TDS - Sept 2017 by The Devil Strip

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 • THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

PG MAC LOVE WANTS TO HELP 13 AKRON EXPRESS ITS CREATIVITY

PG MOTHERING THROUGH RECOVERY: 28 A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHALLENGE

PG BOUNCE: AKRON’S NEXT 32 WAVE OF INNOVATION

Section Title

AGENDA 5 Devil’s Dozen 6 There’s Nothing to Do in Akron 10 Akron’s got PRIDE 12 E. Exchange Street • 2nd Floor Akron, Ohio 44308

Publisher: Chris “wishes he were barbigerous” Horne Email: chris@thedevilstrip.com Phone: 1-330-KL5-3226 Art Director: Alesa “doesn’t sleep” Upholzer, Talented and Patient Managing Editor: M. Sophie “Has Many Names, Wears Many Hats” Franchi – sophie@thedevilstrip.com Assistant Editor/Features Writer: Noor “Most Nervous of all Poodle Poets” Hindi Director of Sales & Distribution: TJ "is in fact a Newsie, hat and all" Masterson TJ@thedevilstrip.com Staff Writers, Columnists & The A/V Club: Devon “Needs a Whimsical Nickname” Anderson; Emily “Lady Beer Drinker” Anderson; Ali Burden, Woman of Many Good Pitches; Claude “Got to Hold a Bumblebee in His Hand” Christensen; Dave “Baseball Now!” Daly; Emily “Potty Perfectionist” Dressler and Marissa Marangoni, Bathroom Culture Enthusiast; Brian “Wemlo Twinge” Dunphy; Gray “Always Beats Deadline” Giaconia; Dan “The Akron Knight” Gorman; Paul “I don’t write but I can draw” Hoffman; Josy “is everywhere already” Jones; Kurt “Needs a Whimsical Nickname” Kleinham; Ashley Kouri; Jacob Luther, the Towny Town Toonist; TJ “Don’t Call Me Shirley” Masterson; Svetla “The Balkan Comrade” Morrison; Brittany “Sass Master Flash” Nader; Krissy "Someone make me a real fish taco before I go insane" O'Connor; Ilenia “Our Short, Tired Garbanzo Bean Eatin', WTF Video Girl Writer” Pezzaniti; Lia “Just One More Slice” Pietrolungo; Floco “no wonder he’s a lover and a writer” Torres; Steve “is not a zombie” Van Auken; The Shane Wynn Supremacy; Ted “Super No Bueno” Zep ————————————————————

Office .......................................(330) 842-6606 General Info ........... info@thedevilstrip.com Advertising .............ads@thedevilstrip.com Distribution ........ distro@thedevilstrip.com Website ..................... www.thedevilstrip.com Facebook ..... Facebook.com/thedevilstrip Twitter ....................................@akrondevilstrip Instagram ...................................@thedevilstrip ———————————————————— The Devil Strip is published bi-monthly by Random Family, LLC. Akron Distribution: The Devil Strip is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Copyright: The entire contents of The Devil Strip are copyright 2017 by Random Family, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above.

THE PALETTE 13 15 16

How will Mac Love help Akron express its creativity? Danny Volk’s Big Idea gets a makeover, Akron-style Kenmore gets Kreative with Kids

CULTURE CLUB 16 24 25

Beaver Marsh makes a (photogenic) comeback Akron’s got game. Specifically, basketball. And baseball. What’s up with that shower in your basement?

ADDICTION AND RECOVERY 27 28

Akron Snow Angels says goodbye to Lori How mothering through recovery is a different kind of challenge

AKROPRENEURS 31 32 34

What Carrie Acree of Dragon’s Mantle wishes she knew Is BOUNCE Akron’s new wave of innovation? These two brothers aim to open the first non-GMO Lebanese restaurant in the US

15 27

table of contents 37

THE DISH 36 37 38

How Summit Food Coalition connects people with food Where does Lady Beer Drinker buy beer? Bar Crawler’s new Buzz Kill Danger Rating System

THE SCENE 39 40 41

We think you should know these six Akron bands. ICYMI: August music events through Shane Wynn’s lens Buzz Clic is back for an Akron Adventure

Meet Dolly. This beautiful girl came to the Humane Society of Summit County as a nursing mother, and now that all of her puppies have found their homes, she’s ready to find a family to call her own! Dolly can be a bit shy when she

About the Cover he was at Alder Pond in Goodyear Heights Metro Parks. He shoots with a Nikon D3200 and used adobe Photoshop to alter the image's hue, saturation, contrast and vibrancy to imagine what it would be like if we, as humans, saw everyday life in other color spectrums. You can find Christopher and more of his work on @chrish330

first meets new friends, but with some time and patience, she warms right up.

OPTAB D

Christopher Harvey is a native of Akron and a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard, as well as a graphic design student at Cuyahoga Community College. He took the photo that appears on the cover when

13 39

PETS

Dolly LOVES to have her belly rubbed and to play with stuffed squeaky toys. Could Dolly be the perfect addition to your family? Visit her at HSSC today! Meet Duke. Duke was rescued by our Humane Officers and is ready to find the home of his dreams! Don’t let his big muscles fool you – Duke’s heart is as big as his head. He wants nothing more than to snuggle and be close. Duke is also smart! He already knows how to sit and lay down. When he isn’t snuggling, Duke is very energetic and loves to play with toys of all kinds. Is Duke the lovable dog you’ve been looking for? Visit him at HSSC today! PAWSibilities Humane Society of Greater Akron 7996 Darrow Rd., Twinsburg, OH 44087 | 1.888.588.8436 | 330.487.0333 info@summithumane.org | www.summithumane.org | www.facebook.com/summithumane

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

JAMES LEE BYARS, LOS CARPINTEROS, CATHERINE CHALMERS, DOROTHY CROSS, LALLA ESSAYDI, DON & ERA FARNSWORTH, LUIS GISPERT, LAURENT GRASSO, CHARLES LINDSAY, TERESA MARGOLLES, RACHEL SUSSMAN, HANK WILLIS THOMAS, SHINJI TURNER-YAMAMOTO, DANH VO, ZARINA

T I M E TO SH I N E

Alchemy: Transformations in Gold

Opening Celebration • Friday October 6, 2017 Member Exclusive Offers & Experiences • Become a member today! The glitziest party of the season begins at 6:00 pm Exhibition opens to the public at 7:00 pm. 5:00 pm Director’s Circle Members Exclusive Preview 6:30 pm Members-only Preview

Prepare yourself

for all the shiny you can handle. Celebrate the dazzling artwork on view in Alchemy and wear your shiniest attire: black, gold and metallic fashions are the order of the night. Walk our gold carpet, catch the light of this provocative exhibition and party the night away with snacks, drinks, music in the specially-gilded-for-one-night-only museum Crystal lobby.

Alchemy: Transformations in Gold is organized by the Des Moines Art Center Its presentation in Akron is supported by funding from the Ohio Arts Council

Luis Gispert, Jimmy Page (detail), 2015, polychrome stone, gold chains, 60 x 49 in., Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, Image courtesy the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago

One South High | Akron, OH 44308 | 330.376.9185 | AkronArtMuseum.org | THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

agenda

‹

OUR PICKS FOR THE 12 BEST CHOICES YOU CAN MAKE THIS MONTH Friday, September 8

Saturday, September 9

å Summer Ready Fitness "Glow Bike

é The Original Kings Of Queens Comedy

Ride" // 540 S Main St // 9:30pm-midnight What could be better than riding your bike in the dark? Riding your bike, glow-in-the-dark style for a good cause. The Glow Bike Ride

Tour Starring Greg "The Greek" Kritikos None Too Fragile Theater, 1835 Merriman Rd #3 // 7:30-9:30pm // Funny Noises Productions in conjunction with Rubber City

is a one-night cycling event to encourage

Sound Co. bring to this hilarious comedy tour

fitness and fun, with a festive start and finish. Route support will be available. Afterwards, enjoy music from Dj Tashbeatz, post-ride food, a vendor expo and fun-filled goodie bags. The course is just under 10 miles through downtown Akron, slow roll style. DONATION

to the None Too Fragile Theater. Also starring Gary G Garcia and featuring Chris Ketler and special guest Jill Smith. Tickets are $10 and available in advance via Eventbrite.

BASED. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Battered Women’s Shelter of Akron. To register: glowbikerideakron. eventbrite.com

Friday, September 8 & Sunday, September 10 ç Devil’s Milk, Part 1 // Sandefur Theatre, Guzzetta Hall, University of Akron // Story of the Amazon and Rubber Returns to the Stage // University of Akron students will have the opportunity to see New World Performance Laboratory’s acclaimed production of “Death of a Man,” the first part of the company’s Devil’s Milk Trilogy, a theatre project based on Akron’s relationship with rubber. Performances will be held Friday, September 8 at 7:30pm and Sunday, September 10 at 2pm. Admission is free. Seating is very limited. For information and reservations call 330-972-7895. Each performance will be followed by an audience talkback session.

advance tickets at bit.ly/2wCT69K.

Friday, September 15 to Saturday, October 7

è 6th Annual Free Outdoor Movie Night

ë High Arts Festival // Summit Artspace,

Glendale Cemetery, 150 Glendale Ave // 6-10pm // Come watch “The Muppet Movie” (rated G) in the historic and scenic Glendale Cemetery. Gates and trolley service will open at 6 pm and the movie will start at approximately

140 E Market St // Akron Art Prize has undergone a metamorphosis. The public will still vote for favorites in visual art, but now they can also vote for film and music categories. Voting will take place via mobile

8:15 pm. Come early to enjoy the beautiful cemetery grounds and check out the Civil War Memorial Chapel. Have a picnic on the Great Meadow. Food vendors include The Square Scullery, The Popcorn Truck, Ms. Julie's Kitchen,

app or kiosks in participating venues. The event aims to increase awareness of the vibrant artistic hub in Downtown Akron, as well as highlight the excellence of the arts community through peer-to-peer assessment. Visual art will

and Popsmith. There will also be a craft experience for kids of all ages with Jennifer

be showcased at Summit Artspace ThursdaysSaturdays from 12-7pm. Musical performances

Davis of smART Studios. In case of rain, the event will be moved to Sunday, September 10 at the same time. For more information: FreeAkronOutdoorMovies.

will take place at Jilly’s Music Room, Musica and Uncorked Thursdays-Saturdays from 5:308:30pm. Films will be shown at The Nightlight

Friday, September 15 ê Black & White Latin Gala // Guy's Party Center, 500 E Waterloo Rd // 9pm-1am // Are you ready to get your glam on and dance until your feet are sore? Gala Events presents it's annual Latin Gala. The night begins with

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

a Bachata & Merengue workshop at 7:30. Music by DJ Yama starts at 9pm, with a buffet dinner and cash bar. Black and White dress code. Advance tickets are $35 and include entrance, workshop, dinner and performance, but they will only be available until September 10. Tickets at the door are $40 and include entrance and performance only. Purchase

Challenge. Learn more at higharts.org.

Saturday, September 16 í Global Village Festival of Greater Akron Jennings Community Learning Center, 227 E Tallmadge Ave // 11am-5pm // The Global Village Festival of Greater Akron is a celebration of international and ethnic diversity in our community. This event will highlight the dynamics of the cultural diversity in our modern urban environment, and is designed to enable distinctive cultural expressions – including performances, exhibitions, international cuisine, and much more. For more information, visit akrongvf.org.

Sunday, September 17 ì The Akron Holy War // Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St // 7pm // Don’t miss the World Premier of this Akron-centric film, produced and directed by Anthony Fanelli, originally from Akron. The film chronicles the storied high school football rivalry between Archbishop Hoban and St. Vincent St. Mary. The film takes you inside this rivalry, all the way to the locker rooms the week leading up to the 2016 game. Tickets are $18 and include a reserved seat, early entry to The Civic at 5

Saturdays at 4pm and Sundays at 7:30pm. The whole festival kicks off with the opening party on September 15, outside of Summit Artspace,

pm for a pre-film reception and a drink ticket. Visit akroncivic.com for tickets and more information.

which will include live painting, music, dancing, cash bar, food trucks and more! The event is sponsored by the Margaret Clark Morgan

Wednesday, September 20

Foundation and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation’s Knight Arts

Hive Mind, 375 W Exchange St // Doors at (continued on page 46)

î Selector Dub Narcotic (Calvin Johnson)

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

agenda

There's Nothing to Do in Akron The Devil Strip’s comprehensive, monthly argument that there’s plenty of fun to be had in Akron

ONGOING EVENTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 High Arts Festival Summit Artspace, 140 E Market St / higharts.org See Devil’s Dozen

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, 714 N Portage Path 7-10pm // The Manor House exterior comes to life in a three-dimensional projection show that entertains and tells the powerful story of the Seiberling legacy with light, action and music. stanhywet.org ECJE All-Star Big Band: "Going (Back) to Kansas City"

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24 The Novel in You: Introduction to Novel Writing ASCPL Northwest Akron Branch, 1720 Shatto Ave // Six-part writing workshop. Each session will provide an in-depth look at a different part of writing, including how to create realistic characters, dialogue and plot, and the tools necessary for bringing out the best of the writer’s work. Call 330-836-1081 to register.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 The Three Musketeers Ohio Shakespeare Festival, 103 S High St Various showtimes // Second installment of OSF's Family Theatre. ohioshakespearefestival.com

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Last Official 2017 Truck Meets Goat GypsyGrace and The VintageGoat, 451 W Market St // 4-8pm // The Square Scullery food truck has teamed with GypsyGrace and The VintageGoat to put together monthly 1st Thursday dinner shindigs, and this is the last one of the year. Enjoy live music, awesome eats, eclectic finds and amazing local vibes. The event is free, and open to all. gypsygracevintagegoat.com

HOBS Reunion Show Annabell's Bar & Lounge, 784 W Market St 9pm // HOBS, Stimpy’s Revenge, Land of Panda, Emotional Support Pigs and Birthday Noose. annabellsakron

BLU Jazz+, 47 E Market St // 7pm // Take a trip to mid-1930's Kansas City as we hark back to the origins of bluesy, toe-tappin' midwestern swing with the music of Count Basie, Jay McShann, Tadd Dameron and Harlan Leonard & His Rockets. Admission $10 Blujazzakron.com Full Moon Labyrinth Walk Crown Point Ecology Center, 3220 Ira Rd 7-10pm // Walk led by Tracy Rhinehart with special guest Christopher Reynolds. Event begins at 7 pm and includes a yoga practice. $35 per person. Crownpt.org

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 Jared Lees @ Artisan 7-9pm // Artisan Coffee, 662 Canton Rd A free and family friendly night of solo bass music by Jared Lees. artisancoffeeshop.com Runaway Brother / Prince Daddy & the Hyena / Looming (solo) Hive Mind, 375 W Exchange St // Doors at 8 pm, Music at 8:30 pm // $5-10 suggested donation. Hivemindoh.org The Bluestones Old 97 Cafe, 1503 Kenmore Blvd // 8-11pm Theold97.com

Summer Ready Fitness "Glow Bike Ride" 9:30pm-12:00 // 540 S Main St // The Glow Bike Ride is a one-night cycling event to encourage fitness and fun. glowbikerideakron.eventbrite.com See Devil’s Dozen

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 BrittFit Strength Training Akron Children's Museum, 216 S Main St // 9-10 am // $10/family (up to 3 people including kids, $5/additional person). Preregistration is required at the museum via phone at 330.396.6103. BrittFit Strength Training targets all major muscle groups for a total body workout all while occasionally using kids as the resistance. This class is perfect for moms (even expectant moms), dads, grandparents, caregivers, and kids 6 weeks to teen. britt-fit.com

Charles Walker Band

Ave // 6 pm // Author Robert J. Roman draws on extensive archival research to tell the untold

funk, R&B and soul are infused into a highenergy pop & gospel dance band led by saxophonist Charles Walker & vocalist Porsche Carmon in groovy Rubber City return.

story of the early days of football at Ohio’s flagship public university. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. akronlibrary.org Artist Talk: Michael Loderstedt Akron Art Museum, 1 S High St // 6:30pm // Join ”Serial Intent” artist Michael Loderstedt to learn about “Bestiary,” the portfolio he created in collaboration with fellow Northeast Ohio artist Craig Lucas, alongside the artworks ingallery. Admission is free. akronartmuseum.org

BLU Jazz+, 47 E Market St // 8pm // Neo-

Square Chipotle Chipotle, 825 W Market St // 4-8pm // Make dinner a selfless act with this fundraiser to support The Big Love Network. Go online and find the flyer, show it on your smartphone or tell the cashier you’re supporting the cause to make sure that 50% of the proceeds will be donated to The Big Love Network. bigloveakron.wordpress.com 6th Annual Free Outdoor Movie Night Glendale Cemetery, 150 Glendale Ave // 6-10pm // FreeAkronOutdoorMovies See Devil’s Dozen The Divine Direction E.J. Thomas Hall and UA Events, 198 Hill St 7-9pm // Los Angeles based dance company, MusEffect, will be performing their stage show, The Divine Direction, which combines dance, film, music and social intention, to set the senses ablaze with fast-paced athletic movement, stimulating visuals and stories that will undoubtedly tug at your heartstrings. uakron.edu/ej Monthly Game Night

Cooking Seminar with Mimosas Graf Growers Garden Center, Farm Market & Landscape, 1015 White Pond Dr // 9:3010:45am // Join Judi Strauss, author of the Charmed Kitchen Cookbook and blog, for a

Akron MakerSpace, 48 S Summit St // 7pm The second Saturday of every month is Game Night at Akron MakerSpace, with retro video games, tabletop and card games and pizza. Free and open to the public. Bring any games or

fun cooking seminar on using fresh in-season produce from the farm market in your summer

snacks you want to share. BYOB. akronmakerspace.org

recipes. Samples, snacks and mimosas are included. Registration is required. Walk-ins are welcome as space allows. To sign up, call 330-836-2727 or visit squareup.com/market/ graf-growers.

“Ohio State Football: The Forgotten Dawn” ASCPL, Northwest Akron Branch, 1720 Shatto

Big Love Burritos with Highland

The Original Kings Of Queens Comedy Tour Starring Greg "The Greek" Kritikos // None Too Fragile Theater, 1835 Merriman Rd #3 7:30-9:30pm // nonetoofragile.com See Devil’s Dozen

Highland Square Oktoberfest 11am-11pm // All-day outdoor festival featuring live music, vendors, food & outdoor beer garden with authentic German beers

Ales on Rails: Thirsty Dog Northside Train Station // 7:30-9:30pm // Hop on board, ride the rails and enjoy craft

Blujazzakron.com

throughout Highland Square. highlandsquareoktoberfest

brew and catered appetizers. Commemorative glasses are included with your ticket. Seating is assigned. Tickets are $50 and higher. You MUST

“Songs for a New World” presented by

Poetry Hour

be 21 or older to ride this excursion. Cvsr.com

Millennial Theatre Project 8-10pm // E.J. Thomas Hall and UA Events 198 Hill St // Tickets: Stage Door $20 // The

Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S High St // 3-4pm // Read and share your original poems for a 5 minute interval. Poetry lovers are

first musical from Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (“Parade,” “Bridges of Madison County”), this moving collection of powerful

welcome to attend and enjoy the words of our local poets. Poems read at Poetry Hour should not be overtly explicit in language or subject

songs examines life, love and the choices that we make. millennialtheatreproject

matter. Registration is requested. Adults age 18 and over. Meeting Room 1. akronlibrary.org

“Friends: The Music of Chick Corea” ft. FLIPPO BLU Jazz+, 47 E Market St // 8pm // Sensational all-star group from Columbus brings the music from iconic keyboardist, Chick Corea, and his Grammy-winning 1978 album, "Friends" to the Rubber City. blujazzakron.com

LIGHTNIGHTS

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

Agenda Get On UP! Jilly's Music Room, 111 N Main St // 8:30pm Northeast Ohio’s new funk authority. jillysmusicroom.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 5th Annual La Macchina Molto Bella Car Show Todaro's Party Center, 1820 Akron Peninsula Rd 10:30am-4:30pm // Featuring an array of exotic, classic and muscle automobiles. Frank Todaro and David Nelson created an event – La Macchina Molta Bella Car Show – in support of the Kidney Foundation of Summit County, due to the recent loss of Frank’s father, Camillo ‘Mel’ Todaro to kidney cancer. todarocarshow.com Cardboard Boat Race by Two Men and A Truck Akron Turkeyfoot Beach at Portage Lakes, 5031 Manchester Road // 12-2pm // Benefit for One of a Kind Pets. Organizations build and man their own boats made out of cardboard. They must row their boats from Turkeyfoot Beach out onto the Portage Lakes and make it back without sinking. 97.5 WONE will be onsite providing music, and One of A Kind will have lots of adoptable dogs. twomenakron.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 Reiki + Restorative Workshop Yoga Squared, 764 West Market Street Suite B 8-9:30pm // Reiki Master Cortney Martinelli will provide individual and group Reiki. In the beginning of class your chakras will be tested for a more individualized experience. You will receive information about your personal chakra imbalances to take home if you like. $20 yogasquaredakron.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 ArtsNow: Artists and Arts Businesses Meeting

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 Jazz Jam w/Theron Brown BLU Jazz+, 47 E Market St // 8-11pm // Bring your horn and come be part of Akron's jazz history in the making! Hosted by fan-favorite pianist Theron Brown and his trio. FREE. blujazzakron.com Coup De Grace, Drunken Sunday, Vinyl Square & Daniel & TBD

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Allen Ilg w/Emily Gambone, Thomas Kincaid & Brian Patrick Musica, 51 E Market St // 8pm // Tickets: $7 liveatmusica.com

Stockhausen and beyond are conjured up into an beguiling aural gumbo. hivemindoh.org The Nu Jazz Movement Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St // 8pm // A celebration of jazz music’s influence on hip hop, featuring Ace Boogie and the Cool Out

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Yoga + Brunch w/Akron Yoga and Wellness Sweet Mary's Bakery, 76 E Mill St // 10am12pm // Join Akron Yoga and Wellness and Sweet Mary's Bakery in a new monthly event! Enjoy an energizing yoga session followed by brunch. Sweetmarysbakery.com Bewellakronyoga.com The Akron Holy War (World Premiere) Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St // 7pm // akroncivic.com See Devil’s Dozen

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 Jilly's Jam

area show presenting the name YES, this is the Musica, 51 E Market St // 9pm // All Ages. only YES concert featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Under 21 pays an additional $2 at the door. Tickets available at Square Records or online. Rabin, Rick Wakeman. goodyeartheater.com $15 adv, $20 dos. liveatmusica.com

Jilly's Music Room, 111 N Main St // Signups begin at 7:30pm // Open Mic/Open Jam hosted by Mike Lenz & Jen Maurer. Bring your instrument. Backline provided. jillysmusicroom.com

2017 Black & White Latin Gala Guy's Party Center, 500 E Waterloo Rd 9pm-1am // guyspartycenter.com See Devil’s Dozen

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Oddmall: Rubber City Rumpus

Animal Enrichment Day: Zoorific Birthday Akron Zoo, 500 Edgewood Ave // 10am-4pm Come celebrate the animals’ birthdays with birthday-themed enrichment and find out when each animal celebrates their special day. Regular admission rates apply. Free to Akron Zoo members. akronzoo.org Mountain Bike Area Open House Hampton Hills Metro Park, 2092 Theiss Rd

Tallmadge Ave // 11am-5pm // The Global Village Festival of Greater Akron is a celebration of international and ethnic diversity in our

Northwest Akron Branch Library one month prior to its discussion date. Book: “The Circle” by Dave Eggers akronlibrary.org

community. akrongvf.org See Devil’s Dozen

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

Black Collar Hive Mind, 375 W Exchange St // Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm // $5 suggested donation

*repeat repeat

This discussion group meets monthly to talk novels and nonfiction at Nervous Dog Coffee Bar. Copies of each title will be available at the

$10 to draw. Free to hang out at the bar. jillymusicroom.com

theempireconcertclubandbar

Breed. Tickets: $25.50. akroncivic.com

Global Village Festival of Greater Akron Jennings Community Learning Center, 227 E

Drink & Draw with Dr. Sketchy Akron Jilly's Music Room, 111 N Main St // 7:30pm

5 pm // A car show at Oddmall. Free and open to the public. $5 donations encouraged. oddmall.info

The Goodyear Theater, 1201 East Market Street 8-11pm // To be clear, while there is another

Book Buzz Discussion Group Nervous Dog, 1530 W Market St // 6pm //

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Tallmadge Ave // 6pm-1am // Walking In Circles hosts the Mountain Artist Democracy (MAD): Hillbilly Crew with Metal bands from WVA, Kentucky and Virginia. $5 Admission

YES

Nicole Mullet at Nicole@ArtsNow.org with any questions. akroncivic.com

5:30-7:00pm // Please join ArtsNow and your fellow executive directors for a conversation among leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Summit County. Please contact

Derby Downs, 789 Derby Downs Dr // Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm // Sunday: 10 amd to

The Empire Concert Club & Bar, 1305 E Tallmadge Ave // 8pm // A great night of Indie // Black Collar returns to the Hive Mind with music, brought to you by Songbird Productions. a set of improvisational music. Immersed in theempireconcertclubandbar experimental sound, rhythm, and free jazz energy, influences from John Coltrane, Can,

10am-3pm // Join Summit Metro Parks to enjoy the Hampton Hills Mountain Bike Area, whether you own a bike or not! Several local cycling shops will have FREE adult loaner bikes for use during the event. Postponed to 9/30 with rain or wet conditions. For status, call 330865-8060 or follow @SMpmountainbike. Summitmetroparks.org

Akron Civic Theatre, 182 South Main Street

Walking in Circles: Metal Storm Festival The Empire Concert Club & Bar, 1305 E

Prelude! — Tuesday Musical's 130th Anniversary Celebration E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St // 5:30-10pm Celebrate Tuesday Musical's world-class programs, vibrant community collaborations, and next 130 years during our Prelude! Party and Concert. Prelude! Party from 5:30 to 7. Concert at 7:30. After the concert, everyone is invited to the lobby for dessert and champagne. tuesdaymusical.org

Selector Dub Narcotic (Calvin Johnson) Hive Mind, 375 W Exchange St // Doors at 8 pm, Music at 8:30 // hivemindoh.org See Devil’s Dozen

agenda The Mighty Soul Night Uncorked Wine Bar, 22 N High St // 8:30pm12:30am // Held the fourth Saturday of every

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Akron Accessible Yoga Day

Akron Marathon Health & Fitness Expo

15th Annual Akron Children’s Hospital

The Front Porch Cafe, 798 Grant St // 9am8:45pm // OPEN & FREE to the PUBLIC! Offerings that uphold the belief that ALL are

John S. Knight Center, 77 E Mill St // 11am9pm // Presented by Summa Health and SummaCare, this expo is free and open to the

Akron Marathon Race Series All over Akron // 7am-1pm // Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Team Relay and Kids Fun Run.

Sacred, Divine, and have the right to Thrive. Programming includes yoga & meditation for addiction recovery, seniors, body-positivity, eating disorder recovery, grief recovery, chronic

public and features race packet pick up as well as exhibitors showcasing the latest health and fitness information and products. akronmarathon.org

Cost: Full - $130, Half - $120, Relay - $55 Akronmarathon.org

pain, pregnancy, children, autism, & Parkinson’s. Plus classes on Kung Fu & Ayurveda. The Club @ the Civic presents Full schedule at yogasummit.love An Evening with Patsy Cline Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St // 8pm A tribute to Patsy Cline: Rachel Brown & the Beatnik Playboys. Tickets are $20 or a 2/$35. akroncivic.com

highlighting the arts, culture and entertainment offerings available in downtown. See Devil’s Dozen downtownakron.com/3rdthursday

Bad Dudes with Special Guests Buzz Clic Adventure

Live @ Lock 4 Lock 4, 200 S Main St // 6-10pm // lock3live.com See Devil’s Dozen David Folkenflik: Breaking News & Broken News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

Yoga Fundamentals Workshop Rock Mill Climbing, Yoga & Fitness, 677 Carroll St // 10:30am-12pm // Get comfortable on your mat with this 90-minute workshop ideal

3rd Thursday: Art Fashion and Design Downtown Akron, from Northside District to UA // 5-9pm // New monthly event

month with resident DJs El Prezidente, Forrest Getem Gump and Ben Crazy spinning soul, jazz, Latin, Disco and Afrobeat LPs and 45s. Dennis Oliver on congas. themightysoulnight

Catapult

Akron Civic Theatre, 182 South Main Street 3:30pm // An america’s Got Talent finalist from Season 8, Catapult is a magical production that for both the new student and the seasoned yogi looking to revisit the roots of their practice. features incredible dancers who work behind a screen to create shadow silhouettes of shapes Workshop includes 10-day Yoga Pass to Rock Mill Yoga for non-members. $25-35 per person. from the world around us. Akroncivic.com rockmillclimbing.com Chili or Chili Mac Fundraiser For

Jilly's Music Room, 111 N Main St // 8:30 pm See p. 41 for more information about Buzz Clic Adventure // jillysmusicroom.com

Akron Say No to Dope Inc. 4-8pm // Main Street Saloon Akron, 1481 S Main St // Akron Say No to Dope Inc. helps addicts get to treatment when they don't

The Quasi Kings & No Need Barley House, 222 S Main St #1B // 9pm A night of reggae music. Free show, 21+.

have resources to get there by helping with transportation costs. $10 minimum donation. 50/50 raffle. akronsaynotodope.com

Akron-Summit County Public Library, 60 S High St // 7-8:30pm // Join WKSU for a special free community event featuring NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. His talk,

barleyhouseakron.com

Breaking News and Broken News: Media in the Age of Trump, will be followed by an audience Q&A. WKSU.org.

9pm-1am // Lost Dog Street Band plays their favorite town. // lostdogstreetband.com

Twin Atomic Musica, 51 E Market St // 7pm // Also playing: Elipsus and AJ & the Woods. Tickets:

Lost Dog Street Band Annabell's Bar & Lounge, 784 W Market St

$5. liveatmusica.com

SIN SUNDAY! Service Industry Professionals Night with DJ Chaka Jilly's Music Room, 111 N Main St // 7pm // Held the fourth Sunday of each month and open ONLY to those who work in the hospitality industry. Enjoy 1/2 off drinks, open food buffet from 7-10pm, & entertainment by DJ Chaka. Must bring pay stub from current month to gain entry. jillysmusicroom.com

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Back 2 School Bash Interbelt Nite Club, 70 N Howard St // 10pm Hosted by Ashley Andrews and DJ John Hummel, featuring special guest Trixie Mattel

SEPTEMBER 15 to OCTOBER 7 Summit Artspace • The Nightlight * Jilly’s Music Room ß Uncorked Wine Bar œ Musica The High Arts Festival is a 23-day celebration of local artists showcasing visual art, music and film in downtown Akron venues. Public and juried votes determine the winners . 0-10 P.M 3 of $24,000 in cash prizes. : 5 • 5 1 MBER

Join inugs nfigorht! open

Knight at the Museum

EPTE

43 S. Broadway across from Summit Artspace Enjoy cash bar, food trucks, live painting, music, dancing and visual art entries in Summit Artspace. Live performances by Ozone and Umojah Nation, and Deep House Discotech by DJ Mind-E, DJ Naeno, and DJ Moonhawk presented by TVTX Productions.

S FRIDAY,

FRIDAY, SEP TEMBER 29 •

6:30-10 P.M. Akron Art Museum Join us in the Bud and Susie Rogers Garden to screen films, enjoy live music and catch a unique performance by Kasumi as part of Optics of Memory (a fellow Knight Arts Challenge winner).

Celebrate at closing night!

SATURDAY, OCT. 7 – 4-7 P.M. Akron Art Museum - Winners will be announced at 6 p.m. complete with music, food and entertainment. 8

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

Download the free app and vote for your favorites Visit HIGHARTS.ORG to view the full event schedule and performance times.

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

agenda from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 $15 general admission, $20 with meet-and-greet. interbelt.com

ship or for more information , Contact Kathy at (330) 860-5627 or kathyb@scmcbws.org.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1 11th Annual Walk for Babies

survivors, red in support and gold in memory of a lost loved one. Festivities include live music, food, ceremonies, and lots of family fun followed by a short 1 mile walk. lock3live.com

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

Canal Park, 300 South Main Street // 9am1pm // Activities, games, entertainment and snacks for kids of all ages at this fundraiser to

with Wynton Marsalis 7:30-9:30pm // E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St “The finest big band in the world today” (The Daily Telegraph). Tickets: Reserved seats

Namaste! WHAT?! Exchange House, 760 Elma Street // Friday and Saturday shows are at 8pm, Sunday show at 2pm // A play presented by Nepali Natak of

$25-$45. Free for students day of show with Tuesday Musical voucher. uakron.edu/ej

GUMDIP Theatre. gumdiptheatre.com

On the Table: Creative Conversation Akron Art Museum, 1 S High St // 11:30am OR 5:30pm Akronartmuseum.org Pints against Poaching 11am-9pm // R. Shea Brewing, 1662 Merriman See Devil’s Dozen Rd // Akron Zoo chapter of AAZK is putting on Halestorm with special guest Starset a fundraiser to donate proceeds to Chengeta The Goodyear Theater, 1201 E Market St Wildlife to help protect Mali desert elephants. AkronAAZK 7:30pm // This will be Halestorm's only area

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra

Salsa Night Uncorked Wine Bar, 22 N High St // 8pm // Free salsa dancing night the fourth Thursday of every month. salsanightsinakron

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 4th Annual Fall Fundraiser: Dueling Pianos Battered Women's Shelter of Summit & Medina Counties, 974 East Market St 6pm // Enjoy an evening of great entertainment, food, drink, auctions, raffles, and music while raising funds to support the only agency in Summit & Medina Counties that provides specialized protective shelter, support, and education to survivors of domestic violence and their children. Tickets are $80 and up. To pur-

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

benefit Akron Children’s Hospital’s NICU. 2017walk4babies.kintera.org

Jog for the Dogs 5K B.A.R.C. Akron Dog Park, 499 Memorial Pkwy 10am-1pm // Join AJ’s Search and Rescue, celebrating their one-year anniversary with an inaugural 5k fun run and walk. All ages and breeds welcome. All dogs must be on a standard leash, 6’ max length. The human finishers will receive a finisher medal, while the K9 finishers will be receiving a tug toy. Parking is limited, carpooling is highly recommended. Tickets: $35. Race limited to 150 participants.

Bring Your Own Blood (BYOB) Springfield Junior/Senior High School, 2966 Sanitarium Rd // 1:30-7pm // BYOB for Jason Labay has partnered with the American Red

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4

Tickets: $30.95 akroncivic.com Akron/Canton Light the Night Lock 3, 200 S Main St // 5-8pm // The Light

Elan Trotman BLU Jazz+, 47 E Market St // 8 pm

The Night Walk funds life-saving research and support for people battling cancer. An inspirational, memorable evening walk where participants carry illuminated lanterns: white for

bluejazzakron.com

appearance on their current tour. Tickets available at Ticketfly.com • goodyeartheater.com

Cross and have committed 75 pints of blood to Bonnie & Clyde be donated. BeTheMatch.org will be on site to Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S Main St // 8pm sign folks up to be bone marrow donors. Basket Millennial Theatre Project presents this thrilling raffle, a 50/50, kids activities, and more! and sexy musical with a non-traditional score, BYOBforJasonLabay combining blues, gospel and rockabilly music.

ajssearchandrescue.org

chase tickets, donate items, secure a sponsor-

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3

JUST OUTSIDE AKRON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 Kent International Festival 850 University Esplanade, Kent // 11am5pm // Fun festivities in downtown Kent. Run the World 5K participants, visitors and community members are invited to downtown Kent to explore the businesses on the

out to explore eleven downtown businesses, each themed a different country with special decorations and displays, and offering special discounts, food and drink samples for passport holders. Get your passport stamped at each location and return it to “Customs;” the first 200 people to return a completed passport will

Cuyahoga Falls // 6-9:30pm // Sponsored by the City of Cuyahoga Falls, support local businesses as they introduce the latest fashion and beauty trends for the 2017 Fall/Winter season. Doors will open for a cocktail hour

Passport Excursion, or to just enjoy free, live multicultural performances and fun photo opportunities at the Dan Smith Community

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

at 6:00 pm with complimentary appetizers from Fresche Catering and desserts from Oh So Sweet. Cash bar serving locally brewed beer from HiHO Brewing company and wine. Tickets must be purchased prior to the event.

Park. For just $5, get a passport at “Customs” in the Dan Smith Community Park and go

Fashion in the Falls The Natatorium, 2345 Fourth Street,

There will be no tickets sold at the door the day of the event. Seating is first come, first

receive a Kent International Festival glass.

served. Get tickets at Eventbrite.com

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23: Main Street Kent Oktoberfest 138 E Main St, Kent // 12-10pm // The 4th annual Kent Oktoberfest will take place on Franklin Ave., between Main St and Erie St, featuring German food, seasonal beers, polka music & dancing and other great local bands throughout the evening. Entry to the event is free. mainstreetkent.org/events/oktoberfest

The Time Is Now to Bring Down Barriers to Financial Stability With more than 42,000 Summit County residents considered “working poor,” too many Akron families have to struggle just to get by. Our forthcoming Financial Empowerment Centers – created through a partnership between United Way and the City of Akron – will provide much-needed support to families, so that they can build more stable, financially secure lives. More stable families mean better neighborhoods, children with fewer distractions from school and more people with the power to invest in their own communities. Coming soon! Visit UWSUMMIT.ORG for more information.

UNITED WAY BOLD GOALS by 2025 Financially empower* 11,000 people

* With the skills, knowledge and resources to budget and save, manage debt, build credit and access banking services.

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

GOAL 3 THE Devil Strip |

agenda

Pictured (clockwise from top): These two giants made their way all across the festival; The “Flaggots” lead the march with their colorful flags; Greg Travis works his fairy magic during the march; Participants begin the Akron Pride March; A crowd gathers for Martha Wash’s performance; Huntington hands out pens, bead necklaces. (Photos courtesy of Claude Christensen/The Devil Strip)

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

agenda

Akron Celebrates Its Diverse Community by Claude Christensen

Akron has a lot of pride.

Universalist Church of Akron.

The 2017 Akron Pride March began at 11am on Saturday, August 26, a day with a clear blue

These are just a few of the organizations that participated in the 2017 Akron Pride March and

sky and the occasional cotton puff of a cloud. Starting in the Highland Square parking lot

festival at Hardesty Park. The festival, which began after the march, was a smashing success.

behind the library, Chipotle and Wally Waffle, hundreds marched the mile and a half down West Market Street to Hardesty Park.

Half state fair, half large outdoor concert, the festival was colorful and exuberant.

Led by the Akron Police and the “Flaggots,” the

Vendors filled Hardesty Park in rows of tents, and the boulevards of grass in between were

parade’s colorguard, an incredible number of groups and organizations participated in the march.

packed with thousands of festival goers. There was some stunning drag, plenty of smiles, and countless families decked out in rainbows and unicorns. All enjoyed the food and the music,

Near the head of the procession, Akron’s Mayor Dan Horrigan waved and shook hands with onlookers as he marched down West

while many proud children jumped in the bouncy house and climbed the rock wall.

Market Street. Huntington bank employees whooped and hollered. PNC workers handed out rainbow wristbands promoting “pride in our

Lasting until 8 in the evening, the festival rocked the park with music from artists like Martha Wash and DJ Robyn. Crowds came to listen,

communities.” Burning River and Akron Roller Derby members were skating along just past the

and plenty stayed to celebrate. West Market Street and the surrounding neighborhoods

Flaggots, and the Summit County Democrats waved behind a banner.

reverberated with the sound of Akron Pride 2017 until it was dusk.

Goodyear’s people were running around handing out tire discounts while the University of Akron School of Social Work faculty and

I couldn’t be prouder to affirm that, yes, this is my city.

students loudly cheered as they marched. The LGBT Partnership was present, as was “Out Support.” Also in attendance was an eclectic range of religious organizations, ranging from

// Claude Christensen runs. A lot. It ties his mind to his

remember the tragedy of the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting; Kodie Green shows off her pride with a rainbow flag; Courtney James, Arista Adams, and Chasity James strut their stuff at the Festival; Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan marches near the front. (Photos courtesy of Claude Christensen/The Devil Strip)

the Firestone Christian Church to the Unitarian

Pictured (clockwise from top right): Partners Bruce Stebner and Jim Misma cheer on the marchers; The Dameron/Arner clan enjoys the Akron Pride festivities; Marchers from Orlando

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

body, bringing a clarity to his life he can’t do without. Plus, spooking hikers (and sometimes bikers) from behind never gets old.

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

SEPTEMBER COMICS

The Palette

14 MEET AKRON SOUL TRAIN’S NEW FELLOWS 15 DANNY VOLK’S BIG IDEA GETS A MAKEOVER, AKRON-STYLE 16 NEOMFA SPOTLIGHT ON BILL SOLDAN

THE AKRON ART SCENE

Inside the Artist's Studio

MAC LOVE: FUELING AKRON EXPRESSION

Akron Neighborhoods Creatively Express Community Identity

lived in North Olmsted. When he and his family returned to the States to visit, they’d come to Cleveland and go see the Indians play in Jacobs Field. It’s a connection he has felt strongly throughout childhood and into the present.

vibrant self-expression to an otherwise derelict location. He enjoyed it so much he started working part-time at the ad agency and started investing more time in his new art company, ART x LOVE.

kron burns with creative expression and its unique history glimmers into the 21st century. Every Akron neighborhood has something to offer and a

Love began making art when he was a child, in part because he didn’t have access to TV. “I learned to draw as a form of self-

As the “Chief Catalyst” for ART x LOVE, Love has been hired for a number of commissions and public art projects. He created the “Believeland” chalk mural at West 9th and

rich identity to share. But how do we express

entertainment,” says Love.

Main Street in Cleveland, the “Kaleidoscope

by Claude Christensen

that identity? And what could catalyze a new expression of that identity? This is a question artist and designer Mac Love asks in his community art project @PLAY Akron.

and comic narrative. He later earned his B.A. in fine art from Skidmore College in 2001 and

Love has done a lot.

Over the course of 18 months, Love intends to visit all 24 Akron neighborhoods. He and his crew will spend time getting to know each Akron neighborhood and working with community members to develop community-

his Master of Fine Art from the University of Edinburgh in 2005. Later, in 2010, while working at a brand agency

He intends to bring that creative energy to the @PLAY Akron project. From new murals to redesigned parks, colorful benches, and a musical journey showcasing local artists,

inspired projects that express the unique history

in NYC, Love met his wife-to-be, Allyse Love.

Love has lots of ideas and an equal amount of

and identity of each community.

Allyse is from Akron. She attended Miller South and Firestone growing up. Both wanted to move back to the Akron/Cleveland area. In 2013, they did.

enthusiasm for his new Akron project.

winning proposals in the 2017 John S. and James L. Knight Cities Challenge.

Mill Street bridge. (Photo courtesy of Dale Dong/Dale Dong Photography) Pictured above: Love in front of an unpainted collaborative mural in Lock 3 (Photo courtesy ofChris Horne/The Devil Strip).

equation. Love doesn’t want that to happen with @PLAY. He wants his project to be as community involved as possible. “We’re going to use our artistic skills to give the community what they want,” says Love. “We want to let the residents be a part of the process.” To start the project, ART x LOVE will host a kick-off event, “Amplify Akron,” on Saturday, September 2 at 910 East Market Street. Akronites of all kinds are invited to come and contribute to the five, eight-foot-tall mural walls which will be installed in the Middlebury neighborhood. So come on out. Grab a brush. Meet this artist

Too often public art projects have good intentions but leave the community out of the

For more information about ART x LOVE and the @PLAY project, visit atplayakron.com, connect at @playakron, or email contact@artxlove.com. // Claude Christensen runs. A lot. It ties his mind to his body, bringing a clarity to his life he can’t do without. Plus, spooking hikers (and sometimes bikers) from behind never gets old.

While working for a number of advertising companies

Although Love himself was raised internationally (he attended the International School of Brussels in Belgium while his

in Cleveland, Love began a number of art projects. Enlisting coworkers and other

father worked for a global marketing and communications company), his roots are in Northeast Ohio.

Clevelanders, he’d create chalk art under freeway bridges and on the sides of buildings.

Love was a “die-hard” Indians fan growing up.

Love loved making works that captured a community’s

Part of the reason was that Love’s grandparents

identity and that brought

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

new Arts LIFT and Art Bomb Brigade mural under the

who believes in the ability of art to solve very Garden” holographic mural on 5th Street real issues. He cares about Akron. And he Arcades and the “Lose Your Marble” game in believes in our ability (that’s you, dear reader) to downtown Akron. That last one had Akronites do beautiful, awe-inspiring things. pushing 10-foot-wide “marbles” across the city.

To pass the time, he enjoyed making collages of figures from baseball cards and of superheroes. As a teen, Love went on to intern at Marvel Entertainment Inc., learning layout, graphics,

Love considers his role as that of an enabler. @PLAY Akron, Love’s project, was one of the

Pictured left: Mac Love with son Ollie in front of the

Collaborative Murals and Brunch Event FREE September 2nd 8am to 5pm 910 E Market St SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

MELLISSA REDMAN

by Noor Hindi

You’re an artist living in a refurbished shipping

“This will take me out of my comfort zone

member Arnold Tunstall and Akron Soul Train

container for one month and getting paid through a fellowship to do your art all while surrounded by a community of creative

and allow me to know a new landscape,” says Jenniffer.

manager of development and programming Natalie Grieshammer.

individuals. It sounds like a dream, but could soon be your reality. Akron Soul Train is currently working on building an artist residency village in the Northside of Downtown Akron.

Stephen, another fellow, will be working on a project called I’m So Happy I’m Happy! during the month of September. He is planning on photographing people in the Muni Lot

Aside from the videos, Danny will be leading a three-part workshop about socially engaged art practices.

outside of the Cleveland Browns Stadium and showcasing their quirky personalities and lives.

“Just to have the opportunity to do these workshops is really great,” says Danny.

He will be cheering for the Browns during the September 10 game between the Browns and the Steelers.

Although Danny was born and raised in Akron, he’s been away for about 11 years. He’s excited to jump back into the community in a meaningful way.

The village will include a residency space, galleries and studios, as well as a café and community area. “We’re working with our community and neighborhoods to make this a really exciting hub,” says Amy Mothersbaugh, cofounder and creative conductor of Akron Soul Train.

Pictured (left to right): Artwork from Jenniffer Omaitz, Michelle Droll and Stephen Tomasko

by Josy Jones A soft opening Do you remember your first time trying to ride a bike? Maybe you can paint a clear picture in your mind of the wavering certainty you felt as you first mounted the seat, or the feeling of imbalance as you swayed side to side, your tiptoes keeping you upright. Or maybe these memories are fuzzy, covered in the layers of life and other triumphs you’ve achieved thus far. You’re not alone in your forgetfulness. In a time where we rely on technology to be our memory by setting reminders, storing phone number and even capturing videos, we are not forced to commit things to memory the way we once were. In her exhibit, Echo, at the 22 High Street Gallery, artist Mellissa Redman explores the concept of memory. For some, thinking about memory and their relationship with it can be frightening, but Mellissa gives her audience the opportunity to explore those feelings with a relaxed disposition. The pieces in Mellissa’s exhibit have a fluid element intertwined in them. Mellissa thinks of memory as being transient, or fleeting, like water and these pieces are a part of a collection that Mellissa calls “Pisces.” She incorporates muted blues and grays in her work and uses these colors to evoke calmness so that the series is more inviting. To mirror the evanescent nature of memories, the Pisces collection has elements of (continued on page 44)

Akron Public Art

Like Riding a Bike:

Announces New Fellows

of the village will take place December 7 – 9. In the meantime, Akron Soul Train is currently supporting artists through fellowships and community engagement projects.

“Being a Browns fan is a mixed blessing but it is what it is,” says Stephen. “You grow up here, you take what you get.”

and platform to talk about socially engaged art Aside from I’m So Happy I’m Happy, Stephen

This year, photographer Stephen Tomasko, painter and installation artist Jenniffer Omaitz, collage and installation artist Michelle Droll and socially engaged artist Danny Volk have been

will also be working on a series of encaustic paintings featuring Ohio’s autumn trees and leaves. Encaustic paintings are hot wax paintings that involve using heated beeswax on

chosen as 2017-18 fellows. They will work within their own studios while the village is

applied surfaces such as wood.

being built.

Stephen is looking forward to teaching a workshop at Summit Artspace and giving a video demonstration with The Akronist.

Jenniffer teaches at The University of Akron Myers School of Art. She hopes to use the fellowship as a chance to focus solely on her work for the month of October.

“This fellowship is really about the support and me being part of yet another community,” says Stephen. “It’s about that sense of connection.”

“October is art month for me,” says Jenniffer. “The dishes may not be done on time every day, laundry may be a little behind, but for that

Performance based artist and part time fellow Danny Volk will also be doing exciting projects

month, the work comes first and my students come first.”

for the community. As part of his Made Up with Danny Volk video series on YouTube, Danny will

The project that Jenniffer has planned is called Other Geometries. Jenniffer will be completing

be creating three videos. His project series is oftentimes amusing and involves artists talking about their life while they do Danny’s makeup.

10 pieces of art and then gifting them to local artists. Local artists will then have an opportunity to respond to Jenniffer’s pieces and

“Made Up gets a lot of air time because I think it involves other artists and it has a humorous

work collaboratively with her. By the end of October, Jenniffer wants to have 20 completed pieces.

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

“To come back with the open arms of Akron Soul Train is a really wonderful way for me to be in the community,” says Danny. “To feel embraced and have this space practices is really just wonderful.”

photo credit: Casey Smallwood

On Exhibit

the Palette

Look out for projects and shows by Danny, Jenniffer, Stephen and Michelle in the next few months and be sure to check out Akron Soul Train at akronsoultrain.com. // Noor Hindi is currently pursuing her MFA in poetry

element,” says Danny. For his three videos, Danny will be interviewing fellow Jenniffer Omaitz, Akron Soul Train board

at The University of Akron. She is usually very nervous. Check her out at nervouspoodlepoetry.com.

Visit the artist’s work and websites at: michelledroll.com stephentomasko.com omaitz.com www.youtube.com/user/MUwDV Attend Stephen’s Encaustic Painting Workshop at Summit Artspace on Wednesday, September 6 from 5:15-6:45. The event is free, but donations are encouraged and appreciated.

B ID

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Akron Public Art

the Palette seen definitely seen a piece by him.

tough to maintain a constant stream of projects and commissions, and a large portion of his time is spent networking or meeting with

Pictured left: Archway for the iTowpath project.

clients to go over the details of a specific project rather than working in his studio.

He’s responsible for the

Still, most of John’s time is spent working on his

the Everett clock at the corner of Market and Main. He made the iconic Mocha Maiden sign and the downtown Bricco restaurant sign. He

craft. It’s the time and labor that John invests in his pieces that gives them value. He has a long work week.

crafted the giant metal fish at the corner of Furnace and S. Main, near Luigi’s, and he built the four archways for the Towpath Trail, two

Asked about what he’d like to see for the future of the Akron art scene, John wishes there was more public spending on art. Art is a

of which greet bikers, runners, and walkers as they enter downtown via Quaker Street, behind the Cascade Plaza.

vital and necessary part of the community, but it can be difficult to find enough individuals or institutions willing to fund new projects.

He’s everywhere in Akron.

But it’s not all bad.

Pictured left: Comunale in front of “Melvin,” which

“I’m lucky to have been able to keep doing

he made for a parade; Comunale and his “Watching

what I love to do for so many years,” says John. “I’m truly grateful to all the people that have supported me along the way.”

the World Go By” bicycle.

Part of the reason is that his business, Comunale Sculptural Concepts, doesn’t only make large public art pieces. He also refurbishes other artists’ pieces,

John Comunale All Over Akron

works on private commissions and fixes or installs railing. John also likes to repurpose materials for his pieces. He

words and photos by Claude Christensen Take, for instance, the two 7-foot-tall, high-

hodgepodge of sculptures huddle, squat and hang at the far end of a gigantic room in Canal Place. Formerly the BF Goodrich factory, this room now holds

made the Zippy sculpture outside the McDonald’s on East Exchange from recycled McDonald’s steel equipment and workstations.

heeled shoes he made for a 25,000 square foot Barbie Doll house in Berlin. Or one of the numerous set pieces he made for Hollywood

Originally from Akron, he graduated from

a giant head, an incredibly oversized bicycle, odd pieces made of twisting steel and a lifesize metal dog. The work of Akron sculptor and artist John Comunale are among this collection.

films early in his career. Apparently, he once made a lifesize sculpture of actor Jim Belushi that was painted in gold for the film “Mr. Destiny.” Sadly, that one got scrapped.

John loves solving interesting problems. Especially those that require a solution that is

Yet John is best known for the work he’s made in Akron. You might not have known it, but if

Although he has a website, John still gets a

both immense and unusual.

you’ve been through downtown Akron, you’ve

lot of his commissions by word of mouth. It’s

photo credit: Casey Smallwood

Firestone High School in 1968. John returned after studying art at various colleges. Akron, with its local art scene, community roots and abundant space for low rent made for a logical homebase. But Akron is also a place that allows John to just “make cool stuff.”

John won’t divulge what his latest upcoming project is. He doesn’t want details of an unfinished project getting out before it’s finalized. He did say, however, that he’s “working on something for the city.” It’ll probably be really cool. For more information about John Communale and his studio, Comunale Sculptural Concepts, visit his web page, comsculpt.com // Claude Christensen runs. A lot. It ties his mind to his body, bringing a clarity to his life he can’t do without. Plus, spooking hikers (and sometimes bikers) from behind never gets old.

painting faces, however, so the experience is both familiar and strange. This dichotomy allows intimacy, humor and playfulness to

view, the artwork (Danny's made-up face) is revealed to the delight of the audience. We

slip through the cracks. This facilitates in engaging both new and experienced art

get to see artwork being made, hear from a local artist, and connect with each other through an engagement with art.

audiences with the work of the artist, often garnering more interest in the artist's work and art in general.

Occupation: Artist and Arts Administrator Hometown: Salem, Ohio Current: Highland Square

Additionally, we are expanding the project to include a bio-fictional element. This fictionalized account of the making of The Akron Ses-

Akron is a place of amazing artistic work. We at “MUwDV” want to spotlight that, not only to the Akron community but to a

.............................................

sions will incorporate Akronites as actors and Akron venues as locales. This is a totally new route for the project, an adventure that seems

wider audience via our Youtube channel.

Danny Volk (MUwDV).” Picture this: Danny Volk, artist and Akron native who spent

perfect for our 7th season of the show.

WAS A GOOD IDEA? “MUwDV” has had a lot of attention over the past 3 years. Danny

the last 11 years in Chicago sits down with another artist in front of a live audience. Danny asks the artist questions about their work, their life, all the while the artist uses

WHY PURSUE IT? Art is a really important part of culture and the work of the artist is very fascinating process. Unfortunately, that process is oftentimes hidden. “MUwDV”

has always been interested in bringing the project to his hometown of Akron. We pitched the idea to Knight Foundation and they picked it up and offered us a hefty

everyday cosmetics to do his make-up. Now this "make-up" isn't necessarily the look

hijacks the stuffiness often surrounding artist talks by distracting the artist from the

matching grant.

Danny Volk Occupation: Artist and Educator Hometown: Akron, Ohio Current: Village of Lakemore

WHAT'S YOUR BIG IDEA? “Made-Up with

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

problems every 21st-century city faces.”

invent the materials in surprising ways. And the canvas? Our host Danny's face. At the end of the refreshing and entertaining inter-

Made-Up with Danny Volk

Roza Maille

BIG IDEA

John has a lot of hope for the future of Akron. He respects the new mayor, Dan Horrigan, and this city, which “bravely struggles with the

you might be expecting. The artists use the presentation of self and giving them an foundations, blushes, lipsticks, eyeshadows, activity that they are more comfortable with: etc., in any way they want! Most of them re- creation! Most artists aren't accustomed to

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOUR BIG IDEA

When Roza accepted the award at the Akron Civic Theater in October of 2016, (continued on page 44)

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

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Seá’s Night: A New Akron Tradition Professional theater for the special needs community by Gray Giaconia

The lights dim in the intimate black box theater that is home to None Too Fragile Theater. The actors walk on stage for the first of the day’s

making noise, moving, getting up or anything and you don’t want that world to just be a are made for this performance—the sound is television screen or a computer screen, or out lowered, strobes are cut out and an intermission else that they can’t control. the window of a car. You want her to be able to is added to make it accessible to people with

two shows, which are the final performances of the theater’s summer show, “An Impending Rupture of the Belly” by Matt Pelfrey. The first row of seats is only several feet from the actors.

experience.”

special needs.

Seá had not been able to see any shows at the theater in the past, so Sean came up with Seá’s

“I think introducing this to the community will make the community better because of Seá,”

perform during Seá’s Night.

In this row sits Seá Derry, watching raptly as the stage lights come up and the play begins.

Night as a way to share his love of theater with her. Seá’s Night gives those with special needs the opportunity to see accessible live theater.

Alanna says. “Because of Sean and the family’s love for Seá.”

Throughout the performance, Seá watches

Seá is the daughter of Sean Derry and

Some of the cast and crew of “An Impending

Rett Syndrome gives Seá anxiety that can lead

stepdaughter of Alanna Romansky, the cocreative directors and owners of None Too Fragile. Seá has Rett Syndrome, and Sean and

Rupture of the Belly” had previously worked with None Too Fragile and were instantly supportive of Sean’s idea. They were eager to

her to vocalize at any time. People who have trouble staying still (such as from Parkinson’s disease) or can’t sit down for long periods of

Alanna struggle deeply with the exclusion Seá faces from the outside world. Sean has always done everything he can to give Seá the full life

help, but this meant learning how to edit the time and need to get up might have trouble at show, taking a chance on a new idea and doing most performances. two performances in one day. For them though,

she deserves.

it was worth it.

“Their lives tend to be limited,” Sean says. “She can’t talk, she has no fine motor skills, she needs fed, she needs bathed [and] she needs dressed. You want her to have a world

This particular performance was the inaugural Seá’s Night, but from now on, it will be a staple of None Too Fragile’s schedule, with one Seá’s Night per play. Certain changes to the play

Pictured above (left to right): Alanna, Seá and Sean; Andrew Narten, Kelly Strand and Benjamin Gregorio

But not being able to conform to the expectations of a general audience shouldn’t keep someone from being able to enjoy live theater and be part of this community entertainment. During a Seá’s Night performance, no one needs to worry about

happily while Sean and Alanna sit beside her, smiling that they could create this for her and smiling that they are creating this event for the entire community. The next Seá’s Night performance will take place September 30 at 4 pm. The play will be “Last of the Boys” by Steven Dietz. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at Nonetoofragile.com. Seating is limited and intended only for those with special needs and whoever may accompany them. None Too Fragile Theater is located through Pub Bricco at 1835 Merriman Rd.

hose trying to organize children and teenagers tend to carry a certain aura. You can see it wafting off them as they run here and there trying to make sure everything is just right. Their

community encourage them all the way through. Even the local church, Park United Methodist, has allowed the group to use their space to rehearse.

urgency helps ensure that everything goes as planned and that kids get a chance to shine. I see that aura surrounding a lot of adults as I enter The Rialto Theatre to see “Alice in Wonderland.”

Now comes the pitter patter of little feet as the show begins. The youngest cast/crew member is 4 years old and the oldest is 18. The show starts and the kids pull us into Wonderland, where we meet the Cheshire Cat, 9th grader Cierra Jacobs with her sassy banter, the absolutely

I’m a wanderer, so eventually I find myself doing just

mad Mad Hatter, 11th grader Allisa McElroy.

that. The Rialto has a high ceiling and art decorating its walls, fine compliments for “Alice in Wonderland.” A picture of a little girl whose head had turned to smoke while holding a teddy bear, a beautiful surreal mountain and a warped image of Cleveland’s Skyline on the walls really help put me in the mindset of “Alice

I am especially impressed with the Red Queen, played by Laci Gregory, who keeps the show going even though she is wearing a cast (which I found punny to say the least) because she obviously understands that the show must go on, even as a 9th grader. I am entranced by

in Wonderland.”

Alice, played by 9th grader Jordan Meeker, whose professionalism helps carry the show to the final bow.

The soft strum of a ukulele floats through the room and commands me to cease my wandering and take my seat. Shortly after, soft vocals intertwine

The Pitter Patter of an Arts Renaissance

with the strumming of a ukulele. I look up to find that the voice and the strumming is coming from two teenagers. I find it cool that Kenmore Youth Theater gives young people the opportunity to be involved in show preparation. But it’s more extensive than that. These two teenagers are a part of the newly formed Kenmore Youth Theater, where youth is “in charge from script to final bow.” Even the director, thirteen-year-old Chloe Freeman, is a part of the movement that intends

Kenmore has presented the opportunity to help keep the arts alive here in Akron and grow our creative community from the ground up. I encourage Akron to help support the artists of tomorrow by supporting

to cultivate creativeness in Kenmore. Chloe and her cast are beneficiaries of this renaissance. It gives youth the

Kenmore Youth Theater and Kenmore Kreative when you get a chance. Thank you, Kenmore, for cultivating

words by Josy Jones; photos by Eartha L. Goodwin opportunity to be empowered and explore their talents. It puts them right in the line of action and has their

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

art in our community. I look forward to seeing the seeds you’ve planted bloom.

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the palette

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Bill Soldan: Dark Stories with Grit by Claude Christensen

wo boys loot the still-warm corpses of two unlucky private airplane pilots. A recovering alcoholic struggles with

knows his writing has improved because of the program.

making the right choice, over and over. A story about a disturbed addict with a penchant for self-mutilation.

“When you read and write and read and write over and over, [stronger writing] is the most common and pleasant side effect,” says Bill.

These are just a few scenes from the work of Youngstown writer and 2017 NEOMFA graduate Bill Soldan. He’s been nominated for

He learned a lot from his professors Varley O’ Conner, Robert Miltner, Steve Reese, Eric Wasserman and Mary Biddinger. But he is

the Pushcart Prize, and his stories, including

especially grateful to Christopher Barzak, who

“The Long Drive Home,” “All Things Come Around,” “The Thirteenth Step,” and “Talking and Standing Still,” have been published

inspired and pushed Bill to pursue his writing.

in such literary journals and publications as “ThugLit” and “The Vignette Review.”

wasn’t for his guidance,” says Bill.

Bill’s earliest work was in horror and mystery, and he continues to write dark tales. Now, though, his stories often inhabit real place. “I write stories about lonely people with an abundance of problems struggling to get through life with few options,” he says. Bill’s narratives are oddly familiar, often disturbing, and totally engrossing. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Bill moved with

“I wouldn’t be where I am as a writer if it

Inspired by authors Donald Ray Pollock, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Richard Lange, and Benjamin Percy, Bill has a heavy reading list. “Currently, I’m working my way through ‘God’s Gym’ by John Edgar Wideman, ‘Funhouse’ by Robert Vaughan, ‘Line Study of a Motel Clerk’ by Allison Pitinii Davis, ‘Bit Rot’ by Douglas Coupland and ‘The Hard Way on Purpose’ by NEOMFA’s own David Giffels,” says Bill. Bill is still living and writing in Youngstown, where he’s set his roots.

his mother to Youngstown in the late 1980s. Growing up, he absorbed the frustration at the closing of the steel mills. He lived in a

“I write all the time. Constantly,” says Bill.

landscape that was “blighted and scarred,” had rows of empty houses and derelict buildings,

And he’s bringing to bear what he’s learned about creative writing to others

where people moved away from, not to. Bill’s writing is tightly connected to Youngstown, with “its starkly beautiful and often volatile atmosphere.”

through workshops he’ll be teaching for Lit Youngstown.

Bill thought he was going to be a musician and a poet growing up.

or the planets are aligned.”

“I was sure I’d someday front as my generation’s Jim Morrison. That was my delusion,” says Bill. Then, a few years before he entered the NEOMFA, Bill became obsessed with writing. The NEOMFA program, with its nearby location, sufficient aid, and highly skilled faculty, allowed Bill to pursue his passion.

Think on Your Feet

Wandering Aesthetics to offer three children’s improv theatre courses this fall by Taylor Patterson Tell your kids to bring their singing voices and dancing shoes! Wandering Aesthetics is offering three improvisational theatre courses this September. Their play-based approach creates an imaginative, explorative, hands-on environment. WA’s Director of Education Kyle Jozsa will lead interactive, relationship-building classes for children ages three to thirteen. Sections will meet once a week and be divided according to age.

Improv FUNdamentals is designed for children five to nine. Students will learn quick thinking skills while collaborating with others. High energy exercises and games will root creativity and critical thinking skills. The course is aimed to build confidence and positive

Weekly classes will be held Saturday mornings at The Akron Children’s Museum. A final performance for the two courses will take place Saturday November, 18. An additional family drop-in class Let’s

Play Pretend! will be offered to ages three to

five on Friday mornings. Costumes, props and imagination will drive each session focused on basic theoretical concepts. With songs and games you will explore performing arts with your child. A parent or guardian must attend sessions with their young performer. “Improv FUNdementals” and “Devise & Conquer” are $165 each. Classes begin September 19 and run until November 18.

relationships.

“Let’s Play Pretend!” is charged per class session and costs $10 per family (up to 3

Devise & Conquer will empower ages nine to thirteen on stage. Students will learn to collaborate creative ideas with their peers.

people including kiddos), $5 each additional person. For more information please call 330.612.3090, email info@watheatre.com or

Diversity will be celebrated amid learning the

visit watheatre.com/registration to register.

basics of devised theatre. Through ensemble exercises and feedback, students will workshop a final performance.

// Taylor Patterson is a Kent State journalism student who writes sappy poetry and hugs too many trees. // Images courtesy of Wandering Aesthetics

“That’s my modest ambition,” Bill says, “Read, write, teach and publish when the tide is right

Asked what makes someone a strong writer, Bill knows it’s work ethic. “Give me the newbie with heart over the stagnant pro any day,” he says. Writing is hard work. And Bill loves it. // Claude Christensen runs. A lot. It ties his mind to his body, bringing a clarity to his life he can’t do without. Plus, spooking hikers (and sometimes bikers) from

The NEOMFA really pushed Bill, especially courses on the craft and theory of writing, which allowed him to learn new ways of writing and try them out in his own work. He

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

behind never gets old. // PHOTO by Bill Soldan

lifesourceyoga.com • 330.835.9945 SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

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NEVER COMING DOWN 2 AT HIVE MIND

IN THE CROWD by Floco Torres

t used to be that our relationship with things that are considered “cool” would grow as

it at the last moment, Foxie and her best friend were holding it down. She told me, “we know

Pictured above: My two “Milk Money” shirts, made

we experienced more. But as social media continues to buy our attention, I’m starting to

all these cool people that do cool shit so we wanted to get them in the room together to

af) (Photo courtesy of Floco Torres/The Devil Strip)

feel like we wouldn’t know what cool is if it literally reached out of our phone screens and flicked our noses. All of that being said, I was

hang out and see what happens.” This was the basic idea for the event.

There were moments where I could tell the

excited to check out the Never Coming Down 2 event because I wanted to cop some clothing

They definitely achieved their goal. The walls were filled with amazing art and apparel from

from Foxie Neptune, co-organizer of the event and designer of her line, “Milk Money.” That there would be art, film and Hip-Hop performances was an added bonus. I also don’t

Justin Hill, Foxie and many more artists. There were four tables filled with band merch and custom clothing lines. The overall fashion (high waisted jeans for the ladies, Space Jam Jordans

consider myself very cool in today’s modern sense, so I planned to stand in the back and be an outcast. I was wrong.

for the guys) of the attendees was reminiscent to a music industry party in NYC. The room appeared to be everything that kids think they

I showed up fashionably late to Hive Mind in an EPTM black Tee, joggers and Jordans (nothing

have to go to the “big city” to experience. The only problem is that there seemed to be a disconnect in energy.

by Foxie Neptune. (Seriously, support this line, it’s dope

vulgarity of the lyrical content in some songs is why people say they don’t listen to rap, but I felt like there were enough good vibes in the room to overlook some small details. Maybe I don’t know what cool is anymore, but I felt like Foxie and her team put on an event that 70% of the crowd should’ve come down off their high horses and enjoyed a bit more.

fancy) and I caught the last couple of songs from the first act, Freely Spoken and $lim. I later Some of the artists were late and performed

met them and grabbed some stuff from their merch table. The crowd was pretty deep for 8pm and they reacted mildly to the first set, but

like they were too good to be there, asking the crowd for a level of fire they weren’t giving. Even when LuvAbstract, probably the most

I figured it was because it was early. I caught Foxie for a few minutes, who had

hype performer of the night went on, he was met with blank stares and minimal crowd noise after his first song. After a while, someone in

been making sure everything ran smoothly. I bought the shirts I wanted and I asked her a few things about the event. Even though one of the other organizers of the event, Akron

the audience murmured, “Is there a live band playing? please tell me there is.” One girl standing outside was leaving after only a few minutes because she was “too sober for this

Hip-Hop artist/influencer Kudzi couldn’t make

shit.”

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

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Culture Club

17 BEAVER MARSH MAKES A (PHOTOGENIC) COMEBACK 22 HE’S NEW AND SHE’S NATIVE 25 AKRON’S GOT GAME. SPECIFICALLY, BASKETBALL. AND BASEBALL.

COMMUNITY & CULTURE

Zombie Directions “Right there where Lou and Hy’s used to be.” by Steve Van Auken

f you were born and raised in Akron, you have probably been doing it all your life. It

unreliable counting of traffic lights: "You go through three lights...no, four. Then you turn

doesn't seem weird to you at all. But for those left." (Do blinkers count or not? There is no

It's OK for there to be some new buildings. But let's not forget the buildings that were

Have you ever actually tried finding a sign pointing towards "Five Points?" I used to think

here before. People did things in them that are

that there must be such a sign. I just hadn't

of us who came late to this beautiful city, it can seem very odd indeed. I refer to our habit of giving zombie directions.

universal code.) They are certainly far more reliable than the directions you might get from fellow riders on the subway in big cities. ("Watch me and get off one stop before I do.")

worth remembering.

found it yet.

There is one other mystery about giving directions in Akron. This one is harder to

It is easy to spot a very senior Akronite. They have a deep knowledge of our history, and also

We give directions by where things used to be. We refer to landmarks that haven't actually

But they do take some getting used to.

understand. It is the habit of giving names to roads that don't really exist.

the history behind that. "You're looking for that Gabriel Brothers store in West Akron? It's right

existed since the era before someone thought to ask the young Don Plusquellic if he had ever considered running for public office. It is one

Our insistence on offering historically-based directions can be confusing to outsiders. I often found it mystifying when I moved here in the

"Sure, I can tell you how to get there. You take the Kenmore leg of the expressway."

there where Gold Circle used to be. You know, after they took over from the A & P grocery store. Which moved into where Garner's

of the first things a new immigrant to Akron notices.

1970s and received directions such as, "You go up here to where the Double Time used to be. Really? You don't know where the Double Time

What could be simpler? Except for the fact that the words "Kenmore leg" don't appear on any

According to William Faulkner, "The past is

"You're looking for that One-of-a-Kind Pet place? OK, so what you want to do is head west here on Market Street. After you cross the railroad track, you take a right. It's right

bar was? It's right across the street from where the Goodyear plant used to be. You can't miss it."

road sign. And for that matter, neither does the word "expressway." It's hard to imagine, I know, but people outside Akron sometimes call divided highways other things, such as

never dead. It's not even past." When he wrote this, he was probably thinking about how things were done in his native Mississippi. There is no indication he was thinking about us here

there where Lou and Hy's used to be. Right beside where Fairlawn News was. You know,

It seemed at the time that there was a Catch-22 "highways." in operation. If you actually knew where all

in Akron. Because if he had been, I'm pretty sure he would have said, "The past is never

right beside where Balaun's was. And it's back behind them. Right there where the bowling alley used to be."

these old places were, it meant you had been here for a long time, and wouldn't have to ask directions in the first place.

There are whole sections of Akron that don't appear on a road sign. "You go east from here on Exchange Street, and you go through Five

dead. It's not even past. Actually, it's right up there by where the Goodrich Tire plant used to be. You can't miss it."

What could be clearer than that? Directions like this are certainly better than the notoriously

But then I realized that these directions reflected the pride Akronites felt about our city.

Points. What? No, I'm talking about Five Points. You know, where Click's used to be."

// Photo by Shane Wynn, akronstock.com

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

restaurant was. It's right there."

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

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{

Outdoor Gems: EXPLORING

Northeast Ohio Beaver Marsh

by Anthony Boarman

veryone loves a comeback story. LeBron James returning to Northeast Ohio to bring the Cavaliers their first

a part of the Ohio & Erie Canal and as a dairy farm. Most recently before its cleanup, it was an auto repair shop.

championship in franchise history. WWII veteran Louis

Zamperini’s journey from Olympic stardom to Japanese prisoner and war camp survivor was spotlighted in his book and major motion picture “Unbroken.” All of these stories tug at our hearts in different ways. Then there is the Beaver Marsh in the

In 1984, the Portage Trail Group of the Sierra Club organized a cleanup of the site, hauling away car parts, old bed springs and anything else you could imagine. It was unknown as to what would be done with the land. Some even explored the idea of turning it into

Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

a parking lot.

Now, I doubt that anyone will ever make a movie about the Beaver Marsh, but it too has a great comeback story that often goes unnoticed. A little over 30 years ago, the Beaver Marsh was a

Around that same time, beavers started to migrate back to the valley, an area they had been absent from for over a century due to large scale fur trapping. As time went on, beavers gradually built

salvage yard. Yes, a junk yard full of trash, tires, large pieces of metal and old

a system of dams that flooded the area that we now know as the Beaver Marsh. This is the CVNP's epicenter of wildlife. Birds, frogs, beavers, blue and green heron, and if you're lucky, you will catch

rusted out cars.

the small family of river otters that reside there.

I was floored when I saw the old pictures of this area compared to what it is today. Whenever I pass through on a bike or take pictures

It's a great lesson that human development has often tarnished the habitats of a diverse assortment of wildlife. I'm thankful today

at the Beaver Marsh, I can’t help but think about how resilient nature is.

for the Portage Trail Group and the National Park Service for the foresight of those men and women to help restore the beauty in

Throughout the nineteenth century, land development in the valley drained what was originally a wetland. According to the CVNP’s

this area. The Beaver Marsh used to just be a transitional boardwalk from one end of the towpath to another for me, but now it is one of my favorite Northeast Ohio comeback stories.

website, Ohio has lost 90% of its wetlands to development. The // Anthony Boarman is a social studies teacher and coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary Beaver Marsh spans 70 acres and its significance is a result of its size High School. He lives in Wallhaven with his wife Emily and his dog Ava. He is a and the diversity of wildlife. In the 20th Century, the land served as lover of all things Akron and enjoys being around dogs more than humans.

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

Pictured above (top): The Beaver Marsh some time in the 1970s before it was cleaned up in the 1980s (Photo courtesy of Cuyahoga Valley National Park) Pictured above: The beginning of the boardwalk before entering the Beaver Marsh on a foggy summer morning. (Photos courtesy of A. Boarman)

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culture club

Pictured this page (clockwise from top left): The Beaver Marsh after sunrise in August; A frozen over Beaver Marsh during a winter sunrise; The boardwalk that spans the length of the Beaver Marsh during a winter sunrise; The eastern side of the Beaver Marsh surrounded by fog during a recent summer sunrise. (Photos courtesy of Anthony Boarman)

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

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Phil Brennan

Occupation:

Katie Wheeler

/ Belfast, N. Ireland

Start-up guy

Occupation:

Neighborhood: Silver Lake, but I work downtown on the corner of Water and Exchange, in the old Hamlin-Steel building.

Neighborhood: Portage Lakes, OH

When did you fall for Akron? Akron is like

granted until then. Now I'm highly aware of the

your best friend who one day you look at differently and ends up being the best girlfriend you ever had. I experienced Akron for the

positive changes the city is going through and I’m really excited to see what Akron looks like in 5 years.

What do you wish was more on Akronites' radar? The Nightlight Cinema, which has a great selection of the less mainstream and international movies, with the best snack bar in

first time in 1994 after moving here from Washington DC. I was comfortable here, the people were solid, but I didn't know what I was missing

a local theater. The selection is so good there is no need to smuggle anything in. Also Chop and Swizzle, which has great cocktails in a cool

until I moved away to the Tri State area. When we started having kids and were

old building with bartenders and wait staff

deciding where we wanted

who have drunk the Koolaid (or the French 79). to establish roots, Akron The owner soaks some stuff in some liquor and became all the more attractive. it makes for a delicious liquid dessert (I can't

What do you wish was more on Akronites' radar? The innovative spirit of Akron. There are so many great ideas floating around our area,

New / Native

and a ton of groups working together to make them a reality. It's really inspiring.

Where in Akron do you like to escape? The bike trails are an underutilized resource. Riding downtown on the weekend

What is your favorite local cultural asset? The annual Hoban vs. St. V game at The University of Akron!

and eating at Bricco or one of the other local When did you fall for Akron? Working with restaurants is something I wish I did more often. Torchbearers really opened my eyes to the (continued on page 44) possibilities in the area. I think I took Akron for

by Floco Torres

t goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway) that things were easier when we were kids. Life was as simple as our parents could make it for us. For the most part, our only jobs were to soak up the sun and not flunk out of school. For me personally, my job also included not embarrassing my parents in public. We learned the many rules and mantras that come with the adult world, and a few come to mind now as I notice how much we overlook them. Remember when we learned the tedious

give an opinion at any moment on social media has replaced our capacity for discretion with “I’m just being real.” The worst part is that there are no repercussions for online bullying. When I was in middle and high school, sometimes we fist fought because we thought we had no other option. Most of those fights stemmed from something someone said about you. When word got back to you, you went to “check” the person and this ended up in a one minute brawl (fights seemed a lot longer when we were younger). I’m not condoning violence, but I am pointing out that there was some sort of consequence for how you chose to speak about someone.

have them do unto you.” In layman’s terms, all of these phrases translate to “don’t be a jerk.”

An opinion is a view formed, not necessarily based on fact. Your opinion is not a weapon

feeling like we’ve reached an all time low in how we’re willing to treat people. Our ability to

spoiled with the amount of natural beauty in the area.

but mighty saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all?” How about “Treat others as you would like to be treated?” And finally, for those of us who grew up in church, “Do unto others as you will

In light of the Sarahah app (a new app that welcomes open and anonymous criticism), I’ve been

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

Where in Akron do you like to escape? I'm a water girl, so Portage Lakes is definitely my permanent vacation. I also really love the variety that we have in the towpath, so I spend a lot of time hiking or biking. How do you hope Akron will be different

What is your favorite local cultural asset? Definitely our park systems. We are really

tell you any more, you need to go in and ask for it, just as I described).

Floco’s Modern Life

/ Portage Lakes, OH

Product Manager

in five years? I hope people have started to explore and learn about what’s going on in Akron a little more. From food to parks to music, the city is full of little hidden gems that are fun to discover if you take the time to wander around. It really is a cool place and I would hope that people start to see it that way. (Photo courtesy of Katie Wheeler)

wouldn’t say when staring down a potential punch in the mouth. Let me point out that I’m conscious of my own shortcomings with this, which is why my social media involvement has been more about music and less of talk-show-esque selfie videos. Our egos should be more invested in doing the best we can because at the end of the day, we’re all selfish and no one gives a crap. Of course I’m not qualified to give you life advice, but in the spirit of giving our opinions, I’d like to express mine: Cool out and watch your mouth. Pictured below: See, hear, and speak no evil - Photo by Brandon Everrett Thompson

to emotionally harm another person. The internet has become one long soundcheck where everyone is yelling into the same microphone to an empty room. Racial and social tensions of today have us all saying things behind a keyboard that we

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

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Dear Baseball Now! When the Season Ends the Advice Begins by Dave Daly

It’s now September and the Eastern League regular season has come to an end. As of writing this article, it’s still technically possible for our Rubber Ducks to make the playoffs. However, it’s looking less and less likely. In order to fill the void, now is the time to turn your attention to the major league as teams look towards a playoff birth. How are the Indians doing? Right now they currently sit atop the American League Central Division and appear to be on their way to October baseball. With the end of the Ducks and Racers glorious seasons here in Akron, it’s once again that time of year where I answer some of our readers’ questions. Without further ado, I give you Dear Baseball Now! Pictured above: The 2016 Eastern League All-Star Game took place at Canal Park (Photo courtesy of Dave Daly/Baseball Now!)

Dear Baseball Now, What’s a must do when attending a baseball game? Find time to walk around the ballpark. I like checking out every accessible nook and cranny. Watching the game from different areas is always neat and there are dynamite

drunk guy trying to get a foul ball before a little kid totally beats them, or a run in with the Northeast Ohio Ghostbusters, you’re

AKRON AVIATORS BRINGS PRO BASKETBALL TO AKRON By Floco Torres “I swear music and sports is so synonymous, cause we want to be them and they wanna be us,” Drake raps on “Thank Me Now,” from his debut album “Thank Me Later.” As a fan of both music and sports, this observation has been evident to me since Allen Iverson’s commercial with Reebok and

in for some fun observations.

Jadakiss, when they released his “A5” sneaker during the height of both of their careers. Countless basketball players have released songs over the years (Shaq, Allen Iverson,

Not a must do, but more of a pro tip is that some ballparks allow

Damian Lillard, Lonzo Ball) or involved themselves behind the

outside food. Seriously. Canal Park doesn’t, unfortunately, but if you are attending a game elsewhere, look up the rules regarding consumables. Yankee Stadium, home of the worst team in sports, allows attendees to bring in food. NYC has unlimited takeout options for a fraction of the cost of food from within. If you’re travelling and baseballin’, get informed! Oh yeah, sneak booze in too.

scenes (Carmelo Anthony put funding behind former Hip-Hop punchline king Cassidy for a short time). Pictured right: Brian ‘Essince’ Collins focused on bringing Pro ball back to Akron (Photo courtesy of Brian ‘Essince’ Collins)

Dear Baseball Now, What would you think if a Rubber Duck took a knee or sat during the National Anthem? It’s pretty clear that if an athlete chooses not to participate by standing during the Anthem, they are either sitting or taking a knee for the injustices imposed on millions of people in this country on a daily basis. If that gets your blood boiling, then make like Tom and cruise. Seriously, go meet somebody outside of your safe little bubble and get triggered. It’s the only way

The risk and reward ratio can be slim depending on your approach, but Brian ‘Essince’ Collins (pictured right) is up for the challenge as he looks to bring professional basketball to Akron through the American Basketball Association (ABA) with his team, the Akron Aviators.

(continued on page 45)

people watching opportunities all over the place. Whether it’s a

Brian is the CEO of Royal Heir Entertainment, a Marketing/ Media company that provides management and support for

MITCH MATTHEWS

artists. He promotes their work through his publication “Royal Heir Magazine” and supports them from the underground to the major labels. In the past issue of Royal Heir Magazine,” Brian wrote all the articles, including the cover story on HipHop and Pop artist B.o.B. Brian played basketball throughout his youth, in college and overseas, but he fell out of love with playing when the style of the game switched to the “run and gun” play that has been sensationalized in pro ball today.

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A conference call he co-hosted led to meeting Tjuan Washington, CEO of the media/entertainment division and team owner of ABA. They later worked together on events and promoted the league’s 50 year anniversary. Through their partnership, Brian learned more and more about owning a team. When the opportunity presented itself to have a professional basketball team in Ohio, he jumped at the chance to start a team here in Akron.

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thought it would be in sports management,” says Brian.

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

The goal with the Akron Aviators is to create a solid competitive team that can become a funnel for players to reach the NBA if they choose. The team will also become a positive influence for local kids in Akron. (continued on page 44)

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The Basement

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ost every house in Goodyear Heights had

I pondered this phenomenon as I was in the

them. Sometimes it was just a small corner of the basement, closed in on a side or two with a five-foot high wall of concrete

basement of my mother-in-law’s house in Ellet, the neighborhood right next door to Goodyear Heights. My wife’s family had moved into their

block—just enough to keep the spray at bay. In our house, it was a smudged, white enameledsteel stall, wedged into a room at the foot of the basement stairs near the furnace and the

modest 24’x40’ shoebox back in 1961, right after it was built. Now it stood empty as we hoped to find a buyer.

incinerator. Some people called them a “Goodyear

Sure enough, in the southeast corner of the basement is a low concrete block wall enclosing a small space about three-and-a-half feet

Shower;” I suppose if you lived in Firestone Park they might have called them a “Firestone Shower,” or if you lived in Lower Akron, a “Goodrich Shower.” Sometimes they were joined by a toilet and a sink, too—but as often as not, there was only a shower.

square. There isn’t even a drain inside the shower—the basement floor there only slopes gently toward the floor drain under the laundry tub, which is about three feet away. The pipes were removed long ago, since the thing hadn’t been used in eons.

The idea was simple. Dad came home from a hard day’s work at the factory, and momma didn’t want him washing all that soot off in the same family bathtub that the baby used. Moreover, momma didn’t want to do extra

What’s funny is that I’m pretty sure my fatherin-law put this shower in after the house was built, since I seriously doubt it was what you’d call “original equipment.” What’s even funnier was that he was a furniture salesman. Not a

clean-up when guests came over, since there

rubber worker. Or a plumber. Or a tradesman.

was only one bathroom in the house anyway, and it had to remain spotless.

Didn’t matter. Still had to have that shower in the basement.

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Now my father never worked in a rubber factory, but he was a plumber (I believe he preferred the term “pipefitter”) and most days,

Though my dad primarily did commercial work, every once in awhile he’d get called out on a

he returned home almost as dirty as any tire builder. For him, putting in a basement shower was not only practical but also an excuse to

residential job. Usually it involved a clogged drain or a leak fix that his boss called him up to handle for a friend or associate. I remember

show off his plumbing skills. My uncle, who lived about a block away, had a nice concrete

my dad laughing at finding a basement shower over on the west side of town, in a big house

block shower in the basement—and he was in sales. Of concrete.

on one of those well-manicured streets.

The simple fact was, most everybody in the neighborhood had one of these basement

“Can’t imagine what they use it for,” I remember him telling me. “Maybe they garden a lot—or wash the dog in it.”

showers, because even if you didn’t work in a tire factory, you might want to sell your house

The basement shower may have been a feature

someday to someone who did. Even if that wasn’t the case, chances are you probably had a blue collar job that required you to break a

of most working-class neighborhoods—but I use that term “working-class” in the traditional sense that I understood growing up. I find it sad

sweat and get your hands dirty. A shower in the that in the modern-day idiom, it almost seems basement was pretty handy—and it kept your to have taken on a pejorative flavor; something house’s real bathroom nice and clean. Hell, I that suggests constant struggles, fading lived in the house I grew up in for 25 years and dreams, low paying jobs and even bad choices I don’t ever remember anyone using the shower at the ballot box. upstairs—only the tub; which was for children. And momma.

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addiction and recovery

On the Street

Faces of the homeless, previously homeless and those still struggling by Lisa Kane We went to Second Chance Store, a thrift store run by the Akron area homeless community. The things they are doing here are amazing. Our longtime friend, Paul Hays shows us the new garden they are planting. He introduces us to several people who are there and asks if any of them would let us interview them. A woman with beautiful blue eyes, who I can best describe as a ray of sunshine, agrees to tell us her story.

Meet Lori.

Editor’s Note: Lisa Kane from Akron Snow Angels conducted this interview earlier this

industry for over 20 years.

summer. Lori was very excited to be featured in the magazine. A month later, Lisa went looking for Lori to let her know that the interview

Why don’t you have “a job?” Simple answer,

would be published in the following issue. Sadly, Lisa found out that Lori had passed

and was a great tennis player. My life so far has been quite an adventure and journey.

My sanctuary. Heart. Family. Comfort. For now, this is my home.

bad life choices. I started meeting the wrong people. I don’t want to say I was vulnerable,

Where did you sleep last night? A tent. I’ve never done something like this all by myself,

What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this week? Doors are opening! I’m

maybe just naïve. I wanted to fit in, to be part of the group, to feel “cool.” I ended up using drugs to fit it with this group of “friends.” The

alone. I’m living in a tent! I’m not looking at this as a negative thing. I’m just camping for a while. (laughing) They have showers, food,

starting a new job! I have more hope and I’m smiling more. I found out that I’m about to be a grandma.

because we don’t want her to be just another statistic when it’s obvious she had a big,

bad choices led to me losing my job.

resources, and support here. People here genuinely care. They have all been in the same

Is there anything that you really need right

lovely personality and grand hopes for her life. Rest in peace, Lori. ————————————————————

How long have you been homeless? I bounced around friends’ houses for a while.

situations and understand. They are totally nonjudgmental and can relate to what I’m

now? Just to enjoy the day, the moment. To smile and be happy.

away. We decided to run the interview anyway

Lori Age/ Hometown: 42 / Northfield area “Coming from my upbringing you would never think I would be in this situation,” says Lori. “That’s why I say ‘never judge.’ I’ve been on both sides. I have a lot of heart and feeling to everything I’m telling you. I just want to be able to help others,’” says Lori.

I chose to come here, to the Second Chance going through. Store to try to get some help. I’ve been here for two weeks. I realized I needed to remove myself Do you have family? Yes. I have four from people, places and things that are bad for me. I need to maintain my sobriety. I have four beautiful, strong daughters that need me. I have a support system here. I had other places I could have gone, but they weren’t going to help me to stay sober. Basically, I’m sick and tired or being sick and tired.

What lead you to homelessness? I had a What brought you to Akron? I met someone home, but ended up losing it. I lost my job. I at work from Akron. I came here and really met the wrong people and made bad choices. fell in love with the Highland Square area. It I was a victim of domestic violence for years. was so versatile. A little more exciting and fast I’m still working through all that has happened

wonderful daughters. My parents live in Wadsworth. They’re older. They’re not aware of my situation. I don’t want them to know. They would worry and be stressed out. Someday I will be able to share it all with them when I’m back on my feet. That’s my goal.

What do you want people to know about YOU? I want to make a difference to

What three words would you use to describe being homeless? Difficult—not

others. I’m in the same place as you are. I’m empathetic. Know that you are not alone. Don’t judge people. I know that is easier said than done. I want people to be willing to listen to what others have to say. I think being homeless is more difficult for women. Maybe it’s that we need [and] want more “stuff.” Coming here alone was very scary. This is the first time I’ve been single and on my own in 25 years. I was used to always having someone. I’ve learned a lot about myself. I can focus on me. I’ve always put others before myself. I’m learning it’s okay to say “no.” You need to take care of yourself

Do you feel safe? Yes. I felt more alone when I was living out there with all my “friends” than I do here with people I just met.

paced then where I’m from. There is a lot of

to me. (Lori showed me different scars on

knowing what each day will bring. Lost. Lonely.

first. I knew I needed help. [I knew] the way I

entertainment for young adults here. I stayed and got an apartment and a job.

her hands, face and neck that are constant reminders of the violence she suffered.) I’ve experienced a lot in my life: abuse, addiction

Shameful. Depressing. Scary. Okay, that’s more than three. I do know that the only place I can go now is “up.” This will have an end.

was living wasn’t going to get me anywhere. I had to make a change. I had to be the one to take the steps and do it by myself, no matter

Occupation/Previous Occupation/Source of income? I have worked in the restaurant

[and] I was adopted. I grew up in a great home. I’ve seen both sides. I went to private schools

What does the word “home” mean to you?

how scary the unknown was.

Honoring Our First R esp onders!

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AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

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SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

addiction and recovery

A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHANGE

Motherhood in Addiction and Recovery words by Noor Hindi, photos by Ilenia Pezzaniti

Editor’s note: The names of the children and one of the mothers in this article have been

Trying to cope, she started smoking weed every day and soon met a man who lost his mother

The morning after she had her older sister take Emily, Kristy did heroin for the first time.

mark 21 months of sobriety on September 14, thanks to Peachtree Estates, which provides

changed. Kristy Eyre is watching her three-year-old daughter, Emily, ride her bicycle. It’s nighttime

around the same time Kristy’s father passed away. Their relationship was going well until Kristy’s boyfriend, a recovering heroin addict, started using again. Kristy had fallen in love

“I wasn’t a mom anymore. What else did I have to lose?”

two-year transitional housing for women in recovery. She has now moved out of Peachtree into a new home in Goodyear Heights.

and they’re at the Circle K on Arlington and

with him, spending much of her time at his

For the first year and a half Kristy used heroin,

“I miss my kids,” Kristy says. “I want to be a

Exchange Street. Kristy holds a few items of Emily’s clothes in her hands, nervous because once her older sister arrives, it’s over. In a few moments, that green SUV will pull up, they’ll load her things inside, and Kristy will have

grandmother’s house, which quickly became a place where other addicts met to buy and use. Kristy’s involvement with her boyfriend and her frequent visits to the drug house worried her

she managed to stay out of trouble with the law. Kristy didn’t consider recovery an option until officers caught her with a needle in her purse. She was sent to recovery court, then IBH Addiction Recovery Center. She completed the

mom. I want to get up early in the morning and get them off to school. I want to get them cool little [toys] for Christmas. I want to put a BandAid on their boo-boos.”

to say goodbye to Emily, who will, for the

ex-husband so he filed for emergency custody

program, then relapsed. More legal troubles

While Kristy navigates the complicated legal

foreseeable future, live with her aunt.

followed.

“I didn’t want her to see me stick a needle in my arm,” Kristy says. “I didn’t want her to

of their son, James, who was just seven years old at the time. When Kristy went to pick up James one week, her ex-husband refused to give James back to her.

When she got caught stealing a bottle of shampoo, she was sent to Glenwood Jail for 24

process of regaining custody of her kids, they remain with her family, though, since her relapse, Kristy and her mom haven’t spoken. She doesn’t blame her mom for being angry.

see me be dope sick. I didn’t want her to go living from here to there and on couches and in abandoned houses and in a garage with half

“That killed me,” Kristy says. “[James] is my little dude. My first born.”

hours. She shot up before going in, but being in jail scared Kristy. That was the last time she used.

Although they aren’t Facebook friends, Kristy has been sending her mom monthly updates

Kristy’s life only became that way in the months

Kristy didn’t hit rock bottom when she gave up custody of Emily. She had admitted she could

“I heard the [Summit County Jail] was worse and I didn’t want to do that.”

through Messenger about her recovery every time she reaches a new milestone. Her mom typically doesn’t respond.

before she gave up custody of Emily. Things had been rough, but then Kristy lost her father.

no longer provide for her kids, but things were about to get worse.

Kristy’s kids are now 7 and 11 years old. She’ll

But one day, “It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie

a roof.”

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

addiction and recovery Pictured opposite (left to right): Kristy Eyre; Marie Higgins Pictured this page: Danielle Jolley (All photos by Ilenia Pezzaniti.)

says. “Because a lot of people come in and think that we’re going to take their babies, but we have absolutely nothing to do with that.”

She signed away permanent custody of them to Being a mom is stressful enough, but being a Child Protective Services until her mother could mom in recovery is a different kind of challenge. take custody. Marie’s boys grew up in and out Shame and guilt are often significant triggers. of foster care. Sometimes they were separated from each other. Her son Matt, now 13, was almost adopted by a family.

“The foster family really had their heart set on adopting him but he wanted to be with his brothers, not with these people he didn’t

Danielle Jolley has been been sober for six years. She has three kids: twin sons who are now 21 and another son who is seven. The twins stayed with grandparents for most of

know,” Marie says.

their childhoods while Danielle was addicted to

She feels incomplete because of all of the time

drugs. Although she has a relationship with all three of her kids now, she says one of the twins

she missed with her sons.

is “a bit resentful,” and it took a long time to reconnect with them.

“I didn’t have four kids to not raise them,” Marie says. “I never intended on becoming

“I lived to get high and I got high to live,”

a junkie, but I did become one. And it’s not only affecting me, it’s affecting my children. These four children didn’t have a say so in the

Danielle says. “Once I got into their teenage years I could have been anywhere. In a different state, in jail, I was just nowhere to be found.”

matter.” Marie overdosed when her youngest son

Danielle says she is ashamed to remember taking her youngest son along when she went

Dylan still lived with her. He woke up to see

to meet dealers during the last year of her

her getting rushed away in an ambulance and thought she had died. Marie was charged with child endangerment.

addiction. He was only a baby at the time.

That was another life ago now. Today, she is a state registered recovery coach with the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OMHAS). She volunteers for Summit County Opiate Task Force and attends the Advocacy Subcommittee meetings. Aside from this, she’s also an active member of the advisory board for Akron Say No To Dope. It keeps her busy but it also helps keep her sober.

“I would turn the car off in the winter so the police wouldn’t see the exhaust,” Danielle says. “But what if I was one of those people who overdosed? My son would have died in the backseat from hypothermia.” Danielle is currently a recovery advocate for sober living in Kent. She attends the University of Akron and is majoring in social work. Danielle got sober in AA and stays sober by practicing yoga and maintaining her spirituality.

Brown” aired on television, and Kristy messaged heart problems. her mom because she has vivid memories of the two of them watching it together when

She switched to Vicodin and Percocet. Marie

“I’d like to be able to spend more time with my children, but I believe they understand that I’m trying to get better,” Marie says.

she was little. Her mom sent her a few words of encouragement. So Kristy invited her to her recovery court graduation.

wouldn’t stop there. “I worked as a home health aide, and one of the men I took care of was prescribed a lot of

“She didn’t come,” Kristy says. “I’ve lied so

pain pills, and he was allowing me to take his

much in my addiction that I don’t think she believes me. I cry a lot. I can’t call her. And it hurts really bad.”

pills, so I moved onto Opana, which are really strong."

It can take years to finally seek help and just as long to get your life back after addiction. So many moms in recovery give custody of their

using heroin in 2011, dragging her boys along as her addiction spiraled.

kids to family or close friends because they are afraid of having their kids taken away by Child Protective Services (CPS). Fortunately, there are programs to support mothers seeking recovery.

been in recovery for about two years. She has four sons, now ages 11, 13, 15 and 18, who all once lived with their grandmother Marie’s

“I didn’t care about anything except getting high.”

Recovery Centering at Summa Health Medical Group, led by G. Dante Roulette, MD of

mom, who currently has custody of Marie’s youngest son, Dylan. Marie and her mom live close to help keep the family together.

Marie spent nine months in jail after police raided her home on suspicion she was cooking meth. They didn’t find a lab, but they did find

But getting to this point hasn’t been easy.

“a lot of meth” so she was arrested on felony charges. She wasn’t deterred.

obstetrics and gynecology, provides support for pregnant women as well as postnatal support for the first year. Recovery Centering gives women an opportunity to develop safety plans and identify people who can take care of the

Her opiate addiction began when she was 14 years old, after her doctor prescribed Darvocet

"It was about a month after I got raided. I was still doing all the things I was doing before I

for menstrual cramps. Darvocet is a habitforming opiate pain killer that can cause bad withdrawal symptoms when quit abruptly. It was taken off the market in the United States

got raided. My mom called children's services and told them I was cooking meth, and so they came and removed my children from my home."

When that wasn’t strong enough, Marie started v

She is glad nothing bad ever happened to her kids, and she hopes more mothers should seek help, despite fear of losing their kids to CPS. “I feel like if you use those reasons the problems are only going to get bigger. Start somewhere and see what doors open up because it definitely pays off. It’s easy to stay trapped underneath in shame and fear, but there’s a way out. ”

Marie Higgins has what Kristy wants. Marie has

in November of 2010 because of its link to fatal

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

child in case they overdose. Roulette says that getting over the stigma of being a recovering

If you are an expecting mother and need recovery assistance, call 330-745-4844 or go to bit.ly/2xHt9Fw

mom is critical to helping them and their children.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, you can get help by calling the

“We actually have folks from Children and

Summit Co. ADM Board’s Crisis Hotline at 330-434-9144, or visit them online at

Family Services come in on a rotating basis and talk [to mothers] about what it looks like to have a child while you’re in recovery,” Roulette

admboard.org.

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

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Akropreneurs

32 IS BOUNCE AKRON’S NEW WAVE OF INNOVATION? 34 ORIGIN STORY: MORE THAN JUST TABOULEH

AKRON BIZ

WHAT I WISH I KNEW Carrie’s Magical Business by Taylor Dawson Entrepreneur Carrie

also offered custom,

Acree is the founder of The Dragon’s Mantle, a small business that

handmade clothing.

provides many different Metaphysical, Pagan and Wiccan supplies and tools. Everything

you knew when you started Dragon’s Mantle? I wish I knew the "unknowns” like

from essential oils to gemstones and divination tools are

how the communities would accept us, what kind of reception we

offered. The Dragon’s Mantle also hosts psychic workshops and fairs.

would have and things of that nature.

What do you wish

What are some of

Carrie has been a practicer and student of metaphysic and craft traditions for 30 years. How did you get into the work that you do? I started a home business [making] custom renaissance clothing

the best lessons you’ve learned about business and life since becoming your own boss? The most important lesson I've learned is that there are people that can be trusted. I have a great group of core people involved in The Dragon's Mantle

and costuming. My husband and I discussed the option of opening a brick and mortar shop. At the time that we opened The Dragon's Mantle, Summit County area didn't have a

that have proven multiple times that they have The Dragon's Mantle’s best interests at heart.

store of this type to serve this community. As

The best decision was opening The Dragon's

I had been practicing and studying alternative belief systems for over 25 years, when a building opened up near our home, we (my husband and I) decided it was time to make

Mantle and being able to facilitate community, integrity and knowledge among those of varying religious belief systems and traditions.

our move. We opened The Dragon's Mantle, a metaphysical, Pagan and Wiccan shop that

// Photo courtesy of Carrie Acree, Dragon’s Mantle

What do you consider you best decisions?

Podcast Pullquote: ep. 8 Ryan Pritt’s Big League Baptism by Fire

Akro-Preneurs is a series hosted by Roger

games and I would play the games and set

Riddle that features the stories behind creative locals whose talents led them into business where they’ve been shaping the city and our culture with their entrepreneurial mindset.

up a cassette tape recorder and record myself announcing the games as I played. And then I’d go back and listen to them to critique myself and try to get better and that was my

Listen to Episode 8 of Akro-preneurs to hear Ryan Pritt’s story of how he started Pritt Entertainment Group. Not sure how to do

passion.”

that? You can find all the episodes on iTunes and GooglePlay.

email and with twitter is that people that you look up to and look at as role models for your career are more accessible than ever before.”

“The nice thing about today’s world with

Here are some of our favorite quotes. “The thing is, I was really terrible at playing sports, which fortunately I was able to identify from the time I was pretty young. Like I can distinctly remember being in elementary school and being like, you’re not playing in

“From the time I was in middle school I remember writing to WKYC up in Cleveland and being like ‘hey, I want to do sports announcing.’ And they had a TV show when the Browns came back in 1999 called Browns Blitz and they emailed back and were like,

major league baseball and you’re definitely not playing in the NBA, so if you want to be involved in this field, you need to find some other way to do it.”

‘hey, yeah, no problem, we can have you on the show and you can do it’ and I actually got to announce the first touch down the Browns had when they came back at the new stadium as part of that job. It was super cool and I still

“My love actually was sports broadcasting.

have the VHS tape of when it happened on

That was literally my passion more than even playing the sports. I would get video

TV. I was in 8th grade at the time.” (continued on page 45)

Tip Sheet

interviews and photos by M. Sophie Franchi

For this edition, we visited Akron Honey Company’s Women’s Market Day and asked three business owners what they do for self-care so that they stay motivated. Here’s what they had to say.

Danielle Capotosto, Five Blessings

Qolayah Shekina, Tea House Bakery

Julie Costell, Ms. Julie’s Kitchen

Makes greeting cards, stationery, prints, home decor and small gift items.

Sells brewed gourmet teas and desserts infused with teas

Makes vegan food sourced from local farms “I don’t do that. I eat good food. And I go home and

“I try to keep work and family time separate, and I really try to have that family time so that I can just unwind. I have a son and a husband, and we try to do

“I do arts and crafts regularly at home...anything artsy. I go out, I watch the Food Channel, but I like going out mostly into nature.”

go to sleep.”

fun things as a family, and I think that’s kind of what keeps me grounded and helps me stay focused.”

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

Akropreneurs

CURATED COLLISIONS

AKRO-PRENEURS

The mayor’s office doubles down on Akron’s next wave of innovation, pivoting from AGBA to BOUNCE

Episode 8 with

Denise Debo

by Noor Hindi

saint augustine and suds by Noor Hindi For Denise Debo, Saint Augustine and Suds is about more than just artisan soap products. It’s about creating a life for her six-year-old son, Augustine, and inspiring him to follow his dreams. “I’m investing in his future and I want to teach him responsibility growing up,” says Denise. Denise is the founder of Saint Augustine and Suds, an all-natural artisan bath product company. Denise makes all of her products by hand.

rom the outside, the old Hamlin Steel building could be mistaken for any other abandoned factory or warehouse in Akron. The vibrant red brick it used to bear has diminished over time into a white and pink hue. Standing on Exchange St., it’s a faint nod to a time when manufacturing jobs were plenty in Akron. But that’s all misleading.

to get connected to the resources.”

Although Lewis found help through The The result is the launch of BOUNCE, an University of Akron Research Foundation, he wants the City of Akron government to develop innovation hub that will be housed at 526 South Main St., effectively absorbing AGBA and foster an environment where aspiring entrepreneurs can bring their ideas to the table and becoming the umbrella for both the Bit and find the right resources to help launch their Factory as well as the City’s business accelerator and incubator services. Under the mayor’s businesses.

The entrance is tucked away on Water St., disguising from view the surprisingly hip

Turns out, Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan feels

and modern interior. Fresh orange and gray

the same way.

“I started Saint Augustine and Suds because I’ve always had a passion for natural living [and] body care,” says Denise.

paint preps newcomers for the vibrance of the innovative work happening inside, where highly-skilled employees get downtime to enjoy weekly yoga classes and their own in-house coffee shop.

Denise makes everything from body butters to shaving kits and bath bombs, but her specialty is soap. Coffee and Cedar Wood, Sweet Rose, Eucalyptus and Lavender are just a few of the

A trio of companies — Wastebits, Echogen Power Systems and Segmint — anchor more than just this building. They represent a glimpse of what several here think should be the city’s

classic bars sold through Saint Augustine

about her by watching our Akro-preneurs video at bit.ly/2eWtz3M.

plan, the first floor will get a facelift while they make room for new equipment, like gene splitters, 3-D printers and other makerspace components.

v The pivot to becoming an entrepreneur-friendly

BOUNCE also involves previously announced projects like Bits & Atoms, an on-campus coffee

city began Thursday with a presentation by consultant David Zipper, who founded 1776, a start-up incubator in Washington, D.C., and came to Akron asking questions of area

shop and coworking space. However, in the mayor’s eyes, this isn’t a rebranding effort but rather a philosophical shift in the City’s approach to and programming for start-ups

stakeholders. He was tasked by Horrigan to provide a path towards providing the kinds of

and entrepreneurships.

future.

resources that would help start-ups flourish.

It fits into Horrigan’s drive to increase the local population because city officials consider

“The company culture here is super refreshing and very different,” says David Patterson, key accounts manager for Wastebits, an Akronbased waste management software company.

As Zipper collected information and made

and Suds. View Denise’s entire catalog at saintaugustineandsuds.com and learn more

the Akron Global Business Accelerator (AGBA) and proposed efforts like Bits & Atoms.

recommendations, Horrigan put his team to work on a

“We do so much collaborating, it’s incredible.” Pictured right: David Patterson,

// Photo courtesy of Ilenia Pezzaniti

Wastebits cofounder Raymond Lewis says his

Key Accounts Manager for

———————————————————— The Devil Strip’s entrepreneurship coverage

startup is succeeding now but that launching in Akron wasn’t easy.

Wastebits.

has been made possible thanks in part to the support of The Fund for Our Economic Future and the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Learn more at akronisforentrepreneurs.org.

new vision, which includes “Wastebits maintains a pretty avid stance that we did not find a lot of help, and it was very challenging,” Lewis says. “It was very difficult

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

the Akron Growth Council and involved reevaluating long-standing programs like

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

Akropreneurs says Deputy Chief of Staff Annie McFadden. Pictured left: Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan

mission” to transform Northeast Ohio into the type of tech hub he’s used to seeing in other

at Bounce.

parts of the US.

The mayor’s vision is so bold the city is saying Pictured right: Wastebits, an no to a $2.5 million grant for Bits & Atoms from Akron-based waste management the US Economic Development Administration because following the requirements involved will distract from the new mission. BOUNCE will still take advantage of a $2 million grant from the State of Ohio. “I think this is a really exciting thing for Akron,” says Adele Roth, Deputy Planning Director for Economic Development. “You don’t get that many opportunities to take something and

software company.

“I think there’s a culture and an overall understanding of tech people in this

opportunities, especially with all of the strong corporations we have have here like Goodyear, Bridgestone and GOJO.

able to survey and find an expert really quickly. That is the beauty of a shared space.”

“It’s to Akron’s benefit if you have researchers in those companies interacting with graduate students at The University of Akron, interacting

shake it all up.”

BOUNCE an opportunity to give recent university grads more reason to stay in Akron. "We want young entrepreneurs to stay here and create businesses and throw out ideas

The city thinks this gambit might also lure entrepreneurs with established companies, like Chris Nickless, CEO of Vlipsy, a video clip search engine soundboard start-up that allows people to communicate with each other through gifs with sound.

and curate with universities and existing companies," Horrigan says.

“I believe there is talent in the area that is underserved” Nickless, who is currently at Techstars in Atlanta, says. “And that’s where

But while AGBA focused largely on supporting entrepreneurs as they develop their ideas, BOUNCE is centered around attracting, developing, retaining and connecting the talent

I’m very bullish on the idea that we can do it too, but there’s a couple of ingredients that are

it takes to help those start-ups grow.

Nickless is from Canton but he wants to settle in Akron. First, it’ll have to become more like Ponce City Market, a complex built around a revitalized former Sears distribution facility in Atlanta where the Techstars program is located. People from all around the city enjoy more than a dozen restaurants, several stores, galleries and bars, and even a rooftop amusement park. That energy draws talent to it, which has helped his product develop faster than ever before.

So if you want to be part of a start-up environment instead of having to actually run a start-up, the City wants you to find a home at BOUNCE, where you could work alongside University of Akron researchers and professionals from the area’s Fortune 500 companies.

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking for a place to collaborate, as well as a place with programming and physical resources for launching a startup. Nickless says he hasn’t

But that’s also why he’s on an “absolute

with people who are retired executives doing research in polymers and creating differing kinds of programming to bring in more seasoned executives to support tomorrow’s

found that blend of work and play in Akron yet. entrepreneurs,” Zipper says. Worse, centers like Ponce City Market, which

The Mayor’s Chief of Staff James Hardy says

offer office space, food and drink options, entertainment and networking, actively pull entrepreneurs away from Akron.

the success of BOUNCE will be measured through the number of mentors working with startups, the number of office hours held with entrepreneurs, the number of events happening

Addressing this need is what attracted Horrigan to the model D.C.’s 1776 uses. That’s where he met Zipper, selling him on Akron’s potential about eight months ago.

within the building and the total number of people coming through the doors each month.

missing.”

“This is [Horrigan’s] effort to say, ‘Let’s do something bold and see where it takes us.’,”

Zipper thinks we’re missing out on

area that I don’t necessarily feel [in Akron],” says Nickless. “Every time you hit a hurdle, you’re not sitting down as a team and trying to figure out a problem for multiple days, you’re

“Right now, from what I can see, there’s a lot of silos in Akron,” says Zipper. “Not a lot of places like a 1776 where a lot of different entrepreneurs and companies and other leaders would come together and have an open innovation environment where new ideas can percolate.” Zipper thinks that the disadvantages of not having an innovation center are huge. The

Don’t expect to see the full details for BOUNCE yet. That’s because city officials are taking the next phase of the project to area businesses, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to help shape exactly how it will work. "All of the studies we've done have shown that we have a lot of nodes of activity, but they're not connected,” Horrigan says. “If this hub is successful, it puts it all in one place."

community loses out on a lot of neat ideas when there’s “no central front door” for

The mayor’s opened the door. Now it’s the business community’s turn to take it to

innovation, and knowledge is not being recycled into the next generation.

another level.

Join a community in Akron working on their dreams! Freelancers - Consultants - Startups - Creatives Join us for free on Thursdays and discover why Akron works from the Tech Lab www.OSCTechLab.com

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

Akropreneurs High School. Starting at a young age, the boys worked at a number of restaurants.

in finance, the company’s rookie year provided unexpected challenges.

“Pizza, fast food, you name it, we worked it,” says Tony. “Working all those jobs, we learned what we liked and didn’t like about

“You just don’t know what something is going to be like until you do it,” says Tony.

restaurants.”

They spent much of 2015 fine-tuning their menu and coordinating a marketing strategy. Local business people and adventurous college

For years, the duo tossed around the idea of

ORIGIN STORY

opening their own place. In December of 2014, with 10 years of foodservice experience under their belts, they decided to take the plunge.

students were the first to support the eatery.

“If my brother and I talk about an idea we like, we go for it,” says Tony.

product high, yet still reasonably priced.

As fans of the restaurant developed, Tony and George made certain to keep the quality of the

“We try to buy almost everything from local And go for it they did. By February of 2015, a mere three months after their talk, Tabouleh was open for business.

distributors,” says Tony. “We go and open up crates to personally pick what vegetables we buy.”

Using the “fast casual” model as a blueprint,

That care and attention to detail is reflected

the brothers constructed a menu based on the traditional Lebanese recipes of their mother.

in the food. From the stellar Shish Tawook (chicken) to the Falafel and Shawarma

Though they consulted her and their aunt for advice, they ultimately made the final calls.

(steak), the brothers’ fare is something to be experienced.

“It’s one thing to cook at home” says Tony. “We wanted to be able to guarantee freshness and fast service to our customers. We knew we wanted to be able to prepare things in under

“We’re able to be as creative as we want,” says Tony. So what’s next for Tony and George?

10 minutes.” The menu reflects this objective by featuring a

by Ted Zep

generous selection of healthy rice plates and tantalizing sandwiches.

The story of Tony and George Kanaan is the story of Akron itself. The 28-year old twin brothers are the owners and operators of Tabouleh Lebanese Grill, which resides just

When picking a location, Tony says they wanted to be within striking distance of hungry downtown lunch crowds. They also wanted to serve the UA student market, so the Brown

within the confines of The University of Akron footprint.

Street location has proven to be fortuitous.

“This space is perfect for us,” says Tony. I recently spoke with Tony about the early days of the establishment. Tony remembers the first year of being in Born and raised in Akron, Tony and George grew up in Wallhaven and attended Firestone

“Expansion,” says Tony with a twinkle in his eyes. “And we want to keep it healthy,” he continues. “We want to be the first non-GMO Lebanese restaurant in the United States. There are none. We will be the first.” Those are big goals for two boys from Akron who just like to fill peoples’ bellies and make them happy. Tabouleh Lebanese Grill is located at 396 Brown St. The store hours are Monday - Friday 11 am

business as a learning experience. Despite

to 4 pm. More information can be found at

holding a Bachelor of Arts in Business & Organizational Communication and a minor

EatTabouleh.com.

DENISE AND RYAN ARE JUST TWO OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE WE KNOW WHO PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS HERE AND HAVE BECOME...

AKROPRENEURS! HEAR HOW THEY PUT THEIR DREAMS INTO ACTION WHEN YOU CHECK OUT THE AKROPRENEURS VIDEO AND PODCAST SERIES

WATCH OUR VIDEOS AT BIT.LY/AKRO_VIDS

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST AT BIT.LY/AKROPRENEURS WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

The Dish

36 SUMMIT FOOD COALITION: CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH FOOD 37 WHERE DOES LADY BEER DRINKER BUY BEER? 38 NEW: BUZZ KILL DANGER RATING SYSTEM

FOOD & DRINK IN AKRON

{The Dish}

AKRON PIZZA TASK FORCE

KIP'S PIZZA AND CHICKEN words and photos by Gray Giaconia

his month, I stopped by Kip’s Pizza and Chicken, a small family-owned business at 1309 Brown St, to pick up a pizza and see if it held up to the

Akron Pizza Task Force standards. Kip’s operates out of a small building with a faded Ohio State flag, a Browns sign and an Indians sign in the front window, giving it a very “Ohio” feel and making me think their pizza would be good to eat while watching a game. To keep it simple, I ordered a classic cheese pizza with green peppers on top. Biting into a slice, I was immediately rewarded with the great flavor of good ingredients and a bit of pizza grease. By the time I was done, my hands were very

We asked our Facebook readers: “What’s your favorite Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant in Akron, and what’s your go-to dish?”

greasy (so keep a napkin handy), but the pizza was worth it. The peppers were cooked and tasty, the cheese was perfectly melted and the sauce was sweet and

Here’s what some of them had to say: Dina Younis: Continental Cuisine, zaatar pie

delicious. Toppings, cheese and sauce were all in a good ratio and worked well together. The crust was fine, but it seemed lacking compared to the rest of the pizza. I’m someone who enjoys crust, so I ate it, but it was bland

Karen Hart: Aladdin’s Eatery, kibbeh Grace Thanasiu: Vasili’s Greek Cuisine, stuffed grape leaves.

and could use some kind of seasoning to make it as enjoyable as the delicious toppings, cheese and sauce.

Jessica Anshutz: Shawarma Brothers, stuffed grape leaves and chicken shawarma. Richelle M. Wardell: Falls Mediterranean, tabouleh and shish tawook

Overall, Kip’s makes a good pizza with tasty ingredients at a good price (my large pizza was only $12.40). With that low of a price tag and great taste, I would definitely go back for more.

Rollie Dewind: Tabouleh Lebanese Grill, chicken sandwich. Mandy McKinnon: Sanabel Middle East Bakery, pitas and hummus

Kip's Pizza & Chicken 1309 Brown St, Akron, OH 44301 (330) 773-3663

Beth Stropki Knorr: Vine Valley, baba ghanoush

kipspizza.com

Mary Clarke: Continental Cuisine, falafel roll and fattoush David Michael Trace: Aladdin’s Eatery, vegetarian sampler Sabrina Diane Owens: Aladdin’s Eatery, lamb shawarma Blake Traxler: Aladdin’s Eatery, spicy beef kafta Rich Morton: Shawarma Brothers, hummus, tabbouleh and hot sauce. Brian Harrell: Aladdin’s Eatery, shish kabobs and hummus Pictured above: Various delights from Sanabel Middle East Bakery (Photo by M. Sophie Franchi/The Devil Strip) Below: Homemade grape leaves (Photo by Noor Hindi/The Devil Strip)

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

FOH:

Jenny Armocida Town:

West Akron

Occupation: Manager, Lead Server Are you on Facebook? If so are you an addict or just a monthly glancer? I’m on Facebook and I would

by Krissy O’Connor

Sarah Fallon: Aladdin’s Eatery, kibbeh with garlic sauce

Valley Cafe

Renee Pitts: Big Star Pizza, tabouleh, hummus, fattoush, stuffed grape leaves, chicken shish tawook

FRONT OF THE HOUSE BACK OF THE HOUSE

Nari Yousef: Continental Cuisine, shawarma.

and trying out new places. Melt in Montrose is a favorite right now. What should we order when we come to the Valley Cafe? Definitely the Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. Those are my favorite.

say it is a daily thing.

BOH:

I’m a fan of Bad Dad, Matt Bellassai’s Wine Wednesday, and the chubby dancing guy videos? Are there any video genre’s that you cannot resist? Any that you follow? Animal videos would be a

Town: Goodyear Heights Occupation: House Manager

favorite of mine. I can’t think of any that I regularly follow off the top of my head.

Justin Jones When was the last camping trip you took and

Since you’re on your feet for a lot of hours during the day, what’s your remedy to take care of your

where did you go? It’s been a while because I’m working more here. Summer is really busy with the bike trails near here. But the last time I took my kids camping we went to Salt Fork.

feet at the end of the day? Just simply going home, taking off my shoes, my socks and reclining.

Did you camp in a tent or R.V? When we go camping, we camp in a tent.

What is a typical outing for you and your family out and about in Akron? We like going out to dinner

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

(continued on page 45)

THE Devil Strip |

THE DISH

Get to Know the Summit Food Coalition How one organization works to connect people and food by M. Sophie Franchi

hat's your relationship to food? Do you want to know where your dinner

the opportunity to get to know SFC and learn what food system work is all about. The event

This year Beth Knorr and Katie Frye, SFC board president chose Lisa, but in the future, they will

ingredients came from? Maybe you'd like to become a food entrepreneur but you don't have a commercial kitchen, or maybe you own a church that has an underutilized kitchen.

will take place Tuesday, September 26 at HiHO Brewing Co. in Cuyahoga Falls, and will begin with the presentation of SFC's inaugural Local Food Hero award to Lisa Nunn, Director of

accept nominations.

Perhaps you want to start a community garden, but you don't know how. Or maybe you're not

Let's Grow Akron. Then guests can enjoy local beer, food and live music courtesy of The Gage

establishing this kind of award, we'll get to hear more of those stories about the wonderful

sure how you can afford healthy food.

Brothers and gourmet popsicles by PopSmith for

things that people are doing," Beth says. "I see

dessert. Tickets are $35 presale, $50 at the door. The Local Food Hero award was established to honor someone doing great work in the local

this as a vehicle, not only to honor somebody's work, but to really be able to hear and share the stories of what's positive in the community, what work is being done to tackle some of

food community.

these issues."

Summit Food Coalition (SFC) is working to help solve all these problems and more. They work to ensure all residents in Summit County have access to healthy food, and to spur economic opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs. They do this through advocacy,

"I know that there are people out there doing really incredible work. And so I think that by

Later in the fall, SFC will host Summit County

education and policy.

Eats, a free all-day event set to coincide with National Food Day on Saturday, October 21.

SFC Director Beth Knorr gained an appreciation for the challenges farmers face to provide us

Pictured: Lisa Nunn, recipient of Summit Food

with food when she was a farmer.

Coalition's inaugural Local Food Hero award. (Photo courtesy of Let's Grow Akron)

"I think it's something we don't often think about in our daily lives," Beth says. "We just

Early birds can join Summit County Eats' keynote speaker and Wholesome Wave Founder/CEO Michel Nischan for a tour of the Howe Meadow farmer's market from 8 - 10

go to the grocery store and pick up some food, and we don't really think about the hands that have touched it along the way. I think that's why there are so many inequities within the food system, whether it is the farmers not being able to make a living or slave conditions in the food system for the people who are harvesting our tomatoes and our parsley and our cilantro."

am. Then the party moves to The Well Akron Community Development Corporation from 10 am - 4 pm, where attendees can experience workshops on how to extend the growing season for our local climate, cooking demos, Dave Lieberth's presentation on the history of food in Summit County and sharing circles where people will talk about their relationship

Now Beth works with SFC to bring together

"We were looking for someone who has been

organizations and individuals who are working on the ground and at the policy level in the

doing this work for a while, who maybe just quietly goes about their work and doesn't

local food sphere, so that they can tackle the systemic issues that lead to chronic problems in the food industry.

expect recognition, someone who is a model of collaboration, who is excited about bringing more people into the fold. Lisa embodied that fully," says Beth.

"There are all these organizations who are as lifting them up and sharing with the broader community the work that they are doing, showcasing where people can go to learn those skills," says Beth. "If you want to start a

engaged with the food system. For instance, Lisa Nunn has worked diligently with Let's Grow cooking your grandma's favorite recipe, creating a new food tradition with your family, Akron to operate the Summit Lake Farmer's Market after a number of organizations helped or writing your legislator about how you feel about school food. Once participants complete to get it started in 2013. the passport, they'll be entered into a raffle.

community garden, we can get you in touch

"Let's Grow Akron really stepped up to the

with the right people. If you want to know more about farmer's markets in the community, we can get you to the right people."

plate and has been carrying that market forward for the past two years," says Beth.

already doing that work, and we see our role

Let's Grow Akron also teaches youth how Summitfoodcoalition.org provides some of that information, and SFC is in the process of building a local food guide. They already

to grow food and sell it at markets. They've also worked with Summit ReWorks to set up compost stations at various community

have listings of all the farmers markets on the website, and they hope to add farm stands, CSAs and local food entrepreneurs soon.

gardens.

In the meantime, SFC has a couple important events coming up this fall.

food system and tackling big issues," says Beth. "And she does it with grace, and joy, and you know that's just something that I think all of us

Savor the Summit is a fundraiser for SFC, or as Beth calls it, a "friend-raiser.â&#x20AC;? Guests will have

can kind of aspire to."

to food. The literal takeaway from this event will be a food passport, which will include places people can go and things people can do to get

"A lot of the stuff are things that people are probably already doing, but probably not making that connection that it's a contribution, that they are contributing to the local food economy by doing these things," says Beth.

"Under Lisa's leadership, they are really doing a great job of finding their niche within the

Visit summitfoodcoaltion.org for more information.

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

the dish

LADY BEER DRINKER Where to buy the best beer by Emily Anderson

ere in Akron we have an amazing selection of events to attend, places to shop, and bars and restaurants to enjoy. As the Lady Beer Drinker, my favorite places are

what’s up! Lorenzo’s and DeMarini’s drive-thrus on East Exchange have a decent selection on the fly too.

the ones with the best beer selections. Before I tell you where I go to get the best beer in Akron, I want to talk about what it is that makes a beer selection “good.” Different people have different ideas about this. Based on the countless google and yelp searches I’ve done over the years in search of a good beer

As for bars and restaurants, a “good” beer selection is much better than what you’ll find at a gas station. It includes beers from all over the US and at least a couple European imports, covering a wide variety of styles. The draft lines and glassware are clean, and the bartender is educated on the products. Watch out for places that regularly offer huge discounts on craft beer

list, it’s obvious that a lot of people consider a beer cooler impressive if it includes their one

– this means they probably aren’t selling their products quickly enough and you could end

personal favorite beer. This kind of philosophyy is fine, but it can make it very difficult for the craft beer drinker to trust online reviews and

up with an expired, off-flavored beer. Offering some mass-produced beers like Bud Light doesn’t disqualify a beer list for me, as long as

voting contests like “Akron-Canton Hotlist.”

there are also plenty of craft choices.

That being said, a “good” beer selection is always going to be relative. If I’m making a quick stop at a gas station or convenience store, I’m happy with a couple regional offerings of

Without leaving Akron, my favorite spots to go when I want the BEST options are Primo’s Deli, High Street Hop House, Pub Bricco, The Lockview, The Merchant Tavern, The Rail, and

various styles. A lot of Circle K and Walgreens locations are really stepping up their beer

Annabel’s. Other great places to get a good beer are Zubs, Matinee, Baxter’s, Arnie’s Public

selections – Great Lakes, Thirsty Dog, Bells and Lagunitas have become commonplace. That’s

House, or Southpoint Tavern. (continued on page 45)

Adopt-a-bar Whiskey River Address:

2262 East Ave

Area of Akron: Kenmore This strip club has sat dormant for a few years now. I'm not sure if any HazMat team can get rid of the Daddy issues this old building must have. At your own risk.

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

NUEVO MODERN MEXICAN & TEQUILA BAR

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR SEATING BUT ADVENTURESOME TASTE BUDS REQUIRED FOR DINING

NUEVO CATERING CATERING FOR ANY EVENT, ANY SIZE, ANY CUISINE "Thank you for all of your efforts in making our event a success. The food was excellent. The drinks flowed. The rain held off. Couldn't have asked for more."

54 East Mill St. Akron 44308 (330) 762-8000 nuevomodmex.com Hours: M-Th 11-10, F 11-11, Sat 3-11 The first Sunday of every month 11-9; remaining Sundays 3-9

ap arnie’s public house

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6:30am-3:00pm 330-867-1114 openSundays 7 days a week 6:30am - 3:00am 8:00am-3:00pm Sundays 8am - 3pm

the scene

Set of jumper cables walks into a bar. Bartender says, "You better not start anything!"

maybe a few kind words. However, repeat offenses could require creating distance from said offender. It's better to move to the other side of the bar at this point.

When I hit my local watering hole, it's to blow off some steam, meet up with friends, listen to some good music and forget about the day's worries. If some careless drunk or amateur weekender impedes this, it

Level two is skating on very thin ice. Hitting on someone who is at the bar with their significant other, puking at the bar, falling into patrons, heavy

doesn't help my process.

petting, playing Kid Rock on the jukebox, equating counter protesters with

Drunken behavior in a bar is just fine. Laugh. Dance. Be merry. Be loud

Nazis, etc… Nobody wants to deal with this crap when they are out trying to have a good time. Hopefully with a verbal warning, said drunkard shuts

and obnoxious. But for the love of Don Plusquellic, have some self awareness, people! Making a spectacle of yourself is one thing. Being

their mouth or snaps out of it. If not, things could get ugly.

out of control is another. Being sober and causing problems just means you don't have an excuse for being an asshole. Getting kicked out of a

Level three offenses are the ultimate buzz kill. Problem is, at this point the situation has hit the point of no return. Grabbing someone anywhere on

pub or even arrested might make for a great story later, but you don't

their person when you don't know them (bad bonus points for erogenous

want to go there.

zones), spewing racist and insulting remarks, playing Nickleback on the jukebox, pinballing off of every customer, puking on others, blaming

Upon discovering that there was no official classification system for different levels of tavern offenses, yours truly has taken it upon himself

both sides—both sides when Nazis are involved. Inciting any kind of violence… I could go on and on. At this point you have a number of

to create one. The Buzz Kill Danger Rating or BKDR is a system that alerts bar help and patrons to the dangers and potential buzz killers around

choices. The BKDR allows for this. Bring it to the employees’ attention if they don't already know. Hopefully there is a 6-foot-plus-300 lb. bouncer

them. The system consists of your eyeballs and a good helping of common with a bald head and bad tribal tattoos to to take care of the situation. If sense. It's been used by bouncers everywhere for years, just didn't have a not, use your discretion, but try not to escalate it. The BKDR is meant to snappy name until now. It's here to help preserve your happy buzz. Let's

preserve your good time, not make it worse.

examine how this state of the art system works. Shall we? Level one examples may include knocking over drinks, creeping out ladies or men with unwanted advances, mentioning Trump, sleeping at the bar, being by far the loudest person in the room, forcibly pushing opinions on others, playing Hootie and the Blowfish on the jukebox, loudly rooting against Cleveland teams, leaning on other patrons… you get the idea. Level one offenses are usually not punishable. They merit a dirty look or

I hope the Buzz Kill Danger Rating System will help create awareness and assist in your counter protest to buzz killers everywhere. For more Bar Crawler, follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Cheers and don’t be a buzz kill, Leslie Shirley Nielsen

Tiny's 2 Bar and Grille

Springfield Tavern

1199 Triplett Blvd 330-724-1303

1575 Massillon Rd 330-733-3113

*Dive-Bar-Pick* Theo's Bar and Grille

AREA IN AKRON

Thomastown (Southeast Akron)

Southeast Akron

by The Rubber Bowl

ESTABLISHED

2009

2015

1989

1980s

2012

HAPPY HOUR

4 - 7pm

11am - 7pm

5 - 8pm

4 - 7pm

BIGGEST SELLERS BEER/LIQUOR

Bud / Jim Beam

Bud Lt / Crown Royal

Bud Lt. / Tito's vodka

Bud Lt. / Jack Daniels

Bud Lt / Crown Royal

ENTERTAINMENT

Pool / Darts / Cornhole

Keno

Darts / Queen of Hearts drawings

Pool

Karaoke / Darts

FOOD

Bar Menu / Breakfast

Bar Menu

Full Menu

No Food

Full Menu

PREVIOUSLY

Akron Sports Pub

Verna's Lounge / Coyote's / The Station House

Joyce's Bar / Chris's Bar

Marion's Restaurant

The Last Quarter

CELEBRITY PERSONALITY

Neil Young meets A.J. Foyt

Casey Coleman meets David Crosby

Joe Cocker meets Jim Tressel

Randy Quaid meets Duane Allman

Joe Pesci meets Sharon Stone

COMMENTS

One of the few bars left in Akron that still caters to 3rdshifters. Would you like a shot of bourbon with your eggs and bacon at 6am?

Are you blue collar? Middle aged? Friendly? If 'Yes' to all three, you will probably like it here.

Cozy place. Mellow neighborhood types hang out here.

So what if the lady next to you has a voice like Harvey Fierstein. At a place like this, a tracheotomy isn't just attractive, it's another option.

This place is loaded with 60 year old guys wearing Polos that don't want to hear your shit.

1660 Massillon Rd 330-784-1192

Roadhouse 241

Varsity O Bar and Grille

1445 Massillon Rd No Phone

1895 Triplett Blvd 330-217-1855

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

The Scene

40 ICYMI: AUGUST MUSIC EVENTS THROUGH SHANE WYNN’S LENS 41 BUZZ CLIC IS BACK FOR AN AKRON ADVENTURE 42 SUPER NO BUENO REVIEWS “COLUMBUS”

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT IN AKRON

STANDING ROOM

... Six Akron bands we think you should know by Floco Torres

å Flames OhGod At the surface, Hip-Hop seems to be non-existent in Akron, but when you dig deeper you may find some artists holding it down for the Rubber City. Enter Flames OhGod who has been on the scene for over ten years now and has built up a following in Ohio and across the country. Flames has been rapping since he was 6 (so basically all his life), and in his

music he tells street tales from his past, along with the balance of growing up having a preacher for a father and an addict for a mother. Flames OhGod looks to lead his Strictly Street team into the mainstream and you can catch them all at The Vortex on September 2. (Photo courtesy of Flames OhGod)

ç Grady Miller Cathy (formerly Miller) and Michael Grady of Grady Miller have been hitting the road for quite some time now. Although they can be cast into a singer-songwriter box (which isn’t a bad thing), their sound truly spans over multiple genres from Folk to Country to Irish Fiddling to Blues and more. Both members are accomplished songwriters. Cathy extends her expertise with vocals and fiddling and Michael is on guitar, but the duo doesn’t limit themselves in work ethic or collaboration. You can also catch them collaborating in a new

band with songwriter Chuck Auerbach aptly titled “Chuck Auerbach w/ Grady Miller.” (Yes, that Auerbach. Don’t be weird.) (Photo courtesy of Grady Miller)

é King Means

Raw Hip-Hop coming out of BLAKron, Ohio, and since this is my first time hearing it, I’m assuming this coin was termed by Hip-Hop wordsmith King Means. It’s been a few years since he’s released something new to his soundcloud page, but King Means still pops up for a performance every now and again. He was last scheduled to make an appearance at Never Coming Down 2 at Hive Mind. Means has a consistent flow and keeps his sense of humor and hunger for competition level with lines like “You claim you a challenger why you keep dodging me?” (Photo courtesy of King Means)

è FlipCoin Tom Fulton and Ben Wolgamuth make up the indie rock duo FlipCoin, and they have been consistently dropping jams for about a year and half now. Catchy guitar riffs and solid bass lines on their “Flipcoin (Red Version)” EP make it a quick project worth a listen. On “Bad Spel,” lines like “the flight’s not long enough to make up my mind” make you wonder if the band was foreshadowing their upcoming hiatus. That’s right, I’m telling you about a good band that’s about to stop playing shows. Sucks doesn’t it? For good reason

though, as Ben is transferring to Berklee School of Music in Boston and Tom is pursuing new heights in Portland. They’ll be back for holidays though, so be sure to check out their music online and patiently await their return. (Photo by Misrae Photography)

ê Twin Atomic Twin Atomic is a five piece Rock band with a sound reminiscent of early Paramore, but they’re slowly working it into their own. Trisha Arnold holds down the vocals with a sleek mix of Hayley (Paramore) Williams and Amy Lee (Evanescence). The band itself isn’t rigid in their songwriting which makes for a fun live set. Speaking of live sets, you can catch their headlining set at Musica on September 23 with AJ and The Woods and Elipsus. (Photo courtesy of Twin Atomic)

ë Madison Cummins

ron Stone

Madison Cummins creates cozy indie/folk tunes that are easy on the ears. Her album “Odd

with 60 ng Polos ear your

ê AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

Little Place” came out four years ago, but Madison stays busy playing shows all over Ohio. Her YouTube page has a variety of tunes from Otis Redding and Adele covers to more of her yet-to-be-released originals. If you missed her Porch Rokr set, be sure to keep an eye out for her next show around town. (Photo courtesy of Madison Cummins)

SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9 /

THE Devil Strip |

the scene

2017 in the rearview photos by Shane Wynn We hope you had a chance to get out in Highland Square for Porch Rokr 2017. Here are some of our favorite moments. Check out porchrokr.org for more information, and make sure to catch the festival next August!

Good Vibes:

The D.I.O. Fest at Oakdale House words by Floco Torres; photos by Shane Wynn From my view, peering over the fence like Earl Hindman from “Home Improvement,”

Kenny feels that while he loves the DIY scene in Akron, it can be a bit “homogenized and

Akron’s DIY music scene has gone from a quiet whisper to a consistent conversation in 2017. The charge is led by a handful of musicians and organizers that donate their time and have a

samey” and this event was an attempt at breaking away from that. I can’t stand the word “urban” because it’s usually a delicate marketing word for “black,” but also being

passion for creating an outlet for bands/artists

a black artist talking to a black community

to showcase their talents.

member who has possibly been excluded from particular things until a quota needs to be met, I feel him.

The set-up is simple: Transform a space in your home, book the music, invite the neighborhood, set-up a suggested donation jar,

The Fest started with a small cookout during

hope folks show up and dance like nobody's

the day, and the music started later in the

watching. (I’m paraphrasing here.)

evening. The lineup featured six bands on two stages: Red Rose Panic, Acid Cats, HR3, Peach Curls, Jelani Sei, and The Admirables.

Kenny Averiett and Cir L’Bert Jr are two Akronites that were up for the challenge (and have been for some years now). On Sunday August 6, they threw the Akron D.I.O (Do It Ourselves) Fest at Oakdale House in Highland

Kenny says they collected almost $200 at the door for the touring acts and seeing the looks on their faces when he paid them is “worth

Square. The overall objective for this event was the same as a standard house show, but Kenny and Cir wanted to focus on highlighting more

putting these events together.”

urban styles of music and art.

for their next show on October 13 featuring guitar virtuoso Jim Marron.

Like Oakdale House on Facebook and look out

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

the scene

Fall Concert Series Friday, Oct. 6th | 8:30pm Wishbone Ash & Savoy Brown

ONE NIGHT ONLY: THE BUZZ CLIC ADVENTURE Rubber City Rebels Guitarist and Punk-Rock Legend Returns to Akron on Sept. 22

Monday, Oct. 9th | 7:30pm UFO & Saxon

by Brittany Nader NOTE: This story has been edited for length. View the full version online at thedevilstrip.com

n the 1970s, Akron experienced a shift as its status as Rubber Capital of the World began declining and its music scene unexpectedly started gaining international attention. Devo,

bars. To some, what later became known as “The Akron Sound” may simply be a blip on the radar of the city’s rich history. To others, it played an integral role in changing the culture

decades, Clic was ready to move to the West Coast, return to his true rock roots and begin his new band, The Buzz Clic Adventure.

an obvious standout, had its synchronized robotic movements, yellow jumpsuits, red energy domes and art-school kitsch. The waifish Stiv Bators thrashed on stages and belted Dead Boys songs with twisted, rubbery expressions. Then there was Buzz Clic from the now legendary punk band Rubber City Rebels,

of the Rubber City, turning the grit and unrest into influential art and sound.

riffing away on his signature Flying V Gibson guitar — an instrument more associated with

the latter taking over an old rubber workers’ hangout and turning it into Akron’s version of

for the Rebels. A lot were still good rock songs, so that’s the direction my music has taken over

the burgeoning heavy metal and power rock acts of the time.

CBGBs. This club, known as The Crypt, became the epicenter of the local punk sound, not only giving these anti-establishment bands a

the years.”

“[Rubber City] Rebels were completely punk. I think in the beginning, punk rock was an avenue to the top. We got to be big-time rock Original punk and art-rock songs were stars and it was an opportunity to play original introduced to the Northeast Ohio region by way music,” Clic says. “But really, at heart, I’m a of local bands like the Bizarros, The Waitresses, rock ‘n’ roller. As the Rebels evolved, once I got Dead Boys, Tin Huey and Rubber City Rebels, a chance to write songs, only some were good

Euge Groove (Jazz)

Since 1991, Clic has returned to the sounds he

Before Rubber City Rebels became an important place to play, but also introducing the city to piece of Akron’s punk-rock puzzle, they a whole new style of music, performance and

originally played in King Cobra — the music more reminiscent of KISS and Alex Harvey —

performed Aerosmith tunes and radio glam rock expression. as cover band King Cobra. Once the musicians began incorporating Stooges and New York “I think a lot of what was going on for our Dolls numbers into their repertoire, they particular group is everyone being fed up with

but this time all his own written material. The Buzz Clic Adventure has released four albums and is in the process of writing, recording and releasing a fifth. With his new music adventure,

helped open doors for many locals to perform more original, outsider tunes in Akron. With

being kind of spoon fed the ‘Led Zeppelins,’” Clic says. “There were a number of bands

Clic has taken what he learned about crafting original songs in his punk band with his passion

the suggestion of Bators, King Cobra ditched their Top-40 covers and embraced the fast, aggressive nature of punk and made history.

playing their own style, and yet not any style that was popular at the time. In an area like [Akron], you get some tough people and strong, like-minded musicians. It’s a pretty

for the pure rock ‘n’ roll he grew up with. The Buzz Clic Adventure performs as a trio, with Dan Nastro on drums and Ryan Saul on bass. Clic sings, performs original songs like

“We started hearing about bands in New York playing original music, we even saw a couple of them, and thought, ‘We could do that and

stubborn area, but I think it really makes for tough individuals.”

“Antenna Ball” and “Wishes Are Dreams” and still plays his signature red Flying V guitar.

probably better,’” Clic says.

While The Crypt closed its doors in 1977, Rubber City Rebels continued to make music

Rubber City Rebels’ lead guitarist, Buzz Clic, will perform his first Ohio show with the Buzz

Playing punk rock was an opportunity for Clic and the Rebels to go to the “big stage,” he says, which allowed them to gain notoriety and

and receive global attention. The Rebels shared the stage with the likes of the Knack, The Dickies and Fear. They also signed with Capitol

Clic Adventure on Friday, Sept. 22 at Jilly’s Music Room. The free show starts at 8:30 p.m. and features local rock ‘n’ rollers Bad Dudes

play their original material beyond Akron. Prior to the punk boom, the city’s residents were used to primarily seeing cover bands in local

Records. Fame, however, was fleeting, and while the Rebels toured and continued playing around the country through the subsequent

on the bill. Jilly’s is located at 111 N Main St.

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

Friday, Oct. 13th | 8:30pm

// Photo courtesy of Buzz Clic

Friday, Oct. 20th | 7:30pm Diamond Project (Neil Diamond Tribute)

Banquets • Catering • Weddings 532 West Market Street Akron, OH 44303

(330) 376-7171 www.thetangier.com

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

the scene

Wynton Marsalis

Thursday, September 28, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 28, 7:30 p.m. EJ Thomas Hall EJ Thomas Hall $45 I $40 I $25 I free for students day of show 330-253-2488, uaevents.com

NNIVERS AR

L E B R AT

201 7-

A 18 20

330-253-2488 Or visit uaevents.com

by Ted Zep

Made possible by Frances Yates Bittle, with additional support from Tuesday Musical’s FUZE series and The University of Akron’s Kulas Concert Series, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of UA’s Jazz Studies Program and the 15th anniversary of the Bittle Jazz Residency.

Details Inside.

$45 | $40 | $25 | free for students day of show 330-253-2488, uaevents.com

Photo Frank Stewart

Photography by Ilenia Pezzaniti

L E B R AT

201 7-

NNIVERS AR

A 18 20

Details Inside.

$45 | $40 | $25 | free for students day of show 330-253-2488, uaevents.com

Super No Bueno

Columbus (2017)

Additionally, “Columbus” seemingly shares

Director: Kogonada Stars: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey, Rory Culkin Runtime: 104 mins.

DNA with Richard Linklater’s 1995 classic “Before Sunrise.” Rife with protracted conversations and unwilling personal revelations, the film plays as a stony

Often referred to as the “Athens of the Prairie,” Columbus, IN is home to some of the

companion piece to Linklater’s dialogue-driven relationship study. Dependent on chemistry and performance, Cho and Richardson

most beautiful architecture in North America. Boasting less than 50,000 residents, the city houses the work of Eliel Saarinen, Ieoh Ming Pei, Eero Saarinen, Richard

are impeccable in their roles, particularly Richardson. She brings a scuffed familiarity to the simultaneously vulnerable and defensive Casey. Architecture represents security

Meier and Harry Weese. Therefore, one would little suspect it to be the ideal environment to film a picture about relationships,

and structure to the desultory Casey. Richardson understands this about the character and embodies it.

ambition, denial and

As the characters

insecurity.

"Tradition meets Innovation" Sushi and Ramen Party Trays, Catering, Gift Certificates

SUSHI KATSU SPECIALS

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

All handrolls $3.60 All spicy handrolls $3.60 California rolls $4.25 Large Sushi Combo $12.50 Katsu dinner $10.50 Sunomonos $3.25 Eel donbouri $14.50 Large sashimi combo $12.50

NORTHEAST OHIO'S FINEST SUSHI

Mon.-Thurs. 5-9pm, Fri.-Sat. 5-10pm

1446 N. Portage Path • Akron 44313 • 330-867-2334 (located behind the Getaway Pub in Merriman Valley)

depressed, but not necessarily depressing.

Starring John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, the story follows

unpack their issues, it becomes evident that they are inverted images of one another. Jin’s strengths

“Jin” (Cho) as he arrives to the city to be by the side of his elderly father, a noted scholar

compliment Casey’s weaknesses and vice versa. Because of this, they are equally flawed figures

of architecture, who fell ill and is in a coma. We quickly learn that they don’t have the best of relationships. While in town, Jin encounters “Casey” (Richardson), a young, directionless

who are trapped by no one but themselves.

library worker with a passion for architecture. The two strike up an awkward friendship

a picture that pays homage to the stunning architecture of the city of Columbus, while

based around visits to some of the exquisite structures to be found within the city limits. As the film progresses, the viewer is exposed to the deficiencies and insecurities of the two.

simultaneously delving into the inner-turmoil of its protagonists. While briefly visiting other topics such as appropriateness, voyeurism, imagination and complacency, the film is at its

While thin on tangible plot points, director

best when it allows honesty to sprout from the cold concrete of pain.

“Columbus” is a film brilliant in its simplicity. First-time director Kogonada has constructed

Kogonada instead concentrates on mood and the search for truth. Though it mindfully eschews the saturated hyper-reality of, say, Nicholas Winding Refn’s “Neon Demon,” the films are kindred in that they are constructed of picture-perfect backdrops upon which the Columbus is playing at the Nightlight Cinema narrative is allowed to unfold. The beautiful from Sept. 15-21. Visit NightlightCinema.com buildings provide stasis in an otherwise topsyturvy world. From this base, Kogonada develops for more information. a sedate and metered tone to the film. It is

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

LIVE

Free

Kleiner and Callahan Sat. September 23rd. 9pm. No cover.

Frank's Place

Mondays.............................. Queen of Heart Drawing Monday 8pm! All new music trivia • Contests 9pm & 11pm with Dj Ricky Mars Tuesdays..................... Taco Nights $1.50 to $3 and Drink Specials Rob's trivia 8pm Wednesdays............................................... Chef Todd’s Food Specials Thursdays....................................................... $4 Burgers (dine-in only) Fridays.................................... 12oz Strip Steak $12.00. Cupcakes by Sweet Mary's Bakery (234) 706-6088 Saturdays..................................Check Out Our Live Music Schedule Sundays............................Karaoke hosted by Natalie • 9pm to 1am $0.60 Wings (dine-in only) Super Power Hour • From Open - 8:00pm $3.50 Well Drinks • $3.50 Bud Light Drafts

549 W Market St, Akron (330) 376-8307

HAPPY Hour: Monday - Friday Until 8pm Open: M-F at 2pm • Sat-Sun at 12:30pm New Menu Coming Soon

SOUTH POINT TAVERN

JOIN US AND ENJOY OUR LARGE SELECTION OF CRAFT BEER, BOURBON AND COCKTAILS.

Tuesday............................ Check Out Bourbon Night Wednesday.................. Enjoy Discount Wine Night Friday/Saturday............ $5 Moscow Mules until 9 1947 W. Market Street Find us right behind the CVS

MUSIC

Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday! SEE THE LINEUP AT

www.mustardseedmarket.com/events-classes

Highland Square: 867 W. Market Street Akron, OH 330-434-7333

SUNDAY FUNDAY FEATURE:

Bloody Marys & Mimosas

Montrose: 3885 W. Market Street Akron, OH 330-666-7333

misc. On Exhibit (continued from page 12) disappearance and transparency.

this exhibit is designed in a way that is inherently universal and able to be related to all walks of life.

Mellissa does this with a watercolor painted base and begins to build

“The ambiguity and abstraction within these

upon the base with patterning, resin and other media.

Happy Hour

3 - 7 pm • Mon. to Sat. $1.75 domestics | $2 wells | $3 select craft pints Sat. & Sun. • $5 Bloody Mary’s

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pieces allow for the viewer to assert their own meaning,”

These build-on

says Mellissa.

elements move the audience member further

This makes it possible for each

and further from the base, just as memories ripple out and become removed

audience member to contemplate their own relationship with memory.

from their original form. The patterning of Mellissa’s pieces

Experience the physical manifestation and personal

are inspired by “whirl and loop” patterning, like the patterns found in fingerprints and hair roots. Mellissa uses this inspiration to texture

exploration of memory at 22 High Street Gallery between September 2 and 23. Who knows, you may recall something that has been lost

memories and uses patterns to represent emotions and their relation to memory. Her ability to create a tangible representation of an idea, while giving it texture and layers, is

under layers of life. It won’t be as clear as when you first started to learn to ride your bike, but it’s worth the recollection.

astounding. Whether it be forgetfulness, sharing memories

Grab a cold one & enjoy a Ninny’s hot dog while you’re here. ~ 801 W. Market STreet ~

with friends, or wanting to forget something,

Big Idea (continued from page 15) Victoria Rogers, vice president for arts for the Knight Foundation, whispered in her ear "I want to do Danny's make-up." We made

HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR BIG IDEA HELPS AKRON GROW? “MUwDV” is an art project that puts the spotlight on other art makers. We want “The Akron Sessions” to invigorate the community in Akron to embrace all kinds of

that happen this past April at the Akron Art Museum. The interview was amazing! Victoria even sang to the audience! We were interested to see how the Akron audience, very new to the entire idea, would respond. They fell in love. We were like, "This can happen here."

art-making, including those dedicated to dialogic practices like “Made-Up.” We also hope to share with the world the exciting artists and communities that can happen in a fertile arts landscape like Akron, Ohio.

New / Native

head examined.

(continued from page 22) Why should everyone try your favorite local restaurant? Sanabel Middle East bakery

How do you hope Akron will be different in five years? I hope we can keep importing

has the best Lebanese in the area and Norma,

people here and growing the city. I would

the owner, is the best host. The food is fresh, made daily and bursting with flavor. It’s healthy, comfort food at its finest. As we say in Ireland, If you don't go on a Wednesday or a Friday for

like us to grow into a vibrant, tighter version of Pittsburgh that went through a wonderful post industrial metamorphosis. Akron has the ingredients to do the same on a smaller scale.

her lentils and rice and salata, you need your

(Photo courtesy of Phil Brennan)

Akron Aviators

of it,’” says Brian.

(continued from page 24) Brian wants the team to be involved in the

The Akron Aviators want to become “a community. Whether it’s through organized viable option if you want to continue to play cleanup days, speaking at schools, volunteering professional basketball.” at community centers or providing opportunities for Akron artists to perform at halftime or at after parties, community is critical. On the court, Brian wants his coaching staff and players to reflect a well rounded style of basketball that will groom players to be effective in any system.

The team is in the final stages of getting ready

“I don’t want this to be, ‘hey let’s have some

for their first season this November. You can find more information on games, tickets and more at AkronAviators.com

fun games for a few years until people get tired

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

back of book Dear Baseball Now! (continued on page 24) you’re going to grow as a human. Obviously,

Dear Baseball Now, My parents are Trump supporters. I am not. We all love baseball. What do I do? I’d like to say it could be worse

I’d support any Rubber Duck or other athlete that takes a knee for a noble cause.

Pictured left: Baseball Now! Correspondent Dave Daly and the Northeast Ohio Ghostbusters (Photo courtesy of

Dear Baseball Now, My

Dave Daly/Baseball Now!)

partner is the love of my life. However, they do not like baseball. In fact, they despise it! Is there any hope I will ever be able to convince them to join me at a game? Any relationship should be based on balance. There are enough non-baseball related incentives in any ballpark to make it worthwhile for the non-fans to enjoy themselves. Trying playing to the strengths of the experience. The food, festive atmosphere and theme nights are fun for all. Of course, if your significant other can’t deal, you can end what sounds like a great relationship or, alternatively, just go to games with folks that do enjoy it and let your partner off the hook. It’s their loss anyways!

Podcast Pull Quote

and they could be Yankees fans, but I’d be lying. It would be fake news. The way I see it is you’ve got two options: suck it up and enjoy the best sport on the planet together or wait until 2020 and see what happens. Either way, let your point of view be known and don’t sugar coat it. — Yours in Baseball // F*** Nazis

If the Ducks make the playoffs look for information on dates, times and tickets at akronrubberducks.com

put on the board 15 years ago I would bow my head in disgrace and be horrified at it. But at the time I was pretty proud of it.”

this stuff professionally for longer than I’ve been alive. I really think that was really, really vital to me getting to where I am today.”

“If you do good work and you treat people the right way, you’re going to give them a reason to want to work with you again in the future. That’s a lot of how we ended up venturing into all these different markets with different teams.” “I think that Akron is a big part of our story.

“While a lot of 16 year olds were getting their

It’s been the entire part of the history of our

first jobs at local restaurants and places where they’re working with a lot of people at their

company. I think if we picked up and moved somewhere else that story would be a lot less same high school and college age, I was thrown special.” into this environment where you’re working Photo of Ryan Pritt from prittentertainmentgroup.com. with people that are two and three times your age who have been in these roles and doing

FOH / BOH (continued from page 35) Did you cook or order take-out? Definitely cook. My fiancee is a great cook too. We cook

every Friday night. It’s great to bring the kids and let them run around.

on a camp stove or the firepit.

What’s your favorite food to order at Valley Cafe? The Shrimp and Grits. It’s one of

What is your best skill in the kitchen?

those house-made sauces. I liked it even before I started working here.

Where did you learn it? Probably making house-scratch sauces. I learned from our chef, Joe. He’s gone to culinary school and is trained. He coaches me because I’m a hands-on learner. We make a great team. Akron has a lot of music related events and festivals. Do you participate in any of them? If so, which is your favorite? I do, actually. I like music a lot. At the Metropark near my house there are free concerts or bands

AKRON MUSIC, ART & CULTURE

best beer selections in Akron. You might have

(continued from page 37) Standards for beer selections in grocery stores have become very high – we can expect a huge

noticed that there are no breweries mentioned here. Obviously, you’ll find some of the freshest and best tasting beer in Akron’s local breweries,

variety of fresh craft and imported beers. The top beer store here is definitely Mustard Seed. The best part about this store is that you build your own 6 pack from the entire beer selection,

but for the purposes of this article I

or just take one upstairs to drink at the café. They have a huge variety that’s constantly rotating, so you can find something new basically every week. They also carry a bunch of

(continued from page 31) “I got started at a really, really young age. I get high school students or college students that will email or call here at the office and say ‘hey “I would go in wearing a suit and tie to every can you give us any tips, how do we get our game because that’s how I saw professional foot in the door?’ And it’s like, just be proactive. announcers dress and you know, I was 16, I think people don’t realize how receptive a lot I wanted people to look at me just like they of people are to young people who want to looked at every other announcer that would be learn. 99% of people just aren’t taking the time doing it.” to send out that email.” “It was a lot of trial and error. I’m sure if I went back and looked at some of the things that I

Lady Beer Drinker

1212 Weathervane Ln, Akron • 330.865.0101 101 High St, Wadsworth • 330.331.7555 valley-cafe.com

bomber bottles, many of which are incredibly hard to come by at other stores and bars. Another great store I have to mention even though it’s in Cuyahoga Falls is Giant Eagle’s Market District, which has an amazing draft selection along with bottles and cans.

Pictured above: Beer Cooler at Mustard Seed Market and Cafe Highland Square (Photo courtesy of M. Sophie Franchi/The Devil Strip)

wanted to focus on where to get good beer aside from these breweries. Keep in mind that as craft beer becomes more and more popular, more bars will be expanding their selections! Cheers!

Lady Beer Drinker is always looking for a new spot to enjoy a great beer. If you think something is missing from this list, send her a So there you have it, all my go-to spots with the message on @LadyBeerDrinker

back of the book

Urine Luck:

Howe Meadow and Tear-Ez

by Emily Dressler and Marissa Marangoni

Toilet Eclipse at Howe Meadow Photo and words by Emily Dressler

I always feel oddly peaceful in a public restroom. I think this is a

makers ignore punctuation? Second, what even is this graphic? It looks like a robotic pair of underwear drawn on an etch a sketch.

partial lie?

Shortly after experiencing the solar eclipse of 2017 at Howe Meadow in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I

Presumably, it’s supposed to be a plastic bag to reinforce the disposal bag mentioned in the sign. Thanks? I think the point is that you

feminine products where the

used the restroom. I thought I would find a bathroom that had been magically transformed by our partially eclipsed sun: maybe some flowers on the wall, a smattering of glitter and an overall feeling of peace.

Pictured left: Put those sun don’t shine.

The women’s bathroom boasts a “toilet” sign warning visitors not to put any trash in the toilet and a sign instructing visitors how to dispose of pads or tampons. There is a coat/ purse hook on the wall—a luxury compared to the bare bones aesthetic. This is not a horrible porta pot and the smell was not overwhelming.

There were no flowers or glitter, but you know

Mini Moon at Tear-Ez Photo and words by Marissa Marangoni I didn’t watch the eclipse at Tear-Ez. I don’t think I could have if I wanted to, but I’m pretty sure no one goes to a bar to watch an eclipse. But, if you’re in search of a fine mixed drink or beer and want to hear a talented drag queen sing a solid cover of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, this is the place to go.

HAVE PERIODS BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO YELL ABOUT IT. Also: Why do so many sign

doors, old odd wallpaper and a functional toilet and sink are what you’ll find at Tear-Ez. These bathrooms are dark and older and exactly what they

Before I left, I used the purell hand sanitizer

the porta pots, provides water flow via an attached foot pedal, and even has soap and

The lighting is bright but tinged yellow. I wouldn’t exactly want to see myself in a bikini in the mirror of this bathroom, but it was too dim to see how badly my eyeliner had smudged. Maybe that’s a bad thing. Don’t judge me. I don’t go out much.

Pictured left: You can’t see the smeared eyeliner either.

should be. And this, like I believe I mentioned in my review of the Lockview a while back, is what I expect at a bar. I don’t want fancy. I just need stuff that works and is interesting and mostly cleanish.

to actual soap and water after using a porta pot. The bathroom situation at Howe Meadow could benefit from a similar feature, especially considering the Farmer’s Market and associated exchanges of food and money.

are not to throw your pads or tampons in the I wish there were a way to invite graffiti into chemical toilet. Instead, grab a bag from the our park bathrooms without having a bunch cozy looking metal box and toss your messy woman burden in the trashcan outside. Because of offensive and dumb slop. Maybe a group of park-appointed artists could add nice pictures to that’s not embarrassing. some select bathrooms? Man, this solar eclipse

station inside the bathroom. Here’s my trick, folks: I put a glob in my left hand so I can open I was wrong. the door with my right hand, and then I rub in The light was dim in the outhouse-like structure Of course, it’s no The Devil Strip VIP porta pot, a the hand sanitizer once I am outside. Genius! la Signal Tree Fest, but that is beyond compare. and I thought, “Is there an eclipse in here or I was at the Silver Lake MetroParks porta pots what?” If you missed the partial eclipse in Ohio, recently and was quite taken with the sink The pads and tampons sign could use some go stand in a park bathroom and bask in the station. The dual-sided sink, located outside work. First of all, SORRY THAT WOMEN dull glow or wait until 2024 when Ohio will experience a full solar eclipse. Your decision.

paper towels. It was refreshing to have access

The toilet is small. As in, I took a picture of my face by this toilet to try and give you an idea of size, but then I thought that might look gross and weird so I’m not using that picture. I’d put it on the Urine Luck Instagram, but for some reason, my part of the account doesn’t work. Maybe a better picture for scale would be several butts aligned with the toilet. I’m not sharing that one on the Urine Luck Instagram either.

For all of you out there intimidated by the name This bathroom is clean and its interest factor “Tear-Ez,” know you are not in danger of bodily is high. I have to say that when I pulled open The toilet paper holder is too high on the wall. harm. Pronounced “Terry’s,” this is one of those the door, I fully expected graffiti, but there wasn’t any. Maybe that’s a testament to the gay I always wonder how this happens. Is someone great hole-in-the-wall bars you won’t want to with really long arms installing toilet paper community, this respect for the blue and shiny leave. It’s no Barley House, and thank God for gold wallpaper. At least, I think it was blue and holders and that’s why they occasionally end that. The atmosphere is dim and has few frills. shiny gold? It was hard to tell with the lighting. up in weird locations that short people can’t The bathrooms are just the same.

has really inspired me. Thanks, sun & moon. This bathroom earns a partial eclipse rating of 2.5 / 5 toilets.

Howe Meadow 4040 Riverview Road | Peninsula, Ohio Hours: 24/7 // Emily doesn’t even like glitter, honest. But if it were edible and on pizza, then I bet it would be great.

you supposed to get your toilet paper before you sit down? I never do that. Are there people out there who do this? Overachieving much? Toilet paper access at Tear-Ez doesn’t require standing, but I’m just saying there’s a thing that could be improved, though it does add to the character. Tear-Ez is across the street from Brubaker’s. Brubaker’s is a shiny newish penny, while Tear-Ez is an old green quarter you can’t read the year on. Of the two places, however, it’s definitely the coin you want in your pocket. Don’t skip this place. Go for a charity event, a drag show, or a cozy evening at a laid back locale. Tear-Ez gets a 4/5 toilets for character and being what it should.

Tear-Ez 360 S Main St | (330) 376-0011 Open EVERY DAY! 11 am - 2:30 am

Everything is slightly off in the women’s room.

reach? Are there people out there who like to stand up and then get their toilet paper? Are

// Marissa once did burpees on the floor of this bar. It

Two small single stall johns with locking

Devils Dozen

Thursday, September 21

µ Live @ Lock 4 // Lock 4, 200 S Main St

(continued from page 5) 8 pm, Music at 8:30 // Get ready to shake

ï 3rd Thursday: Art Fashion and Design

// 6-10 p.m. // Headlined by our own Floco

// PM Session: 5:30 pm in the museum cafe // If you are a local creative wondering what

// Downtown Akron, from Northside District to

Torres with performances by G.S. Schray and Time Cat. As beautiful as Lock 4 is, it might

you can do as a member of the arts community to make Akron a stronger city, check out this

not seem like much until you see it come to life with live music, games, local food and craft beer. This free event will be the last LAL4 of the 2017 season. For more information, visit

event. The Akron Community Foundation hosts a first-of-its-kind initiative in hopes to bring together diverse residents from all walks of life to share a meal and discuss meaningful ideas to

lock3live.com.

strengthen our community. Have conversation over a morning cup of coffee for the am

your tush at Akron’s socially conscious and UA // 5-9pm // Support local art! Remember incredibly cool DIY venue. Selector Dub Narcotic the Akron Artwalk? It’s now even better than is known to mix the genres dancehall, soul, punk, garage, R&B, rock steady, bubblegum and rockabilly with assorted curiosities of the

it was. As an evolution of the long-running Artwalk, 3rd Thursday is a new monthly event highlighting the arts, culture and entertainment

current underground music scene. Akron’s very own Stems are playing as well, and they’ll be joined by Cleveland’s Half an Animal. Tickets:

offerings available in downtown. Take the free trolley to more than 20 destinations from the Northside District to The University of Akron

$7 adv, $10 dos hivemindoh.org

for art, music, shopping and dining the third Thursday of each month. For more information, visit downtownakron.com/3rdthursday

| THE Devil Strip / SEPTEMBER 2017 • VOL 3 • ISSUE #9

Tuesday, October 3 ‹ On the Table: Creative Conversation

wasn’t as sticky as you’d think it might be.

session, or meet up for a nightcap for the pm session. akronartmuseum.org

Akron Art Museum, 1 S High St // AM Session: 11:30 am in the Bud and Susie Rogers Garden

WWW.THEDEVILSTRIP.COM

WKSU Presents a FREE Community Event NPR Media Correspondent

David Folkenflik Breaking News and Broken News: Media in the Age of Trump Akron-Summit County Public Library 60 S. High Street, Akron, OH 44326 Main Branch, Downtown

Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 pm WKSU.org to register

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