Summer 2017 Concert Calendar
I've seen eight shows since the last edition of the concert calendar. The first six were described here; since then I've only seen two more.
13. The Growlers sold out the Beachland Ballroom on Sunday, May 14. I'd bought a ticket a monthly previously based on the description and a couple of tracks. Unfortunately, I was in a lousy mood that day, and then my frustration was compounded by the Beachland's website giving an unclear start time and my missing a chunk of the set. I never recovered and ended up leaving early. What I saw wasn't terribly inspiring, but everyone else seemed to be having a good time so quite likely it was just me.
14. My parents were in town last weekend. As it happened, Kris Kristofferson was also in town on Thursday, May 18. Did my parents want to see him? Dad did, so he and I went to the Ohio Theatre in the Playhouse Square complex to check him out. I was expecting a 'nostalgia' show with a full band and lots of stories in between a few of the best known songs, not unlike when I saw Loretta Lynn last year. Kris apparently didn't get the memo. He came out by himself and stood in the center of the stage with his guitar, and proceeded to play for just shy of two hours, resting only during a 15 minute intermission between sets. He told exactly one story toward the end of the show and otherwise cranked through songs from practically every year of career. The crowd loved it, and Kris obviously loved their reaction, but after a brief acknowledgement of the applause and cheers, he would launch right into the next song. Dad & I had a good time. There was a 24-year-old kid next to us who sang along with everything. I'm glad we went.
That puts me at fourteen concerts and 23 bands this year. Let's see who is next! As always, bold means I'm going. Italics means I'm more than usually interested. You can hear a lot of these on my radio show.
May
T 5/30 - Neil Diamond @ The Q. I'll be at a baseball game. I'm sure the traffic will be worse.
June
F 6/02 - Mirah @ Mahall's 20 Lanes. Very, very indie. Liked her the one time I saw her.
F 6/02 - Sigur Ros @ The Masonic in Detroit. Icelandic weirdos. I have tickets! M is going too!
S 6/03 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ The Masonic in Detroit. Australian legends. I have tickets! M is going too!
Su 6/04 - HoneyHoney @ Beachland Ballroom. Southern rockish duo. I've played some of their music on my show.
Su 6/04 - Electric 6 @ Agora Ballroom. They were fun once ten years ago, if you like loud rock & roll party music.
M 6/05 - Amy Black's Memphis Music Revue @ Beachland Tavern - Basically a Memphis soul cover band.
R 6/08 - Mephiskapheles @ The Foundry. I saw them once. That was enough for me, but if you like weird late 90s ska...
F 6/09 - JC Brooks @ Grog Shop. Formerly billed as JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound. I've seen them twice, it was great once.
S 6/10 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers @ The Q. But where will the pot vent to?
Su 6/11 - Cowboy Junkies @ Music Box Concert Hall. They were my show of the year in 2006, more or less.
M 6/12 - Damien Jurado @ Beachland Ballroom - Singer-songwriter. I applied once to have him do a house concert at my place, but no luck.
T 6/13 - Mary Timony @ Beachland Ballroom - Playing stuff from her old project Helium.
T 6/13 - Paul Simon @ Nautica. Terrible venue for him...
R 6/15 - Nikki Hill @ Beachland Tavern. I've seen her and can personally vouch that if you like soul that feels like it was ripped right out of the countryside she's worth the $12.
Su 6/18 - Iron Maidens @ Beachland Ballroom. All women Iron Maiden cover band. No word on whether Eddie has a female counterpart.
M 6/19 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Grog Shop. They were kind of meh when I saw them open for the New Pornographers, but their album was good and this is a better venue.
W 6/21 - The Ghost Wolves @ Beachland Tavern. I'd bet $8 on a blue-rock duo from Austin with a cool name.
W 6/21 - Water Seed @ Nighttown. New Orleans funk and everything that goes with it.
S 6/24 - Diego Figueiredo/Anat Cohen @ PSQ. Tri-C Jazzfest. Brazilian guitarist with saxophonist.
S 6/24 - Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective @ PSQ. Tri-C Jazzfest. Jazz trumpeter with his current project.
T 6/27 - Dustbowl Revival @ Beachland Ballroom. "The place where funk and folk meet". OK then...
W 6/28 - Marshall Crenshaw w/Los Straitjackets @ Beachland Ballroom. I promise you that my favorite luchador-mask wearing surf guitarists will always be on this calendar. I'm sure Marshall is fine too.
July
Wednesdays in July - Free world music at Transformer Station. Starting 7/12 and running through August, free rock and roll at the Rock Hall.
M 7/03 - Okilly Dokilly @ Beachland Tavern. The world's only band based on Ned Flanders. Yes, from the Simpsons. Yes, it's heavy metal. You're welcome.
W 7/05 - Five Alarm Funk @ Beachland Tavern. Their new debut album is solid funk.
W 7/05 - Hot Club of Akron @ Bop Stop. I do love gypsy jazz.
T 7/11 - Chicano Batman @ Beachland Ballroom. Description includes the phrases "Bossa Nova", "Samba", "psychedelia" and "surf-rock cumbia". Sure, why not?
T 7/11 - Mitski @ Grog Shop. Female rocker who was trained in classical music. Sounds interesting.
T 7/11 - Josh Ritter @ Music Box Concert Hall. It's very expensive for a guy who couldn't even sell out the Kent Stage last year. On the other hand, I've never seen him put on a bad show. Ever.
R 7/13 - Squirrel Nut Zippers @ Grog Shop. Unsurprisingly for a band that had a relatively famous hit playing in a small venue, it's very expensive.
R 7/13 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Music Box Concert Hall. What exactly are the odds of BBVD and Squirrel Nut Zippers playing on the same day in the same city?
S 7/15 - The Aquabats @ HOB. Everybody's favorite super hero themed band. Well, maybe not, there are a surprising number of them, but definitely fun.
Su 7/16 - Straight No Chaser & Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox @ Nautica. Two bands I want to see in one venue I want to avoid, but I'm out of town anyway.
T 7/18 - Diana Ross @ Rocksino. Ungodly expensive, but an excuse to play the Supremes on my show.
F 7/21 - Queen & Adam Lambert @ The Q. I thought about this one for a hot second, but thankfully a trip out of town keeps me from having to consider it too hard.
S 7/22 - Drive-by Truckers @ Rock & Roll HoF. Perpetually on my "I should really see them at some point" list. I'm out of town for this show, alas.
Su 7/23 - Steve Earle & The Dukes @ Kent Stage. Any excuse to play Steve is a good excuse.
T 7/25 - Andrew Bird w/Esperanza Spalding @ Cain Park. I gave serious thought to cancelling my trip so I could see this show. I didn't, but still you should go see this.
F 7/28 - The Melvins @ Grog Shop. Sludgey rock that prefigured grunge.
Su 7/30 - Rancid & Dropkick Murphys @ Nautica. That's a lineup I'd be interested in. Murphys were great when I saw them years ago.
M 7/31 - Foxygen @ Beachland Ballroom. If I wasn't flying back to Cleveland the day prior I'd have tickets already. I'm still thinking about it.
August
T 8/01 - Carseat Headrest @ Beachland Ballroom. They are a very young rock band. I saw them last year at the Rock Hall. I liked them enough to play them on the show, not enough to see them again.
R 8/03 - Lyle Lovett & His Large Band @ Cain Park. I had a good time when I saw him at the Rocksino, and would assume this venue would be better.
F 8/04 - Louis Prima Jr @ Music Box Concert Hall. Son of the legend, and with a similar sensibility.
S 8/12 - Rasputina w/Eliza Rickman @ Beachland Ballroom. Eliza makes here first ever Beachland appearance! It won't be as good as my living room, but I'm sure it'll still be good. I have a ticket already.
S 8/12 - Dick Dale @ Grog Shop. The surf guitar legend.
T 8/15 - Bruno Mars @ The Q. I bought M tickets for her birthday. Hopefully she still likes me then!
S 8/19 - Michelle Branch @ Grog Shop. Produced by Patrick Carney of the Black Keys.
M 8/21 - Green Day @ Blossom. I'm curious, but not curious enough to spend that much money.
T 8/22 - Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely @ Music Box Concert Hall. I've seen Alejandro and liked him, and I like several Joe Ely recordings.
W 8/23 - Lady Gaga @ The Q. I'd just like to say that I enjoyed the hell out of her Super Bowl performance.
S 8/26 - The Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom. Going for The Planets.
Su 8/27 - Kaki King @ Beachland Ballroom. Kaki is one of the greatest guitarists I've ever seen live. Slash is better, and maybe Al di Meola... and that's about it. She's great.
And Everything After
Sorry.
September
S 9/02 - Kool & The Gang @ Akron Civic. Outdoor show outside the Civic.
S 9/09 - Deep Purple & Alice Cooper @ Blossom. For cheap, I might check that out.
F 9/15 - Willie Nelson @ Blossom. Willie is pretty old, and I probably shouldn't pass up the chance to see him. On the other hand, it's more a of a mini-festival with lots of other bands, like Sheryl Crow.
S 9/16 - Thee Oh Sees @ Beachland Ballroom. I had a good time last time until my knee was kicked out from under me.
S 9/16 - Smokey Robinson @ Rocksino. Ditto everything I said about Diana Ross above, but substitute Miracles for Supremes.
Su 9/17 - Steve Martin & Martin Short @ Nautica. I'm not sure Martin Short is doing here, but Steve Martin is doing bluegrass with the Steep Canyon Rangers.
T 9/19 - Wire @ Beachland Ballroom. I missed them last time, but a lot of my friends enjoyed that show.
T 9/26 - X @ Kent Stage. Billed as the 40th anniversary tour for these LA punks.
October
T 10/03 - The Pixies @ Agora Theatre. I feel like it's not really The Pixies without Kim Deal. My $0.02. Glad I saw the real lineup back in 2004.
W 10/04 - Against Me! @ HOB. Friends tell me the live show is great.
W 10/04 - KMFDM @ Agora Ballroom. Friends tell me they've started phoning in shows. Boo! Still good industrial, I hope.
T 10/10 - The New Pornographers @ Beachland Ballroom. I bought my tickets the moment they went on sale even though the last time at the HOB they were a little average. It'll be good to see them back at the Beachland.
R 10/16 - Guns N' Roses @ The Q. It can't possible top last time, can it?
Beyond
F 11/17 - The Descendents @ HOB. Milo comes to Cleveland, with Southern California punk rock goodness. They had an album last year that was pretty good.
4/18/18 - The Cleveland Orchestra w/John Williams @ Severance Hall. Probably already sold out...
Here's the venue list: Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, CSU Convocation (aka Wolstein) Center, HOB, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Jacob's Pavilion (Nautica), Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Severance Hall, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Musica (Akron), Akron Civic, CityMusic Cleveland, Now That's Class, Happy Dog, Euclid Tavern (aka, Happy Dog East), Mahall's 20 Lanes, Tri-C Jazzfest, Dionysus (Oberlin), Oberlin College, Cleveland Museum of Art, Transformer Station, Hard Rock Live, The Music Box, The Odeon, The Bop Stop.
Note to self: next time, cut some of these venues.
I'm always excited to hear about shows I missed, particularly ones near but not in Cleveland.
13. The Growlers sold out the Beachland Ballroom on Sunday, May 14. I'd bought a ticket a monthly previously based on the description and a couple of tracks. Unfortunately, I was in a lousy mood that day, and then my frustration was compounded by the Beachland's website giving an unclear start time and my missing a chunk of the set. I never recovered and ended up leaving early. What I saw wasn't terribly inspiring, but everyone else seemed to be having a good time so quite likely it was just me.
14. My parents were in town last weekend. As it happened, Kris Kristofferson was also in town on Thursday, May 18. Did my parents want to see him? Dad did, so he and I went to the Ohio Theatre in the Playhouse Square complex to check him out. I was expecting a 'nostalgia' show with a full band and lots of stories in between a few of the best known songs, not unlike when I saw Loretta Lynn last year. Kris apparently didn't get the memo. He came out by himself and stood in the center of the stage with his guitar, and proceeded to play for just shy of two hours, resting only during a 15 minute intermission between sets. He told exactly one story toward the end of the show and otherwise cranked through songs from practically every year of career. The crowd loved it, and Kris obviously loved their reaction, but after a brief acknowledgement of the applause and cheers, he would launch right into the next song. Dad & I had a good time. There was a 24-year-old kid next to us who sang along with everything. I'm glad we went.
That puts me at fourteen concerts and 23 bands this year. Let's see who is next! As always, bold means I'm going. Italics means I'm more than usually interested. You can hear a lot of these on my radio show.
May
T 5/30 - Neil Diamond @ The Q. I'll be at a baseball game. I'm sure the traffic will be worse.
June
F 6/02 - Mirah @ Mahall's 20 Lanes. Very, very indie. Liked her the one time I saw her.
F 6/02 - Sigur Ros @ The Masonic in Detroit. Icelandic weirdos. I have tickets! M is going too!
S 6/03 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ The Masonic in Detroit. Australian legends. I have tickets! M is going too!
Su 6/04 - HoneyHoney @ Beachland Ballroom. Southern rockish duo. I've played some of their music on my show.
Su 6/04 - Electric 6 @ Agora Ballroom. They were fun once ten years ago, if you like loud rock & roll party music.
M 6/05 - Amy Black's Memphis Music Revue @ Beachland Tavern - Basically a Memphis soul cover band.
R 6/08 - Mephiskapheles @ The Foundry. I saw them once. That was enough for me, but if you like weird late 90s ska...
F 6/09 - JC Brooks @ Grog Shop. Formerly billed as JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound. I've seen them twice, it was great once.
S 6/10 - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers @ The Q. But where will the pot vent to?
Su 6/11 - Cowboy Junkies @ Music Box Concert Hall. They were my show of the year in 2006, more or less.
M 6/12 - Damien Jurado @ Beachland Ballroom - Singer-songwriter. I applied once to have him do a house concert at my place, but no luck.
T 6/13 - Mary Timony @ Beachland Ballroom - Playing stuff from her old project Helium.
T 6/13 - Paul Simon @ Nautica. Terrible venue for him...
R 6/15 - Nikki Hill @ Beachland Tavern. I've seen her and can personally vouch that if you like soul that feels like it was ripped right out of the countryside she's worth the $12.
Su 6/18 - Iron Maidens @ Beachland Ballroom. All women Iron Maiden cover band. No word on whether Eddie has a female counterpart.
M 6/19 - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Grog Shop. They were kind of meh when I saw them open for the New Pornographers, but their album was good and this is a better venue.
W 6/21 - The Ghost Wolves @ Beachland Tavern. I'd bet $8 on a blue-rock duo from Austin with a cool name.
W 6/21 - Water Seed @ Nighttown. New Orleans funk and everything that goes with it.
S 6/24 - Diego Figueiredo/Anat Cohen @ PSQ. Tri-C Jazzfest. Brazilian guitarist with saxophonist.
S 6/24 - Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective @ PSQ. Tri-C Jazzfest. Jazz trumpeter with his current project.
T 6/27 - Dustbowl Revival @ Beachland Ballroom. "The place where funk and folk meet". OK then...
W 6/28 - Marshall Crenshaw w/Los Straitjackets @ Beachland Ballroom. I promise you that my favorite luchador-mask wearing surf guitarists will always be on this calendar. I'm sure Marshall is fine too.
July
Wednesdays in July - Free world music at Transformer Station. Starting 7/12 and running through August, free rock and roll at the Rock Hall.
M 7/03 - Okilly Dokilly @ Beachland Tavern. The world's only band based on Ned Flanders. Yes, from the Simpsons. Yes, it's heavy metal. You're welcome.
W 7/05 - Five Alarm Funk @ Beachland Tavern. Their new debut album is solid funk.
W 7/05 - Hot Club of Akron @ Bop Stop. I do love gypsy jazz.
T 7/11 - Chicano Batman @ Beachland Ballroom. Description includes the phrases "Bossa Nova", "Samba", "psychedelia" and "surf-rock cumbia". Sure, why not?
T 7/11 - Mitski @ Grog Shop. Female rocker who was trained in classical music. Sounds interesting.
T 7/11 - Josh Ritter @ Music Box Concert Hall. It's very expensive for a guy who couldn't even sell out the Kent Stage last year. On the other hand, I've never seen him put on a bad show. Ever.
R 7/13 - Squirrel Nut Zippers @ Grog Shop. Unsurprisingly for a band that had a relatively famous hit playing in a small venue, it's very expensive.
R 7/13 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ Music Box Concert Hall. What exactly are the odds of BBVD and Squirrel Nut Zippers playing on the same day in the same city?
S 7/15 - The Aquabats @ HOB. Everybody's favorite super hero themed band. Well, maybe not, there are a surprising number of them, but definitely fun.
Su 7/16 - Straight No Chaser & Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox @ Nautica. Two bands I want to see in one venue I want to avoid, but I'm out of town anyway.
T 7/18 - Diana Ross @ Rocksino. Ungodly expensive, but an excuse to play the Supremes on my show.
F 7/21 - Queen & Adam Lambert @ The Q. I thought about this one for a hot second, but thankfully a trip out of town keeps me from having to consider it too hard.
S 7/22 - Drive-by Truckers @ Rock & Roll HoF. Perpetually on my "I should really see them at some point" list. I'm out of town for this show, alas.
Su 7/23 - Steve Earle & The Dukes @ Kent Stage. Any excuse to play Steve is a good excuse.
T 7/25 - Andrew Bird w/Esperanza Spalding @ Cain Park. I gave serious thought to cancelling my trip so I could see this show. I didn't, but still you should go see this.
F 7/28 - The Melvins @ Grog Shop. Sludgey rock that prefigured grunge.
Su 7/30 - Rancid & Dropkick Murphys @ Nautica. That's a lineup I'd be interested in. Murphys were great when I saw them years ago.
M 7/31 - Foxygen @ Beachland Ballroom. If I wasn't flying back to Cleveland the day prior I'd have tickets already. I'm still thinking about it.
August
T 8/01 - Carseat Headrest @ Beachland Ballroom. They are a very young rock band. I saw them last year at the Rock Hall. I liked them enough to play them on the show, not enough to see them again.
R 8/03 - Lyle Lovett & His Large Band @ Cain Park. I had a good time when I saw him at the Rocksino, and would assume this venue would be better.
F 8/04 - Louis Prima Jr @ Music Box Concert Hall. Son of the legend, and with a similar sensibility.
S 8/12 - Rasputina w/Eliza Rickman @ Beachland Ballroom. Eliza makes here first ever Beachland appearance! It won't be as good as my living room, but I'm sure it'll still be good. I have a ticket already.
S 8/12 - Dick Dale @ Grog Shop. The surf guitar legend.
T 8/15 - Bruno Mars @ The Q. I bought M tickets for her birthday. Hopefully she still likes me then!
S 8/19 - Michelle Branch @ Grog Shop. Produced by Patrick Carney of the Black Keys.
M 8/21 - Green Day @ Blossom. I'm curious, but not curious enough to spend that much money.
T 8/22 - Alejandro Escovedo and Joe Ely @ Music Box Concert Hall. I've seen Alejandro and liked him, and I like several Joe Ely recordings.
W 8/23 - Lady Gaga @ The Q. I'd just like to say that I enjoyed the hell out of her Super Bowl performance.
S 8/26 - The Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom. Going for The Planets.
Su 8/27 - Kaki King @ Beachland Ballroom. Kaki is one of the greatest guitarists I've ever seen live. Slash is better, and maybe Al di Meola... and that's about it. She's great.
And Everything After
Sorry.
September
S 9/02 - Kool & The Gang @ Akron Civic. Outdoor show outside the Civic.
S 9/09 - Deep Purple & Alice Cooper @ Blossom. For cheap, I might check that out.
F 9/15 - Willie Nelson @ Blossom. Willie is pretty old, and I probably shouldn't pass up the chance to see him. On the other hand, it's more a of a mini-festival with lots of other bands, like Sheryl Crow.
S 9/16 - Thee Oh Sees @ Beachland Ballroom. I had a good time last time until my knee was kicked out from under me.
S 9/16 - Smokey Robinson @ Rocksino. Ditto everything I said about Diana Ross above, but substitute Miracles for Supremes.
Su 9/17 - Steve Martin & Martin Short @ Nautica. I'm not sure Martin Short is doing here, but Steve Martin is doing bluegrass with the Steep Canyon Rangers.
T 9/19 - Wire @ Beachland Ballroom. I missed them last time, but a lot of my friends enjoyed that show.
T 9/26 - X @ Kent Stage. Billed as the 40th anniversary tour for these LA punks.
October
T 10/03 - The Pixies @ Agora Theatre. I feel like it's not really The Pixies without Kim Deal. My $0.02. Glad I saw the real lineup back in 2004.
W 10/04 - Against Me! @ HOB. Friends tell me the live show is great.
W 10/04 - KMFDM @ Agora Ballroom. Friends tell me they've started phoning in shows. Boo! Still good industrial, I hope.
T 10/10 - The New Pornographers @ Beachland Ballroom. I bought my tickets the moment they went on sale even though the last time at the HOB they were a little average. It'll be good to see them back at the Beachland.
R 10/16 - Guns N' Roses @ The Q. It can't possible top last time, can it?
Beyond
F 11/17 - The Descendents @ HOB. Milo comes to Cleveland, with Southern California punk rock goodness. They had an album last year that was pretty good.
4/18/18 - The Cleveland Orchestra w/John Williams @ Severance Hall. Probably already sold out...
Here's the venue list: Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Grog Shop, CSU Convocation (aka Wolstein) Center, HOB, Kent Stage, Agora Theater & Ballroom, Quicken Loans Arena, Night Town, Playhouse Square, Rock Hall, Cain Park, Blossom, Jacob's Pavilion (Nautica), Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Severance Hall, E.J. Thomas Hall (Akron), Musica (Akron), Akron Civic, CityMusic Cleveland, Now That's Class, Happy Dog, Euclid Tavern (aka, Happy Dog East), Mahall's 20 Lanes, Tri-C Jazzfest, Dionysus (Oberlin), Oberlin College, Cleveland Museum of Art, Transformer Station, Hard Rock Live, The Music Box, The Odeon, The Bop Stop.
Note to self: next time, cut some of these venues.
I'm always excited to hear about shows I missed, particularly ones near but not in Cleveland.