03.30-04.06.2016 War | CoolCleveland

03.30-04.06.16
War

The people we pay attention to are cool. Not looking to start anything. Except maybe a business. Or a festival. Or a conference. Or a small revolution in their own humble neighborhood.

Steve Presser’s cool. And, although it’s been a battle, I’m putting my money on him keeping Big Fun open for 25 more years. And the Local Heroes at CIFF are getting ready to make us proud too. Thomas Fox curated Brite Winter Fest; now he’s fighting to crowdsource another one: Agumboot Music Festival.

They’re talking war … and peace, over at Baker-Nord Center, just in time for the RNC. Photographer Herb Ascherman creates sparks with painter Seth Chwast. It’s a food fight at CVNP, and Local Food Mondays at LaunchHouse. They’re in the Spirit of the Groove at BluJazz+, while the IdiosynCraftic Craft Show rumbles into Akron’s Historic Arts District right across the street.

Mansfield takes on TJ Dow and guns at the Q, while C. Ellen Connally takes on CSU’s president. Not buying into the negativity, Tailspinner adapts fairy tales, the Movement Project dances at SPACES, and Ani DiFranco triumphantly returns to TKS. Songwriters sing at the Music Box, Judy Garland is heard at the BOP STOP and the Akron Symphony Chorus belts out Vivaldi at St. Paul’s Church. Here’s to a peaceful week. –Thomas Mulready

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Photo by Elisa Vietri

25 Years of Fun

Has it really been 25 years that kids and adults have been making the trip to Coventry Road to find relics of decades of childhoods at Big Fun? It’s hard to believe, but yes, it has. So of course irrepressible shop owner Steve Presser has planned a big weekend of big fun, with three days of discounts, special guests, giveaways and birthday cake. Maybe he’ll even dress up. CoolCleveland caught up with Presser to hear his stories about his 25 adventurous years in the world of toys and collectibles. Fri 4/1-Sun 4/3.

Fight for mindshare Consider CoolCleveland Sponsored Links, Sponsored Features and Sponsored Videos. Info@CoolCleveland.com

SPONSORED: Cleveland Public Library is proud to serve as a non-profit community partner for the film Romeo is Bleeding at the 40th Cleveland International Film Festival. Romeo is Bleeding documents the aftermath of a fatal turf war between neighborhoods in the city of Richmond, CA. Visit CPL.org for times and details.

CIFF Local Heroes Focuses on Ohio

Since debuting with eight films in 1977, the Cleveland International Film Festival has become a monster, with hundreds of films screening at Tower City Cinemas and several auxiliary locations. Among its many special series is Local Heroes, which spotlights films made in Ohio.

CoolCleveland’s John Benson talked with CIFF artistic director Bill Guentzler to find out how this piece of the festival has unfolded over the years and how it reflects the state of filmmaking in the Cleveland area. Wed 3/30-Sun 4/10.

Content Marketing World is the place to be in September!

What’s the coolest thing in marketing? Content Marketing World! Lucky for us, this annual marketing conference and expo returns to right here to Cleveland, September 6-9, 2016! Learn to grow your business and inspire your audience through content! 4,000 marketers from 55 countries makes it the place to be this fall! Use code COOLCLE & save $100!

What is #CMWorld? A gathering of the brightest marketing minds in the world, with sessions led by marketing practitioners from leading brands. Why is this important? Attendees leave with tangible examples, tools and tech needed, and resources for content marketing success. Plus, lots of networking! More info: ContentMarketingWorld.com.

Talking War and Peace

War – why it happens, what its impact is, whether it is really ever necessary – is a controversial and emotional issue. CWRU’s Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities introduces what it intends to be the annual Cleveland Humanities Festival with “Remember War,” a series of events at different area institutions looking at war from different angles.

Baker-Nord Center director Peter Knox told reporter John Benson what inspired the festival and what topics people attending the mostly free events will hear about. Fri 4/1-Sun 4/10.

Canopy Walk & Emergent Tower Now Open!

When the Murch Canopy Walk and Kalberer Family Emergent Tower first opened to the public last fall, it was a revelation. Over 55,000 people visited Holden Arboretum to mount these massive new structures and marvel at the natural world revealed before them. “These amazing structures give our guests a way to observe the forest in an entirely new way,” said Clem Hamilton, Holden’s President and CEO.

On Fri 4/1, the Canopy Walk & Emergent Tower will re-open to the public until they close for the season on 11/1. Don’t miss it. Get more info here: HoldenArb.org.

Saving the Soil

Author Kristin Ohlson interviewed Cleveland local food pioneer Parkley Bosley for Gourmet magazine which inspired her to write her new book, The Soil Will Save Us, and to become an advocate for healthy soil and a living ecosystem.

She’ll be coming to Cuyahoga Valley National Park to lead a workshop for farmers, growers and those just interested in preserving the environment, and the next night, she’ll talk about and sign her book. CoolCleveland’s Claudia Taller gives us the details. Thu 3/31-Fri 4/1.

All That Glitters

Talespinner Children’s Theatre’s specialty is creative adaptations of folklore and fairy tales by Cleveland playwrights. Its latest offering, Golden, was adapted from a Grimm’s fairy tale by Toni K. Thayer. It’s about a poor couple promised wealth by a “golden creature” – and you know how that ends! But Talespinner will take you on a colorful, interactive journey to get there. Sat 4/2-Sun 4/23.

* Boys Go Science at the Great Lakes Science Center gives boys a chance to explore science with no girls allowed. The girls get their chance in three weeks. Sat 4/2.

Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events

SPONSORED: What will your child discover at Summer Camp? The Cleveland Museum of Natural History Summer Camps are the perfect place to discover something new. Register now for Circle Sampler Camp (Grades 1-6), Outdoor Education Camps (Grades 3-12), Junior Medical Camp (Grades 3-12) or Rocket Camp (Grades 6-8). Scholarships available. CMNH.org

April at Melt Bar and Grilled

Happy National Grilled Cheese Month! Sandwich Special: My Big Fat Gyro Melt. Seasonal Sides: Cheesy Romano Cauliflower & Mediterranean Chickpea Salad. Bread Pudding: Tiramisu Bread Pudding. Beer Feature: Sierra Nevada Summerfest. Cocktail Feature: Strawberry Sashay.

Melt News: Melt Akron opening on Monday, May 9th! Melt Partners with the Cleveland Aquarium: All kids 10-under ordering off the Melt children’s menu will receive a coupon for $5 off at the Cleveland Aquarium! Melt to Sponsor the 2016 Cleveland Lottery League The Big Show Sat 4/16 at the Cleveland Agora 12PM-12AM. Cleveland Music Day Hangover Party on Sun 4/17. Melt Independence is now booking parties. Now taking reservations in select Melt Bar and Grilled locations. Melt Catering is now available for all events! MeltBarAndGrilled.com.

The North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square heads outdoors for the season. As usual, it will mark the occasion with the blessing of the farmers and sheep-shearing demonstrations. Its outdoor Crocker Park market opens next Saturday. Sat 4/2.

* Maurice Drake’s pea pies, served under the banner of Uncle Mo’s Pea Pie Cafe, are a big favorite at festivals and special events. Now he’s working to outfit a truck to take his fresh, organic, all-vegetarian specialties to more such events. He’s got an Indiegogo campaign and a fundraiser at the Kent Stage featuring Carlos Jones & Hal Walker. Thu 3/31.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Eats and Drinks.

SPONSORED: Get ready for Tri-C JazzFest, presented by KeyBank, June 23-25 at Playhouse Square. The 37th annual JazzFest kicks off with Tommy LiPuma’s Big Birthday Bash. Single tickets to JazzFest go on sale Fri 4/8 through the Playhouse Square box office. Festival passes are also on sale and offer premium seats to all shows.

Thomas Fox curated Brite Winter Fest for five years. Now he’s launching his own event, the Agumboot Music Festival, taking place in July & feature up-and-coming bands from around the country. Come to a kickoff party/fundraiser at the Euclid Tavern and learn all about it. Wed 3/31.

* Local party/jam band Tropidelic shares their new album at the Grog Shop. Sat 4/2.

* Teen duo Archie & the Bunkers heads for Europe after Beachland show. Fri 4/1.

* Cleveland jazz/cabaret vocalist Joan Ellison pays tribute to classic Judy Garland at the BOP STOP. Fri 4/1.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.

SPONSORED: Enjoy the Harmony at The Kent Stage featuring Uncle Mo’s Pea Pie Cafe, Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band, Hal Walker, Ani DeFranco, SuperMonkey, Jonathan Edwards with Alex Bevan, Alan Cox Comedy Tour 2016, An Evening With Andy McKee, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Glass Harp, The Sheepdogs, Welcome To Wonderland, Todd Rundgren, Scott Stapp, The Voice of Creed, plus more. TheKentStage.com.

WED 3/30
Vincent Van Gogh’s generation of artists was famously into absinthe, a drink that supposedly deranged the senses – although Van Gogh needed no help on that score! It’s since been found to be no more dangerous than any alcoholic drink, which is why the Wine Spot in Cleveland Heights can celebrate Van Gogh’s birthday with an absinthe party.

* Journalist/filmmaker Jose Antonio Vargas talks about his experience as an undocumented immigrant at Baldwin Wallace.

* Concert film featuring glam/goth band Black Veil Brides next up at the Rock Hall’s film series.

Click here for more events on Wed 3/30

THU 3/31
Award-winning satirical writer Gary Shteyngart is a Russian Jew who came to the U.S. with his parents when he was 7 and settled in NYC where he now lives. Somehow, he ended up at Oberlin where he got his undergraduate degree. He’ll be speaking there this week as part of its Convocation Series.

* Verb Ballets offers “Fresh Inventions” for CPT DanceWorks week 3. Through Sat 4/2.

* Three NE Ohio songwriters share the stage and their tunes in the round at the Music Box.

* NYC pianist/composer Fred Hersch & Trio play the BOPSTOP tonight and Akron’s BluJazz+ tomorrow.

* Violinist Leila Josefowicz joins the Cleveland Orchestra for Ades Concerto. Also Fri 4/1 & Sat 4/2.

Click here for more events on Thu 3/31

FRI 4/1
The Music Box is making a big leap of faith and booking their first outdoor Rooftop Wine Party of the season on April Fool’s Day. If the weather plays a trick on them, the party moves inside to the concert hall.

* Akron’s Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens opens for the season.

* Morgan Art of Papermaking opens its 4th annual juried group show. Through Sat 5/7.

* The “Little Folksinger” Ani DiFranco comes to the Kent Stage..

* Photographer Herb Ascherman and painter Seth Chwast show the results of their collaborative project at Valley Art Center.

* The Duvalby Brothers revive the spirit of Cleveland’s 90s heavy music scene at the Happy Dog.

* Folksinger/folklorist Andy Cohen performs at Peninsula’s G.A.R. Hall.

* 2731 Prospect Gallery hosts reception for four-artist international photography show.

* The Beck Center opens the regional premiere of psychological thriller Shining City.

Click here for more events on Fri 4/1

SAT 4/2
Local dance company the Movement Project has put together a diverse program that touches on modern dance, tango, improv, mixed media and sound experimentation. They’ll perform it twice tonight at SPACES Gallery.

* Visual art quarterly CAN Journal throws a party/benefit at 78th Street Studios.

* A roster of mostly women presents an evening of sound art at Negative Space Gallery.

* IdiosynCraftic show in Akron’s Historic Arts District combines craft show and farmers market.

* The Edible Book Festival returns to Loganberry Books.

* North Carolina’s Sons of Serendip make beautiful music with harp, cello, piano & voice at EJ Thomas Hall.

* Jazz and gospel meet in the Spirit of the Groove at Akron’s BluJazz+.

* Local jazz trio Organ-Ism plays originals and jazzed-up pop tunes at the BOPSTOP.

* Dutch electronica producer Nicolay hosts a dance party at Touch Supper Club.

Click here for more events on Sat 4/2

SUN 4/3
Six Cleveland Orchestra members plays a Cleveland Heights house concert for Heights Arts. The program includes three contemporary pieces, among them one by a fellow Orchestra member that features poetry written and performed by one of the musicians.

* The Akron Symphony Chorus sings Vivaldi and more at Akron’s St. Paul’s Church.

* The Cleveland Museum of Art opens show exploring the intertwined work of Eve Hesse & Sol LeWitt. Through Sun 7/31.

* Folksinger Guy Davis plays for diners at Happy Days Lodge.

Click here for more events on Sun 4/3

MON 4/4
As the 2004 Green Party presidential candidate, David Cobb was on the political fringe. Now, as a spokesperson for the advocacy group Move to Amend, which is working to get money out of campaigns, he’s got a cause that’s widely supported from the far right to the far left. He’ll be speaking at Cleveland State about how they’re going about it.

* Moody rockers Puscifer perform at the Akron Civic Theatre.

* Local Food Mondays bring growers, food producers and eaters together at the Launchhouse.

Click here for more events on Mon 4/4

TUE 4/5
Cleveland teen De’John Hardges (pictured, third from left) got to perform at the White House as a National Teen Poet. Veteran poet Amit Majmudar is also a radiologist in Columbus with several books to his credit. Both will read their poetry at Brews and Prose at the Market Garden Brewery.

* Vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth perform at the Akron/Summit Library.

* Go-Gos singer Belinda Carlisle is back and performing at Trinity Cathedral.

* The Happy Dog Takes on the world takes on Vladimir Putin.

* Armstrong-Bearcat drummer Billy Coakley shows off his solo chops at Brothers Lounge.

Click here for more events on Tue 4/5

WED 4/6
Filmmaker Nick Cavalier tells the story of Cleveland flyer/poster artist-turned-fine artist Derek Hess in his documentary Forced Persective. The film will screen at CSU, followed by a discussion with Hess and Cavalier.

* The Orlando Consort provides vocal music for silent film at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

* Western Reserve Historical Society CEO Kelly Falcone-Hall talks about the women who built Cleveland the Music Box.

* Literary Cleveland hosts a mixer and poetry reading at the Bottlehouse in Cleveland Heights.

Click here for more events on Wed 4/6

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

CSU President Keeping Up Appearances at Student Expense?

There’s been a lot of talk lately about skyrocketing tuitions and heavy student debt loads. So maybe it’s not the best time for Cleveland State University to be splurging on a 5,500-square-foot mansion to be occupied by its single and family-free president who currently lives in a luxury apartment near the campus.

CoolCleveland writer C. Ellen Connally provides more details about this extravagance and wonders why he can’t pay for his own house and why his entertaining needs couldn’t be fulfilled by the copious events spaces popping up all over downtown.

Hi, I’m TJ Dow – “Stick ’em Up!”

The difference between Jesse James, John Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde and my councilman TJ Dow is that they were – at least for a time – successful stickup artists, while Dow is a rank amateur. And now he’s costing the community jobs and other benefits…

* Strapped Down at the Q Just when you think things couldn’t get wackier for Republicans, gun nuts have started an online petition to force Quicken Loans Arena – the site of the upcoming GOP…

* TJ Dow Has a Change of Heart – Or Does He? When it comes to using the term “machinations” it really doesn’t do justice in regards to the plotting and scheming TJ Dow engages in…

Read other stories from Mansfield Frazier here