Stepping Out

4.05-4.12.06

Stepping Out

In this week’s issue:
* Access:Cleveland Joan Perch of The Red Dot Project
* Who Are You? Cleveland’s Leading Satirist tells you about you
* Cool Cleveland People Les Roberts, Cleveland mystery novelist
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Mikey Machine from Machine Go Boom
* RoldoLINK Some Pay No Property Taxes
* Cool Cleveland Preview Notacon 3
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Stepping Up is something Cleveland does well. We’re known nationally for our stellar volunteerism, our outsized philanthropy and our vigorous community activism. This week, we point you to new groups like GreenCityBlueLake, news about teen poetry slammers stepping up and competing in the finals in NYC, and Joan Perch’s new Red Dot Project that serves to link businesses and artist. Watch the MOVIE below and drop us a line with your thoughts.

Then step out yourself this week, whether it’s to a talk on the No Child Left Behind Act, or to an exhibition at the new 1point618 Gallery on Detroit, or True Art on the East Side, or to a session on e-mail strategies, or to a performance by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony. The next step is yours. –Thomas Mulready

Access:Cleveland
Red Dot Project
Movies Behind the Scenes

A red dot next to a painting in a gallery means the work has been sold. It is the ultimate symbol of acceptance, achievement and success in the art marketplace. And it often can mean the difference between making your living at art and working odd jobs. A new non-profit organization that works to connect corporations and businesses that need to improve their workplace environment with sculpture, art and beauty with art and artists. Red Dot Project Director Joan Perch stepped up with Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready at their opening last week to introduce Cleveland to their exciting new business-art conduit, creating economic opportunity for regional artists and providing a valuable service for area businesses. Red Dot Project, 1900 Superior Avenue, Suite #125, Cleveland, 664-9600 http://www.RedDotProject.org. Send your comments to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

WATCH THE MOVIE Red Dot Project (PC) (MAC)

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Ohio City Hotspots Check out the new housing options in one of Cleveland’s hottest neighborhoods! The Townhomes at Bridge Court, starting at $189,900, feature lofted ceilings, garage, open floor plan, full basement, tax abatement and special financing. The West 44th Street Homes, which start in the upper 200’s, are a series of three single-family homes offering new construction with an old house feel. The model features 2,300+ sq. ft., 2 car garage, full basement, hardwood floors, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths and three fireplaces. Stop by to preview these new homes and enjoy refreshments at the Grand Opening party tonight, Wed 4/5, from 5-8PM. Model homes are located at 1911 W. 47th (at Bridge) and 1850 W. 44th. For a complete list of properties and open houses, please visit www.progressiveurban.com.
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Marriage ban voids domestic violence law? Ohio’s controversial 2004 constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage has been interpreted by an appeals court to nullify protection from domestic violence against unmarried partners. All other appeals courts have ruled in the opposite, and one of these cases will make it to the state Supreme Court, probably soon. We follow this story because tolerance has been proven to create a favorable environment for entrepreneurialism, and lately Ohio has been taking steps in the opposite direction. See Gay People’s Chronicle story here. Send your thoughts to 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/CoolCleveland04.07.06.mp3. Don’t forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.

Mulready steps aside Because of the increased demands on my time due to the growth and success of Cool Cleveland, and to allow me to spend more time with the family, I have made the decision to step aside from my role as co-director of the Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology, scheduled for 07/07 thru 07/16. The decision was a difficult one, because of my passions for the arts, technology and economic development, all of which were incorporated into Ingenuity. But my capable partner and co-founder James Levin will carry on in the leadership role, and I will remain active as a consultant, managing a number of Ingenuity projects. In the meantime, Ingenuity is looking for experienced volunteer coordinators and people who have managed volunteers. If you’re interested in the comp tix & t-shirts, the backstage access, and the high you get from being on the inside, please contact Mike@IngenuityCleveland.org.

Calling all drummers! Symphony for 1000 Drums, written by internationally acclaimed composer Halim El-Dabh expressly for the Ingenuity Festival, will be performed on Cleveland’s Public Square at on Thu 7/13 at 5PM. An expression of diversity and unity, this symphony will encompass drum styles ranging from marching bands to rock to ethnic groups around the world. Drummers from all walks of life are asked to step up to help perform this monumental work. Contact Grant Marquit at gmarquit@yahoo.com to find out how you can be a part of this exciting experience.

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Imaginative, Innovative, High-energy Dance celebrates a quarter century of talent and dedication at the Dance Synergy Festival. This three-city tour features the top physically integrated dance companies in America beginning Sat May 13 at 7:30PM at the prestigious Allen Theatre in Playhouse Square. Cleveland-based Dancing Wheels will be joined on stage by “AXIS Dance Company” of Oakland, CA, and “Full Radius Dance” of Atlanta, GA, with performances that transport audiences to a world of imaginative, innovative and high-energy dance. Dancing Wheels will unveil its world premier performance choreographed by Rebecca Darling of Pilobolus, one of the nation’s most sought after dance companies. The Festival will offer a series of master classes, workshops and lectures May 12 – 14. For more information about tickets contact 216-241-6000 or www.Tickets.com. For classes contact 216-432-0306 or visit www.DancingWheels.org.
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US Tourism on the rise Just in time to dovetail with steps taken by the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland to focus their strategy on arts and cultural tourism, the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the US Department of Commerce reports that US tourism grew 4.8% in 2005, showing steady growth in tourism employment and traveler accommodation, especially in the food, drink, recreation and entertainment sectors, recovering nicely from the drop in tourism after 9/11. Air transport has not fared as well nationally, offering an opportunity for regional tourism not requiring air flights. With 3/4 of the population of North America within a 500-mile drive of Cleveland, we’re once again sitting pretty. See study here. Thanks to Don Iannone’s ED Futures Journal here. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Everyone loves the party photos Whether it’s seeing if that picture the photographer snapped of you got posted, or checking to see if your friends were at the last party, everyone loves to check out Cool Cleveland party pics. The latest batch from Tony Derrick is here.

To make sure you keep receiving Cool Cleveland take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list.

Teen poetry slammers headed to NYC Slam U! was a slam dunk. Cleveland’s National Youth Poetry Slam Team has been selected and they are ready to step out to the Big Apple to compete against other youth teams from around the country in Brave New Voices, the 9th Annual National Youth Poetry Slam Festival from Tue 4/25 – Sun 4/30. And the winners are… Donte Franks of South High School (10th Grade); Jonathon Lykes of Shaw High School (10th Grade); Brittani McClinton of Cleveland Heights High School (12th Grade); Chris Webb of Cleveland School of the Arts (11th Grade) and Latecia Wilson of Cleveland School of the Arts (11th Grade).

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“First Rate . . . Inspiring” The New York Times hails Children of Uganda! Explore your world as tales of hope, joy and courage intertwine with the history and culture of East Africa as the inspirational dance troupe Children of Uganda brings their “Tour of Light” to Playhouse Square Center, Sat 4/8 at 11AM. Twenty Ugandan children, ages 8 to 18, will perform cultural dances and songs, accompanied by an orchestra of drums, string instruments, and wooden xylophones. The entire program accentuates the traditional music, song and dance from the 52 different ethnic groups which comprise Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Tanzania and Kenya. Don’t miss the performance Dance Magazine called “one of the happiest occasions of the performance season.” Tickets just $15.50! Call 216.241.6000 or www.PlayhouseSquare.com.
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You don’t need an iPod to listen to the Cool Cleveland Kids podcast. Just click on it, and listen on your computer speakers. Hear 10-year old CC correspondent Max here. Use this link to subscribe to the Kids Podcast. See CC KIDS below for Max’s recommendations. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids04.07.06.mp3.

GreenCityBlueLake launched EcoCity Cleveland has bundled a delicious selection of tools and resources under one link, helping Cleveland realize that we are “a Green city on a blue lake.” The new site will offer networking, event listings, shared community space and highlights of 11 practice areas of sustainability and development projects impacting the region. Log on, step up and get Green: http://www.GreenCityBlueLake.org

Emissions from the blogsphere Stan blogs that PD reporter Steven Litt “doesn’t get it” when it comes to Cleveland’s architectural fabric. Anita explains that RFID is coming to the rescue of firefighters. Jim reminds us it’s WRUW Annual Telethon time. Don Iannone explains economic development professionals are clamoring for practical stuff. Kevin Miller explains how a tv producer got it wrong. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian comments on Thomas’ step back, rants on Cleveland parking tickets and wonders aloud about the domestic violence loophole mentioned in this week’s issue. When you’re done, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.


Cool Cleveland This Week

4.05-4.12

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Healing Across Cultures Regionally, nationally and internationally known scholars, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, and traditional healers of rich and varied cultures will be interacting in presentation and roundtable format during this event on Thu 4/6 from 9:30AM-4:30PM. Participants will have a unique opportunity to stimulate their five senses through traditional healing practices, to view traditional healing artifacts and experience traditional music, food, yoga, tai-chi etc. Call 687-4656 for info. Cleveland State University, Mather Mansion, 2605 Euclid Avenue. www.csuohio.edu.

Spring Artist Showcase Looking for a new way to integrate music, dance, theater and visual arts into the curriculum of your school or organization? Discover the powerful impact that Young Audiences of America can make during this complimentary showcase on Thu 4/6 from 4-6PM featuring artist demonstrations, performances, refreshments, door prizes and more. Teachers, principals, administrators and parents are welcome. Call 561-5005 for more info or visit http://www.yagc.org. Hathaway Brown School, Middle School Atrium, 19600 North Park Boulevard, Shaker Heights.

HOT PICK No Child Left Behind Representative Michael Skindell will share his views on the impact of No Child Left Behind on Lakewood and on the State of Ohio, on Thu 4/6 at 7PM. Lakewood Board of Education, 1470 Warren Road, Lakewood.

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The Rebirth of Lakewood’s East End Rockport Square in Lakewood is a dynamic, mixed-use development of townhouses, lofts, shops and restaurants, close to everything. Don’t miss this opportunity to become part of the region’s most exciting redevelopment projects! The townhouses, which feature contemporary design unlike anything else in the region, are priced from the mid $200s. They offer 2-4 levels, 2-3 bedrooms, expansive windows, granite countertops, maple cabinets, private porches, rooftop terraces, interior courtyards, full basements and two-car garages. The loft condominiums are priced from the $180s and offer 1-3 bedrooms, granite countertops, sealed concrete floors, attached parking, concrete balcony with metal railings, and live/work opportunities. Five year tax abatement and reduced rate financing. The sales center is located at 1422 Hopkins (off Detroit, west of W. 117th). Open daily 12-5PM. Check out www.RockportSquare.com or www.progressiveurban.com.
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Kroumata Percussion Ensemble The world-renowned Swedish percussion group is on a mission to take percussion from the back row of the orchestra to the limelight of center stage. See them work their magic on Thu 4/6 at 8PM. Enjoy John Cage’s Third Construction, Arne Mellnäs’s Fragile, Morgan Ågren’s She Came, She Went, Iannis Xenakis’s Okho, John Eriksson’s Träd (Tree), and Georg Katzer’s Schlagmusik 2. Finney Chapel is located on the southwest corner of Route 511 (Lorain Street) and North Professor Street. Call 440-775-8169 for tickets. Finney Chapel, 90 North Professor Street, Oberlin. http://www.oberlin.edu/con.

Antiquarian Book Fair Hungry for rare books, first editions and beloved books from your childhood? More than 60 dealers will feature their holding of books ranging from Americana and the Civil War to illustrated books and science fiction on Fri 4/7 from 3-8:30PM and Sat 4/8 10AM-4PM. Learn more at www.NobsWeb.org. John S. Knight Center, 77 East Mill Street, Akron.

Judith Brandon: Art Evolution The latest exhibition at 1point618, a new creative space, features intimate yet powerful landscapes and often perilous looking surroundings as a means of commenting on the fragile state of the environment, by Brandon, a member of the greater Cleveland community of artists. Attend the opening reception on Fri 4/7 at 7PM. You can catch an artist talk on Sat 4/22 at 2PM. The show runs through 6/30. Call 233-1905 for info. 1point618 Gallery, 6421 Detroit Avenue.

Rakesh Chaurasia Check out this Indian classical concert highlighting the sounds of flute, tabla & Santoor, featuring Abhijit Pohankar & Vijay Ghate, presented by the Indian Classical Music Society this Fri 4/7 at 7PM at the Greater Cleveland Shiva-Vishnu Temple, 7733 Ridge Road, Parma http://www.ICMSCleveland.org.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater The world-renowned dance company’s intermixture of popular music, gospel and jazz with high-energy performances of modern dance/ballet fusions will delight dance enthusiasts on Fri 4/7 & Sat 4/8 at 7:30PM and Sun 4/9 at 3:30PM. Learn more about the highly-acclaimed ambassadors of American culture at http://www.AlvinAiley.org. Visit www.PlayhouseSquare.com for tickets. Palace Theatre, Playhouse Square Center.

Comic Strip Contest Ohio amateur cartoonists and graphic fiction authors can have their work reviewed by industry professionals in the annual spring Comics Contest in conjunction with Lakeland Community College’s annual Comics Symposium on Sat 4/8 from 9AM-5PM. Visit http://www.academicventures.com/comics for more info on contest requirements or www.LakelandCC.edu to learn more about the symposium. Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.

CC KIDS Children of Uganda Experience the inspiring tale of the history, legends and beliefs of East Africa through the performance of the dance company, comprised of 20 members, age 8-18. Accompanied by traditional instruments, the troupe delivers a powerful and exuberant performance hailed as “first rate” by the New York Times. Get tickets for this highly-acclaimed cultural event on Sat 4/8 at 11AM by visiting www.PlayhouseSquare.com. Allen Theatre, Playhouse Square, 1407 Euclid Avenue.

CC KIDS School of Rock Meet the mysterious Professor Rock who will trace the musical artists that influenced your favorite bands. Go hands-on with demonstrations of musical instruments by local artists like Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready demonstrating his electronic V-Drums; Canton Symphony Orchestra double bassist and DEVO fan John McComb; local teen piano blues rock sensation Nicholas Megalis; guitar instructor/manager of Strongsville Lentine’s Music Stefen Woods. This interactive event for kids 10-18 on Sat 4/8 runs from 2-4PM, followed by a concert at 5PM by teen pop punk bands Pointblank Stare and Horseshoes and Handgrenades. Plus give-aways of books, CDs and great advice. Strongsville Branch, Cuyahoga County Public Library, 18700 Westwood Drive, 440-238-5530, http://www.CuyahogaLibrary.org.

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Batter Up! Fat Fish Blue is sure to be party central before the Tribe Home Opener Fri 4/7. Chef Adam is cookin’ up gourmet hot dogs to get you in a baseball state of mind. Cajun Chili Dogs, Beer Battered Pleasure Boys, Frosty Fat Fish Brews . . . not your average ballpark fare! Doors open at 11:30AM. Plus parking in the Old May Company garage is just 2 blocks north of the Jake and only $2 with Fat Fish Blue validation! (That’ll buy you a brew.) Stop in after the game and you’ll be just in time for the Big Easy Happy Hour! Celebrate the start of the 2006 Ball Season at Fat Fish Blue. Go to www.fatfishblue.com or 216.875.6000 for reservations.
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HOT PICK Personal Landscapes Help usher in Cleveland’s newest art gallery, True Art, on Sat 4/8 from 5-10PM. Arrive early for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony then get to know the gallery owners and guest artists during a wine & cheese reception that includes cake. Peruse the new exhibition, “Personal Landscapes” featuring new works by Lynne Duefenetz and Patrick Haggerty. Exhibit runs through 5/5. True Art, 410 East 156th Street, Collinwood.

CC KIDS Orchestral Rides Hold onto your seats as you twist and turn through many classical favorites, from Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship from Scheherazade to the wild rides in Aladdin and E.T. on Sat 4/8 at 7PM. The orchestra has invited some special guests to appear throughout the evening, including Aladdin, Professor Dumbledore from Harry Potter and the conductor from The Polar Express. Prepare to interact with the conductors and the orchestra during this exciting family event that will capture your imagination. A dessert reception will follow. Tickets are just $6 for kids and $8.50 for adults. Get a group of ten or more and all tickets are just $5. Call 791-5000, ext. 411 or visit http://www.cim.edu for tickets. Kulas Hall, Cleveland Institute of Music, 11021 East Boulevard.

You’re A Rock n’ Roll Suicide Cleveland-based painter, Arabella Proffer, gives us a glimpse of L.A.’s indie rock music scene through paintings and drawings culled from photographs and her memory. Picture it: Everyone’s a DJ, but in a haze of tambourines and low rider jeans it’s all right. Broke rock stars, trust fund groupies, inept publicists, wanna-be managers, and retail stylists from hell. That secret reunion show is gonna be awesome — just make sure you’re on the guest list. Attend the opening reception on Sat 4/8 from 7-9PM for the show, which runs through 5/4. Call 330-762-4845. Revival, 822 Market Street, Akron. http://www.ArabellaProffer.com.

CC KIDS Pianosaur! Kids of all ages will enjoy this amazing concert featuring a gaggle of talented pianists from the University of Akron and the community on Sun 4/9 at 3PM. Tickets are a super-dee-duper deal and go on sale at the door beginning at 2:30PM. Guzzetta Recital Hall, 157 University Avenue, Akron (across from E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall). http://www.uakron.edu/colleges/faa/kulas.php.

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Are the Temptations Performing Their all out Groove Thing, live, in downtown Cleveland’s House of Blues, Sun 4/23? Attending this event, which is open to the public, will help the CSU Alumni Association raise money (for current and future student scholarships) while you jam to chart-topping hits that include “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” and “The Way You Do the Things You Do.” This extravaganza also features Kristine Jackson’s Basically Blue and WMJI’s Jimmy Malone. For ticket information visit www.CSUohio.edu. Tickets are limited! Act before they sell out! The 2006 Star-Studded Extravaganza is supported by Parker-Hannifin, Medical Mutual of Ohio, The Plain Dealer, GEICO and McDonald’s Restaurants.
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HOT PICK Cleveland Chamber Symphony Enjoy an exciting, complimentary performance by this award-winning contemporary music ensemble on Sun 4/9 at 4PM. Soloists include award-winning cellist, Regina Mushabac, winner of the prestigious Concert Artists Guild Award, and Liana Gourdja, a native Russian and the winner of several performance awards. If you can’t make the concert, be sure to attend open rehearsals on Wed 4/5 from 9AM-11AM and Thu 4/6 and Fri 4/7 from 9AM-12PM. Gamble Auditorium at Baldwin-Wallace College, Kulas Musical Arts Building, 96 Front Street, Berea. http://www.clevelandchambersymphony.org.

Having a Ball Celebrate the 100th birthday of Viktor Schreckengost by attending Having a Ball: Costume Drawings by Viktor Schreckengost from the Akron Art Museum. The no-cost exhibition, which begins on Mon 4/10 at 10AM, features twelve dazzling, large-scale drawings of Schreckengost’s costume designs for Akron’s Rubber Ball in 1939. Schreckengost’s designs—which featured intense colors, bold shapes and a variety of rubber-based fabrics—embodied the energy and spirit of the country as it emerged from the Great Depression. The University of Akron, Emily Davis Gallery, Folk Hall, 150 East Exchange Street, Akron. http://www.ViktorSchreckengost.org.

Inequality Matters Learn more about the growing economic divide – and how to fix it on Mon 4/10 at 4PM at CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs at 1717 Euclid Avenue; or later that evening at 8PM at Mac’s Backs at 1820 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights. Both events will feature discussion of the new book Inequality Matters, which exposes the growing concentration of wealth and suggests remedies. Miles Rapoport, President of Demos and James Lardner, Senior Fellow at Demos will speak at both events, and the CSU forum will also feature Mittie Olion Chandler, Associate Professor and Director, Urban Child Research Center, Levin College of Urban Affairs. Both events are no-cost, but registration here is encouraged for the CSU event.

ArenaFest: A Festival of New Plays begins Mon 4/10 and runs through Fri 4/21. Five Cleveland-area playwrights, along with others around the country will be featured, including actor Ted Lange, best-known for his role as “Isaac” on The Love Boat. Readings of these new plays will take place each day at 6PM, and are open, without cost. Call 795-7070 to learn more or visit http://www.Karamu.com for a list of featured ArenaFest events. Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street.

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Up-to-the-Minute Discounts Every Week! C-Tix offers you mega discounts to the best performances showing each and every week in Downtown Cleveland. Go to www.ctix.org for a no-cost sign-up, which gives you the ability to get all the news on up-to-the-minute discounts every week! See the coolest performances at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Play House, Beck Center, Cleveland Public Theater and more. A service of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. For more information about attractions and events in northeast Ohio visit www.TravelCleveland.com.
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HOT PICK Email Strategies & Case Studies Dwindling email results? Fresh out of testing ideas? Escape the email blahs by attending this event, on Tue 4/11 from 11:30AM-1:30PM, to learn why email should be the cornerstone of any customer relationship management (CRM) strategy. Speaker, Joel Book, director of eMarketing Strategy for ExactTarget will use case study examples to explain how email is used for lead cultivation and conversion, integrating email into an overall marketing campaign, providing dynamic content, overcoming challenging deliverability issues and measuring your success. Click here for more info. Windows on the River (Bridgeview Room), Powerhouse at Nautica.

The Rise of the Creative Class The quality of life in an area is essential to foster a prosperous business community. The book Rise of the Creative Class: and how it’s transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life by Richard Florida will be the center of the next book discussion during the upcoming Shaker Library Business Book Discussion Club on Wed 4/12 at 7:30PM. Those interested in contributing towards the Renaissance in Cleveland are invited to join the discussion. Register and pick up a copy of the book at the Shaker Heights Library fiction desk. Shaker Heights Public Library Main Branch @ 16500 Van Aken Boulevard.

WCLVnotes WCLV 104.9 FM continues its headlong pursuit of local music programming with a broadcast of last Sunday’s Norton Memorial Organ recital with Todd Wilson from Severance Hall. It will be aired tomorrow, Thur 4/6, at 9PM. Then Saturday night, a special live musical event, The Cleveland Orchestra’s presentation of Bach’s monumental “St. Matthew Passion.” It starts at 7PM. If you attend the Severance performances and want to hear it again, or if you missed the live broadcast, WCLV will air it again on Good Friday, 4/14, at 8PM. Details on all of WCLV’s programming can be found in the WCLV Program Guide at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland People
Les Roberts

“Lots of people are good story-tellers; not all of them are writers.” Truer words were never spoken by Les Roberts, Cleveland-based novelist, or anyone else for that matter. Creator of the 13 Milan Jacovich mystery novels that are an homage to Cleveland, he’s responsible for nine other published books as well. And of course, there are always more to come. The newest one “We’ll Always Have Cleveland” debuted in late March from local publisher Gray and Company. Simultaneously, the final four Milan books will also be released by Gray, matching up with the nine published last year.

For some years now, David Gray, founder of Gray and Company, which specializes in books about or of interest to those in Cleveland, had been pestering Les to do a ‘Milan Guidebook’. Gray wanted to provide answers to those folks who were perpetually asking, “Where does Milan live? or work? or play? etc.”

“But,” says Les, “Half or more of the places I wrote about are now closed or gone. I thought it would be boring to do that.” Gray was persistent, however, and it finally paid off. He asked Les to write about how Cleveland affected him and his writing, in general. That idea was a winner.

The new book is “all true,” says the author. “It’s just not the whole truth. I’m still a very private person, and some things I’ll never tell.” A faint smile removes any hint of a scold to an inquiring reporter…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

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Everybody’s Boppin’? It’s Hip, It’s Hep . . . and it swings, baby! Everybody’s Boppin’ will have all you cats and kittens hoppin’. In fact, this play, which takes place at the Play House Club Cabaret, is an evening of bop and jazz inspired by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Mose Allison, David Frishberg and Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross. Everbody’s Boppin’ runs now through Sat 4/22 in The Cleveland Play House Club. Call (216) 795-7000 or go to www.ClevelandPlayHouse.com for more info.
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Opinion/Commentary
RoldoLINK
No School Levy While Some Pay No Property Taxes

If Mayor Frank Jackson wants to pass a school levy in the near – or maybe foreseeable – future, he will have to end tax abatement as we know it.

Does that have the sound of President Bill Clinton’s promise to “end welfare as we know it?”

Exactly! If the poor shouldn’t get something for nothing, it’s time welfare for those who can afford $200,000 and $300,000 homes and condos face the end of welfare too.

The city of Cleveland, however, offers abatements of 100 percent for 15 years. The developers are gaga…
Read RoldoLINK here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Mikey Machine
Machine Go Boom
Collectible Escalators

If you’ve experienced Machine Go Boom live, or heard their 2004 effort, Thank You Captain Obvious, you might have wondered how MGB catalyst Mikey Machine has managed to intersect drugged-out punk, folk whimsy and new wave in such an organic and ridiculously infectious way.

Or perhaps that question’s mine to own alone. Whatever.

For those looking for the answer, it lies in the baroque perversion of Mikey Machine—the self-titled debut of Machine Go Boom, recently reissued by Collectible Escalators and available on a number of online locations, including iTunes. That’s where I scored mine.

Through the hyperactive haze of a sugar-induced overload, Machine bastardizes everything from Tin Pan Alley (filtered through the eyes of someone like Conor Oberst, Isaac Brock or perhaps Dean and Gene Ween) to the post-punk lenses of Violent Femmes and Neutral Milk Hotel. There might even be a touch of Captain Beefheart in here.

This recording’s never hits a full-on diabetic coma per se, but 11-tracks represent the time where the group’s leader was “armed only with a 4-track, acoustic guitar, and some pots and pans.” Some of it (most notably “Ice Cream Cone,” “She Keeps Her Mouth Shut” and “I’m In Love with Your Mom”) remind me of some the psychedelic squalor from Syd Barrett’s dementia-filled demos.

Nevermind that it was released several years ago; this reissue is both clearly warranted and now deservedly available nationwide. Records like this are hailed as watersheds, especially when the musician(s) in question become a part of the global pop culture landscape later on. Highlights? The whole thing is a highlight, from the maniacal, Ween-like stylings of “Cancer Boy” to the cacophony-laden “Are You Burned Out?”

You might need to lick some stamps, consider the resin, find some red wine or medicate yourself however you like before listening… but rest assured, this is as much a must-have as Thank You Captain Obvious. Maybe even more so. http://www.MachineGoBoom.com

Machine Go Boom performs w/ Tall Pines, Meredith Bragg and the Terminals (from Washington DC) on Saturday, April, 15 at Moe’s, 1740 E 17th St., Cleveland.

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.

Part 1 of a 3-part series
Cleveland’s Leading Satirist Tells You All About Yourself
This week’s topic: Age (Pants and Nipples)

95% of you are between the ages of 25 and 50. Applying a relatively complex calculation to that nugget of information yields the fact that most of you were born between 1956 and 1981. According to the Geneva Convention Of Generational Labeling, you are either Late Baby Boomers, Baby Busters, Generation X’ers, Echo Boomers or Early Generation Y’ers.

Feel free to apply a label to yourself, or to create your own, for example Post Bust Baby Beer Bongers, Dot Bomb Bubble Boogers, or Generation FU. Your label is important as it allows crafty marketers to create insightful campaigns to sell you “must have” items like Hummers, scented garbage bags and pre-paid drooling therapy.

Those of you at the older end of the readership know that each generation tends to repeat the tragically trendy behavior of an earlier one. For example, here is a lesson from the world of fashion:

No one with the possible exception of an amphetamine-fueled Swedish marathon ice-swimmer looks good in tight, low-rise bellbottom jeans. This was proven in 1970 when Queen Elizabeth wore a pair on “Hee-Haw” and blinded half the viewing public with the glistening over-spill from her fleshy, white royal gut.

Speaking of uncontrollable mouth leakage, if you are over 50, and thus probably not reading this, you will find the above irrelevant as the waistband of your trousers can typically be measured in increments of single inches below your nipples, your Levi width has lapped your Levi length, and polo shirts should be completely ruled out due to the sagging quality of the aforementioned nipples.

If you are under 25 years old, your waistband will typically be as far from your nipples as possible. This is due to “Newton’s Law Of Age Inverted Pants and Nipple Logic”, which was a side project to his little known gravity work.

Now you know.

Sure, we all start out saggy, babbling and incontinent and wind up saggy, babbling and incontinent. Don’t worry. Age is simply about pants and nipples.

PS: If you ever wear the collar up on your pastel-colored Izod polo shirt you will be immediately sent to the Dick Cheney Fantasy Camp at the Guantanamo Bay Beach Club. Face it, you will never be “Preppy”, unless your parents inherited Nantucket.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Cylde Miles clyde.milesATgmail.com

Cool Cleveland Preview
Notacon 3

While Cleveland’s business community struggles to find ways to attract technically advanced young people, for the third spring in a row a motley gang of hundreds of computer hackers are coming to Cleveland to attend Notacon. This is Cleveland’s own computer hackers’ conference and one of only a hand full of hackers’ conferences (cons) nationwide. Notacon 3, to be held this April 7 through 9 at the Lakeside Holiday Inn in downtown, is directed by Jodie and Paul Schneider the mom-and-pop proprietors of FTS Conventures conference organizers operating from their Lakewood home.

Attending Notacon is to gain snatches of graduate-level education on the cheap between snatches of laughter. The audience challenges some ideas in a humorous free-for-all that seems light years from grad school. At Notacon “class clowns” openly question some presenters and sometimes the presenters get the last laugh on the clowns. Tickets at the door are $100 for the Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon event.

Last year at Notacon 2 Paul Schneider told the Saturday afternoon crowd of mostly of men in their 20s and 30s, “This is about bringing a world of people together to help each of us have a chance to be the center of attention…”
Read the Preview by Lee Batdorff 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

Turandot @ The State Theater 4/2 Cleveland Opera’s final MainStage production of the season is a spectacular and lavish one, without question. Massive but beautiful sets, gorgeous costumes, a humungous cast, and a Turandot for the ages add up to one impressive outing for the company just ending its 30th season. I daresay that there were more people on the stage here than there were in the audience for Cleveland Opera’s very first performance—way back when! The Sunday matinee was sold out. What a terrific birthday present for the company.

Almost everything about this production of Giacomo Puccini’s final opera Turandot was notable. Each of the three acts had its own set, and each of them were huge, beautiful and believable. Set Design is credited to Peter Graves, with no other indication as to where they were built or from whom they might have been borrowed. The lighting by Cynthia Stillings, resident lighting designer complemented the wonderful sets and costumes in every way imaginable. Costumes were designed by Malabar, Ltd., and coordinated by Jeffery E. Gryczan while Allison Mizerski supervised wigs and makeup. Opera is dependent on illusion, and without the efforts of each of these artists, Turandot could not have come to life as vividly as it did…
Read the review from Kelly Ferjutz here

North Coast Men’s Chorus @ Waetjen Auditorium 4/1 According to the calendar, it’s spring! That’s the time of year that everyone’s thoughts turn to love, isn’t it? True to form, the North Coast Men’s Chorus, directed by Richard Cole, presented their spring bouquet of love songs at Waetjen Auditorium. It was colorful and lively, if not quite as over-the-top as some of the men’s previous efforts. This was perhaps because one of the soloists had been injured in an accident on Friday evening, and while his prognosis is good, his absence for these concerts was keenly felt.

As usual, there was a mix of arrangements: straightforward presentations of love songs, Old Friend, I Only Have Eyes for You and The Nearness of You, sung by the full chorus; a few solo or duo numbers; and appearances by the Coastliners, the double barbershop group that appear out in front of their cohorts. There were guest artists and a pair of production numbers.

Why Do Fools Fall in Love? was the opener, delayed slightly because of gremlins in the lighting apparatus, but it was worth the wait. This full chorus rendition was followed by a medley titled A Beautiful Thing of songs from The Mamas and The Papas, (related to the concurrent opening of Dream a Little Dream at the Cleveland Play House.) Dream a Little Dream featured an intricate and sparkling two-piano obbligato midway showcasing the two pianists Robert Day and David Dettloff. They were featured again during the second half in Taking a Chance on Love
Read the reveiw by Kelly Ferjutz here

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 3/30 It’s so repetitious. But really, when you listen to almost anything by the Austrian composer Anton Bruckner, it makes you imagine a huge cathedral and what it would sound like, if it could talk. A cathedral is made of many things—huge impenetrable blocks of stone or marble, vari-colored wood, delicate and translucent stained glass, a huge pipe organ—you’ll easily find all these things depicted vividly in Bruckner’s music.

Last week at Severance Hall, the Cleveland Orchestra with music director Franz Welser-Möst conducting, took the audience on a tour of a great Austrian cathedral as depicted in Bruckner’s massive Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major. Actually, the building described might more properly be called an Abbey, as the Orchestra and Mr. Welser-Möst are scheduled to record this work at the Saint Florian Abbey in Linz, Austria, in September as part of their upcoming 2006 European Tour. It will be released on TV and DVD…
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 Bush does Cleveland (See Bush does Cleveland here) Great coverage on Bush Does Cleveland! Of course, you have great material to work with, so how could you miss? Maybe we should elect Jon Stewart president. Peace and Blessings.
from Cool Cleveland reader Jack McGuane jmcguaneATsbcglobal.net

On tax abatements (See RoldoLINK here) The harsh penalties Madonna Graham suggests for owners of tax-abated properties would penalize those who must sell when they lose income, become ill, are transferred, marry, divorce, start a family. Where does that big wad of cash come from when early sellers take a bath on closing costs and the market’s soft? Why make it less attractive for buyers to make the leap? For the small number of sellers determined enough to eat the loss, what purpose does an additional penalty serve – besides guaranteeing (vocal) bitterness? Do we really want neighbors who are here under duress? We’d do better to ask whether every new development in every neighborhood needs a full 15-year abatement to succeed. Develop an algorithm converting measures of desirability and market conditions to a rough percentage. Make some shorter, some graduated. Take a page from Lois Moss and credit a portion of locally designated charitable contributions to the property tax. New-construction owners hungry for expensive neighborhood amenities can shorten the distance between A and B. It’s the fifth year of the abatement and you owe $3,000? Cool, the corner park needs picnic tables. Many of us in older, “non-abated” property have low assessments and substantial 920 reductions. Those who can afford a little direct community invesment might consider doing the same.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net

On casinos coming to Ohio (See Casinos slotted for November? here) It’s great to hear that the Casino option may appear on the November ballot. Unfortunately, I am not particularly optimistic. Between political “dunderheads” who are steadfast in their negativity … the strong right (wrong) wing who somehow think it will turn us into a godless society with zombie-like gambling addicts and whores roaming the streets … do-gooders who just don’t get it … and those with a personal agenda who smile as the three-ring circus plays out, we’ll probably take one more step backwards. It’s Ohio’s way of economic development … for all of the states that surround us!
from Cool Cleveland reader Tim A. Schultz TasBoom@aol.com

I have weighed in on this subject here before. First I should point out my thoughts may be believed by some to be slanted due to the fact that I have been working in Las Vegas casinos for 18 years, and if casinos came to Ohio, I would be the first in line to apply to work there. That being said, this could really work in Ohio. It will have to be heavily regulated, and you will need a strong state gaming commission. The gaming commission here in Navada rules with a somewhat iron fist. The 45% tax is a great idea, seems a bit excessive at first glance, but a casino is like a liscence to print money, so tax the hell out of in, I think the casinos here get off easy on that count. The amount of money leaving Ohio, and going to nearby states, and Canada is HUGE, and will get bigger with the impending openings in Pennsylvania. This move to casinos in Ohio in some ways is a pre-emptive strike, here is casino gaming in some sort in more than half of the US states, and Ohio may just need to take their cut while it is still available.
from Cool Cleveland reader Tom Ross Rockertom1958ATaol.com

On Spiderman III coming to Cleveland (See Cleveland Film Commission lands Spiderman 3 here) The Ohio legislature should pass Senate Bill 155 which would give tax incentives for films shot in Ohio. Cleveland business will benefit as well as the community. Everyone wins!
from Cool Cleveland reader Kevin Walsh k_man61AThotmail.com

Cleveland does have a future in pictures – and other entertainment as well – if we make it happen. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, motion picture job growth will top 31% over a 10 year period – twice the growth of any other sector in our country. To get a bigger piece of this pie for Cleveland, we need to combine homegrown talent with new steps to become more economically competitive…
Read the letter from Chris Carmody here

On Quicken moving to Cleveland (See Quicken Loans opens Cleveland office here) You will be glad to know that Team NEO, the City of Cleveland, the ODOD and others worked closely with Quicken Loans to attract the new lending center in downtown Cleveland, which will eventually employ 300- 350 people. This is the first lending center that Quicken has deployed outside of Michigan, something about which the city, the region, and state should all be very proud. Admittedly, Dan Gilbert’s comment about potentially considering Cleveland for its headquarters location was certainly a surprise to most, if not all, of us – perhaps even to Quicken employees…
Read the letter from Carin Rockind here

On Cool Cleveland Today was relatively nice so I took a lunchtime stroll. At the corner of E. 9th and Euclid I witnessed a street musician playing the saxaphone being asked to stop playing and move along. Anyone else think music on downtown streets in the supposed Rock and Roll Capital should be encouraged rather than discouraged?
from Cool Cleveland reader Steve Maistros stvnmaistrosAThotmail.com

Hi folks. Just wanted to say how much I enjoy recieving your emails. Keeps me well informed of the places and events I like to hear about (even though fatherhood has slowed me down a bit).
from Cool Cleveland reader Daren Stahl DStahl1067@aol.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) Accent on Cleveland A travel writer from Tampa comes to town.
Read the PDF here

2) Bush does Cleveland Bush doesn’t answer if his apocalyptic religious beliefs are influencing his policies in Iraq.
YouTube.com

3) Cleveland Film Commission lands Spiderman 3 At least someone can use the existing convention center for something.
www.Cleveland.com

4) RoldoLINK Is a debate about abatement possible?
www.CoolCleveland.com

5) Access:Cleveland David Szekeres solo show Welcome To My World at Paradise Gallery. MOVIE David Szekeres at Paradise Gallery (PC) (MAC)
http://www.ParadiseGallery.net

Every week the Hard Corps steps up Thanks to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Clyde Miles, 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.

Are you stepping out
stepping up,
or both?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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