Scene July 28, 2021

July 28-August 10, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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CONTENTS

JULY 28-AUGUST 10, 2021 • VOL. 52 NO 02 Upfront .......................................8 Feature ..................................... 14 Get Out .....................................20 Arts .......................................... 23 Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat Publisher Andrew Zelman Editor Vince Grzegorek Editorial Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Visual Arts Writer Shawn Mishak Stage Editor Christine Howey

Eat ............................................24 Music ........................................ 29 Savage Love ..............................34

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Howard Stern graced the cover of Scene when he came to town for the “funeral” of his competitors after driving WNCX to No. 1 in local ratings.

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UPFRONT

THE CLEVELAND INDIANS ANNOUNCE NAME CHANGE TO CLEVELAND GUARDIANS IN A TOM HANKS-NARRATED video posted to social media last week, the Cleveland baseball team has formally announced what had been rumored for some time: They will become the Cleveland Guardians. After an extensive, opaque process involving community engagement with local stakeholders and the purported consideration of more than 1,100 new names, the team settled on one of the more popular options among fans. It is a name that references both the Guardians of Traffic statues on the Lorain-Carnegie bridge and pays homage to Cleveland’s blue-collar history. “We are loyal and proud and resilient,” Hanks intones in the announcement video. “We protect what we’ve earned and always defend it. Together we stand with all who understand what it means to be born and built from the Land.” Chairman Paul Dolan said much the same in a prepared statement, announcing that the team was

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excited to usher in a new era of Cleveland baseball history (and declining to mention the reason for the name change). “Cleveland has and always will be the most important part of our identity,” Dolan said. “Therefore, we wanted a name that strongly represents the pride, resiliency, and loyalty of Clevelanders.” The national media, writing about the change, have in many cases learned for the first time about the Guardians of Traffic. We’re here to help you get reacquainted with them. Here are 10 quick facts: 1.

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They’re super locally made. The 43-foot-tall sandstone slabs came from Berea. The bridge on which they stand was re-named in the 1980s to honor Bob Hope’s father. Harry Hope, the father of Bob Hope, was one of the stonemasons who worked on the statues in the late 1920s and first years of the 1930s. There’s been some confusion

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whether it was named in honor of the entire Hope family, but most resources point toward Harry Hope. There are eight different Guardian designs, not four. The four pylons have one Guardian facing in each direction, and each side is different. Engineer Wilbur Watson coined the Guardians of Traffic moniker and wrote that they “typify the spirit of progress in transportation.” There’s a stagecoach, a covered wagon, a hay rack, an early 20th century car, and four different trucks, with the sculptures’ progression representing the evolution of transport. Henry Hering of New York was the sculptor. There’s long been a battle between the city and the county over who’s responsible for changing the lights illuminating the statues. The statues were so beloved and

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important that no one cared to stake a claim on making sure you could see them at night. In 2017, Councilman Kerry McCormack said: “We’ve been communicating with five or six agencies. Figuring out who is responsible for the lighting should be simpler than this, there’s no doubt about it. We want them lit. I jokingly said I’d go up there and do it myself.” Each pylon has an 8 by 10-foot recess. They were originally used to store brooms and other cleaning supplies when the bridge was hand-cleaned. They were made at the beginning of the Great Depression. From Cleveland Historical: The LorainCarnegie Bridge opened in 1932, becoming the second fixed high-level span in Cleveland. It was built in part to relieve traffic on the

Detroit-Superior Bridge (the city’s other fixed high-level bridge) which opened in 1917. Construction began on the bridge in 1930, though plans for the bridge date as far back as 1902, when citizens of Cleveland presented a petition requesting construction of a high-level viaduct between Lorain and Central Avenues. In 1927, the city approved a bond issue of $8 million dollars for the bridge’s construction, changing the plan slightly to have the east approach connect with Carnegie instead of Central Avenue. Upon completion, the bridge stood 93 feet above the Cuyahoga River and had a span of 5,865 feet. 7. The bridge, including and because of the Guardians, was recognized by the American Institute of Steel Construction as one of the most beautiful bridges of 1932. 8. They were almost torn down in the 1970s. Then Cuyahoga County-engineer Albert Porter wanted to add more lanes to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and wanted to tear down the Guardians, which were at that point filthy dirty and badly in need of some TLC. “Those columns are monstrosities and should be torn down and forgotten. There is nothing particularly historic about any one of them. We’re not running a May Show here,” he was quoted as saying. He lost the battle and they remained. 9. The original designs called for planes and boats. As Cleveland Magazine has written, “Watson credited Frank Walker of Walker & Weeks, Cleveland’s premier architectural firm of the time, with the guardians’ design. Watson explained what the guardians symbolized, but not what had inspired them.” Original sketches from that firm show a boat and a plane in addition to land vehicles. The decision was made at some point to scrap them. 10. They are indeed the Guardians of Traffic, and not the Guardians of Transportation. Though they’ve also been referred to as The Lords of Transportation in earlier years by some. -Vince Grzegorek

DeWine Pushed for 10 Extra Years on Indians’ Lease Extension in Exchange for State Money for Progressive Field Upgrades Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in an interview last week with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima on 92.3 The Fan said that when he was approached by city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials to chip in state money for upgrades to Progressive Field as part of a lease extension with the Cleveland Indians, he sent the proposed framework and parties back to the table with a directive to craft an agreement that included a longer lease agreement. “I felt the longer the lease, the better it would be for Indians fans and important for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio,” DeWine said. “They were talking about a shorter lease, a 15-year lease. What I said is, look, I think we can be helpful but I would like to see a longer lease. They’ve been working on that, and I’m optimistic of where that’s going to go.” The Indians’ lease at Progressive Field is up in 2023 and, as professional teams tend to do, the Cleveland baseball club is using the leverage to seek tens of millions of dollars in publicly funded upgrades at the stadium. The city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County will be contributing, but with purse strings already tight thanks to other commitments, they sought help from the state. Reports have previously said the state’s portion of the bill, the grand total of which hasn’t yet been disclosed, would be $30 million. DeWine said two weeks ago that the current framework would include a 15-year lease extension with two fiveyear options that could be executed by the city and county, not the team, after that. County executive Armond Budish and mayor Frank Jackson, whose inept performances in the Q Deal left no doubt that they would ever be considered master negotiators, apparently brought the initial 15-year framework that was less favorable to the public to DeWine earlier this year. As for what the grand total will be and how much the city and county will be on the hook for, DeWine gave no concrete information besides saying that the state’s role in this project is “not necessarily a big one.” Acknowledging, unlike local officials, that the Dolan family is committed to Cleveland and has

never talked publicly or private about moving the team, DeWine nevertheless argued that, because of the team’s small-market stature, the state has an obligation to contribute to the upgrades. “The Dolans have been very clear that they’re all in for the Indians and baseball in Cleveland, and I don’t want anyone to interpret this conversation as that the Dolan family isn’t focused on Cleveland,” DeWine said. “I’ve just been around long enough to know the markets and revenues when you’re dealing with a small market team, and there could be at some point in the future, maybe with different ownership, possibly moving the team. Now, I have no indication that could happen, but you worry about it.” DeWine defended the idea of the state handing millions of dollars to a professional sports team in the midst of pandemic recovery by reiterating that Ohio was careful with spending during 2020 and has come out “in very good shape” in 2021. And, “You’ve seen the state have some role [in stadium upgrades] before, and it’s not doing it for the owners, you’re doing it because we have two small market teams in Ohio and baseball is very different than the NFL, where you’re dividing evenly the biggest revenue stream,” he said. “In baseball, you have a great disparity in teams’ ability to get players and do what they need to do to compete, so it’s tough for small market teams to begin with.” -Vince Grzegorek

Cleveland Mayoral Candidates Largely Fuzzy on Environmental Issues Zack Reed wanted to make the city’s department of sustainability as important as the department of public safety. Basheer Jones remarked upon the storms of July. Justin Bibb thought the city’s 90day “opt-in” recycling program was dumb. Ross DiBello wanted to “attack” car culture. Dennis Kucinich wanted to transform Burke Lakefront Airport into an urban park that would be the envy of the nation. Sandra Williams wanted more greenspace in which residents could relax. Kevin Kelley, before dashing off to the memorial vigil for fallen former firefighter Wilbert McCormick, said that restoring the city’s tree canopy was “priority number one.” This was the Cleveland mayoral forum on the environment, moderated by Ideastream’s Justin

Glanville and sponsored by the Ohio Environmental Council and a host of area 501(c)3s. And by the conclusion of the brisk 85-minute program, the overwhelming impression was that very few of the candidates had more than a Cliff’s Notes understanding of environmental issues. It might not have been fair to expect Ph.D level disquisitions on topics like particulate matter and water technology, but the scattershot answers were often only tangentially related to the questions posed. Buzzwords and broad strokes abounded. Still, the candidates agreed that Cleveland’s lapsed recycling program should be re-instituted, that streets should be made safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and that planting more trees, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, was imperative from an environmental justice perspective. Basheer Jones, in a moment of

DIGIT WIDGET 216-664-3030 City of Cleveland phone number to opt-in to new pilot recycling program. (You can also opt-in via a form available at clecityhall.com.)

3-2 Score by which local welterweight Delante “Tiger” Johnson defeated Argentina’s Brian Arregui in first round matchup at the Tokyo Olympics.

1 Rank of the Cleveland Clinic in a new study listing the hospital systems that devote the least resources to charity care and community investment. The Clinic was dead last.

1,229 Traffic fatalities in Ohio in 2020, a record year. The state’s on pace to near that record again in 2021.

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candor, admitted that he really wasn’t an expert on the environment — evident when, in response to a question about making water bills more affordable, he talked at length about lead pipes — but vowed to bring experts to the table if elected. The environmentalists in the audience, at several live watch parties around town, were no doubt gladdened that the discussion was happening at all. Several candidates alluded to interesting ideas and policy changes. Justin Bibb, for example, said that Cleveland should explore alternative funding models for public transit. Dennis Kucinich teased an international competition to design a reimagined Burke Lakefront Park. He also said the city should promptly build 20,000 low- and moderate-income housing units. Bibb, Kucinich and Sandra Williams all mentioned extricating Cleveland Public Power from its 50-year purchasing contract that hurts consumers and limits the possibility of green alternatives. Zack Reed said that on weekends, he’d close MLK through the cultural gardens to vehicular traffic. Ross DiBello stumbled upon the idea that the city could plant trees kind of like it repaves streets — using a worst-first approach that would target neighborhoods with the highest temperatures. He said the “Urban Forester” should be a cabinet-level position. Kevin Kelley, who only answered two questions, presented a straightforward approach to addressing climate change from City Hall: increasing the tree canopy, decreasing vehicle emissions, making solar power standard at city-owned buildings and promoting multi-modal transportation. Bibb, who grounded his remarks in environmental justice throughout the evening, got a dig in at Kucinich as well. Kucinich had announced earlier in the week that on day one of his administration, he planned to lower rates for CPP customers and Cleveland Water customers in the city by 10% by dipping into the utilities’ expanding surpluses. Bibb said that this pledge relied on “funny math” and that doing so would decrease the utilities’ bonding capacity to increase power reserves in the future. -Sam Allard

North Shore AFL-CIO Endorses Kucinich in Cleveland Mayoral Race The North Shore AFL-CIO, the local labor organization representing more than 80,000 workers and nearly 150 unions in Northeast Ohio, has endorsed Dennis Kucinich in the 2021 Cleveland mayoral race. AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Dan O’Malley, standing before an array of local labor leaders and rank-and-file workers, said that more than 400 labor delegates from member unions ratified the recommendation of the AFL-CIO’s executive board Wednesday. He said that Kucinich “well exceeded” the 2/3 majority required for the body to make an endorsement. “Throughout his career, Dennis Kucinich has made it abundantly clear that he is on the side of workers,” O’Malley said in opening remarks. “And we are here this morning to say that as Dennis runs for mayor of Cleveland, we are on his side too.” O’Malley cited Kucinich’s 100% voting record on labor issues in the U.S. House of Representatives and multiple instances of his having stood with workers in local labor disputes. “He has been a phenomenal and game-changing leader, not only for Cleveland but for the country,” O’Malley said, “a man who has proven himself time and again to be ahead of his time. One thing that has never changed with Dennis is his moral compass. In Cleveland, there is a generational opportunity to firmly plant the flag for working people and for all citizens at Cleveland City Hall. For us, the choice is clear.” Kucinich said he accepted the endorsement with humility and gratitude and correctly called the AFL-CIO’s support “decisive.” Other candidates sought the endorsement not only because of the AFL-CIO’s reputation but because of its local clout. There are more than 50,000 voters in union households in the city of Cleveland, and O’Malley said that the North Shore AFL-CIO would be actively communicating the endorsement, letting their members know “who has stood with us time and time again, and what’s at stake in this year’s election.” Kucinich articulated the values of the labor movement that he was proud to stand for: the right to organize, the right to collectively bargain, the right to strike, the right to decent wages and benefits,

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UPFRONT the right to a safe workplace, the right to a secure retirement, and the right to participate in the political system. “These are fundamental rights in a democratic society,” Kucinich said, “At every level of government, I’ve taken a stand on behalf of working men and women... And we shall have that flag of labor planted on top of City Hall, and we will let people know everywhere that City Hall belongs first and foremost to the working men and women of this community.” -Sam Allard

Justin Bibb Issues “Eviction Notice” to “Predatory” Property Owner Holton-Wise Standing on the front porch of a dilapidated property on Cleveland’s west side earlier this month, mayoral candidate Justin Bibb denounced the property management firm HoltonWise and other companies like them that profit off the exploitation of historically underserved communities. Holton-Wise is among the more grotesque of these property managers in Cleveland. Bibb’s press conference opened with a video in which Holton-Wise gleefully championed the merits of “ghetto investing.” Holton-Wise has also produced graded maps of neighborhood quality in Cleveland that align closely with the maps of historically redlined neighborhoods. (In Holton-Wise’s maps, the areas graded “D” or “F” are color-coded in red and dubbed “war zones.”) Bibb said these maps, the HoltonWise merchandise that glamorize slumlording — “I ♥ EVICTION” read a t-shirt on display — and the general practice of investing in Cleveland’s most vulnerable neighborhoods only to let the properties disintegrate before selling them at a profit, was an example of “modern-day redlining.” “It sickens me to my core,” Bibb said. “So today, I stand with residents to say that it’s time to evict Holton-Wise from our city. Under my watch, I’ll fight back against real estate bullies who have operated with impunity for far too long.” Bibb said that his plan would put people first. He said he would begin holding property managers accountable and was prepared to throw out companies that destroy

neighborhoods. He said he would partner with HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge to enforce the Fair Housing Law and investigate civil rights violations, work with City Council to pass pay-to-stay legislation to protect the rights of tenants, take legal action against owners who fail to register rental units and expand housing and building codes to apply to third-party agents. Bibb was joined by former City Council President Jay Westbrook, who recently endorsed Bibb, and Ward 6 community leader and Fair Housing Board member Bob Render, who proposed various solutions — up to and including a class-action lawsuit against Holton-Wise — to hold predatory lenders accountable. The next week, James Wise himself -- the brash, bearded CEO of Holton-Wise – took to one of his several YouTube shows to criticize Bibb. Wise called Bibb a “socialist asshole” and said the 34-year-old executive’s platform was nothing but “anti-cop, anti-safety” “socialist, communist” rhetoric. He showed a number of clips from Bibb’s press conference and said the candidate was blaming landlords for existing urban problems. “Is it just my language that offends you, bro?” Wise asked. “Is it just because I don’t show up to work in a fancy suit every day? Because I don’t wear a tie every day? Hell, I don’t even wear a shirt every day when I’m at work. Is it because I don’t have your pedigree ... because I grew up in Old Brooklyn and went to Tri-C and stopped after a two-year degree, and I just happen to work fucking hard for my money? Is that what bothers you about me?” Wise leveled a number of accusations and tried to reframe Holton-Wise’s love of evictions as a love of safety. (Tenants who don’t pay their rent are criminals, according to Wise’s logic, and so evicting them means ridding communities of criminals.) Though Wise’s response only made the Bibb press conference look like more of a PR master stroke -- it reveals Wise even more luridly as a villain – Wise seemed eager to extend the controversy. “If you’re going to come at me,” he taunted, near the video’s end, “come at me with facts. Come at me with something specific that explains what you think my company is doing that’s predatory.” -Sam Allard

scene@clevescene.com @clevelandscene July 28-August 10, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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FEATURE

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK, AGAIN

Northeast Ohio’s music venues are reopening and welcoming back fans and bands. For the owners, it’s been a long time coming Local promoters and club owners gather at the recently reopened Happy Dog.

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| clevescene.com | July 28-August 10, 2021

Photo: Emanuel Wallace

by Jeff Niesel WHEN GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE invoked executive orders to ban mass gatherings last year, local concert clubs, many of which were gearing up for what promised to be an exciting spring and summer, had to clear their schedules and shutter. While several venues tried reopening at some point last year, many closed or operated at reduced capacity as they awaited financial aid from the county and federal government. With the worst of the pandemic hopefully behind us, concert venues both big and small have begun rebooking concerts for 2021 (and even into 2022) with the hopes of salvaging this summer and ramping up for the kind of fall that looks more like what Northeast Ohio has to come expect from what has historically been one of the country’s best regions for rock ’n’ roll. Here’s a look at what some of Cleveland’s venues have been through, how they managed to survive and what they have on the horizon.

AGORA

Last year got off to a great start for the Agora. “Things were going really, really well, and we had a big year ahead of us,” says talent buyer Chris Zitterbart one afternoon from a basement office inside the Midtown venue owned by mega live music and entertainment presenter AEG Presents. For the past month, he and marketing manager Mike Tata have been busy rebooking the venue for late summer and into 2022. “The Bert Kreischer special filmed here came out on Netflix, and the venue looked beautiful. And then, everything went to hell on March 12.” At around that time, the hard rock act Killswitch Engage played a sold-out show with Light the Torch opening. “It was a great vibe,” says Zitterbart when asked about the concert. “The next night, [DJ] Steve Aoki performed, and turnout was really light because I think people were getting concerned about things. He still put on a great show.” As a result, Zitterbart and his staff, including marketing director Mike Tata, gathered in a conference room and watched governor Mike DeWine give a press conference. ”That was the endnote,” says Tata. “Live events were paused.” Much of the staff was laid off. Recently, however, much of the staff has been rehired. An Aug. 5 performance by indie rock act Japanese Breakfast will restart the Agora’s season. “I feel really strongly about what we have booked,” says Zitterbart. Upcoming highlights include indie rock Ty Seagall and the Freedom Rocker Band (Aug. 14), the pop-punk band All Time Low (Sept. 1) and gypsy punks Gogol Bordello (Sept. 17) and rapper Tech N9ne (Nov. 5). “Mike [Tata] and the rest of the staff are getting crushed by on-sales. The

floodgates are open. We’re always wondering at what point it’ll be too much and at what point fans will have bought tickets to too many shows, but we should have a strong 2021. We’re booked into next year too.” In addition to hosting live music, the venue has also booked comedians like Taylor Tomlinson (Nov. 12) and Nate Bargatze (Dec. 4-5) and events such as Tacos & Tequila (Aug. 27-29) and All Fizzed Up (Sept. 11).

BEACHLAND BALLROOM & TAVERN Beachland Ballroom co-owner Cindy Barber says times were tough at her Collinwood club even before COVID hit. “The trend in the music industry is for touring bands to try to get as much money as they possibly can from live touring these days,” she says last month from the club’s tavern as staff prepped for a ribboncutting ceremony for its reopening. “That means higher guarantees and special meet-and-greets that venues need to accommodate. They charge $100 a person for early meet-andgreets but that money often just goes through the venue’s books. You may only get a couple of extra dollars to pay for extra staffing, but then you pay taxes. The small venues were already in a pickle.” Last year, the venue celebrated its 20thanniversary right before businesses had to close to stop the spread of COVID, but Barber says that “in order for the Beachland to survive, there needed to be some sort of a change in the business model.” Barber says one thing that club owners have all learned during this difficult time is how much this city embraces and values its live music clubs. When it had to temporarily close, the Beachland started selling merch online to make ends meet.

“We basically turned our office into a shipping facility,” says Barber. And while closed, the club re-did its hardwood floors and remodeled its kitchen. Barber says limited capacity shows have gone well and the club is transitioning in July and August, slowly increasing capacity. The club’s late summer and fall schedule is packed with national touring acts such as CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band (Aug. 1), Sarah Shook & the Disarmers (Aug. 12), Brent Cobb and Nikki Lane (Aug. 25) and Albert Cummings (Sept. 8) and then moving into full-capacity shows such as the sold-out rescheduled OSEES (Sept 19). “People are so grateful to be able to see live music again,” she says. “Every day, someone says it’s the first time they’ve been out and how grateful they are that we’re still here.”

BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER / JACOBS PAVILION AT NAUTICA Behemoth concert promoter Live Nation books most of the rock, pop and country concerts that take place at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica and Blossom Music Center. The shows slated to take place at those venues in 2020 promised to be big ones. Jackson Browne and James Taylor were bringing their tour to town, Primus’s tribute to Rush was slated to come here as were the Black Crowes, who were reuniting to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their seminal album, Shake Your Money Maker. The pandemic wiped out those 2020 dates, but those shows (and more) have been rescheduled for 2021. Jackson Browne and James Taylor will now perform at Blossom on July 31, the Black Crowes’ reunion tour lands at Blossom on Aug. 4 and Primus brings its Rush tribute to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica on Sept. 17. “Scheduling shows is always a jigsaw puzzle but we always find a way,” says Live Nation’s Barry Gabel in an email exchange about how he and his locally based staff navigated the pandemic. “Through schedule tweaks and availabilities shifting, we made it happen and are really excited about the calendar for this season. Our incredible staff has been hard at work getting ready for an amazing 2021 season. What we’ve seen is everyone is just excited to be back

— from the crew to staff, artists and fans — we are ready for live music.” Gabel notes that the Cleveland Orchestra safely returned to Blossom over the Fourth of July weekend, showing that the venue was ready for fans and bands. “The Cleveland Orchestra also just hosted their annual 4th of July fireworks concerts on backto-back nights and the shows were both well-attended and provided a safe experience for artists, staff and consumers,” says Gabel, who adds that Live Nation has made some changes to make the concert experience safe. “We are always looking to improve our venues and enhance the fan experience. This year we’ve added QR code ordering options on-site, have gone cashless and moved over to mobile ticketing in addition to other details fans can find on the venue’s website. We definitely encourage fans to purchase their tickets from Ticketmaster directly and not third party sellers in order to avoid any issues getting into their events.” Blossom and Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica both feature full slates of shows for August and September, and some dates for 2022 have already been announced. Backstreet Boys will bring their DNA World Tour to Blossom on July 6, 2022, and Rod Stewart and Cheap Trick will perform there on July 19, 2022. Barenaked Ladies (July 2), David Gray (July 16), Goo Goo Dolls (Aug. 10) and Alicia Keys (Aug. 19) have all locked down 2022 dates at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica. “[This season will be] starting later and ending later,” says Gabel, “and yes, 2022 is going to be an amazing concert schedule as well.”

BOP STOP

Bop Stop manager Gabe Pollack says 2020 was going to be “absolutely the best year” that the near West side jazz club has ever had. “My favorite shows were coming up in the spring of 2020,” he says one afternoon from the club. “I had [clarinetist and saxophonist] Anat Cohen, [guitarist] Lionel Loueke, [singer-trumpeter] Bria Skonberg, [pianist] Andy Milne and [guitarist] Miles Okazaki. We had a Networking Is Dead event. We had a lot of fundraisers for other non-profits. Some were cancelled, and some went virtual.”

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During the closure, Pollack was able to make some upgrades to the club. He was about to install a project and screen prior to the pandemic but pivoted and purchased cameras that he could use for live streaming instead. Pollack learned how to operate the cameras and audio equipment himself and says he did more than 180 live streams. “We’ve always been known for our sound, and we had great mics, so we just bought a switcher, a controller and two cameras,” he says. “That saved our butt. We did things with bands, and we did livestreams for Moen and other big companies who wanted to do virtual holiday parties. We did a series with Piano Cleveland. We did a series with the Musicians Union. I’ve heard people say you can’t make money doing livestreams. That’s not true. We had close to 1400 people donate to our livestreams. We were able to pay bands about $40,000 in total. These weren’t grants. The bands earned it.” As soon as it was safe to do so, the Bop Stop started hosting outdoor concerts on its back patio. “Last September and October, we did outdoor shows, and they were great. I didn’t lose money during those months. I didn’t really have staff either.” Currently, the club is operating at reduced capacity, but it’ll be back to full capacity starting on Aug. 7. And the schedule is full. “I don’t have dates before November, not even weeknights,” says Pollack. “After we had to shut down, I just kept booking and thought they’d be virtual events. Even though we’re at limited capacity, every show has sold out. At one of the outdoor shows, a 93-year-old woman came. Her last time out was at our Valentine’s Day show of 2020. Her first time out since then was for an outdoor show here, and she brought her umbrella and sat outside for the show. It was great to see this 93-year-old woman who had been isolating and waiting to get back out. That makes it all worthwhile.”

FOUNDRY

At the beginning of 2020, Foundry owner Lisa Covelli was booking shows at both the Foundry, the Lakewood concert club she owns, and at the Phantasy complex located across the street. “I had four clubs running at once,” says Lisa one afternoon from the Foundry while casually drinking a Bud Light. “The Foundry was pretty much on autopilot. It was something we had going for eight years, and it was going beyond well. We had so many great shows and events created by creative people.

Then, we started flooding stuff over to the Phantasy. We were all running like crazy. My whole staff was so supportive of the whole thing. We gave everyone the ability to have shifts, and they were making a bunch of money.” When the pandemic hit, the Foundry shuttered and Covelli’s plan to purchase the Phantasy fell through. During that time, Covelli pivoted to turn the Foundry into a “takeout and delivery joint.” She says she used her day job to make sure her employees could continue to collect paychecks. She also rebuilt the stage during that time and rewired the sound system. She redid the bathrooms. Business improved when the club was allowed to have seated dining. Covelli credits other club owners with helping her find grants and providing emotional support as well. “The banding together of the club owners, especially [Happy Dog owner] Sean Watterson, who helped every single person through this, has been great,” she says. “I get an email every day from him helping me through this.” Now, the Foundry is booked through February. “We have a full schedule,” Covelli says. “It’s been crazy. Without shows and going from 300 to 50 capacity, we were able to really build our Taco Tuesday and Wing Wednesday and showcase our great food, not to mention being able to participate in Scene food weeks for the first time. We were also able to really build our drag nights and festivals. The love we have for these things will only be built upon over time.” She adds that she has put together “a great database of all these wonderful local people.” “[During the pandemic] we figured it out together,” she says “We had democratic pow-wows. We all work well together and respect one another, and since I refused to lose hope and kept pushing through hard times, they never lost hope either. That’s how we were able to live through this. I cried when we printed our first flyer order, and we took the COVID signs down. I was having a moment. It looks back to normal now, and everyone is so happy.”

says owner Kathy Blackman one afternoon from the venue where she still has the dry erase board filled with all the spring 2020 dates that had to be cancelled or rescheduled. “I thought it was the greatest week of music I ever had, and May looked amazing too. For the first time ever, that Memorial Day Weekend all the shows were sold out. I had a lot of good content that spring. I had two Pussy Riot shows and a Murder by Death concert. The first show we had to cancel was [the local Pogues tribute] Boys From the County Hell on March 14. That spring looked very solid to me, and summer was shaping up to be whatever it was going to be.” Bands cancelled and rescheduled for fall of 2020 and spring of 2021. Those shows would be rescheduled too and some have been pushed into Spring of 2022. Blackman, however, persevered and reopened the Grog Shop in May for seated shows. She also reconfigured the B-Side Lounge, which is located beneath the Grog Shop, for seated shows. “We’re slowly trying to get back to normal,” she says. “I think through the summer, I’ll leave Mondays and Tuesdays blank unless I have a special show. There are three or four national shows in August, and then it’s on. September will be a mix of local and national, but October is almost all national, and November looks solid.” Blackman says “there’s a mix of hesitation and excitement” about the return of live music, and the Grog’s upcoming schedule has plenty to offer. It’ll feature acts such as veteran punks Anti-Flag (Sept. 15), indie rockers Soccer Mommy (Sept. 28) and the blues garage rock band Shannon and the Clams (Oct. 24). She’ll also resume booking bigger concerts off-site and will bring singer-songwriter Amigo the Devil to the Beachland on Sept. 20 and indie rockers Dinosaur Jr. to the Agora on Oct. 1. She’s also booked an Oct. 15 double bill at the Cleveland Museum Art featuring quirky singer-songwriters Bonnie Prince Billy and Jonathan Richman, and she also scheduled Iron and Wine for CMA on Nov. 16. She’ll bring Best Coast’s the Finally Tomorrow tour to the Beachland in early 2022 too.

Watterson as he sat at the club with GM and co-owner Tony Cross one recent afternoon. “Being closed was not a decision at first because everything had to close. When we were faced with the decision about coming back, we realized that if we can’t be who we are, we had to shut it down and get the bleeding of the cash down to a drip. We had to go into coma mode. Hot dogs don’t do great on DoorDash. Tater tots don’t stay hot. We’re just asking for Yelp complaints.” As Watterson and Cross discussed ways of re-openly safely, they knew they had to be able to have more than just a handful of customers at the time. “We both realized the heart and soul of the Happy Dog is the events and the people and the shows and the interactivity,” says Cross. “Not having that just didn’t make sense.” While the club was shuttered, Watterson, who’s co-chair of the organization’s implementation task force, signed on with the National Independent Venue Association to ensure the Save Our Stages bill passed. He also worked locally with the county to gets arts foundation funding to Cleveland clubs and local artists. That money helped many club owners stay solvent as they waited for their SVOG money. Watterson wasn’t just busy helping save other people’s stages. His own club saw a few improvements during the downtime. Also, Cross installed new custom-made booths and generally cleaned the place. The club now has two new pinball machines, including a spanking new Mandolorian machine. The draft system has been tuned, and some sound proofing was installed. “This space is what people love,” says Watterson. “The idea was never to change it so dramatically that it’s not the Happy Dog they remember.” The club sold out tickets to last month’s reopening. The club now features live music on weekends, but Cross says the various lecture series and trivia night will eventually return. “The calendar has started to fill up,” he says. “It’s exciting to see that come back. People really like having these anchors in their neighborhoods.”

GROG SHOP/ B-SIDE LOUNGE

HAPPY DOG

JILLY’S MUSIC ROOM

Spring of 2020 was shaping up to be nothing short of spectacular for the Grog Shop, the Cleveland Heights music venue that books an eclectic mix of indie rock and hip-hop. “That March that we shut down I had four or five sold out shows,”

Last year, as Happy Dog owner Sean Watterson went through the restaurant and bar’s numbers in order to submit documentation for grants, he realized the club was “on a good path.” “It’s hard to remember the upswing because we hit the [COVID] cliff, but it was looking good,” says

Jilly’s Music Room owner Jill Bacon Madden says that things are generally pretty slow in January and February. But in 2020, the Akron venue had just come off its best February ever, and was in line to have its best year yet. “We were going into March, and I had a great calendar lined up for

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almost the rest of the year, and I was excited,” she says one afternoon in late June as she was prepping to reopen and restocking her coolers. Madden refers to Jilly’s as a “grown-up bar,” and she noticed that her regulars had started to get nervous about going out as the pandemic took hold. She had the Mickeys, a Celtic band, slated to play for St. Patrick’s Day. Since two members of the band were battling cancer, they decided to cancel their gig. At that point, Madden made the difficult decision to furlough her employees and close the club. Like many other club owners, Madden thought things would get better by summer of 2020. When that didn’t happen, she turned off the electricity to avoid paying a $1500 a month electric bill. The club reopened at the beginning of July with a soft opening featuring locals Mo Mojo, and almost all of the staff returned to work. Madden also booked touring acts such as Mr. Chair, Emily Adams, Betsy Ade & the Well-Known Strangers, and the Nighthawks for the fall, and she says weekend brunch will return after the first of the year. Madden says she’d like to bring comedians back into the club and has plans to bring back a burlesque drawing event on the second Thursday of every month and a monthly jam night on the third Wednesday of every month. The jazz orchestra Danjo Jazz Orchestra will hold down a monthly residency too. “That’s pretty cool,” she says. “It’s fun to have a 17-piece band in here. They test out a lot of their own original material as well as doing some standards. They do some interesting stuff.” Madden says Akron’s music scene is thriving thanks to its collection of eclectic venues such as the Akron Civic Theatre, KC’s Nashville Nights, Annabelle’s and the Goodyear Theatre.

THE KENT STAGE

The Kent Stage shut down in late December of 2019 and January of 2020 to install new seats, and things started improving when it reopened in late January of 2020. “We were kicking ass and taking names, or so it felt like it,” says owner Tom Simpson last month while sitting outside the club, which was undergoing major renovation. “Just before we shut down, we had shows by Eric Johnson and Howard Jones. [Jones] was the last show we did on March 10. We had a sold out Kingfish show and a Robert Cray show that had to be cancelled. Who knew? The governor said we had two

weeks off. I thought he was a man of his word. No one ever thought this would happen.” With the club shuttered because of the pandemic, Simpson consulted with an architect about making even more improvements. The restrooms have been upgraded and are now touch-free. There’s a new ticket office and a bar that’ll be open seven days a week whether or not there’s a concert. There’s new HVAC with what Simpson describes as “virus killing filters,” and the dressing rooms have been redone too. In addition, bands will now be able to make their way onto the stage without having to sneak around to the side door. “One of the things that was always a pain in the ass here was getting the artist into the building,” says Simpson. “For some reason, the artists just want to magically appear. It’s show business. I get it. But it’s not David Copperfield.” The club will reopen on July 30 with a Steve Earle concert, and the late summer/fall schedule includes acts as wide-ranging as singersongwriter Ani DiFranco (Aug. 27), Paul Thorn (Sept. 12) and Bob Mould (Oct. 19). “I’m very excited about the upcoming schedule,” says Simpson, who also occasionally books shows at the Lorain Palace Civic Center, the Akron Civic Theatre and the Robins Theatre in Warren. “Initially, everything was supposed to be done [at the Kent Stage] by June 8, but it’s been hard to get drywall and so many other supplies. We’re definitely back on track now.”

MAHALL’S 20 LANES

Since Joe Pavlick, Kelly Flamos and Colin McEwen acquired Mahall’s 20 Lanes in 2012, the Lakewood bowling alley/bar/concert venue has gradually grown into a hip place to hang out and catch upand-coming indie rock bands. About that same time that Pavlick, Flamos and McEwen transformed the place, BravoArtist, a promoter that also books shows in Columbus and Cincinnati, began booking gigs at Mahall’s Eventually, the folks at BravoArtist realized it made sense to purchase a controlling stake in the club. Since the club reopened earlier this year, Cory Hajde along with BravoArtist’s Alex Tucker and Ben Leubitz have become its principal owners. “I just wanted more programming control over the space,” says Hajde, who opened the Tremont bar and restaurant Cloak and Dagger last year, one afternoon from the club that’s seen its main room undergo a facelift (it now features a few tables

on risers and a new sound system) during the pandemic. “We book mostly national acts and bring volume, but when it comes to the infrastructure and staffing and how to program the space with bar and food, [Mahall’s] wasn’t up to the highest standard. I think the food here has always been good, but they don’t promote it.” As a result, Hajde has hired a new kitchen manager and says a new menu is in the works as well. He says booking will involve more dance parties and pop-up events in addition to national touring acts. “I want to create more local awareness and get people in the neighborhood to see this as a hub that they can walk to and go to concerts that they can trust are consistently good,” says Hajde, who says BravoArtist will continue to book shows at the Beachland and Agora. “Starting in August, we’ll do about five shows a week at Mahall’s. Our calendar looks amazing right now. It’s exciting to see. We have almost 40 shows confirmed for 2022 too. It’s all coming together.”

MUSIC BOX SUPPER CLUB

Music Box Supper Club owner Mike Miller says that 2019 seemed to be the year that the music venue and restaurant took a giant leap forward. “That was our fifth year,” says Miller one afternoon from the Music Box’s private dining area. “Everything really started clicking for us. Concerts were consistently full. We had a solid flow of corporate events and philanthropic events and weddings.” Having to close upended the club’s momentum, but as soon as it was safe to do so, the Music Box began hosting shows at reduced capacity. At the time, Music Box was one of the only area clubs still hosting live bands. “Those shows bordered on magical,” says Miller. “The audience was so effusively joyous. Live music is something you experience as a community. It’s a better experience with a crowd. It’s the energy and that human interaction of enjoying the talent on the stage. The first couple of weeks of shows, people were just so happy, and that spread to the staff.” Though still operating at reduced capacity, the club has brought back staples such as Reggae Sunday, themed brunches, Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties and Drag Bingo. The late summer/fall lineup features national acts such as 5JBarrow (Aug. 19), Todd Snider (Aug. 23), Raul Malo (Sept. 15) and Los Lobos (Nov. 3). “We’re really excited to get back to some national touring acts,” says

Miller “We’re riding the local tributes heavily right now. That is who we are too. People ask what we’re about. I say that it’s Cleveland comfort food. That’s what our menu is about. It’s also what our music is about. Our target, which is older, wants to see a show sitting down with a drink and having a nice dinner. They want comfort. They don’t wanna see some new rock ’n’ roll band. They don’t wanna take that risk. Maybe once the band has a bunch of hits, they’ll take that risk.”

THE WINCHESTER

Winchester owner hane Motolik says that February of 2020 was the Lakewood club and restaurant’s busiest month ever, so the pandemic really took some wind out of the club’s sails. “It was our third year,” he says one afternoon from the Lakewood club’s concert hall that — thanks to the ability to have socially distanced shows — remained open for most of the pandemic. “We were getting more bands and got a reputation. Bands were getting treated well, and it snowballed. It was fantastic. We were doing really well. Our brunches were good, and we were getting recognized for our food. We were getting recognized for our cocktails too. Drag brunch and bingo and trivia and all these random things were going well, and the shows were getting bigger and better.” The club closed for a month and a half, but as soon as it was safe to do so, it re-opened to limited capacity to give local bands a place to play. “People wanted to do things safely,” he says. “We followed all the rules. Everything was distanced and masked. We made it as safe as possible, so people could still go out and enjoy their lives.” With distancing, the club could fit about 60 people in the back room. Once we could get entertainment again, we had bingo pushed to the back. We made it work. We pivoted.” The club still has lots of local shows booked for summer and fall but has expanded its reach to include national acts such as indie rocker Charley Crockett (Aug. 29). Motoliksays to expect the same wide-ranging mix of entertainment. “We’re doing drag bunch twice a month now, and that sells out,” says Motolik. “We are trying to get back to where we were before COVID. That’s the main thing. Modern Kicks comes in for comedy. [Comedian] Liz Miele will play here in July and [comedian] Todd Barry is coming back in December. We’re not pigeonholed into anything. We have hip-hop and metal and comedy and burlesque and EDM.”

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GET OUT

Everything to do in Cleveland for the next two weeks

WED 07/28 Author Series with Alec Wightman In his memoir Music in My Life: Notes From a Longtime Fan, Northeast Ohio native Alec Wightman chronicles how his love for rock n’ roll evolved during the decades. Originally a fan of classic acts such as Neil Young, Wightman came to embrace singersongwriters such John Stewart, Jesse Winchester, Tom Russell, Rosie Flores, and Dave Alvin. Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris will interview Wightman at tonight’s event, which takes place at 7 p.m. at the Rock Hall. Tickets are free, but registration is required. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-5158444, rockhall.com.

International Awards. Kiah comes to Cain Park tonight in support of her new solo effort, Wary + Strange. The concert begins at 8. Consult the Cain Park website for ticket prices. 14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.

WED 08/04

The Edgewater Sidewalk Fest returns. See: Sunday, Aug. 8.

THU 07/29 SAT Anne E. DeChant A 2020 Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Competition Finalist who’s performed with Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Don Henry, Travis Meadows and Livingston Taylor, Anne E. DeChant began her career as the dynamic lead singer of Cleveland’s Odd Girl Out. She’s since become a successful solo act and released her first best of record, Every Little Everything, in November of 2020. She performs tonight at 8 at Cain Park. Consult the Cain Park website for ticket prices and more info. 14591 Superior Rd., Cleveland Heights, 216-371-3000, cainpark.com.

FRI

07/30

Steve Earle An iconic Americana band, Steve Earle & the Dukes most recently released their 20th studio album, J.T., a tribute to Earle’s late son, singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle. Artist advances and royalties from J.T. are being donated to a trust for Etta St. James Earle, the three-year-old daughter of Justin and Jenn Earle. Expect to hear songs from it as well as tracks from Earle’s decades long career when the group performs tonight at 8 at the Kent Stage. Tickets cost $45. 175 E. Main St., Kent, 330-677-5005, kentstage.org.

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07/31

James Taylor/Jackson Browne James Taylor and Jackson Browne, two iconic ‘70s singer-songwriters, were supposed to hit the road together last summer. COVID derailed those plans, but the two rescheduled their trek and will perform tonight at 7:30 at Blossom, marking the start of Blossom’s rock/pop season. The dates support both Taylor’s new album, American Standard, and Jackson’s forthcoming LP. American Standard is Taylor’s 19th studio album and his first release since 2015’s Before This World. The album features covers of 20th century classics, songs that he says were part of his family’s record collection. Expect to hear plenty of covers tonight from Taylor, who admits to knowing most of these songs from the original cast recordings of the famous Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, including My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Carousel, Showboat and others. Browne’s new album will include the single “My Cleveland Heart.” Expect it to receive a warm response if Browne plays it tonight (and you’d think he has to, right?). Check the Live Nation website for ticket prices. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.

SUN 08/01 Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony The Cleveland Orchestra will take

| clevescene.com | July 28-August 10, 2021

Esterly Photography

on Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and his Symphony No. 7, one of Beethoven’s greatest and most admired symphonies, for tonight’s concert at Blossom. Herbert Blomstedt conducts, and Garrick Ohlsson guests on piano. The concert begins at 7; check the orchestra’s website for ticket prices and more info. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

MON 08/02 Yoga on the Plaza Every Monday this summer, the Rock Hall and Inner Bliss Yoga Studios present a special Outdoor Monday Night Yoga at the Rock Hall. The class fee is $20, and preregistration is required. Registration closes at 4 p.m. on the day of the event. In case of a weather-related cancellation (if it’s too cold or raining), the class would be cancelled by 4 p.m. on the day of the event. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.

TUE

08/03

Amythyst Kiah This Chattanooga-bred singersongwriter expands on her work as a member of Our Native Daughters, an all-women-of-color supergroup whose Kiah-penned standout “Black Myself” earned a the group a Grammy nod for Best American Roots Song and won Song of the Year at the Folk Alliance

The Black Crowes/Dirty Honey The Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson have put aside their differences to reunite for this tour that marks the 30th anniversary of their landmark quintuple platinum debut album Shake Your Money Maker. Originally slated to take place last month, the tour was pushed back a year due to the pandemic, but will undoubtedly still draw a massive crowd to Blossom. Be sure to arrive early to catch up-andcoming rockers Dirty Honey. Singer Marc LaBelle went from being homeless in L.A., sleeping in his car and showering at a local gym, to playing some of the biggest outdoor amphitheaters in the country. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at Blossom. Check the Live Nation website for ticket prices and more info. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.

THU 08/05 Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show A few years back, country singersongwriter Chris Stapleton recruited a few of his musician friends for what he called his All-American Road Show. The tour was such a great success, he’s put together another iteration that comes to Blossom tonight. Elle King and Kendell Marvel will open the show. The concert begins at 7. Check the Live Nation website for ticket prices and more info. 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd., Cuyahoga Falls, 216-231-1111, livenation.com.

FRI

08/06

Janis Joplin Fan Weekend In honor of the 50th anniversary of the release of Janis Joplin’s album, Pearl, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will host Janis Joplin Fan Weekend from today through Sunday. Joplin’s

GET OUT handwritten lyrics, clothing, and a collection of rare photographs by Barry Feinstein, photographer, filmmaker, and art director responsible for creating some of the most iconic and enduring pop culture imagery of the mid-20th century are now part of the newly expanded Legends of Rock exhibit. Feinstein created artwork for over 500 albums including Pearl. Fans can also view Joplin footage from the Rock Hall’s vault, including highlights from her 1995 Induction and the 2009 Annual Music Masters tribute concert, and attend the Pearl album spotlight lecture. Throughout the weekend, Joplin’s iconic music and lyrics will be heard inside the Rock Hall and played on the Rock Hall’s Rock Boxes located downtown along East 9th Street. In addition, the Rock Hall’s Long Live Rock art installation will honor Janis Joplin, providing fans with a photo opportunity. The Museum will also host two virtual events honoring Janis Joplin’s legacy. The first, taking place today, will be with Melissa Etheridge, who inducted Joplin in 1995. 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.

SAT 08/07 Lakewood Arts Festival After the pandemic turned last year’s event into a virtual affair, the Lakewood Arts Festival will return as an in-person event this summer. The city of Lakewood will close Detroit Ave. between Belle and Arthur avenues to host more than 130 regional and national artists and makers who’ll display paintings, prints, photography, art glass, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture and fiber. Acts such as Senegalese drummer Assane M’baye, singersongwriter Luca Mundaca, singersongwriter Alexis Antes, singersongwriter Chris Allen and indie rockers Meg and the Magnetosphere will perform. In addition, the Beck Center will offer arts-based performances and activities for children and adults. A food court will be located in front of Lakewood Library and will offer a selection of the region’s best food trucks. Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the festival, and there will be additional spacing between the artists’ booths. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. lakewoodartsfest.org.

SUN 08/08

CLEVELAND’S PREMIER LISTENING ROOM Bar sales directly support the Music Settlement and its many programs.

Edgewater Sidewalk Fest Today’s Edgewater Sidewalk Fest will take place from noon to 6 p.m. along Clifton Boulevard between W. 115th and W. 117th Streets with outdoor activities and live musicians. There will be volleyball, face painting and oversized tabletop games. Cleveland Cookie Dough, Scoot! Cold Brew, and other food pop-ups will be on hand as well. Printed passports will guide your afternoon and give you chances to win prizes. Local musicians Red Rose Panic, DJ Richie OneWay and Floco Torres will provide beats and grooves at a beach-themed, outdoor lounge. City Dogs will set up sidewalk meetings with dogs seeking adoption from the Cleveland Kennel. West 117 Foundation will share their LGBTQ+ community services and plans for the forthcoming Studio West 117 hub. Admission is free. cudell.com/esf.

2920 DETROIT AVE | HINGETOWN

216-771-6551

TheMusicSettlement.org/calendar

AUGUST 6/ 7PM/ $80 TABLE

OCCIDENTAL GYPSY CONCERT AUGUST 7/ 7PM/ $60 TABLE AUGUST 7/ 9PM/ $60 TABLE

SAM BLAKESLEE & WISTFUL THINKING AUGUST 8/ 6PM/ $80 TABLE

Outdoor Concert HORNS AND THINGS OUT AUGUST 11/ 7PM/ $60 TABLE

BECKY BOYD & THE GROOVE TRAIN AUGUST 12/ 7:30PM/ $20 TICKET

JAMEY HADDAD QUARTET

MON 08/09 Indians vs. Cincinnati Reds Much like last year when they made the playoffs, the Cincinnati Reds have remained in the mix for the NL Central title, and they have consistently played well all season. They return to town tonight for a game at Progressive Field that’s a makeup for a May game that was postponed. First pitch is at 6:10, and tickets start at $15. 2401 Ontario St., 216-420-4487, clevelandindians.com.

TUE

08/10

The 124th Annual Cuyahoga County Fair The 124th iteration of the Cuyahoga County Fair kicks off today at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. This year’s fair offers arts and crafts with craft demonstrations, a beer and wine garden, beekeeping exhibits including honey extractions, dog agility demonstrations, draft horse and pony hitch classes and a draft horse pull with lightweight and heavyweight competitions. And yep, there’ll be plenty of traditional fair food as well as “other culinary delights.” Check the fair website for more information about ticket prices and hours. The fair runs through Aug. 15. 19201 East Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, 440- 243-0090, cuyfair.com.

AUGUST 13/ 7:30PM/ $20 TICKET

JAMEY HADDED QUARTET AUGUST 14/ 7PM/ $15 TICKET

CON FUOCO AUGUST 15/ 3PM/ $15 TICKET

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THOMAS SCHINABECK QUINTET AUGUST 15/ 7PM/ $15 TICKET

TAYLOR ARBOGAST TRIO AUGUST 21/ 8PM/ $20 TICKET

CLEVELAND JAZZ ORCHESTRA LITTLE BIG BAND FEATURING REED SIMON TABLES INCLUDE FOUR SEATS

July 28-August 10, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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Photo by Darren Stahl Photography

ARTS

AGGRESSIVELY WHIMSICAL

The almost-too-perky musical Amelie succeeds with exceptional staging and performances by Christine Howey IF THERE’S A LIMIT TO HOW much whimsy you can take at one sitting, your tolerance may be stretched to the breaking point with Amelie, the perky musical about a young French woman now being presented by the Mercury Theatre Company in South Euclid. While cutesy elements abound--including a puppet that plays the role of the young Amelie, a globe-trotting garden gnome and a meet-cute for lovers on top of a photo booth in the middle of Paris--the sharp staging and a few superior performances save the day. Based on the 2001 movie of the same name, this version features music by Daniel Messé, who cowrote the lyrics with Nathan Tysen, and a book by Craig Lucas. The film was nominated for five Oscars, but none of them were awards for clarity since the storyline spews out many threads but has a hard time following any one of them for long. Young Amelie is saddled with a distant father Raphael (a mellow Brian Marshall), a doctor who only touches her during his monthly physical examinations, while neurotic mom Amadine (Jennifer Myor) continually reminds her daughter not to get too close to

other people. They keep the young girl away from contact with others and even force her to release her pet goldfish (yes, it’s named Fluffy) into the Seine for “safety” reasons. Shortly thereafter, Amadine takes Amelie to see Notre Dame and is killed when a tourist jumps from the top of the cathedral and lands on her.

21 of them involve Amelie. In that demanding role, Gracie Keener proves more than equal to the challenge. Far from the gamine of the film, Keener’s Amelie is refreshingly downbeat. And she handles her many songs with aplomb, using her excellent voice to great effect in songs such as “Times Are Hard for Dreamers” which

AMELIE THROUGH AUGUST 8 PRODUCED BY THE MERCURY THEATER COMPANY, NOTRE DAME COLLEGE, REGINA HALL, 1857 SOUTH GREEN ROAD, SOUTH EUCLID, 216 771-5862, MERCURYTHEATRECOMPANY.ORG

As a result of these various traumas, Amelie grows into a shy young woman who works as a waitress in a cafe. Her world is proscribed by her hesitancy to connect, so other than chats with her co-workers she spends her free time alone in her apartment staring at the sky. That flat is where she finds a small box the previous occupant left behind, containing various childhood items, and she becomes fixated on finding Nino, the owner of that box. There are many other characters introduced durng the 27 tuneful songs that comprise the show, and

expresses her hopes: “It isn’t what I have/It’s what I have in store that matters now.” She is matched in vocal quality by Benson Anderson, who sings (he barely speaks) the thin role of Nino. He appears several times to trill his innermost thoughts--particularly in “When the Booth Goes Bright” that establishes the photo booth as the point that will bring him and Amelie together. Also, J. Michael Pressimone as the neighbor painter Dufayel trots out a gorgeous, deep voice when he sings “The Girl with the Glass.” Also effective are Trey Gilpin as a local poet plus a sparkly turn as

Elton John, and Neely Gevaart and Kelvette Beacham as Amelie’s pals Gina and Suzanne. Mercury has gone all out in this production, with a complex set featuring two (almost) spiral staircases and hidden doors that slide, pop open and roll into position throughout the proceedings. Director/choreographer PierreJacques Brault manages all the action with smooth precision and some inventive movement, making the story emerge in spite of the authors various narrative flights that take off in some curious directions. In one such digression, a young grocer Lucien (Nick Grimsic) sings a ballad “Three Figs” in which he croons to his favorite fig, which he’s named Figaro, apparently just for the opportunity to drop a bad pun at the end, “Figaro is blue/There’s nothing on his plate/ What’s Lucien to do?/He finds the guy a date!” And a garden troll, in which Raphael stores the ashes of his late wife, is hijacked and sent around the world, triggering a puppet troll’s song inevitably titled “There’s No Place Like Gnome.” Those moments aside, Amelie has a winning quality that leaves you smiling, even if during the middle of the show you’re not exactly sure what you’re smiling at. But it has a happy ending, and who among us couldn’t use one of those right about now?

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

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Photos by Josh Dobay Productions

EAT

THE SECRET’S OUT

Cloak & Dagger is making magic in Tremont By Douglas Trattner THE GREATEST SLEIGHT of hand that Cloak & Dagger manages to pull off is making guests forget about all the restaurants that previously called this address home. For years and years, a visit to this prominent Tremont property would invariably be overshadowed by a running inventory of the many short-lived concepts that have occupied it. But so thoroughly transformed is the space that our group had a momentary lapse of recall. One of the best ways to dispel notions of a so-called curse is to triumphantly sail into your 11th month of business despite opening during a pandemic, navigating a labyrinth of health and safety rules and enduring a long, cold winter followed by a wet, wet summer. With each passing day, week and month, fewer and fewer residents can even recall a time when Tremont didn’t have one of the most original and delightful cocktail lounges in the region. If you want to call attention to your business, it helps to start by differentiating it from the masses. In a monochromatic landscape of sterile, white-tiled rooms, Cloak & Dagger offers the cozy appeal

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of a warmly lit study, where leatherbound books, antiquities and furniture combine to create a sense of ease but also expectation. After plopping down onto plush banquettes, we were greeted with a liquid amuse bouche, of sorts, in the form of a wee dram of spirits. The literary device carries over from the décor to the drinks. Like many contemporary cocktail bars,

the garden and to the grave. If that all sounds pretentious, take a nice, long swig of Where the Watermelons Grow ($12), a floral, tropical elixir that will bring the whole experience back down to earth. The gin-based cocktail is sweetened with watermelon and a touch of pomegranate and grounded by dark vanilla syrup. Whereas Chapter 1 drinks are served on the rocks, Chapter 2 concoctions arrive chilled and served up. Chapter 3 cocktails are chilled and poured over a largeformat cube. While the menu gets reborn every six months or so, a few “legends” stick around. King of the Dead ($13), one enduring classic, is a bourbon-based moodadjuster that arrives with a cold brew coffee ice cube in the shape of a skull. As the skull “decomposes,”

CLOAK & DAGGER 2399 W. 11TH ST., CLEVELAND 216-795-5657 CLOAKANDDAGGERCLEVELAND.COM

Cloak & Dagger employs a thematic drinks menu, a physical book that is a delight both to hold and behold. These meticulously illustrated pamphlets present a seasonal selection of original cocktails bound together by an overarching motif. The opening menu was titled “The Tales of Life and Death,” and the drinks therein followed along, progressing from light and floral to dark, boozy and earthy. “Over the Garden Wall,” the current book, is divided into three chapters that move guests through the gate, into

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the flavor of the drink evolves. Another sleight of hand that Cloak & Dagger manages to pull off – at least for a few acts – is making diners forget that they’re eating vegan. Guests can giddily sip and snack away for hours before realizing that zero animal products have made an appearance. We reflexively reach for handfuls of popcorn ($4) and rice paper “pork” rinds ($5), both dusted with umami-rich seasonings that boost satisfaction. This kitchen makes nearly perfect french fries

($10), crispy standard-cut potatoes showered with dried spices and served with an aioli-like dipping sauce. Even moving away from the bar snacks and toward the larger plates, a diner loses little in terms of flavor, texture and personal gratification, at least when it comes to dishes like the birria tacos ($13). I know it’s not the point, but it’s easy to mistake the mushroom-based filling for ground meat, especially when combined with raw onions, vegan cheese and fresh herbs and tucked into crisp-edged corn shells. A trio of barbecue “chicken” skewers ($14) had a pleasant sweet-andsmoky flavor and the vegan meat was remarkably tender, almost cloyingly so. Even the gorgeously charred bits had no bite. If you plan on sharing the overstuffed banh mi ($10) like we did, kindly ask your server to have it split in the kitchen to save you the trouble. For those in search of a sweet ending, the restaurant offers a selection of desserts from a local vegan bakery. Not only has Cloak & Dagger reinvigorated a challenging Tremont restaurant space, it also is the first tenant to make full and proper use of the sidewalk space out front. The newly expanded, furnished and illuminated patio provides a lovely park-side setting in which to enjoy alfresco drinks, dining and people-watching.

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

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EAT BITES

Popular Columbusbased restaurant Northstar Café Coming to Van Aken District

Photo courtesy Northstar Cafe

By Douglas Trattner NORTHSTAR CAFÉ OPENED in the Short North neighborhood of Columbus in 2004. Since then, Kevin and Darren Malhame have gone on to open four more locations in central and southwest Ohio. They are also the team behind the equally successful Brassica and Third & Hollywood brands. The Ohio-based hospitality company continues to grow because they have a knack for creating compelling spaces that offer high-quality food and excellent service. Next up is a new Northstar Café in Shaker Heights. When it opens in spring of 2022, it will be the first in Northeast Ohio. It will join its sister establishment Brassica, which opened at Van Aken District in 2019. Construction has started on the space, a currently vacant property that sits at the corner of Farnsleigh and Warrensville Center Road. “We’ve always loved them,” says Jason Russell, Neighborhood General Manager at Van Aken. “We’ve been courting them for quite some time. They offer a quality food, product and service. It’s the kind of business that exemplifies our mantra of best of local and best of regional. We are excited to have them join our Van Aken family of merchants and be a part of the community.” Northstar Café serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Menu items are made using locally grown, organic and artisan foods. In the morning, there are items like smoothie bowls, sweet potato hash, mushroom frittatas, ricotta pancakes and biscuits and sausage gravy. The lunch/dinner menu offers fresh and creative salads, burgers made with Niman Ranch beef, brick oven pizzas and a grilled fish sandwich. To start, there’s the popular pimento cheese dip. And to drink, there’s beer, wine and cocktails. Employees enjoy some of the best perks in the business, including free meals, health benefits, paid vacations and even sabbaticals.

Spotted Owl’s Will Hollingsworth Buys Prosperity Social Club in Tremont, Plans to Keep His ‘Favorite Bar in Cleveland’ the Same As Prosperity Social Club owner Bonnie Flinner started planning her exit strategy from the Tremont bar and restaurant she’d owned for 16 years, she didn’t have to look far for someone she knew and trusted to hand the keys to. That person is Will Hollingsworth, who has been running his own bar down the street and perching himself on Prosperity’s bar stools for years. “I’ve known Will for a while now, and I’ve watched him move from being a bartender at Lolita to opening his own bar concept in multiple locations,” says Flinner. “I’m delighted he will be bringing that energy, vision and experience to Prosperity.” Hollingsworth, the owner of the Spotted Owl in Tremont and Akron, cherished the opportunity to make sure the bar he’s long been a regular at lives on. “I have never been shy about sharing my affection for Prosperity Social Club with anyone,” he says. “I am protective of a place that means a lot to me and to other people. We won’t change anything until we need to. Prosperity is my favorite bar in Cleveland. I am as much of a fan of the Social Club as anyone out there, and I am excited to keep its history alive and momentum going.” The sale officially closed on July 25th, though Flinner will stay on for a month to assist in the transition. Flinner put her heart and soul into Prosperity, turning the old Dempsey’s Oasis, which closed in 2000, into the cozy, retro concept that became one of the most beloved joints in Cleveland. Hollingsworth doesn’t take that lightly, and wants Prosperity to keep being Prosperity. “We’ve built our success on listening to our spaces, being

uncompromising in the experiences we offer and supporting our team,” says Hollingsworth. “So the opportunity to add the Prosperity team to our company, while protecting what I really feel is a Cleveland cultural institution, is a really exciting honor.” For Flinner, the exit was necessary but nevertheless bittersweet, especially after keeping the business afloat during the pandemic. “With the patronage and generosity of our customers and neighbors, our employees were able to make a living,” she says. “Today I believe Prosperity is stronger and more vibrant than it has ever been. I believe our current staff is killer and the best combination of talent I have ever encountered. I think Will is taking over at a time of upward momentum and is positioned for success. I am extremely grateful to everyone over the years who helped to create an inclusive, communal space where memories are created and milestones celebrated. I will miss it every day, but I am looking forward to being on the customer side of the bar, on a tall stool next to a familiar face, sharing laughs and camaraderie.”

On the Rise to Expand its Bakery, Hires Britt-Marie Horrocks as New Director of Pastry Since opening On the Rise bakeshop, owners Adam and Jennifer Gidlow have been measured and deliberate with respect to expansion. Over the course of two decades, the Cleveland Heights-based business has beefed up its wholesale bread business, rolled out a savory menu of sandwiches, taken possession of an adjacent space and opened a satellite shop in the Market Hall at Van Aken District. Now, entering its 21st year in business, On the Rise is poised for another major phase of expansion. The owners have acquired a recently vacated property to the rear of the

building that will nearly double the production space of the bakery, allowing them to increase their offerings. “We knew back at the end of 2019 that we wanted more space, but there wasn’t any more room to grow within the walls,” says partner Brian Evans. “And then this space in the back became available and it made sense to expand our kitchen right here.” One area in particular that is ripe for growth is the pastry category. The rapid success of the Van Aken District shop, Evans reports, was fueled largely by a demand for baked goods like croissants, scones, sticky buns, cookies and brownies. The additional square footage will be used primarily as a new pastry kitchen, which will be overseen by Britt-Marie Horrocks, who was recently brought in as director of patisserie. She joins director of viennoiserie Natalie Agresta. “It’s hot, it’s humid and there’s flour everywhere,” Evans says of the main production space. “So trying to do some of those more delicate things was something we didn’t have the space or people to do. We’re hoping that Britt can help us build that team.” The pastry kitchen won’t come online until late August, but already Horrocks has been expanding the sweet side of the business. Customers have begun seeing new products like French macarons, eclairs and seasonal cakes and torts. Those will be joined in the coming months by a wide selection of desserts, many of which were staples at the former Coquette Patisserie. A future goal is to develop a wholesale pastry side of the business, providing area restaurants with a new source for fine desserts. “When we open the new space up, I’ll be adding a whole new repertoire of pastries to the menu and we will be expanding into wholesale as well,” Horrocks says. “I think right now, pastry chefs are too few and far between in restaurants. We are a luxury item at this time and a lot of restaurants can’t afford to have one.” Physical changes to the retail space will make room for additional coolers and display cases that will show off the new product. “For us, the focus is on quality,” Evans explains. “I want people to know that no matter what it is, whether it’s a sandwich, a soup, a bread or a pastry, that they know that our name and quality go hand in hand.”

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

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MUSIC

HERE COME THE WARM TONES

Japanese Breakfast heads in a more spirited musical direction on new album By Jeff Niesel

Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner. Photo by Peter Ash Lee

JAPANESE BREAKFAST’S Michelle Zauner says she originally wanted to become a journalist. “I was always interested in writing since middle school,” the singersongwriter says via Zoom from her Brooklyn, NY home. Japanese Breakfast performs at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 5, at the Agora. “I thought that in order to be a writer, I had to be a journalist. I was interested in journalism in middle school and high school.” Though she wanted to form a band rather than attend college, Zauner did go to college and studied creative writing. She refers to the experience as “life changing.” “I learned so much about how to read and write,” she says. “Neither one of my parents went to college, and they weren’t particularly avid readers. I was exposed to a lot of I had never been exposed to before and that really resonated with me in a way that older texts from my high school curriculum didn’t. Those texts don’t hit you as hard. I liked reading Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, but there’s something that hits you differently if you read Philip Roth or Tobias Wolff or more modern, contemporary writers. It draws you in in a different way and was really enchanting for me. I only got my undergrad. It was a real compromise for me to go to college, but my parents left me alone once I was there, so I could just do what interested me the most.” Zauner played in a number of bands in college and would eventually form the indie rock act Japanese Breakfast in 2013. The band blossomed, catching Zauner by surprise. “In 2016, I released my debut album on this small label called Yellow K,” she says. “I told [the label] I didn’t want to tour, and it was a waste of money for them to invest in press, and I’m glad they didn’t listen to me.

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MUSIC That was the first record that caught on. [The indie label] Dead Oceans came on after that and released the record abroad and signed me to a three-album deal. I love them. They have great systems in place and great people who come to you with great ideas and connections and budgets for your dreams to get realized. It’s been a great experience for me.” This year, the prolific Zauner released both a book (Crying in H Mart: A Memoir) and an album (Jubilee). She somehow managed to work on both simultaneously for the past few years. “This book was five years in the making,” she says. “I was working on it for a long time, often on tour and in the car and on the plane and at soundcheck. It was just a long process. I submitted the rough draft in the summer of 2019 rough draft and from fall to winter of that year recorded the album and came book for final revisions through summer of 2020.” For Jubilee, she sought out to expand her sound and make something more spirited and joyful

“Be Sweet,” a songwriting collaboration with Jack Tatum from Wild Things, comes off as a particularly joyous synth-pop tune. “That was one of the first songs I wrote for the album before I realized I was writing an album,” she says. “I was paired up with Jack Tatum in Los Angeles in 2018. We were collaborating on a pop song that wasn’t particularly for either of us. We thought we could sell it to some teenager. I ended up loving what we wrote together and wound up keeping it. It was some backpocket single for a really long time that I knew I had. Jack is a real sonic wizard and such a perfectionist, and he takes such a long time on very small details and making them perfect. I’m the total opposite of that and am guns blazing and blow through the wall. It was a good partnership. I came in with this synth line, and I showed him this Korean funk song, and he wrote this amazing bass line, and we were off to the races. It was one of those magical moments.” Zauner admits “In Hell,” the one track that doesn’t fit the album’s mold, is a bit of an outlier. “It’s maybe the most devastating song I’ve ever written,” she says. “On my first record, I wrote this song ‘In Heaven’ about my dog after my mom’s death. ‘In Hell’ is about that same dog

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than previous efforts. She recorded it at the Well, the same studio where she cut her previous effort, 2017’s Soft Sounds from Another Planet. “It’s between a bedroom studio and a real studio,” she says of the Well. “It’s a warehouse studio. It’s my drummer and co-producer’s studio. I like that environment. A lot of times, I’ll be rearranging songs in the studio while we’re recording. If you’re thinking about a very expensive space, I think it could hinder my creativity.” Album opener “Paprika” features spirited horns and strings, and a funky guitar riff drives the perky “Slide Tackle.” Even atmospheric tunes such as “Posing in Bondage,” a song with soft vocals and rattling percussion, simmer. The production overall has a Pet Sounds feel to it. “I knew pretty early on that I wanted to call the album Jubilee,” says Zauner. “The palette was yellow and warm tones. My narrative as an artist has been rooted in grief and loss, and I thought the most surprising and unexpected thing I could do was to write an album about joy”.

and having to put her down a few years ago. This is a heavy, dark story. It was an intense moment for me to have that control that I didn’t want.” The new songs are so lush and riveting, they’ll bound to translate well live. “I think it’ll be a blast,” says Zauner, who’s currently at work on a screenplay for Crying in H Mart. “We started rehearsals and have done some live sessions. We’ve added a saxophone player and a violin player. We’re a six-piece band now, and it makes you feel extra powerful when you have all these talented musicians. You’re a cog in the wheel, and you want to be a really proficient cog. I think it’ll be our best shows yet. We never rest on our laurels. We’re always trying to be the best band we can be. I really value that about my group, and I’m excited to bring it to the stage.”

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel July 28-August 10, 2021 | clevescene.com |

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CRABS By Dan Savage Hey, Dan: I’m a gay male in my 40s, and I’ve been married to my husband for nine years. There was some mild infidelity on his part (exchanging photos and flirting via text with another guy) early in our relationship. I confronted him at the time, and he lied to me. I decided to let it go, as it was early in the relationship. Fast-forward a few years, and he gets crabs and gives them to me. He told me it was most likely from the volunteer work he does in a homeless shelter. I let it go again. Fast-forward another couple years, and I’m feeling insecure and look on his iPad and find confirmation that he was sleeping with the guy he’d exchanged photos and flirty texts with early in our relationship. This sent me into a severe depression. All my concerns over the years were confirmed, and further sleuthing revealed there was another guy he was fucking around with, as well. He admitted to all of this only after I showed him the proof. I chose to forgive and forget. The pain was too much to deal with, and I just wanted to move on and get back to our lives. At the time we talked about having an open relationship, and I told him I was cool with that, but I wasn’t cool sharing my life with someone who lies to me so easily. We mutually decided that opening the relationship wasn’t a great idea and never really discussed it again. I’m happy I decided to move past this because the last four years have been great. We never fight, our sex life is good, we have a wonderful home and social life. I hadn’t felt the need to sleuth on his devices in years. I felt secure in our relationship. Then

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Whether or not you stay depends on what you’re willing to tolerate, SHAM. You were willing to tolerate being married to a guy who had cheated on you in the distant past. Can you tolerate being married to a guy who has most likely cheated on you in the recent past and — given his track record — will probably cheat on you again in the future? Answer that question, SHAM, and you’ll know what to do. As for the new case of crabs, SHAM, sure, it’s possible your husband got them during a non-sensual massage — if the place wasn’t clean, if they reuse towels and sheets without washing them, if they don’t disinfect the massage table. I don’t know why anyone would wanna get a massage at a filthy place like that, but maybe your husband isn’t so choosy. But I gotta say … it seems far likelier that your husband, a man who lied to your face the last time he got crabs, is lying to you again. Crabs — pubic lice — are almost always transmitted during pubes-to-pubes contact, e.g., someone who has crabs grinds their crotch against the crotch of someone who doesn’t have crabs and then they both have crabs. That doesn’t necessarily mean your husband had sex with a body worker. He may have gotten one of those full-body-contact massages that involve the masseuse stripping off and rubbing his body all over his client’s body — and while I think that kind of massage qualifies as sensual, your husband may feel (and rationalize) differently. So let’s go ahead and assume the worst: Your husband never stopped cheating on you. Which means your husband is the same person he’s always been. Maybe he’s one of those guys who really wants to be monogamous and feels terrible every time he fucks around behind your back. Or maybe he’s one of those selfish

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Joe Newton

SAVAGE LOVE

two weeks ago I discovered he has crabs (again) after he gave them to me (again). He says he has no idea how he got them. This has obviously brought his history of lying and cheating back to the forefront, and I’m questioning so many things. I feel like the only way I’ll ever get the truth is if I find proof, [but] fuck that — I’m not going back to scouring his phone and devices. If I’m staying, I’m staying. But should I stay? Are all past infidelities moot at this point because we’ve put them behind us? Can this new case of crabs be viewed in isolation? Can people get genital-area crab infestations during a non-sensual massage? Or am I the idiot whose husband has been fucking around on him the whole time we’ve been together? —Scratching Head And Meat

can live with that, if you can resume ignoring what you kinda knew all along, you might be able to stay. Good luck.

Hey, Dan: If the condom breaks, who do you think should pay for Plan B? —Settle This Argument The government.

jerks who doesn’t want an honest open relationship because that would mean giving you the same freedom. Whatever it is, SHAM, he’s unlikely to change. So, what do you do? Leaving him means giving up everything about your marriage that you enjoy — the good sex life a decade in, the generally low-conflict intimacy, the home you’ve made together, the social life you share. But if staying makes you feel like an idiot, SHAM, your anger (justified) and resentment (ditto) will eventually ruin what you enjoy about your marriage. To be clear, SHAM, I don’t think staying means you’re an idiot. But you’ll have to make peace with who your husband is if you decide to stay. Not for his sake — for yours. Make peace with it again, I should say, as I don’t think you stopped scouring his iPad and phone for evidence because you didn’t think he was cheating on you; you stopped because you didn’t want to know if he was. If you do stay, SHAM, you might let your husband continue to think he’s risking his marriage when he cheats. That won’t stop him — it hasn’t up to now, right? — but your husband will be less likely to seize every opportunity that comes his way if he thinks he’s risking his marriage. If you don’t hand him a DADT card and/or tell him you’ve made peace with his cheating, SHAM, he’ll redouble his efforts to be discreet and continue to be careful to use condoms with other guys so as to avoid exposing you to a more serious STI. (I say “continue to be careful” because if he’s been cheating on you all this time and only brought crabs home, SHAM, then he was probably being careful, i.e., using condoms, with other guys.) For the record, SHAM, I don’t think this solution is ideal — making peace with who your husband is but not telling him — because I’m a fan of ethical non-monogamy. But you’re never gonna get ethical nonmonogamy out of your husband. You’re gonna keep getting what you’ve been getting all along. If that’s unacceptable, if you can’t live with that, you should definitely leave. If you

Hey, Dan: I am on the cusp of starting a sexual relationship with a newly paraplegic man. (We’re both in our late 20s and cis het if that matters.) He hasn’t had any sexual partners since his injury, so he hasn’t had much opportunity to experiment with what works for him now. He’s told me he has no sensation below his belly button. I’m not sure if he’s been able to achieve an erection since becoming paraplegic, but he said he hasn’t been able to orgasm since it happened. I’m hoping that you (or your experts or readers) might have some advice and/or resources for us. I want to make sure that the experience is as satisfying for him as it can be. —Sensitive Personal Issues Need Exploration Read the blog post “Keeping the Romance Alive After a Spinal Cord Injury” at Spinalcord.com. There are some great insights, SPINE, and lots of useful links. My advice: You wanna have a satisfying sexual experience with this guy — his first since his injury — and that’s great. But you’re more likely to have a positive experience if you don’t make it all about his dick. While you shouldn’t ignore his dick, SPINE, you need to go into this encounter — you both need to go into this encounter — believing you can have a rewarding and successful sexual experience even if he can’t get hard or climax. It’s going to take him some time to figure out what works for him now — what he needs to get hard, what he needs to get off — and in the meantime, SPINE, his tongue works, his arms work, his hands work. And non-PIV sex — or any other kind of sex in the absence of one or more erections — isn’t some sad consolation prize. They’re satisfying sexual experiences for everybody involved and, just as important, they’re things he can excel at right now, erection or no erection. If you want him to come out of his first sexual experience after his injury feeling more confident about his body and his abilities, focus on mutual pleasure, not his cock.

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