20 years is a long time, and at CoolCleveland, we can honestly say we never thought we’d see the day. But the best things take time, and persistence. And if you’re going to make this a better place, you’d better be a force of nature. Speaking of which, that photo above? They don’t call it the Crooked River for nothing.Bella Sin is also celebrating her 20th anniversary in Cleveland, and we are all the better for her and her energy and spirit and entrepreneurship, creating the International Ohio Burlesque Fest, serving as a burlesque historian, volunteering where she can, and even creating her own makeup line.
Once upon a time, WJCU-FM 88.7 was WUJC and they broadcast from the iconic Clock Tower building on John Carroll’s campus. Next Tuesday you can celebrate our region’s unique and rich college radio culture as they broadcast from the tower once again for the first time since 1984, with an expected 100 alums taking turns behind the board.
It’s time to get out and explore spring in NEO, and there’s plenty going on. Join the public meeting at the Old Stone Church to talk about the Cuyahoga Riverfront Master Plan. Be one of the first to catch a performance in Akron’s newest venue, the Creative Arts Collaborative Center. And speaking of new, Ohio City Pasta founder Gary Thomas has turned his warehouse space in Hingetown into an art gallery with an exhibit of the works of unsung artist Roger von Golling, who did album covers for seminal Cleveland bands Lucky Pierre, System 56 and Prick. It’s about time.
By any measure, Adele Bertei has had a productive and creative life. The Clevelander moved to New York in 1977 where she fell in with some of its most creative people including Brian Eno, She made records, toured with Tears for Fears, went into filmmaking and she’s written several books.
Her latest book exposes what she had to overcome to be what she became. Using the persona of “Maddie Twist,” she’s created a memoir called TWIST: An American Girl about growing up in institutions and foster homes, with little security or permanence. She’ll be back in town to talk about it at Heights Arts on Mon 3/27. Read the review by Jordan Davis here.
Joe Kleon is probably the #1 concert photographer in Cleveland today. He may also be its top cat photographer, volunteering at Medina’s Kitten Krazy. Once again he’ll have an auction of some of his best shots to benefit the rescue, and he and couple of his friends from Wish You Were Here are hosting an afternoon event there on Sun 3/26. Read more.
In 1984, the John Carroll radio station, then called WUJC, left its studio in the Clock Tower building for new digs. On Tuesday March 28 for six hours, the station now called WJCU-FM 88.7 will again broadcast from the Clock Tower, playing music from the 60s to today with up to 100 alumni taking part. Read more.
Akron musician/peace advocate/kirtan practitioner Zack Friedhof has been making music for about 25 years. Now he’s releasing his 32nd (!) album called Any Way You Can. He was only at album #29 in November! Read more.
Mexico sent Cleveland a huge gift when an immigrant from Juarez named Bella Sin landed here almost 20 years ago. She’d already started performing by then and quickly formed her own company, now called Cleveland Burlesque. In 2011, she founded the International Ohio Burlesque Fest, which will be a four-day monster this year in August.
She’s one of the area’s top burlesque performers, a self-taught burlesque historian, a entrepreneur with a makeup line, an active volunteer for local groups and a promoter of some of the best-attended shows in town including one this weekend called “Sinfully Yours,” celebrating her 20 years in the business, showing why she’s called Cleveland’s Burlesque Queen. Mexico sent us their best! Read more.
