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Double Down: Brothers Lounge & Kristine Jackson

So right down the street from The Chamber is conveniently Brothers Lounge.  We have talked about Brothers in the past.  My reviews were honest but more always on the sketchy line of "Good but could be better".  I have not been in the concert hall for quite some time, and I wanted to go see Kristine Jackson for the first time (yeah embarassing huh?  and I call myself a Clevelander).  I can say without a doubt the sound in the hall was excellent.  The service at the packed bar was quick.  The patrons at the bar were very cool letting people scoot in to order a couple drinks.  The Bartender Craig was awesome and fast.  The crowd was respectful in listening to the band.  The cover charge was $5.  I think this helps weed out the folks that use it for a place to talk loud and not pay attention to the band in the front bar.  You can hear the band fine out there and talk all you want and not annoy people who actually came to enjoy the show.

The patio out back is very nice.  It's a nice secluded, albeit on the sterile side, area to enjoy the evening summer night, have a cocktail and a smoke.  Some greenery out there would be nice.  The concert hall is great with one thing I would change.  The ventilation of that hall blows and not in a good way.  Multimillion dollar rehab of the joint and there is not a single fan to be found.  The hall is huge, and it can get very packed.  The lack of airflow through the joint makes it a bit on the muggy side.  So invest a few more bucks in the place and get some fans in the hall and some plants on the patio and you got something I will never be able to be able to bitch about.  The Manager, John Golubic, was out there busting his ass in all three bars making sure everyone was enjoying their experience.  He is like watching a choreographed well oiled machine making sure everyone is being taken care of.  So, that being said Brothers, you obviously have a top notch staff, good food, nice sound system, nice decor and a great following just get some air flowing through the place.  

Kristine Jackson...ah Kristine Jackson.  Here's my problem in a nutshell; you hear the same name over and over again and you kind of blow it off.  Ahhhhh I'll see her some other time.  Well some other time finally came and I am pretty happy it did.  I am also glad I saw her with the full band as it was amazing.  Gs Harper on guitar, Mike Petrone on keys and (hey I never said I was a great reviewer) a really great bass player and drummer who you got me on their names.  Every single person in that band brought something to the table that blended perfectly with one another.  Kristine Jackson is an amazing singer and guitar player.  Is she one of the best in the Cleveland area?  Absolutely, and I am confident in saying that after only seeing her one time.  She has this sultry, smokey voice that just absolutely sucks you in and she plays the guitar with the skill and ease of Curtis Loew (yeah go look it up for your obscure music reference of the day).  Gs, is Gs.  He is amazing with a powerful soulful voice and man can he play guitar.  Petrone?  Holy shit can he play those keyboards.  I have never seen such keyboard mastery since seeing Medeski, Martin and Wood live.  Yeah he is that good.  At time subdued in the background other times letting loose like a madman slapping around both of his keyboards like the keys were an extension of his fingers.  

If you are an idiot like me that has yet to see Kristine Jackson do yourself a favor and check her out. For that matter go see any of these guys (and gal) solo and you will be pleased.  I took some kick ass pictures, and I feel like showcasing some of them so hope you enjoy the pictorial.

 

             Kristine Jackson live @ Brothers Lounge

Double Down: The Chamber

I had not been to the Chamber in years.  I just got out of that whole goth scene years ago.  It got to the point the music was never the same with the onslaught of crappy techno bands posing as industrial ala VNV Nation, and just plain shit music like She Wants Revenge.  This ain't no Skinny Puppy, or Ministry of the 80's and 90's it all just turned into garbage overnight in my ears at least.  The Phantasy used to be this incredible club when I was growing up.  I saw countless bands here; Peter Murphy, Love and Rockets, Erasure, Ministry, Jane's Addiction, Jesus and Mary Chain, Thrill Kill Kult, Revolting Cocks, Dead Kennedy's, Black Flag, Public Image, 7 Seconds...put it this way, If they were alternative in the 80's they either played the upstairs with the famous boat for a small show or if they were bigger the played the Theater.  And the Phantasy begat The Chamber some years later.  

I don't know why exactly the Phantasy died out in popularity.  It was "THE" place to be in the 80's.  If it was bigger than the Phantasy the show went to The Agora.  I'd like to hear that story one day honestly.  Do they still have shows?  Yep, they sure do.  However I have yet to see a bill I would want to go to in many many moons.  No offense to the club, no offense to the bands that play there, but I just think the eclectic dynamic of the club is gone.  It seems like the goth thing, for the longest time there, was the only thing going on at the club.  Here I go pissing off that whole industrial and goth circuit, which for the record is alive and kicking in the area though.  Honestly the thing I don't like about the whole Industrial and or goth music thing is that it has never grown much from what it was in the 80's.  It all sounds the same and the fact that it never went away is just another reason it will never have that retro comeback feeling for me.  In order to come back into style you need to actually go away.

That being said, did I like the Chamber?  God yes I did.  I had a blast.  The bartenders are great, the prices are reasonable, and they even have a nice patio now.  It was a bit hot in there, circulation kind of sucks and for me (non-vampire) it is too dark.  Those are my only bitches about the place.  You have to understand people LOVE this place and have such respect for it that when they had a huge fire not too long ago the regulars were there rebuilding and cleaning up for free for weeks.  I don't know any other bar in the area that would have that kind of outpouring of support.  So please stop mother fucking me already.  I grew up in this building through High School.  I used to hang out in that very spot when it was the rehearsal hall for a little known band called Nine Inch Nails.  It brings back so many great memories for me, and honestly for me it isn't so bad as a guilty pleasure here and there.  So, I am sorry I was such a stranger for such a long time.  I think it is a nice place for that whole entire scene to hold on to.  

Personally I could see it being so much more though.  Not just The Chamber though mind you.  The Chamber can stay the Chamber it is what it is.  It's a small dark, really dark mind you, haven for what once was me 20 years ago (I'm old shut up).  But that whole building that houses what used to be 3 of the best concert venues in the Cleveland area needs to somehow make a resurgence.  I don't know how they can do it, and I don't know if they can do it either.  Like I said I don't know the back story of why and when it started to cease to be what it once was.  All I know is there is potential still there.  Parking sucks yeah, but parking sucked 20 years ago too.  Get over it.  I wish them all the success in the world because that complex is a piece of Cleveland history and deserves to be a viable option to see a show in the area.                     

Friday's alright for Polka

There is no good reason to continue on about my praises for the Happy Dog.  But, I will, yet again.  Had some friends out for the DJ Kishka Polka Happy Hour last Friday and turned on a few new converts.  The Hot Dog of choice this go around was Cheese Whiz...hold the phone because I am going to debate the Whiz.  I don't want to call Bullshit here on my friends at the Happy Dog but I don't think it really is Cheese Whiz.  I suspect they use Easy Cheese because of the telltale ornate ruffle pattern of the orange goo.  That is cheese in a can!  Imposter, reveal yourself.  That all being said does it really fucking matter?  Neither one is actual Cheese and they pretty much taste the same.  Either way I am cool with it, your secret is safe with me .  So I did "Whiz", house made ketchup, yellow mustard and Spanish Onions.  

I went pretty traditional honestly plus a side of tots with the the Saffron Aioli and Oaxacan Red Chile and Chocolate Mole dipping sauces which went well with my Okocim Polish Pilsner.  I have mentioned the fine beer selection they have here but they change them up here and there too which keeps things fresh.  Kishka was Kishka.  What more do you want from your local tavern Polka DJ?  Ice Cubes and Beer, 7 versions of the Liechtensteiner, and other popular sing-a-long favorites.  He keeps the crowd engaged the entire night, and even was doing a little polka himself with the ladies.  I still want to get my dad out here on a Friday night to check it out.  It's the timeless old world charm that is endearing to all ages here.  

The reason for the review though this time was due to the exceptional service.  Now mind you the service is pretty damn good all the time and that is one of the reasons I keep coming back.  The bartender-server we had taking care of our crazy table, which for the record had at minimum 10 separate tabs going is the reason I wanted to add on to my Happy Dog dairy.  Yeah, yeah I'm a dick I know, way too many checks going for one table.  However if you knew the way my friends drink there is no way I am going on a split tab with those fucking alcoholics.  Our server Nikki, never had her before as a server, treated me like I was the best and only customer in the place.  She was fast, she was friendly, she was chatty and had some great ink and a smile that would knock your socks off.  So just another reason I love this place so much you can add Nikki to that list and pretty much the entire staff from the Sean's on down.          

Memorial Day Weekend

So the long weekend was ok, more relaxing for me than a crazy booze and rib fest sort of thing.  I spent some time with family because my pop is arguably one of the best cooks in Cleveland.  We had brats and ribs and pasta salad.  Saturday night I just headed out to Paninis in Westlake again for a couple cocktails and the UFC fight.  I am not some huge UFC fan but a friend of mine is and I felt like hanging out on a patio and my friends already got a table early on in the night.  The service was excellent, friendly, tall and attractive.  Buckets of domestics, or 5 beers for $12 basically.  To me however there is something truly wrong about the bucket.  It's like a feed troff for livestock, with us being the little piggys sucking down our very own swill.  To cap off the night I had an egg and cheese Panini which was as usual pretty damn good.  A friend of mine had the bacon cheese fries, or "heart attack platter".  It was ok, not much flavor but what do you expect.  Don't ask me who won the fight, I was never really paying much attention.

Sunday night we heading over to Tremont.  I wanted to check out that Revolution Brass Band at Edison's then head over to the Treehouse to see GS Harper and Michael Bay.  Ok first off, Edison's, turn on the air or turn it up.  When you have a band of like 8 people and a pretty packed front bar it is going to get kind of fucking hot in there.  The Brass Band was good, however they started off with the same couple songs I heard last time.  You might want to mix up the set list.  Don't get me wrong, you guys are great at what you do, but all the talent on that floor and we get the same song to kick this off as last time?  Switch it up.  They seriously sound great but I wasn't about to stay in that bar with it being so damn hot.  So we headed over to the Treehouse a lot sooner than we expected to. 

GS Harper is a great guitar player.  I never saw Michael Bay before but the guy had some sills himself.  GS if a funny dude too.  He is a great storyteller.  His between song banter only adds to the overall package deal.  He went through a good hour set of originals and covers and for the crowd he had there everyone was receptive to his choice of cuts.  I highly recommend seeing GS if you get the chance he has a certain Texas twang to him that likens him to a modern day cowboy, minus the hat.  There is a grittiness to his voice that brings the blues and country out in perfect harmony.  He can do Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and the Stones all justice on guitar and on that mic.  

The Treehouse though...oh boy you have changed a bit.  Maybe when I was younger I was more tolerable of drunks, assholes and trashy people or something.  I used to love coming here for excellent service, friendly bartenders, and a decent respectable crowd.  There was one bartender that night who was worth a shit and covered all the above.  I wasn't drinking Sunday and he was quick on my soda refills which was cool.  Bars are pretty much the biggest peer pressure to drink.  I feel bad for the bartenders and feel like a dick not spending money but I sometimes would rather not drink.  Try it sometime kids, it's hard to say no.  Something was missing that I remember back in the day when it was "the place to go".  It lost that feeling of being a cool hang out.  

Shortly after the first set or during the first set at the end the crowd started popping in.  A very talkative crowd so much to the point you really couldn't hear GS all too good.  Some 40 something year old woman and her husband-boyfriend sat next to me and freaked me out a majority of the night and that was early on.  She was crawling in her own skin, you could tell she was coked out or on meth or something other than the beer she was drinking.  She was always touching at herself and had the biggest case of the cocaine jitters I had seen in a bit.  She was freaking me the fuck out.  So I sat in my uncomfortable stool and watched the freak show so she didn't spill her beer on or knock over my camera. 

An hour or so later my wife went outside while a friend smoked and I was stuck holding the two stools.  In their absence in walked 6 or so of the most derelict hillbilly drunks that ever left the trailer.  They looked like Cleveland circa 1990 with sleeveless tees on the guys and acid-washed short shorts on the overly tanned permed hair girls.  Now they were in their late 40's so they long passed being girls.  They looked like the kind of white trash you would get tailgating at a Jimmy Buffett show.  They smelled like the beach and not in a good way.  It was more like a combo of sweat, dead fish and dog shit.  So the drinks of the wife were sitting on the bar and said hillbilly folks decided to come stand behind where we were sitting.  Mind you there really wasn't any room for them.  They kept edging towards the bar until they were next to the stools but not sitting in them, pushing our drinks away like no one was there.  After I told them someone was sitting there they kind of backed off, but stayed within nostril range of all of us.  After bumping into my wife accidentally for the 20th time I knew it was pretty much time to get going.  Yet they added the last nail in the freak show coffin when one of the couples started making out a foot away from me.  His hand in her jean shorts pocket, locking lips, smooching and for a lack of better description fucking with their clothes on.  Just when I thought I saw everything one of the other guys in the group starts watching and rubbing up on them, touching her hair, touching on the guy a little.  It was just fucking weird.  It wasn't just weird, it was disgusting.  

So that is my new memory of The Treehouse, and it is pretty doubtful I'll go back.  I think they have some great bands and solo artists that play there but honestly there is something missing from the bar that used to make it a fun place to hang out.  The cool crowd is long gone from this place and now it seems to attract the dregs of society or something.  The guy bartender was awesome and gave really great service.  The bar hasn't changed much in 10+ years.  It still seems like it could have something to offer but from the coked out chick next to me and the fucking carny sideshow behind me I would rather hang out somewhere else.  Was it a fluke?  No clue, but a lot of folks told me of the demise of The Treehouse and I never believed it until now.  I still see it having this great potential again but if that is the regular crowd now, fuck that.  I'll go elsewhere.  That is hard for me to say knowing how much I push for people to love this city.  I almost didn't want to write this I feel that bad saying it, but I have to call a spade a spade here.  It just wasn't a very good experience for me or anyone involved and that was mostly due to the clientele.                                

Sweet Basil Neapolitan Style Pizzeria

Well Sweet Basil in Westlake sure made me feel stupid today.  They have been in business for over 2 years, and 5 minutes away from my house but I never got around to try them in all that time.  I notice them every time I drive down Canterbury Road and the Center Ridge intersection. They are going on speed dial first and foremost and will become one of my top pizza destinations in the area.  I know this place does a great business because during peak times the place is packed.  I am Still shaking my head as to why it took me so long to register that in my head that they make a good pie.  

Today was one of those weird and wonderful days that just sort of worked out where my wife and I got out a little early from work.  Why I thought Sweet Basil, you got me.  The voice of reason perhaps telling me to try something new and the pile of dishes in the sink I just didn't want to get around to were a huge help.  The place was quiet, well the place was dead but it was like 3 in the afternoon.  The dining area is spotless, everything looks clean.  The Owner, Dan Joyce, came over to take our order and we were finished out by Kathleen who many folks will remember from Danny Boys in River because she was there for years.  Dan is proud of his restaurant, you can tell.  He helped out us first timers by suggesting getting a half and half pizza. The one half was The Queen Margarite and the other half a more traditional sausage and pepperoni pie.  We also split a house salad.  One is big enough for two people easily and the house dressing is phenomenal.  He also showed us how to drink our Shocktop Ales we ordered.  I never knew there was a trick to them.  It is a beer with instructions on the bottle.  Hey figure it out yourself this is about the pizza.

The pizza took about 15-20 minutes to cook.  The craftsmanship of this pizza itself was a thing of beauty.  Dan was tossing the dough the old style way.  This is no easy task, when I try it at home(1) it never works (2) I get holes in it, rip it, and get really pissed off.  Dan on the other hand makes it look easy.  So when you order a pizza here know it is being made fresh.  I think fresh is the whole key in this entire review.  Everything is made fresh.  The sauce, the dough, the salad dressing all fresh and homemade.  The pizza is thin crust.  It's that New York style that everyone pretends they can make but never quite pull it off.  Sweet Basil pulls it off perfectly.  

The crust is still a little chewy with just the right amount of crisp to it.  So many times you order a thin crust around here and it's like a cracker.  That is fine and all but it's not true Neapolitan style crust.  This is the pizza you see the Guidos eating in the mafia movies.  You can't fold it all the way over until you get a few bites in.  The slices are huge. The pizza is huge as a matter of fact and an 18 inch will cost you around $15.  The toppings are generous as well with thick cut pepperoni and thinly shaved real Italian sausage.  There is this incredible balance of flavors they are able to pull off by using fresh ingredients and real Romano and Mozzarella cheese.  You can taste different flavors in each bite.  Fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil obviously but also the fennel in the sausage and the Mozzarella they use has an incredible flavor.  

We got to talk a bit to the Chef who brings it all together.  The guys name is Justin and he has a true passion for what he is creating.  He seems to be a very creative and talented guy.  They do some great sounding sandwiches for lunch along with the basic pizza menu.  There are no deep fryers, poppers, chicken fingers or ranch dipping sauce here and there really shouldn't be.  There is no reason when you do pizza as well as they do.  I can see this guy having a Melt-esque following down the road because the Owners really seem to give him freedom to make some unique items.  It is a great thing to see local businesses like this doing well in these tough times.  It is also frustrating to know there are people that still go to Domino's, Pappa Johns, and Pizza Hut when something this good and as reasonably priced is in our own backyard.  If you want cheap pizza made from canned ingredients stick with the chains.  If you want a unique and authentic Neapolitan style pizza you really need to check this place out.  

Bar Symon Pork Fiesta

I just want to do a short little photo blog from the awesome Sierra Nevada and Pork pairing at Bar Symon last Monday.  I think I have said a lot about the talent of Matt Harland and of Bar Symon itself.  It was an incredible meal yet again and well worth checking out.  Only $50 and the beers were flowing like the Cuyahoga River, and 2.5 nonstop hours of delicious dish after dish.

Pulled Pork Sliders

 Chef's Choice fine Sausage

 Pork Pate and the famous Bertman's Stadium Mustard

 Panzanella Salad with Braised Pork Belly

Bar Symon Chef Matthew Harland and the Sierra Nevada Beer 

fellow who I completely am blanking on his name.

Neck Bone Pork Tacos with tomatillo Salsa and whipped avocado

Spicy Pork Loin with peaches, arugula and almonds

There was desert as well but I neglected to take a photo before I inhaled it.  It was a warm apple and bacon crisp with thyme caramel sauce and blue cheese anglaise.  The Sierra Nevada beers served were the Summerfest, Pale Ale, Kellerweis, Southern Hemisphere Harvest and Bigfoot.  All excellent choices and complimentary to the delicious pork offerings.

Bar Symon itself is a treasure and welcome addition to the Avon area located on Walker Road just south of 83.  They serve some of the best beers I have ever seen on tap and the micro and craft bottle collection would rival even the most well stocked bar in Cleveland.  Prices are affordable for regular dinners and they have great nightly specials.  The restaurant is clean and spacious.  The patio is perfect with ample tables and comfortable couches and chairs to sip cocktails all night.  It has a perfect mix of neighborhood bar and casual dinning.  The staff is efficient and friendly and Nolan Cleary who runs the floor is a class act.  He doesn't just run the show he choreographs every minor detail to make the ultimate dinning experience.  As I have said before and probably will continue to say once a month the last Monday of the month is one of the best deals in town.  Join me next month for the Founders Ale Feast, or just try it for yourself any day of the week.     

Arturo's, Ned's Beverage and Deli & Garage Bar

Friday night brought many choices with many incredible options.  There was a big concert at Now That's Class featuring Cobra Verde, Uncle Scratch and more.  Then there was something else but honestly I have no idea what it was now.  I was tired, worn out if you will from a rough week.  We decided to hit an old reliable for dinner, and went out to Arturo's in North Olmsted.  I am not a stranger to "Art's".  We have been going here for the better part of the last few years.  The food is always good, and the atmosphere is always friendly.  I have not been there in months honestly and this was my regular haunt.  We didn't miss a beat since our last time out and hung out with some old familiar regular Arturo friends.  These are just good, friendly people.  Plus Dino was behind the bar.  Dino is one of the heirs to the Arturo's throne.  He's a good guy minus his strange love for the Denver Broncos.  

I always go in with the intention of getting a pizza because honestly it's probably the best pie in the area.  With Pizza around my side of town you have multiple options.  I hit a bunch of different places depending what I am in the mood for.  Quick delivery goes to Marco's, New York style Capri, authentic Italian pizza from scratch, well that's Arturo's.  However I never get the fucking pizza anymore.  I curse the daily specials menu because there is always something really good on there.  My wife had this Steak Romano that was ridiculously good.  It was pounded steak rolled, stuffed with cheese, breaded, deep fried served with a side of spaghetti.  I got the cold pasta salad entree and the Cajun Popcorn Shrimp Basket with Fries.  The shrimp and fries I am always a fan of.  It's just true comfort food.  Fried goodness.  The cold pasta salad I wasn't a huge fan of.  It was OK, but I know I could have done better after I tried the wife's steak, sweet Jesus was that good.  The pasta salad was just a tad too seasoned for me.  Next time I go though I will not deviate from getting a pizza.  I miss that Arturo's pizza pie.  We left incredibly full and spent the rest of the night on our respective couches watching Where the Wild Things Are.    


Saturday I thought I had the memorial service for my friend Gilly, but I was off by a week.  It's not until next Saturday.  So all suited up we stopped in Ned's Beverage and Deli in Fairview Park.  I never have been to this place but have driven past it multiple times and I was kind of hungry.  Counting on the fact that every deli needs to have a signature corned beef sandwich I knew what I would be eating for lunch.  The store itself isn't too bad.  It has your basic staples, and a surprisingly excellent beer selection, plus they sell live bait.  A corned beef sandwich there runs you $6.99 and comes with a pickle.  Truly you really can't fuck up a sandwich especially something as simple as corned beef.  

However, I wasn't a fan of the heating of the sandwich in the microwave bread and all.  It made the rye bread a little sticky.  It wasn't a deal breaker but at the same time I thought that was a little silly.  The sandwich itself was a decent size but when you eat a corned beef sandwich from a deli and you live in or about the city of Cleveland you compare it to Slyman's.  Slyman's is the best of the best and the measure of the greatness of any corned beef sandwich.  Ned, you make a good sandwich but there really is only one Slyman's and your sandwich was about half the size of a Slyman's, and the whole microwave thing was a turn off.  In a pinch sure you do a nice sandwich but when I want the Cleveland original I will make the trek down to East 31st and St. Clair for the real deal.  

After some laziness around the house we geared up to get down to some rock and roll at Garage Bar on 25th in Cleveland.  I am not going to lie I had not been back to Garage Bar in over two years.  The last couple times I went here I absolutely hated the place.  It was full of "those guys".  You know the ones.  The sideways visor, Ed Hardy, shirts 2 sizes too small douchebag club.  It was wall to wall pretentiousness.  It was a meat market with the beautiful girls with their spray on tans and noses stuck high in the air looking for Mr. Right Now.  The service completely sucked.  They played horrible music and it was a DJ (not Larry Szyms) selecting the finest cuts of the worst 80's shit music possible.  Honestly it was everything I hate about the whole West 6th Street vibe only moved a few blocks down the road.  So I never went back after my last poor experience and I want to say that was at least 2 years ago.

I am not going to say it has completely changed because some of that same element was there, but it was not so prominent.  What has changed though is the service as it was nothing short of phenomenal.  The bar is still the same.  It's a gearheads paradise with motorcycle and automotive memorabilia adorning the walls.  The beer taps are old lit up gas pumps.  The beers on tap are so so at best but they have a great selection of micro, import and craft bottles as well as a nicely stocked bar.  The patio is spacious but the chairs look like they are made from recycled swimming pool ladders, and they are not comfortable at all.  They are more devices of torture than they are stools.  The bathrooms were decent, and pretty clean but there is this grate under your feet at the urinal.  Think about a puppy at the pet store.  It's like a urine drain pan of sorts and that was pretty amusing-disturbing-disgusting.  There is an elevated back bar area and it seemed this is where the douche crowd hung out like vultures wearing the latest Old Navy collection stalking their prey.  

A funny thing has been happening to me lately and I think I might have a stalker.  It is a very odd thing because a couple weeks ago at the Happy Dog and now here at the Garage Bar Kenny Crumpton was lurking in the crowd.  I think Kenny is a great guy but I think he is trying to steal my thunder.  Well, either that or he reads my blog and knows I am the guy that knows where the action is.  Honestly I don't buy into that at all.  It just is weird and worth mentioning I keep running into Kickin' it with Kenny all over the fucking city.  I respect his celebrity and leave him alone but if he shows up at another bar we are going to have to have a talk about boundaries.  No one really bugs the guy though.  He seems like such an animated guy on Fox in the Morning you would think he would be the center of attention.  I have seen other Cleveland "celebrities" out and about and a lot of them are complete assholes.  Kenny seems pretty approachable and chill.  

There had to be a damn good reason to get me back to the Garage Bar after my couple year hiatus, ban or whatever you want to call it and that was the rock and roll bands.  My friends, those Jones, from Scoliosis Jones were headlining a 3 band bill.  The first band was actually all the way from Long Beach California.  Nice SoCal punk rock 3 piece called Adams Dagger.  They played about a 40 minute set of nonstop 3 chord punk rock and hardcore.  It reminded of of bands like 7 Seconds, Social D and Agent Orange.  There really is no mistaking that SoCal sound and they had it down pretty good.  The 2nd band was a 4 piece from Toledo called Homeward Bound.  They were pretty good.  I just couldn't figure out the sound.  Hardcore?  Rockabilly?  It was hard to pinpoint.  I also don't think they were very into playing up here for whatever reason.  The crowd was pretty sparse in the bar so that might have been part of it.  It was just a nice patio kind of night.  

Scoliosis Jones took the stage pretty late in the night.  Honestly lost track of time watching the bands and hanging out.  They put on a really good set of PBR fueled rockabilly.  I think I ripped into them pretty hard after the Spitfire show, and I was just being honest.  This was like seeing a completely different band from that night.  The new drummer AC Jones had the time to gel with them much better.  You would think he was with them from the get go.  Heidi Sue was absolutely on with her vocals and so was Ty.  He was seriously up there manhandling his bass, riding it, spinning it around, and slapping the shit out of it in general.  Tox was on with the guitar licks and pulled out the slide for a couple cuts that sounded great.  I always thought he had some talent up there but there were actually moments of guitar genius on the stage that night.  I was so impressed I got him a shot of Jim Beam Black to end the night right.  

Scoliosis Jones was a different band last night.  They sounded well rehearsed.  They dropped the chip off their shoulder they had at the Spitfire and just had a good fucking time entertaining the crowd with some good old rock and roll music.  They brought quite the crowd with them last night as people were dancing on the floor and the front of the house was pretty packed.  They are going to be playing next Friday with the Jim Rose Circus, and Lords of the Highway at the Cleveland Burlesque Fest International at Now That's Class which should prove to be very entertaining.  If this was a warm up for what they are bringing next Friday it is a show not to miss as that is one hell of a line up.                       

        

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & Sokolowski's University Inn

So, woke up early this morning to an unexpected day off which was honestly very nice after a long week of, as Chuck Barris would say "more stuff".  All is good, no worries.  We headed out to one of our favorite Cleveland landmarks; The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.  I have been coming to the zoo longer than I can even remember.  The zoo has been an affordable option for Cleveland residents since the 1800's.  However, I have only been coming since the 70's as a kid.  I remember back in the day when you could feed the animals.  We would stop off at the Wonder Bread outlet store and pick up countless loaves of the stuff to throw to the lions, tigers, bears and monkeys.  This was way before the days when animals were on silly restricted healthy diets.  I am not 100% certain when the change took place but I think it is funny to look back and think holy shit what were we thinking?  It probably saved on the food bills for the zoo but I am guessing the animals had shorter lifespans and were fat as fuck.  

I remember the times of the Zoo Key which at the time was high tech gadgetry.  They sounded like a busted Taco Bell Drive-thru, and spouted little snippets and factoids about the animals that were probably bullshit like "The Polar Bears love eating stale Wonder Bread".  I don't know or remember because we never had the coveted Zoo Key, we obviously spent too much money on Wonder Bread to get a key.  I knew the zoo layout like the palm of my hand as a kid.  To this day my favorite animals are still in their same spots.  The zoo itself has changed over time including multimillion dollar projects including the Rainforest and the Elephant Crossing which is being built now.  The zoo itself is always being updated in one way or another.  I still want to know what happened to the old monkeys on Monkey Island though.  I think some weird fringe conspiracy shit went down there, but then again I am nuts.  

The mission today?  Go see the lonely Polar Bear.  There is nothing sadder in life than a lonely bear.  I think the bears name is Aurora if I am not mistaken but the poor thing just lays around most of the day with no interaction except from the folks that come to visit.  It is kind of sad to see.  So hey Zoo..go get another Polar Bear dammit.  Steal one of the ones at Erie or something.  While we were in the Northern Trek we checked out the various other bears, and the sea lions who were very active except for one guy who looked hilarious sleeping in the sun.  You had to take the Zoo Tram to get to the Trek due to the bridge they have been building for what seems like 20 years above that general area.  That was fine by me because that hill totally sucks anyhow.  It was quiet and we were the first tram up to the Trek so it was nice to have the place to ourselves for a bit.  

Next stop was over to the Dinosaurs! exhibit.  No, I am not yelling it is "!" Dinosaurs.  Honestly these guys are pretty cool.  They scared the bejesus out of some of the kids, as they should, and others loved them.  They even had a couple of them that spit out water if you are so inclined to be spat on by a dinosaur this is the place for you.  They are completely interactive with lifelike movement and dino-growls.  I love this new little exhibit however I think it's bullshit people are more into the fake animals than the real thing.  I think it is really there to make up for the crowd pleasing Elephants since they are in Columbus waiting for their new home.  The new Elephant crossing looks amazing for the record and I can't wait to see the grand opening.  The Zoo is an amazing place for all ages to enjoy.  It's an affordable option for something fun to do all day.  You can tackle the zoo in one day or make a weekend of it checking out the main zoo one day and the Rainforest another.  Either way you do it, it is a Cleveland treasure.

On the way home we decided to hit Sokolowski's University Inn for lunch.  I have been here many times but this is the first time this year.  It is a popular place for lunch because it is cheap, affordable and pretty amazing.  It is a cafeteria style eatery; grab a tray and go on down the line.  Salads and deserts are first, then the soda fountain then comes the entrees.  I had to grab a rice pudding first off which was excellent.  I saw they had Vernors Ginger Ale on the fountain which I had to get.  Where do you ever see that?  For lunch I had the Salisbury Steak with beefy mushroom and onion gravy (phenomenal), mashed potatoes (so-so), and potato pancakes (awesome).  The Salisbury Steak is more like a mini-meatloaf smothered in a wonderful rich thick beef gravy.  I get it every time and will never deviate from that menu option.  I will change side dishes here and there because they have some of the most amazing pierogies around.  

The portions are enormous and you won't ever leave hungry.  The one thing I have never figured out is the drink thing.  The fountain pop thing is in the middle of the line making it impossible to jump back in for a refill.  So I don't know if you can even get refills because you would be going against the lunch rush tide in order to get a refill.  I never asked to be honest but I was super thirsty as I drank my Vernors way too fast.  So my drink to lunch ratio was all out of whack which was bothersome.  So here's the deal, as I tell the Cleveland institution that is almost 100 years old how to do business, get bigger cups or figure out a way to make it easier to get a refill.  It is irritating.  Other than that I love you.  You are a long standing Cleveland tradition serving up good old fashioned homestyle ethnic eats.  I think every one in Cleveland needs to eat here once in their life.  It should be a right of passage to be able to call yourself a citizen of the city.           

Wayne "The Train" Hancock @ The Beachland Tavern

When Wayne "The Train" Hancock comes to town you know you are in for a great show.  Not only a great show but a really long one at that.  Wayne rolled into town last night to The Beachland Tavern.  As much as I could try to muster folks to come up to the show I didn't get much buy in.  Kind of like the whole polka DJ Kishka thing at the Happy Dog or some raspy voiced singer named Ryan Bingham who just won an Academy Award with some guy name T-Bone Burnett for a song from Crazy Heart.  If you don't get it, you either never will or you are going to catch on too late.  One thing I truly do appreciate about the Beachland is their support from artists like Wayne Hancock.  They have such an eclectic mix of music that plays the tavern and ballroom sides.  For as big of a country town as Cleveland is (I think WGAR is always up there in the ratings or at least they used to be) they sure as hell don't have many "country" shows outside the the major label acts that come to Blossom.  The Beachland has tons of Alt & Outlaw country artists coming in the next few months.  By tons I mean Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Blackberry Smoke, Old 97's, The Sadies, The Waco Brothers and countless others.  They also really look out for local artists in that genre with the multi-band Barn Dances and throwing bands like The Not So Good Old Boys, Heelsplitter, and Misery Jackals, an opening spot when they can.  

So Wayne the who?  Wayne is old time country.  He makes no bones about his feelings on some of the stuff that passes for country music these days.  Call him a throwback or whatever you want but the guy has the soul of Hank Williams in his voice.  He is the kind of guy that could write a song in a matter of minutes, and the songs he writes you would think they came from the early days of Sun Records.  He takes the best of the swing days of country throws in a little Hank Williams, mixes in a little surf guitar and the lyrical prowess of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson or Johnny Cash.  He is a gifted and talented songwriter to say the least.  

He rolled into town as a three piece and played well over 2 hours of nonstop originals, country classics and standards.  His backing band consisted of Shane Kiel on the upright bass and Matt Thomas on the electric guitar.  Shane Kiel comes from The Two Timin' Four and is no stranger to the Hancock's music.  He plays the bass like an old pro and could go toe to toe with Lee Rocker in skills and tattoos.  Thomas is a Austin native and his guitar chops are amazing.  His guitar sound is unique being a combo of surf-Hawaiian, country and juke joint jive.  There was a point when a piece of the guys guitar fell off. Sure obviously nothing too important as he continued playing.  Not only didn't he miss a lick, he didn't even notice until Wayne pointed it out to him as it lay on the floor of the stage.  Both are incredibly talented players and you can tell they love sharing the stage with Wayne.  

The banter between songs was comical, the songs sounded incredible and the packed in crowd loved every minute of it.  The sound was dead on and the audience was respectful throughout despite the NASCAR look of them.  They were hardy drinkers that's for sure and honestly a very diverse crowd of real hardcore Hancock fans.  I tend to get creeped out when I am out of my element however I have come to learn I no longer have an element.  It is just a great thing to see real fans coming out to see a true roots country show.  The next time Mr. Train comes rolling into town you really should hit it up.  You won't be disappointed at all if you truly love the roots of country music.  Hell even if all you know is that ass clown Toby Keith or think Carrie Underwood is real country you would enjoy seeing this cat live.  He is a yodelin', guitar strummin', country croonin' real McCoy.              

Playing Catch Up...Cleveland Police Auction, Mi Pueblo, Urban Exploration, Cranky's

Last Saturday, beautiful weather to go out and hang out all over the city.  I heard about the Cleveland Police auction so I got up early to check it out.  Can I tell you I had to take the most fucked up detour to get down to this thing since the bridge was out?  You normally would get down to West 3rd without an issue by hooking a left before the Carnegie Bridge.  Well, the bridge down that desolate industrial parkway is closed for repairs.  I had to take a 20 minute detour just to get down there.  I was "mother fucking" the whole way down there, and got lost twice.  The detour signs SUCKED.  When I got there I found out it was cash only.  It is doubtful I would have bought anything, but still I was willing to write a check.  I mean seriously who would give a bad check to the cops?  

The auction consisted of various junk, and a lot of it.  Broken lawnmowers, old computers, cameras, TV's, tools and bikes.  It was like a hillbilly garage sale for the most part.  I am sure some folks got some good deals, but it is total buyer beware.  You have no idea where this stuff came from, did it work, did it work well or is some drug dealer taking down your license plate number to come back and get his shit back.  The building itself is very nondescript.  I probably drove past it countless times not even knowing what it was.  Now I know never to mess with breaking in there at the very least.  

So as that was a bust I drove around the post industrial wasteland of the city and over to the flats.  There are tons of great places to take pictures if you are into the urban exploration sort of thing.  However the area was crawling with cops for whatever reason.  Without a lookout I was kind of limited to what I was able to pull off.  I have mentioned this in the past but some of my photo shoots are not necessarily 100% legal from a trespassing point of view.  I have been run off by cops in the past but from a safety perspective I don't like going into this buildings alone as you never know who or what you might run into inside of some of this creepy abandoned buildings.  For the most part I stuck to the main drags, railroad tracks and various bridges which are all in abundance in that area.  

After a couple hours cruising the desolate ruins of the once vibrant Flats area I had enough and headed over to pick up dinner for later in the night from Mi Pueblo.  As far as Mexican dining goes the restaurant is one of the best options in the Cleveland area.  The grocery store attached is wonderful for grabbing some takeout, fresh meats, guacamole and various other Mexican favorites.  They have wonderful to go tamales, pork or chicken at basically a buck a piece.  Well worth the $12 for the dozen.  The chicken ones are good but the pork are out of this world.  I picked up some seasoned skirt steak that awaits becoming a soup one of these days in my freezer.  Aside from the food they sell various other items including cds.  So I went through the cd rack, looking for the guys that looked the best in their coordinated suits and picked that one up.  No idea who they were, still couldn't tell you the name for them.  It is a wonderful cd though, don't get me wrong.  I just don't speak Spanish in the least.  

So after eating way too many tamales we headed over to Visible Voice Books over in Tremont to shoot the shit with the guys there and look for some reading material.  Visible Voice is a great local independent book shop.  It's small, they have a patio, and the serve wine.  I think that is something the chains can't offer.  They offer new releases, a section of used and a great local section.  It honestly is a great little pitstop or a lazy afternoon kind of place to hang out.  It's pretty quiet there but it really has a charm to it that makes it a hidden treasure in the area.  The house next door to it?  Well, that is another story completely.  Let's just say it kind of adds to the fun of the shop.  They are harmless but well I don't know what else to say about it.  Just go check it out for yourself.

We headed over to Cranky's Manatee, the former Matinee over on 25th to check out Afternoon Naps, Very Truly Yours, and Trouble Books.  Honestly I knew the Afternoon Naps, the others I had no clue.  The night started off with Akron's Trouble Books who were just a nice ambient kind of shoegazer indie rock 4 piece.  I really enjoyed their sound.  It was ust really different.  Hard to explain really, but worth checking out.  One thing I would have liked to see was a bit more harmonizing on the vocals from them.  They sounded great singing alone but when it came to backing vocals for each other it sounded a bit off.  Was it supposed to sound that way?  No idea, so no offense if that is what you are going for.  I still really enjoyed the sound of these guys and gals overall.

Next up was the 5 piece Very Truly Yours out of Chicago.  I dug these guys in that Yo La Tengo kind of way.  Just nice subdued indie rock.  By the time these cats were done the place was packed so for the most part we just listened to Afternoon Naps out on the patio.  It was a nice night for patio drinking.  A little chilly and the patio is so-so at this joint but we made due with what we had.  Cranky's isn't a bad little place honestly.  They have some old school video games to play, but they seem to have way too many shitty beers for my liking.  There were some decent choices too but tall boys of cheap crap were the crowd favorite.  They could stand a few more liquor choices too. I think you really need to cater to the crowd and their crowd appears to like large volumes of cheap beer.  They serve some sandwiches and wraps which I did not witness myself.  

The bar itself looks very nice, ample seating, long bar and a damn good bartender, who I suspect is the owner as well.  One guy being able to handle a packed house is a huge plus in my book.  Sound system had some hiccups, but I am sure that will work itself out in time.  They have a small area with a pool table, however it was blocked off with gear cases from the bands.  It was a Saturday, I know, but the 10:30 start on a 3 band bill was a little late for my liking.  One big "watch out" though.  Watch out for the first step going in.  It is poorly lit at the entrance and had I not looked I probably would have fallen on my ass.  A big plus is the parking.  They have their own lot which provides a lot of space.  They have a patio bar now that was not open when I was there.  Like many of the bars in the area there is that "funk" smell about it that will hit you in the nostrils from time to time especially in the downstairs bathrooms.  Honestly I hope this place does well as I think they are doing a lot of good for the local music scene.  It is new, there are some kinks to work out but I think they are moving in the right direction.