02.22-03.01.2017 Folk | CoolCleveland

02.22-03.01.17
Folk

It takes all kinds of folks to form a community. It takes a certain kind for that community to be cool.

Helping provide service dogs to kids is the mission behind W.A.G.S 4 Kids, and their Mac & Cheese Throwdown at Red Space this weekend will help provide some much-needed support. CoolCleveland’s Stephan Haluska interviews the folks at Bourbon Street Barrel Room as they serve up a taste of New Orleans just in time for Fat Tuesday. I had the pleasure of talking with Jon Langford before a house concert at an undisclosed location in Cleveland Heights about the formation of first-wave punk band The Mekons, alt-country and his latest project on Cleveland’s Blue Arrow Records.

The Lake Erie Folk Fest is in its second year of performances, workshops and jam sessions at Euclid’s Shore Cultural Center this weekend. CoolCleveland’s fashion guru Dru Thompson is also an entrepreneur with her own shop on Waterloo Road in North Collinwood, and this week she shares some tips for folks thinking of starting their own fashion business. GLSC’s Design & Build event raises money for STEM programs in an exciting competition.

Join other foodie folk on a self-guided wine, cheese and chocolate tour. Embrace gospel and symphony in Akron. Join the Alternative Press Music Awards as it makes its return to Cleveland. Preterm presents a bowl-a-thon, Celtic music emanates from Happy Days Lodge, Mac’s Backs hosts a punk rock summit, St. Clair Superior celebrates Kurentovanje, and you can relax with cat yoga to benefit Berea Animal Rescue. Some folks will do anything to cool out. –Thomas Mulready

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Photo by Anastasia Pantsios
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Euclid’s Got Folk

There’s been a lot of movement in Northeast Ohio’s festival calendar in recent years, with old fests vanishing and new ones cropping up. The Lake Erie Folk Fest at Euclid’s Shore Cultural Center is only in its second year, but it’s taking hold. It offers an afternoon and evening of performance, workshops and jam sessions in a family-friendly environment.

John Benson talks to the organizers about what’s on tap, including some outstanding Cleveland artists and a performance by Tuvan throat singers Alash from Central Asia. Sat 2/25.

Working on your online advertising budgets? Consider CoolCleveland Sponsored Links, Sponsored Features and Sponsored Videos. Info@CoolCleveland.com

SPONSORED: An Opera That Asks, ‘Is History Repeating Itself?’ Experience an historic opera with fresh relevance in the face of today’s religious intolerance. The Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music presents Francis Poulenc’s Dialogue of the Carmelites, based on the real life story of the Martyrs of Compiegne, nuns who were guillotined in Paris for refusing to renounce their vows. Runs February 23-26. Info and tickets: BW.edu

It’s Mac-Tastic

A new event has popped up on the calendar that seems custom-made for a Cleveland winter: the Mac & Cheese Throwdown, taking place at Red Space. There visitors can sample 20 types of mac & cheese prepared by some of the area’s most notable restaurants and caterers. See if you agree with the panel of celebrity judges picking the winner!

Beer and music round out an afternoon that raises money for W.A.G.S 4 Kids, which provides service dogs to kids with disabilities. Kendall Embrescia-Hridel talks to organizer Sera Nelson to find out how it all came about. Sat 2/25.

SPONSORED: ONLY@OBERLIN Canada’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra brings Bach: The Circle of Creation to Finney Chapel. This multimedia performance combines music with stunning projected video and images to explore the world of the artisans- papermakers, violin carvers, string spinners, and performers- who helped J.S. Bach realize his musical genius. 8PM on Tue 2/28.

VIDEO: Fat Tuesday Celebration at Bourbon Street Barrel Room

Decorated with beads of green, purple and gold, the New Orleans-style restaurant, Tremont’s Bourbon Street Barrel Room, serves up a taste of Mardi Gras. CoolCleveland’s Stephan Haluska talked with BSBR owner Justin Clemens and chef Johnny Schulze about what they’re cooking up for Fat Tuesday on Tue 2/28

They will be featuring happy hour drink specials of your favorite New Orleans-style cocktails, colorfully decorated king cake and Chef Johnny’s craw fish boil – a family recipe. The party continues with live music from Delgado’s Blues Band. Don your Mardi Gras mask and head on over to Bourbon Street Barrel Room!

Dru Levels with Would-Be Entrepreneurs

Dru Thompson’s storefront shop, Dru Christine Fabric and Design, on Waterloo Road in North Collinwood, looks modest but her business has grown by leaps and bounds. She not only sells her designs and sewing supplies of all kinds, she also hosts sewing workshops, trunk shows and other special events. Oh, and she’s CoolCleveland’s fashion columnist too.

This week Dru shares with us some of her advice if you’re thinking of starting your own fashion business. Here’s a hint that causes a lot of dropout at the starting gate: you can’t avoid the fact that there’s a LOT of work involved.

SPONSORED: Summer Camps Sizzle at The Music Settlement Camp topics range from STEAM to song-making! TMS camps are fun & enriching for ages 3-18. NEW preschool & vocal camps. Choose your instrument on a Music Safari. Special needs inclusion options available. Enroll online before April 1st and save 10%. TheMusicSettlement.org/camp

Spontaneous Creation

Come down to the Great Lakes Science Center and get inspired. The Design & Build competition, which raises money for GLSC’s STEM programs, features teams from pre-teens to adults racing against the clock to solve design challenges they’ve given that afternoon. Stop in and watch as these amateur engineers tackle their tasks. Sat 2/25.

* Kids and families can enjoy an afterhours pajama party at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Dinos After Dark provides education, fun, hands-on activities and pizza. Fri 2/24.

Click here for more CoolCleveland Kids events

VIDEO: Life at the Limits With These Amazing Species

Plants and animals have evolved over the centuries to escape their predators, to hold their breath under water, to find food in the most difficult of circumstances, and to survive in the face of extinction. CoolCleveland talks exclusively with Dr. Gavin Svenson, curator and head of invertebrate zoology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as he offers a sneak peek at their new exhibit, Amazing Species: Life at the Limits, on view through 07.09.17.

Featuring live animals, oversize models and fun interactive exhibits, Amazing Species brings you face to face with the superstrong Hercules Beetle, the burrowing mole rat and the odorous Corpse Flower.

It’s Paczki Day again at Rudy’s Strudel & Bakery in Parma, celebrating those little pockets of sweet and savory filled bliss. Starting at 5:30am and going on all day, there’ll be music, polka dancing, raffles, vendors, craft beer and more than two dozen flavors of paczki to choose from. Tue 2/28.

* Chef Dennis at the Music Box Supper Club is hosting one of his periodic Dinners with the Chef, where he whips up a special three-course meal served at a community table in the club’s private dining room. You get to stay to hear a trio of the area’s best women singers too. Fri 2/24.

* Hit NE Ohio’s wineries on a self-guided wine, cheese and chocolate tour. Fri 2/24 & Sat 2/25.

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

SPONSORED: Embrace The Folk at The Kent Stage with Al DiMeola, Geoff Tate The Whole Story “Ryche” Acoustic Tour, Del McCourey Band, Beth Hart, Ekoostic Hookah, Danksgiving Family Band, Vibe & Direct, Simon Kirke, The Walking Plaid, The Smithereens & The Motels, Norm Pikelny, Morgan James, Richard Thompson, plus more. TheKentStage.com.

One of the Akron Symphony’s most loved traditions is its annual “Gospel Meets Symphony” concert, featuring more than 200 singers and soloists from area church choirs. Sat 2/25

* Local musician Amanda Walsh showcases her original music on a new CD at Nighttown. Thu 2/23.

* ChamberFest Cleveland throws a party called Chamberstock at Rustbelt Reclamation. Sat 2/25.

* Seafair’s Chayla Hope hosts an evening at the Grog Shop with some of her woman musician friends. Fri 2/24.

* The Alternative Press Music Awards return to Cleveland from their Columbus exile for their 4th edition. Mon 7/17.

Read more of CoolCleveland’s picks for Cool Events.

WED 2/22
The “haves” enjoy their good fortune while helping those less fortunate than themselves at the annual “All About the Bag” fashion fundraiser for the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, taking place at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven.

* 25 grassroots entrepreneurs and idea generators will make pitches at the Global Center for Health Innovation, for a $5,000 prize.

* True crime author James Badal talks about grisly Cleveland murders at the Music Box Supper Club.

* Jazz guitarist Al Di Meola takes another look at his 1977 album Elegant Gypsy at the Kent Stage

Click here for more events on Wed 2/22

THU 2/23
On April 27, Preterm women’s health clinic is hosting its annual Bowl-a-Thon for its access fund which provides abortions to low-income women. Tonight at both Happy Dogs you can learn more and sign up for a team, while socializing with like-minded people.

* Celtic music band Solas returns to CVNP’s Happy Days Lodge.

* Irreverent NYC jazz ensemble Mostly Other People Do the Killing plays at the BOP STOP.

* Folk quartet Laura Cortese & the Dance Cards bring their harmonies to Peninsula’s G.A.R. Hall.

* Debussy’s ‘La Mer’ tops Cleveland Orchestra concerts this week. Through Sat 2/25.

* Film and panel discussion at the Rock Hall look at the Memphis Sound and racial issues in the south.

* Retired president of Spelman College talks about diversity at CWRU.

Click here for more events on Thu 2/23

FRI 2/24
Punk rock author David Ensminger’s appearance at Mac’s Backs in Cleveland Heights just got a lot livelier. He’ll be joined by Cle punk legend Tony Erba who promises to talk about everything from politics (he’s on the left) to Joe Charboneau.

* Former Queensryche singer Geoff Tate performs music from his whole career at the Kent Stage.

* CityMusic Cleveland previews next month’s Bowie-themed concerts at Praxis Fiber Workshop.

* The Movement Factory holds glow-in-the-dark yoga at Lakewood’s Screw Factory.

* Roots musician Jordan Tice performs with Horse Country at G.A.R. Hall.

* Nashville singer/songwriter Rod Picott is back at Oberlin’s Riverdog for the fifth time.

* It’ll be a sea of ink at the Cleveland Tattoo Arts Festival at the Convention Center. Through Sun 2/26.

Click here for more events on Fri 2/24

SAT 2/25
Once again those wooly Kurents will be taking to the streets of the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood to try to chase away the winter. The Slovenian festival Kurentovanje features a parade that ends up at the National Slovenian Home for an afternoon of food, drink, entertainment, vendors and activities with an ethnic flavor.

* College radio station WRUW 91.1 FM fetes its 50th at the Happy Dog.

* Historian speaks at CVNP about how race and environmental issues intersect in Cleveland.

* Headbanging bands play at the Maple Grove to benefit college radio station WJCU 88.7FM.

* The Black Pen at Mac’s Backs features readings by three local black novelists.

* Drag kings and queens add spice to Burning River Roller Derby benefit at Good Goat Gallery.

* Quince Contemporary Vocal Ensemble performs at Kent State

* Have pancakes with the birds at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes.

* Congresswoman Marcia Fudge holds a town hall meeting at Tri-C’s Corporate College.

* Akron Art Museum photo show looks at family relationships.

* Cleveland Inner City Ballet dances about social issues at CSU.

* Wax nostalgic about sandlot baseball at the Baseball Heritage Museum.

* Poetry and beer share the spotlight at Forest City Brewery’s “Rough Draughts.”

Click here for more events on Sat 2/25

SUN 2/26
Cat yoga is the latest hot thing, where a class is conducted while adoptable cats wander around the room trying to distract people with their cuteness and their way better yoga poses than yours. Prana Yoga in Broadview Heights is hosting a class to benefit Berea Animal Rescue, which is providing the cats.

* Heights Arts hosts a concert of Slavic string music at the Dunham Tavern Museum.

* The Music Settlement celebrates the work of Cleveland painter Seth Chwast.

* New photo show at the Cleveland Museum of Art documents black life in the 1960s.

* Dave Matthews sax player Jeff Coffin plays with his Mu’Tet tonight at Blu Jazz + and tomorrow at the BOP STOP.

* First Unitarian Church in Shaker Heights hosts forum on gerrymandering.

* Kwame Alexander, author of kids’ and adult books, speaks at the Parma-Snow Library.

* Fats Domino is the subject of a documentary screening at the Rock Hall.

* Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble performs two vocal pieces at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Click here for more events on Sun 2/26

MON 2/27
It can be hard to get yourself going on a winter Monday. But a great way to kick off those dark cold weeks is to sign up for a class in Lindy dancing, something anyone can do. The five-week series at the Brecksville Center for the Arts, kicking off tonight, is taught by Cleveland swing-dance star Valerie Salstrom.

Click here for more events on Mon 2/27

TUE 2/28
Tonight there are Mardi Gras parties all over town. Two that feature New Orleans-style music take place at Brothers Lounge in Cleveland, where Daddy Longleg’s Homegrown Revival plays, and G.A.R. Hall in Peninsula with Akron’s Mo’Mojo.

* Tafelmusik Baroque Ochestra sheds light on Bach with multimedia concert at Oberlin’s Finney Chapel.

* Literary Cleveland mixer at Tremont’s Spotted Owl brings writers together in a casual setting.

Click here for more events on Tue 2/28

WED 3/1
Our condolences to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on the passing of their beloved river otter Lucy. Meanwhile, these engagingly playful critters can be spotted in the wild at Summit Metroparks, which is hosting an “Otter Spotter” walk.

* The St. Petersburg Philharmonic plays Brahms and Shostakovich at EJ Thomas Hall.

* Oberlin Conservatory students bring their original music to the BOP STOP.

Click here for more events on Wed 3/1

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Jon Langford Talks Mekons and Waco Brothers, Then Sings a Song

Join musician and artist Jon Langford on this wide-ranging and frank discussion with CoolCleveland’s Thomas Mulready before a house concert at an undisclosed location in Cleveland Heights where they discuss everything from his roots in art-school performance art to his life-long obsession with country music inspired by fellow Welsh artist Tom Jones.

Along the way, he recounts the formation of first-wave punk band The Mekons, his life in Chicago, his importance to alt-country, to his current project Bad Luck Jonathan, on Cleveland’s Blue Arrow Records. Langford concludes with an impromptu solo take on The Waco Brothers’ “Walking On Hell’s Roof.”

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