Winter gives us something to think about. Finally.
Rather than breathe a collective sigh after the busy holidays and huddle down for a long hibernation, CoolCleveland readers know this is a great time to get out and see your favorite artists, museums and shops. This time of year, lines (if they exist) are shorter, prices are lower (MLK Day is FREE!), and people are friendlier (if that’s even possible!).Our band Vanity Crash is tickled to be invited to join a slew of major rock acts on a Caribbean cruise in a few weeks, so we’re offering a preview to NEO with shows at Jilly’s (Fri) and BOP (Sat). And we’re not the only ones showcasing this week: check out women singer/songwriters at the Beachland, the Tim Mirth Guitar Band at BOP, a Regina Spektacular drag party at No Class, and the Akron Symphony collaborates again with Akron-based EarthQuaker Devices with Mozart, jazz and electronics.
The always-interesting Uncommon Sound Project returns to Convivium 33 with electronic treats for your ears. Foothill Galleries hosts artist Lauren Davies discussing her work based on images from the Mansfield Reformatory. And Piano Cleveland kicks off its 50th year at Boss Dog Brewing.
Next Monday, take the day off work and explore as many FREE events as possible to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: the CMA, Akron Art Museum, CMNH are all free. The Maltz Museum is FREE with an author talk, and CCPL celebrates with MLK programming all month. Something to think about.
Honor iconic civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and everyday citizens who fought against discrimination while celebrating the everyday hero in you. See the treasures and ritual objects in The Temple-Tifereth Israel Gallery, and share in the Jewish immigrant experience that makes up An American Story. Explore the Maltz Museum’s special exhibition, The Girl in the Diary: Searching for Rywka from the Lodz Ghetto, while enjoying hands-on activities on this family-friendly day!
This special event features a special keynote from Wesley Lowery, Pulitzer Prize winner, journalist, and Shaker Heights native at 1PM. A book signing will follow. Read more.
Vanity Crash is thrilled to announce they will be joining Foreigner, Dave Mason, WAR, Don McLean, Peter Asher and many other major acts as a featured artist on the 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise on the luxury ship Celebrity Summit, departing Miami on 3/14/24 for a week, with stops in Aruba and Curaçao. Vanity Crash fans wishing to join the cruise can take advantage of the discount code BOWIE.
Before they set sail, Vanity Crash makes two appearances in Northeast Ohio previewing the shows they will perform on board the ship: on Fri 1/12 at Jilly’s Music Room in AKR with Birth to Ziggy (1947-74), exploring the artist’s formative years; and on Sat 1/13 at BOP STOP in CLE with “Heroes” to the End (1974-2016), covering the artist’s life and music, both complete with interviews, video and Vanity Crash originals. Read more.
CoolCleveland correspondent Liv Ream interviews Ohio Drag Queen Lady Inferno Diamond about her experience in the entertainment industry, discussing the good, the bad and the Nazis. After trading in combat boots for heels, she hasn’t looked back. Watch these two government dropouts get the band back together, united by standard-issue trauma bonds, and the incessant need to create. In return, they answer the questions no one is asking, and it only took them 7 hours to get ready.
Lady Inferno Diamond is a cast member at Studio West 117 in Cleveland, where she co-hosts Drag Bingo with Dakota Cox. This Fri 1/12, Inferno is hosting a watch party for the 16th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race at Trellis, Studio West’s Rooftop Bar. Not enough excitement? Stay for the 90’s-themed afterparty. View the video here.
CoolCleveland’s Bruce Checefsky conducted an exclusive interview with Assembly for the Arts President/CEO Jeremy Johnson last week to better understand the confusing rollout of artist funding for 2024, the relationship of Assembly to the Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC), and learn whether any progress had been made in ending the pause to the arts levy ballot campaign to continue public funding for the arts agency.
Johnson has used a variety of stump speeches to promote his message, repeating the need for equity by using the three-legged stool metaphor or “expanding the pie” terminology to describe what many claim is a lackluster vision for the agency, created for the sole purpose of providing unrestricted grants to individual artists. Read more.
This year, Cleveland-based burlesque performer/producer Bella Sin aka “Cleveland’s Burlesque Queen,” will be celebrating her 20th year in the business. And her national reputation as one of the country’s most significant burlesque personalities keeps growing as well.
She was recently voted #19 most influential personality in the national burlesque scene by 21st Century Burlesque for the second year in a row. On the heels of that honor, she was chosen to be one of 10 contestants in the Miss Viva La Vegas competition held during the 26th annual Viva Las Vegas festival, billed as “the largest rockabilly event in the world,” April 18-21 in Las Vegas. Read more.
The tufted deer is native to parts of Asia, where it’s a threatened species — thanks to humans. But you’ll find a new baby tufted deer at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s Wilderness Trek area. His name is Norman and he was born his past November. Read more.
There’re still a few weeks left to check out the New Masters 3: Women Artists of Northeast Ohio currently on view at the Florence O’Donnell Wasmer Gallery at Ursuline College. The quality of the show can be judged by the competition. There were 450 entries submitted by 187 artists, with juror Hilary Gent of HEDGE Gallery, who represents some of this area’s best professional artists, choosing 47 pieces by 45 artists for the show. Read more.
THIS WEEK
WED 1/10 Vet Showcases Newcomer Noted jazz sax player Joshua Redman performs with rising young singer Gabriella Cavassa at the Cleveland Musum of Art.
WED 1/17 A Half-Century of Piano Piano Cleveland kicks off its 50th year of bringing high-quality music to Cleveland with an evening of free music at Boss Dog Brewing.
