Sun 10/22 @ 6PM
When Dave Smeltz passed away due to COVID complications in June 2021 after a lingering illness, the Cleveland music scene lost one of its key figures. When he founded I-Tal in the late 70s, he took reggae music out of the small Jamaican community and introduced it into the larger music scene. Those musicians went on to seed other bands, including some that are active in the music scene to this day, including Shake (pronounced Shaky) Ground and Carlos Jones & the P.L.U.S. Band.
But in the last couple of decades, he also became known for his activism in the recovery scene, giving back in thanks for the people and organization that helped him overcome his addiction. He founded a project called Clean House, which purchased a house in the Buckeye Neighborhood to serve as a headquarters for programs for men in recovery. A small group of his friends serve as the Clean House board and are continuing to rehab the building.
They’re again hosting the annual Clean House Benefit at the Beachland Ballroom, the third since “Pape Dave” passed away. Musicians playing include Eerie Love State, Arthur Spector and the Artificial Hipsters, Realistik Soul, Brent Kirby, Austin Walkin’ Cane, Taylor Lamborn, the Marilyn DeFrange Band, Ms BBC I-Lujah, Sunshade; Jah Messenger, and Shake (pronounced Shaky) Ground.
Get tickets here.
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