patel serves as the guest conductor as the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra plays selections by Brahms and Beethoven. The concert takes place at 7:30 at Mandel Concert Hall. 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.
K.I.S.S.
Responding to the market, Anthony Zappola has gone back to the basics with Tony’s Burger Shop, and that’s enough for the chef right now
By Douglas Trattner
A DECADE AGO, ANTHONY ZAPPOLA was executive chef of Tom Colicchio’s Heritage Steak, the “Top Chef” judge’s high-roller steakhouse in Las Vegas. Today, the local chef runs a trio of Cleveland restaurants that specialize in sandwiches, burgers, and Italian-American staples. If you think that Zappola is bemoaning his current culinary standing, you’d be mistaken.
“I have nothing to prove anymore – and that’s a good feeling to have,” he says.
At 45, Zappola possesses the competence, confidence and acumen of a much older chef. He’s a lifer who worked in New York City alongside celebrated chefs like Jonathan Waxman, Anita Lo, David Chang, Bobby Flay and Michael Symon. Although he attended culinary school in place of a traditional university, Zappola’s real education took place in pressure-cooker restaurant kitchens.
“I remember working in New York in the early 2000s – I was broke, living with roommates in flex apartments,” he recalls. “But there was this general knowledge that the skills I was learning were so much more than the money they were paying me.”
Zappola absorbed that knowledge like a sponge while working back-to-back-to-back 12-hour shifts. When he wasn’t preparing food, he was eating it, discussing it, studying it. His passion and commitment paid off in 2003 in the form of an offer from Colicchio to work at Craft, which had just won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America. Between then and now, Zappola rode the wave of American culinary excellence from its gutsy be -
ginnings, through its zenith, and back down to where it sits today, which is a smoldering dumpster fire. Cash-strapped diners have largely replaced meals at full-service restaurants for those from fast-casual chains, laying waste to scores of independent operators. The ones who did survive, did so barely.
“Sales were tough in 2024 –everybody felt it,” says Zappola. “I talk to purveyors, I talk to friends; we were all struggling to get through the last year.”
Earlier this month, Zappola shut down the Rice Shop, an Asian-fusion concept that he launched in Vegas after leaving the Colicchio empire. The Van Aken District restaurant was facing the same challenges as its competition, namely rising food costs, higher wages, decreased sales and a shallow talent pool. So the chef opted to simplify. In place of a chef-driven concept that was “difficult to source, difficult to staff, and very niche,” Zappola grabbed some low-hanging fruit.
Tony’s Burger Shop, which took the place of the Rice Shop, is straightforward, familiar and appealing. The shop is largely in the capable hands of Eddy Keating, who Zappola has been mentoring since the Ohio City Galley days. The concise menu features single and double smash burgers, a few specialty burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, fried chicken tenders, fries and onion rings. Everything
is made with the same passion and dedication that has gotten the chef this far.
“I’m at a point in my life where I’m content knowing that I work really hard to give people really good food at a really good deal and with good customer service,” he states. “I take pride in that.”
Burgers and chicken tenders might not win you a James Beard Award, but if they wind up being the difference between survival and financial ruin, Zappola will happily accept that fate. In addition to Tony’s Burger Shop, the chef runs the seven-year-old Lox, Stock and Brisket, also at Van Aken, and the relatively new Tripi in Ohio City.
“To keep all the doors open in 2024 – to have enough money to change to this [burger] concept – that was a greater feat than making money in 2022 and 2023,” says the chef. “Those numbers don’t represent the work that I did, the ability that I have, or the knowledge that I gained from going through it.”
The funny thing is, the chef gets more personal and professional satisfaction from handing over a $10 smash burger to a wide-eyed teen than he did firing $200 tomahawks for tech bros.
“I know it’s corny to say, but I think in 20 years, kids will say, ‘Remember when we were little and rode our bikes up to Van Aken to get Tony’s burgers and Mitchell’s ice cream?’”
Zappola says that he’s interested to see what will happen in the restaurant industry over the next two, five, and 10 years. He’s optimistic that things will stabilize and improve in the near future. And when they do, he will liberate his inner chef.
“After a year and a half, Tripi has just hit its stride,” he explains. “And now we’re going to take it to the next level. I feel the same thing here. We’re doing burgers, chicken tenders, grilled cheese. This is not all I can do. There is so much more.”
Doug Trattner
Doug Trattner
TONY’S BURGER SHOP 3403 TUTTLE ROAD, SHAKER HEIGHTS
BITES
Coming soon: Two Friends Brewing, opening in Collinwood on March
7
By Douglas Trattner
THE LAST TIME WE CHECKED in with Dan Malz, he was brewing beer (and distilling spirits) at Portside in the Flats. He left that outfit in 2016 (it closed in 2017) and he’s quietly been plotting his return ever since. Almost a decade later, that officially will occur on March 7 when Malz opens the taps at Two Friends Brewing (775 E. 185th St. 216417-4531) in Collinwood.
“I’m really excited to be back into it,” says Malz. “I do enjoy making beer. It’s a hobby that makes me happy.”
Malz’s partner in the project is Ozimba Anyangwe. The two met while working as chemists for the Cleveland Division of Water.
“After years of brewing together in a garage, perfecting recipes, and sharing our creations with friends, we decided to bring our vision to life in Cleveland’s vibrant Collinwood district,” say the “two friends” behind Two Friends.
The brewery is located next door to The Standard in a space that was previously home to the Cleveland Brewery. But the new tenants expanded into the adjoining space to create a spacious 100-seat bar.
Malz is brewing on a 3-barrel system along with a collection of 1-barrel fermenters. From those the beer moves to bright tanks and then straight into kegs. Two Friends will also can and bottle beers for retail sales. The plan is to sell most of the beer on premises as opposed to distribution, pledges Malz.
“We want to be a neighborhood brewery,” he notes.
Beer lovers can look forward to a wide variety of beers, including pilsners, kölsches, stouts, pale ales, IPAs and seasonals. Fans of Portside’s exceptional 216 Pale Ale can expect a similar concoction, says Malz.
The brewery will not sell food but rather rely on food trucks
and neighborhood restaurants. It will be open Tuesday through Saturday evenings, with longer hours on the weekends.
Beer fans don’t have to wait until the brewery officially opens to try the beer; Two Friends will be pouring a selection of brews at this year’s Winter Warmer Fest on Saturday, March 1 at Windows on the River.
Jack’s Deli Purchased by Cleveland Restaurant Management Group
Jack’s Deli (14490 Cedar Rd., 216-691-6837), a classic Cleveland delicatessen around since 1980, has been acquired by the Cleveland Restaurant Management Group (CRMG). The company, which has been on a restaurant-buying spree of late, is owned and operated by a contingent of area entrepreneurs, most notably Marc Glassman of Marc’s fame.
The overarching goal of the restaurant group is to preserve local independent eateries regardless of cuisine. In addition to long-standing restaurants like Jack’s, Manhattan Deli, D’Italia Foods and Eat at Joe’s, CRMG is the brawn behind newer brands such as Lopez 44, Oddfellows and Cappricio’s, which is opening soon in Solon.
Local deli fans can breathe a sigh of relief given the current state of Jewish delis across the nation. We lost Corky & Lenny’s late last year after 67 years in business. Jack’s has been around since 1980, when the Markowitz family opened it around the corner from its current location in University Heights. In addition to comfort food classics like matzo ball soup, corned beef and pastrami sandwiches, potato pancakes and blintzes, the deli has adapted to the times with lighter, leaner fare as well.
While Alvie Markowitz had retired from day-to-day operations, partner Gary Lebowitz has been maintaining standards and traditions. He will stay on in an ownership role, says CRMG reps. Diners can expect some tweaks to the menu in the future, but no major changes are planned, they pledge.
Now Open: Trust Coffee in Bay Village
The wait is over for Bay Village coffee lovers. Trust Coffee (27225 Wolf Rd.), an all-day café from Thyme Table owner Mike Smith, opened on February 10. The attractive shop resides in the former Java Bay Coffee space at the Bay Village Square Shopping Center.
Trust Coffee is the culmination of years of planning, setbacks and persistence. In the end, the owners found the ideal property for their project. In addition to the former Java Bay spot, the Smiths were able to annex an adjacent storefront long home to Andy’s Shoe Repair, which doubled the space. And thanks to the history of that property, the Smiths were able to secure a liquor license for Trust.
Opening bright and early, Trust Coffee will feature brews from Ohio City’s duck-rabbit, as well as some specialty coffee roasters from around the country. Thyme pastry chef Laura Jerina will prepare a selection of scones, cookies and muffins for a light breakfast. At midday, the café will transition to lunchtime fare, with salads, sandwiches and other items. Come happy hour, Trust will offer beer, wine and cocktails alongside café-style foods and desserts. The beverage program is being formulated by Eric Scott, partner and chief mixologist at Thyme.
The owners worked with Lakewood-based AoDK Architecture to create a charming interior that Tess Smith describes as “a feminine twist on Thyme Table.”
To start, the plan is to close around 9 p.m. but given the way things are developing in the neighborhood, those plans could shift.
“With Deagan spots opening on either side of us, that traffic might push things later,” says Mike. “It’s been a lot of fun to see cool new things happening in Bay; it’s a ‘rising tides raise all boats’ sort of thing.”
The Beachwood Truck Park Has Closed
Before the Lakewood Truck Park even opened for business Dan Deagan began making plans to export the concept to the east side in Beachwood.
That operation on Chagrin Boulevard in an old fire station debuted in 2022.
But while success was easily found in Lakewood, Beachwood didn’t quite draw the same amount of traffic despite a similar setup of indoor/outdoor bars, plenty of umbrellas, picnic tables and a rotating roster of food trucks supplying snacks and meals.
And now the Beachwood Truck Park has closed for good.
“We tried for two and a half years,” Deagan told Scene. “It didn’t take off the way that Lakewood did. I also think that Covid affected us as well. We were doing the permitting and build-out towards the end of Covid, which led to higher prices and supply chain issues. And we ended up opening four days after my fire. So I couldn’t even be there for almost the first six months of it being open.”
With Deagan’s other projects — Wolf & Co. in Bay, Wine Dive, an upcoming golf simulator bar — there’s also less time to go around.
“I opened two new places in the last six months and I’m opening two additional places in the next six months means I just don’t really have the time to put into it anymore,” he said.
dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner
Doug Trattner
MARCH 5 - APRIL 17 DOWNLOAD
MUSIC
7 P.M. THURSDAY, FEB. 13. BOP STOP, 2610 DETROIT AVE., 216-377-1410. TICKETS:
RENAISSANCE MAN
Local musician Robin Blake aims to show range of local Black musicians with new showcase series
By Jeff Niesel
LAST YEAR, LOCAL instrumentalist//composer Robin Blake, who performs and records as Hyperius Blake, hosted a tribute to the late MF Doom at Crobar. A catalyst for the local music scene, Blake collaborated with Brittany Benton, aka DJ Red-I and local rappers Muamin Collective and Madstarr to celebrate a night of music by “one of hip-hop’s most legendary artists.”
“The tribute show to MF Doom was a rousing success, and we had a great crowd,” says Blake in a recent Zoom call. He’s currently promoting both a music showcase dubbed Renaissance Noire and a tribute concert honoring J. Dilla and Nujabes. The Renaissance Noire show takes place on Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Bop Stop, and the J. Dilla and Nujabes tribute concert takes place on Friday, Feb. 28, at Crobar. “There is lots of footage from that show up on YouTube. The Crobar owner loved the show and told us we could come back anytime.”
Blake describes the upcoming Renaissance Noire show at the Bop Stop as “two hours celebrating Black musicians in different styles and genres.” Blake says that the recent Cleveland Music Census, a survey of local musicians and fans, said that
most people in Cleveland identify Black music with rap and hip-hop.
“That’s silly,” says Blake. “When you look at the history of American popular music, it all goes back to Blackness and the blues and other types of music. [To say it’s all R&B and hip-hop] is reductive and also just untrue. There are so many African-American, Caribbean and South American who play punk and other styles of music. I make the joke that most of the local bands are just four white dudes with guitars but there are plenty of other bands that feature four black dudes with guitars. They don’t get the same recognition. There’s an untapped scene of musicians here that we can take advantage of.”
The Bop Stop concert lineup includes blues artist Afi Scruggs, rapper Jinari Kemet and R&B singer Esther Fitz. Blake’s band, the “future soul” group Black Voltron, will also perform.
“Selfishly, my band and I want to play shows with these people because we never get to because it seems like most promoters just want one Black artist per gig or a Black History Month type of show,” says Blake. “I want to normalize mixing it up. I understand how booking shows work and that nuance, but if the music is quality, there’s no reason that my jazz hip-hop band can’t be on the bill next to a metal
band. People who like music won’t complain.”
Ideally, Blake says the Renaissance Noire series will expand into a quarterly event. The name stems from the fact that Blake sees a similarity between the 1920s and 2020s. He says a new Harlem Renaissance is happening.
“Artists need to step forward right now, and Black artists have a lot to say because we are not monolithic,” he says. “We have such varied experiences, and having platforms to share those experiences with everybody can help bring the community together and empower Black people. Afie Scruggs is an elder in the community that I respect, and Esther Fitz is a badass powerhouse. Me and Jinari are friends and go way back but have never gotten to play on a bill together. It’ll be a night of great musicianship.”
Blake, who graduated from Euclid High School, was only 8 years old when he played violin in the orchestra at his elementary school and developed an interest in music. One day, he randomly played an Alicia Keys song at the piano, and his teacher asked him to write it up for the school’s orchestra.
“At the age of 8, I made my musical debut,” he says. “It’s always been a part of me, and when it came time to decide what to do in college, I wanted to study it.”
At Cleveland State University, Blake created an independent study degree and focused on the Black diaspora. His thesis centered on hiphop as an extension of jazz’s legacy,
and he researched African tribal music and sampling as an extension of “quoting” in classical music.
“It was a whole full thing,” he says.
Hyperius Blake and the Sound Experiment, his first group, emerged as a result of a senior recital.
“I had my artist name in the front just because I was the band leader and wrote all the music,” he says. “Now, we are Black Voltron. The new name symbolizes more who we are and how we operate and what we are trying to do.”
Blake and his bandmates channel a wide range of influences into the group. They’re currently at work on a new EP.
“A lot of us are either classically trained or were brought up in the church,” he says. “Most of them I met at music school. We have a jazz training as well. I like to be around weirdoes. We all have our collective interests and things we bring to the table. I’m inspired by video game music and Japanese City Pop, and I love music that is rich and complex while being relatable. The tagline for the band is that we can play anything. We really can. When you study jazz, you learn everything about music. From there, my personal cultural experience is what allows me to play real hip-hop, and being classically trained lets us read music, so it’s easier for us to convey complex musical ideas.”
jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel
RENAISSANCE NOIRE: A NIGHT CELEBRATING THE BLACK DIASPORA IN SONG,
$20, THEMUSICSETTLEMENT.ORG.
Black Voltron.|Courtesy of Robin Blake
LIVEWIRE Real music in the real world
THU 02/13
Alla Boara
Led by drummer and composer Anthony Taddeo, this local group makes modern arrangements of nearextinct folk songs. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Box Supper Club, and the concert marks the band’s first local performance since it returned from recording sessions for its third album in Los Angeles with multiple Grammy nominee Tyler Chester (Sara Bareilles, Jackson Browne, Blake Mills, Andrew Bird). 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.
The Warren Haynes Band Millions Voices Whisper Tour 2025
Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes brings his solo project to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. The tour supports his latest album, Million Voices Whisper It features Haynes’s Allman Brothers Band bandmate and longtime friend Derek Trucks on multiple tracks, including “Real Real Love,” a song whose lyrics were initially started by the late Gregg Allman. Haynes finished the song to honor his friend. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark. mgmresorts.com/en.html.
Stars
The indie pop band brings its tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Set Yourself on Fire album, its third release on the Arts &Crafts imprint, to the Beachland Ballroom. Songs such as the sonically dense “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” have a dream-pop quality to them that makes them engaging after all these years. Lydia Persaud opens. Doors are at 8 p.m. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
FRI 02/14
Keller Williams Presents DeadPettyKellerGrass Featuring the Hillbenders
Veteran singer-songwriter Keller Williams pays tribute to the late Tom Petty with this show featuring the Hillbenders, a five-piece band out of Missouri. The talented Williams plays a bit of everything, including guitar, bass, percussion, theremin, synthesizer and piano. The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
Singer-guitarist Warren Haynes plays MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. See: Thursday, Feb. 13.|
SAT 02/15
Cleveland’s Valentine’s Love Jam The Whispers, Con Funk Shun and
Lenny Williams will perform at this soul/R&B concert highlighting tunes appropriate for the Valentine’s Day holiday. The concert begins at 8 p.m. at the State Theatre. 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
SUN 02/16
Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band
Local singer-songwriter Carlos Jones pays tribute to Bob Marley on
Shervin Lainez
what would’ve been the late reggae star’s birthday. An icon on the local reggae scene for 35 years, Jones first played as part of I-Tal and First Light before launching his solo career. The show takes place at the Beachland Ballroom, and doors open at 3 p.m. The festivities will commence with DJ Bryan Watson spinning some tunes. Ms. BBC & the Queens, a vocal group featuring four female singers from various other groups will perform. Additionally, the Hue People vocal group will join Jones & the PLUS Band on stage for several songs. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
WED 02/19
The Get Up Kids — 25 Years of Something To Write Home
The Kansas City indie rock band will play its Something To Write Home
About album in its entirety at this special show that takes place at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Ballroom. The album is now 25 years old, and the group reissued it last year with bonus tracks as well as a full-color booklet. Singles such as “Holiday” feature upperregister vocals and driving guitars, establishing an emo sound that would influence a number of ‘90s bands. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com.
FRI 02/21
Filter
A former touring guitarist with Nine Inch Nails, Richard Patrick brings his alternative rock band back to the town where it originally formed. Filter had a hit right out of the gates with its debut, 1995’s Short Bus, which featured the industrial-minded hit “Hey Man Nice Shot.” The group performs tonight at 7 at House of Blues.
308 Euclid Ave., 216-523-2583, houseofblues.com.
Lit & Fuel
The ‘90s rock acts bring their coheadlining tour to MGM Northfield Park — Center Stage. Lit had a big hit back in the ‘90s with the tune “My Own Worst Enemy,” a catchy pop-punk number. Fuel also rose to popularity in the ‘90s thanks to ballads such as 1996’s “Shimmer.” The concert begins at 8 p.m. 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark. mgmresorts.com/en.html.
SAT 02/22
Joe Bonamassa
The blues guitarist who has delivered 28 No. 1 Billboard blues albums returns to the State Theatre tonight at 8. Bonamassa promises to play a mix of new tracks and classic hits at the show, part of a lengthy tour that leads up to an appearance on the Keeping the Blues Alive cruise in March. 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.
Brite Winter 2025
The annual music and arts festival returns. This year, the event will take over the East Bank of the Flats. It begins at 1 p.m. DJ E-V will headline the event and perform under a disco ball, and local acts such as Chelsea Pastel, Da Land Brass Band and Will Cherry share the bill. Nearly 30 local acts will perform at the event, which will feature three outdoor areas and two indoor areas. britewinter.com.
The Ike Reilly Assassination
The veteran singer-songwriter performs tonight at 8 at the Treelawn. Reilly is the subject of a new documentary film, Don’t Turn Your Back on Friday Night, that chronicles his remarkable career. The wordsmith who worked for years as a doorman before embarking on his musical career takes the stage at 8 p.m. 15335 Waterloo Rd, 216-677-8733, www. thetreelawn.com.
SUN
Make Them Suffer
02/23
This hard rock group spent last year playing sold-out shows across Australia and performing at festivals like Download and Copenhell. The current tour that brings it to the Roxy and Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood tonight supports a new self-titled album. Doors open at 6 p.m. 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-5213280, mahalls20lanes.com.
TUE 02/25
David Shaw
Tonight at 8, Revivalists’ frontman David Shaw comes to the Asylum Room at the Masonic as part of his winter tour in support of his second solo LP, Take A Look Inside. The single “Arms of the River” comes off as a somber ballad with a Robbie Robertson feel to it.
TempleLive at the Cleveland Masonic, 3615 Euclid Ave., 216-881-6350, masoniccleveland.com.
scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene
SAVAGE LOVE
LOW AND SLOW
By Dan Savage
Dear Readers: When I open a column with “Dear Readers,” it’s usually to let you know I’m taking a week off. But this is a brand-new column! All new questions, all new answers. But I intentionally dug through the mail for relatively simple questions because I’m just fried from the news. So, if you wrote in this week about a particularly thorny interpersonal conflict that would require me to think and focus before responding… you’re not going to find your letter. All the questions below are easy pitches — low, slow, and over the plate — because those were the only ones I felt capable of taking a swing at after the week we’ve all had. Dan
I’m a newly-out gay man who is also exploring kink and leather for the first time. It has been fun, especially because I love daddies, and some wonderful older men have been my guides to this brave new world of rubber and slings. However, a few have ghosted me because I end up texting too much due to the fact that I’m worried they’re losing interest. I’m realizing this is a red flag to others. I’m needy but it’s rooted in the fact that this is all new to me AND since I feel late to the party, I need to move things along quickly to make up for lost time. How do I parent myself through this situation and stop pushing Daddies away with my neediness?
Boy Losing Opportunities With Incessant Texting
If you’ve gotten unambiguous “you’re too intense/you’re too much/ you’re too needy” feedback from multiple guys — verbal and/or nonverbal — you should be able to correct course. I mean, you may have just come out, BLOWIT, but you’re a grown-ass man and a grown-ass man can resolve to do things differently. So, how about you identify a friend whose phone you can blow up with messages about your latest sexual adventure? Then after blowing up your friend’s phone for 24 hours, you can send a single thank-you text to the nice guy who set up his sling for you and let him know you’d love to take another ride. Playing it cool is not to be confused with playing games. People who play games lie about their interest or their availability in order get things they want from people who wouldn’t
give them those things — their time, their attention, their holes — if they knew the truth. When you play it cool, you’re being honest about your feelings (“I had so much fun and would love to meet up again”) but you’re being thoughtful, considerate, and strategic about when and how you express them. And if you wind up regularly getting with a guy that you played it cool with at first, BLOWIT, then you can tell him you were so excited after your first session you sent 300 giddy text messages about him to your best friend. He won’t just be flattered that you felt that way about him — and relieved you didn’t blow up his phone —but even more attracted to you than he was already, BLOWIT, because the ability to self-regulate is something people look for in partners, both play and life.
How does one navigate unrequited crushes while in a monogamish marriage? My wife has been crushing on someone that has proven to be a mess and is practically unavailable. They have an attraction for one another and have exchanged some flirts and kisses, but this person doesn’t have the time or energy for her that she hoped he would. I’ve stayed out of it because it hasn’t caused any issues for us as a couple. However, at this point it’s the same song and dance without any change of perspective on my wife’s part. How can I support her so she can move on? We go out fairly often to find different cute lesbos. She’s still hung up on this hot mess who, to me, isn’t worth the effort beyond a purely platonic friendship. Always appreciate your advice.
Hoping On This Mess Exiting Sometime Soon
Married poly people — or poly people with primary and/or nesting partners — are often asked how it feels to watch our spouses go through the NRE (“new relationship energy”) stage of a new relationship. (Some of us feel fine about it, others are threatened by it; some of us wanna hear every detail, some of us wanna be on a need-toknow basis.) But we’re rarely asked what it’s like to watch our partners suffer through an unrequited crush, a shitty first date, a disappointing or disqualifying first sexual experience with someone new, etc. Short answer: it sucks — watching someone you love suffer always sucks — and figuring out how to help (or whether you’re the right person to help) isn’t always easy. Sometimes the spouse just wants you to listen, sometimes the spouse wants you to weigh in.
So, HOTMESS, if you have the kind of relationship where you’re welcome to weigh in on your wife’s other
relationships — if you generally talk about the other people you’re pursuing or doing — you could gently point out the mess your wife is currently too blinded by lust to see. But if you typically don’t discuss other partners or prospects, you would be well advised to keep your mouth shut. If your wife’s crush was negatively impacting you and/or your marriage in some tangible way, HOTMESS, I would urge you to speak up. But it’s not — you said it wasn’t — so you shouldn’t.
Love makes fools of us all, as they say, and right now it’s your wife’s turn to play the fool. When she comes to her senses, HOTMESS, you can be there for her with a pint of ice cream and some enthusiastic oral. (Always does the trick for my husband.) You can gently point out the signs she missed, if she wants to talk about it, and make her promise to be just as patient when it’s your turn to play the fool.
Quite a few years ago I was tricked into participating in a threesome with my ex and his friend when I was high. I brushed it off as a bad experience and did nothing about it. I’m starting to hear that it was an act of conquistadorial machismo since I’ve moved back home. It was suggested that the boys planned the event to use the interaction as blackmail or gossip material. Should I report this to the police? I’m starting to fear the gossip might turn violent. Looking for advice! Tricked Into Threesome
If you have reason to fear for your safety or if your ex has threatened to blackmail you, TIT, you should be speaking to the police right now and not sending emails to sex-advice monkeys. But if what you’re dealing with is lingering (but totally valid) anger over being talked into doing something dirty while high (but not incapacitated), along with hearsay about gossip (not a crime) and blackmail (a crime if attempted)… then no, the police are not gonna swoop in and arrest your shitty ex and his equally shitty friend. Unless and until something actually happens, you’ll have to go back to brushing this off.
I recently ended an affair with someone younger than me. We work in the same industry and were in the process of changing our relationship to only being professional and friends. After speaking with her confidants, she let me know that I groomed her during our relationship. Beyond sex, there was a transactional exchange (of a sexual nature), since we live in different states. I am a bit confused since she’s 30 and I am 45 and I presumed a 30-year-old woman had agency. I always encouraged her to reach out to
her friends and never tried to isolate her. Is it possible that a 45-year-old adult was grooming a 30-year-old adult? I am gutted, I’ve always tried to follow your campsite rule. Other than being shitty for having an affair, this all makes me feel terrible since despite me helping her with her career, she feels worse now than when I met her. Gloomily Ruminating Over One Mostly Elicit Relationship
Some men convince themselves they’re doing good things when they’re actually doing deeply shitty things. Other men, aware they’re doing deeply shitty things, will toss in a good deed or two to compensate or cover for the deeply shitty things they know they’re doing. And #NotJustMen: we all men, women, enbies, all of us — have the capacity to construct the kind of self-serving rationalizations that help us sleep at night.
Now, since I don’t have the security footage — and since I can’t subpoena you both and take your depositions under oath — I can’t say whether you were being any shittier than the average person having an affair. (Even when justified, all affairs involve some shitty behavior.) Likewise, I don’t know if you were honoring the campsite rule or just going through the motions. And I don’t know whether your offer of professional support turned what was already transitory and transactional into something exploitative. Did your affair partner feel that way all along? Or is she reassessing things now that it’s over and revising your history together to paint you — with the encouragement of her confidants — in the worst possible light? I don’t know and I can’t tell you.
But I know and can tell you this: You didn’t groom anybody. When we’re talking about sex — not hair care or ski hills — grooming has a very specific meaning. It’s not a 45-year-old adult having consensual-if-ill-advisedand-regrettable sex with a consenting 30-year-old adult. Grooming is when an adult insinuates himself into a child’s life, gains the trust of that child’s caregivers, and then sexually abuses that child. Whatever else you’re guilty of, GROOMER, you are not guilty of that.
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