Fri 9/25 @ 7PM
It’s hard to believe that the Grog Shop is 28 years old. The Little Club That Could started off in a funky space on the corner of Mayfield and Coventry where the bathrooms were so raunchy you made sure to go before you left home, and the vermin frolicked in the basement. But the shows were unfailingly memorable, as the Grog was one of the two main places in Cleveland to see such amazing 90s indie bands as Babe the Blue Ox, the Laughing Hyenas, Love Battery, Doo Rag and 7 Year Bitch, as well as such local luminaries as the Jehova Waitresses, World in a Room and even Mushroomhead in the early days when their audiences could be counted in the dozens, not the thousands.
In the early 2000s, the club moved up Coventry to the old Arabica location in the center of the street, with serviceable bathrooms and air conditioning, and became even more central to the area music scene, presenting everything from punk and emo, to reggae and hip-hop, to up-and-coming pop rockers, still mixing equal parts touring and local acts. Its full live music schedule is currently on hold, although it is presenting local acts outside on the patio of its sister club, the B-Side.
I don’t know if you can still snag a ticket for the Grog Shop anniversary concert with veteran Cleveland punk rockers Chargers Street Gang and local melodic doom metal band Black Spirit Crown of more recent vintage — they were almost gone the last time I looked, unsurprising given the limit on capacity. But you can still drop in and celebrate the occasion virtually — the show will be streamed. It’s free, although they would love a donation to help keep the club afloat in this difficult time. You can also help out by purchasing Grog Shop merch.
Go here for more info.
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Cleveland, OH 44106