Kim

To continue to make downtown livelier and unique, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance has started a Downtown Busker Program for musicians, dancers and artists alike. The DCA has created a street performance guide, scouted out locations for performers and is accepting applications from potential performers – ranging from musicians and mimes to comedians, puppeteers and balloon twisters.

I caught the end of Jimmy Kimmel Live in early November when IDLES, a band from England, made their American TV debut playing their newly released single entitled “The Beachland Ballroom,” named for the concert venue my partner Mark Leddy and I started nearly 22 years ago in a marginal neighborhood in Cleveland. As IDLES lead singer and songwriter Joe Talbot was screaming through my TV “DAMAGE, DAMAGE, DAMAGE,” I found myself wanting to join in.

“Cleveland, in fact, is better positioned to become “the next Venice” than Venice was to become the first Venice. Again, before scoffing, consider this. Cleveland’s art and culture infrastructure already exists at a world class level. The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the 10 finest art museums in the country…”

A new pathway links two stellar programs and streamlines bachelor’s degree completion for Cuyahoga Community College recording arts and technology graduates transferring to BW. A BW grad was integral in building the partnership.

The artistry behind drag and burlesque – the dance, costuming, makeup and heart – have been captured in a new art exhibition by local photographer Bridget Caswell, set to span three Waterloo Road venues. “Contrast Contoured” will take over the Maria Neil Art Project, Space: ROCK gallery and Music Saves gallery spaces Aug. 5 to Oct. 7.

Greater Cleveland was a national leader in the Save our Stages advocacy for independent venues during the pandemic, but it was a chance conversation between friends that led to the first ever National Independent Venue Association conference coming to town this week. More than 450 indie venue owners, show promoters and musicians from around the world will be in Cleveland on July 11 and 12 for the conference, which includes daytime panels and networking, and public evening shows at member venues.

Major Justin Bibb has declared Wednesday, July 6 “Steve Popovich/Cleveland International Records Day.” It’s a day to celebrate the legacy of Popovich, whose work in Cleveland and beyond helped boost the careers of Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, Cheap Trick, Miles Davis, Ronnie Spector, Ian Hunter, Meat Loaf and many others.

The National Independent Venue Association comes together for its first national gathering of members from the independent live concert, comedy, promoter, and festival industry with NIVA ‘22. The two-day conference takes place in Cleveland, July 11th & 12th across multiple NIVA member venues and includes the first-ever Independent Awards Formal (Independent AF) at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Get all the details at https://nivassoc.org/conference