Scene November 13, 2019

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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Dedicated to Free Times founder Richard H. Siegel (1935-1993) and Scene founder Richard Kabat

CONTENTS

Publisher Andrew Zelman Editor Vince Grzegorek

Upfront

Editorial Music Editor Jeff Niesel Senior Writer Sam Allard Staff Writer Brett Zelman Web Editor Laura Morrison Dining Editor Douglas Trattner Visual Arts Writer Dott von Schneider Copy Editor Elaine Cicora Interns Alice Koeninger

CLEVELAND CAPITOL T H EAT RE D E C . 5 AT 7 : 0 0 PM

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Trust Jim Jordan? Yeah, no

Feature

Advertising Senior Multimedia Account Executive John Crobar, Shayne Rose Multimedia Account Executive Kiara Davis

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Come on down for Cleveland Rising

Get Out!

Creative Services Art Director/Production Manager Steve Miluch Staff Photographer Emanuel Wallace

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A tri-sectoral solution to your weekend plans

Business Sales Assistant/Receptionist Megan Stimac Controller Kristy Dotson Circulation Circulation Director Don Kriss

Enter To Win a Pair of HEAD Skis Go to the clevescene.com giveaways tab G ET T I C K E TS ! IT ’ S T RA D I T I O N !

WA R R E N M I L L ER .COM

Cleveland’s Premier Jeweler

Euclid Media Group Chief Executive OfďŹ cer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating OfďŹ cers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP Digital Services Stacy Volhein Creative Director Tom Carlson Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon

Discover some ordinary joy in The Band’s Visit

Film

National Advertising Voice Media Group 1-800-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com

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Dreaming up a better name for Ford v Ferrari, which is a good movie with a dumb title

Cleveland Scene 737 Bolivar Rd., #4100 Cleveland, OH 44115 www.clevescene.com Phone 216-241-7550 Retail & ClassiďŹ ed Fax 216-241-6275 Editorial Fax 216-802-7212 E-mail scene@clevescene.com

%AT

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Focusing on the positives at Pho Lee, less so at SalsaRito

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Copyright The entire contents of Cleveland Scene Magazine are copyright 2019 by Euclid Media Group. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above.

David Yurman

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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UPFRONT LAWSUIT: REP. JIM JORDAN KNEW ABOUT STRAUSS SEXUAL ABUSE DURING COACHING TENURE AT OSU Photo courtesy of U.S. House of Representatives

IN A FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED last Thursday, a professional wrestling referee claims in 1994 he told now-U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan — at the time an assistant wrestling coach at the Ohio State University — about an incident of alleged sexual misconduct by former Ohio State University doctor Richard Strauss. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, contradicts repeated assertions by Jordan that he was unaware of allegations against Strauss. An independent report by law firm Perkins-Coie released in May says that Strauss, who killed himself in 2005, sexually abused at least 177 male students during his 19791998 tenure at OSU. The report also says that more than 22 coaches, 18 athletic trainers and others were aware of the abuse. Coaches were not named in that investigation, and a spokesperson for Jordan has said the Ohio congressman was not among them. Numbers released by OSU earlier this year suggest Strauss committed roughly 1,500 acts of sexual abuse. The latest suit — one of more than two dozen that have been filed against the school — represents 43 former OSU students who claim Strauss sexually abused them. In the filing, the referee known only as John Doe 42 says that Strauss masturbated in front of him in a shower following a wrestling match in 1994. The referee reported the incident to Jordan and head coach Russ Hellickson, who allegedly shrugged off the revelation. “Yeah, yeah, we know,” the suit claims Doe was told in response. “It was common knowledge what Strauss was doing so the attitude was ‘it is what it is,’ ” the unidentified referee told NBC News. “I wish Jim — and Russ, too — would stand up and do the right thing and admit they knew what Strauss was doing, because everybody knew what he was doing to the wrestlers. What was a shock to me is that Strauss tried to do that to me. He was breaking new ground by going after a ref.”

Earlier this year, a former OSU wrestler named Dunyasha Yetts claimed he spoke to Jordan about Strauss’ behavior after he alleges the doctor tried to pull down his pants during an examination for a thumb injury. Other former wrestlers making allegations of sexual abuse also say the incidents were common knowledge and that it is likely Jordan knew about them. Jordan denies any knowledge of the incidents and says the allegations against him are politically motivated. “Congressman Jordan never saw or heard of any kind of sexual abuse, and if he had, he would’ve dealt with it,” Jordan spokesman Ian Fury told the Dayton Daily News. “Multiple investigations have confirmed this simple fact.” OSU officials have apologized for the incidents and say the school has changed its culture so that similar abuse will not happen again. OSU is also covering expenses related to therapy for those impacted by Strauss’ abuse. — Nick Swartsell

Frank Jackson, Calvin Williams Sued for Wrongful Death, Obstruction of Justice The mother of a 30-year-old man gunned down in August on Cleveland’s westside has sued Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams for wrongful death and obstruction of justice. Andrea Parra, mother of Antonio Parra, has alleged in a fiery legal complaint filed last Thursday morning that Jackson’s repeated interference in the prosecution of his grandson and great-grandson, including both explicit and implicit directives to the police department he oversees, caused the mayor’s grandsons and their affiliates to believe that they were “above the law.” “Andrea Parra has every reason to believe that her son would be alive today if it weren’t for the Mayor’s efforts to cover up for his grandsons’ crimes,” said Peter Pattakos, lead attorney on the case, in a statement provided to the media.

Citing an array of local print and TV media sources, the complaint presents a chronology of the mayor’s grandsons’ gang-related crimes and documents the ways in which protocol was ignored or abandoned due to the status of the suspects. The “brutal homicide” of Antonio Parra in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood, in which two assailants drove away in a car registered to Frank Q. Jackson, is described as the culmination of this “culture of impunity.” The killing occurred two months after the violent

beating of an 18-year-old woman by Frank Q. Jackson, after which a city prosecutor failed to prosecute or pass along the case to the county prosecutor, as is standard, despite an abundance of evidence. The investigation of Parra’s murder, the complaint says, “as with other cases involving the Mayor’s grandsons, has been marked by anomalous and unexplained deviations from established police policies and procedures.” Primary matters of concern were the fact that investigators did not | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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UPFRONT question or arrest Frank Q. Jackson and perform a gun residue test to determine if he had recently ďŹ red a gun; and allegations, made by anonymous sources in a Channel 19 news report, that Mayor Frank Jackson asked police to turn off their body cameras while at his house. The complaint notes that in at least two previous incidents involving the mayor’s grandsons’ interactions with police, no body camera footage was available. The complaint seeks damages for the wrongful death of Antonio Parra, the obstruction of justice in the investigation and the iniction of emotional distress. The case has been assigned to Judge John O’Donnell in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. — Sam Allard

MinuteMen StafďŹ ng Might be Close to Purchasing Plain Dealer Building at 1801 Superior MinuteMen StafďŹ ng is expected to close on a purchase of the Plain

Dealer building at 1801 Superior Ave., according to a report published last week. Sources have previously told Scene that negotiations were ongoing for months and advanced in nature. Those negotiations, of course, could fall apart. The city of Cleveland had announced in June 2018 that it intended to purchase the building for its new headquarters for the Cleveland police. That plan, a $60 million project by that year’s estimates, was abruptly called off by the city in September 2018. “At this time the City of Cleveland no longer desires to pursue the purchase of 1801 Superior Avenue property for the Cleveland Division of Police Headquarters with GLP Superior LTD,� the city wrote in a letter to developer Fred Geis, whose company was to buy the building from the PD and sell it to the city once construction and renovations were complete. “Thank you for working with the City on this important project.� There has been little public explanation from the city on why the deal fell through, but sources have explained to Scene two main problems. First, there were more subleases in the building than the city originally understood, and

those leases extended far into the future — 2035, or so — which made them hard to renegotiate. Second, while most of those were able to be renegotiated at acceptable terms, some tenants were demanding exorbitant payouts to exit those leases and relocate. Chiey, according to two sources, the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland, a nonproďŹ t that runs the state’s largest Head Start program and which has found itself in turmoil in recent years, had demanded more than $3 million. City council is set to soon examine the failed deal and the city’s plans, which are still unknown, for the future police HQ. The PD constructed the building for $38 million in 2002. The city planned on purchasing the building for $19.5 million. The terms of the impending sale to MinuteMen have not been disclosed. “Although just about everyone in town seems to know details of what is going on with this building, I’m one of the very few people who are actually restricted from discussing it by a conďŹ dentiality agreement,â€? Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn told Scene in a statement. “I’m hoping we can announce something soon.â€?

Samuel Lucarelli founded Minute Men Inc. in 1968, and it quickly became one of the region’s most proďŹ table and exploitative temporary stafďŹ ng agencies. Even after Lucarelli was convicted of racketeering, his family business continued to explode. From Daniel Kerr’s Derelict Paradise: “Jason Lucarelli, who took over the family business, reected, ‘Everyone knows what happened to my father ... Obviously our customers don’t care.’ The state of Ohio and the City of Cleveland as well overlooked Samuel Lucarelli’s transgressions as they turned to Minute Men Inc. and other private temporary agencies to ďŹ ll their own labor needs.â€? — Vince Grzegorek

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib Joins Call for Investigation Over Dan Gilbert and Tax Breaks Rep. Rashida Tlaib joined calls for an investigation into whether political donations from billionaire Dan Gilbert inuenced the designation of “opportunity zoneâ€? tax breaks in Detroit following a lengthy ProPublica report published last month. Three swaths of land

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where Gilbert owns dozens of properties got the opportunity zone designation after Gilbert’s organization gave $750,000 to the Trump administration. Tlaib sent a letter on Wednesday to the House Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, and the Committee on Financial Services’ Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. “This is yet another example of how corporate greed and the inuence of billionaires have infected our government like a disease,â€? Tlaib wrote. “Residents in my district have witnessed time and time again how the desires of wealthy individuals are put before their needs — enough is enough. This is not how our government, or our democracy should work. We must take action to uncover the truth.â€? The opportunity zone tax breaks were meant to spur development in impoverished communities, but the tracts selected in Detroit are among

DIGIT WIDGET 1 Number of home repair loans Fifth Third made on the eastside in 2018, according to a bank rep at the 30th annual Fair Lending and Vital Communities Conference held at CSU recently

.

24 Number of home repair loans made by KeyBank on the eastside during the same year, down from 50 in 2017.

31 Number of home repair loans made by Huntington on the eastside in 2018, up from 13 the previous year.

33 Total number of low-dollar loans — those below $ 50,000, which a Ford study cited as a “signiďŹ cant unmet needâ€? — by all three banks combined on the eastside

the most wealthy in the city. In fact, ProPublica found that one of the tracts should have been deemed ineligible, as its median income was 1.5 times what the program’s eligibility requirements allow. It was inexplicably added to the list of eligible tracts after a Michigan economic development ofďŹ cial sent an email saying Gilbert’s company, Quicken Loans, “worked with the White House on it and want to be sure we are coordinated.â€? Furthermore, Gilbert already had several large-scale projects in the works in those tracts, including the Hudson’s site skyscraper project, which is intended to be the largest building in Michigan. Jared Fleisher, the vice president of government affairs and economic development for Gilbert’s Rock Family of Companies, penned an op-ed defending the process, calling ProPublica’s story “simply not true.â€? “I stake my name, my reputation and the reputation of my organization on that,â€? he wrote. Gilbert’s organization also launched a PR campaign against the story, though it failed to debunk many of its ďŹ ndings. In an interview with Forbes, Fleisher said that he was not sure if developments already underway would qualify for the opportunity zone funds, but if they did, the company would take them. It would be “an example of them doing what they should be doing. Making development projects happen that otherwise have economic gaps and need tools like this viable,â€? he said. Regardless, Gilbert would still stand to gain, as ProPublica found property values tend go up inside opportunity zones. As Tlaib’s letter notes, the report also found potentially unqualiďŹ ed census tracts that were designated as opportunity zones in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma. “Public trust in our federal government is eroded when the rules are applied unevenly and seem to reward the wealthiest and best connected amongst us,â€? Tlaib writes in the letter. “It appears that a tax program supposedly designed to beneďŹ t the poorest amongst us is now being used to reward political donors and wealthy investors.â€? On Oct. 31, Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, and Rep. Ron Kind also signed a letter calling for an investigation following ProPublica’s report. — Lee DeVito

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H NIGHT BEFORE THE HE Cleveland Rising summit C bbegan, City Club of Cleveland CEO Dan C Moul u throop texted me an image of a qu uotatiion scribbled in black gel ink. “I think there’s nothing but good intentions here,” it read. The quote was attributed to me. I recalled instantly when I’d said it, at the conclusion of a group interview back in August with four of the summit’s 13 co-chairs: Moulthrop himself, KeyBank’s Don Graves, KeyBank’s Justin Bibb, and Kristen Morris, lately of the Cleveland Clinic. After some routine Q&A-ing, I’d expressed to them my misgivings about the summit and its messaging to that point, in particular the exasperating rhetoric about Cleveland being the first city in the country to make equity a priority. They said they appreciated the feedback and affirmed their good intentions, which I hastened to acknowledge.

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I interpreted Moulthrop’s message, then, as a friendly reminder, a plea or threat to remember these sentiments — which he had memorialized — as I participated in, and eventually wrote about, Cleveland Rising. I did not respond, though I might have, with a plea or threat of my own: For Moulthrop to remember that with which the road to hell is paved.

*** Lest there be any confusion, Cleveland Rising was a corporate relations seminar reconfigured as a regional planning summit at eye-popping expense. The fee for the facilitators from Case Western Reserve University alone was roughly $300,000, half of the total money raised. It was staged over two-anda-half days at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium downtown and included, among other things, skits, arts and crafts projects, induced dream states

| clevescene.com m | November 13 - 19, 2019

and untold urns of perfectly adequate coffee. According to the literature, Cleveland Rising’s animating question was how to “accelerate economic growth, equity and opportunity.” According to the organizers, its twofold mission was to establish a shared vision for the region’s future and to create trust. “Your voice matters and your participation matters,” Morris and Graves wrote in an Aug. 4 Cleveland. com guest column announcing the summit. “Because more than plans or roadmaps, this summit is about creating trust.” Trust was not, incidentally, included among the summit’s core values, which had been whittled down at a controversial invite-only presummit planning summit back in December. Those were Accountability, Transparency, Courage, Love and Equity. Echoing Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Dan Moulthrop welcomed nearly 600 participants on

the summit’s opening morning and proclaimed that the greatest of these was love. Day 1 was largely spent “Discovering” and “Dreaming,” processes which involved identifying our favorite things about Cleveland and envisioning (and then acting out) a future we’d be proud of. Day 2 was all about “Designing” that future. In self-selected small groups, we created prototypes for solutions in specific policy areas. On Day 3, we created “Deployment” strategies to set in motion all the bold new initiatives we’d cooked up. While the total attendance was a far cry from the 1,000 that organizers had been shooting for, Public Auditorium was nevertheless resplendent with a lordly array of civic leaders, active and retired nonprofit folks, and at least enough racial diversity for the photo ops. The number of attendees precipitously dropped throughout the first day, for reasons I’ll touch on, but from my

observations the folks who stayed were by and large actively engaged in the process and committed to the idea of making Cleveland a better place, if sometimes skeptical of the summit itself. I found the small-group work valuable in ways not expressly designed by the facilitators. Simply put: It was nice to hang out with strangers from various backgrounds and learn about them. The most illuminating conversations occurred outside the structured discussion modules. On Day 1, for example, I learned from Shaker residents about the ongoing travails of the school district, and shared reactions to a recent Washington Postt article on the subject. On Day 2, I enjoyed gossip from Lakewood residents about political divisions there. I regaled curious tablemates with stories from the trenches of the Q Deal and got the inside scoop on issues of which I’d been totally unaware at the Cuyahoga County Board of Disabilities, the Cleveland Foundation, Case Western Reserve, MetroHealth and other strifetorn local institutions. In short, I got to know people, and got to learn about the issues that were most important to them. Pleasant, in-depth conversations of this sort tend to sprout organically when you’re seated around a table for eight straight hours. But engaging in conversations can be a vital, even radical, act in a society as atomized as ours. Facilitating them was the summit’s greatest triumph. But that was not, alas, the summit’s goal. In fact, in an early speech by Dealer Tire’s Cindy Stull, attendees were told that the summit must be more than great conversation if it were to succeed. “If this is only great conversation,” she said, “can we really propel collective action?” Notwithstanding the revelation that collective action, in Dealer Tire’s case, referred to the creation of additional summits using the Appreciative Inquiry model, comments like Stull’s scanned to me like preemptive refutations of local critiques. Many of the organizers have either publicly or privately recognized the deficiencies of both the region’s current leaders and recent economic development strategies. They have been anxious for Cleveland Rising to be portrayed as a departure. Scene has certainly criticized the region’s congenital summit impulse, and has lamented how summits return, almost as a rule, to Square 1. This makes getting anything done a challenge. In attempting to transcend that tradition, facilitators stressed repeatedly that at Cleveland Rising,

g. We were we weren’t just talking “rolling up our sleeves” and “getting to work.” There was no time for talking anyhow, what with all the Discovering, Dreaming, Designing and Deploying to be done. We were constantly told how impressed with ourselves we ought to be, a reinforcement tactic which reminded me of how nodding your head up and down gives you inflated confidence in your own thoughts. David Cooperrider, one of Appreciative Inquiry’s founders at Case, opened and closed the summit by telling us how bowled over he was by the “moral energy” in the room. Michele Hunt, another strategic advisor from Case’s Fowler Center, delivered a speech on the final day which included the following: “You aren’t aware of just how special you are. What you have put in motion has never been done in history … in the history of the United States.” Despite these delusions, summit sentiments by the end of the third day were overwhelmingly positive. Attendees gushed in final comments about all the transparency, accountability, courage and love on display. With few exceptions, folks seemed energized to take the #clerisingchallenge and continue trying to propel change via social media. A few of the 21 working groups, whose members were posing for selfies and bidding each other fond farewells, produced actionable ideas that may lead to further exploration. That’s all terrific. But a shared vision of the region’s

future was neither established nor designed. While there were certainly positive takeaways, courageous ideas, and a pervasive, if temporary, bubbly energy, Cleveland Rising failed on its own terms. To the extent it goes down in history, it will do so only as the latest in a series of lively regional conversations with limited, if any, results. In other words: It was exactly what its leaders swore it would be more than. I submit that this failure stemmed from flaws inherent in the summit’s design, execution and promotion. In terms of design, the marquee flaw was the inappropriateness (to say nothing of the insufferability) of the Appreciative Inquiry model. With respect to execution, the big flaw concerned the working groups and a lack of relevant subject-matter expertise. On the promotion front, the flaw is endemic to Cleveland leaders and the stories they tell themselves about themselves. In this case, the language around the summit was so thoroughly muddled that its flagship values — things like equity, accountability and trust — were neutered of meaning, reduced to buzzwords. THE AI HORROR SHOW To clarify once again, Appreciative Inquiry is a corporate relations or management tool designed for executives struggling with disengaged or inefficient underlings. It’s a model with local roots, birthed in Cleveland in the 1980s when

CWRU’s David Cooperrider and Ron Fry “discovered the power of positive inquiry for igniting innovation and whole-system change.” It’s what’s called an “asset-based” model for organizational thinking, and its whole point is bringing together large numbers of people to talk about their strengths and dream big dreams and so forth. Cooperrider, Fry and their team are housed at Case’s Fowler Center, the dazzlingly neoliberal full name of which is: “The Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefitt.” Business being an “agent of world benefit” is the shit that CEOs say, and Appreciative Inquiry is the type of feel-good tool they promote because it insulates them from blame, seeing as there’s no finger-pointing or complaining allowed. Insisting that those who have been ravaged by decades of inequitable policies attend a two-and-a-half-day summit which forbids them from being critical of their oppressors is a neat trick. Putting that fundamental qualm to the side, the worst thing about Appreciative Inquiry for those enduring it in real time is that its alums and facilitators love nothing more than talking about Appreciative Inquiry. Assembling 600 people in a single room was an undeniable feat, and summit organizers really did work hard and pay a lot to promote Cleveland Rising and encourage participation from a wide array of attendees. But subjecting them, right off the bat, to a presentation about AI’s miraculous history, replete with the | clevescene.com m | November 13 - 19, 2019

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absolute lamest inspirational quotes known to man, was torture-chamber stuff. (There’s no space to fully dress down the usage of these quotes, but here’s just one striking example: The first quote in our booklet under the “Dream Phase” tab was from none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a dream that one day …” it read. That’s right: “I have a dream that one day DOT DOT DOT!” Without belaboring the point, it’s helpful to understand AI and its priorities in this context. The famous content of King’s dream, which happened to be germane to the summit and the idea of making equity a priority, meant jacksquat compared to the corporate value of dreaming unto itself.) If Cooperrider’s introductory monologue wasn’t bad enough, attendees were then force-fed speeches from executives about the merits of AI in their workplaces. You had to see this shit to believe it! Texts and DMs were flying around the room by this point as attendees rapidly sought confirmation that this was all as boring and irrelevant as it seemed. It emerged during this interlude that the Fowler Center facilitators insisted on presenting this material over the objections of the summit organizing team. And I was never prouder of the organizing team. Because it sure would have been uncomfortable to imagine organizers spending so much time and energy begging people from all walks of life to attend, only to punish them with a morning of inscrutable corporate powerpoints about “accelerating growth for customers and suppliers” and “tri-sector impact journeys.” It will surprise no one that folks dashed to the exits like jackalopes. I myself was trying to wrap my head around the idea of being a workingclass person who’d managed to take time off from my low-wage job to participate. In solidarity with them, I found these early sessions not only torturous, but deeply insulting. This material was not for them. Nor, for that matter, was it for anyone but a select few. What we were being bombarded with were advertisements. These were presentations by guests of the facilitators, hawking product on the Fowler Center’s behalf, knowing full well that the room was smattered with local execs who might be inclined to purchase an AI summit to enliven their own disgruntled employees. Yuck.

Save that shit for Tim Cook at Apple, who used the AI model, we were told, when he wanted to improve conditions at his sweatshops overseas. (“Asset-based” organizational thinking becomes especially monstrous when considered in that case. Imagine assembling 600 factory workers in Shenzhen and asking them about Apple’s strengths. The thought should torment your soul.) Save that shit for the United States Navy, who used AI back in 2001 to create “bold and enlightened leaders at every level of the Navy family.” Save that shit for “His Holiness the Dalai Lama,” whose use of AI I never did discern, but who was name-dropped more times (4) during this brainnumbing sunrise session than any person, place, or thing in Northeast Ohio. The great tragedy was that people were eager to engage at the outset. Most everyone had consumed dozens of op-eds in the local press about how amazing and unprecedented Cleveland Rising was going to be, and people were pumped to get underway. But by the time we finally managed to start talking to one another — the first assigned discussion module was about our individual high points as leaders — the energy, to say nothing of the crowd size, had been depleted. Lastly, the AI model is designed for large organizations and is optimized for “command-and-control” firms, topdown outfits like the Navy or Apple. Corporations are private tyrannies, of course, ruled by a CEO and a board of directors. But in terms of AI, they have the flexibility and authority to greenlight whatever aspirational ideas their employees dream up. A region is no such organization. There is no centralized authority to whom one can present these aspirations for approval. Who implements the new curriculum of racial healing and Accurate American History in our schools, for example? Who ratifies the plan to get rid of Burke Lakefront Airport and convert the acreage to publicly accessible greenspace? Who pays for the multi-billion-dollar expanded transit network? Who lobbies for the minimum-wage increase? According to summit organizers, the answer is all of us. But if everyone is a leader, as they kept repeating, and if everyone is therefore accountable, no one is. A LACK OF EXPERTS Mayor Frank Jackson did not attend Cleveland Rising. This was a perceived slight noted by many in the room and which Cleveland.com has now seen fit to “Jeer.” I actually don’t begrudge Jackson his absence. It became very clear early on that the

mayor’s presence, beyond maybe an opening benediction, wouldn’t have mattered much. If anything, it was liable to be a distraction. As a point of contrast, I believe it was contemptuous when Jackson refused to show up to any electionseason forums in 2017 to defend his record and present ideas to voters. It also blows my mind that for many months, as Scene reported earlier this year, Jackson was only selectively showing up to work and nobody seemed to mind. But not showing up to a privately orchestrated planning summit, when he’s reportedly hatching something similar with many of the same leaders? This to me is more of an ego trip on the part of the summit co-chairs. They wanted Jackson to bless their efforts with his presence. And Jackson, adhering to his personal code of peevish obstinacy, said “nah.” Much more valuable to the summit’s execution would have been subject-matter experts in the specific areas which we, via aspirational thinking, endeavored to revolutionize. The bulk of the conference was spent on this work. On the morning of Day 2, facilitators had harnessed comments from the first day and compressed them into 21 “How might we ...” questions for which we

were meant to brainstorm solutions. Some of these were straightforward: “How might we make Cleveland the healthiest city in the United States?” Others approached a runic impenetrability: “How might we build a tri-sectoral win-win competency into the heart of Cleveland’s culture and set in motion the tri-sectoral tools that will map and leverage our resources in more data-driven, collaborative and effective ways?” Nothing called the overall value of the summit into question more than when groups presented their aspirational initiatives on the third day and more than half included references to tri-sectoral goals. “Tri-sector” just means the public, nonprofit and for-profit sectors. And a good “win-win” tri-sectoral tool is something that creates value for all three. But attendees’ devotion to this ideal, roughly 48 hours after first learning the word, was astonishing to behold, not least because these sudden acolytes didn’t seem to remember or care that they were in fact promoting a trademarked platform (“WinWin”), created by one of the first morning’s presenters, designed to help entrepreneurs profit off of the repurposing of existing public assets and data. The Win-Win platform looks to have spawned some socially

beneficial startups, but the Cleveland tri-sectoral boner was nevertheless infuriating for two reasons: 1) The initial usage and meaning of the word was instantly bastardized. It can now be understood as a sexy new synonym for “public-private partnership.” 2) The zealotry of its adoption crowded out what should have been more central questions. In small groups, people were no doubt asking things like, “How will this solution embody a tri-sector approach” instead of things like: “How will this solution specifically help poor people?” My small group was tasked with answering a question about becoming a “Green City on a Blue Lake.” After a morning of brainstorming, we elected to split into two subgroups, with one focusing on water infrastructure, and the other (mine) focusing on green infrastructure. Through a process that there’s no time to describe in detail, we narrowed our focus to “Green Manufacturing.” And from there, we narrowed it further still to “the installation of solar panels.” Because this was a summit ostensibly devoted to equity, our final prototype was a green energy collaborative for “the installation of solar panels in under resourced neighborhoods.” It emerged throughout the afternoon, however, that we had no

idea what the fuck we were talking about. We had among us very smart, engaged people, all of whom were interested in things like “the environment.” But solar engineers and manufacturing executives we were not. And so the conversation was often stilted and confused. By the third day, when we were supposed to be moving into specific objectives for the next six months, we were still trying to nail down what exactly our goal was. What was the educational component? How much was this all going to cost? Would the collaborative be its own nonprofit? The second afternoon was almost laughably unproductive because we were tasked with “prototyping” our initiative by creating a “visual model,” an utter waste of time. The whole prototyping process, as presented, was borrowed from the worlds of engineering and architecture. It should go without saying that designing a social program is not exactly like designing a new computer product or skyscraper. One way it’s similar, though, is that designing any of these things without knowledgeable personnel on hand makes the prototype pure fantasy. It literally does not rise above the level of arts and crafts. I

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FEATURE experienced a disorienting moment as I scanned the auditorium on Day 2 and saw suited civic leaders clutching magic markers, blowing up balloons, applying multi-colored stickers to poster boards and twisting pipe cleaners into headwear, all to build “prototypes” for things like universal public wi-fi, a minorityowned business hub and — god helps us all — a Global Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It was kindergarten. Earlier in the day, facilitator Michele Hunt, in laying out our brainstorming guidelines, said that there would be no “Yeah, buts …” allowed as we dreamed up solutions. This directive was meant to encourage participation and assure us that every idea was valid. But with all due respect, every idea was not valid. Some ideas for local solutions were duplicative or heinously impractical. There were enough folks in my group with their heads screwed on to steer us away from the absurd. But I couldn’t help imagining spending two days prototyping an initiative that replicated a Cuyahoga County program because someone thought they weren’t allowed to say, “Yeah, but that already exists.” By the third day, our group decided that one of the most important strategic objectives would be to talk to experts in the field to get a handle on what’s going on with solar panels. What programs are already out there? How would our aspirational green energy collaborative conceivably fit in? Does it duplicate or complicate actual work being done? These are crucial questions. The answers frankly seem like prerequisites to having a meaningful discussion about the topic, let alone designing an initiative. And it is very weird to me that our group, composed mostly of unrelated nonprofit professionals, is now theoretically supposed to deploy our design. Cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn was one of Cleveland Rising’s cochairs. Reflecting on the experience in the This Week in the CLE podcast, he said he thought it might have been more effective to create a specific and measurable goal for the summit — increasing jobs in the region, for example — which might have resulted in a more coherent course of action. “These were marvelous ideas,” he said, “but they don’t really have concrete goals.” He concluded that while there may not be clear or

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realistic paths forward for many of the initiatives, Cleveland Rising had nevertheless produced “fertile ground for big ideas to grow.” Just like every summit, in other words. Reporter Pete Krouse said on the podcast that he bumped into Team NEO CEO Bill Koehler after the summit, and that Koehler told him if any of these ideas “germinate to the point where they demonstrate impact on the community, and there’s performance metrics, that you can show that this is working, they’re very open to getting behind it. That’s state money, and that’s important.” Is it, though? Could an endorsement be any less committal? Could funds be any less available? Koehler’s comments to Krouse, assuming they were conveyed accurately, may sound encouraging. But rest assured that they are not. What he’s saying is that Team NEO won’t even bat an eyelash at any of these initiatives until the small

“What other city has taken the remarkable step of making social justice its priority?” It should be obvious that Cleveland has not written an economic plan that includes everyone. Nor will it. Leaders have not made social justice their priority. Nor will they. In fact, social justice will never be made a priority in Northeast Ohio as long as it remains subsidiary to economic growth. Recall that accelerating economic growth, but doing it equitably, was more or less Cleveland Rising’s mission statement. The summit subhead might as well have been “having your cake and eating it too.” Local leaders start sputtering like malfunctioning robots when pressed on this conundrum, and I’ve come to believe that their brains simply cannot accommodate the notion that the two priorities — economic growth on the one hand, equitable social policy on the other — are almost always at odds. I made a

accelerating economic growth, but doing it equitably, was more or less Cleveland Rising’s mission statement. The summit subhead might as well have been ‘having your cake and eating it too.’ groups find ways to fully fund and implement their ideas on their own, and are successful enough in doing so that they demonstrate community impact and generate “performance metrics” to prove that they’re working — “working” from the perspective of a traditional economic development organization, mind you, which is concerned foremost with business growth, not equity or social justice. Only then would Team NEO be “very open to” getting behind them. Fertile ground indeed. THE DEBASEMENT OF LANGUAGE Long before the summit began, one of its most irksome elements was the avalanche of self-congratulation by its organizers and their peers. “In conversation after conversation this year,” Chris Quinn wrote in a column on the subject, “I have heard local leaders say this sentence or something similar: Cleveland is going to be the first city in America to write an economic development plan that includes everyone.” On the eve of the summit, he published another column, asking:

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

similar statement on Twitter before the summit and was instantly set upon by members of the business community who accused me of intellectual dishonesty and assured me that Northeast Ohio was not a “zero sum game” and so forth. But history paints a clear picture. In Cleveland, economic growth has generally been pursued via business attraction, which is celebrated and defended on the basis of job creation. New jobs are good for economies because when more people are employed, more money is spent on local goods and services. Plus the public gets more money from the additional income taxes. But the way that Northeast Ohio has historically attracted business is by offering tax incentives and other handouts (money that would be going to public uses otherwise), and by promoting low wages relative to other markets. A generation ago, in the early 1980s (which, feel free to note, was right when Appreciative Inquiry was getting off the ground), high wages were seen as the big regional problem that the community should rally

around and have summits about. The dean of CWRU’s Weatherhead School of Management, now home to the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit, wrote then that “unions and high wages” were the primary causes of the region’s industrial decline. The atmosphere has not much changed. (Just revisit what happened when a local minimum wage increase was pursued back in 2016.) When you start trying to agitate for something that looks like equity, you’re seen as antagonizing the businesses that local governments have made it their central function to appease. Indeed, appeasing business and promoting growth are so central to the worldview of local leaders, so deeply and unconsciously ingrained, that every value has become subsidiary to it, not just equity. But certainly at Cleveland Rising, “equity and opportunity” were ideals to be pursued in the context of economic growth. The fact that an equity conference was facilitated by the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit should tell you all you need to know. Green manufacturing, but equitably! Datadriven collaboration, but with an equity component! A Global Center for Entrepreneurship, but also a minority-owned-business hub! I heard from multiple attendees that the loosey-goosey usage of words like “equity” at Cleveland Rising was bothersome to them. It had become such a blanket term, such a buzzword, that it effectively lost meaning. In my observation, to the extent equity was a meaningful talking point in small groups at all, it was only because of individual participants who forced the issue. It’s not like facilitators were reminding us to consider equity in our prototypes. It’s not like there were stage-setting presentations from historians or professors about equity and social justice in the region. The presentations, you’ll remember, were all about Appreciative Inquiry. Make no mistake, equity was discussed. There were many attendees with a keen sense of the region’s ugly racial history who made sure that race was not overlooked in our conversations. (In what was surely a frustrating burden for the summit’s black participants, it fell on many of them to gently explain what the words equity, diversity and inclusion even meant.) For others, visions of Cleveland in 2030 included such hallmarks of equity as a Browns Super Bowl victory in a domed stadium with the first all-female NFL roster.

“Equity” was not the only word disfigured by its buzz. “Accountability” was another. I touched on this above, but attempts to decentralize and democratize leadership — “Just by being here, you are all leaders,” we were told — produced an entirely bogus conception of what it means to wield power, and who ought to be accountable to whom. Look no further than the so-called “New Take on the Lake” small group, whose aspirational initiative was to move Burke Lakefront Airport and develop a “world class lakefront for ALL residents and visitors.” That’s a splendid idea, with nearunanimous public support. But when Burke is still active, and the lengthy process for its removal or relocation hasn’t begun in six months, does anyone honestly believe that the assorted members of Cleveland Rising Group 12 will be responsible? Is anyone honestly going to hold them accountable for failing to make good on their initiative? Of course not! To do so would be preposterous. I needn’t play this song, because everyone knows the words, but Quinn himself has noted that removing Burke, despite its overwhelming support, is a “non-starter with the corporate community.” And so it goes. Lastly, the word “trust,” a peculiar little stowaway. Focused as I was on solar panels, I kept forgetting that creating trust was what the summit, “more than plans or roadmaps,” was all about. Trust between which parties, it occurred to me to wonder a few days later? And to what end? I sought answers from an unlikely source: the pre-summit assigned readings, which I remembered included, alongside a suite of poverty reports from the Center for Community Solutions and a boomtown hot take from known social justice organ chiefexecutive.net, a blog post written by a U.S. Army platoon leader who’d been stationed in Iraq. He wrote that he’d learned a few “tough lessons” about trust vis-a-vis a micro-grant community development program in northeastern Baghdad. He noted that “various factors” had “contributed to the lack of trust the average [Iraqi] community member had in the Army’s intentions and execution of projects.” (Oh really? Would it maybe have something to do with the million corpses that had piled up since 2003? Or was it other factors?) The big lessons he learned were that “trust takes time,” but that “the benefits of trust often have a positive impact that extend far beyond the primary activity you are focusing on.” This was obviously trash, and

not only because, translated to the Cleveland Rising scenario, it was clear who was meant to represent the U.S. military and who was meant to represent the Iraqis. My bigger concern — and it haunts me even now — was that summit leaders and their peers might actually have been reading this material and gleaning insight. “Trust takes time”? “The benefits of trust often have a positive impact that extend far beyond the primary activity you are focusing on”? Was this written by an alien? As it happens, I believe the lessons to be true — trust does take time! — and I sure hate to belittle the author’s eloquence. But for heaven’s sake, this was the material that leaders had selected to illustrate the summit’s preeminent virtue? I was left with the impression that summit leaders were viewing the creation of trust as a kind of executive tactic, that they were far less interested in building trust in the conventional way than they were in creating the perception that they were leaders who could be trusted. Despite all those good intentions, this obsession with trust left me, paradoxically, in a state of doubt. Only trolls would deny that an atmosphere of trust is preferable to an atmosphere of mistrust. And it stands to reason that the summit leaders are active participants in trusting relationships of their own. They should know, then, that trust is a natural by-product of people looking out for one another, and that once trust is broken, it can be very difficult to repair. (Just ask the GCC.) There are those in Cleveland who have committed their lives to the struggles of building a just community and who have made endless sacrifices to guide us all toward a more equitable future. Those folks aren’t likely to be persuaded by the good intentions of Cleveland’s emerging crop of leaders. They’ve been short-changed and two-timed by local leaders too many times before, leaders of the past whose stated commitments to battling poverty and making Cleveland a better place were no less sincere. If new leaders really are intent on being trusted, they’ll have to dispense with the notion that trust can be built in a laboratory or prototyped at a summit. In Cleveland, just like everywhere else, trust isn’t created. It’s earned.

sallard@clevescene.com t@scenesallard

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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PRESENTS

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80’S

SK I W E A R

Flats East Bank From 12-5pm

Check in at the EY lobby from 12-12:45 for light appetizers provided by participating restaurants.

E A S T

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B A N K

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GET OUT

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everything you should do this week

Snow Day returns to the East Bank of the Flats. See: Saturday.

WED

11/13

THEATER

The Band’s Visit This critically acclaimed Broadway smash-hit musical won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It also nabbed a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album. The play “rejoices in the way music makes us laugh, makes us cry, and ultimately, brings us together.” Tonight’s performance takes place at 7:30 at Connor Palace. Tickets start at $10, and the show runs through Nov. 24. (Jeff Niesel) 1615 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. MUSIC

Blue Note Records’ 80th Birthday Celebration Blue Note Records artists Kandace Springs, James Carter and James Francies will commemorate the iconic record label’s 80th birthday today with a performance at the John P. Murphy Foundation Theatre at Tri-C’s Metropolitan Campus. The event is part of the Tri-C Performing Arts series presented by Cuyahoga Community College. Each artist will perform a set of his or her own

music before joining together for a finale featuring a classic Blue Note tune. The venerable record label served as home to historic greats such as Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Tickets to the show range from $5 to $35 and can be purchased online or by phone at the contact info listed below. Parking is available in Lot 5, off of Woodland Avenue. (Niesel) 2900 Community College Ave., 216-987-4444, tri-c.edu/bluenote. SPOKEN WORD

Cleveland Stories Dinner Party Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. Through it, the folks at Music Box Supper Club hope to raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center. The goal is to “bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past — from sports, to rock ’n’ roll, to Millionaires’ Row,” as it’s put in a press release. Admission is free, with no cover charge, although a prix fixe dinner, designed to complement the night’s theme, is $20. Tonight, Fran and Jules Belkin talk about the behindthe-scenes stories that Fran Belkin writes about in her book, Rock

This Town! Behind the Scenes at Belkin Concerts. Doors open at 5 p.m., dinner is served at 6, and the storytelling starts at 7. (Niesel) 1148 Main Ave., 216-242-1250, musicboxcle.com. THEATER

Merchant of Venice Tonight at 7:30 at the Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre, the CWRU/CPH MFA Acting Program’s class of 2020 presents its take on Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, a play about money, privilege and prejudice. Tickets cost $15, and performances continue through Nov. 16. (Niesel) 1407 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. MUSIC

The Music and the Machines: The SP-1200, the MPC, and the Evolution of Hip-Hop Beat Making Patrick Rivers, ethnomusicologist and assistant professor of music at the University of New Haven, and Will Fulton, a musicologist and associate professor of music at LaGuardia Community College, will talk about how the SP-1200 became the most commonly used instrument of hip-hop production circa 1990. They’ll also talk about

how, as the 1990s progressed, the intuitively designed MPC series developed a “relationship” with hip-hop music, supplanting the SP1200 as the most popular sampler. It happens today at 7 p.m. at the Rock Hall. Admission is free with a reservation through the Rock Hall’s website. (Niesel) 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.

THU

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MUSIC

Adams and Mahler Soprano Joélle Harvey joins the Cleveland Orchestra tonight at 7:30 at Severance Hall in performances of pieces by John Adams and Gustav Mahler. Adams used words written on posters near Ground Zero in his “On the Transmigration of Souls;” Mahler composed his Symphony No. 4 to reflect his vision of heaven. A pre-concert talk about “visions of death and life” precedes the concert. Performances also take place on Saturday and Sunday. Check the orchestra website for more details. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com. | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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GET OUT SPORTS

Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers After a dismal start to the season, the Browns look to get back on track tonight with a home game against division rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have been reeling ever since Ben Roethlisberger hit the injured list, so the Browns have a good shot at taking them down. The game begins at 8:20 tonight at FirstEnergy Stadium. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 100 Alfred Lerner Way, 440-891-5000, clevelandbrowns.com.

and compromising situations will have you cracking up. He performs tonight at 7 at Hilarities and has shows scheduled through Saturday. Check the website for ticket prices and other details. (Liz Trenholme) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

that Parsons played, the New Soft Shoe covers. As a result, the group plays tunes from the International Submarine Band, the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers. It also plays songs from Parsons’ solo album GP/Grievous Angel. Tonight at 8, the band performs in the Waldorf Hall at Forest City Brewery.

FRI

78th Street Studios Third Friday Art Walk Time again for the Third Friday Art Walk at the cavernous 78th Street Studios. More than 50 studios and galleries will participate in this popular indoor art walk; be sure to check out spots like the Derek Hess Gallery, Tregoning & Company and Hilary Gent Studio. Look for food trucks out front and live music on the first floor. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. and admission is free. (Niesel) 1300 West 78th St., 78thstreetstudios.com.

Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images

FILM

SPOKEN WORD

Jennie Garth & Tori Spelling Live: A Night to Remember Beverly Hills, 90210 stars Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling bring their talk show, Jennie Garth & Tori Spelling Live, to town tonight as part of a 13-city tour. The tour coincides with Fox’s six-episode series BH90210 The show promises to be “the ultimate girls’ night.” The event takes place at 7:30 at MGM Northfield Park – Center Stage. Tickets start at $37.50. (Niesel) 10705 Northfield Rd., Northfield, 330-908-7793, mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts. com.

Party with us as we celebrate the opening of Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll in Cleveland

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SPECIAL INDUCTEE GUESTS OF THE EVENING: Kirk Hammett & Robert Trujillo of Metallica Don Felder formerly of Eagles Nancy Wilson of Heart

Get your tickets before they're gone! $30 for members • $50 for non-members Includes full touring privileges of Play It Loud and additional exhibits, live music and entertainment, a complimentary drink ticket, & dessert bar

COMEDY

Bobby Lee Bobby Lee is the black sheep of his very Korean family. He was supposed to take over the family clothing store, but instead he played in some bands and decided to become a comedian. His parents often tell him how ugly he is, and every girl he brings home hears all about how he ate dog poop when he was a kid. His self-deprecation ranges from the nine long months it took his mustache to grow to the limited expression he has in his eyes. His stories of awkwardness

11/15

ART

SPORTS

Cavs vs. Miami Heat Thanks to some off-season trades, the Miami Heat appear to be a muchimproved team compared to last year’s squad. Forward Jimmy Butler has added some firepower, and the Heat has gotten off to a great start this season. They face the Cavs tonight at 6 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com.

of his life in new ways. Rashida Jones and Austin Pendleton co-star. The movie shows at 8:45 tonight and at 6:45 on Monday night at the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for students and Cinematheque members. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

1100 Rock and Roll Blvd • 216.781.7625 • Rockhall.com MUSIC

New Soft Shoe Nine years ago, on what local singer-songwriter Brent Kirby calls a drunken dare, a group of Cleveland friends and musicians showed up at the Happy Dog to play a couple sets of tunes by the late, great Gram Parsons. Dubbed the New Soft Shoe, the group has been at it ever since, spreading the gospel of what it refers to “Gram’s Cosmic American Music.” Anything

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

Admission is free, but a donation is requested. (Niesel) 2135 Columbus Rd., 216-228-9116, forestcitybrewery.com.

Blind Husbands The Cleveland Museum of Art celebrates the 100th anniversary of Erich von Stroheim’s Blind Husbands by screening the film tonight at 7. An “opulent, sophisticated tale” set in the AustroItalian Alps, the film centers on an army lieutenant who sets his sights on a vulnerable American wife on vacation with her doctor husband. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org. MUSIC

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Autumn Concert Vinay Parameswaran conducts the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra tonight at 8 at Severance Hall as it presents its autumn concert. Expect to hear Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Something for the Dark, Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2. Consult the Cleveland Orchestra website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 11001 Euclid Ave., 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com.

FILM

The Sound of Silence Peter Sarsgaard stars in this indie flick as a “house tuner” who investigates whatever ambient noises might be disrupting his clients. When one case leaves him stumped, he’s forced to take stock

COMEDY

Mo’Nique Comedian Mo’Nique is fat and Southern and proud of it. She’ll eat a whole fresh pig and she’s got the legs to prove it. Mo’s other topics of humor include her divorce from

her “leprechaunâ€? ex (dude was too short and had designs on her lucky charms anyway), her very “niceâ€? son and her kids’ fear of playing Twister with their fat mom. Some of the stuff she talks about borders on the serious (like her mom life and why she moved to a white neighborhood), but she manages to ďŹ nd the funny in every situation life throws at her, and she’ll have you laughing right along with her. She performs at 7:30 and 10 tonight and at 7 and 9:30 tomorrow night at the Improv. Tickets are $40. (Trenholme) 1148 Main Ave., 216-696-IMPROV, clevelandimprov.com. MUSIC

AndrĂĄs Simonyi: Rocking Toward a Free World A former diplomat who served as Hungarian ambassador to the United States, AndrĂĄs Simonyi, an economist by training, has had a lifelong love for rock ’n’ roll and plays guitar in the Coalition of the Willing, which includes Jeff “Skunkâ€? Baxter. Today at 2 p.m. at the Rock Hall, he’ll talk about the huge impact of American pop culture in Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. The event is free with a reservation through the Rock Hall’s

website. (Niesel) 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., 216-515-8444, rockhall.com.

SAT

11/16

FILM

Desolation Center At 9:20 tonight and at 8:30 on Monday night, the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque will screen 2018’s Desolation Center, a documentary ďŹ lm about the guerilla music and art happenings that took place in the Southern California desert in the 1980s. These celebrations of punk, noise, industrial music and experimental art would go on to inspire festivals such as Burning Man, Lollapalooza and Coachella. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for students and Cinematheque members. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

at noon, and the event rolls out of the Ernst & Young lobby at 1 p.m. Your $15 ticket ($20 on the day of the event) includes light appetizers, drink specials at all the bars and the chance to win prizes along the crawl. Find details on the website. (Niesel) scenesnowday.com. COMEDY

Ryan Hamilton Thanks to the success of his recently released standup special Happy Face, comedian Ryan Hamilton’s career has picked up some traction. The one-hour Netix original came in the wake of numerous TV appearances. Like Jerry Seinfeld, Hamilton likes to joke about the trials and tribulations of everyday life. He performs tonight at 8 at the Ohio Theatre. Tickets cost $32.50. (Niesel) 1501 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. FILM

DRINK

Snow Day Breckenridge Brewery celebrates the opening of Breckenridge ski resort today with a special bar crawl that hits several bars on the East Bank of the Flats. Check-in begins

The Hired Hand The late Peter Fonda stars in and directs this movie about a man who returns to his wife and home after wandering the Southwest for seven years. His wife doesn’t take him back in, but she does give him

work. Today at 5 p.m., the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque will screen a 35-mm print of the ick. Tickets cost $12, or $9 for Cinematheque members and students. (Niesel) 11610 Euclid Ave., 216-421-7450, cia.edu.

SUN

11/17

COMEDY

Vicki Barbolak A Top 10 ďŹ nalist on America’s Got Talent, Vicki Barbolak is an up-coming comic with personality to spare. Famously, judge Howie Mandel told her, “I think you just came up with your own sitcom, you’re wonderful, I love you.â€? E! TV called her “the next breakout star to come from the Comedy Store.â€? She performs tonight at 7 at the Hanna Theatre. Tickets cost $25 to $45. (Niesel) 2067 East 14th St., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org. SPORTS

Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers Perhaps the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers roll into Rocket

Shakespeare... like you’ve never SCENE before.

THE ME RC HANT OF VE NIC E N OV EMB E R 6 - 16 // T H E H E L E N AT P L AY H O U S E S Q UA R E BY W I L L I A M S H A KE S P E A R E D I R E C T E D BY S A R A H O L D R E N

//

M FA AC T I N G P RO G R A M

T I C KE TS O N LY $15 // | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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THEATER

GET OUT Mortgage FieldHouse tonight as the only team in the NBA to win its ďŹ rst ďŹ ve games. With guard Ben Simmons and center Joel Embiid, the 76ers have two of the NBA’s best players. The game begins at 3 p.m. Consult the website for ticket prices. (Niesel) 1 Center Court, 216-420-2000, rocketmortgageďŹ eldhouse.com. COMEDY

Hap Cole High-energy comedian Happy Cole delivers jokes at a fast pace. His humor is about the things that he observes going on in the world around him. His material ranges from racial humor to joking about cruise ships. Cole has been in the comedy game for 20-plus years, and that experience shows: He knows how to work a crowd and how to make them laugh. He performs tonight at 7 at Hilarities. Tickets start at $13. (Niesel) 2035 East Fourth St., 216-241-7425, pickwickandfrolic.com.

The Simon & Garfunkel Story A tribute to the folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, the touring theater show The Simon & Garfunkel Story comes to the State Theatre tonight. The immersive concert-style performance chronicles the duo’s rise, culminating with their famous Concert in Central Park reunion in 1981. Using state-of-the-art video projection, photos and original ďŹ lm footage, the show features a full live band performing hits such as “Mrs. Robinson,â€? “Cecilia,â€? “Bridge Over Troubled Waterâ€? and “Homeward Bound.â€? Tonight’s performance takes place at 7. Tickets cost $35 to $55. (Niesel) 1519 Euclid Ave., 216-241-6000, playhousesquare.org.

sitcom Family Ties — has opened for Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. He’s starred in movies and hosted late-night talk shows. Wounded by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2003, Kashnow spent almost two years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., learning how to walk with what remained of his leg. He began his standup comedy career in 2012, and he also works as a motivational speaker. General admission tickets are $25 and available at the box ofďŹ ce or online. Veterans and active duty military personnel will be admitted free with proper ID; passes will be available at the box ofďŹ ce. (Niesel) 1390 West 65th St., 216-651-7295, clevelandcinemas.com. FOOD DRIVE

FILM + COMEDY

Skippy and the Comedy Warrior Live at the Capitol Theatre Tonight at 7, the Capitol Theatre will host a special screening of the documentary Comedy Warriors: Healing Through Humor. Marc “Skippyâ€? Price and Joe Kashnow will each do a live standup comedy set before the screening of the ďŹ lm, which explores how veterans use comedy to deal with their injuries. Price — “Skippyâ€? from the ’80s

Touchdown for Hunger The sixth annual Touchdown for Hunger will take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. today at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Anyone who donates one or more non-perishable food items (oatmeal, rice, pasta and canned beans will be accepted) to the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland receives a voucher for $7 discounted same-day admission to the aquarium. Last year, the oneday event brought in nearly 500

non-perishable items and $1,000 in donations. The donations help feed about 40,000 individuals each month. (Niesel) 2000 Sycamore St., 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com. FILM

Vita & Virginia Chanya Button used real-life letters as the basis of Vita & Virginia, a period piece about Virginia Woolf’s 1920s love affair with British writer and socialite Vita Sackville-West, the inspiration for Woolf’s Orlando. Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki and Isabella Rossellini star in the ick. It screens at 1:30 p.m. today at the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it screens again at 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Tickets cost $10, or $7 for CMA members. (Niesel) 11150 East Blvd., 216-421-7350, clevelandart.org.

MON

11/18

FAMILY FUN

Movie Mondays Every Monday, Cleveland Cinemas hosts $5 Movie Mondays, where ďŹ lm fans can catch up on the latest Hollywood icks for signiďŹ cantly

Unwritten History: A Grays Lecture Series PRESENTED BY

HANGING OUT WITH

LEE HARVEY OSWALD

CLEVELAND FOOTBALL Party for home and away games!

By Joseph Readon

129(0%(5 ‡ 30 On the anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, you are invited to hang out for an evening with Lee Harvey Oswald. Hearing intriguing stories of his sojourn in the Soviet Union, why he went, what he did there, and his battle to return to the U.S., as well as his thoughts and feelings about society and politics at home vs. the USSR. This transpired four months before the JFK assassination. The talk focuses on insights into what may have been Oswald’s real motivation and intention. Cleveland Grays Armory Museum | 1234 Bolivar Rd | Cleveland, OH

PLEASE RSVP TO RESERVE A SEAT BY CALLING (216) 621-5938 OR EMAIL: grays1837@yahoo.com 20

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

For home games, FREE shuttle to the stadium, 30 minutes before, entire duration of game and 30 minutes after end of game. Miller Lite, Maker’s Mark & wing specials. Ask your server how you can enter to win a Punch Bowl Social gift card from Scene. All home/away games on Big Screen TV’s with volume up! 7 4( 34 s &,!43 %!34 "!.+ s #,%6%,!.$

reduced prices. Bring your friends and family and make Movie Mondays a weekly tradition — many theaters even offer discounted concession stand items. Participating theaters include Apollo Theatre, Capitol Theatre, Cedar Lee Theatre, Chagrin Cinemas and Tower City Cinemas. Unfortunately, additional charges apply for 3-D movies. (Alaina Nutile) clevelandcinemas.com.

R&B curated by local musician Clint Holley will be on tap as well. Wing Dang Doodle takes place every Monday from 6 p.m. to midnight. (Niesel) 1109 Starkweather Ave., 216-937-1938, prosperitysocialclub.com.

TUE

11/19

MUSIC TRIVIA

Monday Night Trivia Do you have tons of obscure music knowledge? Are you a student of fast food menus and their nuanced histories? What say you about the geographic evolution of Scotch whisky? Tonight’s your chance to wow your friends, make yourself instantly more desirable to someone you’re newly dating, and hang with Cleveland’s headiest hipsters and hot dog lovers. It’s the Happy Dog Monday Night Trivia. Starting at 8 p.m., expect themed rounds and general knowledge questions that seem considerably trickier than some of the other live trivia locales in town. Obviously, have a hot dog and a craft brew while you’re at it. And arrive early: Seats fill up fast. (Sam Allard) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com. MUSIC

Shit Show Karaoke Local rapper/promoter Dirty Jones and Scene’s own Manny Wallace host Shit Show Karaoke, a weekly event at the B-Side Liquor Lounge wherein patrons choose from “an unlimited selection of jams from hip-hop to hard rock,” and are encouraged to “be as bad as you want.” Fueled by drink and shot specials, it all goes down tonight at 10 p.m. (Niesel) 2785 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights, 216-932-1966, bsideliquorlounge.com. FOOD

Wing Dang Doodle Blues icon Howlin’ Wolf famously covered “Wang Dang Doodle,” the old blues tune penned by Willie Dixon. Prosperity Social Club in Tremont has adopted that slogan, calling its wing night Wing Dang Doodle. The weekly event features specials on Buffalo wings and cold brews. Prosperity will not only serve up substantial, $1 whole wings, but it’ll also offer meatless Monday “wing” baskets for vegans. Discounted drafts and a playlist of vintage-electric blues and soulful

Classical Revolution Cleveland Today, and the third Tuesday of every month, Classical Revolution Cleveland brings chamber music to the Happy Dog. Performers like the Trepanning Trio, students of Cleveland Institute of Music, and even Cleveland Orchestra members grace the stage in these exciting, free concerts that are great for the whole family. Tonight’s performance starts at 8. (Patrick Stoops) 5801 Detroit Ave., 216-651-9474, happydogcleveland.com. MUSIC

Open Turntable Tuesday Tonight from 6 to 9, the Winchester hosts its weekly Open Turntable Tuesday. Jason Gokorsch will book guest DJs and offer slots to people who want to bring their own vinyl and spin their favorite songs or deep tracks. First time DJs are encouraged, and equipment is provided. Patrons can also bring records for the night’s DJ to add to their set. Sign up on Northeast Ohio Vinyl Club’s Facebook page. (Niesel) 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood, 216-600-5338, facebook.com/ TheWinchesterMusicTavern. MUSIC

Vinyl Night Jukebox owner Alex Budin has described his 1,350-squarefoot music-focused bar in the Hingetown ’hood as “a place where people can expect to hear and learn about music of multiple genres, all of which is concentrated in a constantly evolving jukebox.” The club hosts a vinyl night every Tuesday that serves as a listening party for new releases, partnering with Loop in Tremont, so patrons can hear a new album on vinyl. You can bring your own vinyl and spin it too. It all starts at 5 p.m. (Niesel) 1404 West 29th St., 216-206-7699, jukeboxcle.com.

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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STAGE THE LITTLE THINGS The Band’s Visit proves that stories of subtlety and grace belong on Broadway By Gwendolyn Kochur Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Band’s Visit celebrates the small moments in life.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME something you did was so fantastic it could be featured in a Broadway musical? Unless you’re a tormented musician terrorizing a Paris opera house, a Disney princess, a 19thcentury French revolutionary, or a cat (be it lion or domestic), chances are that your life experiences don’t necessarily overlap with the stories featured in Broadway’s most popular musicals. That is until shows like The Band’s Visit come along. The story follows a group of Egyptian musicians who become temporarily stranded for one night in a small, unremarkable desert town in Israel. Many would classify this story as unexceptional and unimportant because of its absolute normalcy — but therein also lies its beauty. The Band’s Visit, a quiet sliceof-life musical, reminds us that the majority of our lives are not lived in ground-shaking events, but in small moments of human connection. The Band’s Visit was inspired by the 2007 Israeli film of the same name and is under the direction of David Cromer. With a book by Itamar Moses, the musical opened on Broadway in 2017, receiving both fantastic critical acclaim and 10 Tony Awards. After a miscommunication, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police

22

Orchestra becomes stranded in the practically desolate town of Bet Hatikva. Three cafe workers — Dina (the extraordinary Chilina Kennedy), a sultry and lonely woman; Papi (an endearing Adam Gabay), a man rendered powerless by his nerves around women; and Itzik (the charming Pomme Koch), a stressed new father — offer to house the band members until they can catch a bus to their destination the next morning. What follows is 90 uninterrupted minutes during which members of the band spend time with the locals exploring the town, enjoying dinner and playing music. Unlike so many of the touring Broadway shows

As the two venture through Bet Hatikva, it becomes apparent that they’re both lonely and longing for companionship, but Dina is far more desperate. An exquisite song shared between the two is “Something Different,” where Dina explores her infatuation with Tewfiq. Another beautiful song concerning love, “The Beat of Your Heart,” takes place in Itzik’s home, where his father-in-law Avrum (David Studwell) reminisces about his late wife. Band members Simon (James Rana) and Camal (Ronnie Malley) join in while Itzik’s distraught wife (Kendal Hartse) is pushed to the limits with her husband. Their rocky relationship is

THE BAND’S VISIT THROUGH NOV. 24 AT CONNOR PALACE 1615 EUCLID AVE., 216-241-6000 PLAYHOUSESQUARE.ORG

that pass through Cleveland, The Band’s Visit is muted and reserved. The show is just an exploration of a single, realistic moment in time — but this is what makes it special. The most prominent plotline exists between Dina and the band’s leader, Colonel Tewfiq (the silent and solemn Sasson Gabay, who played the character in the film and spent time in the role on Broadway).

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

further explored in the somber song, “Itzik’s Lullaby.” Likewise, band member Haled (the charismatic Joe Joseph) shines in “Haled’s Song About Love,” where, in the local roller rink, he teaches Papi how to talk to women. Yet one of the most impactful songs comes from a character simply named Telephone Guy (the eager Mike Cefalo), who stares at the

town’s public telephone every night waiting for his girlfriend to call. His end-of-show song, “Answer Me,” is a culmination of all the characters’ desire to find meaning in their lives. Just as Patrick McCollum’s choreography is understated and simple, David Yazbek’s music swells to life naturally. Many of the songs aren’t plot driving devices, but rather wisps of thought that populate and dispel as effortlessly as one breathes in and out. The same can be said for Tyler Micoleau’s lighting design, which fluctuates between harsh and soft with ease. Dressed in baby blue uniforms by Sarah Laux, members of the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra Band (Tony Bird, Ronnie Malley, George Crotty, Evan Francis and Roger Kashou) complement the songs with Middle Eastern instrumentals played from on-stage. Other delightful orchestrations are courtesy of more band members off-stage under music director Rick Bertone. The setting is reflected in Scott Pask’s scenic design, where easily rotatable, tan and sand-colored set pieces create the run-down outdoor and indoor locales of Bet Hatikva. In many grand musicals, the horizon in the background appears expansive, but Pask has taken an angular approach. His set appears like a box, with a solid back wall. This both gives the show the feeling of intimacy it deserves and helps accentuate the major theme that the characters feel trapped and limited in their desert town. “Once, not too long ago, a group of musicians came to Israel from Egypt. You probably didn’t hear about it. It wasn’t very important.” These self-deprecating lines are projected to the audience seconds before The Band’s Visit begins. And yes, in the grand scheme of things, the story wasn’t important, but this production is. With delicacy and grace, The Band’s Visit teaches us that not every story worth telling needs to be of epic proportions. The quiet moments in which we live the majority of our lives can be just as beautiful.

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

MOVIES MOVIE V TITLE Damon, Bale reign in Ford v Ferrari, a movie with very stupid name By Sam Allard Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

FORD V FERRARI IS A MOVIE title, much like 2016’s execrable Batman V Superman, designed for the social media era. It is not clever or memorable, it doesn’t effectively convey what the movie is about, and it’s unclear how to say it. Are we meant to say “versus” or just “V”? The whole point seems to be creating a title that can double as a hashtag without resorting to acronyms. (That’s why “v” is preferable to “vs.”) And in this case, the title also functions as free advertising for two big automotive brands that need no assist from Hollywood to sling their sports cars, trucks and SUVs. Bad title. Good movie though! Based on a true story, the film stars Matt Damon and Christian Bale in two sensational performances as racing icons from the 1960s. It opens Friday in wide release. Due to the pedigree of its stars and its director (James Mangold, most recently of Logan), it’ll likely garner a handful of Oscar nods. It’s Awards Season, after all. FvF takes place in the early ’60s, when Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) is angrily casting about for ways to keep the Ford Motor Company afloat. An ambitious marketing director (Jon Bernthal) proposes a wild solution. Why not try to challenge Ferrari’s supremacy in motorsports racing by designing a superior car and taking home the trophy at the 24-Hour Le Mans, an event

which I’ve confirmed is not only the oldest motorsports endurance race, established in 1923, but also one of the most influential in history. Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) is, at this juncture, the only American to have ever won Le Mans. But due to a faulty ticker, he can no longer get

behind the wheel for long stretches, and so has remade his career as a builder and seller of fancy cars. He is enlisted by Ford to lead the race team. And he, in turn, enlists hothead driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), whose instincts both behind the wheel and under the hood are

lovingly portrayed as a kind of genius. At two-and-a-half hours in length, the film has no shortage of squealing race sequences, filmed deftly to capture the speed, noise, and close quarters of the Ford GT40 as it evolves. But the various man-versus-man conflicts are just as satisfying as the titular car versus car. Both Shelby and Miles’ clashes with Ford’s merciless paperpushing, as embodied by a petulant executive VP (Josh Lucas), make for some of the funniest scenes. (FvF badly fails the Bechdel Test, which measures female representation by asking whether there are two female characters who speak to each other about something other than a man. Mollie Miles (Caitriona Balfe) is the only female character who delivers a line in the film.) With flamboyant ’60s production design, and both Bale’s and Damon’s affectations — Damon sounds like a carbon copy of a young Tommy Lee Jones — plus a splendidly understated supporting performance from character actor Ray McKinnon (Sons of Anarchy, The Blind Side), FvF has enough small pleasures to sustain and ornament the familiar, well-plotted, narrative arc.

sallard@clevescene.com t@scenesallard

SPOTLIGHT: THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF JHANSI THE NEW BIOPIC THE WARRIOR Queen of Jhansi tells the true story of the Rani of Jhansi, a feminist icon in India who went to battle with the British army in the 19th century. The real events resemble a David and Goliath-like story about how an unlikely insurrection shifted the balance of power in the region and set in motion the demise of the British East India Company and the beginning of the British Raj under Queen Victoria. An inspirational look back at a significant historical moment, the film delivers its message with a fairly heavy hand. It opens at select area theaters on Friday.

The movie begins in the 1600s with a bit of backstory about the British East India Company, which came to fruition as trade routes expanded to India and surrounding countries. Flash forward 200 years, and the company has shifted its focus from trading to conquest and threatens the country of Jhansi. When Jhansi’s king dies, the East India Company takes advantage of the country’s vulnerable position and announces the decision to invade the country, a British ally. Jhansi doesn’t have an army and has always relied on the British to defend it. “All that has changed. You must assume you’re on your own,” a British

solider tells the country’s rani (Devika Bhise), or queen. When the rani refuses to surrender, the British army turns on her. British cannons bust holes in the walls surrounding the city, and the rani must rally her ragtag army to defend the country. The battle that ensues as British soldiers storm the gates and mount the walls with ladders is particularly bloody. The rani’s army fights with swords and the British, who use rifles, have a distinct advantage. The rani’s father taught her to fight when she was a child, and she possesses serious skills. “She’s more than just a woman; she’s a concept,” a

British solider (Ben Lamb) says at one point. As a history (or “herstory”) lesson, the film succeeds. It shows just how much British intervention in the region wreaked havoc in the 1800s. But with its many speeches about freedom and independence, this film by director Swati Bhise, a Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer, is better suited to the classroom than the movie theater. — Jeff Niesel

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

EAT SALSARITO PROMISED SOLID MEXICAN FARE WITH A SHARP INDIAN TWIST. IT DOESN’T DELIVER ON EITHER ACCOUNT By Douglas Trattner Photo by Doug Trattner

UNLIKE MY DINING COMPANIONS, I was looking forward to trying SalsaRito, which opened six weeks ago in Tremont. Having the luxury of previously discussing the project with the owner in advance of an article, I understood the concept in ways that my friends did not. To them, SalsaRito sounded like a worst-of-both-worlds proposition, where they could enjoy neither their favorite Mexican platters nor spice-laden Indian curries. To me, however, the setup sounded compelling, a cutting-edge mashup where East meets West in delicious new ways. In reality, our experiences landed somewhere in between, neither rising to my lofty expectations nor sinking down to my companions’ negative preconceptions. Which is to say, none of us are ditching other plans to return anytime soon. For roughly four years, owner Ashish Patel has been operating the successful Indian restaurant Tandul in the very same neighborhood, so he’s no amateur when it comes to the industry. He described SalsaRito as essentially a Mexican restaurant, but one with some Indian spices and flavors incorporated into sauces,

salsas and entrees. That became apparent almost immediately, when we detected the presence of ginger in the salsa that accompanied a basket of thin, crisp chips. With that one unconventional addition, our party began splintering into factions in favor of support and desertion. From the outside, a quartet of deepfried samosas ($5.99) looks identical to those served at any Indian restaurant, right down to the green and red chutneys served on the side. The twist here is the filling, a Tex-Mex blend of black beans, cheese and peppers that while hardly revolutionary is enjoyable all the same. The Mexican falafel tacos ($8.99), on the other hand, failed to summon the pleasures of a savory taco or fluffy falafel wrap.

SALSARITO 2399 WEST 11TH ST., 216-675-1011 SALSARITO.COM

In the crook of the soft corn tortillas were dry, crumbly “falafel” balls made from black beans. They come topped with avocado, salsas and pre-shredded,

bagged cheese and lettuce. The bulk of the menu is comprised of nearly 20 varieties of burrito and enchilada, but it’s often nearly impossible to distinguish one from another. Save for the titular ingredient, the paneer tikka burrito ($9.99), chicken tikka burrito ($11.99) and chicken and steak enchilada ($10.99) are nearly identical in construction. Large flour wrappers are folded around a small portion of the namesake item, which is

overshadowed by an onslaught of sauteed peppers and onions. They all get slicked with sauce and sided by lackluster rice and beans. The space, formerly home to roughly half of all failed Tremont restaurants, is attractive but blindingly bright. Service was fine, portions are robust, but the consensus was if management simply went with better-quality Mexican/Tex-Mex food, they’d win over a more sizable following.

PHO LEE IS A WORTHY ADDITION TO ASIAN TOWN CENTER By Douglas Trattner AS IN THE CASE OF SALSARITO, Pho Lee is in a space that has seen more than its fair share of turnover. By my count, this is the fourth Vietnamese restaurant to occupy this spot in eight years. From Pho 99 to Ninh Kieu to Pho Ha Nam, all of them served great pho and other Vietnamese dishes, but the under-theradar digs deep inside Asian Town Center likely proved insurmountable. Here’s hoping that this time is different, because given the quality of the soups sold here, people should be beating a path to the door. It’s always pho season, but colder weather screams for bun bo hue

($11.95), a meatier, spicier and, I would argue, more winter-appropriate brew. The version served here starts with deeply flavorful beef stock and is kicked up in all sorts of ways,

PHO LEE 3820 SUPERIOR AVE. (ASIAN TOWN CENTER) 216-273-7093

evident by the burnt amber hue and pools of red chili oil that slick the surface. Unlike with pho, there’s only one version, a hat-size bowl with

thin-sliced beef, pork roll, tendon, an unwieldy knuckle of some sort and thick, round noodles. It’s paired with an exceptionally fresh garnish plate overflowing with snow-white bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, fried banana blossoms, fresh mint and limes. The pho, available in models starring rare beef, brisket, meatballs, tendon and tripe — and myriad combinations thereof — is brilliantly clear, clean and aromatic. Bowls are substantial in size, cost $9.95 (except larger combo versions) and include a garnish plate of pristine bean sprouts, culantro, jalapeno wheels

and lime quarters. Meat portions are on par with other establishments in the area. In addition to the soups, the menu offers a couple vermicelli noodle plates topped with spring rolls and/or beef, foot-long banh mi sandwiches, and a platter of sweet, sticky and pleasantly chewy Korean-style short ribs ($10), served with rice and salad. Wash it all down with tall glasses of sugar cane juice ($5) brightened up with a squirt of fresh lime.

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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Kids $16.95 - 5-12 Years Old

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO THIS MONTH, Choolaah opened its doors in Orange Village (27100 Chagrin Blvd., 216-350-3136), unsure what the reaction would be. With the stated goal of transforming the Indian food experience, Choolaah went well beyond being simply a fast-casual provider of Indian food. They designed an entirely different model, one built on the twin pillars of high experience and high quality. This ďŹ ne-casual operation sources great ingredients, cooks them behind glass in tandoor ovens, and dishes it all up in bright, attractive and art-ďŹ lled spaces. “We think it’s important for people to enjoy themselves,â€? says co-CEO Randhir Sethi. “That creates joy, that creates transformation.â€? The public’s reaction, of course, has been nothing short of adoration. Since Sethi and partners Raji Sankar and James Nesbitt launched in Northeast Ohio, they have gone on to open stores in Pittsburgh and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, and Sterling and Fairfax, Virginia. A sixth shop is currently under construction in Greater Pittsburgh, which is slated to open in early 2020. Next up for the quickly expanding brand is Ohio City. The design process is under way to transform a 3,000-squarefoot space on West 25th Street, currently home to Howard Hanna (1903 West 25th St.) into location No, 7. Projections place opening day somewhere in the fourth quarter of 2020. “We were waiting, waiting, waiting for the right spot in Ohio City,â€? says Sethi, adding that many spots failed to make the grade. “We think the neighborhood is such a great ďŹ t for us because of our vegan, vegetarian and restricteddiet menu options. So many of our main menu items are built for that; we are on the forward curve for those things.â€? Diners can look forward to a sharp, colorful interior outďŹ tted with the trademark tandoor ovens, an enclosed four-seasons patio and an open-air patio. As at all

locations, salads, bowls and wraps are built around high-quality proteins like Amish-raised chicken, Halal lamb, Faroe Islands salmon and organic, non-GMO tofu. They are topped with avorful masalas like tikka, chickpea and lentil. They are ďŹ nished with chutneys and hot sauces and sided by street snacks like crispy samosas, freshbaked naan and refreshing mango lassis. The company currently is developing an app to ease the order, payment and pickup process. Delivery services will be rolled out in the near future. And a grab-andgo section will offer take-and-bake entrees to be enjoyed at home. Sethi admits that it has been hard work to get to this point, but the future has never looked brighter. The team is busy developing supply chain infrastructure that will support new stores from southern New Jersey to Columbus. Subsequent growth will focus on in-ďŹ lling markets where Choolaah already has a presence, such as Pittsburgh and Cleveland, with the west side of town and Fairlawn mentioned as possible future sites. “We want our guests to be able to enjoy Choolah within 20 to 30 minutes,â€? notes Sethi. “The dream is to have Choolaah in every part of the world.â€? The company currently employs 250 and is steadily growing the team from within. All of this growth, adds Sethi, is the result of the successful launch ďŹ ve years ago in Orange Village. “If Cleveland hadn’t embraced us, Choolaah wouldn’t exist,â€? he says. “We’re very grateful. Obviously, we didn’t know what to expect, but it was very warmly received. It was not easy in the beginning because we were ďŹ guring it out as we go and we had chosen to do a lot of bold things. But if you have the right people on the bus, they ďŹ gure it out. We’ve been blessed with that.â€?

dtrattner@clevescene.com t@dougtrattner

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH STARTS AT 4PM

WEST 10TH TAILGATE CLEVELAND VS. PITTSBURGH

Come tailgate on W.10th Street as we close down the street to party before the Browns take on the Steelers! Enjoy food, drinks, live entertainment, and after kickoff, stay with us and watch the game on our large screen TV wall!

WE WILL BE RAFFLING OFF A TITO’S GRILL AND OTHER PRIZES THROUGHOUT THE EVENT

SPONSORED BY

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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EW IND NDIE IE E ROCK ACTS CAN CLAIM THE kind ki nd of loong gevity that Sloan can claim. “W We’ e ree a band that’s been together since 1991 19 91 1,” , say a s si sing ng ger er-guitarist Chris Murphy. “We h vvee a lon ha ng, uni n nt n errupted history. As recently as 201 018, 8, we pu 8, p t ou o t our 12th record. We’re like a sm smal alll bu al b siine ness ss.. Most people know us from ss ourr ru ou run n fr f om 199 9 4 to 1999, but we try to be a curr cu r en rr entt ba band nd.” nd .” Evven tho E houg ugh ug h th the act has recently embarked on tou ours rs in su supp ppor pp o t of reissues from its back c ta ca talo log lo g — an and d it itss upcoming show at the Grog Shop Sh o on Tu op T es esda daay supports the reissue of 1998’s Navy Na vy Blu lues ess — Mu urrphy says the group tries “not to jus ustt re r st on th he laurels of those old records.” “Wee co “W come me out u and play the entire record, and then th en we pl play ay a sec econd c set that’s a hodgepodge,” saayss Mur urph phy ph y in n a phone call from an Oregon tour to ur sto t p. p He de d sc s ribes the band as a “cult p en ph nom men enon on n.”” “We W ’re trying to get people whoo mi wh m gh ght’ t’ve t’ v dro ve ropped off back into the fold by gua u ra r nt n ee e in ing g them that for at least part of thee show th sh how we woon’ n’t play new material. I’m in a baand nd,, bu butt I’ I’m al also a fan of bands too. I went to seee Gui uide d d by de b Voices when they did their clas cl clas assi sicsi c--er e a li line n up ne p and played music from the eraa I kn er knew ew the h mos o t. As a band that has a long hist hi stor st ory or y an and d trrie iess to be current, you’re always fight fig htin ht ting in ng fo forr re r al estate in the set list. I wouldn’t noorm rmal allly y com o paare re myself to the Rolling Stones, butt I do to ma bu make k analogies. If they came out ke an nd pl play ayed ay ed 10 ne new w songs, you would notice, and an d yo you’ u’d u’ d be mad ad.” Thou Th ou ugh the band was based in Nova Scotia, wher wh e e it er i firs rstt fo form rm med, it cut Navy Bluess in Toro To ront ro ntto. nto. o

Sloan 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 Grog Shop | 2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd. Cleveland Hts. | 216-321-5588 Tickets: $20 | grogshop.gs

Photo by Corbin Smith

“It’s probably our best-sounding record,” says Murphy. “We were finally good musically and we recorded on 2-inch tape. We’ve done this deluxe version that comes in a giant fucking box. It’s like a $100 item. If I got into my hourly wage, I probably wouldn’t be happy.” The group only made 1,200 copies and will sell the box sets on tour. “It’s a fun project for us and it commemorates the time when we were young and beautiful,” says Murphy. When the group formed in Halifax in 1991, there was a thriving indie rock scene. It’s hard to believe that such a remote part of Canada would have such a vibrant scene, but that environment helped bring the members of Sloan together. The group somehow signed to Geffen Records shortly after forming. The label released the band’s acclaimed studio debut, Smeared d, in 1993 and the followup album, Twice Removed d. But it quickly became apparent things weren’t going to work out so well with Geffen. There was even some talk of ditching the four singer-songwriter concept and having Murphy handle all the vocals, something that went against the band’s nature. “That pretty much broke up the band in 1995,” says Murphy. “Looking back, we didn’t take that much time off. We came back to make a posthumous record that did really well, so we gradually became a band again. On our first record, [drummer] Andrew [Scott] sang a little on one song and [singer-guitarist] Jay [Ferguson] sang two songs. [The label] thought it would be simpler to market the band if we had just one lead singer. We understand that, but we thought, ‘Didn’t the Beatles go through in 1962?’ We split everything — songwriting and tour revenue — equally amongst the original four guys and encourage everyone to write.” The group-effort approach works h, a particularly well on 2014’s Commonwealth double album with each member staking out a

| clevescene.com m | November 13 - 19, 2019

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single side. That album commences with the punchy, Beatles-like, “We’ve Come This Far,” and then concludes with “Forty-Eight Portraits,” an 18-minute pop suite. It embraces a wide range of musical styles as each of Sloan’s four members draws from a different set of influences. “That was our attempt to brag that no other band could do what we did,” says Murphy. “We essentially made four solo EPs but sold them as one package. When Kiss made four solo albums, they did them separately and, of course, one guy did better than the others, and that was the beginning of the end.” As much as the concept for Commonwealth is brilliant, Murphy says the album isn’t his favorite. “What I like about something like [the Beatles’] Revolver is that it’s a compilation where things careen into each other,” he says. “We can do that a little bit. Andrew [Scott’s] side of Commonwealth is one giant smashedtogether song with about six ideas, but I like the variety of going back and forth. Never Hear the End of It, which came out in 2006, represents us all similarly but the sequencing is better. I don’t think there’s a scenario where the same person has two songs in a row, though I think there might be one because I have too many songs on it.” The band’s latest album, 12, again features all four members writing songs and singing. “Spin Our Wheels” comes off as a terrific power pop anthem that features harmony vocals and driving guitars, and the band evokes Cheap Trick on the lurching “Don’t Stop (If It Feels Good Do It).” Murphy says the group plans to keep ploughing ahead whether album sales merit it or not. “We were always shooting to be a big band and play in hockey rinks and shit like that,” says Murphy. “But that never happened. We never really got beyond student union halls. All you can do is keep going. I would love for our name to be said in the same sentence as Guided by Voices or Redd Kross. We tip our hat for sure to both of those acts. We’re in that world. How many people give a shit about Redd Kross? It doesn’t matter. They’re going to do it anyway. That’s like us.”

10777 Northfield Road, Northfield, OH 44067 330.908.7625 | MGMNorthfieldPark.com Must be 21 years or older to gamble. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. For free confidential help 24/7, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1.800.589.9966 or visit www.org.ohio.gov.

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel

@masoniccle @hobcleveland

@masoniccleveland

J U S T A N N O U N C E D - O N S A L E F R I DAY

RODDY RICH FEB. 7 ON SALE FRI. 10AM

CA M RO BR O ID M GE

CA M RO BR O ID M GE

FEB. 25 ON SALE FRI. 10AM

w/ BAHARI, MEHRO

MARCH 7 ON SALE NOW

KATASTRO

w/ BIKINI TRILL, DYLAN REES

LD T SOOU

MARCH 26 ON SALE FRI. 10AM

CA M RO BR O ID M GE

NOVEMBER 15

CHASE RICE

NOVEMBER 18

Z107.9 PRESENTS

w/ CALE DODDS, HUNTER PHELPS

AARON LEWIS w/ BEN DANAHER

IC N O E AS L M C

NOVEMBER 21

NOVEMBER 22

NOVEMBER 23

AS I L AY DYING

NOVEMBER 27

IC N O E AS L M C

COMING SOON

w/ AFTER THE BURIAL, EMMURE

Layton Greene, Ambjaay, Ty’Bri, Casanova

DECEMBER 2

DECEMBER 12

LYFE JENNINGS DECEMBER 12

Nov. 14 Nov. 17 Nov. 24 Nov. 29 Nov. 30 Dec. 1 Dec. 3 Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 12 Dec. 17

DECEMBER 13

Yelawolf w/ The Outfit, TX, Wild The Coyote and Badd Wolf Z107.9 K. Michelle CANCELLED The Kyle Gass Company w/ Wynchester Cambridge Room Issues w/ Polphia, Lil Aaron, Sleep Token, Blossom Reynolds Welshly Arms w/ Betcha Tobe Nwigwe Steel Panther w/ Stitched Up Heart The Noise Presents WATERPARKS: The Fandom Tour w/ Yung Pinch, Kitten Dir En Grey The Dirty Nil w/ Single Mothers Mahall’s The Marcus King Band w/ Ian Noe – presented by 91.3 The Summit

BUY TICKETS AT

KILL TONY PODCAST LIVE FT. CO-HOSTS TONY HINCHCLIFF + BRIAN REDBAN

DECEMBER 15

Dec. 18 HANSON w/ Paul Mcdonald, Joshua & The Holy Rollers Dec. 20 Bohemian Rhapsody (Tribute to Queen) + Madmen Across The Water (Tribute to Elton John) Dec. 21 Ohio City Singers Dec. 23 Boys From County Hell (Tribute to The Pogues) Dec. 27 Ten ‘Tribute to Pearl Jam’ w/ Best of Foo ‘Tribute to Foo Fighters’ Dec. 28 The Four Horsemen ‘Tribute to Metallica’ w/ Maiden Voyage (Tribute to Iron Maiden) Dec. 29 GWAR w/ Unearth, Savage Master Dec. 31 Tropidelic – The Freak Drop w/ Bumpin Uglies, The Palmer Squares, Joey Harkum and Toby (DJ) Jan. 2 Motion City Soundtrack SOLD OUT

Buy tickets at Ticketmaster.com or 216-523-BLUE

Jan. 5 Jan. 6 Jan. 10 Jan. 11 Jan. 15 Jan. 18 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 27 Jan. 28 Jan. 30

The Dead South w/ Legendary Shack Shakers, Danny Olliver Surfaces w/ Public Library Commute Cambridge Room SOLD OUT Saved By the 90’s Capricorn Party ft. Terry Lee Goffee (Tribute to Johnny Cash) Led Zeppelin 2 plays III: A 50th Anniversary Celebration G. Love & Special Sauce w/ D.J. Williams’ Shots Fired Magic City Hippies Cambridge Room Snoop Dogg – I Wanna Thank Me Tour The Adicts Tori Kelly w/ Adurey MiKa Trampled By Turtles w/ Them Coulee Boys

MASONIC CLEVELAND: 3615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland OH 44115 HOUSE OF BLUES: 308 Euclid Ave, Cleveland OH 44114 masoniccleveland.com / houseofblues.com | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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Photo by Jade Ehlers

An Atypical Story

By Jeff Niesel

A DIY approach has worked wonders for Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers AFTER HE GOT KICKED OUT OF his parents’ house at age 19 and had to live in his 1994 Corolla, singer/rapper/poet Hobo Johnson (aka Frank Lopes) decided to do something with his life. He got his act together and self-recorded and self-released his debut album, The Rise of Hobo Johnson, three years ago. In the aftermath of its release, his career quickly kicked into high gear. The vocalist — half Azorean Portuguese, one-quarter Mexican and Native American — has built his grassroots following via viral homegrown style videos that show off his sharp sense of humor. To hear Lopes tell it, moving out of Loomis, California, a city just north of San Jose that has, as he puts it, “no culture at all,” was a pivotal moment in his life. “I moved to Sacramento, and at that point, I got inspired by all these different cultures,” he says. Hobo Johnson and his backing band, the Lovemakers, perform with Mom Jeans at 8 p.m. on Friday at House of Blues. “For example, I didn’t have pho until I was 19, which turned out to be my favorite food. Sacramento is great. There’s always stuff to do in Sacramento, especially if you are a musician.” Lopes says he initially only

listened to hip-hop before turning to other musical styles such as folkpunk, and he says it took “a long time” to finish The Rise of Hobo Johnson, an album that distills his various influences. “I think there were four months when I was consistently working on it,” he says of the album. “It was on my computer in my friend Derek [Lynch’s] garage. It was fun. It was tremendously fun. I really enjoyed it, and I look back on it fondly. I’m hella proud of it.”

I’m one of the few lucky people that it happens to.” Last year, Warner Bros. signed Lopes and reissued The Rise of Hobo Johnson with only minor tweaks. For the followup album, The Fall of Hobo Johnson, Lopes rented a studio but took the same DIY approach as he did for his debut. The album veers all over the musical map. “Typical Story” features hiccuping vocals and noisy guitars as Lopes runs through a bizarre narrative and then self-

HOBO JOHNSON & THE LOVEMAKERS | MOM JEANS 8 P.M. FRIDAY, NOV. 15 HOUSE OF BLUES, 308 EUCLID AVE., 216-523-2583 TICKETS: $25-$40, HOUSEOFBLUES.COM

The band’s popularity escalated after “Peach Scone,” an entry in NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, went viral (over 26 million streams to date) despite not winning. “I was completely shocked,” says Lopes when asked about how he responded to the song’s success. “I don’t think my human brain can grasp it. I can tell myself I understand what’s going on, but I don’t think I can. It’s an amazing thing to happen. I’m just so lucky.

deprecatingly raps, “So if you feel like I’ve been talking enough/Just tell me to shut up, and I will gladly shut the fuck up.” “Uglykid” features wailing saxophones and softer vocals, and “You and the Cockroach” is a spoken word rant about President Trump that references his ridiculous haircut and “sausage fingers.” “[Making The Fall of Hobo Johnson] was a little different, but I produced most of the record on

my own,” Lopes says. “I didn’t gel with a lot of the producers. With one producer, it took five days to gel. We spent five days making shit we didn’t like. Finally, on the fifth day, we were sitting there and made all this shit and thought it was about [over] for our working relationship. Then, he played the guitar part for [what would become the song] ‘Typical Story.’ I wrote a lot of the song’s lyrics four years ago when I was working as a dishwasher. There was a demo of it that did go on one of the original versions of The Rise, but I had to write the second verse and some more of the chorus [for the version that appears on The Fall of Hobo Johnson].” Given that Lopes has already chronicled his “rise” and “fall,” what’s next? “I think it’ll be The Revenge of Hobo Johnson,” he says. “That’s my working title. I know it’s dramatic, but it’s what I would like to do. After that, I might move on with my life and work on a different type of art. It would be cool to have a saga like that, and then, it ends. I don’t know what the fuck I would do afterwards though.”

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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LIVEWIRE

all the live music you should see this week Photo by Piper Ferguson

WED

Bit Brigade (performing Metroid and Contra)/Double Ferrari: 8:30 p.m., $12. Grog Shop. Black Dog Octet: 7 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. The Flatlanders: 7:30 p.m. Music Box Supper Club. Formanek Duo (in Mahall’s Apartment): Veteran jazz musicians Michael and Peter Formanek have been making music and improvising together for more than 20 years. This year, however, marks the first time they’ve brought their duo on the road. Michael Formanek plays the double bass, and multiinstrumentalist Peter Formanek plays saxophone, clarinet and flute. He’s lived in the Detroit area since graduating from the University of Michigan in 2017. The duo will perform music composed by each member, as well as improvised pieces and the occasional standard tune. (Jeff Niesel) 8 p.m., $10. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Dylan LeBlanc/Night Moves: 8 p.m., $15. Beachland Tavern. The Motet/Exmag: 8 p.m., $20 ADV, $22 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Queen of Jeans/Learning Curve/ Bloodhounds/Soot Sprites: 7:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.

THU

of Jersey (in the Supper Club): 8 p.m., $10. Music Box Supper Club. Stairwell H/Key to the Mint/Our Unseen Guest: 8 p.m., $7. Now That’s Class. Travelin’ Troubadours: Chittester/ Gnezda/Humbert: 8 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown. We Were Sharks/Live Happily/ As Time Fades/Tony and the Mangos (in the Locker Room): 7:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes.

11/13

11/14

Bad Breeding/Shitblimp: 9 p.m., $7. Now That’s Class. Ganja White Night/Boogie T/ Jantsen & SubDocta: 7 p.m. Agora Theatre. Nick Jordan/Ethos/Charles Vern/ Joe Geries (in the Locker Room): 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Nellie McKay: A British-American singer-songwriter who made her Broadway debut nearly 15 years ago in The Threepenny Opera, Nellie McKay has amassed numerous accolades during her career. She’s put out seven acclaimed albums, won a Theatre World Award for her portrayal of Polly Peachum in the aforementioned The Threepenny Opera, co-created and starred in the award-winning offBroadway hit Old Hats, and has conceived and performed musical biographies of Barbara Graham,

SAT

Booker T. Jones comes to the Music Box Supper Club. See: Saturday.

Rachel Carson, Joan Rivers, and Billy Tipton. Recently, she had a featured role in Ethan Coen’s A Play Is a Poem. Last year, McKay went to Sear Sound in New York, a place known for its vintage gear, to cut the EP Bagatelles, which came out earlier this year. The album opens with her upbeat take on Burton Lane’s, “How About You?,” and finds her offering a somber rendition of the Sinatra ballad, “I Concentrate on You.” These songs will likely make their way into tonight’s set. (Niesel) 7 p.m., $30. Nighttown. Therapy Thursday Hosted by Braxton Taylor: 8 p.m., free. CODA. Tighten Up Records Presents Sebastian Albornoz: 8 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. William Wild: 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $14 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Yelawolf: 8 p.m., $25 ADV, $30 DOS. House of Blues.

FRI

11/15

Beach Regime/King Buu/Zip-Zapp!/ The Trades: 9 p.m., $8. Grog Shop. Blacktop Mojo/Otherwise: 7:30 p.m., $15. The Winchester. A Day to Remember: $39.50-$69.50. Wolstein Center. DJ Kishka Polka Happy Hour: 6 p.m., free. Happy Dog. Jazz Jam Session: 11 p.m., free. Bop

Stop. Joe Joyce Band/Bobby Vaughn/ Lone Thunder: 8 p.m., $10. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers/ Mom Jeans/The Philharmonik/ Nate Curry: 8 p.m., $25 ADV, $30 DOS. House of Blues. Journeyman: 8 p.m., $30. The Kent Stage. King Diamond/Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats/Idle Hands: 6 p.m. Agora Theatre. Pigface: For its first tour in 14 years, the industrial rock band Pigface, which formed way back in 1991 under the leadership of Martin Atkins (Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Killing Joke, Public Image Ltd) and William Rieflin (Ministry, Revolting Cocks, KMFDM), features Atkins at the helm, along with members of Pop Will Eat Itself, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, KMFDM and more. The band’s debut, Gub, stands as an abrasive affair characterized by hoarse vocals, distorted guitars and pounding drums. We imagine the band will revisit at least a song or two from it for tonight’s show. The concert will feature special guests Randy Blythe of Lamb of God and violinist Gaelynn Lea. (Niesel) 8:30 p.m., $35. Beachland Ballroom. The Satellite Era/Mimi Arden/ Cellophane Jane: 8 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Springsteen Tribute by Swamps

11/16

Marco Benevento/Mattson 2: 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Luke Combs/Morgan Wallen/ Jameson Rodgers: 7 p.m. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Deep Sigh/Method/The Scoffs (in the Locker Room): 8 p.m., $10. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Sammy DeLeon Latin Jazz Sextet: 8:30 p.m., $15. Nighttown. GTS presents Autumn Uproar Featuring the Full Flavor/Less Than Expected/Drawing of Flies/ Wicked Messenger / Blue Collar Coalition: 7:30 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Grog Shop. Booker T. Jones: Earlier this month, Booker T. Jones released his first album since 2013: Note By Note, the companion to his new selfpenned memoir Time Is Tight. It includes his vibrant take on the blues anthem “Born Under a Bad Sign,” which he co-wrote, and a rendition of Willie Nelson’s “Stardust,” a song he produced. With the album, Jones essentially tells his life story, from playing piano with Mahalia Jackson at age 12 to recording at Stax Records and producing key albums for Willie Nelson and Carlos Santana. Expect to hear songs from it at tonight’s show. (Niesel) 8 p.m. Music Box Supper Club. Lotus/Wax Future: 8:30 p.m., $31$35. Beachland Ballroom. Mephiskapheles/Born Deprived/ American Takeout: 7 p.m., $10 ADV, $12 DOS. Now That’s Class. Royal Beasts/Actual Form/Green Tree Novelty Tea: 9 p.m., $6. Happy Dog. Tropical Cleveland (in the Supper Club): 11 p.m., $15. Music Box Supper Club. Up Close And Acoustic: Ambrosia: | clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

35

KentStage =HGÍM FBLL MA>L> @K>:M LAHPL MB<D>ML HG L:E> GHP

Tinsley Ellis, Tommy Castro And The Painkillers

Journeyman Fri November 15

Sat November 16

Midwest Nerdlesque Fest Day (TWO DAY EVENT) Fri Nov 22 & Sat Nov 23

Tuck & Patti Sat December 14

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn Mon February 3

Hot Tuna Wed December 11

Corey Smith Thu November 21

Zach Deputy - Red Moon Tour Fri December 13

The Fixx Thu December 19

The High Kings Mon February 24

First Snow Sat December 21

We Banjo 3 Wed March 4

DON’T MISS EVENT!

Janis Ian

&

Livingston Taylor FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2020 E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall (University of Akron) uakron.edu/EJ/events

ALL SHOWS AT THE KENT STAGE UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED Tickets available at thekentstage.com or 877-987-6487 GMK [w cw i {{ © a{ B e~ JJHJF

36

| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

LIVEWIRE 8 p.m., $49.50-$55. MGM Northfield Park. Venus Flytraps/Harlequins/AllSeeing Eyes: 9 p.m., $7. Happy Dog. Jackie Warren: 10:30 p.m., free. Nighttown. Dan Weiss Trio: 8 p.m., $20. Bop Stop.

SUN

11/17

C-Street Brass With Buffalo Rose: 7 p.m., $15. Bop Stop. Jeffrey Gaines (in the Supper Club): 7 p.m., $15 ADV, $20 DOS. Music Box Supper Club. Kris Kristofferson & the Strangers: 7:30 p.m. MGM Northfield Park. Las Nubes: 9 p.m. Now That’s Class. Lotus/Wax Future: 8:30 p.m., $31$35. Beachland Ballroom. Nellie McKay: 7 p.m., $30. Nighttown. K. Michelle: 8:30 p.m., $27.50 ADV, $32 DOS. House of Blues. TMS Suzuki Recital: 3 p.m., free. Bop Stop. Domo Wilson: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. House of Blues Cambridge Room.

MON

11/18

Diamante: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. Beachland Tavern. Katastro/Bikini Trill/Dylan Reese: 8 p.m., $15 ADV, $18 DOS. House of Blues Cambridge Room. Kikagaku Moyo / Minami Deutsch: 8:30 p.m., $15 ADV, $17 DOS. Grog Shop.

TUE

11/19

An Evening with Sloan: 8 p.m., $20. Grog Shop. Macseal/I’m Glad It’s You/Slow Burn/Pollen Eyes (in the Locker Room): 8 p.m., $10. Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Outlab Experiments In Improvised Music: 9 p.m., free. Bop Stop. Show Me the Body/Urochromes/En Love: 8 p.m., $13 ADV, $15 DOS. Now That’s Class. Billy Strings: 8:30 p.m., $17 ADV, $20 DOS. Beachland Ballroom. Thollem: 7 p.m., $10. Bop Stop. Jiri Trtik & Nikolay Puskarev: 7 p.m., $10. Nighttown.

scene@clevescene.com t@clevelandscene

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| clevescene.com m | November Novem mber 13 - 19, 2019

37

SAUL GLENNON By Jeff Niesel

MEET THE BAND: Jack Rugan (vocals, guitar), Jerry Rugan (drums, vocals) and Adam Zieleniewski (bass, vocals)

piano and started banging out these chords, and the songs just started coming to me.” THE ‘GIRL’ SONGS: Rugan confesses

HERE COME THE ’80S: Just in time for

its 25th anniversary, this local band has released its 10th studio effort, North on Broadway. The album celebrates the Broadway/55th Street neighborhood where Rugan grew up, covering a time period from 1970 to 1980, and the songs reference that time period. Lyrics include references to places such as Arcade Pizza, JP Snodgrass, Morgana Park, Our Lady of Lourdes and Holy Name grade schools and Central Catholic High School. “I was reading the book Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements and reading about their Midwestern lower-middle-class upbringing really connected with me,” says Rugan when asked about the inspiration for the album’s theme. “I sat at the

that he’s had crushes on girls since he was 5 years old and figures he wrote about 100 songs for his first real girlfriend. The band finally recorded one such song from that period, “If I Could,” for North on Broadway. “That was written for my first serious girlfriend back in 1979,” says Rugan. “I didn’t have the equipment to do any real recording back then, but I always had the melody in my head and sat down at the piano, and it just came out as I envisioned it as I wrote it 40 years ago.” WHY YOU SHOULD HEAR THEM: The

album’s first single, the Cheap Trick-like power pop number “Here Come the ’80s,” shows off Rugan’s songwriting chops. This lineup of

Photo courtesy of Jack Rugan

BAND OF THE WEEK

the band works particularly well too. Rugan, the one constant in the band, had written a song reflecting on “the stupid things we say to our parents when we’re teenagers” and thought his brother Jerry, a former bandmate, would be the right person to sing lead vocals. “I asked him to sing the one song as a last-minute favor and I sent it to him, and he wanted to sing more. I missed his voice. Some songs we share lead vocals,” says Rugan when asked about how he put the band’s original lineup back together for the new album. “We thought Adam [Zieleniewski] might want to be part of it too. It was fun to work with them again. I have a song cycle called Lazy Summer Evening, and we’re finally going to finish that and put it out next year. It’s 70 percent done at the moment.” WHERE YOU CAN HEAR THEM:

saulglennon.com. WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: Saul Glennon performs with Rumbling Spires at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Yorktown Lanes in Parma Heights.

jniesel@clevescene.com t@jniesel

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| clevescene.com | November 13 - 19, 2019

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SAVAGE LOVE SISSY THAT TALK by Dan Savage My boyfriend and I met online to explore our kinks. We’d both been in relationships with kinkshaming people who screwed with our heads. Since we weren’t thinking it was more than a hookup, we put all our baggage on the table early and wound up becoming friends. Eventually we realized we had a real connection and started a relationship where we supported our desire to explore. I’ve never been happier. The only issue is how he gets down on himself if I get more attention than he does. After the first kink party we went to, he would not stop trying to convince me that no one looked at him all evening. I tried to boost his confidence, and I also brought up things like, “You were on a leash, so maybe people assumed you were off-limits.” No dice. I couldn’t get him to even entertain the notion that anyone even looked at him. He’s a crossdressing sissy who loves to be used by men — heterosuckual — and he has a lot of baggage with every last one of his exes citing his cross-dressing as a reason to leave him for a “real” man. To make things worse, we have had issues with guys coming over for him, finding out there’s a Domme female in the picture, and switching focus to me. I feel like I wind up avoiding kinky sexual situations (which I love!) because I’m so concerned about protecting his ego. I’ve tried using my words and we generally communicate well, but he is unwilling to entertain any interpretations that don’t mesh with his theory that he’s obviously undesirable. The breaking point for me was this past weekend. He encouraged me to go to a swingers party with a friend, and I had a blast. It was super-empowering, and all I wanted to do was tell him every detail — the way he will when he services cock — and he was so jealous that I was able to effortlessly get so much attention, he wasn’t ready to hear it. It made me feel the same sex shame I felt with my ex. It also made me feel like he was insinuating how could I get so lucky, which hit all my chubby girl self-conscious places

hard. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! — Seeking Insightful Stress Solution, Yup Tell that sissy to get over herself. Your boyfriend is making you feel guilty about something you have no control over: Women get more attention at mixed-gender sex/ play parties than men do. And as far as your respective kinks go, SISSY, there are always going to be more people out there who want to get with Domme women than guys who want to get with/be serviced by submissive heterosuckual cross-dressers. Your boyfriend will always attract less interest than you do at a kink party, just as someone who goes to a BDSM play party hoping to do a little knife play will attract less interest than someone who’s looking for a little light bondage. Instead of counting the number of guys who approach you at a party and then trying to ruin your night for getting more attention than he does, your boyfriend has to make the most of every opportunity that comes his way. And if some guy approaches him at a play party only to realize he’s on a leash, SISSY, isn’t that guy supposed to turn his attention to the Dominant partner? If your boyfriend could resist the urge to spiral down at those moments — if he could resist the urge to make himself the center of negative attention — those men would probably turn their attention back to him at some point, particularly if you encouraged/gave them permission to do so. (You could and perhaps should also make it clear to anyone who approaches you at some-if-not-all kink parties that you’re a package deal: You play together or you don’t play at all. But even then, your boyfriend has to accept that you’ll be leveraging your desirability on behalf of you both and be at peace with it.) Usually when I advise readers to “use their words,” it’s about making sexual needs clear, i.e., asking for what we want with the understanding that we may not always get what we want. But what you need (and you need to

use your words to get), SISSY, is for your boyfriend to knock this petty, hypocritical slut-shaming shit off. (He’s essentially shaming you for being the slut he’d like to be.) It might help if you got him to recognize and grieve and accept not just the reality of the situation — women with more mainstream kinks are more in demand at mixed-gender kink parties than men with niche kinks — but also the risk he’s running here: His insecurities are sabotaging your relationship. Him setting traps for you — like encouraging you to go out and play only to make you feel terrible about it afterward — and making hurting insinuations about your attractiveness is making this relationship untenable. Tell him that you’re going to dump him if he can’t get a grip. And then ask him what will be worse — being partnered with someone who gets more attention than he does in kink and swinger spaces or being a single male in those spaces. (It’s a trick question, at least partly, as many of those spaces don’t allow single males.)

*** Straight woman here with a penis question: My current partner is uncircumcised, which I am completely fine with. However, his foreskin is so tight that it can’t be pulled back over the head of his penis. I did my research and discovered the issue is phimosis. I asked him about it, and he said it’s always been this way and that sometimes it is painful. None of his doctors have seemed to notice it during exams, and he’s never brought it up. Oddly enough, this is something that I’ve come across with two different partners — and in both situations, they had issues with maintaining an erection. Is this a thing? — My Boyfriend’s Penis Phimosis is definitely a thing, MBP, and when it makes erections a painful thing, as it often does, then erections are going to be harder to obtain and sustain. And unless a doctor was examining

your boyfriend’s erect penis, it’s not something a doctor would notice. A good doctor will ask their patients about their sexual health and function, but — based on the mail I get — it seems very few people have good doctors. Looking on the bright side: Phimosis is easily treated, if you can persuade your boyfriend to ask his doctor about it. Smearing a steroid cream on his cock could stretch and loosen the foreskin. And if the cream doesn’t work, then a full or partial circumcision will do the trick.

*** I love my boyfriend, and he knows I like women, too. Our sex life was okay, a little boring and routine and always “doggy style.” And he hardly ever goes down on me — like, at all. I can count on one hand the number of times he’s done it in four years! So I agreed to have a threesome to spice things up, and we bought condoms. When we got down with another woman, he decided to have sex with her after me and he also decided to go down on her. You know, the thing he never does for me. I’m so upset now, I can’t even have sex with him. I feel like it was a betrayal of my trust for him to eat out a woman he barely knows when he won’t do that for me. He also didn’t use the condoms — he says he “didn’t have time.” He said it meant nothing. But it’s really got me upset. — Now Overlooking My Need Of Munching Not only would I have been upset during that threesome, NOMNOM, I would have been single very shortly after it. Dude doesn’t eat pussy — dude doesn’t eat your pussy — and can’t find the time to put a condom on when he wants to (gets to!) have sex with another woman in front of you? DTMFA.

On the Lovecast, sex workers’ rights advocate Elle Stanger: savagelovecast.com.

mail@savagelove.net t@fakedansavage

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