Edison's, good beer, so-so pizza and Revolutionary jazz

Yeah this one is going to be short.  I honestly didn't stay very long.  I stayed long enough for a couple beers, a slice of pie and about 5 songs.  Edison's used to be the hip hang out years ago when the Tremont area was just starting to make a name for itself.  It has stood its ground serving up a great beer selection without ever changing much.  Local artists work lines the walls of the narrow corridor-esque back dining area.  Not very good artwork this time around mind you.  Reproductions of old vintage postcard blown up selling for $295 is not really art to me kids.  I'll just buy new postcards at Hopkins 5 for a buck.  The asking price on them makes me want to frame my stuff for a show and give people a bargain.  There is a pool table in the back with minimal room to really shoot but still gets a bit of action and a patio out back that is comfortable during the warm spring and summer months.

I have been reluctant to head back over to Edison's because an old school friend blew his brains out in the bar a few years back.  So honestly getting me to Edison's under normal circumstances would have been a difficult task.  Enter, John Kuegeler and the Revolution Brass Band.  John is an old ghost of mine from high school past.  A really good friend from back in the day as a matter of fact.  He tipped me off to his band after coming out to the Nomo show a couple weeks back.  There are 8 folks in the band.  They have horns and drums and that's all they need.  They cover it all from the New Orleans sound to reggae to plain old funky traditional swing.   They are "Cleveland's newest experimental second-line, afrobeat, new jack swing, free-range, certified organic, fully-operational shape-shifting brass band."  Given the fact I still get a little creeped out by Edison's, and I had been going nonstop for 3 days all I could really muster was like an hour.  It wasn't that they were bad or anything.  I thought they were great and aside from the jackass that yelled out for them to play Slayer I would love to see them in larger venue anywhere but Edison's.   

Here's the rub on the Edison's overall experience though and why seeing bands there annoys me a bit.  The bands play in the front room which comfortably seats next to no one or like 20 people tops.  Doesn't matter if there is a 3 piece, 8 piece or 20 piece band in there if you have to take a leak you are actually a part of the band.  The stairs going to the bathroom more or less share the stage with the entertainment.  However they have been making due with it for many years the exact same way and usually have a decent crowd.  The beer selection is incredible.  They have quite a lot of craft brews there.  The food comes from next door, and I think it is a separate thing but still it is called Edison's Pizza Kitchen.  If I was hammered I think I would have liked the pizza more.  It's semi-New York style, thinner crust but way too much sauce on it.  Plus a slice is $2.50.  I think it is a bit much.  The slices aren't like a giant movie style fold over piece you see the Mafia folks eating at the corner pie store.  6 or 8 of them would make a large pie, more like 8 I am thinking.  So you are looking at a $15-$20 pizza here when you do the math that isn't anything to sing about.  Summary:  Great band, great beer, questionable art, so-so pizza, and a weird bathroom situation.