Serious Rock Coup Alert: Cleveland’s got U2 booked through Jan. 2, 2010

Legacies of another U2 tour (Zoo TV tour) hang in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: KFCrisafi

Well, no, not really – but after seeing a preview of U2 3D in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum‘s recently-turned-up-to-eleven Foster Theater, my 12-year-old daughter and I left the place feeling like we had actually seen the band in person.

I’ve never seen U2 live, and I didn’t get a chance to see this movie during its limited 2007 theatrical run, so during the opening moments after we’d put on our viewing glasses, I felt that pre-show excitement in my gut.

And when the first notes of the opening number roared through the speakers, I got a genuine goosebump rush–which would happen again at least a half-dozen times during the 85-minute movie.

The depth and natural effectiveness of the 3-D projection is absolutely fantastic. We said afterward that during some of the wide-angle shots, it seemed as though we were watching the foreground projected on a scrim while the stadium was an actual physical backdrop on the stage behind the screen.

At the same time, the audio was loud enough to engulf us without being distorted or hurting our hears, and sounded rich with directional layering and detail. There were a few moments when I really couldn’t tell if a fan’s cheer was a concert-goer captured live or someone in the theater next to me.

CLE Bands to Watch (03.19.09)

Band stickers on the door of Music Saves in Collinwood (Credit: KFCrisafi)

This admittedly biased guide’s is entitled “CLE Bands to Watch.”  In the humble opinion of many Cleveland music lovers, this city’s always been home to artists and performers worth championing.  Punk rockers, metalheads, folksters and even good ol’ meat-and-potatoes classic rock lovers love their locals. We’re good like that.
 
A quick scan of pop media might bring up superstar rock duo The Black Keys, and their emerging cohort, Jessica Lea Mayfield. Now, the Keys are from Cleveland’s southern sister, Akron, and Ms. Mayfield is from a little bit even further out, but that doesn’t mean Clevelanders won’t let them into the musical family that’s been scattered here for 30 plus years.
 

Beat of a Different Drummer: Interview with Black Keys’ Patrick Carney (March 2009)

Image courtesy of Black Keys

Graduates of Akron’s Firestone High (the same school the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde attended), Black Keys singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney started playing together in 2001. In 2002, they inauspiciously issued The Big Come Up, a gritty collection of garage-blues tunes, on a small label called Alive Records and set out on a national tour. Before long, Rolling Stone magazine was praising the band, and acts like Radiohead and Beck enlisted it as an opening act. Its music soon appeared in everything from TV ads to commercial films. In the wake of last year’s Attack & Release, its first album to feature an outside producer, the band’s popularity escalated even further. And yet, as Carney explains in a recent phone interview, the duo’s still proud to call Akron home.

Whether you’re performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien or playing the main stage at Lollapalooza, you guys always identify yourselves as the Black Keys from Akron, Ohio. Talk a little about what Akron symbolizes for you guys and why you like the city so much.  Well, Akron is our home. It’s where all of our friends are. We do that because places like Akron get written off. I don’t think you can’t truly appreciate Akron until you have either lived here or at least been here. It’s not one of those cities where people are waiting in line to come visit. That’s why we like Akron. It’s not flashy. There are lots of cool things, but you just need to know where to go. Because of that, nothing ever changes, which is cool.

CLE’s Independently-Owned Concert Clubs (02.22.09)

The back bar @ Beachland Ballroom. (Photo: KFCrisafi)

It’s well known that Cleveland has a vibrant live music scene encompassing a wide variety of styles to entice any serious fan. Bands on the scene range from acoustic folk and polka to the heaviest of metal and intricate math-rock. The biggest challenge for any concertgoer traveling to CLE for the first time, however, is actually finding the spots where each kind of music gets performed. Cleveland is not like other large cities that have a critical mass of great music clubs on one street or in a small district. While the House of Blues, Blossom Music Center and other big venues are easy to spot, some of Cleveland’s best clubs are smaller and independently-owned. These local favs are distributed equally east and west of downtown. Each club adds a specific spice to Cleveland’s musical gumbo. 

Smashing Pumpkins @ PlayhouseSquare (11.01.08)

I’m not a huge fan of arena shows for rock concerts, I very much prefer either making the 30-minute drive down to Blossom Music Center or finding the tours that make stops at intimate settings around Cleveland.   I’ve seen the Cranberries play at PlayhouseSquare, Oasis at Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Dave Matthews at Akron Civic Theatre and the John Mayer Trio at House of Blues.    So when I heard that Smashing Pumpkins (or at least the two remaining members) were playing one of the first dates of their 20th anniversary tour at the Palace Theater in PlayhouseSquare, I knew I had to get tickets and I took my husband as a birthday present.   This is one of the few bands he and I agree on, so this is actually the first real rock concert we’ve attended together.   As we walked in, and for the next half an hour, he couldn’t stop saying, “What a weird place for a rock concert.”    It was kind of funny, walking into the beautiful and ornate lobby of the theater.   He grew up in NJ, but for me, this is par for the course living here.   Sometimes you find these neat opportunities for performances and have to take advantage of it.  We had a great time, and also, as my husband pointed out, “Drinks in Cleveland are so much cheaper than Hawaii” . . . that’s  where we just recently went for vacation.
 

SMV Thunder Tour: Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten @ Cain Park (08.15.08)

Trio performing in

August 15, 2008 was a very special day for me. From the minute I walked into Cain Park I knew this was going to be a special event. The line waiting to get in was a long one. That is where you usually find me; the line for the lawn. We usually try to get there at least an hour ahead of time  or maybe a little earlier than that to sit on the lawn. But this show was different. We had seats.

I purchased tickets almost three months in advance for this particular concert.  That is something I never do, but I was so excited to see these bass legends that I wanted to be up close. (I missed Wooten when he was in town playing Beachland Ballroom recently and regretted it.) Also, I wasn’t sure about the weather and I thought it was my safest bet since it is an outdoor theater.

When my husband and I found our seats there were already about 30 people milling in front of the stage.  My husband who is a musician said they were all checking out the set up and the gear.  Yes, this was a real musician’s concert.  There was even a guy walking around with his bass. 

In my opinion, Cain Park is one of the best venues for outdoor concerts in the city.  The great thing about Cain Park is that you can see from just about anywhere in the amphitheater.  The Pavilion section at the front of Evans Amphitheater seats around 1,000 people and the lawn is located right behind.  They divide the lawn into two sections, blankets up front and lawn chairs in the back so there is no obstruction to your view. The amphitheater actually reminds you of Blossom Music Center, only smaller and more intimate.  

Because Cain Park is smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood, there is no parking lot. Parking is on the neighboring streets.  There is also a bus that leaves Severance Shopping Center in front of Bally’s Total Fitness on concert nights.  This runs an hour before concert time up to an hour after the show. 

There are two entrances to the park for concerts I usually use the Goodnor & Superior entrance.  It slopes down into a valley.  For people who may be physically challenged there is a golf cart type of shuttle that will take people down the hill and back up to the entrance. 

If you have never been to Cain Park (14591 Superior Rd at Lee), take a look at their website and plan on attending this year or next summer.  There are events for everyone. –SS

Americana Music in Cleveland (08.28.08)

I’m a local musician, I work at a local concert club and I record a number of bands. Most of my nights and weekends involve seeing shows, running sound, playing gigs, bartending at concert club. I’m passionate about music . . . That’s why I’m putting together chances for anyone interested Americana music, especially Cleveland-based Americana music, to get together and celebrate their common interests and share their experiences. I think that all too often, we’re too busy and distracted to take advantage of the small but energetic network of like-minded musicians in the city.
Cleveland is often called the “home of rock and roll,” and rock is alive and well here. But what many people don’t realize is that there is also a talented and large group of Americana artists in Cleveland. Sometimes called alt-country, Americana is actually a style of music that embraces an array of genres including country, blues, folk, acoustic and straight up, old-school rock and roll like Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holley even Bruce Springsteen!

Local chanteuse, Amy Primiano. (Courtesy Hayshaker Jones)

Local Americana artists have been using unique and often historic venues as their home bases in Cleveland including The Beachland Ballroom in the up-and-coming Waterloo district and the Sachsenheim Hall (7001 Denison Avenue, Cleveland, OH, 216.961.9765) on the city’s near west side. Hidden a little from the limelight, Americana musicians have staying power on the local scene.

AMERICANA MUSIC FEST 2008 (August 28 – 31)
Whether you’re an old Americana fan or a just a music lover looking to try something new, you can check out bands like the ones I’ve described during the Americana Music Fest 2008 which will be held over four days in Cleveland, Ohio. Shows and events take place at Prosperity Social Club, Sachsenheim Hall, Hi-Fi Concert Club and The Beachland Ballroom and Tavern.

AUDIO SPECTRUM “FAMILY” REUNION (August 28, 2008)
A part of the four-day festival, the family reunion I have planned has its roots in an original roots jam night I created three years ago. Back then, musicians from all over the city came together at the Town Fryer and spent some really fines time together. But after a host of shows, classes I was taking in recording arts technology took up my time and attention and I had to give up the popular jam night.

The family reunion at Prosperity Social Club is an effort once again to bring Americana fans, musicians and people on the scene together again for the cause of music!  The night includes a happy hour specials, free appetizers (because, of course, what struggling musician doesn’t like free food?) and a performance by Bob Lanphier and the Bitter Disappointments. –CH

It’s All About the Music @ The Grog (08.10.08)

All These Kings playing

The crowd is packed, the lights are dim and the band is ready to go on.   The venue is the Grog Shop, one of the city’s best spots for some undiscovered talent and college music.  It’s underground a theme goes hand-in-hand with the Grog’s atmosphere since it is windowless and has a basement-like feel.  The drink specials are solid and the crowd is always electric, a dynamic duo when fueling a live show.

During the week, the Grog Shop headlines anywhere from two to three bands on pretty much any given night.  This past weekend I was fortunate enough to see my friend’s band, All These Kings return home from Boston to play an hour set in front of their Cleveland faithful.

After just wrapping up on recording their first album they were ready to hit the stage showing the crowd what they could deliver.  The alternative rock band sounds similar to Radiohead and Snow Patrol, belting out catchy creative tunes that highlight each band member’s individual talents.  All These Kings come back to Cleveland every few months so I highly recommend checking them out next time they’re in. (Realizing I am a bit biased, since it’s my friend’s band.)

Following the show, we hopped around Coventry, stopping in at B-Side right next door to the Grog Shop.  The place has a great outside patio in the back and fits in with Coventry’s eclectic neighborhood feel.  -AS

The Foo Rocks “The Q” (07.25.08)

Quicken Loans Arena

I consider myself to be an avid fan of rock and roll music and one of the great things about calling Cleveland home is its reputation for memorable rock and roll concerts. Whether it’s a secret show by Akron’s Black Keys for 100 people at the Beachland Ballroom (in the small tavern side) or a comeback tour stop by Stone Temple Pilots and native frontman Scott Weiland at PlayhouseSquare’s 5,000-seat State Theatre, I’m never at a loss to see a great rock and roll show. This is, after all, the home of rock and roll.

Last Friday I took my fiancé to see the Foo Fighters in concert at Quicken Loans Arena for her birthday. We were running late to the show and with the Cleveland Indians playing next door at Progressive Field it could have been difficult getting to the show on time and finding a parking spot with all that traffic, but here’s a tip . . . take the RTA. We live close to a RTA Red Line Rapid Station which makes it very convenient to travel to downtown. In less than 15 minutes we arrived at Tower City Center and took the Walkway to Gateway that leads right into Quicken Loans Arena.  

It was a homecoming of sorts for the Foo Fighters with Dave Grohl being from nearby Warren, Ohio. The Foo seemed to play harder, louder and longer. Pulling out all the stops for the hometown crowd, which included Grohl’s father, in a 2 ½-hour show that included a few surprises.

The band opened up an electric set with “Let It Die,” a track off their latest album and mixed in a few hits with “Times Like These” and “Learn To Fly” as well as a cover by The Who called “Young Man Blues.”

Halfway through the show the band took to a small circular stage about 30 feet from our seats and played an acoustic set featuring “Marigold” (a Nirvana B-side), “My Hero” and “Monkey Wrench” with Pat Smear, a former Nirvana bandmate, on guitar. The good times continued to roll with Kelly Pavlik, the middleweight boxing champion from Youngstown, Ohio, coming on-stage to lead the audience in a raucous “O-H-I-O” chant.

The band topped that with another lively cover of The Who’s “Bargain” with Supergrass’ Gaz on leads vocals and “Best of You” for the encore. Another fine show indeed –Cleveland style.

Next up on my concert schedule…Dr. Dog at The Beachland Ballroom and the British band Coldplay comes around these parts in October. – MS