Sun 9/2 @ 8PM
Cleveland reggae pioneer Dave Smeltz told the story of his rise and fall and recovery in his book Clean: From Reggae to Recovery.
When he founded I-Tal in 1978, the first Cleveland reggae band outside the Jamaican community, he launched a scene whose impact is still felt to this day. After building a following locally, he took the band on the road, starting to tour heavily in the mid 80s.
But during that time, Smeltz developed an addiction problem and he hit rock bottom in 2003 before getting clean. A few years ago, he started a facility in the Buckeye neighborhood called Clean House which helps recovering men get on their feet again. He holds an annual musical benefit for the project, featuring a lineup of his friends and this year, his own new band. They’ll be joined at the Grog Shop by Outlaws I&I, Austin Walkin’ Cane,Cindy MacKay, Bobby Dragon and DJ J Quest.
Admission is $15.
Cleveland, OH 44106