Scene May 6, 2015

MAY 6 - 12, 2015 • VOLUME 45 ISSUE 45

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Interested In Helping Out At This Year’s 4Th Annual Downtown Willoughby Rib Burn Off?

Volunteer!

We have several shifts: May 16: Noon-4PM, 4-8PM, 8-11PM or All Day May 17: Noon-4PM, 4-8PM, or All Day If interested please email your date and shift preferences to volunteers@clevescene.com.

All volunteers will receive complimentary drinks, food & t-shirts.

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 3

M AY 6 - M AY 1 2 , 2 0 1 5 VOLU M E 4 5 NO 4 5 Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Chris Keating Associate Publisher Desiree Bourgeois Editor Vince Grzegorek Editorial Managing Editor Eric Sandy Music Editor Jeff Niesel Staff Writers Sam Allard, Doug Brown Web Editor Alaina McConnell Contributing Writer Will Burge Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Contributing Dining Editors Nikki Delamotte, Jason Beudert Stage Editor Christine Howey Visual Arts Editor Josh Usmani Interns Martin Harp, Kaitlin Siegel Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Multimedia Account Executives Amanda Klein, Moira O’Neill Classifi ed Account Executive Alice Leslie

CONTENTS 15 Upfront

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Fundraising for the Rice family raises questions, residents discuss the fate of Lincoln West High School, and more

Framed

10

The best photos we shared with you this week

Facetime

12

Feature

15

Circulation Circulation Director Don Kriss

Get Out!

29

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

Art

34

Stage

35

Film

37

Dining

39

Marketing and Events Promotions Coordinator Remi Bruell Creative Services Production Manager Steve Miluch Graphic Designer Kristen A Lovejoy Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace

Kent State professor Molly Merryman will help form the university’s new Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality

On the road with Cleveland’s wheelie kings

Business Asst. To The Publisher Angela Lott Sales Assistant/Receptionist Megan Stimac

Dozens of events spanning the next week in Cleveland

An annual event takes on grand stature with new campus openings at CIA

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The freaks are out in force in Shrek, the Musical at the brand new Near West Theatre at Gordon Square

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Everyone loves to watch a car crash, and that’s what we watch (with delight) this week

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Why board game cafes are the Next Big Thing, and more

Music

Savage Love

Hot for teaching moments Printed By

49

Singer-songwriters Freedy Johnston and Pat McGee share the secrets of their craft, and more

67

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4113 Erie St, Willoughby | (440) 942-5151 38040 3rd St, Willoughby | (440) 951-8862 Chef Jaret Havanchak and his dedicated team have always had a passion and flair for world cuisine. At this sleek sushi bistro, globallyinspired seafood dishes are prepared with ingredients from Geauga County farms and locally raised meat. Begin your meal by taking in the summer breeze on Lure’s expansive patio while nibbling on a wide variety of appetizers from fresh lump crab and goat cheese cannelloni to wild blue Atlantic mussels bathed in coconut milk.

Spice things up with an exotic, handcrafted cocktail as you choose sushi from Nigiri and Sashimi, tasting platters and Maki rolls, like the famous crab-filled Baconator. Share a platter of oysters on the half shell spiked with cocktail sauce or indulge in the crab crusted grouper with lobster tarragon sauce and red bell pepper puree. With an ever-evolving seasonal menu, Lure is committed to straight from the sea freshness all year round.

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While Ballantine has become known as one of Willoughby’s most coveted nightlife destinations, this chic gastropub’s fare is a star all on its own. Dedicated to GMO-free dining, the ambitious menu complements its sophisticated ambiance. As the weather heats up, grab a seat by the airy, open windows and split a stone oven flatbread pizza made with hand-tossed house crust and topped with locally-sourced gourmet ingredients. Sushi lovers can revel in a well-rounded selection of time-tested favorites as well as creative fusions, like tacos built with Cajun crab and tempura fried lobster. Steak shines in the Ballantine Strip, a 14 oz. cut of grass-fed beef. And for vegetarians, options are abound, including pad Thai and noodle dishes with the house lemon ginger chili sauce and spicy yellow curry. Let servers knowledgeable in craft brews guide you through pairing your meal with eclectic, rotating draft options. Stay out a little later and grab another drink to take in the lively atmosphere that makes Ballantine a hotspot for culinary aficionados and evening thrill seekers alike.

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 5

UPFRONT NO ACTION IN MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS OF INVESTIGATION INTO TAMIR RICE’S DEATH

THIS WEEK

THE RICE FAMILY IS NOT OK. Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir, stood on the steps of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center and stared ahead as her attorneys railed against the stalled investigation into her son’s death. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office has steadfastly refused to comment. Tamir’s body remains unburied, awaiting any more medical needs in the investigation. By the time this magazine hits newsstands, more than 160 days will have passed since Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann shot and killed 12-yearold Tamir Rice at Cudell Rec Center.

Since then, Samaria and her daughter, Tajai, moved out of their westside home (“she could no longer live next door to the killing field of her son,” as court documents explain). The two shuffled around homeless shelters in the Cleveland area for months. What little money they had disappeared as quickly as it came. As only “a very recent development,” one of Samaria’s attorneys tells Scene, she has now found a new home for for the family, a small place of her own.

But the Rice family is not OK. After their words etched pain across TV screens and Twitter on Monday, a surge of fundraising brought in thousands of dollars ($29,487 as of press time). It’s not the first fundraising effort for the family, but organizers, including Samaria’s own civil rights attorneys, hope it will be more effective than previous attempts.

Shortly after Tamir’s death, Daily Kos columnist Shaun King

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helped organize a youcaring. com crowdfunding campaign that brought in more than $60,000 in a day. Within just a few hours, King says, he and others were bombarded with messages warning people away from the fundraiser.

Soon, attorney Timothy Kucharski, at the time representing the family in their civil rights case, got in touch with the organizers and threatened to get the FBI involved and shut down the account, King says. But the money had been collected.

“I’m thinking, ‘What planet am I living on? What world have I stepped into?’” King tells Scene.

The money was immediately tied up in the court-controlled Charter One estate account. Samaria has been able to access it only in small withdrawals here and there. Much of the money has gone to pay Kucharski and fellow civil rights attorney David Malik -- thousands of dollars in legal fees. Calls placed to the two attorneys this week were not returned prior to press time.

Kucharski and Malik initially filed the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the Rice family (unbeknownst to Samaria, according to federal court documents, although that point has been contested heavily by both sides). Shortly, though, the family began working with attorneys Benjamin Crump and Walter Madison, who are reportedly working the case pro bono. Kucharski and Malik released themselves from the case and have since applied for thousands of dollars from the estate. The motions, filed by fiduciary Elizabeth Goodwin for

CASUAL ENCOUNTERS

Avon leaders say police department is now “safe zone” for Craigslist transactions. Officers request commission rates on nipple clamp services, assorted “butt stuff” and ‘75 El Camino sales.

SQAURE OF THE DOG

The new gofundme.com fundraising account for the Rice family.

“costs incurred and work performed” on a case that has yet to produce any tangible results, have been approved

by Judge Anthony Russo.

“This money was meant to help the family with their needs,” King says. “They were so determined to collect the fees that they collected them from a lady who was homeless and struggling. There’s no way you look at it where that’s not ugly.” By now, according to court documents, the attorney fees have totaled $23,721.94. TKTK Kucharski and Malik did not respond to requests for comment by press time. TKTK In December, the sum of the estate of Tamir Rice was listed as $57,817.23. Every penny of that was money collected from the Internet fundraising effort earlier that month, according to Goodwin.

Right before attorney Walter Madison spoke with Scene earlier this week, he spoke with Samaria Rice over the phone. He said that much of the time was spent listening to her “tears of joy” as this week’s fundraising attempt topped $20,000 and kept growing.

But the Rice family is not OK.

EPIC TWITTER FAIL: THE BRIEF, BUMBLING LIFE OF @CRBCLEVELAND A city of Cleveland spokesman told Scene Monday that after the Community Relations Board’s social media debacle last week,

Gov. John Kasich will allow Downtown Cleveland Alliance to secure ninemonth liquor permit for Public Square.

Taxes on anonymous brown-bagged liquor alone expected to fund three new hotels.

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

KARDIAC KOURT

Ohio Supreme Court rules Cleveland’s method for taxing visiting athletes illegal. Justice William O’Neill adds under his breath that “we should just make the Browns’ season illegal too.”

the “only Twitter account related to the city’s messaging” will be @ CityofCleveland. Blaine Griffin, director of the city’s Community Relations Board, made headlines last week when he asked the internet, from the Twitter handle @ CRBcleveland, if Cleveland should burn like Baltimore.

Then he asked again.

Councilman Matt Zone and others were outraged. Even those residents frustrated with the city’s protracted, feeble response to public safety issues acknowledged that Griffin’s (potentially literally) inflammatory remarks might not be the most sterling example of how to effectively “solicit conversation from younger people,” which Mayor Jackson identified as the goal of the Twitter campaign when it launched the previous Saturday.

“He got to the point where he got caught up in [aggressive Tweets] and got off message and the purpose of the account,” Jackson said in a press conference last week. “So he reacted. And his reaction did not go well for him or anyone else.”

We should say so. Not only the incendiary Tweets, but the whole account, was deleted in the aftermath.

Jackson acknowledged that Griffin was a valuable asset for the city and said he gave his cabinet member a strong verbal reprimand, but it looks like they’ll be taking their “communication and outreach”

YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE You’re all in on the Cavs, despite losing everything after going all in at Horseshoe Casino.

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 7

efforts in a new direction.

Still, Jackson has certainly acknowledged that communication and outreach are key, especially as the Michael Brelo trial, the DOJ Consent Decree, and other sensitive, complex, public safety issues are forcibly resolved or inch toward actionable solutions.

“We are planning for a variety of contingencies and are being very proactive in both communication and outreach,” Jackson wrote in a letter to residents last week. “We are partnering with community and faith-based leaders, corporate entities and individuals to foster an environment that informs audiences about the changes taking place, while recognizing the importance of listening and engaging with all parties involved.”

It looks like Twitter will no longer be a prong in the city’s outreach strategy. A shame, too.

Clark-Fulton residents debate Fate oF linColn West HigH sCHool

digit widget

Amid the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s sprawling $200-million construction and renovation plans lie a few question marks. Chief among them is Lincoln West High School and whether the district will rebuild or rehab -- and, more specifically, whether the job can accommodate a pool and an auditorium.

“We are committed to doing something significant here,” CEO Eric Gordon said. “Something major needs to be done, deserves to be done at Lincoln West.” He stressed that no decision would be made until closer to the end of the calendar year. Any future Lincoln West High School would likely not be open until sometime during the 2017-2018 school year.

The Monday night meeting pulled in a few dozen residents (their seating was sporadic, hence the awkward photo here).

Four plans were presented to the public: In short, 1. demolish the

8

whole place and build a totally new high school building 2. demolish the pool and academic wing, and renovate the gym, the basement (either partially or fully) and build a new addition for classrooms 3. demolish the academic wing, and renovate the gym, part of the basement, the pool, and build a new addition for classrooms 4. demolish and rebuild the school in two phases.

Note that Option No. 3 is the only one that includes a pool in the new building, which is something of a sticking point for westside residents (LWHS is the only westside high school with a pool right now).

“In an ideal world we would have all that stuff at a high school,” Gordon said, addressing concerns about the pool in particular.

The problem is that the state’s requirements for funding matches are so specific that, often enough, things like pools fall outside the parameters.

The district itself has $15 million to spend here (which the state will match at 200 percent, totalling $45 million). Anything beyond that $15 million of local cash is a problem, Gordon said. He said that, were it the will of the people, additional funds would likely need to be scraped together from publicprivate partnerships and the like, though he added that discussions along those lines have not occurred.

state task ForCe PublisHes rePort on PoliCeCommunity relations In December, Gov. John Kasich commissioned a task force to “address the fractured relationships that exist between some communities and the police dedicated to serving them.” In short, the task force’s recommendations, published this past week, urge a greater emphasis on training, accountability and oversight.

The full report and executive summary can be seen at clevescene.

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a 1,000-strong Cleveland teachers union protest this was not.

com. The main categories of reform include: accountability and oversight, community education, community involvement, grand jury process, recruiting and hiring, standards and training.

The 692-page report goes into detail on those fronts. For example, in the “accountability and oversight” silo: Task force members recommend “creating an ongoing body to continue to review the issue of communitypolice relations, and to monitor the implementation and progress of the final recommendations that come out of the Task Force.

This body should include a crosssection of community members, law enforcement, academia, elected officials, and clergy.”

Other points call for increased police integration in schools and a statewide database of policeinvolved in shootings.

“There is a need to create some mechanism by which the community at large can express themselves,” State Sen. Nina Turner

Increase in sales of TASER body cameras in first quarter 2015 from one year prior (a $17-million jump).

1

Number of James Beard Awards won

by Chef Jonathon Sawyer

said of the task force’s creation.

“The community needs the police, and the police need the community.

But people want to be respected.”

She said that the state of Ohio has been in a state of emergency for some time now, despite the national focus being planted firmly upon Baltimore at the moment.

Former U.S. Rep. Louis Stokes similarly praised the report, saying that Cleveland must step up to the plate and reform its approach to community relations.

As negotiations continue between the city of Cleveland and the U.S. Department of Justice, the task force report will be a helpful backdrop — provided the city is listening.

scene@clevescene.com t @cleveland_scene

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framed! our best shots from last week Emanuel Wallace, Jon Lichtenberg*

Derby Day @ Market Garden Brewery

Craft beer gentry @ Market Garden Brewery

Where’s Rhoda? @ Fort Huntington Park

Hey, Ohio’s cool too @ Fort Huntington Park

March in May @ Fort Huntington Park

Shred @ Empire Concert Club*

Party at CMA @ Cleveland Museum of Art

Mixin’ it up @ Cleveland Museum of Art

Make like a tree @ Cleveland Museum of Art

Primary colors @ Cleveland Musuem of Art

Patio drinking. The best @ Grind Burger Patio Opening

Draft Day @ Cleveland Public Auditorium

Get in line! @ Carol and John’s Comic Book Shop

Creation in motion @ Carol and John’s Comic Book Shop

Legalize it @ Fort Huntington Park

Never miss a beat!

See more pics @ clevescene.com

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facetime

Photo by Haley Baker

NEW SCHOOL

Kent State to Open Center for Study of Gender & Sexuality

By Eric Sandy After filing A letter of resignation in protest from her post at the helm of Kent State University’s LGBT Studies program, professor Molly Merryman was asked to help form a new Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at the school.

She withdrew her resignation and set to work. The new center will be a first for the state of Ohio, much like KSU’s LGBT Studies program was a first when it was created in 2001. The hope is to begin operations sometime in the fall, thought Merryman and others are still working out the details. She spoke with Scene about the LGBTQ climate at Kent State and how the new center will complement the forward-thinking university.

it seems rather timely that we should be speaking on May 4. Could you tell me a bit about what led to your letter of resignation a few weeks ago?

In planning for next year and looking at, once again, our inability to offer anything other than an intro class and our lack of a budget, I really just felt discouraged. The other thing that was a catalyst was that we hired a full-time director for our LGBTQ Student Center. I’m confident in his abilities, and felt that if we had to have LGBT Studies go away to get the administration to pick up the program, I knew that by having the center in place that students wouldn’t suffer. For a long time, the academic program was not just providing a curriculum and courses, but we were the visible people that students would go to when they needed help.

Your letter obviously caught a lot of attention. When after that did you learn of the new Center?

I sent the letter on a Thursday, and on Saturday the dean reached out to me. In his email, he basically said, “Not only am I going to fix this, but I’m going to make it better. But we need you back.” regarding the new Center for the Study of gender and Sexuality, is this sort of institution common in the U.S.?

I would say there are fewer than 20.

It’ll be the first in Ohio, though Ohio

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does have a Department of Gender and Sexuality at the Ohio State University.

What you tend to have around Ohio are these ad-hoc programs that sometimes are funded better than other times.

Program status tends not to have consistent funding and consistent faculty availability

“Program” status as opposed to a literal “center,” right?

Right. Or a department.

What were your initial thoughts when the dean approached you with this idea?

[Arts and Sciences Dean] Jim Blank and I had had some conversations over the past year about such a center. It was always sort of a visionary idea, but we never had the backing for it.

Definitely within the vision is that we want to bring together LGBT Studies and Women’s Studies within the center, so that we can not only support those two programs as standalone academic minors, but we also want to pull together the curriculum and have a major in gender and sexuality. We also intend on taking our courses online. At Kent State, we have eight campuses. At some of our regional campuses, there’s no women’s studies or LGBT studies.

We want to make sure that students can get involved regardless of where they’re located. We also think there’s opportunity for students from other universities to take these courses.

Are there inclinations toward nonstudents, as well?

Something that Jim and I are talking about is looking at having a graduate or adult learning certificate in cultural competencies in LGBTQ. That’s something that Washington, D.C., has just proposed as a requirement for educators, health care providers, psychologists and social workers. We’re thinking of taking this further because, as you mentioned, there’s so much going on nationally and in the state of Ohio when it comes to LGBTQ rights. We really think that we can provide employers, political entities, and health care practitioners with that knowledge of this community.

Something that i’ve noticed in my work has been the conversation that

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Molly Merryman joins LGBTQ Student Center Director Ken Ditlevson during Kent State’s Lavender graduation.

flows from a crime story or a rights story about the lgBtQ community. it’s often a conversation about how to have a conversation -- whether that’s straight-up terminology or more contextual and historical stuff. is that the kind of thing that a center like this could promote awareness of?

Absolutely. And I think one of the advantages that we would have as a center would be that we could pull together faculty expertise from a range of disciplines. If we want to do outreach into schools, we have a premiere education school here. I teach in criminology and justice studies, so it’s definitely on my radar to be looking into ways I can partner with police departments. At Kent State University, we have a fully accredited police department, which is relatively rare.

Among the things that they’re very progressive on is training in issues of women -- in particular, women as victims -- and those more violent crimes that women are prone to be victims of, such as sexual violence.

What sort of questions are students asking and what kind of work are they hoping to do after graduation?

What we have found is that the majority of students taking the intro class and even taking the minor are not students who identify as LGBTQ. Certainly we have those students in the program, but mostly what we are seeing are students who are in criminology or a health care-related field who want to have that awareness and who really see that that will help them in their professional goals. From the LGBTQ students, there’s definitely an excitement about the program getting back on its feet. We’re going

to completely rewrite the curriculum.

They’re excited also because they feel they were listened to. In particular, I heard from the president’s office and the dean’s office that what impressed them the most in that short time between my resignation and our announcement is that they were getting very positive letters and emails from students who were explaining how this program was important to them.

You also mentioned how this center could be a visible magnet for students in need, regardless of whether they’re in the program.

There have been students who were considering Kent State University who I never saw becoming our minors, but it mattered to them that we had the program. I’ve had many students who have come to my office who aren’t students in the program, but because of my visibility they come to me when they need help. For example, we started an emergency fund. We would have students who would come to Kent and get involved with Pride or another student organization and get comfortable and then go home and come out to their parents. Then their parents would cut them off from their finances. So we started an emergency fund, and we have a very responsive student services support system. Unfortunately, this still does happen. Some parents have mastered unconditional love when it comes to LGBTQ students. We make sure that there’s support for students. We don’t want to have to see a student drop out or be homeless because of their decisions to come out to their parents.

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

FEATURE

Smoke and tireS On the road with the wheelie kings of Cleveland

By Doug Brown

On weekends with good weather, Cleveland’s dirt bikers will be out in full force.

Photo by Vanice Alexander

You hear them before You see them, the loud bursts of buzzing growing close like an angry swarm of bees heading your way — bzzzz.

And then they come into view, a pack of 20, 30, 40 young men on dirt bikes and four wheelers whizzing by, winding through curious onlookers and cars on the streets of the neareastside, with complete indifference to traffic laws and, seemingly, their own safety.

The riders lift up their front wheels, leaning back as far as they can, cruising on rear rubber while peeking their heads out to the side to see what’s coming. Wheelies, after all, reign supreme for the Mt. Pleasant Wheelie Kings.

“That feeling of being on a bike is just no fear,” says 30-year-old James, known as “Smoke,” a main figure in Cleveland’s growing dirt bike subculture and leader of the MPWK group. “I couldn’t even explain it to you unless you felt it yourself. You’re on top of the world — people riding up alongside you, people got their

cameras out, everybody on the street yelling, ‘Throw it up.’ It’s just the power of the stunt. It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’d think it’s like flying, that flying feeling.”

The MPWK crew and the rest of Cleveland’s dirt bike riders prefer riding motocross-style bikes and fourwheelers over standard street motorcycles because they’re better for stunts and not as expensive.

“It’s a smaller machine and it’s more fun,” says Smoke, who mainly rides a blue YZ 125. You get a pretty good bike for $1,200, maybe $1,500, he said, but prices can fluctuate hundreds of dollars for the same type of bike depending on who’s selling and who’s buying.

And a lot of people are buying.

Sightings of urban dirt bikers have blossomed in recent years — similar booms have occurred in Miami, Atlanta, Baltimore and other cities — and with social media displaying their tricks and stunts far and wide, more and more people have and will get a taste of the rush of “Cleveland bike

life,” as they call it.

With an increase in riders —Smoke guesses there are roughly 250 guys in Cleveland riding dirt bikes — comes an evolving cat-and-mouse game with Cleveland police, who are in charge of thwarting the illegal biking: Most of the bikes aren’t exactly street-legal and neither is how they’re being ridden. Police could shore up the city’s budget with fines if they handed out as many tickets as are probably warranted, but the cops can’t always get to them.

“They get really tired of chasing people around here,” says one rider at an auto garage in a neighborhood off Union Avenue, where a group of 25 guys gathered one recent Sunday afternoon to tune up their bikes and hang out before a big group ride through city streets. “And even if they do chase you, all you gotta do is turn around. They see you stop on a dime — drrrrr —and whip that bitch around, they’re like, ‘All right, fuck it.’”

How the cops respond to the bikers depends on the day, ranging

anywhere on the response spectrum from complete passivity to blasting pepper spray out the window as they ride past, to, according to the riders, ramming them off their bikes with their bumpers. Last week, MPWK’s “T.J.” was rushed to the hospital after police in an unmarked SUV pulled out and chased him (against department policy) and caused him to hit a car, according to the crew, who said the cops kept on driving as the biker lay splayed motionless on the ground. Things like that piss them off, naturally, but by no means does that have them considering stopping.

“You aren’t gonna stop this. This urban dirt bike culture is here, it’s evolving,” says Smoke, who’s in the tow truck business. “In the last two or three years, Cleveland’s been getting into it. A few years ago, you couldn’t find five people riding, now you can find 40. It’s getting big and it’s here to stay.”

When it comes to police, there’s strength in numbers for the riders, they explained. The more of them in

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 15

FEATURE

Photo by Doug Brown “Smoke,” age 30, is the main leader of the Mt. Pleasant Wheelie Kings.

the group, the less likely somebody’s going to be pinched. But if they can single you out, separate you from the group somehow or catch you alone, chances get bumped up.

“The bikes don’t really get tickets,” he says. “They’re mostly non-registered bikes. When you start getting tickets, that’s because you made your bike street-legal and then you can get the red light tickets and all that. It’s no license plate, so you don’t really get tickets as far as that.

But if your bike was to get impounded or something like that, they would charge you with tickets then: reckless operation and so on. Sometimes guys’ bikes get impounded and they can’t charge the person or whatever because they just caught the bike, so they just charge the bike with the tickets. So when you go to get your bike out of the impound, you got a certain amount of tickets on it when it was towed.”

But the perception that the crew of mostly black bike riders is a roving band of criminals hellbent on terrorizing the city bothers them too. For outsiders, it’s easy to ascribe motives and stereotypes that simply aren’t true.

“I want people to know it’s not always what they think,” Smoke says.

16

Some people on dirt bikes and quads are shitheads, sure, and he can’t vouch for everybody who chooses to ride (not everybody who rides with them is affiliated with MPWK, and not everybody who rides in Cleveland is with this larger group). But simply riding with these guys doesn’t implicitly make you a criminal or bad person, depending on how one views traffic laws and a few people taking an occasional hit off a joint.

“It’s a brotherhood, not a gang; it’s just having fun,” he says, differentiating his crew from actual gangs and established motorcycle clubs with formal organizational structures and dues-paying members.

It’s not hard to see what Smoke’s talking about and why it pisses him off. Take, for instance, a panicky June 2013 WKYC news segment about the “growing problem” of “dirt bikers menacing the city streets.” It’s sensationalized local TV news fodder tailor-made for the cloistered suburban crowd when they were talking about MPWK. “A group of dirt-bike bullies are terrorizing a local neighborhood,” read concerned anchor Kris Pickel from the news desk. “They’re being called dangerous, and in one case, violent.”

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Pickel kicks it to reporter Lynna Lai for a live shot in a Cleveland police parking lot.

“Good evening, Kris. Yes, Cleveland police first started seeing dirt bikes on city streets about four or five years ago, but now the problem has exploded,” Lai reports, as she walks between parked police cars.

“Why? Because dirt bikes are cheap, they’re often stolen, they’re tough to trace, and now they’re becoming a dangerous trend.”

A video package rolls, showing laughing children at a playground with a Lai voiceover: “They’re the sights and sounds of summertime in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, but sometimes the sweet sounds are shattered by a loud and growing problem.” They cut to a cell phone video showing how loud dirt bikes can be as they ride through a neighborhood.

It cuts to then-Cleveland police captain, now commander, Dennis Hill, standing outside the Fifth District police station: “We’re concerned about the safety, obviously, of the rider, and anybody the rider might encounter: other motorists, pedestrians. It’s also a quality of life issue.”

The reporter then goes on to imply riders are in gangs because two dirt bike riders were murdered. “Last month, two members of a Cleveland

bike group were shot and killed while riding through East 173rd and Throckley. Police call it a targeted murder. So far, no arrests.

“Meanwhile, stopping these dirt bikers would be easy,” she says, “if police could catch them first.”

“Our policy does not allow us to pursue,” Hill says.

“You know they know that too” Lai chimes in to Hill.

“It is unfortunate that they know that,” Hill responds, “but we’ll live to see them another day.”

End of segment.

“That was us,” says Smoke. “When you don’t understand something, that’s when you try to label it.”

In all its vague and accusatory tones, the report did get something sort of correct: Many, but not all, of bikes were stolen at some point in the bike’s existence. The paperwork — the bike’s title registered with the Ohio BMV — isn’t often included when they are bought and sold. It’s tough to know which ones were parted with on legal and mutually agreed upon terms and which ones weren’t.

Smoke says he’s been working hard to change that, especially the perception earned in the early years when some in the MPWK crew developed a reputation for straight up stealing bikes.

“My crew, we don’t steal no bikes,”

Photo by Vanice Alexander Chauncy, of the MPWK, shows off on a neighborhood street.

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he says. “Now, there’s been guys on hot bikes, but I’ve been working hard to get them legit bikes.”

Smoke is well known not only within the bike community but his own neighborhood, and with that visibility — he’s got 5,800 Instagram followers — comes a bit of responsibility.

“My Instagram’s not private,” he says. “So say somebody gets their bike took and we’re riding and make a

Photo by Doug Brown Another Sunday at an Eastside park.

video that day. Now, I can only vouch for 10 or 12 people out there on bikes, but somebody sees a stolen bike in one of the videos, now I got all these DMs saying ‘y’all stole my bike!’ and this or that. It gets ugly real quick.

If somebody gets something they worked hard for stolen from them, I understand, and I help guys get their bikes back. On a couple of occasions I have been successful in getting guys their bikes back. But once you get your bike took, it’s kind of hard to get back.”

Cortez Rucker, one of the unnamed men referenced in that WKYC story, was gunned down two years ago in a case that has yet to be solved. Simply known on the streets as “Tez,” he was an instrumental figure in the early Cleveland bike scene as a member

20

me.”

And he seems to be handling being in charge well. His house is one of the main meet-up points for his crew.

He’s the guy people call when they’ve got a problem with their bike or quad.

When he posts on Instagram and Facebook that he’s riding that day, that’s when the serious numbers begin to congregate. And when they hit the street, he’s the one leading the way.

The first time I met Smoke at his house, two 18-year-old guys pulled up in a Jeep with a giant “Cleveland Bike Life” decal on the back window.

There was a dirt bike in back that one of the guys had been riding before it broke down on the side of the road.

There was only one thing the young man could do: talk to Smoke. He took a look at the bike, but it was beyond

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

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and leader of the Mt. Pleasant Wheelie Kings.

Tez and Smoke came up with the Mt. Pleasant Wheelie Kings name a few years back, and they, along with a few others — TJ, “Chauncy”, “Daddyo” — essentially developed the MPWK brand through their videos, hashtags and clothing.

When Tez died, people began looking more toward Smoke to lead the way and organize things.

“He had a big name, everybody knew Tez, he had a big name,” Smoke says. “And now since he got killed, everybody’s kind of leaning toward

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 21

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what he could fix himself; so he called a mechanic he knew who could fix it, then negotiated a price and sent the youngsters on their way.

“Everybody calls me for everything,” he explains. “Those guys are from across town, like the St. Clair-Superior area, but I’m the network guy. Everything goes through me. He couldn’t have hooked up with my guy to get his bike fixed without that, so I just help them out like that.”

Even though Smoke is the organizer of the crew, the guy who’s most obsessive about hitting the streets is a guy who’s known as Chauncy, from the Mt. Pleasant Wheelie Kings.

“Man, theeeeee most,” says one rider outside of the auto garage. “The most, guaranteed.”

A couple of the guys are in a circle laughing, trading stories about how Chauncy showed up at their houses

Chauncy says, but only “in the streets” for a few, having first connected with the MPWK guys on Instagram.

His wheelies are among the best in Cleveland. He can go nearly perpendicular, looking completely at ease and relaxed as he cruises down streets on a single wheel. He can turn corners doing them too. He says he’s wheelied for five miles straight, uninterrupted. (On learning to do wheelies, Smoke says, “It varies. You gotta want to know how to wheelie. A lot of people tend to see it done, and then go out there and try and do it, but it’s not as easy as that. You gotta know what you’re doing. I would say a good summer. Scrapes and bruises, there’ll be all that; you’re going down.”)

Chauncy’s passion for riding hasn’t waned a bit, despite a horrific collision with a car two years back, while being chased by police. He’s still a fearless rider, except he now wears a helmet.

“I mean, I think about that shit sometimes,” he says, while showing the massive scar on the back of his head. “Like when I fell, I ran into that

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Photo by Doug Brown Smoke, in front, and Chauncy, directly behind him, lead a group of riders down Martin Luther King Jr Drive on a recent Sunday.

before work in the morning trying to get them to come out and ride with him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!?

I got shit to do! Damn!”

His crew-given nickname, “Thirsty,” points to his near-constant itch to ride.

“Chauncy, man, we call him Thirsty, because if it’s 10 a.m., he’s trying to ride, if it’s 10 p.m., he’s trying to ride,” says Smoke. “Once he finishes what he’s doing, he’s trying to ride.

Yesterday we pulled out for a minute and his bike had broke and he’s like, ‘Man, we can just go put some tape on it.’ You can’t put no tape on no bike!

He just loves to ride.”

He’s been riding for about a decade,

car, and sometimes that comes into my mind when I’m going through intersections, that shit can happen.”

It’s still a big moment for Smoke, who remembers somebody sending him a picture on Instagram of Chauncy lying in the street with blood flowing from the back of his head.

“Somebody tagged me on Instagram and said, ‘Is this your boy?’” he says, sitting at his kitchen table while his girlfriend fixes some food. “‘He up here dead.’ I remember like it was yesterday. She was cooking, he came over, it was raining.

He said, ‘You riding or you hiding?’

Man, I can’t ride in the rain, but I can just blame her [laughs]. Twenty minutes later I get a call, the worst

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FEATURE call, saying, ‘Man, Chauncy’s laying in the middle of my house, he’s dead.’

It was the worst feeling because I just told him don’t ride. Just told him that.”

Crashes, though, are going to happen to everybody. It’s impossible to learn to wheelie without taking a few bumps. And if you never fall, you’re probably not riding hard enough.

“I’ve got a ‘bike-life tattoo’ for every street in Cleveland,” Smoke says, referring to the scrapes and scars that come with falling. “Got ’em on so many streets.” Ask any of the riders, and they’ll tell you they’ve gone down at least a few times, but it doesn’t faze them at all.

Chauncy is 27 years old, about the average age of the couple dozen regulars. A few are in their late teens, most in their 20s and early 30s. Sam, one of the white guys in the group, who rides a red four-wheeler, is the oldest of the bunch at 40. He was jokingly introduced as “Gramps” as we entered the garage.

The fenced-in garage off a side street in the Union-Miles neighborhood was the meeting place for the day, after the main guys put out the call on Instagram (“Good morning y’all know what today is #sundayfunday lets get it”). The shop — like Smoke’s house, and a couple other shops and houses around the east side — is a “neutral spot.”

Smoke lists his phone number in his profile and he was fielding calls and inviting people out, even if he didn’t know who was calling.

Instagram connects bike enthusiasts near and far. Hashtags make geography less of a hassle; a couple of young guys from Detroit who connected with the guys from Cleveland loaded up their bikes and a trailer and drove here just to enjoy the big group ride.

To find other dirt bikers, just include the #bikelife hashtag in your caption or search. And you can get more specific: #detroitbikelife, #baltimorebikelife, #miamibikelife, #DCbikelife, #clevelandbikelife, #MPWK. “It’s actually way bigger in other cities,” Smoke says. “We just went down to Miami in January for the MLK Ride.” He and his Cleveland crew loaded up a rented Penske trailer with dirt bikes for the drive. They’ve been to other cities on the East Coast too. Now they’re trying to make Cleveland a destination.

“This is my second family, right

here,” says 19-year-old Angel, who’s from Detroit and known as Banshee Kidd because he almost always drives a four-wheeler. “They told us the weather was going to be nice, so we just had to come through.”

He and his buddy had been working fervently in the shop, using a hammer and a blowtorch to try to screw on a lug nut so they could attach a motorcycle’s back wheel.

Smoke and others were working on a flat tire, which initially proved difficult to do by hand, but they got the job done. Another guy’s brakes had been messing up, and people were working on that. Everybody else was hanging out, as more and more people

began showing up to get in on the action.

In all, roughly 25 guys came out, most on bikes, several on fourwheelers. Never ones to pass up a good photo op, and after a brief detour due to the unexpected presence of a cop car, they headed down MLK Jr. Drive, where a couple of friends had been waiting for them with their cell phone cameras ready. One by one, the experienced guys popped their trademark wheelies, striking a confident pose for the cameras as they rode by.

Next, they headed toward Gordon Park, the site of what is known as “Come Down Sundays,” where people

bring their souped-up cars to show off and hang out. The crew zoomed past the two cop cars at the entrance and started riding around, showing off for the onlookers who were already gathered there.

The videos and pics would inevitably end up on Instagram, where a simple hashtag might be found by a young kid. An idea planted as the buzz whirs from the video on his phone.

Bzzzz.

A future member of the MPWK is getting his first taste of bike life.

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06/06/15 Cleveland Scene is a 24/7 multi-media and events company. We publish more than 50 magazines each year and keep Cleveland up to date 24 hours a day with the hottest in local news, dining, arts & entertainment through clevescene.com and all social channels. We also produce 10 major annual events and sponsor countless others through the year. We are all over town, all the time!

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 27

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An Evening with

Bruce HornsBy Thursday, May 7 • 8PM

THROUGH SEPT. 7, 2015 Chasing Dreams: Baseball and Becoming American was organized by the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia and made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence.

ORGANIZED BY:

Revisit the glory days of Cleveland baseball in a film that includes legends such as Bill Veeck, Hank Greenberg, Bob Feller, Satchel Paige and Larry Doby.

Screening is followed by a talk-back session led by baseball historian Morris Eckhouse of the Baseball Heritage Museum.

SPONSORED BY:

THE TREU-MART FUND

2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, OH 216.593.0575 I @maltzmuseum I maltzmuseum.org

IT’S ON LIKE DONKEY KONG...

LITERALLY!!!

Detroit Ave, Lakewood + 16-BitBar.com

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

get out everything you should do this week wed

05/06

Comedy

(Photo by Emanuel Wallace)

Dynamic Duo Comedians Kenny Rogerson & Carl Labove have immense amounts of experience between them. Rogerson has previously had a role on FX show Rescue Me and even appeared in There’s Something About Mary. He’s laid back on stage as he jokes about his age and how early in the morning walking sounds like he is stepping on bubble wrap. Labove, on the other hand, is one of the founding members of the Outlaws of Comedy and has been a comedian for the past 30 years. He even founded a rock comedy concept that earned Billboard Magazine’s Top Tour honors after selling out venues across the country for five years straight. You can catch these two experienced comics tonight at 8 at Hilarities. Tickets are $13 to $18. (Martin Harp) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

Film

Baseball and Beer Bull Durham is one of the great comedic baseball flicks. The film, which stars Kevin Costner as “Crash” Davis, a catcher brought in to show a young pitcher (Tim Robbins) the ropes, is a cult classic.

ESPN, Sports Illustrated and American Film Institute all acknowledge the movie as one of the all-time best sports movies. Tonight at 5, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage will show the film in conjunction with its new exhibit, Chasing Dreams: Baseball & Becoming American. The museum will also be serving beer. The evening is hosted

by M-Cubed, Maltz Museum’s young professionals group. Tickets are $12, $6 for Maltz Museum members and $5 for M-Cubed members. (Jeff Niesel) 2929 Richmond Rd., Beachwood, 216-593-0575, maltzmuseum.org.

SportS

Beat the Bulls The Cleveland Cavaliers will have to get to the finals without the help of star forward Kevin Love, who’s out for the rest of the season. It’s a tough loss. But the Cavs have the best player in the league in LeBron James, a guy who’s never lost a playoff series to the Chicago Bulls, the team’s opponent in the second round of the playoffs. James & Co. take on the Bulls tonight at 7 at Quicken Loans Arena. Tickets are sold out but scalpers and brokers should have tickets for sale (at a premium). And you can bet every sports bar in town will be show-

The Hooley returns. See: Saturday.

ing the game. (Niesel) 1 Center Ct., 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.

BeneFit

Celebrating Freedom To celebrate the second year of her freedom following her rescue from a serial kidnapper, Michelle Knight — along with the Performing Arts, Community Education Foundation — has organized the inaugural event, An Evening with Michelle. It’ll begin with a meet-andgreet with Michelle and also includes a three-course dinner, an awards ceremony, live entertainment, music and dancing. We’ve been promised that “prominent members of the Cleveland community” as well as “celebrities” will be in attendance. Proceeds will be donated to the MetroHealth Foundation, a group whose mission is “leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery and teamwork.” The event takes place from 5 to 11 p.m. today at the Music Box Supper Club. Tickets are $100. (Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

Food

Food Truck Fiesta Eats from more than a dozen of Cleveland’s best-known food trucks will be available today from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Perk Plaza park at East 12th and Wal-

nut streets as part of Walnut Wednesdays. On tap this season are Barrio Tacos, Fired Up, Krav, Nosh Box, Zydeco Bistro, Wok ’n’ Roll and Streat Mobile, to name just a few. “Walnut Wednesday has grown in popularity over the years — now more than 1,500 people visit Walnut Wednesday each week and Perk Plaza is an urban retreat all season long,” notes Joe Marinucci, president and CEO of the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. Live music also will be featured. (Douglas Trattner) downtowncleveland.com/walnutweds.

Film

Riffing on The Room You should see The Room at least once, just so you can say you’ve personally experienced the absolute silt of art’s age-old duck pond. It’s been dubbed by many the worst film in the history of cinema. It not only reorients but transcends the so-bad-it’s-good paradigm.

The Room is, at root, a San Francisco love story. Johnny, played by the iconically awful Tommy Wiseau (who also wrote, directed and produced the film, bless him) is deeply in love with Lisa, who’s cheating on Johnny with his best friend Mark. God, this piece of shit is utterly, utterly senseless. Tonight, the funny folks at Mystery Science Theatre have added their “riff tracks” to the movie. It screens at 8 p.m. at area theaters. (Sam Allard) fathomevents.com.

nightliFe

Talking Heads Keep Talking is an exciting storytellers program where locals can share their real-life experiences on a theme. This month’s theme is “Dating — the Agony and the Ecstasy.” Stories range from the insightful and sad to the funny and bizarre. Held in the Happy Dog’s basement, the Underdog, the series is your chance to grab a drink and a dog and listen to some of your Cleveland neighbors amuse you with their tales.

Tonight’s edition starts at 8 and costs $5. (Patrick Stoops) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com.

thu

05/07

Art

Art Expo This weekend, the Transformer Station hosts the 2015 Northern Ohio Art Dealers Association ARTExpo.

NOADA includes some of the top commercial fine-art galleries in the region.

Participating members include Bonfoey Gallery, Carl Solway Gallery, Thomas French Fine Art, Harris Stanton Gallery, the Maria Neil Art Project, Shaheen Modern and Contemporary and Verne Gallery. At the ARTExpo, member organizations display and promote the work of the talented and accomplished artists they represent. It’s the closest thing Cleveland has to a fine-art fair. Tickets to

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 29

get out tonight’s VIP Preview Gala (5 to 9 p.m.) are $50 per person. General admission tomorrow (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Saturday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 5 p.m.) is $10. (Josh Usmani) 1460 West 29th St., 216-938-5429, transformerstation.org.

Music

Blue Light Special Throughout the summer, the folks at Playhouse Square will team up with Labatt Blue Light Lime to present a series of free concerts at U.S. Bank Plaza. The music starts at 5 p.m. and the bands generally play until about 7. Tonight, local singer-songwriter Thor Platter is on the bill. He’s a true talent. We wrote this about the album he put out two years ago: “This is music to play as you’re about to hit the road and pursue the remnants of long-lost love on the highways of America.” (Niesel) East 14th Street and Euclid Avenue, 216-771-4444, playhousesquare.org.

with performances scheduled through Sunday. (Harp) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com. nightlife

Ladies Night Sponsored by the Junior League of Cleveland, Manis, Martinis & Makeovers takes place today from 6 to 8 p.m. at Eton Collection, and is strictly for the ladies. It features a raffle with fabulous prizes and beauty services such as manicures, massages, facials and makeovers. Local vendors will provide drinks and food. The shops at Eton will be open and many will offer special promotions to attendees. All proceeds from raffle and ticket sales go to the Junior League’s Scholarship Fund which supports “non-traditional female college students.” Tickets include three services and two drinks. VIP tickets include early admission at 5 p.m., a swag bag, unlimited services and two drinks.

Tickets are $30 to $50. (Niesel) 28601 Chagrin Blvd., 216-241-5490, etonchagrinblvd.com.

Art

Benefit

Bowled Over Cleveland Colectivo aims “to support innovative ideas in Cleveland through collective giving.” To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the group will award one $10,000 grant instead of several smaller grants. Past grant recipients have been invited to submit short videos about what they would do with $10,000; those videos can be seen on the Cleveland Colectivo website. An anniversary celebration takes place tonight from 6 to 9 at the Nash. Tickets are $10 and that includes bowling, two drink tickets, light snacks and a voting ballot. The winner of the crowd vote will receive $500 and a spot as a finalist for funding. The second place idea also will be an automatic finalist for funding. (Niesel) 3563 East 80th St., clevelandcolectivo.org. coMedy

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

The Impersonator It’s hard to believe you’re watching just one comedian when you see Pablo Francisco. He seamlessly weaves together flawless impersonations of known celebrities and his own characters. Most notable is Francisco’s impersonation of Don LaFontaine, the movie voiceover king. With thousands of impersonations and voices, Francisco is sure to find at least one way to make you laugh. Not to mention he has a talent for beatboxing — which he’s sure to throw into his act at some point. Francisco is a one-man show you don’t want to miss. You can catch him tonight at the Improv at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20

The Mind’s Eye Tonight at 7, MOCA Cleveland hosts a special performance, Area MT: Moving Perceptions, by MorrisonDance. Area MT is the part of the brain that controls motion signals throughout our body.

Using MOCA’s current exhibitions by Jessica Eaton and Ragnar Kjartansson as starting points, the performance seeks to challenge viewers’ perceptions of the relationships between our bodies, minds, eyes and environment. Before the performance, attend a panel discussion led by Sarah Morrison, a scholar in psychology. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the door. Admission is free for MOCA Cleveland members. (Usmani) 11400 Euclid Ave., 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org. filM

Reality Bites Following the adventures of the lonely, goofy, small-town factory worker Jerry Hickfang (Ryan Reynolds), The Voices is not what you’d expect. This black comedy sees Jerry, a schizophrenic who lives with his talking dog and cat, struggling to maintain normalcy. When his work place crush stands him up on a date, things take a dark turn. With his evil cat telling him to kill people, Jerry struggles to understand what is real and what is not. You can catch this unique film tonight at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque at 8:50 p.m.; another screening is scheduled for 7:30 tomorrow night. Tickets are $9.

(Harp) 11141 East Blvd., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

Film

Stylish and Sensual A British drama set in what seems to be the Victorian era, The Duke of Burgundy tells the tale of two lesbian lovers.

However, it’s not that simple. The film follows Cynthia (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and Evelyn (Chiara D’Anna) as they test the limits of their sadomasochistic relationship. Peter Strickland directs an incredibly stylish, sensual and erotic movie that takes inspiration from the 1960s and ’70s Eurotic costume dramas. You can catch it tonight at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque at 6:45 p.m. with another screening tomorrow night at 9:35. Tickets are $9. Due to the nature of the film, this screening is 18 and older. (Harp) 11141 East Blvd., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

Comedy

A Working Class Woman A Southern woman who says she used to be a trucker, a Frito-Lay sales rep and a charm school graduate, comedian Julie Scoggins has plenty of character.

From Charlotte, North Carolina, Scoggins embraces her Southern roots and jokes about it on stage — largely at her own expense. Most of her set focuses on her life and the adventures she has had, alone and with her husband. She isn’t afraid to have conversations with

the crowd during her set either, getting their input on her experiences. You can catch Scoggins tonight at Hard Rock Rocksino’s Club Velvet at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $18 with performances scheduled through Sunday. (Harp) 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, hrrocksinonorthfieldpark.com.

tickets to the VIP Diamond Lounge at the Horseshoe Casino. Convivium 33 Gallery will host the event, just blocks from Zygote Press. Tickets start at $65 and can be purchased on Zygote Press’ website. (Usmani) 1433 East 33rd St., 216-272-3357, zygotepress.com/support-zygote.

fri

SportS

05/08

Art

A Longstanding Tradition For more than two decades, Zygote Press has served the region as its premier nonprofit printmaking organization. Being so great isn’t cheap though, so they’re asking for support at tonight’s 7:30 event. The Bada Bingo Spaghetti Dinner and Benefit includes an art exhibition curated by Convivium 33 Gallery owner Alenka Banko, music

by DJ Ape Bleakney, drag-themed bingo with MC Veranda Lni, a cash bar and a full sit-down dinner with food provided by Flying Fig, Grove Hill, Luna, Phoenix Coffee and more. Bingo prizes include tickets to Great Lakes Theater productions and concerts at Blossom Music Center, along with gift cards and goods from Banyan Tree, Blush, Loganberry Books and many more. The winner of the evening’s final bingo card snags a $300 gift card to Lola and two

Time for a Turn Around “April is the cruelest month.” That line from T.S. Eliot’s iconic poem “The Waste Land” pretty much sums up the Cleveland Indians for the first month of the baseball season. The team finished dead last not only in its division but in the entire American League. Ouch! Damn Sports Illustrated for proclaiming the Tribe to be the team to beat! Here’s to hoping things turn around in May. Tonight at 7:10, the Tribe starts a threegame homestand against the Minnesota Twins. An added incentive to check out tonight’s action: it’s Dollar Dog Night.

Tickets start at $10. (Niesel) 2401 Ontario St., 216-916-6100, clevelandindians.com.

sat

05/09

muSiC

Hooley Noted Now in its sixth year, the Hooley, which takes place at Kamm’s Corners in West

Park, rivals St. Patrick’s Day. The name is Irish slang for a party, and the event lives up to the billing. From noon until 8 p.m., Kamm’s Corners will be closed to traffic from West 165th Street to Rocky River Drive so vendors can set up a variety of food and entertainment booths.

Plus, a slew of local bands — including the Pipes and Drums of the Cleveland Police, the Sunrise Jones, the Donegal Dogs, Mary’s Lane and Cats on Holiday — are slated to perform. New this year: Cleveland Bazaar will host a juried handmade arts and crafts show. You can bet the Guinness will be flowing at the terrific collection of bars and pubs on the street. A good time for all ages.

Admission is free. (Niesel) kammscorners.com/thehooley.

Film

Israeli Idols Director Eytan Fox’s most recent film, Cupcakes, is a musical comedy about a group of Tel Aviv friends who are upset with the Israeli entry for the UniverSong competition. The pals decide to record their own entry on their mobile phones, but soon discover that their recording is being selected as Israel’s entry for next year. The film follows the group’s journey from unknown everyday people to newfound celebrity status, and it features a feel-good soundtrack that is sure to leave you tapping your

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get out feet. It You can catch Cupcakes tonight at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque at 8:40 p.m.; it screens again at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $9.

(Harp) 11141 East Blvd., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

Nightlife

Room, hosts a fine-arts collectors panel discussion moderated by the Akron Art Museum’s chief curator Jan Driesbach The panel includes representatives from the Cleveland Clinic Art Program, Progressive Art Collection and a private regional art collector. Today at 1:30 p.m., they will discuss various aspects of developing fine-art collections. General admission to NOADA’s ARTExpo 2015 is $10. (Usmani) 2920 Detroit Ave., 216-771-6551, themusicsettlement.org.

horses in a mordantly funny manner.

The views of expansive landscapes set against interior shots of the village microcosm give this film an amazing and beautiful look. The six vignettes are sure to keep your eyes glued to the screen. Of Horses and Men screens tonight at 7 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. It shows again tomorrow night at 8:40. Tickets are $9.

(Harp) 11141 East Blvd., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

Nineties Night Cattitude Vintage, a clothing store that caters to retro-minded patrons, has thrown two ’90s parties at Mahall’s.

Tonight’s bash will be the third themed event, this one with an MTV Spring Break theme — so feel free to show up in a bikini or board shorts. Music will be provided by DJ White Rims (Darryl Dickerson), MC Uster (Marcia Custer) and WRUW’s Rachel H (Rachel Hunt).

The event will be “a multi-level experience” with one dance party upstairs and another one downstairs in the club’s Locker Room. Tickets are $2. (Niesel) 13200 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-521-3280, mahalls20lanes.com.

#SonicSesh

SportS

Run for a Reason Four miles is the average distance a person travels to get water in Africa.

Puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?

Taking place today at 2 p.m. at Edgewater Park, the run/walk 4 Miles 4 Water aims to call attention to the world’s water problems and to show an appreciation for how good we have it here in Cleveland. Race registration begins at 3 p.m. and the race/walk kicks off at 5 p.m. Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band plays a post-race concert at 6:30 p.m.

The festival is free but running in the race will cost you $30. (Niesel) 4miles4water.org.

7 PM Doors 8 PM Show

TUESDAY MAY 26, 2015

SportS

Shark Shooters We haven’t done the math but, judging from the high scoring games the Cleveland Gladiators have played so far, it appears the Arena Football League team is averaging close to 60 points a game.

The guys scored 70 against the New Orleans Voodoo and put up 62 against the Tampa Bay Storm. Tonight, they take on the Jacksonville Sharks at 7 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. Tickets start at $7. (Niesel) 1 Center Ct., 216-420-2000, theqarena.com.

Art

Talk of the Town As part of this weekend’s Northern Ohio Art Dealers Association’s ARTExpo at the Transformer Station, the nearby Bop Stop, the Music Settlement’s Listening

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for events that target little ones and their parents.” Silverstein is also the owner/founder of the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows. At today’s inaugural event at the Rocky River Memorial Hall, more than 60 vendors will be hawking items such as handmade children’s apparel, bedroom decor, toys, hair accessories and accessories for Mom. It takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. (Niesel) 21016 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, bumptobows.com.

sun

05/10

fooD

Treat Your Mother Right To celebrate Mother’s Day, Prosperity Social Club today rolls out a special menu featuring red velvet white chocolate chip pancakes, decadent “morning glory” mac and cheese and a very special “surf and turf” benedict (sirloin steak, crab cake, tomatoes, spinach and poached eggs drizzled in rich hollandaise on an English muffin). Prosperity is also introducing some new seasonal brunch selections for the warmer months, ranging from sweet and flaky coconut pancakes accompanied by fresh mango and drizzled with cranberry syrup to savory housemade sausage.

“We’ll offer our full brunch menu and some home-cooked, Mom-inspired chef specials,” explains Prosperity Social Club owner Bonnie Flinner in a press release. “We’re definitely taking it up a notch in honor of those who brought us into the world, by breaking out the crisp white tablecloths and hand dipping fresh strawberries in chocolate to top off every mother’s meal.” The Ryan Anderson Trio will perform from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. With just two seatings available — at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. — the place will fill up quickly; reservations are recommended. (Niesel) 1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.

Nightlife

with Avers TICKETS: $ 5.50 (including fees)

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

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

Art

Wild Horses A romantic comedy, the Icelandic film Of Horses and Men interweaves six quirky vignettes of love, death and survival. In this beautifully shot film, director Benedikt Erlingsson paints an unflinching portrait of humans and

With Mother in Mind Bump to Bows: A Mommy Boutique Show founders Sarah Pozek and Becki Silverstein, friends from college, came up with the concept for the craft show when they realized that “there was a void in the Cleveland handmade space

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Electronic Ecstasy Probably the best way to kick-start the week is by shaking your ass uncontrollably at B-Side Sundays, B-Side’s bitchin’ Sunday night electronic show. DJs Eso and Corey Grand join forces to spin anything and everything: Funk, soul, hip-hop, trap, drum and bass, and all sorts of similarly ill shit. Grand’s cred speaks for itself: “Sucka Free Since ’88.” Work your way across Coventry all weekend and wrap up the party at B-Side. The DJs start spinning at 10 p.m. (Eric Sandy) 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com.

mon

05/11

film

Double Feature This Dalai Lama Double Feature includes two films about the Dalai Lama directed by Baldwin Wallace alum Khashyar Darvich. Darvich will answer audience questions at the screening as well. The first of the two films is the newly expanded version of the 2007 documentary Dalai Lama Renaissance. The film follows Western travelers as they seek out the Dalai Lama to solve the world’s problems and in turn undergo an inner transformation. The second film is Compassion in Action; it shows the Dalai Lama examining the sources of happiness and unhappiness in the world. You can catch this double feature tonight starting at 6:45 at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets are $20. (Harp) 11141 East Blvd., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

brew while you’re at it. And arrive early. The tables fill up quickly. (Allard) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com.

Wine and Dine The Riedel family has become the world’s leader in “forward-thinking beverage glassware, not only in terms of form but function.” Tonight at 6:30 at Music Box Supper Club, reps from Reidel and from Tramonte & Sons, a family-run winery, will be on hand for a special Riedel Wine Dinner & Tasting. The three-course menu includes a bone-in pork cutlet with sweet potato puree, cherry-Brussels sprout slaw and a port reduction; and, for dessert, a chocolate latte mousse with candied lavender flowers. Tickets are $115 and include a tasting set of Vinum XL wine glasses. (Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com.

tue

05/12

SportS

Rocky’s Road In 1988, Rocky LaPorte quit his day job as a truck driver to become a professional comedian. Turned out to be a good move. LaPorte hasn’t forgotten his roots and, in his standup routines, he makes simple observations about the oddities of life. In one performance, the comedian talked about putting your parents down as an emergency contact. “What are my parents going to do?” he joked. “‘Mrs. LaPorte, your son has been in a horrific car accident.’ ‘Well give him some ice cream; he likes ice cream.’”

It’s that sort of simple observation that makes LaPorte’s material stand out from the pack of other truck drivers turned comics. He performs tonight and tomorrow night at 8 at Hilarities.

Tickets are $18. (William Hoffman) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

It’s in the Bag Year in and year out, the St. Louis Cardinals put together a competitive baseball team. Even after manager Tony La Russa retired, the team continued to compete. Tonight, they visit Progressive Field as part of an three-game interleague match up. The Indians will have a tough time — the Cardinals are one of the best teams in the National League and had a stellar start to the season. The game tonight starts at 6:10 p.m. The first 10,000 fans will receive a free tote bag. Tickets start at $10. (Niesel) 2401 Ontario St., 216-916-6100, clevelandindians.com.

Trivia Pursuits Do you have tons of obscure music knowledge? Are you a student of fast food menus and their nuanced histories? What say you about the geographic evolution of Scotch whisky? Tonight’s your chance to wow your friends, make yourself instantly more desirable to someone you’re newly dating, and hang with Cleveland’s headiest hipsters and hot dog lovers. It’s the Happy Dog Monday Night Trivia. Starting at 8 p.m., expect themed rounds — it’s a crapshoot — and general knowledge questions that seem considerably trickier than some of the other live trivia locales in town.

Obviously, have a hot dog and a craft

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Nightlife

Trivia Tuesdays How do you spend your Tuesday nights? If you’re not at Nano Brew in Ohio City, you’re definitely missing out.

This friendly neighborhood brewpub hosts weekly trivia nights from 8 to 10 p.m. Grab some friends and head on down for a little brain-stimulating trivia, freshly brewed craft beer and some seriously stellar bar grub. Better yet, bike on over. The folks at Nano Brew love bikes almost as much as they love beer, and they’re happy to share that love by giving you half off your first drink when they see your bike helmet. (Alaina McConnell) 1859 West 25th St., 216-862-6631, nanobrewcleveland.com.

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ART

Photos by Josh Usmani

Works by Oscar Hammers Mendez Barillas are part of the BFA Exhibitions.

Special BFa Show at cia An annual event takes on grand stature with new campus openings

By Josh Usmani There are plenTy of exciting arts events around town this weekend (and we’ve got those covered for you online), but the place to be this weekend is Cleveland Institute of Art’s newly remodeled Joseph McCullough Center for the Visual Arts and the adjoining, newly constructed George Gund Building (11610 Euclid Ave.).

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. this Friday, CIA hosts a reception for this year’s BFA Exhibitions by graduating seniors Although these exhibitions have been taking place every fall for decades, Friday’s opening reception is particularly special, because it is the first in CIA’s newly unified campus.

Soon, CIA’s old George Gund Building (11141 East Blvd.) will close its doors forever. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this important milestone.

Every year, graduating seniors spend months working with faculty to develop and execute their BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) exhibitions as their capstone projects required for graduation. Each student is also responsible for converting a portion of CIA’s campus into a suitable exhibition space. Following a week of facultyreviewed BFA defenses, the exhibitions open to the public for the weekend.

This year features more than 100 exhibitions by graduating seniors. This year’s projects include a children’s book for kids dealing with depression, a video of one student’s 11-hour glassblowing marathon, a re-branding project for the International Woman’s Air & Space Museum and a display illustrating bird flight.

The work is as eclectic as CIA’s majors, which include animation, biomedical art, ceramics, drawing,

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game design, glass, graphic design, illustration, industrial design, interior architecture, jewelry and metals, painting, photography and video, printmaking, and sculpture and expanded media.

“The BFA thesis exhibition is the most important assignment that a CIA student undertakes,” says CIA president Grafton Nunes. “It’s a body of

baccalaureate projects. Six graduates will receive cash awards to enhance their education and jumpstart their careers.

“The individual BFA thesis exhibitions represent the best work, the best thinking and research and making that our students produce after four years of a fine arts education at a very high level,” adds CIA’s Reinberger

Art by catherine Terlop

cLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART 11610 EUCLID AVE., 216-421-7000, CIA.EDU

work, the result of months of research and artistic exploration to create a powerful visual narrative. Creating the BFA exhibition launches the young artist’s or designer’s professional career. And seeing more than 100 of these exhibitions together is just a thrilling art experience for our friends and the general public.”

It all culminates at this Friday’s reception. At 8 p.m., Nunes will announce the winners of the 2015 President’s Traveling Scholarships.

Every year, students submit formal proposals to pursue special, post-

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Galleries director Bruce Checefsky.

“Collectively, these exhibitions form one fabulous but very short-lived art fair.”

“The BFA Exhibition attracts serious collectors and lots of other people who just love to see what young creative people are making,” adds Checefsky. “We encourage people to come out, see the work and help us celebrate creativity and innovation on a grand scale.”

“After four years of a challenging and demanding education in art, design, and scholarship, the BFA

show may be, for some of these artists, their first important exhibition — but for none of them will it be the last,” claims CIA’s V.P. of faculty affairs and chief academic officer Christopher Whittey. “Paraphrasing Marx, the goal of the creative fields is not the mere decoration of the world in various ways.

The point is to change it. And this immensely varied and committed work is the first step in that life-long voyage for our gifted alums.”

CIA alumni have certainly established quite a pedigree for this year’s class. In fact, seven alumni and three faculty members were awarded Individual Excellence Awards by the Ohio Arts Council just last month. They include Judith Brandon ’87, Kristen Cliffel ’90, Timothy Callaghan ’99, Timothy Gaewsky ’01, Scott Goss ’06, Ann Kmieck ’83 and Jason Milburn ’03; as well as faculty members Sarah Kabot, assistant professor and chair of the drawing department; Amy Sinbondit, technical specialist and adjunct faculty member in the ceramics department; and Sai Sinbondit, adjunct faculty member in the foundation department.

The BFA Exhibitions remain open to the public until 10 p.m. Friday evening.

Additional viewing hours are available on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Limited parking is available in the CIA parking lots on the east and south of the complex; public parking is available across Euclid Avenue, behind Constantino’s Market and Barnes & Noble; and on Ford Drive, immediately north of Euclid Avenue.

scene@clevescene.com t @cleveland_scene

stage review

What’s so great about being normal?

LET YOUR FREAK FLAG FLY

And the freaks are out in force in Shrek, the Musical at Gordon Square’s brand new Near West Theatre

By Christine Howey SometimeS, you feel good leaving a stage show after the curtain call because it was well acted, inventively staged and designed, or crisply directed. Or, you get a nice glow because the people involved in the production are so diverse and enthusiastic. But only rarely do you get a rush of all those feelings.

Such is the case with Shrek, the Musical, the inaugural production of the venerable Near West Theatre at their glorious new building in the Gordon Square Arts District. This show is so good, you may want to fart and burp up a storm — in honor of the two leads, who bond while sharing those always hilarious bodily (mal)functions.

Yes, Shrek can be a bit impolite at times, as it’s based on the lustily offensive children’s book by William Steig (and the tamer Dreamworks animated flick). It’s about an ogre who strikes fear into everyone due to his monstrous ugliness, bilious green complexion and a lethal case of halitosis. With book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori, Shrek has a few killer tunes and a story that anyone of any age can follow.

This is important because, since its founding in 1977, NWT has really been a family affair. To begin with, there are scads of kids in the 60-plus company of actors. And the audience is also filled with rugrats Photos by Terry Schordock

and their adult chaperones. But this isn’t some extended skit at day care.

As he has done for decades, NWT artistic director (and director of this show) Bob Navis Jr. demands that the children perform with energy and precision — not just wander around and look adorable.

The heavy roles are played by adult actors, and in this production they excel as the story of Shrek plays out.

He’s an outcast who lives in a swamp, happily it would seem, until a gaggle of fairy tale characters stumble into his bog. They’ve just been evicted from the Kingdom of Duloc by the

Laura Carlson Tarantowski, costume designer (of tons of costumes!) Inda Blatch-Geib, and choreographer (and NWT executive director) Stephanie Morrison Hrbek.

In the title role is Patrick Ciamacco, founder and artistic director of Blank Canvas Theatre, who first performed at NWT when he was 16 years old.

Ciamacco has done this role before, and he is pitch perfect with his oafish, endearing attitude and his powerful singing voice. He is matched nicely

by Cassandra Mears as the wacky and occasionally flatulent Fiona.

As Shrek’s right-hand Donkey,

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evil and vertically challenged Lord Farquaad, because they’re “freaks.”

Indeed, it would be hard to find a more outlandish grouping of people than Pinocchio, Humpty Dumpty and the Sugar Plum Fairy (unless you’re down the street at the Big Egg around 3 a.m.).

Anyhow, Shrek and his newfound pal, the talking Donkey, get roped into rescuing Princess Fiona so Lord Farquaad can marry her. Many of these scenes involve huge production numbers that are staged with professional style and impressive flash by the Near West team. This includes scenic and prop designer

Justin Woody, also a Shrek veteran, has fun with this good-natured pack animal. And even more laughs are landed by the inimitable Kevin Kelly as Lord Farquaad. Performing on his knees or locked inside a thronecar, Kelly has no shame in pursuing giggles with relentless efficiency.

Also on point are Delaney Cunningham as Young Fiona and Statia Rankin as Teen Fiona, when they join Mears in the ironically hopeful “I Know It’s Today.” Not all the songs are that successful, but the showstopper, “(Let Your) Freak Flag (Fly!)” is a stirring anthem for those of us — all of us? — who don’t quite

fit into the expected mold. And it is made even more resonant since pretty much the whole cast is on stage, singing and stomping.

Sure, there are a couple wrinkles.

At times, the excellent orchestra overpowers the voices, rendering some clever lyrics inaudible. And the Three Little Pigs’ costumes, featuring crotch-less pants, seem rather rude (yes, I know that pigs don’t usually wear pants at all. Still … ).

This is happening in Near West’s new $7.3-million home, a freestanding building featuring a huge stage that can easily handle the hordes of performers that they summon to each show. The whole space has that clean, simple, post-industrial look that feels right for this theater company. And the house seats are well raked so that even small patrons can get a good look at the performers.

Near West Theatre has a mission of building community, changing lives and helping others. And even little ones in the audience get the message.

On the night I saw Shrek, one of the Three Blind Mice lost his cane and it rolled off the stage where a toddler picked it up and handed it back to the performer. Hey, once you go through the doors at NWT, you’re part of the family.

scene@clevescene.com t @christinehowey

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 35

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

This film is RATED R foR inTEnsE sEquEncEs of violEncE ThRoughouT, AnD foR DisTuRbing imAgEs. Please note: Passes are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. No phone calls, please.

Limit one pass per person. Each pass admits two. Seating is not guaranteed. Arrive early. Theater is not responsible for overbooking. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio or video recording device into the theater (audio recording devices for credentialed press excepted) and consent to a physical search of your belongings and person. Any attempted use of recording devices will result in immediate removal from the theater, forfeiture, and may subject you to criminal and civil liability. Please allow additional time for heightened security. You can assist us by leaving all nonessential bags at home or in your vehicle.

movies in theaters

Review of the week: welcome to me

alSo opening

aS the cliche goeS, eveRyone loveS to watch a car crash. That’s the philosophy at work in Welcome to Me, the new dark comedy starring Kristen Wiig as a woman with borderline personality disorder. The film, which opens Friday at the Capitol Theatre, thrives on your discomfort, as Alice Klieg (Wiig) gets herself into one awkward situation after winning the lottery and proceeding to spend a good portion of the money on her own reality TV program. It’s a minor movie that won’t make it past the art house circuit, but it provides a great vehicle for Wiig, who continues to evolve as an actress, to strut her stuff as she makes the self-centered, unstable woman come off as someone worthy of our sympathy despite the way in which she alienates everyone in her life.

The movie commences with the scene in which Alice, a loner who’s obsessed with her TV (it’s always on and she likes to watch old episodes of Oprah on videocassette), realizes that she’s won the lottery. She’s so socially awkward, she even has trouble phoning in to claim her money. But upon receiving her winnings, she immediately moves into a casino and starts blowing the cash.

When she makes an appearance on a cable access station show that simply needs warm bodies for its studio audience, she tells the producers that she’s willing to put millions of dollars into her own TV program. Desperate for cash, they take her up on the offer, even though her idea for a TV show dubbed Welcome to Me is really out there and no one but the station owner thinks it’s a good idea to work with her.

Hot Pursuit>>

Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara star in this comedy about a police officer (Witherspoon) trying to protect a key witness (Vergara).

It opens areawide on Friday.

Once she gets on air, Alice, who stopped taking her medication after winning the lottery, defies conventions as she reenacts scenes with childhood friends and provides tips on eating healthy. In one scene, she makes a meatloaf cake and then sits and eats it for what seems like an eternity. The show, which airs live, is so bad that one producer (Jennifer Jason Leigh) quits and another (Joan Cusack) is regularly shocked by the things Alice does and says.

Alice alienates her therapist (Tim Robbins) and her best friend (Linda Cardellini). She starts sleeping with Gabe (Wes Bentley), a TV host at the station, turning the guy against his producer brother Rich (James Marsden) in the process. And in one segment of the show, she begins castrating animals; her intentions are actually good, but the scenes are rather gruesome. The lawsuits against her start piling up.

In its final moments, the film finally takes a step back from the madness. Alice starts running out of money, and she also comes to realize that she needs to be back on her medication. The ending, therefore, suggests Alice experiences an epiphany as she begins to understand that her obsession with television isn’t healthy.

The film’s strength lies in the fact that Alice’s behavior, while manic at times, isn’t far removed from our own obsessions with celebrity culture and reality TV. The film’s theme is selfreflexive. It suggests we have a sick fascination with watching car crashes while presenting an epic car crash. Pretty nifty. — Jeff Niesel

Maggie>>

A father (Arnold Schwarzenegger) will do whatever it takes to save his daughter as she catches a disease that turns her into a zombie.

The movie opens Friday at the Capitol Theatre.

Spotlight

high School ReunionS can Suck.

Often, people who were popular have found that life has been much rougher in the wake of graduation. And people who weren’t popular often think they were cooler than they really were. That’s essentially the premise of The D Train, a sharp comedy written and directed by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel. It opens Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre.

Dan Landsman (Jack Black), the self-appointed chair of his high-school reunion committee, has trouble convincing anyone to come to his 20th reunion. But when he sees a national TV ad featuring Oliver Lawless (James Marsden), a guy he claims to have been best buddies with, he thinks that if Oliver comes to the reunion, the rest will follow. “It’s like one of those bullshit charity campaigns,” he says.

So he sends the guy an informal email that he signs “D Rock” and he grows a soul patch so that he’ll appear cooler than he really is. And he lies to his boss about needing to go to L.A. for business as he takes a trip out West to find the guy. The two meet up at a trendy L.A. nightclub and Dan proceeds to remind Oliver about the glory days of high school. Even though they weren’t really friends in high school, they bond and become drinking buddies, hitting one club after another. At some point, Oliver confesses that he’s bisexual. Dan doesn’t think much of it, but when Dan crashes at Oliver’s place after one night of heaving drinking, the two get hot and heavy.

While that forms the film’s dramatic center, it seems rather far-fetched that Dan, who’s happily married with kids and rather conservative, would go to such lengths to get Oliver to like him. Of course, nothing good comes out of their tryst and Dan is forced to take a good look at himself to see why he’s so insecure.

Much like he did in Bernie, a film that earned him a Golden Globe nomination, Black adroitly balances comedy and drama. Though he can’t seem to help but break into his signature move (raising his eyebrows in that exaggerated manner) and too often flaunts his portly figure, he does some serious acting as he plays a flawed character searching for answers. — Niesel

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman>>

For 35 years, the late actor Paul Newman was an avid race car driver and owner. This documentary chronicles that part of his life. It opens Friday at Tower City Cinemas.

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 37

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

eat

Do not pass the Tolkien literary legacy. Do not collect $200.

Your board game awaits.

The Geeks shall InherIT Cleveland Why board game cafes are the Next Big Thing

By Douglas Trattner What used to be a term of derision has morphed into a badge of distinction for those among us who proudly claim to be a geek. From T-shirts emblazed with comic book characters to the practice of donning more tech on one’s body than the Six Million Dollar Man, the era of the geek is now.

For proof, look no further than three new businesses that cater very much to nerds, geeks and introverts.

At places like Side Quest in Lakewood, Malted Meeple in Hudson and, very soon, Table Top Café in Ohio City, games that used to be relegated to home basements out of fear of bodily harm now are being played very much out in the open.

“Geek culture in general is on an upswing,” explains Jim Reed, owner of the Malted Meeple. “Just look at your top-grossing movies right now. They’re The Avengers, Captain America … and that’s what is pushing a lot of these trends in gaming.”

Aptly enough, Reed opened the Malted Meeple on March 14, known as Pi Day in the nerd world for its mathematical reference. Like most board game cafes, Reed’s stocks a library filled with hundreds of tabletop games. Guests pay a few bucks to rent a game or a table and are welcome to sit there and play as long as they wish.

A selection of beer, wine, cocktails and snacks helps pay the bills.

Ironically, the very people who are wired to the hilt with electronic gadgets are the same ones driving the upswing in analogue gaming, says Reed. It is precisely our increased reliance on technology that is propelling the popularity of board games.

“Most of us have an iPhone and iPad around us at all times,” he says.

“They have become a part of our everyday life. That’s what makes it all the more important to have some time to disconnect and spend quality time together. A lot of the board games that we have — and the ones that are my personal favorites — are not about the pieces or cards; they’re about you interacting with the person across the table from you.”

Intimidating? Maybe. But usually not for long, says owner Sam Bridgeman.

“First-timers do sometimes come in, look around and seem confused,” he says. “But they get a beer, grab a random game like Zombie Dice and sit down. You can actually see the point when something clicks and they go, ‘Oh, playing games and drinking is fun. I like this.’”

Gamers learn about the catalog of

It’s all fun and games at Side Quest in Lakewood.

The number and nature of available games is staggering. Side Quest in Lakewood stocks about 200 titles. They range from rowdy party games like Cards Against Humanity to strategybased civilization-building games like 7 Wonders. Some games are cooperative, others are competitive.

Some require a mastery of popculture trivia; others, like Iron & Ale, reward brute physical strength and an unquenchable thirst for beer.

available games through game store demo days, publisher events, or the cafe’s game menu, which includes links to short instructional videos.

Of course, the best way to learn, says Bridgeman, is to play.

“You can learn a lot better and faster by jumping into a game with other people than by staring at the instructions,” he says.

And therein lies the appeal of places like Side Quest, Malted Meeple

and Table Top over, well, your parents’ basement. Board game cafes take historically anti-social activities like D&D cosplay and make them social and socially acceptable.

“If you’re playing a game with friends and want more people to join you, you simply hang a sign on your table,” says Bridgeman. “This allows people to meet others and play games they might not get to play normally.

Games serve as a conduit to make that happen.”

When it opens later this month, Table Top will boast a whopping 900 unique games according to owner Shiva Risner. She looks at each and every one of them as an opportunity for people to interact on a personal level.

“Being online all the time is convenient, but it’s also exhausting,” she says. “People are wanting to take a breather and socially interact with friends face to face. Board games are a great way to do that. For some, it’s a novel concept to not be connected.”

Board game cafes fall into a category of entertainment referred to as “experiential.” Not only is Jim Reed familiar with the concept; he’s based his career on it. In addition to owning the Malted Meeple, he operates Ravenwood Castle in Hocking Hills, an inn that hosts 48-hour-long murder mysteries.

“More and more we’re hearing that it’s better to spend our money on experiences than things,” Reed says. “Places like ours are all about providing a unique experience.”

dtrattner@clevescene.com t @dougtrattner

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 39

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eat bites

NEW NAME, NEW THEME, NEW CHEF FOR SUNSET GRILLE AT WHISKEY ISLAND

By Douglas Trattner On May 1, SunSet Grille On Whiskey Island ushered in the summer season with its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. But that’s about the only consistent feature from the previous year for this lakefront property, which includes a marina, park and restaurant.

“We have new ownership, a new management company and new name for the restaurant,” says Tim Poole, GM at Whiskey Island Marina.

The new owner, of course, is the Cleveland Metroparks, which added the lakefront property last year to its portfolio of parks. The new management company is FDL Marine, which now operates the marina. And the new name for the restaurant is Whiskey Island Still and Eatery, formerly known as Sunset Grille.

Gone is the island-themed interior, says Poole, replaced by an all-new Prohibition-era decor.

“We’re going back to the history of Cleveland during the Prohibition, and the actual whiskey shanty town that used to be down here,” Poole says, referring to the period when distilleries dotted the peninsula.

The walls are festooned with old photos, editorials and artifacts from the period, including a tommy gun. An old copper pot still adds a bit of historic charm.

To go along with the new hardware, there’s a new chef, menu and updated kitchen. Chef Chris Grounds will oversee a straightforward menu of burgers, seafood and barbecue.

“It’s not a huge menu, but a highquality menu,” Poole says. “It is all fresh food.”

The changes aren’t reserved for the interior. For the first time, the gravel dining area where the picnic tables

42

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

reside has been replaced by a concrete slab, making it handicap accessible.

There still is plenty of grass for games and hanging out.

The outdoor bar pavilion has been improved with a new 16-tap draft beer system.

Even the calendar of live musical acts has been beefed up, says Poole.

All SyStemS (AlmoSt) Go for Bruell’S DyNomIte IN uNIverSIty CIrCle In addition to his seasonal burger restaurant at U.S. Bank Plaza in Playhouse Square, and the quick-serve version in the new Right Field District at Progressive Field, Zack Bruell is gearing up for the opening of his third Dynomite location, this one at Uptown in University Circle.

Unlike the other locations, this one will be open year round, feature sushi and booze, and offer seating for 80 guests.

Set in the home of the short-lived Beer Cellars, Dynomite occupies an enviable and prominent space on Euclid Avenue with wrap-around windows and patios. Like the original downtown, the “Shake Shack-style” eatery is casual, affordable and uncomplicated.

“This is not a full-on sit-down restaurant,” Bruell says. “It’s a burger joint with sushi and alcohol.”

Burgers named for each of Bruell’s other restaurants join cheese fries, chili dogs, fish sandwiches, chicken sandwiches and salads. The sushi will be akin to that served at Parallax, the chef-owner explains. An open kitchen, which replaces the beer coolers behind the bar at Beer Cellars, will include a full range with hood, which allows the kitchen to add nightly specials to the

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and at grind-burger.com magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 43

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“The Dynomite Uptown location will allow us to expand our existing fast-casual concept and increase the menu options,” Bruell notes.

“Everything will still be fresh and made-to-order, but with a larger kitchen and an indoor dining area, we’ll have the room we need to really give our customers a unique experience each time they visit Dynomite Uptown … whether they’re looking to grab a light lunch on-thego, or sit down to a gourmet burger and a beer.”

In addition to the beer (eight on tap), wine and milkshakes available at the other shops, Uptown boasts a full liquor license. The latest estimates peg May 11 as opening day for Dynomite Uptown.

Next up for Bruell is Alley Cat Oyster House, set to open in the Flats this coming July.

will feature a sandwich bar, open kitchen and a few tables for dine-in seating.

The menu will feature soups, salads and about a half-dozen sandwiches. Messina will rely heavily on local producers and suppliers like the Pork Chop Shop, Cheese Shop, Blackbird Baking, and Premier Produce. Items range from vegan-friendly salads to pork-based sandwiches.

A play on “urban,” Herb’n Twine is just the latest indie startup launched by locals to serve the immediate neighborhood. Messina joins Rachel Kingsbury’s wonderful new Grocery (3815 Lorain Ave., 216-543-6388, thegroceryohc.com) as a new wave of development continues to push down Lorain Avenue. Still to come are Plum Cafe and Humble Pie Bakery.

“That street is definitely going to become a lot more popular,” Messina predicts. “I wanted to get in there early and make my presence known.”

beloved cleveland chef shawn brozic passed away

herb’n twine sandwich co. to open in ohio city

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

By mid-June, Herb’n Twine Sandwich Co. is expected to open at 4309 Lorain Ave., in the storefront space adjacent to Bloom & Clover Wax Studio.

Owner Brendon Messina, currently a sous chef at Rockefeller’s in Cleveland Heights, describes the shop as a quick-serve stop for local residents, commercial tenants and anybody else looking for a wholesome, delicious lunch or dinner.

“There are a lot of places to sit down and eat in Ohio City, but there aren’t a lot of grab-and-go spots,” he explains.

Build-out has begun on the 1,400-square-foot space. The goal is a clean, simple and straightforward neighborhood shop with a “modernmeets-distressed” look. The interior

Shawn Brozic didn’t snag the media buzz that many of his peers in the Cleveland culinary world did, but he was every bit as talented, passionate and hard working as any of them. His many years of work as executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Wyndham Playhouse Square and Quail Hollow Resort won him the respect and attention of countless diners. His selfless contributions of time and product to fundraising events like the Food and Wine Celebration at the Culinary Vegetable Institute introduced him to countless more.

Brozic passed away at the age of 38 this past Friday.

His friend and colleague John Selick, executive chef at University Hospital’s Ahuja Medical Center, worked under Brozic for two years at the Ritz-Carlton.

“I worked under Shawn at the Ritz when I was just starting out,” Selick says. “There is a group of us that are still close to this day that all worked under him. He was a hard worker, good teacher, and a good guy. We are close in age, we both have kids and a family. I was shocked to hear this news. All of us are shocked; it seems like we all just spoke to him recently.”

dtrattner@clevescene.com t @dougtrattner

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

music

Photo by Dina Regine

Freedy Johnston and his hat.

late bloomers

Singer-songwriters Freedy Johnston and Pat McGee share the secrets of their craft

By Jeff Niesel

Singer-SongwriterS Freedy Johnston and Pat McGee came to songwriting rather late (at least if you compare them to someone like Bob Dylan, who was writing classic tunes at age 20). But they’ve both now accumulated a catalog of great songs.

Johnston issued his first album in 1990 and McGee put out his debut in 1995. Both have just released terrific new albums. Johnston’s new album The Neon Repairman features his sharp power-pop sensibilities. On his self-titled effort, McGee collaborates with veteran studio musicians who evoke the great singer-songwriters of the ’70s (think Jackson Browne and David Crosby). The two musicians are coming to town to play Music Box Supper Club. They’re not on tour together, but the club has booked them as part of a special double bill.

We spoke to each of them in separate interviews.

talk about your upbringing. How young were you when you started writing songs?

Johnston: I did my first song for the senior class talent show as a dare with my buddy Jeff. I was 17. I still play that song, “Sparky the Heroic Dog,” at gigs.

The dog I currently have now is named after that song. I’ll probably have him on tour. I bring him everywhere.

That’s how that happened. The reality

is that I’ve been doing it for a while. I put my first record out when I was 30.

That’s 24 years ago. Most guys start bands when they’re 15. I’m hitting my stride. It’s taken 20 years to figure out how to do it.

McGee: I grew up in Virginia. I was a late bloomer when it came to songwriting. I was 21 when I wrote my first song. I was playing in bars. I was the guy in the back of the bar playing classic rock covers for four hours a night. It was a fun way to make a

I said, “Screw it. I’ll write my own songs.” I wrote just enough songs for a CD and I assembled a band and turned solo gigs into band gigs. It wasn’t a plan. It’s been 20 years now.

what inspired your new album?

Johnston: It’s been five years, and before that it was eight years since I issued a new album. That is a bit of an issue. I didn’t realize it happened.

The eight years was because I got married and divorced. The last

Pat McGee cD Release show with FReeDy Johnston 8 p.m. Friday, may 8, music Box supper cluB, 1148 main ave., 216-242-1250.

TickeTs: $22 adv, $25 dos, musicBoxcle.com

living. I went to college for four years, but I didn’t graduate. I started playing more and more and more. I realized I could do it five nights a week. When you’re 19 or 20 and making all this cash money, it’s a blast. I was playing at a bar across the street from Dave Matthews Band. I would notice that they had these lines to get in. I ran into [drummer] Carter [Beauford] one time and he gave me their CD and I credit them with kicking me in the ass to stop doing covers. I didn’t know anything about their music. I just knew they wrote their own songs. In 1992, that was unheard of in my world.

five years was trying to make this record on my own. It’s self-produced.

Between trying to make it on my own and getting funding, it lagged a bit. I think that’s fair. The reason is I guess money and a little bit of mental stuff in there. It’s funny how life works in big ways. I’m promoting it and I love it and I’m well into finishing the next 15 songs. I’m really, really happy about it. It’s a good feeling. It’s a “strike when the iron is hot” type of thing. These songs have been around an embarrassingly long amount of time. Five or six of them are 10 years old. They’re finally getting their due.

They’re very complicated songs. It’s a good feeling. I’m not whining but I put myself through hell and I don’t know what I did it for. I’m on the other side and the music is still there.

I really got something from it. I never thought I could say that in a genuine way. People always say music saves their lives. I hope they mean it, but I really mean it. It’s the one thing in this life that has always helped me and always tormented me at the same time.

McGee: It’s a throwback in the sense that the players who recorded those classic records and are still recording are on it. It sounds a little like the ’70s. It’s my strongest influences. It’s the stuff that got me started playing music — James Taylor and Jackson Browne and the countrier side of Eric Clapton’s stuff, and Crosby, Stills and Nash for sure.

I’m not some old hippie. I grew up on that stuff. My brother and sister were older than me and educated me on this music. I was at a friend’s house and saw they were spinning vinyl. I freaked out and got a record player and started buying records.

I’m rebuying all the stuff I had as a kid. That experience of sitting there listing to a record is how I grew up listening to music, and it lit a fire in me. I wanted to write an album like that. I haven’t done that since my

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 47

Photo by Joyce N. Noghosian

Pat McGee and his guitar.

first album. I always felt like it was my music but I would collaborate with friends and other musicians.

When someone says, “That’s a little too James Taylor-ish,” you dial things back. Now, I’m not going to silence those influences. I think people can listen to this record if they want to know what my influences are. It came naturally.

We live in a world obsessed with singers. Do you think the songwriter doesn’t get his or her due?

Johnston: It goes in cycles. I’m not qualified to really answer because I stopped listening to music 20 years ago. I don’t mean that in a bad way.

After I bought a certain number of records, I just listen to old stuff now. I don’t even know what’s going on. My view of songwriting is that it was the Cole Porter-era and the Brill Buildingera songwriters who wrote the greatest songs. That’s what I really listened to. We listened to Sinatra a lot. And country music like Hank Williams or Lefty Frizzell or Merle Haggard. That’s high art. If you can write a song like “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” then there you go.

These melodies come out and they stick around. This chord progression is demanding. It’s a little bit of a condition. If you didn’t like doing it, it would be called a syndrome. They move me emotionally when I played the chords and melodies. I can’t mess around with the words because the songs have been around for so long.

The last song on my record, “A Little Bit of Something Wrong,” is a more light-hearted song about me. It just

48

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

became clear that it was about the damaged, returned-from-Iraq veteran who was broken for life. It was a great moment for me to realize how it goes.

The song had to sit around looking for its niche. It’s like the work of art found its place on the shelf.

McGee: I don’t claim to have my finger on the pulse of pop music.

I’ve been rediscovering classic rock.

In that mode, you listen to some songs by CSN and Zeppelin and you realize nobody writes songs like that anymore. I wanted to go after that. I don’t read music. I have a hard time explaining what I’m playing to people.

I have to have the guys in my band tell other people what I’m playing. I just point to my fingers and I don’t know what a certain chord is. I don’t claim to be some genius. I wouldn’t say ELO would do things this way, or Paul McCartney would do things that way. It might come out of me because I listen to so much of it. With songwriting these days, it’s hard to tell. You have guys like Pharrell and John Legend. They write some great stuff. I bought the Beck record that won Grammy of the year on vinyl and it’s a great record, but I feel like he gets a little more clout because he’s Beck. If it were a random person, that album would never become artist of the year. I’m a big sucker for melody.

Those Beatles’ melodies suck me in.

Even Van Halen and Led Zeppelin had great melodies. It doesn’t have to be the poppiest, but it has to have a hook.

jniesel@clevescene.com t @jniesel

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49

Music

C-Ro Del-Fresco shows his hometown pride.

a mixtape master

A lifelong passion for hip-hop has inspired local rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco

By Jeff Niesel

Cleveland rapper C-Ro Del-Fresco is one of the more prolific local artists. He even admits he’s not sure how many singles and mixtapes he’s released over the past few years. His new album, The Loudness War, shows off his ability to veer from rapid-fire rhymes to smooth grooves, sometimes within the same song. At a time when local rappers come and go, Fresco has been a consistent player on an everchanging landscape.

Growing up on Cleveland’s eastside, he remembers listening to music all day long as a youth.

“Those memories made a huge impression on me and just stuck,” he says. “When I got to 10 or 11, I wanted to be like some of my favorite musicians at the time. I thought, ‘What better way to meet this person than to do what he does?’ I wanted to try to rapping. I wrote my first song at the age of 10. From there, it progressed. The passion just built from there.”

While in seventh grade, he started 3 Kingz, a hip-hop group, in 2003.

“We didn’t get anything done,” he admits. “I was more into the music and the other members were more into sports. When I was trying to set up studio time, they went to practice.

They encouraged me to go on and start a solo career.”

His first release, Mr. Del-Fresco, came out in 2009. He then put out the Forget Me Not mixtape, the first of his projects to be featured on Livemixtapes, a wesbsite devoted

50

to breaking new rappers. He put out two more mixtapes and started to pick up some traction with his 2011 EP Visible Thoughts, which received favorable reviews from the local press. Upon its release, a review in Scene noted, “C-Ro’s rhymes are clean and his topics broad, touching on everything from mainstream rap

All of which brings us to The Loudness War. The album commences with “The War,” a poignant intro that finds a contemplative Del-Fresco wondering, “Is this life really made for us?”

The intro is inspired by Chance the Rapper’s Acid Rap mixtape and aims to sum up the album. “It’s

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— something he obviously isn’t too keen on in ‘H.E.R.,’ a music-industry parable about a lost girl — to family troubles (daddy issues come up in ‘Lonely Dreams’).”

Del-Fresco is a mixtape master.

The Voice, a mixtape he released last year, starts strong with “True,” a song that allows Del-Fresco to show off his rapid-fire delivery. Featuring guest vocals from rapper Phaze Jackson, the song alternates between hip-hop and R&B. Other highlights include the carnivalesque “Let the Beat Ride” and the defiant “Real Niggas Only.” He displays his verbal skills in the rowdy “Supa Flow,” a song that concludes with something that sounds like a skirmish. Subtitled “vent session,” the jazzy “Say Yes” has a narrative at its core as DelFresco talks about the importance of making music before concluding, “show respect.”

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

meditative,” he says of the intro. “It digs a little deeper. Production-wise, I wanted to make it more mellow and melodic.”

The album doesn’t entirely follow a concept, even though its title would suggest otherwise.

“In audio terms, the engineer is trying to get the track as loud as he can without it peaking,” Del-Fresco says of the album’s title. “I wanted to apply that to life and to music. As an artist, you’re trying to make as much noise as possible without becoming distorted and losing the quality. It’s a fight to find some type of common ground or some kind of peace.”

With its percolating beats and bouncy rhythms, “Flavors” hearkens back to the days of Tupac and Biggie.

“I was at work one day in the grocery section with the coffee and stuff,” he says. “It’s an ode to all women, no matter what type of color

or size. I like all types of women. I put it out the summer of last year as a prelude to the project. I think I was able to get the message across.”

“10 Gold Chains” starts with a big bass riff before the Mike Jones-like vocals kick in.

“I was listening to another artist that had the same feel,” says DelFresco when asked about the song’s inspiration. “I started producing that in 2013. I remember growing up and getting into rapping and music, the moment you got your first gold chain was when you knew you made it. We have gotten away from that.

There’s so much other material stuff — much worse stuff — that people get into when they finally get on. But this is an ode to that time, the olden days when you knew you made it and you were in a decent place.”

Del-Fresco initially had plans to tour but he’s instead going to focus on “gigging” in and around town. He plays a free show at the Grog Shop on Sunday, May 10.

“We’re taking things as they come,” he says. “I’m hoping to get the opportunity to deliver the album to a larger platform. I want to showcase it for millions of people.

This is a project that I feel is my best one. I took so much time on it. It shows my growth and progression.

I think it’s pretty good Cleveland music. I just want all the hard work to pay off.”

jniesel@clevescene.com t @jniesel

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Music

When you live down under, you gotta look up to see the world.

RAISE THE NEW FLAG

Xavier Rudd brings along a band for a different sort of musical journey

By Eric Sandy Xavier rudd’s latest album, Nanna, opens with a steady two-four rhythm on gentle keys. It’s a different breed than the laid-back acoustic strumming that’s become his calling card in the past decade or so, but it’s still that stripped-down musical attitude that listeners come to him to hear. And then, 30 seconds in, the clouds burst and his new band opens lead-off track “Flag” into Rudd’s new world.

His band, the United Nations, is an exercise in the same sort of organic growth exhibited throughout Rudd’s career. Drawing on musical and cultural backgrounds from Australia, Indigenous Australia, South Africa, Samoa, Germany and Papua New Guinea, the band members have jibed perfectly with Rudd’s own vision for positivity and action. There were no auditions, really; Rudd says that everyone came together and blended the sounds perfectly on the first go.

“Everyone comes from a different background, a different culture,” Rudd says, speaking via phone from his native Australia. “That’s the beautiful thing with the group. The songs are basically roots-reggae songs, but I basically wanted to convey a message of freedom and for people to bring their culture and their musical experience to the table. It’s quite vast, actually, as far as influences go there.”

What Nanna does so well is build off Rudd’s lyrical energy and infuse musical breadth and depth that just couldn’t have been achieve in his former one-man band state (despite Rudd often taking to the stage with

52

a cavalcade of diverse instruments surrounding him). But it’s not like these songs are in-your-face, 180-degree turns from Rudd’s own roots. Take the album’s first single, “Come People,” which is the sort of simplicity that Rudd has always evinced in his work; nowadays, he’s accentuating his message with horns, backing vocals, interesting percussion devices and more.

Rudd built a worldwide following since his early 20s as a musician dedicated to confronting environmental abuse, religious indoctrination, the historical mistreatment of indigenous Australians and other human rights causes. He planted his flag as a socially conscious musician most

duo Izintaba: bassist Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andile Nqubezelo.

It’s a different beast than his fullbodied band of 2015, but Rudd says that, rhythmically, Koonyum Sun shares certain traits with what he’s doing now. In his canon, it’s a complex album that brings fresh instrumentation to the forefront of Rudd’s songwriting.

Between then and now, Rudd released his most critically acclaimed album to date, Spirit Bird, a collection of simple riverside tunes rooted heavily in Rudd’s spiritual outlook.

Songs like “Spirit Bird” and “Follow the Sun” fall back into an ethereal mood, where the singer and listener can reflect on the world around them.

It’s a peaceful album.

Xavier rudd and the united nations 8 p.m. Thursday, may 7, Beachland Ballroom, 15711 WaTerloo rd., 216-383-1124. TickeTs: $30 adV/$35 dos, BeachlandBallroom.com

visibly on his 2005 breakout, Food in the Belly, which featured the mesmerizing “Messages.”

It’s clear that Rudd has always recognized and respected the connection between social action and music. He’s an outspoken singer and speaker, one who demands to confront corporate-backed environmental disasters and human inertia.

Those threads have been present throughout his catalog, landing decidedly on Nanna. Each album has been an adventure for him and his international fan base.

In 2010, Rudd cut an album with

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Now, though, his focus is on the band.

“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Rudd says. The album was mixed by Errol Brown at Tuff Gong Studios, founded by Bob Marley in Kingston, Jamaica. It lends Rudd’s album another global marker.

There’s a great run in the new album that comes about halfway through, beginning with the jaunty “Rusty Hammer.” It’s one of the most upbeat tunes on the album, with some terrific flute accents and a danceable breakdown halfway through.

“Rainbow Serpent” and

“Creancient” pair together, in a way. The two songs came from individual spiritual experiences Rudd encountered in northwestern Australia (“Rainbow Serpent”) and Peru (“Creancient”). Lyrically, Rudd is bringing the listener back to a very Old World aesthetic — the presence of the Old Man and the Great Mother throughout our planet.

Much of the album deals with “our natural connection to the Earth,” Rudd says. “Through religious conditioning and domination, people have been led away from that. It is a little bit of a call to action. There’s too much division even in the environmental world. If we actually work together to save the planet, we could really, really make a difference.”

As far as the live show goes, the United Nations will certainly present a departure from Rudd’s past tours.

The last time he was in Cleveland, he was still working most of the songs off Spirit Bird, surrounding himself with didgeridoos and percussion kits. This time, a whole host of spirits onstage will transform the energy into different shapes and moods.

“It’s nice to bounce off each other,” Rudd says. “I can channel the energy from everyone else. There’s a lot of spirit onstage compared to the past, and that changes things considerably.

“Spiritually, emotionally, musically: Everything was different,” Rudd says.

“It’s definitely the most unique thing I’ve ever done.”

esandy@clevescene.com t @EricSandy

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

livewire all the live music you should see this week wed

05/06

Fidlar/Archie & the Bunkers/ Sweepyheads: Ever since Fidlar formed in 2009, the band has been on the fast track and toured with popular garage rock acts such as the Hives and the Black Lips. Its self-titled album isn’t particularly sophisticated. Opening tune “Cheap Beer” features fuzzy guitars and parched vocals. To an extent, it’s a novelty tune along the same lines as the Dead Milkmen’s “Bitchin’ Camaro.” Rave-ups such as “White and White” and “No Waves” show a bit more finesse. But these songs are designed to create some serious mosh pit action, and they regularly become sing-alongs at the shows. 8:30 p.m., $15. Grog Shop. (Jeff Niesel) Joe Pug/Andrew Combs: Folk singersongwriter Joe Pug has dug his heels into the ramblin’ traditions of American music, lending his voice to a canon that pulls back the curtain a bit on who we are and where we’re all heading. Pug released Windfall earlier this year, building on his already strong catalog. With a gentle, reflective voice, Pug culls the dust of the American literary canon and postures himself as an individual seeking his own truth in this life. Tunes like “Veteran Fighter” and “The Measure” off his latest album evoke a dream that blends the highs and lows of the past with the optimism of the future.

Throughout, the guitar work is great: laid back and yet full of wonder. 8:30 p.m., $15. Beachland Ballroom. (Eric Sandy) 10 X 3 Hosted by Brent Kirby (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Bad Suns/KIEV: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $17 DOS. House of Blues.

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05/07

Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Davina & The Vagabonds: 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.

Electric Orange Peel/Max Reaven/The Pupils of Groove: 9 p.m., $7. Musica.

Chris Hatton’s Musical Circus (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

ILoveMakonnen/Sonny Digital/KEY!: 9 p.m., $20-$55. Grog Shop.

Insvrgence/The Language/Abstraction: 7 p.m., $10. The Foundry.

Ernie Krivda and the B3 Allstars: 8 p.m., $20. Nighttown.

One Sound: 8 p.m., $10. BLU Jazz+.

The Rat Pack Featuring Frank, Dean & Sammy: 7:30 p.m. Vosh Club.

Xavier Rudd & the United Nations/Mike Love: 8 p.m., $30 ADV, $35 DOS. Beachland Ballroom.

Spyder Stompers/Reuben’s Train/The Graveyard Five: 6 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Y&T/Shock Frenzy/Blackjack Symphony/ TBS: 6 p.m., $15 ADV, $20 DOS. Agora.

fri

05/08

George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic: “Ain’t no party like a p-funk party because a p-funk party don’t stop.”

So goes the rhyme that you’ll hear ad nauseam tonight when funkmeister

Fidlar in a candid moment. See: Wednesday.

George Clinton performs at House of Blues. Wild affairs that feature outlandish costumes, Clinton concerts are true spectacles. Clinton serves more as master of ceremonies, often barking out the lyrics with little regard for rhythm, but he still knows how to keep the party going. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 1997, the 73-year-old regularly comes through town -— with or without a new album to promote. 9 p.m., $29.50 ADV, $35 DOS. House of Blues. (Niesel) David Allan Coe: Johnny Cash might have walked the line, but Akron-born David Allan Coe, who’s done hard time and reportedly even killed a fellow inmate, has crossed it. An outlaw amongst outlaws, he received even more acclaim when Howard Stern started playing some of his obscure songs in which he freely uses the word “nigga.” Granted, these songs were reportedly written for a motorcycle gang and not intended for popular consumption, but they point to the hatred and racism lurking beneath the surface of his traditional country ballads. Coe, a self-described “longhaired redneck” who counts whitetrash rapper Kid Rock as a friend, tried to prove he’s not prejudiced with “Song for the Year 2000,” in which he asserts “it takes all kinds to make this world go round.” But that hardly makes

amends. 9 p.m. The Tangier. (Niesel) Guy Davis: Dextrous and evocative, Guy Davis has been writing and recording important blues records for decades, merging styles and traditions throughout. His 2012 album, The Adventures of Fishy Waters: In Bed with the Blues, takes the listener on a journey across fields and highways as only the blues can. On the album, short songs (“Miss Ripley’s Catfish Stew”) split the narrative with longer explorations (“Fishy Leaves Home”) and even spoken-word illustrations (“The Lynching”). He’s said his music has been inspired by his Southern grandmother’s way of speaking.

Through her stories, the Deep South became a vivid land of larger-than-life characters and mythos. The blues, Davis has said, is a natural conduit for sharing those stories. 8:30 p.m., $20.

Nighttown. (Sandy) Houndmouth: Straight outta Indiana, Houndmouth taps into the collective consciousness of the dusty fringes of the Midwest. Their new album, Little Neon Limelight, has a looser, more open feel to it than previous outings.

“For No One,” accented with ghostly backing vocals and driven by twangy acoustic guitar, sees a laid-back band indebted to a life on the road. That’s soon followed up by “Honey Slider,” where reverb-drenched lead guitar works it way across a building synth

magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 55

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livewire line and harmonized vocals. The band’s debut album, From the Hills Below the City, similarly is a true delight, complete with folksy fun, heartfelt musicianship and nods to the country-tinged legacy that lay within their shadow. 8:30 p.m., $15.

Beachland Ballroom. (Sandy) Kansas: Guitarist Richard Williams and the original members of Kansas had a chance to look back and consider the seemingly unlikely sequence of events that led them out of Topeka in the new documentary Miracles Out of Nowhere, released earlier this year. In the film, some heavy hitters testify to the power of the music of Kansas, including Garth Brooks, Queen guitarist Brian May and album producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, AC/ DC). The band had a much different line-up back then. Today, Williams and drummer Phil Ehart carry on, surrounded by longtime Kansas bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, David Ragsdale on violin and additional guitars, keyboardist David Manlon and vocalist Ronnie Platt, who replaced original Kansas frontman Steve Walsh last year. Platt’s addition has really brought an exciting new energy to Kansas. As a result, Williams says the band has a lot of things on deck including plans to begin recording a new album next January. 8 p.m., $32.50-$57.50. Hard Rock Rocksino. (Matt Wardlaw) Joshua Abrams Natural Information Society: 8:30 p.m., $10. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.

The Ark Band: 7:30 p.m., $5. Grog Shop.

Becky Boyd’s Groove Train/Claudia Schieve: 9 p.m., $7. Music Box Supper Club.

Cleveland School of Rock: 7 p.m., $5.

The Euclid Tavern.

Brandon Coleman: 8 p.m., $12. BLU Jazz+.

The Donkeys/Holden Laurence/Aurora del Sole: 8:30 p.m., $8 ADV, $10 DOS. Beachland Tavern.

Fertile the Drip/Clan of the Cave Bear/ Fire Death Drunk Meat: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class.

George Foley: 10:30 p.m., free.

Nighttown.

God of Gaps/Deceiver/Piss Junkie/Jason Rodriguez/Baaldavar: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class.

The Green Escalators/Cold Heat/Jean Jammers: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Pat McGee/Freedy Johnston: 8 p.m., $22 ADV, $25 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.

Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band: 9 p.m.

Vosh Club.

Last of the Red Hot Burritos/The Del Rios/George Foley & Friends: 5:30 p.m.

Barking Spider Tavern.

The Menus: 9:30 p.m., $10. Brothers Lounge.

Tim Moon (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m.

Brothers Lounge.

Seaside Caves/Endo Orphans/From Borealis (in the Locker Room): 9 p.m., free. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.

Shivering Timbers/The Help and the Hands/Dynamo Love: 8 p.m., $10.

Musica.

Sykosis/Malice 213/Padded Room/ Orwellian/Adrift on River Styx/Khai/ Cymatik: 6 p.m., $6. Agora.

SAT

05/09

The Promise Hero/These Knees/Keys & Corridors/4 Door Theatre/Surrounding Cities, Caught Up in a Dream: For years, local singer-guitarist Bobby Vaughn has gigged around town with his indie rock band the Promise Hero. His favorite venue is the Grog Shop, and he’s on a campaign to sell the place out when he performs there tonight.

He’s dubbed the show #selloutthegrog and has put together a clever video featuring testimonials from friends and family (and Grog Shop owner Kathy Blackman). It’s not just a gimmick, either. The guy makes some great music. The title track from the band’s 2013 album, “Déjà Vu” has an elegant string arrangement and bits of piano that amplify Vaughn’s highpitched vocals, making an otherwise ordinary power ballad into something powerful (think of Green Day’s “Street of Broken Dreams”). Elsewhere, “Keep It Flowing” is a poppy Weezerlike number with nasally vocals, and the bouncy piano in “Locked Up Alone” sounds like something from a Ben Folds album. The tunes reflect Vaughn’s inspirations: the Beatles and Beach Boys. Should be a good show, whether or not it ends up selling out.

7 p.m., $5. Grog Shop. (Niesel) Jon Regen: Produced by Mitchell Froom (Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, Suzanne Vega), Jon Regen’s new album Stop Time features the singer’s terrific songwriting skills.

Featuring some fine piano work, the woozy “I Will Wait” has just enough sarcasm and witty wordplay that it could pass as a Randy Newman tune. Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello’s band the Imposters make guest appearances on the disc. 8:30 p.m., $20. Nighttown.

(Niesel) Rachel Brown and the Beatnik Playboys/ Max’s Farm: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Contemporary Jazz Trio Featuring Peter Dominguez, Sullivan Fortner and Paul

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livewire Samuels: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., $15.

BLU Jazz+.

The Jack Fords: 9:30 p.m., $5. Brothers Lounge.

Jimmy Jack & Katy (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

John Krautner/Tuesday Boys: 9 p.m., $8.

The Euclid Tavern.

Misery Index/Lord Dying/Drogheda: 7 p.m., $15. The Foundry.

Motown Night! with Moss Stanley & Nitebridge: 8:30 p.m., $7. Music Box Supper Club.

MXPX/Five Iron Frenzy/Kristopher Roe (The Ataris): 6 p.m., $24 ADV, $28 DOS. Agora.

Otis and the Shoreway Saints: 9 p.m., $5.

Happy Dog. Secret Soul Band: 8 p.m. Vosh Club.

Step Inside Featuring Total Science/ Paulie Walnuts & GQEQ/DSurr/Youngin: 9:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Beachland Ballroom.

Timeghost/Ora Iso/Nyodene D/Heaven is in You/In Training DJs: 9 p.m., $5. Now That’s Class.

Vetiver/EDJ (Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats): 9 p.m., $15. Beachland Tavern.

Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free.

Nighttown.

Welshly Arms/Modern Electric/Teddy Boys: 8 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. House of Blues.

Sun

05/10

Bog Trotters: 6 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

C-Ro Del-Fresco/Referee/Okay ‘Che/Captain 216/Big Merl/Tracii Haze X Tino: 8:30 p.m., free. Grog Shop.

Cleveland Public Schools All-City Vocal Ensemble: 7 p.m., $5. Nighttown.

Engelbert Humperdinck: 7:30 p.m. Hard Rock Rocksino.

JMSN/Marcus Alan Ward: 8:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Beachland Tavern.

Johns/False Flag/Hep-Z: 9 p.m., $5.

Happy Dog. The Meatmen/Against the Grain/Gluttons: 6:30 p.m., $15. The Foundry.

Night Owls: 3 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Tracy & The Tuxedos: 7:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Music Box Supper Club.

mon 05/11 Ernie Krivda & the Jazz Workshop/Jeff Powers: 7 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern.

Mojo Big Band: 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge.

Otherwise/Scare, Don’t Fear: 6:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $13 DOS. Agora.

Velvet Voyage (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m.

Brothers Lounge.

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

tue

05/12

Pokey LaFarge/Caroline Rose: Like a street musician amid Steinbeckian settings, Pokey LaFarge has built a career on music first made popular some 100 years ago. His style has been referred to as “riverboat chic,” to be clear, and he appears physically and sartorially as a man revived from a vivacious former life in 1920. Pokey’s new album, Something in the Water, seems to expand the instrumentation a bit while maintaining firm footing in early 20th-century music. His band members know their way around strings and gentle percussion, mingling dynamically with Pokey’s Mississippi-dredged drawl (cue “Where I’m Gonna Go” from the new album).

His last show in Cleveland was a rollickin’ night of old-timey music and terrific guitar playing. 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Ballroom.

(Sandy) Seether/Tremonti/Red Sun Rising: Originating in South Africa, Seether gained mainstream popularity in 2002 with their No. 1 rock single “Fine Again.” Since then the hard-rock band has churned out hits such as “Fake It,” “Rise Above This,” “Remedy” and a cover of “Careless Whisper.” Seether released its newest album, Isolate and Medicate, last year to critical acclaim.

Opening act Tremonti features former Creed/Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti. The band has a new studio album set to arrive this year so expect to hear some new tracks at tonight’s show. 7:30 p.m., $35. House of Blues.

(Kaitlin Siegel) 36 Crazyfists/Toothginder/Sourblood/ Perusing Purpose: 6:30 p.m., $12 ADV, $15 DOS. Agora.

Black Pussy/The Great Iron Snake/ Sparrowmilk: 8:30 p.m., $5 ADV, $7 DOS. Beachland Tavern.

Matthew Curry (in the Cambridge Room): 7 p.m., $12 ADV, $14 DOS. House of Blues.

Elliott Ingersoll’s Free Thought Folk Music/Charlie Mosbrook: 7 p.m.

Barking Spider Tavern.

Matt Pond PA: Several Arrows Later 10 Year Anniversary Tour: 8 p.m., $13.

Grog Shop.

Dianne Schuur: 7 p.m., $40. Nighttown.

Septicflesh/Moonspell/Deathstar/ Mythrias: 6 p.m., $17 ADV, $20 DOS. Agora.

Dan Zola Big Band: 7:30 p.m. Vosh Club.

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 59

band of the week WELSHLY ARMS

By Jeff Niesel

Meet the Band: Sam Getz (vocals, guitars), Jimmy Weaver (bass), Mikey Gould (drums), Brett Lindemann (keyboards) FROM SIdeMan tO FROntMan: Sam Getz was a session guy before joining singer-songwriter Kate Voegele for her 2006 tour. He spent four years on the road with her and then hooked up with indie rockers Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers and toured with them for three years.

When that band took a hiatus in 2012, Getz put together Welshly Arms, christening the group with a name that comes from a Saturday Night Live skit. an auSpIcIOuS deBut: Back in January 2013, the band played its first show at the Beachland Tavern and sold the place out thanks to having built a huge online following. “Music has always been what I wanted my career to be,” says Getz. “When I was home off the road, I started jamming with my friends. It was organic. We were barbecuing. It was just getting the boys back together. As we went on, we thought it could be a band.

We just started recording some stuff and it grew organically like that. I never do anything half ass.

If I’m going to do it, I just wanted to really go for it. As much as we want to play music, our goal is to be home. We’re in that stage of life.”

Last year, the group’s following

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

really grew and it even played a gig at Progressive Field.

why yOu ShOuld heaR theM: When the band issued its six-song covers album last year, we had this to say about it: “It’s an exciting roundup of tunes, all of which work really well in Welshly Arms’ throwback rock style.” With its latest self-titled long player, the group continues to impress. “Love in a Minor Key,” the free-wheeling song that opens Welshly Arms, is a grunge-y blues number that features noisy guitars and soulful backing vocals. While the album is the band’s first full-length, Getz says the guys had no trouble coming up with enough songs. “A couple of the tracks were leftover from the first EP. We finished them up and gave them a facelift. We cut 16 to 18 tracks and then scraped off the fat.

I wanted a 10-song album but I have found that I always have better luck making more songs than you really need.” wheRe yOu can heaR theM: welshlyarms.com. wheRe yOu can See theM: Welshly Arms performs with Modern Electric and Teddy Boys at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at House of Blues.

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015 65

savage love TEACHING MOMENT

By Dan Savage Dear Dan, Last summer, I reconnected with a high-school teacher I hadn’t seen for a year. We first met when I was 15, and I had nothing but respect for him and his intelligence. I also had a crush on him for the next four years.

Fast-forward a year. He is sexting me and sending dick pics and wants to hook up. He has told me he loves me. I feel violated and tricked, like he was supposed to be someone I could trust and he didn’t respect that. Now I wonder how teachers really see underage high-school girls. This whole experience has made me feel dirty.

Moreover, he has never respected that I have a boyfriend and that I want nothing to do with his advances. I met up with a former classmate, and she told me that this teacher and another teacher said similar things to her. Ew! Most former classmates of mine still believe him to be a respectable man and a great teacher. But I know him for what he really is, and when I think of it, I get so angry. How do I move on from this? — Schooling Thankfully Over Permanently

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magazine | clevescene.com | May 6 - 12, 2015

Teligence/18+

I would never want to minimize the creepiness factor of a former teacher sending you dick pics and refusing to take “I want nothing to do with your advances” for an answer. And I definitely believe high-school teachers— all teachers who work with minors— should refrain from fucking current students and sending dick pics to former students. As for the other issues you raise…

This guy was your teacher when you were 15… you had a crush on him for four years… a crush he doubtless picked up on… and you somehow reconnected with him after not seeing him for a year… and one year after reconnecting, he’s still contacting you despite your rejection of him.

If I’ve got the timeline right, you were 19 or 20 when you reconnected with your former teacher and you’re 20 or 21 now. Maybe even 22. That means nothinghappened—nothingappropriate or inappropriate—until you were (1) no longer his student and (2) legally an adult. Your former teacher did nothing inappropriate when you were his student (you surely would’ve included that detail), and so far as you know, he’s never behaved inappropriately toward a current student. Which means either

your former teacher has a solid agerange floor (he’s not attracted to anyone under the age of 18) or he’s capable of exercising self-control.

Your former classmate’s story complicates the picture—and yucks the picture—but she was a former student and an adult when these teachers said “similar things” to her, right? That’s still creepy, of course, it’s still not okay, and it’s still potential career suicide for both these idiots.

But it’s not technically illegal. If you honestly believe that either or both of these idiots are behaving inappropriately toward their current students, STOP, you should approach the administration at your old high school with your concerns. Doing so will result in the end of their careers as educators—but if these guys are trying to fuck their current students and/ or grooming their current students for fucking a year or two after they graduate, then both should get the fuck out of teaching.

As for feeling dirty, STOP, I don’t understand where that’s coming from. You didn’t do anything dirty. If knowing that a teacher might have found you sexually attractive back when you were a junior in high school leaves you feeling violated, tricked, and angry, STOP, if that realization has you convinced that all teachers are secret perverts, then you seem to be operating under a faulty set of assumptions about what teachers are.

They’re not robots, they’re not eunuchs, they’re not humanoids from a parallel universe where life isn’t occasionally complicated by an unwanted sexual attraction. Teachers are human beings, and they sometimes experience sexual attraction, including sexual attraction of the unwelcome and/or inappropriate variety. What they choose to do about it—suppress it, act on it—determines whether they’re respectable men and women and (possibly) great teachers or total creeps and/or sex offenders.

This does not, of course, excuse what your former teacher is doing to you now. He’s sexually harassing you. Tell him to stop and threaten to take it up with the school board if he doesn’t. How do you move on? You do what I do on Twitter: Block and forget the asshole— BAFTA.

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