In 2021, Cleveland Rocks accomplished so much. Here are some of our amazing highlights from a busy year:
Music Incubator Program: Cleveland Rocks launched this Incubator to support new work from local musicians. Currently, 15 artists, producers and bands are engaged, leveraging local resources and sparking collaboration to build new opportunities. We’re already seeing results, with increased earnings and exciting new projects in the works.
NE Ohio Music Relief Fund: Through February 2021, Cleveland Rocks provided direct, essential support to 96 musicians and venue workers hard hit by the pandemic shutdown, totaling $38,900 in funds that helped these artists survive the crisis.
Waterloo Makes Music: Our 5th annual summer concert series featured local musicians and production teams with both in-person and livestreamed performances that let us showcase local talent and develop new audiences.
#SaveCLEVenues: Through June 2021, Cleveland Rocks were instrumental in both fundraising to provide direct support to independent venues as well as advocating for greater federal and local funding to support these businesses through unprecedented shutdowns industry wide.
If you celebrate live music, or love someone who does, now is the time to support your local music community.
Help Re-Launch the Cleveland Rocks Shop
The Cleveland Rocks Shop will be a retail space showcasing local music and honoring its past, present, and future located in the former Music Saves storefront in the Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District. The shop will curate and sell products that represent Cleveland music history and current bands and feature interactive listening stations. To bring this to life, funds are being raised to cover occupancy costs, moderate renovations and repair to both the interior and exterior, purchase fixtures, a point-of-sale register and inventory. Can we count on you? Learn More Here.
Music Support Programming in Northeast Ohio
VIDEO: CRShop Talk with Taylor Lamborn
Cleveland Rocks: PPF’s own Ryan Laubenthal sat down with Taylor Lamborn, a local singer songwriter and member of our Music Incubator Program, to talk about her upbringing, musical journey, Cleveland and everything in between. She will be performing as part of our Waterloo Makes Music: Songwriters in the Round on February 5th in the Cleveland Rocks Shop (CRS) with Clare Feorene and Morgan Mecaskey. Here’s a sneak peak of the full interview.
ClevelandMagazine.com – Jan. 18, 2023 – Cleveland Soul Legend Art Blakey Teams Up With The Day Nites: Q&A
The Day Nites will take the Beachland Tavern stage on Saturday, Jan. 21. Art Blakey, a fixture in the local music scene, has found a fresh outlet for his classic soul style. The singer has teamed up with the Day Nites, a soul band consisting of members of the Hi-Lites (Nick Fritsch, Bob Basone and Matt Garrett), along with Tom Fallon of The Alarm Clocks and New Salem Witch Hunters.
CoolCleveland.com – Nonprofit Helping Local Musicians Hosts Benefit at the Beachland
It was nearly a decade ago that local music sparkplug/Beachland Ballroom co-owner Cindy Barber conceived of the nonprofit Cleveland Rocks: Past Present Future with the idea of protecting the areas music legacy while assuring it would be carried on by younger musicians. That nonprofit engaged in a number of small projects over the years, but unexpectedly, it was the pandemic — and the dire situation in which it put many musicians — that caused it to roar into action with programs designed to mentor musicians, and provide them with resources and gigs
The Cleveland Verses Foundation is a generous supporter of Cleveland Rocks programs and initiatives. Learn more about their mission.