11.23-11.30.2016 Bait & Switch

11.23-11.30.16
Bait & Switch

Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated? As cynical as we are about AMEX co-opting Small Biz Saturday, we’ll turn it back on itself and encourage you to shop local using our free CoolNEIGHBORHOODS listings of shops and restaurants, found either online or in our free mobile apps. Plus, if you own a shop or restaurant or destination, you are entitled to free swag from CoolCleveland. Have you checked it out?

We can feel good about Indies First promoting local writers and independent booksellers. Whiskey Daredevils are bringing out The Good Fight, and CoolCleveland’s Dru Thompson suggests walkable neighborhoods for your gifting pleasure. You can taste holiday teas in Hudson, take in 10-minute plays at BW, hear Fluxmonkey’s Bob Drake at Canopy Collective, and we’ll see you at Peanuts’ All-Star Jam. Mansfield suggests the alt-right switch it up and separate themselves. Locally, some are feeling a bit betrayed by the CAC switching the 2% of funds reserved for individual artist fellowships to “community change makers” and outsourcing the administration of grants.

Bowie, on the other hand, was a born switch-hitter. We honor him again, in what are sure to be a couple of sold-out shows. That’s the real deal. –Thomas Mulready

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Photo by Elisa Vietri
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Did You Get Your Free Clings & Favicards?

If you own a local shop, restaurant or attraction that’s listed in our free ShopLOCAL or SUSTENANCE or CoolNEIGHBORHOODS listings, you’re eligible to receive a free window cling, a sticker, and as many Favicards as you can hand out to your customers.

On the other hand, maybe your local business should be included on CoolCleveland, in which case, feel free to get in touch. We’d love to tell the world about you during the all-important upcoming holiday season! Details.

Bait & Switch?

Last year’s renewal of the arts & culture levy was sold as a way both to enhance the reputation of Cleveland for quality arts programming and art making, worth traveling here to see, and as an economic enhancer, circulating the levy money through the community.

Suddenly we learned that the small portion of the money reserved for artists is being repurposed and that the administration of the grants is being outsourced to a Washington D.C. firm. And a lot of people in the arts community are wondering what’s going on.

An Evening With(out) David Bowie

Celebrating his birth and death dates, this acclaimed presentation on David Bowie’s life and music features rare video, needle drops, archival photos and insider secrets by CoolCleveland’s Thomas Mulready on Fri 1/13/17 and Sat 1/14/17 at the BOP STOP, now in two sessions, presented back-to-back. Tickets are selling briskly.

Part 1 begins with Bowie’s half-dozen failed attempts at stardom in the 1960’s through his worldwide “Fame” with Young Americans, during which Bowie bottoms out, as the excesses of mid-1970’s stardom threaten to engulf him. Part 2 covers his Mid- to Late-Period, from “The Berlin Trilogy” through Let’s Dance to his mysteriously choreographed death and his final recordings. Tickets are now on sale. Last year’s shows sold out four times.

Book Chat

Indies First is a Small Business Saturday event that’s all about supporting independent booksellers. Even better, it’s about independent booksellers promoting books by local authors with recent releases.

At Loganberry Books, five of those authors will be in the store doing hourly presentations. Then they’ll hanging around, not just to sign their books, but also to chat with customers and share what books they’re reading. There’ll be cider & cookies, music and kids’ activities too. John Benson fills us in on this literary day. Sat 11/26.

Still Alive & Fighting

Cleveland punkabilly rockers the Whiskey Daredevils have been kicking up a shitstorm for 13 years. In that time, they’ve put out a flock of albums that combine their irreverent sense of humor with poignant songs that sound like traditional country classics.

Their new album The Good Fight brings their country side to the foreground. John Benson talks to band leader/vocalist Greg Miller about the sounds on the album and the band’s sure-to-be-wild CD release show at the Beachland. Wed 11/23.

Planning your 2017 online advertising? Consider CoolCleveland Sponsored Links, Sponsored Features and Sponsored Videos. Info@CoolCleveland.com

Shopping Small

It’s time to put your money where your mouth is, all you folks who like to talk about supporting local businesses. There’s no better time to do so than on Small Business Saturday.

We know you slept late on Black Friday but now it’s time to hit Cleveland’s locally owned business hubs. CoolCleveland’s Dru Christine, who is herself a small business owner, suggests walkable neighborhoods where you can stop in a bunch of shops and cross a lot of names off your gift list. Sat 11/26.

* Local business? Get your FREE CoolCleveland window clings, stickers and Favicards now!

What Happened Before

Talespinner Children’s Theatre imagines the origin story of the Peter Pan pirates in its next production Hook & Smee (A Tale of Never Never Land). Sat 11/26-Sun 12/18.

* Don’t wait around for Santa! Kids can work with Lake Farmpark elves to make and decorate their own toy. Fri 11/25-Sun 11/27.

* For your Thanksgiving weekend distraction, the Great Lakes Science Center offers two days of special demonstrations and hands-on activities the family will enjoy more than fighting about who voted for whom. Fri 11/25 & Sat 11/26.

Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events

SPONSORED: Hear the Real Deal at The Kent Stage with The Subdudes, 16th Annual Woodchoppers Ball, Marcus King Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Dale & Ray, Sara Watkins, Taylor Hicks, Al DiMeola, Beth Hart, Norm Pikelny, Morgan James, plus more. TheKentStage.com.

Cleveland buzz band Welshly Arms just got back from a two-month national tour with NEEDTOBREATHE and Mat Kearney. They’ll celebrate their homecoming with a show at the House of Blues. Sat 11/26

* Akron jazz trumpeter Josh Rzepka comes home to BluJazz. Sat 11/26.

* Danksgiving returns to the Kent Stage with an all-star band & Drunken Sunday CD release. Sat 11/26.

* Jazz drummer Jerome Jennings left Cleveland to go to school, but he’s back to play two shows at Nighttown. Fri 11/25 & Sat 11/26.

* Cleveland reggae pioneers I-Tal reunite for a Grog Shop show. Sat 11/26.

* An Evening With(out) David Bowie tix on sale now for shows Fri 1/13 & Sat 1/14/17 at BOP STOP.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.

WED 11/23
Relax before facing those annoying relatives with guitarist Dan Wilson’s jazz jam at BluJazz Akron. Bring your instrument if you are so inclined or just come down, have a drink and listen.

* The Admirables and DJ El Prezidente fuel a soul dance party at Nuevo Cleveland downtown.

* Come out to the Music Box and heat up the dance floor with Phat Cat Swinger and Get Hep Swing.

* Peanuts’ Thanksgiving Eve All-Star Jam is back for the 42nd year at Ace’s in North Ridgeville.

Click here for more events on Wed 11/23

THU 11/24
Every Thanksgiving weekend, “the happiest sound around” fills the Downtown Marriott for three days, as polka lovers from across the country, Canada and sometimes even abroad gather for the annual three-day polka weekend and, on Saturday, the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame inductions and Awards. There’s dancing, there’s music, there’s food, there are jam sessions and there’s even the popular polka mass. Through Sat 11/26.
Click here for more events on Thu 11/24

FRI 11/25
If you’re looking for a romantically old-fashioned Christmas, Deck the Hall at Akron’s Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is just the ticket, with lights, trees, music, cocoa, gingerbread and more. Through Fri 12/30.

* Larchmere Boulevard brings light to Black Friday darkness.

* The Cleveland Orchestra rolls out Beethoven, Mozart and Britten at Severance Hall. Through Sun 11/27.

* New Ohio City gallery Cleveland Collection holds one-night-only art sale.

* Cle electronic music legend Steve Hauschildt of Emeralds performs at Hive Mind.

* The Cleveland Botanical Garden will have its special “Glow” today through Sat 12/31.

* Cleveland blues/rock singer Mary Bridget Davies returns from NYC to perform at the Music Box.

* Canadian cult band Simply Saucer plays an in-store show at Blue Arrow Records.

* The Walking Clampetts hold their annual Holiday Stomp at the Tangier.

* Cats on Holiday play Kinks music all night long at the Music Box.

* Toboggan chutes turn Metroparks’ Mill Stream Run into a field of screams.

* Local punk quartet Magic City has tape release show at Now That’s Class.

* Slacker pop island-vibe band Throw Shade introduces new album at the Grog Shop.

Click here for more events on Fri 11/25

SAT 11/26
The place to escape the cold during downtown’s Winterfest is 5th Street Arcades where Cleveland Bazaar will be filling the place with 50 local handmade vendors and all the shops will be decked in their holiday finest.

* Winterfest blasts back into downtown Cleveland.

* Do your holiday shopping with the entrepreneurs at the Hildebrandt Building. Also tomorrow.

* Akron’s Chrissie Hynde brings her Pretenders back to Akron’s EJ Thomas Hall with a new album.

* Crafty Mart’s Holiday Show spreads out across three downtown Akron venues.

* Dru Christine Design hosts “Holiday Senses” with music, food and shopping.

* Musicians play benefit for 70s Cleveland rocker Raven Slaughter at the Phantasy.

* Cleveland bluesman Travis “Moonchild” Haddix celebrates birthday 78 at the Music Box.

* Local rockers TRIOS host album release show at the 5 O’Clock Lounge.

Click here for more events on Sat 11/26

SUN 11/27
Bob Drake of experimental project Fluxmonkey is known as one of the area’s pioneers of synthesizer music. He’ll be at the Canopy Collective holding an “Electronoize Playshop” to demonstrate how to use electronics to make music.

* Baldwin Wallace musical theater students perform golden Broadway standards at Music Box brunch.

* Dancers, singer, Santa and cute animals make Cleveland POPS Orchestra holiday concert at the Connor Palace Theatre more festive.

Click here for more events on Sun 11/27

MON 11/28
Following an election won by those who not only want to strip women of control of their own lives but also feel they are only valuable for their appearance, it’s time to fight back. So the Cleveland chapter of venerable women’s group NOW is relaunching at Case Western Reserve. All who believe women should be full and equal citizens are welcome to come to this first organizing meeting.
Click here for more events on Mon 11/28

TUE 11/29
Amanda Hunt is assistant curator at the Studio Museum in Harlem. She’ll be at MOCAcleveland to share her approach to organizing exhibits in the visiting curator talk.

* SarahVowell & Tony Kushner talk Abe Lincoln at CWRU’s Maltz Performing Arts Center.

* Prosperity Social Club holds watch party for Delicious Destinations Cleveland episode premiere.

* Learn about and taste holiday teas at the Hudson Library & Historical Society.

* Find out about the best books for holiday gift-giving at the Happy Dog.

* Free improv bands Trepanning Trio & Oblique Orchestra play at Go Media.

* Binge watch live theater at Baldwin Wallace 10-Minute Play Fest. Also tomorrow.

Click here for more events on Tue 11/29

WED 11/30
NE Ohio journalist/author Mike Olszewski is known as a fountain of knowledge about local broadcasting. He’ll be talking at the Music Box’s Cleveland Stories series about Christmas-related productions, fiascos and stunts at local TV stations.

* Dress up those little girls and bring them to PlayhouseSquare’s State Theatre for the Pennsylvania Ballet’s and Cleveland Orchestra’s Nutcracker. Through Sun 12/4.

* The Gateway Band celebrates a Jazzy Christmas at Trinity Cathedral’s Brownbag concerts.

Click here for more events on Wed 11/30

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

The White Right

White racists want to expel anyone they deem undesirable from this country, rather than removing themselves from those they view as noxious. If internment camps are to once again be utilized, white supremacists should willingly move into them, not the other way around….

Read other stories from Mansfield Frazier here