Playing

Playing

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Party on 2/4. Get discount tix here before midnight Thu 1/19
* RoldoLINK Reviewing the PD publisher’s record
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Vanity Crash’s debut eponymous CD
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Now is a good time to think about how to play in the city. The rush of the holidays are behind us, and ahead is the prospect of a couple more months before the rites of spring. Indoor sports are Cleveland’s specialty, and this week we’ve got them in spades: No fewer than a dozen top-notch art gallery openings are listed below. And remember, Cool Cleveland only picks the good ones.

But there’s more to indoor activities than art openings. Scroll down for hot performances like Verb Ballets at Beck and the Harlem Gospel Choir at Stocker Center in Lorain. It’s a good week to get together with your fellow citizens and discuss issues such as the Euclid Corridor, post-Apartheid South Africa, and how civic heroes saved hundreds of Cleveland jobs at the DFAS.

If you have kids, this is a great week to get out and enjoy the region’s dirty little secret: there’s a lot to do outside in the winter in Cleveland. Try snowshoeing, outdoor theatre, and starscope viewing for starters. Check our Kid’s Podcast for details. If you’re an artist, you can huddle this week to study art & technology, legal issues for artists, and a provocative City Club session on “What Good Are The Arts?” If you don’t get a satisfactory answer, pop us an e-mail and we’ll be glad to offer our perspective. Come to think of it, drop us a line either way, and let us know what you’re playing with this season. –Thomas Mulready

Play with Red
Cool Cleveland Party with Red {an orchestra}
Get discount tix before Thu 1/19 at Midnight here

You Know You’ve Been Dying to Taste Red. Here’s Your Chance. Indulge the senses Sat 2/4 at 5:30PM starting with open bar, incredible appetizers from Fire Restaurant sweet chocolate treats from Take A Bite Deli and wild entertainment compliments of Red {an orchestra}. Feel the Love with a seductive collision of film, tech and music for a night that you won’t believe. Dig the wild entertainment of juggler/stiltwalker extraordinaire Aaron Bonk, with groovin’ Eclectic Sounds from Ilya Goldberg. Then at 8PM, plug into a symphonic rhythm that could rock the Masonic Auditorium right off its foundation. (You know how CC loves that art and tech fusion!) Don’t miss Red’s over-the-top “Image/Sound/Image,” with Beethoven headlining a dynamic performance of computer generated video to help roll him over – and it probably will. In the meantime, do Ludwig proud and get your discount tix here. The Masonic Auditorium is located at 3615 Euclid Avenue (at E. 36th, between Chester & Euclid). Parking is free, get details & map here.

Get discount $16.99 tix (regular price will be $25 at the door) if you order online before midnight Thu 1/19 here: http://www.coolcleveland.net/tickets/020406.

A&Q w/G: Mike Belsito
Cool Cleveland’s CIO gets some answers, has more questions

Find-A-Way is a tech and audio startup in Chargin Falls that created the new Playaway digital audio books. Recently, they were roasted by Wall Street Journal personal technology writers Walter Mossberg and Katherine Boehret the week before the big national Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas. A few months ago, The Plain Dealer did a series on Find-A-Way, focusing on the founders of the company. But in my personal opinion, none of the coverage had been as interesting —or as revealing— as The Playaway Blog. Since October of last year, Find-A-Way’s marketing guy Mike Belsito had been reacting to the press coverage, as well as reflecting on a weekly basis about working for a startup. As Cool Cleveland’s CIO and in charge of my own blog, Brewed Fresh Daily, I was fascinated to talk with Belsito about his blog and the company he works for. We met at one of those convenient chain coffee outlets, and immediately started talking about our local favorite…

George Nemeth: I do like Talkies because of the free Wi-Fi thing.

Mike Belsito: Yeah, I lived in Ohio City for two years – I just came from Case’s business school. That’s where I did all of my homework, my papers. Everything. Studying. I always found libraries to be a little bit intimidating to get stuff done… but I bought a set of headphones and went to the coffee shop.

It’s definitely a different environment. The energy is very different at a library. Libraries are quiet, but sometimes you just need activity around you to get your thinking going.

MB: Particularly for me. It’s different for a lot of people. I have friends that can’t study anywhere but a library. But for me, I have to have something – some kind of background noise going on.

I think there’s a generational difference, too, though.

MB: You think so…?

Read the interview with Mike Belsito by George Nemeth here

*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************
The National Ballet of Canada Makes Cleveland Premiere at Playhouse Square Center Great seats are still available for The National Ballet of Canada’s performance of the exquisite story-ballet, The Firebird and The Four Seasons, playing Fri 1/27 – Sun 1/29. Don’t miss it! Tickets range from $15 to $68 each. Call 216.241.6000 or visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com now. Looking for something to do with the kids? Try the special buy-one-get-one discount offer courtesy of Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Buy one child’s ticket and receive the second one free. Also, children are invited to attend Rainbow Kids – a special pre-show workshop led by a professional dance instructor (recommended for ages 4-10) – before the Sunday matinee performance. Admission is free with the purchase of a ticket. Reservations required, call 216-664-6065.
*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************

Recreational Regionalism If Lyndhurst, Richmond Heights and South Euclid can work together to build a regional recreation center, and it saves them millions in taxes and fees, will that work towards retaining our Eastern suburbs’ creative class? And does it bode well for more regional efforts, such as safety forces, city services, and eventually, school systems? See story here, and send us your thoughts here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cleveland image makeover The new Cleveland Marketing Alliance, made up of the Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and The Cleveland Foundation, plans to collaborate on a new look and image to sell Cleveland to outsiders. We’ve been here before, but with the CVB’s strategic marketing plan as a headstart, along with the traction gained by new hires Marketing Director Barbara Siss and Tamera Brown, the CVB’s new Director of Arts and Cultural Tourism, maybe this time we’ll get it right. See story here, and send your comments to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Got Kids? Click and listen to what one 10-year-old Clevelander recommends this week: Click here.

Love, Janis extended The show about Janis Joplin, told through the lens of her letters to her sister, and including much great music, comes highly recommended. And fortunately for Cleveland, the town has come out and supported it. Now it’s being extended through Sun 2/26, which is good news since a great rock show should always be running in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame city. Check it out. 241-6000, http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com.

*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************
Sizzling Jazz in January Make your January evening sizzle as The Hot Club of San Francisco treats Clevelanders to an imaginative one-night only performance on Fri 1/27, 8PM at the Ohio Theatre. Don’t miss their unique mix of surrealistic silent era films combined with gypsy jazz reminiscent of the days when Stéphane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt played scorching jazz in original Hot Club de France. So, take a journey back to the 1930s as The Hot Club of San Francisco keeps this historic music fresh and alive with classic songs and original works. Heralded by the San Francisco Chronicle, The Hot Club of San Francisco is “…one of the most cohesive and entertaining Gypsy swing bands in the United States.” For tickets contact 216-987-4400, 800-766-6048, www.TriCPresents.com or www.Tickets.com. Presented by Cuyahoga Community College Performing Arts.
*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************

Who’s listening to podcasts? Podcasting was the big hit of 2005, when more than 5 million people downloaded a podcast, with twice that expected for 2006, and double again in 2007. 32% of Internet users have heard of a podcast, and 32% of those have downloaded one. Read the story at eMarketer to find out if more men than women have listened to a podcast here. Do you make or listen to podcasts? Let us know here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland01.20.06.mp3.

Red Dot Project accepting ideas Red Dot Project is expanding its partnership with Business Interiors and Environments, enabling the firm to integrate more regional art into their design projects. A strategic partnership with the Home and Garden Show will introduce participating landscape designers and hundreds of thousands of consumers to the work of regional artists. Red Dot’s partnership with the Ingenuity Festival will create new opportunities for artists interested in developing and utilizing cutting edge technologies and processes. Download the application and project information at http://www.RedDotProject.org or call 664-9600 with questions – the submission deadline is Wed 1/25.

Was It Good for You? It must have been because CC’s advertisers are often one of the Top Five Most Clicked “features” each week. That means that with over 100 featured articles and ads for you to click through, you often choose our ads. How zany is that? To learn more about advertising with Cool Cleveland, click here.

Case licenses $11 million ranking their technology transfer program the 20th most successful program in the nation, according to stats published by the Association of University Technology Managers, a non-profit group of government agencies, research organizations and universities that manage intellectual property. Read the news here. Your thoughts here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Farmers Market at Shaker Square is a Frankenfood-free zone offering a variety of delicious foods, including antibiotic and hormone-free dairy products, maple syrup, honey, farm fresh eggs, grass-fed beef, chicken and organic Berkshire hog, along with a variety of delicious fruits and vegetables. The market runs every Saturday, now through 3/25, in the old Joseph Beth Booksellers at 13209 Shaker Square. http://www.NorthUnionFarmersMarket.com.

*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************
Open Your Ears. See Music. Red explores music written for images through film clips and then creates abstract digital art driven by the sounds and energy of Beethoven. Experience Image/Sound/Image on Sat 2/4 at 8PM in the Masonic Auditorium, 3615 Euclid Avenue. Concert tickets start at $15. For more information call Red {an orchestra} at 440-519-1733 or visit www.RedAnOrchestra.org.
*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************

C-Tix launches This week the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland unveiled their new mega-discount C-Tix ticket program featuring major discounts (like 50% off) from Cleveland’s top performance organizations including Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theatre Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Dance Cleveland, Ohio Ballet, Cleveland Play House and Beck Center. This week’s tickets feature Love, Janis at Playhouse Square. Register for the newsletter at www.CTix.org and be the first—every week—to receive the breaking news on discount tickets in the city.

E Prep Opens in Glenville August 2006 will mark the opening of the Entrepreneurship Preparatory School in the Glenville neighborhood. Open to children entering the sixth grade, this new community school will merge the best practices of urban schools all over the East Coast in a quest to achieve 100% four-year-college acceptance for its students. The school will implement a highly-structured program, a longer school day, and a longer school year, and will not charge students for uniforms, breakfast, lunch or snacks. E Prep is open to any Cleveland student entering the sixth grade in Fall 2006. Visit http://www.eprepschool.org or call 881-0735 for more info. Your thoughts on E Prep? hidden-email:Yrggref@PbbyPyrirynaq.pbz?.

Emissions from the blogsphere Youngjin Yoo searches on the difference between the words dork, nerd and geek for his 10-year old son. Christine is lamenting the rumored demise of Truffles. Jack Ricchiuto praises the diversity of his neighborhood. John Palmer tries to leave voicemail for Mike DeWine. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here where Peter Chakerian talks evictions, Cabaret Dada and a Cleveland Arts Cooperative space. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland This Week
1.18-1.25

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Sir Real Show Stand in the wake of thought and dissertation as artists from various corners of the country. Join Janis Wunderlich and Mark Soppeland, of Ohio, as they employ collected objects, fiber, paint, print, clay and plants to materialize their dreams. The show runs from Wed 1/18 through Sat 2/18. Join exhibition curator, Kirk Mangus on Wed 2/1 at 4:30PM for a lecture, immediately followed by an artists’ reception at 5:30PM. Gallery hours are T-F from 11AM-5PM and Saturday 10AM-2PM. Call 330-672-1369. School of Art Gallery, Kent State University, Off Terrace Drive. http://www.Kent.edu/art.

Accelerating Innovation on the Euclid Corridor Get connected – take active part in the building of innovation zones around our regional colleges, universities and libraries in Northeast Ohio. Get engaged and learn about open source best practices that can support your work while accelerating innovation in our region during a Wed 1/18 I-Open Civic Forum at 5PM. Myers University, Chester Campus, 3921 Chester Avenue.

Art, Technology and the Mind will be the topic for discussion during a Thu 1/19 symposium from 4-6PM. The collaborative effort of CMA, CIA, Case, MOCA Cleveland, and the New Media Consortium from Austin, Texas, is bringing a two-day, invitational, intellectual exchange to Cleveland that will convene global thought leaders to advance new directions in the fields of cognitive science, digital art and museum education. The sypmposium, Understanding the New Dynamic: Art, Technology and the Mind is open to the public without cost, but registration here is recommended. Bolton Theatre, The Cleveland Playhouse, 8500 Euclid Avenue.

Rebuilding Communities in the Aftermath of Apartheid South African Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs and South African urban architect Vanessa September will engage the community in a conversation about both the progress and troubles that have been encountered under the South African democracy, still in its infancy, which rose after that fall of apartheid. Civic engagement, individual and collective responsibility and tolerance will be important points of discussion during the Thu 1/19 meeting at 7PM. The event is without cost and open to the public. Hathaway Brown School, 19600 North Park Boulevard, Shaker Heights. www.FacingHistory.org.

Artists Raise the Bar Local artists will learn to make use of the legal resources available through the arts committee of the Cleveland Bar Association during an informative guest speaker session on Thu 1/19 from 7-9PM. Call 398-8556 for info. Art House, 3119 Denison Avenue. http://www.ArtHouseInc.org.

Meat is a multimedia exhibition featuring works by Meat, a.k.a. Minnesotan artist Jeffery Paul Gadbois. The exhibit opens on Fri 1/20; the opening reception is one week later, on Fri 1/27 from 7-11PM. Meat’s large-scale works focus on the face and its ability to express all emotions. Call 939-9099 for info. Miller – Weitzel Gallery, 5304 Detroit Avenue. http://www.MillerWeitzelGallery.com.

Cavalcade of Oddballs an exhibition of pen-and-ink drawings by Matt Dibble. Dating back to his days as a student, Dibble’s drawings open the exhibition on Fri 1/20, and they will remain on display through 3/4. Though better known for his large abstract oil paintings, Dibble’s seldom seen pen-and-ink drawings are mysterious and beautiful microcosms which offer an intimate look at the artist. Call 771-0830. Studio of 5 Rings, 2400 Superior Avenue, Suite #201.

What Good Are the Arts? Do the arts make us better people? Can art be a substitute for religion? Are judgments about art anything more than personal opinions? Join literary critic, Oxford University professor emeritus and chief book reviewer for London’s Sunday Times, John Carey, on Fri 1/20 at 12PM as he discusses his book, What Good Are the Arts? The book stirred the proverbial pot upon its release in the UK last summer. Call 621-0082 and make your reservations at least 24 hours in advance. The City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue, 2nd Floor. www.CityClub.org.

On the Wall explores the function of the walls of an art gallery, during the exhibit. It kicks off with a gallery talk on Fri 1/20 at 4PM & an artist’s reception at 5PM. Regional artists, including George Kozmon and George Mauersberger, have joined artists from New York, Massachusetts and South Africa to create transitory art, on display through 3/10. Gallery hours are M-F 10AM-5PM and 12-4PM on Saturdays. Cleveland State Art Gallery, 2307 Chester Avenue.

Three Openings Show See three art gallery openings, and the ongoing Glacial Erratica, The Art Of Charles Herndon Show on Fri 1/20 from 5-9PM. Bruce Conforti, New Work, A One-Man Show will open at the Gallery 324; Jean Balbin will have an opening with 16 works displayed in the Galleria at Erieview; The Fifth Annual Great Lakes Publishing Staff Art Show will take place in the old Limited space and prominent Ohio artists like Alice Kiderman, Walter Allen Rogers Jr., George Whitten, Omar Vizquel and several others will show works in a wide variety of media. Call 780-1522 for more info. Galleria at Erieview, 1301 East Ninth Street.

SPACES Gallery Opening The Persistence of Conscience: Textiles and drawings by Lilian Tyrrell offers large-scale tapestries that explore societal and political issues. Attend the opening reception on Fri 1/20 from 5-9PM. Call 621-2314 for info. SPACES Gallery, 2220 Superior Viaduct.

Oh Petroleum The latest exhibit by Cleveland artist Kristen Baumliér explores the past, present and future of – what else – petroleum. Join the artist, whose body of mixed media work often incorporates performance, video and audio, for the opening reception on Fri 1/20 from 5-9PM. Call 229-6527 for info. The Sculpture Center, 1834 East 123rd Street (Off Euclid), University Circle. http://www.SculptureCenter.org http://www.KristenBaumlier.com/.

Beyond the Printed Page Browse 100 works of art by more than 30 artists during The Great Lakes Publishing Gallery Show 2006. Purchase original art pieces, during the opening reception on Fri 1/20 from 5-9PM, to enliven your personal or work space, or give to friends and family. The show runs through Fri 3/10. The Galleria, 1301 E. Ninth Street.

Large Drawings Marks the first Cleveland solo exhibition for Pennsylvania-based artist Peter Mollenkof, whose work showcases his skills in his traditional media of colored pencil and graphite on paper. The results – bold shapes in meticulous detail – are mesmerizing. Attend the Fri 1/20 opening reception from 6-9PM for the show, which runs through 2/25. For an additional artistic treat, peruse works by Jennifer Omaitz, Douglas Max Utter, John Howitt, Matthew Studebaker, and Leah Montalto, also on display during the exhibit. Call 795-0971. e. gordon gallery, 2026 Murray Hill Road.

MOCA Kicks off season Cleveland is the beneficiary of a bounteous artistic buffet as MOCA jumpstarts its Winter/Spring season with the simultaneous opening of four exhibits – All Digital; Peggy Kwong-Gordon: Life Studies; Curve: Jon Pylypchuk; and Drawn, Exposed and Impressed: Recent Works on Paper from the Cleveland Museum of Art. Attend the pre-opening artist talk on Fri 1/20 at 6PM and the opening party at 7PM. MOCA Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Avenue. www.MOCACleveland.com.

CC KIDS Naturepiece Theatre will explore the lives of animals during the winter with the help of a few wacky puppets on Fri 1/20 at 7PM, or Sat 1/21 at 10AM. Geared for the 6 & under set, the event also includes an opportunity to make creative crafts celebrating the winter season. Call 440-473-3370. North Chagrin Nature Center, Sunset Lane, Off Route 91, Mayfield Village. www.CleMetParks.com.

Verb Ballets at Beck The Main Stage will reverberate with the intense heat and brilliancy of Verb Ballet’s Verb Pops program – featuring a revival of Ian Horvath’s blues ballet, Laura’s Women; Verb’s own rock n’ roll tribute, MoonDogg and the world premiere of artistic director, Hernando Cortez’ Super Friends, a madcap dance sitcom featuring members of the Westside community. Call 521-2540 or visit http://www.BeckCenter.org for tickets to the show on Fri 1/20 & Sat 1/21 at 8PM and Sun 1/22 at 3PM. Beck Center for the Arts, 17801 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood.

Cleveland Next Meeting Attend the next Cleveland Next monthly meet up with a couple of friends in tow on Fri 1/20 from 8-9:30PM and share an idea for improving our community that you are committed to making happen. Tri-C Corporate College East, 4400 Richmond Road, Warrensville Heights. http://www.ClevelandNext.com.

Pat Dailey Nebraska-born-St.Louis-reared-Great Lakes-adopted-Put-in-Bay-legend Pat Dailey is throwing a Great American Friday Night Party on Fri 1/20 at 8PM. The “Lewd, Crude & Funky,” “Big, Bad, Bawdy Balladeer” will put on a show for “mature audiences and boaters” at the Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue. Get tickets at www.PlayhouseSquare.com.

Coming of Age This two-act exploration of changes and transitions features Lynn Deering dancing with the video projections of male/female duets reflective of the ever-shifting roles between the partners, inspired by and performed to the poetry of French author Henri Michaux in Act I, entitled, My Past Times. In Act II, That’s That Then Chris DiCello takes the audience through nine decades in the life of a woman, shadowed by and in duet with a Kabuki-inspired participant who assists her through the transitions from decade to decade. The show runs Fri 1/20 and Sat 1/21 at 8PM and Sun 1/22 at 3PM. Get tickets at www.cptonline.org. Levin Theatre, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue.

Free4All at The Pop Shop Seventeen + area artists will display 5-10 of their pieces in this group show running from Sat 1/21 through Sat 2/18. Call 227-8440 for info and hours of opening reception and after party. The Pop Shop, 17020 Madison Avenue, Lakewood.

CC KIDS Family Snowshoe Experience Layer on your snow gear then get ready to enjoy the great Northern Ohio outdoors during a challenging hike through the winter woods, geared for kids age 7 & up, accompanied by their parents, on Sat 1/21 from 1-4PM. Snowshoes will be provided. Call 341-1704 for fees and info. Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, 9445 Brecksville Road, Brecksville.

Rent Party to Save The Bookstore Mike O’Brien’s used bookstore, in operation for 30 years, is a Near West Side institution. A sagging economy and stiff competition from national bookstore chains and internet giants like Amazon.com have left The Bookstore with fewer customers and a growing list of bills. Join the neighborhood and fellow local bookstore owners during a rent party for the beleaguered shop on Sat 1/21 from 3-8PM. Call 566-8898 to learn more about the party, or the auction of rare books that will be held at the Inside Outside art gallery (2688 West 14th Street, Tremont) afterward. Read the story here. The Bookstore, 1921 West 25th Street.

Spend an evening with James Hillman an innovative and provocative scholar, author, Jungian analyst, and the originator of “archetypal psychology.” Regarded by many as one of the most seminal minds of our time, the celebrated lecturer and cultural critic will explore the “acorn theory,” or the myth that we are each born into a uniqueness which encompasses our destinies, and the view of the soul as the imaginative possibility in our natures. Visit www.cia.edu to learn more about the Sat 1/21 lecture at 4PM. Russell B. Aitken Auditorium, Cleveland Institute of Art, 11141 East Boulevard.

Asterisk Gallery Benefit will feature works by Dana L Depew, Russ Seligman, Gregg Jenkins, Andrew Michalewicz, Dave Torowski, Brandon Stelter, Phil Soucey, Scott Weitzson and Camellia Fox. The $5 donation admission includes live music, slam poetry, visual arts, an art sale, and complimentary food and beverages provided by Big Guy’s Pizza and Edison’s Next Door Deli on Sat 1/21 from 6-11PM. Call 330-304-8528 for info. Asterisk Gallery, 2393 Professor Avenue, Tremont.

Endre Hegedus Piano Concert Commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution with international pianist, Endre Hegedus, on Sat 1/21 at 7PM. The musical menu includes works by Chopin, Liszt and Bartok. Ticket costs include a champagne reception, immediately following the concert. Call 228-4439 for tickets. St. Emeric Hungarian Catholic Church, 1860 West 22nd Street. http://www.pianist.hu.

CC KIDS Telescope Star Viewings Kids of all ages can enjoy a star-studded evening when they take a telescopic adventure through the evening sky on Sat 1/21 at 8:30PM. Call ahead (440-871-2900) to make sure that the weather is right your star-gazing adventure. Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village. www.lensc.org.

A Night of Shouting Back is a collection of performances by musical acts rooted in frivolity, created to deliver a resounding answer to critics who think Punk music is just a bunch of shouting. Five acts will perform the full spectrum of punk music – from horn-based ska to pure 70’s based punk, to growling two-piece acoustical work by men using puppets – on Sat 1/21 at 9PM. Lasers, kilts, silly string, pink tuxedos, smoke, trombones, a butter churn, fuzzy slippers, and a 4-foot dragon puppet are all part of the show. The Hi-Fi Concert Club, 11729 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood. http://www.CorpusBand.com. http://www.hificoncertclub.com/.

Ballets Russes Take an intimate peek at the famed Ballet Russes, the Russian émigré ballet company formed in 1920s Paris of young dancers, exiled by the October Revolution. Now in the twilight of life, these dance pioneers give audiences a long hard look beyond the pretty faces, perfect form and polite stage presence and into the ‘battle of the ballets’. The inventive direction and revealing interviews unfold a fascinating story. Ballets Russes begins on Sun 1/22. Call 440-349-3306, beginning 1/18 for show times. Cedar Lee Theatre, Cleveland Heights. www.ClevelandCinemas.com.

Cleveland IndieClub Meeting If you’ve got a thing for celluloid, digital, HD (you get the point) whether it’s behind the camera, or in front (or the side, as the case may be) link up with like-minds during the January meeting of the Cleveland IndieClub on Sun 1/22 from 1-4PM. Hear entertainment lawyer, MaryEllen Tomazic discuss Intellectual Property for Visual Artists and get your questions answered, then screen and discuss short films, scenes, and trailers from Let’s Scare Nikki To Death; 4 Dollars; Search and Seizures; Eric Papa’s Undisclosed and a new martial arts short film by Johnny Wu. The Hyacinth Lofts, 3030 East 63rd Street. Dial 022 to be buzzed in. http://www.ClevelandIndieClub.com.

CC KIDS Harlem Gospel Choir Hear the acclaimed choir belt out their message of love, peace, harmony, and understanding on Sun 1/22 at 3PM. One of the pre-eminent gospel choirs or the world, this group has promoted a better understanding of African-American culture through the delivery of their inspirational music to people of all cultures and backgrounds around the world. Plan to come to the Gospel Brunch at 1:15PM, then stay for the concert. Call 440-366-4040 or purchase tickets at www.LorainCCC.edu. Stocker Center, Lorain Community College, 1005 North Abbe Road, Elyria. http://www.HarlemGospelChoir.com.

Saving DFAS: A Winning Formula assembles the major players in Cleveland’s victorious effort to save the Cleveland Defense Finance and Accounting Services office, which was slated for closure. Carol Caruso of the Greater Cleveland Partnership; Congressman Steve LaTourette; Fred Nance, managing partner at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, and Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones will examine their collaborative success and how our city can learn from it on Tue 1/24 at 12PM. Call or visit www.CityClub.org to purchase tickets. City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid, 2nd Floor.

Meteorology Armchair meteorologists who are prepared to attend all three parts of this adults-only series will get a revealing look into the world of weather forecasting, through lecture, slides, handouts and hands-on activities. Program dates are Tue 1/24, Thu 1/26 and a date to be announced, from 7-9PM. Call 440-734-6660 for more info. North Chagrin Nature Center, Sunset Lane, Off Route 91, Mayfield Village. www.CleMetParks.com.

WCLVnotes The Metropolitan Opera Saturday afternoon radio broadcasts are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. And to celebrate the upcoming 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (remember the movie?), the Met is presenting two Mozart blockbusters: this Saturday the 21st “The Magic Flute,” and on Saturday the 28th “Cosi fan tutte.” And speaking of Mozart, WCLV is laying on a bang-up birthday party for Wolfie on his birthday, Fri 1/27. There will be a series of broadcasts from his hometown of Salzburg, including a live concert at 12 noon with an intermission that will feature at the exact time of his birth, the 100+ churches of Salzburg ringing their bells for seven minutes. More details next week. However, details on all of WCLV’s programming are available in the WCLV Guide at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Vanity Crash
Vanity Crash
Grid Records

If you’re a fan of 70s-era glam rock in the vein of Ziggy Stardust, Mark Bolan and Sweet, then all the buzz surrounding the quintet Vanity Crash is exactly what the doctor ordered. Glam rock was a major influence upon the UK punk rock scene of the late 1970s and is certainly an influence on Vanity Crash frontman Dan Folino’s Bowiesque tenor, feather boas, and leather pants.

Formed on the set of Cleveland Public Theater’s production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the band certainly has a penchant for the theatrical. In lesser hands, Vanity Crash’s self-titled release could have easily devolved into a mockery-stuffed, proto-punk-rawk sham. But there’s something about Vanity Crash–be it bravado, intution or tradition-steeped fandom–that makes them live up to (and rise above) the hype they’ve garnered recently.

The disc’s 10 tracks are well-crafted, with high-intensity pop riffs motoring cuts like “New Girl,” “Come Forward” and the Bolan-like swagger of “Velvet Crush.” The highlights come in the form of the bopping “Freak Out” and the contrasting wistfulness of the ballad “Moonfall,” both of which are as fresh and fun and new as they are period pieces of a bygone era.

Hey, it’s guitars, drums, bass, vocals. Simple, to the point. Poppy, crunchy… glam-slashy and mega-trashy… what a concept! It rocks, expectedly… and Clevelanders should eat it up. My advice? Check them out live, because the live show certainly ups the ante you’ll find present on the recording. Vanity Crash also answers one question and begs for another. The answer is “Mick Ronson” to the question “Who does Vanity Crash really love?” and the follow-up question is, “Will their next disc (allegedly a concept album) be more Ziggyesque or Thin White Duke?”

Who knows? With five tongues firmly planted in their cheeks, just sit back and enjoy the good time. Think Bowie and T. Rex rolling up on Oscar Wilde’s pad before heading to the Velvet Goldmine. Once you’re there, you’ve pretty well got it. Now you should go get it.

Vanity Crash plays The Dorm, 1232 Weathervane in Akron on Thu 2/9. Buy this CD or get more info, sound clips, glam photos and more at http://www.VanityCrash.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

RoldoLINK
Machaskee Leaves A Record Of Mediocrity, Failure

Alex Machaskee—not fondly known among many reporters as The Snake—rose from a sales department worker in 1968 to Tom Vail’s gofer before dethroning Vail and becoming president and publisher of the Plain Dealer in 1990.

His announced “retirement” is delayed but most welcome news coming three years beyond the age of 65, the traditional retirement age for top executives at the newspaper.

I will skip any encomium to him since Sunday’s paper overflowed with them. There was not even a mention of Machaskee’s critical role in the Plain Dealer not making an endorsement for President in 2004.

Any regular reader of the PD also knows of Machaskee’s unquenchable thirst for awards and accolades.

Machaskee has been a blight on the Plain Dealer, Cleveland journalism and the city for at least two decades. He represents the bad judgment and backward thinking that has infected the city’s civic and political life. Rather than offer the city enlightenment, guidance and energy, his Plain Dealer has offered, with few exceptions, a conservative, elitist and weak leadership that now reveals this once proud city broken and dispirited….
Read RoldoLINK here.

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 11/12 Robert Schumann’s Scenes from Goethe’s Faust isn’t programmed all that often, so when it does come along, it enters the realm of very special event. A steady diet of ‘very special events’ could grow old rather quickly, and considering the forces required to perform it properly, that is somewhat easy to understand. Actually, in the eighty-eight years that the orchestra has been in existence, this was just the second time they’ve performed it. The previous occasion was at Blossom Music Center in the summer of 1978.

The legend of Faust has been around for centuries, or maybe longer. We all speak blithely of ‘selling our soul to the devil’ in order to gain something or other, but would we, really? This story occupied the great German poet Goethe for more than twenty years, and the composer Schumann for half that…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Windsong @ Archwood Church 1/14 Many local folks are unaware of the existence of Windsong–Cleveland’s Feminist Chorus. Their loss. Windsong isn’t large, but it is sincere and well-intentioned, and for a non-audition chorus (they happily accept whoever wants to sing with them) it is surprisingly good. Under the crisp direction of their Artistic Director Karen Weaver, the 22 women sing with heart and soul, not to mention excellent diction and intonation…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On Bridges (See Our Future is in the Mix here, and Building a Bridge to Our Future here) My goal is a stronger bridge to East Cleveland from the rest of the county and the rest of the world. We have a new auditorium with acoustics to rival any in the region. Just come to the East Cleveland Main Library this Sunday at 4:00 to hear it. We have the opportunity to hear great jazz, blues, and classical (from CityMusic) music in the new wing of our library. Buy your food at the Coit Road Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. http://www.CoitMarket.org Check out events at Snickerfritz. And, if you’re looking for a new home or an investment, check out the great historic homes. We not only have the Rockefeller homes, but also many other beautifully-built homes. Mine, for example, housed the family of The Austin Company, which built NELA Park, our historic Helen S. Brown Senior Center, and other fine buildings locally and throughout the world. Forest Hill Park is home to beautiful and unusual (for a city) birds. We offer opportunity. Come and join us!
from Cool Cleveland reader Pat Blochowiak patrblATmac.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) RoldoLINK Mayor Jackson’s got the moves.
www.CoolCleveland.com

2) Tremont Art Walk Stroll Tremont for a fine cultural feast.
http://www.TremontArtwalk.org

3) Innovation in Cleveland A swell series on innovative companies making good in Cleveland.
http://www.Cleveland.com/innovation

4) Old World Charm, Modern Amenities A beautifully renovated building that has been converted to 12 condominiums near University Circle.
http://www.ProgressiveUrban.com

5) CleveWiki A collaborative effort to create a guide to the city of Cleveland makes the Top 5 for the second week in a row.
http://www.CleveWiki.com

On a Mission from God Cool Cleveland promises to continue to uphold the high level of content you crave each week. If you dig our vibe, help our mission and do something heavenly . . . pass this on to a friend.

All work and no play make the Hard Corps dull boys and girls. This week we want to thank Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Kelly Ferjutz, Roldo Bartimole and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

Let’s play,

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
(:divend:)