Rock 'n' Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
Which is good because, it's spring, when we all want to be outside and the outdoor venues start booking shows for the summer months. Let's get to it. As always, double-check all the information because I've been known to type a thing or two incorrectly.
April
R 4/19 - Esperanza Spalding @ Tri-C Metro Auditorium. SOLD OUT. This up and coming bassist is the first jazz musician to win the best new artist Grammy. EJ and I are going to this.
F 4/20 - Mr. Gnome @ Beachland Ballroom. Fuzz-heavy Cleveland duo on the rise. That's worth a $10 bet, isn't it? EJ & I have tickets.
S 4/21 - Tribute to Nina Simone with Kellylee Evans and Ki Allen @ Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. Nina has left us, so this will have to do.
S 4/21 - Aretha Franklin @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. The Queen of Soul. 'Nuff said. EJ and I are going to this too. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
T 4/24 - Life, The Universe, & Hot Dogs @ Happy Dog. Basically, CWRU Professors talk about physics over dinner. Pretty sweet.
W 4/25 - Andrew Jackson Jihad @ Grog Shop. Now THAT is a band name worthy of a $10 bet.
R 4/26 - Cowboy Junkies @ Kent Stage. The one time I saw these Canadian alt.countryish types it was my concert of the year. Well worth checking out.
F 4/27 - David Sanborn w/Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest, except Sanborn should be opening for Shorty.
S 4/28 - Diana Krall @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. Mrs. Elvis Costello is pretty deservedly the big name jazz singer of her generation.
M 4/30 - We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Musica. Quite awesome Scottish rockers, but I don't think I'll be driving to Akron to see them given how many other shows are coming up.
May
T 5/08 - Weird Al Yankovic @ Akron Civic. And here I thought it was mandated that Weird Al could only play food related events.
W 5/09 - Alan Evans Trio @ Grog Shop. Of Soullive, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe.
R 5/10 - Lee Fields & The Expressions @ Beachland Ballroom. He used to be on Daptone. That means he's funky and/or has soul. What else do you need to know?.
R 5/10 - Pink Martini @ PSQ (presented by Grog). Old fashioned lounge-y pop with a small orchestra.
R 5/10 - R.Ring @ Beachland Tavern. It's a duo with Kelley Deal. That's enough to catch my attention for an $8 bet.
F 5/11 - Herzog @ Happy Dog. I really need to see these guys at some point.
S 5/12 - Eliza Rickman @ Barking Spider. After her successful Cleveland debut in my living room, Eliza moves into the Barking Spider for a 6:30pm appearance.
S 5/12 - Eliza Rickman @ House Concert. You're invited! It's in my living room! She's got a new album too. With support from The Insurance Salesmen.
Su 5/13 - Rat Scabies & Brian James of The Damned @ Grog Shop. CANCELED!
Su 5/13 - Jonny Lang @ HOB. I still feel a small amount of North Dakota loyalty which makes me want to see the former Kid.
M 5/14 - Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ HOB Presented by Grog Shop. Retro-soul, or so it says.
W 5/23 - Bonnie Raitt @ Akron Civic. She's pretty awesome.
F 5/25 - The Devil Makes Three @ Grog Shop. Folk punk.
F 5/25 - The B-52s @ Nautica. If I was going to be in town, I'd go to this just for the humor value.
T 5/29 - Victor Wooten Band @ Beachland Ballroom. If anyone discusses the greatest bass players currently working, Victor's name comes up.
June
S 6/02 - Red Hot Chili Peppers @ Quicken Loans Arena. Too bad it's the 1985 version. Them I liked a ton.
S 6/02 - Robert Cray @ Kent Stage. Blues guitarist. Plays with Clapton a lot.
M 6/04 - The Real McKenzies @ Grog Shop. Listed mostly so I can tell you that they had an album called "Clash of the Tartans." You're welcome.
W 6/06 - Jonathan Richman @ Beachland Ballroom. Once was enough for me, but if you like solo acoustic lyrical weirdness, this is the band for you.
W 6/06 - Radiohead @ Blossom. A mainstream band I actually approve of.
F 6/08 - The Shins @ Masonic Hall (presented by Grog). Listed just for CFA.
F 6/08 - Rachel Platten @ Beachland Tavern. $10 bet.
M 6/11 - Richard Lloyd (of Television) @ Grog Shop.
W 6/13 - Beach Boys @ Blossom. The "Mike Love and Brian Wilson Need the Money" tour. Or something like that.
R 6/14 - Fun @ HOB. It appears that Janelle Monáe is not touring with them, so it's probably not actually worth seeing.
F 6/15 - Los Straitjackets @ Grog Shop. Everybody should see Los Straitjackets at least once. I'm completely serious about this.
Su 6/17 - Fred Eaglesmith @ Beachland Tavern. I'm a Fredhead. You should be too, because he is funny and poignant, often in the same breath. I've seen him a bunch of times and haven't been disappointed yet.
S 6/24 - Reel Big Fish w/Goldfinger @ HOB. We're going to skank like it's 1997.
T 6/26 - The Jacksons @ Nautica. Listed only because I've been listening to a LOT of Jackson 5 lately.
F 6/29 - Brave Combo @ Beachland Ballroom. New wave polka. Reputedly the last band Harvey Pekar saw live.
S 6/30 - Mickey Avalon @ Grog Shop. My ex loved this guy's music, for reasons that I admit escape me.
July
Su 7/01 - Neil Diamond @ The Q. Pity the Red Sox adopted Sweet Caroline, it makes me hate him.
F 7/06 - Def Leppard w/Poison & Lita Ford @ The Q. Shouldn't this be at a rib fest or county fair somewhere?
S 7/07 - Emanuel Ax w/The Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom. An excellent piano player, not that I'm an expert or anything. Listen, just go sit on the lawn with your picnic and enjoy the music.
S 7/14 - Dick Dale @ Grog Shop. The King of the Surf Guitar.
F 7/20 - Unknown Hinson @ Beachland Ballroom. Country-tinged psychobilly. Supposedly Hank III has this guy's face tattooed on his bicep, and if that's not an endorsement what is?
F 7/20 - Carolina Chocolate Drops @ Cain Park. This is a good venue to see their jug band sound.
F 7/27 - Kris Kristofferson @ Kent Stage. Be sure to ask him about his starring role in Blade.
M 7/30 - Florence @ the Machine @ Nautica. The Walkmen are opening and are well worth seeing. Pity it's at Nautica.
Beyond
W 8/02 - Barry Manilow @ Blossom. Did you know that Barry Manilow is Playboy's fault? He wrote a letter to their advisor column asking if he should quit his day job and pursue a music career. The column said yes, and the rest is history.
How do you find local shows? Try these: Pollstar. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, Peabodys, CSU Convocation Center, HOB, Winchester, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Wilberts, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Nautica Pavilion, Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Severance Hall, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Musica (Akron), Akron Civic, CityMusic Cleveland, Now That's Class, Happy Dog.
Since last time I've seen a bunch of shows.
- Galactic played the Beachland with Corey Glover doing the vocals. This inevitably lead to a funk cover of "Cult of Personality" which totally justified the evening all by itself, not that the evening needed justifying at all because it was awesome. I spent most of the evening dancing with a metalhead who had to be at work at 8am the next day... in her home town of Columbus. Ouch. She didn't even know anything about Galactic; apparently she just follows Corey Glover around. It takes all kinds I guess.
- Cyrille Aimée returned to Nighttown for EJ's birthday and played with the house band. It was excellent. She's supposed to come back in June, and if I'm in town I'll be there.
- CityMusic Cleveland put on another fine show in March.
- The Black Keys played The Q. With really mediocre support from Arctic Monkeys.
- Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds crowded the Tavern stage. The Dirty Birds, and in particular their horn section, were quite good, but Sister Sparrow was average at best. On the plus side, their opening act, Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lites, tore it up.
- The Cloud Nothings were at the Grog Shop after I survived the home opener. They didn't go on as long as the baseball game and had a more satisfying conclusion to boot.
- And it wasn't really a concert, but I did see William Shatner perform his one man show "Shatner's World: We Just Live in It..." I did not buy one of the "Shat Happens" shirts though, which I do not regret.
That makes eleven concerts and eighteen bands this year, plus Shatner who defies classification. And taste. More to come.
April
R 4/19 - Esperanza Spalding @ Tri-C Metro Auditorium. SOLD OUT. This up and coming bassist is the first jazz musician to win the best new artist Grammy. EJ and I are going to this.
F 4/20 - Mr. Gnome @ Beachland Ballroom. Fuzz-heavy Cleveland duo on the rise. That's worth a $10 bet, isn't it? EJ & I have tickets.
S 4/21 - Tribute to Nina Simone with Kellylee Evans and Ki Allen @ Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. Nina has left us, so this will have to do.
S 4/21 - Aretha Franklin @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. The Queen of Soul. 'Nuff said. EJ and I are going to this too. R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
T 4/24 - Life, The Universe, & Hot Dogs @ Happy Dog. Basically, CWRU Professors talk about physics over dinner. Pretty sweet.
W 4/25 - Andrew Jackson Jihad @ Grog Shop. Now THAT is a band name worthy of a $10 bet.
R 4/26 - Cowboy Junkies @ Kent Stage. The one time I saw these Canadian alt.countryish types it was my concert of the year. Well worth checking out.
F 4/27 - David Sanborn w/Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest, except Sanborn should be opening for Shorty.
S 4/28 - Diana Krall @ PSQ. Part of the Tri-C Jazzfest. Mrs. Elvis Costello is pretty deservedly the big name jazz singer of her generation.
M 4/30 - We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Musica. Quite awesome Scottish rockers, but I don't think I'll be driving to Akron to see them given how many other shows are coming up.
May
T 5/08 - Weird Al Yankovic @ Akron Civic. And here I thought it was mandated that Weird Al could only play food related events.
W 5/09 - Alan Evans Trio @ Grog Shop. Of Soullive, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe.
R 5/10 - Lee Fields & The Expressions @ Beachland Ballroom. He used to be on Daptone. That means he's funky and/or has soul. What else do you need to know?.
R 5/10 - Pink Martini @ PSQ (presented by Grog). Old fashioned lounge-y pop with a small orchestra.
R 5/10 - R.Ring @ Beachland Tavern. It's a duo with Kelley Deal. That's enough to catch my attention for an $8 bet.
F 5/11 - Herzog @ Happy Dog. I really need to see these guys at some point.
S 5/12 - Eliza Rickman @ Barking Spider. After her successful Cleveland debut in my living room, Eliza moves into the Barking Spider for a 6:30pm appearance.
S 5/12 - Eliza Rickman @ House Concert. You're invited! It's in my living room! She's got a new album too. With support from The Insurance Salesmen.
Su 5/13 - Rat Scabies & Brian James of The Damned @ Grog Shop. CANCELED!
Su 5/13 - Jonny Lang @ HOB. I still feel a small amount of North Dakota loyalty which makes me want to see the former Kid.
M 5/14 - Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ HOB Presented by Grog Shop. Retro-soul, or so it says.
W 5/23 - Bonnie Raitt @ Akron Civic. She's pretty awesome.
F 5/25 - The Devil Makes Three @ Grog Shop. Folk punk.
F 5/25 - The B-52s @ Nautica. If I was going to be in town, I'd go to this just for the humor value.
T 5/29 - Victor Wooten Band @ Beachland Ballroom. If anyone discusses the greatest bass players currently working, Victor's name comes up.
June
S 6/02 - Red Hot Chili Peppers @ Quicken Loans Arena. Too bad it's the 1985 version. Them I liked a ton.
S 6/02 - Robert Cray @ Kent Stage. Blues guitarist. Plays with Clapton a lot.
M 6/04 - The Real McKenzies @ Grog Shop. Listed mostly so I can tell you that they had an album called "Clash of the Tartans." You're welcome.
W 6/06 - Jonathan Richman @ Beachland Ballroom. Once was enough for me, but if you like solo acoustic lyrical weirdness, this is the band for you.
W 6/06 - Radiohead @ Blossom. A mainstream band I actually approve of.
F 6/08 - The Shins @ Masonic Hall (presented by Grog). Listed just for CFA.
F 6/08 - Rachel Platten @ Beachland Tavern. $10 bet.
M 6/11 - Richard Lloyd (of Television) @ Grog Shop.
W 6/13 - Beach Boys @ Blossom. The "Mike Love and Brian Wilson Need the Money" tour. Or something like that.
R 6/14 - Fun @ HOB. It appears that Janelle Monáe is not touring with them, so it's probably not actually worth seeing.
F 6/15 - Los Straitjackets @ Grog Shop. Everybody should see Los Straitjackets at least once. I'm completely serious about this.
Su 6/17 - Fred Eaglesmith @ Beachland Tavern. I'm a Fredhead. You should be too, because he is funny and poignant, often in the same breath. I've seen him a bunch of times and haven't been disappointed yet.
S 6/24 - Reel Big Fish w/Goldfinger @ HOB. We're going to skank like it's 1997.
T 6/26 - The Jacksons @ Nautica. Listed only because I've been listening to a LOT of Jackson 5 lately.
F 6/29 - Brave Combo @ Beachland Ballroom. New wave polka. Reputedly the last band Harvey Pekar saw live.
S 6/30 - Mickey Avalon @ Grog Shop. My ex loved this guy's music, for reasons that I admit escape me.
July
Su 7/01 - Neil Diamond @ The Q. Pity the Red Sox adopted Sweet Caroline, it makes me hate him.
F 7/06 - Def Leppard w/Poison & Lita Ford @ The Q. Shouldn't this be at a rib fest or county fair somewhere?
S 7/07 - Emanuel Ax w/The Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom. An excellent piano player, not that I'm an expert or anything. Listen, just go sit on the lawn with your picnic and enjoy the music.
S 7/14 - Dick Dale @ Grog Shop. The King of the Surf Guitar.
F 7/20 - Unknown Hinson @ Beachland Ballroom. Country-tinged psychobilly. Supposedly Hank III has this guy's face tattooed on his bicep, and if that's not an endorsement what is?
F 7/20 - Carolina Chocolate Drops @ Cain Park. This is a good venue to see their jug band sound.
F 7/27 - Kris Kristofferson @ Kent Stage. Be sure to ask him about his starring role in Blade.
M 7/30 - Florence @ the Machine @ Nautica. The Walkmen are opening and are well worth seeing. Pity it's at Nautica.
Beyond
W 8/02 - Barry Manilow @ Blossom. Did you know that Barry Manilow is Playboy's fault? He wrote a letter to their advisor column asking if he should quit his day job and pursue a music career. The column said yes, and the rest is history.
How do you find local shows? Try these: Pollstar. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, Peabodys, CSU Convocation Center, HOB, Winchester, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Wilberts, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Nautica Pavilion, Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Severance Hall, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Musica (Akron), Akron Civic, CityMusic Cleveland, Now That's Class, Happy Dog.
Since last time I've seen a bunch of shows.
- Galactic played the Beachland with Corey Glover doing the vocals. This inevitably lead to a funk cover of "Cult of Personality" which totally justified the evening all by itself, not that the evening needed justifying at all because it was awesome. I spent most of the evening dancing with a metalhead who had to be at work at 8am the next day... in her home town of Columbus. Ouch. She didn't even know anything about Galactic; apparently she just follows Corey Glover around. It takes all kinds I guess.
- Cyrille Aimée returned to Nighttown for EJ's birthday and played with the house band. It was excellent. She's supposed to come back in June, and if I'm in town I'll be there.
- CityMusic Cleveland put on another fine show in March.
- The Black Keys played The Q. With really mediocre support from Arctic Monkeys.
- Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds crowded the Tavern stage. The Dirty Birds, and in particular their horn section, were quite good, but Sister Sparrow was average at best. On the plus side, their opening act, Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lites, tore it up.
- The Cloud Nothings were at the Grog Shop after I survived the home opener. They didn't go on as long as the baseball game and had a more satisfying conclusion to boot.
- And it wasn't really a concert, but I did see William Shatner perform his one man show "Shatner's World: We Just Live in It..." I did not buy one of the "Shat Happens" shirts though, which I do not regret.
That makes eleven concerts and eighteen bands this year, plus Shatner who defies classification. And taste. More to come.