Spring Thaw Concert Calendar
I've only been to three shows thus far this year, but hope springs eternal, and there are lots of good options in the upcoming months.
March
M 3/16 - Palimpsest Show @ Macs Backs - Music by S. J. Tucker, novel by yuki_onna. Starts at 8pm.
R 3/19 - Leon Redbone @ Winchester. I'm not super interested in seeing this, but I find it intriguing that nobody apparently knows who this guy really is.
R 3/19 - DJ Rehka @ B-Side Liquor Lounge (under the Grog Shop). Her writeup makes her sound like gieves secret twin, musically speaking.
Will not be any of the following due to the Cleveland International Film Festival
F 3/20 - Less Than Jake @ HOB. Again, one of these days I'll see them.
Su 3/22 - Les Claypool, Devotchka and others @ Agora Theater. I'm more interested in Devotchka.
Su 3/22 - Stereo Total @ Grog Shop. Another time.
T 3/24 - Kodo @ PSQ. The most well known touring group for traditional Japanese drumming.
F 3/27 - AC Newman @ Grog. New Pornographers ringleader.
F 3/27 - Cowboy Junkies @ Kent Stage. They were my 2006 Concert of the Year, and if I'd known they were playing before we bought our CIFF tickets I would have gone to this instead.
Film Festival Ends
Su 3/29 - Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Grog. With mostly original members.
April
F 4/03 - The Cynics @ Beachland Tavern. Great name.
S 4/04 - Hot Cha Cha @ Grog. Cleveland all-girl band. I liked the writeup.
T 4/07 - Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey @ Beachland Tavern. They weren't all that great when I saw them; on the other hand they were trying to play jazz outside on a day when the temperatures were in the 40s.
T 4/07 - The Presets @ Grog. Sounds like a glacial23 type thing.
Su 4/12 - Acid Mothers Temple @ Grog. Wildly improvisational rock.
R 4/16 - Gil Mantera's Party Dream @ Beachland Ballroom. juddha tells me I must see them.
R 4/16 - The Slackers @ Grog. Keeping Ska on Life Support since the 1990s.
F 4/17 - Frankie Valli @ PSQ. "Honey, I thought we were seeing Jersey Boys tonight. Who is this joker?"
M 4/20 - Stephen Sondheim & Frank Rich @ EJ Thomas. The preeminent Broadway writer and former NY Times theater critic team up for a presentation.
T 4/21 - Neko Case @ PSQ. I've seen her three times (twice solo, once with New Pornographers). She's absolutely brilliant. She's worth the $30, which doesn't mean I'm going to spend it.
Su 4/26 - Ani DiFranco @ HOB. With the full band she's great; solo she's awful. I'm not sure which this is.
Su 4/26 - Cadillac Sky @ Kent Stage. Featuring xhollydayx's friend David Mayfield.
Su 4/26 - Fred Eaglesmith @ Beachland Ballroom. Witness!
May
F 5/01 - The Thermals @ Beachland Tavern. When I saw them they didn't play their best song, "Stare Like Yours", which indicates a complete failure to know their material.
F 5/01 - Dave Brubeck Quartet w/Kurt Elling @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. If you want to see Brubeck before he dies of extreme old age you are running out of chances. Which is probably why it is so expensive. Kurt Elling is a gift jazz vocalist.
S 5/02 - Ramblin' Jack Elliott @ Kent Stage. Sort of an older, folkier version of Fred Eaglesmith in that he talks for 10 minutes between songs and is arguably more entertaining then than when he is singing.
Su 5/03 - Peelander Z @ Beachland Tavern. Anyone who dresses up in superhero-type costumes rates some attention in my book.
W 5/06 and R 5/07 - The Bouncing Souls @ Grog (two nights). DIY poster children.
F 5/08 - Electic 6 @ Grog. I still can't believe they are as bad as they were when I saw them last.
T 5/12 - Fallout Boy @ Tower City Amphitheater (with many openers). Listed especially for xhollydayx.
W 5/13 - Bonnie Prince Billy @ Beachland Ballroom. The new album is good.
S 5/16 - Mudhoney @ Grog. Really? Shouldn't they be playing a larger venue? No complaints here, I really like their sound.
T 5/19 - Spinal Tap @ PSQ. Well, sort of. Also features music from A Mighty Wind. Probably not worth the high cost, but you know you are intrigued.
M 5/25 (Memorial Day). Bret Michaels (of Poison) @ Ribfest (TCA). xhollydayx doesn't eat red meat, but with the star of one her favorite reality shows performing I might get her to Ribfest anyway. Of course, he might make me too ill to eat ribs.
Su 5/31 - Tragically Hip @ HOB. In Canada they play hockey arenas, so expect lots of Canucks looking to see their favorite band in a small intimate venue.
June and beyond
F 6/5 - Neil Innes @ Winchester. The Rutles, The Bonzo Dog Band, works with Monty Python. What else do you want?
T 6/30 - Diana Krall @ PSQ. Mrs. Elvis Costello has a jazz sound that I like, even if it is very mainstream.
W 7/08 - Dave Alvin @ Beachland Ballroom. If that's ultimate night, I might skip it. One of my cohost ron0's favorite performers.
How do you find local shows? Try these: Pollstar. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, Peabodys, CSU Convocation Center, HOB, Winchester Tavern, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Wilberts, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Tower City Amphitheater, Plain Dealer Pavilion, Lakewood Civic Auditorium, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Jigsaw Saloon. Dropped the Odeon, because thier page disappeared, and the Euclid Tavern because it sucks. It hurts to say that.
March
M 3/16 - Palimpsest Show @ Macs Backs - Music by S. J. Tucker, novel by yuki_onna. Starts at 8pm.
R 3/19 - Leon Redbone @ Winchester. I'm not super interested in seeing this, but I find it intriguing that nobody apparently knows who this guy really is.
R 3/19 - DJ Rehka @ B-Side Liquor Lounge (under the Grog Shop). Her writeup makes her sound like gieves secret twin, musically speaking.
Will not be any of the following due to the Cleveland International Film Festival
F 3/20 - Less Than Jake @ HOB. Again, one of these days I'll see them.
Su 3/22 - Les Claypool, Devotchka and others @ Agora Theater. I'm more interested in Devotchka.
Su 3/22 - Stereo Total @ Grog Shop. Another time.
T 3/24 - Kodo @ PSQ. The most well known touring group for traditional Japanese drumming.
F 3/27 - AC Newman @ Grog. New Pornographers ringleader.
F 3/27 - Cowboy Junkies @ Kent Stage. They were my 2006 Concert of the Year, and if I'd known they were playing before we bought our CIFF tickets I would have gone to this instead.
Film Festival Ends
Su 3/29 - Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Grog. With mostly original members.
April
F 4/03 - The Cynics @ Beachland Tavern. Great name.
S 4/04 - Hot Cha Cha @ Grog. Cleveland all-girl band. I liked the writeup.
T 4/07 - Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey @ Beachland Tavern. They weren't all that great when I saw them; on the other hand they were trying to play jazz outside on a day when the temperatures were in the 40s.
T 4/07 - The Presets @ Grog. Sounds like a glacial23 type thing.
Su 4/12 - Acid Mothers Temple @ Grog. Wildly improvisational rock.
R 4/16 - Gil Mantera's Party Dream @ Beachland Ballroom. juddha tells me I must see them.
R 4/16 - The Slackers @ Grog. Keeping Ska on Life Support since the 1990s.
F 4/17 - Frankie Valli @ PSQ. "Honey, I thought we were seeing Jersey Boys tonight. Who is this joker?"
M 4/20 - Stephen Sondheim & Frank Rich @ EJ Thomas. The preeminent Broadway writer and former NY Times theater critic team up for a presentation.
T 4/21 - Neko Case @ PSQ. I've seen her three times (twice solo, once with New Pornographers). She's absolutely brilliant. She's worth the $30, which doesn't mean I'm going to spend it.
Su 4/26 - Ani DiFranco @ HOB. With the full band she's great; solo she's awful. I'm not sure which this is.
Su 4/26 - Cadillac Sky @ Kent Stage. Featuring xhollydayx's friend David Mayfield.
Su 4/26 - Fred Eaglesmith @ Beachland Ballroom. Witness!
May
F 5/01 - The Thermals @ Beachland Tavern. When I saw them they didn't play their best song, "Stare Like Yours", which indicates a complete failure to know their material.
F 5/01 - Dave Brubeck Quartet w/Kurt Elling @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. If you want to see Brubeck before he dies of extreme old age you are running out of chances. Which is probably why it is so expensive. Kurt Elling is a gift jazz vocalist.
S 5/02 - Ramblin' Jack Elliott @ Kent Stage. Sort of an older, folkier version of Fred Eaglesmith in that he talks for 10 minutes between songs and is arguably more entertaining then than when he is singing.
Su 5/03 - Peelander Z @ Beachland Tavern. Anyone who dresses up in superhero-type costumes rates some attention in my book.
W 5/06 and R 5/07 - The Bouncing Souls @ Grog (two nights). DIY poster children.
F 5/08 - Electic 6 @ Grog. I still can't believe they are as bad as they were when I saw them last.
T 5/12 - Fallout Boy @ Tower City Amphitheater (with many openers). Listed especially for xhollydayx.
W 5/13 - Bonnie Prince Billy @ Beachland Ballroom. The new album is good.
S 5/16 - Mudhoney @ Grog. Really? Shouldn't they be playing a larger venue? No complaints here, I really like their sound.
T 5/19 - Spinal Tap @ PSQ. Well, sort of. Also features music from A Mighty Wind. Probably not worth the high cost, but you know you are intrigued.
M 5/25 (Memorial Day). Bret Michaels (of Poison) @ Ribfest (TCA). xhollydayx doesn't eat red meat, but with the star of one her favorite reality shows performing I might get her to Ribfest anyway. Of course, he might make me too ill to eat ribs.
Su 5/31 - Tragically Hip @ HOB. In Canada they play hockey arenas, so expect lots of Canucks looking to see their favorite band in a small intimate venue.
June and beyond
F 6/5 - Neil Innes @ Winchester. The Rutles, The Bonzo Dog Band, works with Monty Python. What else do you want?
T 6/30 - Diana Krall @ PSQ. Mrs. Elvis Costello has a jazz sound that I like, even if it is very mainstream.
W 7/08 - Dave Alvin @ Beachland Ballroom. If that's ultimate night, I might skip it. One of my cohost ron0's favorite performers.
How do you find local shows? Try these: Pollstar. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, Peabodys, CSU Convocation Center, HOB, Winchester Tavern, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Wilberts, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Tower City Amphitheater, Plain Dealer Pavilion, Lakewood Civic Auditorium, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Jigsaw Saloon. Dropped the Odeon, because thier page disappeared, and the Euclid Tavern because it sucks. It hurts to say that.