By Greg Cielec
There is a lot of great music over the next month at the smaller concert venues splattered across Northern Ohio. No matter what your genre, there is something for everyone.
Nighttown at the top of Cedar Hill has several jazz legends playing next week, with guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli playing on Wed 1/25 and Thu 1/26, and organist Reuben Wilson following him on Fri 1/27 and Sat 1/28. Also check out the Hot Club of Detroit [pictured] for some Valentine magic on Mon 2/13 and Tue 2/14. Go to http://NighttownCleveland.com for more info and their complete music calendar.
The Kent Stage kicks off its Tenth anniversary with country legend Glenn Campbell on his farewell tour on Sun 2/19. And they are presenting the return of the Del Fuegos on Fri 3/2, featuring former Rock Hall Education Director Warren Zanes and his brother Dan Zanes, better known to area youth for his kid-friendly CDs and shows.
The Winchester in Lakewood has two great blues shows coming up, a CD release party for guitarist/vocalist Kelly Rickey on Sat 1/28, and Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials on Sat 2/25. As always, great stuff happening at this Madison Avenue gem, go to http://TheWinchester.net for their complete line up of show.
The Beachland Ballroom in Collinwood, as always, has a lot of great stuff happening, including two big benefits over the next few weeks. The Annual WJCU benefit is Sat 1/28, and Rock and Reggae Show for the Free Clinic is on Fri 2/17. Amongst other shows at the club is the Fri 2/24 Del Fuegos date, part of a small 12-city mini reunion the Boston-based band has put together. Go to http://BeachlandBallroom.com for info on everything going on at this landmark music club.
And, most importantly, for those of us born and raised on rock and roll here in Northern Ohio, the Tri-C High School Rock Off is in full swing at the House of Blues downtown. Does the sound of badly produced rap music played way too loud in the car next to you drive you crazy? How about that cotton candy weak ass pop music that passes as country on the radio? Do you think pop music is going to hell? Do you think our young people are all clueless American Idol fans? If you do, go down and check out the Rock Off, featuring some of the best young musicians in the area performing their own music and all of it nothing but true real rock and roll. It will warm your soul in the middle of yet another North Coast winter. At the HOB on Fri 1/27 and Sat 1/28 with the finals on Sat 2/11.
[Photo: Cybelle Codish]
Greg Cielec is a local writer who covers mostly music and sports for a variety of publications and websites. He is also a full time English and creative writing teacher at Streetsboro High School; an adjunct professor at BGSU Firelands College and Lakeland Community College; and a football coach at John Carroll University.He has published two books of fiction, My Cleveland Story (1998) and Home and Away Games (2006), and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Michael Heaton has called him “the Mark Twain of Cleveland.” Check out his website and blog at http://www.GregCielec.com.